Breaking Pluralsight Gives $20M of Value to Job Seekers in 2016!

Breaking Pluralsight Gives $20M of Value to Job Seekers in 2016! This was announced last week, but its still new enough, and will last long enough, that I consider it breaking news. The White House has an initiative called TechHire, which is designed to empower unemployed, job-seeking Americans to get the programming and IT skills they need to begin and sustain well-paying careers in technology. I knew that Pluralsight went to the White House in August (see pic below) and has been in talks with the White House and the TechHire initiative now they are announcing what the $20M is going towards: free accounts, with 50 specific courses, for unemployed in the U.S.  5 of the 50 courses are mine.  Remember, when you watch a Jason Alba course on Pluralsight you can get another one week upgrade on JibberJobber!  (details here) The great thing about the 50 courses is that they are courses to help someone get up and running as a techie. You dont need any technical experience, just a desire to learn. Heres the press release. Heres their blog post  (with information about the courses). Heres the signup form! Below is the list of courses the five highlighted, at the top, are mine (and each qualify for another week of premium JibberJobber). What I love about this list, as well as the rest of the Pluralsight library, is that I can say that these courses are taught be some amazing, talented people! Job Search and Career Management Courses Designing a Killer Job Search Strategy LinkedIn Strategy: Optimize Your Profile Effective Phone Skills Effective Email Communication Leadership: Getting Started Careers in IT: How to Get Your First Job Resumes, Research and Writing on the Job Hunt Build Your Career with Michael Lopp The Art of Public Speaking and Effective Presentations Career and Survival Strategies for Software Developers General Technology and the Technology Industry Courses Learning Technology in the Information Age The Future of Technology Careers Introduction to Business Information Technology DevOps: The Big Picture Big Data: The Big Picture Introduction to Virtualization Web vs Apps: The Big Picture Cloud Computing: The Big Picture Web Security and the OWASP Top 10: The Big Picture Software Engineering Essentials Front End Web Development  Courses Front End Web Development Career Kickstart Your First Day With HTML Your First Day With CSS Front-End Web Development Quick Start with HTML5, CSS, and JavaScript Play by Play: HTML, CSS, and JavaScript with Lea Verou JavaScript QuickStart Vol 1 JavaScript QuickStart Vol 2 JavaScript QuickStart Vol 3 Learning To Program Part 1: Getting Started JavaScript Fundamentals for ES6 Technical Support  Courses CompTIA A+ Part 1: Computer Hardware CompTIA A+ Part 2: Networking CompTIA A+ Part 3: Peripherals and Best Practices CompTIA A+ Part 4: Operating Systems CompTIA A+ Part 5: Mobile Devices and Troubleshooting CompTIA A+ Part 6: How to Build a Computer Technology Troubleshooting Essentials Practical Networking Windows Client Administration Fundamentals Linux System Administration Fundamentals Data Professional  Courses Excel 2013 Fundamentals Excel: An Analytics Superhub Data Analytics: Hands On Data Analysis Fundamentals with Tableau Data Visualizations using Tableau Public Business Dashboard Fundamentals Introduction to Data Warehousing and Business Intelligence Cloud Business Intelligence: The Big Picture Introduction to SQL NoSQL: The Big Picture Are you ready for a career in technology?  From programming to databases, from understanding the big picture of technology to the big picture of data and underestimated tools like Excel, Pluralsight has stepped up to the plate to help YOU get started, and explore the opportunities, and get the training you need to be qualified! If you want access to all of the other 4,500 courses in the Pluralsight library, the upgrade is only $30/month. Breaking Pluralsight Gives $20M of Value to Job Seekers in 2016! This was announced last week, but its still new enough, and will last long enough, that I consider it breaking news. The White House has an initiative called TechHire, which is designed to empower unemployed, job-seeking Americans to get the programming and IT skills they need to begin and sustain well-paying careers in technology. I knew that Pluralsight went to the White House in August (see pic below) and has been in talks with the White House and the TechHire initiative now they are announcing what the $20M is going towards: free accounts, with 50 specific courses, for unemployed in the U.S.  5 of the 50 courses are mine.  Remember, when you watch a Jason Alba course on Pluralsight you can get another one week upgrade on JibberJobber!  (details here) The great thing about the 50 courses is that they are courses to help someone get up and running as a techie. You dont need any technical experience, just a desire to learn. Heres the press release. Heres their blog post  (with information about the courses). Heres the signup form! Below is the list of courses the five highlighted, at the top, are mine (and each qualify for another week of premium JibberJobber). What I love about this list, as well as the rest of the Pluralsight library, is that I can say that these courses are taught be some amazing, talented people! Job Search and Career Management Courses Designing a Killer Job Search Strategy LinkedIn Strategy: Optimize Your Profile Effective Phone Skills Effective Email Communication Leadership: Getting Started Careers in IT: How to Get Your First Job Resumes, Research and Writing on the Job Hunt Build Your Career with Michael Lopp The Art of Public Speaking and Effective Presentations Career and Survival Strategies for Software Developers General Technology and the Technology Industry Courses Learning Technology in the Information Age The Future of Technology Careers Introduction to Business Information Technology DevOps: The Big Picture Big Data: The Big Picture Introduction to Virtualization Web vs Apps: The Big Picture Cloud Computing: The Big Picture Web Security and the OWASP Top 10: The Big Picture Software Engineering Essentials Front End Web Development  Courses Front End Web Development Career Kickstart Your First Day With HTML Your First Day With CSS Front-End Web Development Quick Start with HTML5, CSS, and JavaScript Play by Play: HTML, CSS, and JavaScript with Lea Verou JavaScript QuickStart Vol 1 JavaScript QuickStart Vol 2 JavaScript QuickStart Vol 3 Learning To Program Part 1: Getting Started JavaScript Fundamentals for ES6 Technical Support  Courses CompTIA A+ Part 1: Computer Hardware CompTIA A+ Part 2: Networking CompTIA A+ Part 3: Peripherals and Best Practices CompTIA A+ Part 4: Operating Systems CompTIA A+ Part 5: Mobile Devices and Troubleshooting CompTIA A+ Part 6: How to Build a Computer Technology Troubleshooting Essentials Practical Networking Windows Client Administration Fundamentals Linux System Administration Fundamentals Data Professional  Courses Excel 2013 Fundamentals Excel: An Analytics Superhub Data Analytics: Hands On Data Analysis Fundamentals with Tableau Data Visualizations using Tableau Public Business Dashboard Fundamentals Introduction to Data Warehousing and Business Intelligence Cloud Business Intelligence: The Big Picture Introduction to SQL NoSQL: The Big Picture Are you ready for a career in technology?  From programming to databases, from understanding the big picture of technology to the big picture of data and underestimated tools like Excel, Pluralsight has stepped up to the plate to help YOU get started, and explore the opportunities, and get the training you need to be qualified! If you want access to all of the other 4,500 courses in the Pluralsight library, the upgrade is only $30/month. Breaking Pluralsight Gives $20M of Value to Job Seekers in 2016! This was announced last week, but its still new enough, and will last long enough, that I consider it breaking news. The White House has an initiative called TechHire, which is designed to empower unemployed, job-seeking Americans to get the programming and IT skills they need to begin and sustain well-paying careers in technology. I knew that Pluralsight went to the White House in August (see pic below) and has been in talks with the White House and the TechHire initiative now they are announcing what the $20M is going towards: free accounts, with 50 specific courses, for unemployed in the U.S.  5 of the 50 courses are mine.  Remember, when you watch a Jason Alba course on Pluralsight you can get another one week upgrade on JibberJobber!  (details here) The great thing about the 50 courses is that they are courses to help someone get up and running as a techie. You dont need any technical experience, just a desire to learn. Heres the press release. Heres their blog post  (with information about the courses). Heres the signup form! Below is the list of courses the five highlighted, at the top, are mine (and each qualify for another week of premium JibberJobber). What I love about this list, as well as the rest of the Pluralsight library, is that I can say that these courses are taught be some amazing, talented people! Job Search and Career Management Courses Designing a Killer Job Search Strategy LinkedIn Strategy: Optimize Your Profile Effective Phone Skills Effective Email Communication Leadership: Getting Started Careers in IT: How to Get Your First Job Resumes, Research and Writing on the Job Hunt Build Your Career with Michael Lopp The Art of Public Speaking and Effective Presentations Career and Survival Strategies for Software Developers General Technology and the Technology Industry Courses Learning Technology in the Information Age The Future of Technology Careers Introduction to Business Information Technology DevOps: The Big Picture Big Data: The Big Picture Introduction to Virtualization Web vs Apps: The Big Picture Cloud Computing: The Big Picture Web Security and the OWASP Top 10: The Big Picture Software Engineering Essentials Front End Web Development  Courses Front End Web Development Career Kickstart Your First Day With HTML Your First Day With CSS Front-End Web Development Quick Start with HTML5, CSS, and JavaScript Play by Play: HTML, CSS, and JavaScript with Lea Verou JavaScript QuickStart Vol 1 JavaScript QuickStart Vol 2 JavaScript QuickStart Vol 3 Learning To Program Part 1: Getting Started JavaScript Fundamentals for ES6 Technical Support  Courses CompTIA A+ Part 1: Computer Hardware CompTIA A+ Part 2: Networking CompTIA A+ Part 3: Peripherals and Best Practices CompTIA A+ Part 4: Operating Systems CompTIA A+ Part 5: Mobile Devices and Troubleshooting CompTIA A+ Part 6: How to Build a Computer Technology Troubleshooting Essentials Practical Networking Windows Client Administration Fundamentals Linux System Administration Fundamentals Data Professional  Courses Excel 2013 Fundamentals Excel: An Analytics Superhub Data Analytics: Hands On Data Analysis Fundamentals with Tableau Data Visualizations using Tableau Public Business Dashboard Fundamentals Introduction to Data Warehousing and Business Intelligence Cloud Business Intelligence: The Big Picture Introduction to SQL NoSQL: The Big Picture Are you ready for a career in technology?  From programming to databases, from understanding the big picture of technology to the big picture of data and underestimated tools like Excel, Pluralsight has stepped up to the plate to help YOU get started, and explore the opportunities, and get the training you need to be qualified! If you want access to all of the other 4,500 courses in the Pluralsight library, the upgrade is only $30/month.

5 Ways to Proactively Protect Your Online Reputation

5 Ways to Proactively Protect Your Online Reputation Job hunters must keep in mind that countless employers and human resources personnel are utilizing the web and, in particular, social networks to get additional information on prospective employees. This growing method of gaining information on applicants has provoked many job seekers to “get off the grid.” But it’s important to note that information gleaned from the web can be what wins you a position as much as it can be what disqualifies you from one. Because of this, aspiring professionals should consider the following when attempting to perform their own online reputation management: 1. Clean Up Your Social Networking Act: This one is a given, but the ever-evolving nature of social networking has made it more of a meticulous task than merely removing raunchy images or references to dirty deeds. It’s important to always be aware of your privacy settings, as the activity of friends can affect your profile through image tagging and wall posting. Whenever you’re informed of “updates” by-way of an automatic email from your preferred social network, examine privacy settings for signs of change. You may not be aware of it, but updates could include a reformatting of such settings and introducing new options that are defaulted to whatever the social network decides. 2. Expand Your Social Networking Act: Becoming a listed member of Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and now Google+ does more than just make you look like a go-getter, it means that so long as you keep these accounts relatively active you help eliminate the possibility of undesirable uncontrolled information about you from making its way to the top of a Google search. These sites are such incredibly popular results that they’ll always sit at the top. That way any unauthorized content related to you, if in existence, is less likely to make an appearance to a possible employer. 3. Buy Your Own Website: If you have a popular name like Robert Smith this one might be impossible, but acquiring a yourname.com resume website is a great way to influence your online reputation massively in one single step. Buying the domain of your full name allows you to make that URL the destination of your online resume and additional personal information you wish to disclose to the public and potential employers. It also keeps someone else from buying it and making your name associated with who-knows-what. 4. Perform a Positive Google Bomb: It’s a primitive measure, but if you have some time to kill, simply do repeated Google searches of your own name with added words that highlight achievements. This is especially effective if these searches lead to information about achievements you otherwise wouldn’t put on a resume for the sake of space. Athletic achievements are a good example of such facts that are good to lead employers to. 5. Send Employers to These Sites Yourself: Employers might still go ahead and do their own search engine snooping but a good way to curb the intensity of their research is to go ahead and provide them with links to these sites through your resume or cover letter. You want to show you have an established online presence you’re happy to share. It’s also an easy way to look confident when making a first impression. Employers and human resource personnel expect for potential employees to exist online. Your mission is as much to present your Internet image as ideally as possible as it is to protect it from negativity. Don’t fear Facebook and other social sites, but instead, utilize them to increase the odds of getting hired. It requires the proper balance of activity and alertness, but there’s nothing about managing an online reputation that’s outside the realm of possibility of those eager to get hired. Related:  How To Protect Your Online Personal Brand.

20 Ways to Improve Empathy and Relationships at Work

20 Ways to Improve Empathy and Relationships at Work In the busy, fast-paced world of business, it may be surprising to learn just how important empathy is when it comes to your personal level of performance and how well you can interact and work with your co-workers. Low levels of empathy can cause many problems in the workplace â€" it can leave you feeling distant from your colleagues and it can also lead to a failure to listen and work in harmony together. GetCRM put together an infographic that outlined the many excellent practices backed by science that you can implement into your daily life to boost your empathy levels. Many studies have shown that empathy plays a key role in improving your relationships at work and can also lead to a fuller, happier level of life each day. If you’ve been struggling to connect with your peers at work or find your working relationships aren’t as strong as they could be, you may want to implement these tips and strategies to boost your empathy levels: Allow others to speak Everyone can have moments when they are so preoccupied with getting their viewpoint across that they neglect the act of listening and learning from someone else. Give your co-workers the time and platform they need to speak and get their point across and you will find a stronger bond develops and you also have the chance to experience a point of view different from your own. Identify your own behaviors We all have certain biases and behaviors in life which can affect how we interact and respond in certain situations. For example, if youre often stressed and annoyed or find you feel from distant from people it can drastically hinder your ability to form strong relationships. By putting in the effort to analyze your personal biases, you can gradually overcome them and be a lot more open and welcome in your daily life. Get to know people personally Although not all people click on a personal level, forming meaningful friendships with colleagues can make it a pleasure to turn up to work each day. Whether it’s having deep and personal conversations together or even something as simple as using a person’s name when speaking to them, connecting with co-workers on a personal level will significantly improve how you work together. Experience new things in life Often when it comes to empathy the solution won’t necessarily have anything to do with how you are at work; instead, the problem may lie with how you are outside of the workplace. Many travelers can attest to the intense personal benefits of traveling around the world and experiencing new people and cultures. Do something unique and interesting with your time off and see how your perspective on life changes. Empower yourself with knowledge In order to best understand how you work you need to cultivate your knowledge and become as smart and wise as you can possibly be. Take the time in your life to learn new things whether it’s studying a book on empathy or watching an interesting documentary to broaden your perspective on life. This will gradually sharpen your knowledge of your own mind and allow you to implement the right strategies to become a better, wiser person. About the author:  Reuben Yonatan is the founder and CEO of GetVoIP. Reuben is also a contributor to Huffington Post, Entrepreneur, BizCommunity, as well as other popular publications.

14 Tips to Help Get Your Resume Read

14 Tips to Help Get Your Resume Read You may  know that when you submit your  resume, it passes an automated Applicant Tracking System (ATS) scan. But that is just the opening skirmish in the battle; you’ve still got to persuade living, breathing hiring professionals that you are the best candidate for the job, and a coherent, polished resume can make recruiters and hiring managers sit up and take notice. Take an objective look at your resume as it looks today. In fact, have a friend or professional acquaintance also review it and provide you with honest, unfiltered feedback. Is it geared to pass the review of a skilled recruiter or hiring professional who may spend as little as six seconds scanning it? With an abundance of resumes hitting their email boxes, HR pros can probably tell at a glance if your digital application materials are worthy of further consideration â€" or they’re better off just dragging your resume over to that little trash can icon. The infographic below  offers tips that industry professionals suggest you consider before hitting the “send” button and submitting your resume for human review, including: Format it simply so it is easy to read â€" no weird fonts, graphics (which can confuse or even cause immediate rejection by an ATS), excess creativity, or information that’s not pertinent to the job. Leave your photo off, but make sure your contact info is easy-to-read. Oh, and make sure your email address is professional and mature; beerguzzler@telco.net or awesomeflirt21@rave.com may not give the recruiter the best and most accurate first impression. Is this job really for you? Do your experience and goals match those described in the job posting? Do you meet the minimum qualifications? Can you honestly commit to the hiring manager’s expectations? Applying for jobs that may not be a good fit may prove a waste of time and energy. Be original! Sure, there are lots of well-worded resumes on the Internet that you can copy, but if you’ve seen it, the recruiter and hiring manager may also have seen it. So rather than try to bend someone else’s words to make it fit your own experience or strength, use your own words. If you get the job, you’ll be expected to come up with original ideas. If your resume shows you are comfortable piggy-backing off others’ thoughts, you may be doing yourself a terrible disservice. Is your resume free of misspellings, inconsistent capitalization and punctuation, and grammatically correct? Regardless of the position you are going for, such attention to detail will be taken into account. Put the most impressive information up front; recruiters and hiring managers may only read the first sentence and/or bullet of your most recent job summaries. For the love of Pete, make sure the address’s name, title and company name are correct! Cut and paste very carefully. Your resume must be a brief summary of your professional and/or educational experience that succinctly and clearly shows a recruiter you are the best person for the job. Re-read the job description and compare it to your resume. You may even want to create and A/B list, with the job requirements in one column and the elements from your resume that address each requirement in the other column. This exercise may take time but can help you clearly understand whether you â€" and your resume â€" present the person worthy of consideration for the job. It will be time well-spent. Have a look and see what you have done to get that resume of yours read About Lewis Lustman:  I’m a recovering UCLA English major who loves communicating using today’s variety of media. As Content Marketing Manager for HireRight, I have the privilege and opportunity to discover and share new perspectives on the background check process. Top image: Shutterstock.

Resume Writing - Foster Relationships With Your Prospective Employer

Resume Writing - Foster Relationships With Your Prospective EmployerResume writing is the process of compiling the information needed for a job application. A resume shows an employer how you can best utilize your talents in their company. It should be kept short and simple. When writing a resume, fostering relations between applicants and companies that are interested in hiring them is essential.You should be able to convey your reasons for applying for the position in just a few words. Each letter should be concise and direct. Wordy material is always best avoided. Using flowery language and long lists of qualifications might make you seem to be overqualified but it will make your resume look unprofessional.A common mistake made by employees and applicants alike is to talk a lot on a first date or during an interview. Make sure you stick to the subject matter that interests you. No one wants to talk to a person who doesn't have any passion for what they do. A resume that features a series of blurbs that could be anything from 'lived in New York for two years' to 'invented a radio message' is not likely to impress the prospective employer. Make your resume the first impression.The best way to create the relationship with the prospective employer is to be considerate and courteous when speaking to them. A big portion of their reputation is what you communicate to them. You want to take the initiative to take the lead by greeting the company representative at the door. Making yourself known and appearing sincere about your interest in the position is the beginning of the relationship.When writing a letter to a prospective employer, be patient. Employers have enough to worry about without you scrambling to fill in blanks in your letter. Always include your resume. On a final note, it is important to be polite when writing your letter. By looking to the future and setting yourself up as a skilled professional, you will get the opportunity to have a very successful job interview.To avoid making an embarrassing mistake when applying for a new position in your company, try to ask for advice. Try to attend networking events or job fairs to get some perspective on the job. This will also help you determine whether the position you want to apply for is truly suitable for you.To promote your own business, when applying for a position at a company that is related to yours, visit your local Chamber of Commerce and speak to the members of the board. Showing them that you know the job well will be helpful. They may even give you a gift card to your local restaurant, coffee shop, bookstore, or other business.In today's world, relationships are more important than ever. Resume writing is a huge part of the process in establishing these kinds of relationships.

- Years Old Part 1 Harsh Reality - CareerEnlightenment.com

How to Survive and Thrive After a Job Loss When Youre 50+/- Years Old Part 1 Harsh Reality I clearly remember the day. How could it have happened? I had been with this large, profitable fortune 100 company for nearly 25 years. I was 52 ½ years old. Then I got the call to go to HR and BAM! It was over. All I remember is some nameless HR person telling me something about severance, insurance, blah, blah, blah…. I didn’t hear a word she said.Even now, I look back and I’m proud of the great career I had with that company… where I started and the level I was at before being let go, but none of that seemed to matter. It wasn’t personal, it was business I was told, but it was an awful feeling!I could picture myself walking into the house and my wife looking surprised and concerned that I was home so early. Then, my thoughts turned to my children. Thankfully, my kids were a little older â€" -2 in college and 1 in high school â€" or maybe not thankfully. At that moment, I was wishing they were too young to understand what happened to their dad.I hated the thought of ha ving to tell them I lost my job and having to pretend to be strong. I knew I had to tell them that everything was going to be alright, but the truth is that I don’t know if even I believed that. I found it tough to deal with these feelings and I had terrible thoughts of what others, including my family, would think of me. It was one of the loneliest and darkest times of my life.I wish I could write that I figured it all out during my drive home. I would love to tell you that I woke up the next day with a brilliant idea of how I was going to turn things around.. But, the truth is, that was not my reality. Those first few weeks were very tough. Want to Read More Articles Like This One?Sign up here to receive weekly updates from Career Enlightenment, and never miss another powerful job searching tip! SUBSCRIBE! You have Successfully Subscribed!We hate spam too. Unsubscribe any time. Let’s see, the first week was spent in self-pity, a bit of self loathing and a touch of depressi on as well…. not good! Then, after some soul searching, I decided it was time to change my outlook on things and for me to take a strategic approach to getting my life back in order.First came the attitude change. It may be cliché, but nothing good ever comes from negative thoughts. You can’t turn negativism on and off…the negativity always comes through and who wants to hire someone like that?The only thing negative thinking does is attract more negativity into your life. So, I can honestly say that for the most part, and it wasn’t easy, I put it behind me. It was time to focus on what I was going to do next.The next thing I did was reach out to people who I trusted, who could mentor and coach me through the emotional roller coaster I was riding. The first benefit I got from these connections was some positive reinforcement which my psyche really needed. They helped me to think about my strengths and what I wanted to do with them and they caused me to focus on the future a nd not the past.My coaches provided me with a sounding board for all things related to my job loss and my search. They gave me input on my resume, they helped me prepare for interviews and they gave me moral support throughout the process. Without them, it would have been a much more painful, drawn out process.My post lay-off journey has taken me to what I believe is my true calling and I am more excited than ever about what the future holds for me. Yes, I believe I am proof positive that you can not only survive but thrive following a job loss regardless of your age.Part 2 of this 4 part series is entitled: “Survive and thrive after a job loss when you’re 50+/- years old: Down but far from out” will be published shortly.

Job Search Strategies for Introverts

Job Search Strategies for Introverts I just finished reading Wendy Gelbergs book,  The Successful Introvert: How to Enhance Your Job Search and Advance Your Career.  Wendy offers several excellent approaches for retooling a job search to make the process more fruitful and enjoyable for people who consider themselves introverts and struggle with promoting themselves during a job search. Here are a few of my favorite takeaways:?Interviews  Bring a portfolio of your work to the interview to showcase your strengths.  A portfolio can speak volumes about your accomplishments. A portfolio might include reports you have done, testimonials from vendors, quotes from performance reviews, or letters of thanks from satisfied customers.Tell your stories of success in a factual, reporting style manner. This helps you convey an authentic message of value that is not hyperbole or bragging.NetworkingGood networkers are also good listeners. Focus on the other person and their needs and take the spotlight off yourself. When you are a good listener, most people think you are excellent at making conversation!Think of networking as seeking advice rather than asking for help. When you understand that networking is not about asking for favors, you may be more inclined to do it.  Use online resources to gain a comfort with networking. Online networking sites like  LinkedIn,  Facebook,  and  Twitter  can be great equalizers for people who are introverted. Introverts like to think before they respond and with online networking, you can craft and tweak your emails and posts before hitting send.?