Act Better, Live Better - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career

Act Better, Live Better - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career On Thursday, the Screen Actors Guild Foundation is producing the grand finale of a four-part series on personal branding. After months of smart people sharing wise words about blogs, social media and other tactics to network with employers (in this case: casting directors, producers, directors and development executives), about 200 people are gathering in the grand auditorium to hear two hours that might be titled: “The Ugly Truth About Your Reputation,” which is not coincidentally the name of my new book, coming this August. No coincidence about my book title, because this audience is coming to hear me talk for two hours. Just me. Two hours. Hmmm. So, I have been pouring over fresh commentary from the world’s most important people in show business, the decision makers in film, television, stage and online entertainment venues. What I want to pin down is how these moviemakers find lesser-known or unknown actors, select them and give them a career. It’s clear the same rules apply for young managers or college students breaking into business. Whats the secret to a great audition? I caught some huge light-bulb moments from Bernard Telsey who cast “The Normal Heart” and “Catch me If You Can, ” Daniel Swee, of Lincoln Center Theater and Jim Carnahan of Roundabout Theater. Commenting in The New York Times, these casting directors answer this question: “What’s the secret to a great audition?” Their answers are profound for anyone else who is trying to establish a personal brand and find meaningful, well-paying work. Telsey: “When somebody surprises you and takes you to an emotional place that the material is demanding but you wouldn’t have thought of … it makes you want to be in a room with them longer.” Swee: “The key to preparing is spending (your) time … figuring out who this character is.” Carnahan: “One of the biggest traps … is trying to be what we want (you) to be… You’re better off being yourself.” Spend time, figure out the character Personal brands: spend time figuring out who you are. Take assessments, indexes, quizzes, or journal, doodle, leaf through paint swatches at Home Depot, and decide what you would do with your first million. Figure out what makes you laugh, cry, feel engaged, gets you excited and keeps you going.   Learn to express exactly that, all of it. Be you so authentically that revealing yourself gives us goose-bumps, our own light bulb moments and leads us to demand that we want to know you better. Make us feel that our organizations, productions or deals won’t be as great as they could be if we fail to get you on-board. As actors and screenwriters hear from me constantly: I cannot make you better at your craft. I can only make you act and write better in the online and on-ground environments that get you the opportunity to use your skills. Be earnest about improving your skills and relentless about getting visibility for them. For the rest of us non-theatrically inclined â€" don’t dismiss what the casting directors are saying. They could easily be the hiring managers or dealmakers you want to connect with. And, you could be the star they are looking for. Consider every opportunity to communicate an audition for the greatest job you’ll ever have. Author: Nance Rosen is the author of Speak Up! Succeed. She speaks to business audiences around the world and is a resource for press, including print, broadcast and online journalists and bloggers covering social media and careers. Read more at NanceRosenBlog. Twitter name: nancerosen

Understanding Biculturalism in a Professional Context

Understanding Biculturalism in a Professional Context Photo Credit â€" Pixabay.comIt may come as a surprise, but most Americans are bicultural As a professional, you probably only use cultural norms from the dominant culture in which you are employed, i.e. American professional culture. Now, arguably, there are a wide variety of “American” professional cultures, from old-school cubicle traditionalism to new age rock-climbing-beer-drinking modernity.No matter which of these you are working within, however, they are all still arguably “American.” We could get even more heady and dive into the depths of what is really “American,” but lets stick with a wider perspective, and focus on how other cultures within America can interplay in the workplace in a beneficial way.The benefits of diversity in the workforce were disseminated widely in 2016, but the benefits of biculturalism remain lesser known. Although overlapping, diversity and biculturalism only intersect on certain topics. Diversity refers to more than just cultural identi ty.For example, diversity can refer only to one’s heritage, which does not always mean that one has the culturally inherited norms of that ethnicity. Diversity can also refer to disability or capabilities, gender, and other characteristic identifiers.Biculturalism, however, solely refers to characteristics, skills, knowledge, and other traits attributed to a culture you were raised in or are acculturated into. Put simply, for example, you might have Latino roots, but were not raised within Latino culture at all, therefore your ethnicity may be Latino, but you are not bicultural necessarily. If you are truly bicultural though, you have a deep understanding of two cultures in a unique way.Biculturalism, then, is the under-appreciated gem for workplace opportunity. For example, the benefits of understanding niche markets as a cultural insider because of your biculturalism are unparalleled. In essence, because you are from a culture, you are often considered an “expert” in the cul ture, and therefore, at minimum, can give insights into tastes, norms, acceptable standards, interest levels, and so on.For example, as a Latino you might better understand if an advertisement for a certain product is insulting to other Latinos The benefits of biculturalism logically should run parallel with the benefits of being bilingual, diversity, and intercultural connections. Hence, being bicultural provides a strong opportunity for success. You never know, understanding your own biculturalism may even get you promoted, or land you your next job!

Exploring The Easiest Ways To Build A Website

Exploring The Easiest Ways To Build A Website Getting by in the world of modern business is impossible without a website. Missing out on loads of opportunities, those who choose to ignore this area will usually regret it in the future. A website gives you the chance to share information, draw in more customers, and, above all else, dominate a space which is open to everyone. Of course, though, when it comes to actually building something like this, most people don’t have any idea where to start. To help you out with this, this post will be exploring some of the easiest ways to get this sort of work done, along with showing you exactly where each one will excel. A Developer For a lot of people, simply paying someone else to handle this work for them will be the most obvious answer to this sort of challenge. When you’re running a business, it’s unlikely that you’ll have a huge amount of time to spend on something like this, so passing it onto someone else makes a lot of sense. There are loads of developers to choose from out there, with websites like www.freelancer.com being the perfect places to find them. Of course, along with this, you could also consider the idea of going to a company to help you out, though this will often be a lot more expensive. The Pros: Going for an approach like this will almost always result in a very professional website. You will have the chance to dictate exactly how you want the pages to look, while also having access to the insight of someone with a lot of experience working on the internet. Of course, as one of the biggest benefits of this sort of approach, it’s impossible to ignore the ease which will come out of it. Altogether, this makes for a very promising way to get yourself online, but it doesn’t come without its problems. The Cons: When someone else builds a website for you, you will be reliant on them for a long time. Making small changes will be hard when you don’t know how everything was put together, and it could take your company a long time to get things done when they are busy. Along with leaving you to rely on a developer, taking this sort of route is very expensive. A huge amount of time has to go into making a website, and you will have to pay for all of it, with professional rates being much higher than a lot of small companies can spare. A DIY System Currently, WordPress is the single most popular way to build a website which is accessible to all kinds of people. The tools themselves are completely free, and you need only pay for a hosting account to get yourself started, making it much cheaper than paying a developer to help you. Along with this, WordPress sites are much easier to work with than a lot of the other systems out there, with the entire system being put together for use in loads of different environments. Below, you can find some of the pros and cons for this sort of route. The Pros: Thanks to its ubiquity, there are hundreds of guides around the web which can help you to get started with WordPress. This makes it very easy to break ground on the site you’d like to make, without having to put loads of money into studying or getting help from someone more experienced. The system is incredibly stable, and there are loads of themes and plugins available for it which limit the work you have to do to putting together the pages and making the whole thing look good. The Cons: Of course, though, if you’re not very good with computers or simply don’t have much time, getting to grips with WordPress could be a challenge. You will have to learn as you go, using guides which aren’t always up to date, and a lot of people will find this frustrating. Being one of the most popular platforms for website building, WordPress has a lot of viruses being produced for it, and this can create huge problems if you ever find yourself infected with something which is hard to get rid of. Something In Between For those who don’t like the options above, you could consider the idea of using something a little more specific. Companies like www.contractorwebsites.com have made a strong name for themselves in recent years. Giving you the chance to skip most of the work by starting with a template which is already relevant to your business, this sort of tool will make the process faster than both hiring a developer and making the site yourself. Of course, though, like the other options, it comes with some downsides which are worth considering. The Pros: When you choose to use a product like this to build your website, you will be starting yourself off in a really good position. The people running these companies have a lot of experience in their field, and know exactly what your website will need, making it easier to design it. Along with this, it won’t cost anywhere near as much to go down this sort of route as it would to have a developer work on the site for you. The Cons: Unfortunately, while it will be faster and cheaper than a developer, you won’t get quite as much freedom using a system like this. Being limited to certain business types, a lot of assumptions will have been made about the sort of site you need, and this will close off a lot of the options you would have had with WordPress or a developer. For some, this won’t matter too much. For others, though, it could be make or break, and you may have to look towards another route to get your site made quickly. Hopefully, this post will inspire you to start looking at the website options available to your business. There are a lot of people out there with the skills to help you with this sort of work, but you will still have to do a large amount of the legwork for yourself.

Java Developer Resume Sample

Java Developer Resume SampleIf you are interested in a job as a Java developer, a resume should be your first step to getting an interview. However, you must understand that it is just one part of your application. To have the best chance of being hired, you must make sure that your resume is polished and professional.There are a few tips for writing a great resume. Your aim should be to highlight all the relevant points while avoiding unnecessary details. Try to list all your skills and experience, rather than simply listing your job title. A good resume will not only describe you, but also show how you can add value to the company.A resume may sound easy to write, but it is not as simple as it looks. Many prospective employers view resumes as a formality - and they don't even care how they look.A well-written resume can help you stand out from the crowd of candidates who have applied for the same job. A resume contains facts and figures, and offers an overview of your skills and ex pertise. Make sure you showcase your writing skills, using word craft and vocabulary to define your position.You can find a lot of Java developer resume sample online. You can use them as a guide and build up your own resume style. But the real challenge lies in making your resume stand out among the rest of the applicants.You need to have a format for the resume, and make sure you use it effectively. Try to avoid writing too much, since this will not only take up more space, but will also be difficult to read. Write a strong first impression and a message about your skills and experience, and then move on to the other details.A great resume has the structure and organization. You need to organize your resume in chronological order, and start with your job title. You also need to separate your experience from your duties, since the job you hold is different from the tasks you perform.

Benefits of Hiring a Professional Resume Writing Service

Benefits of Hiring a Professional Resume Writing ServiceHaving a professional resume writing service can be extremely helpful for any new business or executive candidate. There are many advantages to having one, and you will find out the one that you are looking for when you hire a service. However, if you do not hire a service, you may be surprised at what your job hunt will be like.A resume writing service can save you the time and money that you will have if you struggle to find a quality resume and it is very difficult to get it done yourself. You need to get the writing done fast to get your job hunting application in front of the right people, especially if you are getting competitive offers and you want to compete with the others. You need to give a good impression to get the interview you want, so you need to do this quickly.The first benefit to having a professional resume writing service is that they know how to write and present your resume. You will find a lot of professi onal services out there that can give you something that is to the point and accurate. You will be able to get it done quickly and efficiently. This will save you the time and effort that you would otherwise spend on writing it.A second benefit to hiring a writing service is that they will be able to tell you about how your resume will look and what your best choices for which type of presentation are. You may have many documents and may not know how to put them together, and this is where a good resume writing service can help you. They will be able to do this for you because they will have the same experience as you. They are all very knowledgeable about resumes and they will know how to present your material well.A third benefit to hiring a resume writing service is that they will be able to analyze your resume and tell you how to make it more effective and specific. You may have been on the job market for a while and have heard some of the terms that are being used. These are th e terms that the hiring manager will be using, so they should be considered.Last but not least, when you are getting a professional resume writing service they will be able to offer you a wide variety of services and will be able to get you results within the deadlines that you have set. It may take some time to get all of these done, so you should expect to spend some time on the phone and on the web to get this done. These types of services offer a lot of other services, such as interviews and cover letters, so you want to make sure that you are getting the most out of the investment that you are making.If you are going to hire a professional resume writing service, make sure that you pay close attention to all of the information that you receive and know that this can work in your favor. Your resume will reflect your personality and your specific skills and you will want it to get you an interview quickly.

Unanswered Issues With Teenage Resume Exposed

Unanswered Issues With Teenage Resume Exposed In its core, a resume is extremely straightforward, it is a one-page document showcasing you. Quickly list down all the potential details you'd be including in your professionally made resume. An excellent means to start on your resume as a high school student is to have a look at examples of resumes and read tips about what to include and the way to format your resume. Put simply, students who need to attain dynamic formats can benefit from high-quality format samples. Life After Teenage Resume Remember that you're competing with other people. Employers already know that you need their job, so instead it's much better to compose an elevator pitch at the cover of the page which will help your prospective employer understand you as an individual and remember what's on your resume. Plus, they look to hire applicants who take initiative in the workplace rather than slack off on the job. Here's What I Know About Teenage Resume St udents without a work experience should contain details like interpersonal abilities, achievements at school or college level, hobbies in addition to interests that are related to the job. Since you likely don't have a good deal of Work Experience, you can include your Achievements as an individual section. If you don't have a lot of experience, don't be worried about the possibility of your entry level Prep Cook resume. As you will probably have minimum expert experience, don't hesitate to fill your education section with an abundance of information. The Good, the Bad and Teenage Resume The majority of the time when writing a high school resume, an individual might think what's the usage of mentioning the personal details in the resume. It is not comprehensive, so search for others in your past and on the internet. Begin by thinking through what information you wish to include. You're going to be on your way to receiving the job yourself someday! Most employers are extraor dinarily choosy when it concerns the collection of staff for a work opening. Resumes give potential employers a means to learn about applicants quickly and readily, and they're your very first step toward new job opportunities. Internships can also produce a fantastic impression on the employer. They are exciting because they offer the opportunity to perform a variety of tasks. The Unusual Secret of Teenage Resume The practice of how to compose a resume for high school students dynamically begins with the basic ideas listed above and it is possible to be sure they indeed do the job. You're going to find the very best college application resume on Earth. In the event the colleges you're applying to permit you to submit a resume, don't miss the opportunity. You may mention your upcoming education plans too. The Teenage Resume Cover Up Employers are not likely to expect you to have years of paid work experience whenever you are in high school. Be certain the skills are relat ed to the job that you desire.

3 Steps To Branding Yourself For Career Success - Work It Daily

3 Steps To Branding Yourself For Career Success - Work It Daily Branding Yourself For Career Success If you’re entering an established industry as a new person and looking at where you will get the most traction, it is wise to be strategic about it. It’s traction that leads to progress. Progress leads to the coveted freelance gig, the hot club’s stage, the entry-level position with serious growth potential, and eventually to the corner office (or the awards podium or to whatever else is your ultimate goal). Related: What's My Brand? Why It's Important To Know The entertainment industry is particularly conscious of branding. Whether referring to performers or the people behind the scenes, having a defined identity makes it easier for people to understand you and figure out where you fit into the business. Yes, you might be a multifaceted creator, performer, or professional â€" or simply complicated human being â€" but for the purposes of career growth, being definable streamlines your path to success. Talent agents are especially known for wanting to narrowly brand their clients. They want you to write six sex comedy spec screenplays so they can say, “She writes hilarious, raunchy comedy.” If you write one script in every genre, what can they say about you? “She’s a great… writer.” While that might be true, it’s not much of a pitch for your Bob at CAA to use when trying to get you writing assignments. Branding Yourself For Career Success Okay, so how do you go about creating an entertainment industry brand? Find out how you can achieve career success: Step 1: Know Yourself Who are you? Sometimes a tough question to ask when looking in the mirror, but for our purposes, it should be fairly straightforward. Are you a history nut, a Goth chick, a writer of hilarious raunchy comedies? The clearer you can be about that aspect of yourself, the better your career choices will be. In a recent Los Angeles Times article about the band Foster the People, band leader Mark Foster tells about being approached by AR reps from Dr. Dre’s label, Aftermath, several years ago. Aftermath wanted to work with him, but they envisioned him as a crossover soul singer, according to Foster. He knew that wasn’t him and the opportunity fizzled. As a result, instead of getting a record made on a prestigious label, he got a gig as a waiter at a local restaurant. If he hadn’t been clear about who he was and, consequently, what kind of music he wanted to produce, he might have made that soul record in spite of the fact that it was not congruent with his personal and professional brand. Step 2: Find Your People Who are your people? Once you are clear about who you are, you want to go where similar people are, or people who need someone like you. In the former case, you are speaking the same language, looking similar, and pursuing the same things. In the latter case, you are bringing qualities needed to someone or a group of someones who will appreciate them and utilize them. What you don’t want to do is be out of your element in a place where people don’t understand you and your sensibilities or value what you have to offer. Performers usually know this. If you’re a classical cellist, you don’t book a gig at The Viper Room or the 9:30 Club. Taking this to a non-performer level, if you’re a comic book geek, you want to work at a comic book company or a company that makes movies or games based on comic books, or a company who wants to get into the world of comics and comic-based properties. In either situation, you will speak the right language and have the right knowledge and expertise to move forward. Other examples: If you are a sports fanatic, work at ESPN or the NFL network. If you have watched every reality TV show that’s been on since you were six years old, get a job with Mark Burnett or a small company that wants to do what Mark Burnett has done. History buffs can work at a documentary channel and get a research job with a company that makes period dramas. If you don’t find your fit, your expertise and passion are channeled into relatively worthless water cooler talk. Step 3: Develop Your Niche So you know who you are and you’re in a place where you are valued and what makes you you is an asset. How can you take that to the next level? If you are a performer, you create music or act in projects that are reflective of your brand and speak to your audience. When Meryl Streep was just starting out â€" and for many years after that â€" she acted in very heavy period dramas, usually where she had an accent. That’s what she was known for. The French Lieutenant's Woman, Sophie's Choice, and Out of Africa re three of many early roles she had that established her brand. The same holds for other entertainment careers. There are costumers that work on tween comedies and marketing professionals who stay within the studio system and directors who make big action movies and producers who make indie records. The list goes on and on. And you might think, “Why would I want to do the same thing my whole career? That sounds boring.” But once you establish your brand and achieve some level of success within it, you can branch out. Ten years into her career Meryl Streep delved into doing comedy, with Heartburn and Postcards from the Edge. But until she was identified and gained her foothold within that her original niche, she would’ve had trouble breaking into other areas. Instead of being on the phone talking about Streep’s dramatic chops and talent with accents, Jeff at CAA would’ve had to say, “She’s a really great… actress.” A less compelling pitch, for sure. So once you figure out who you are and find a place to use who you are to your best advantage and then exploit it until you have some success, you’ll find you don’t need to be defined by your brand. You can be your own brand because people will know you and won’t care that you aren’t just the fantastic dramatic actress with a gift for accents. Hell, I bet Foster the People might even release a crossover soul single someday. This post was originally published on an earlier date. Photo Credit: Shutterstock Have you joined our career growth club?Join Us Today!