Job Search Archives - Ignite Your Potential

22 Resources For Freelancers

September 6, 2020/0 Comments/in Job Search /by S

Coronavirus-related layoffs have expanded roles for freelancers. With offices closed, employees furloughed and an unclear future for in-office work, freelancers will play a growing and important role in the post-COVID-19 economy.

Whether you’ve been freelancing for years, or you’re just starting out, there are a plethora of resources available to help you succeed. In today’s post, we outline 22 freelancers’ resources that will help you thrive in today’s world.

Our Great List of Freelancer Resources

1: Authentic Jobs

Authentic Jobs is a job board for designers, developers, and creative pros. This job board allows you to search for full-time, freelance, and remote jobs. Recent grads, you can also find internship opportunities here!

Follow them on Twitter to see their latest job postings in real-time: @authenticjobs

2: CloudPeeps

CloudPeeps is a member-driven community of trusted freelancers. You’ll find a variety of opportunities in marketing, content, growth-hacking, and community-building.

Job Search Tips When Starting a Career During the Coronavirus

April 20, 2020/0 Comments/in COVID-19, Job Search /by igniteus

Job Search Tips When Starting a Career During the Coronavirus. Graduating from college or otherwise applying for your first professional job is stressful in any circumstance. But it feels especially daunting when the economy, the job market, and the world, in general, seem to be turned upside down.

But career experts say it’s critical to continue to look for work and stay connected during the economic downturn caused by COVID-19. “Don’t go into a place of fear and stagnancy,” warns Muse career coach Chelsea C. Williams, founder of College Code, a Manhattan-based talent development firm.

Here are a few ways to build relationships, find work, and move forward in your career.

1. Check-in on Your Job Offer

You might’ve already had a job lined up, perhaps through a previous co-op or internship or via on-campus recruiting, and are likely wondering if that offer still stands. If your college career office was involved in helping you land that offer, that should be your first stop, says Susan Weil, co-CEO of Weil and Wein, a Manhattan-based career coaching firm.

If they don’t know anything about the status of your offer or weren’t involved, you can reach out to whoever extended the offer to you, whether that’s a recruiter, the company’s campus recruiting coordinator, or your future manager.

2. Be Flexible

“Many first-time job seekers have a vision of what they thought their first job would look like,” Williams says. That vision might still be valid but you might need to take some turns and twists to get to that end goal.

For instance, while you might have had your heart set on a full-time job with full benefits, it might be time to consider a six-month internship or fellowship or to look for contract work to tide you over until companies start hiring for more full-time roles again. Maybe you can’t get a full-time job at a public relations firm right now. In the meantime, you might be able to get an internship assisting the firm as it helps clients with crisis communications during the pandemic. That would be an impressive addition to your resume and could even transform into a job offer.

3. Continue to Network

Reach out to people you already know relatively well to ask them to keep an eye out for relevant opportunities for you. Make a list of people in your network you feel comfortable approaching—such as favorite professors, internship supervisors you got along with, family members, and friends—and let them know you’re looking for a job.

Just be mindful of the current situation in your communications, Williams says. For instance, you can say, “I realize the current situation is challenging but if you do hear of anything, let me know. I have a skill set in digital communications and I’m open to contract work or volunteer work.”

No one knows how long the pandemic, social distancing, and the resulting financial crisis will last. So focus on what you can control—responding to job postings and reaching out to contacts as well as being mindful of your overall attitude and how you react to the situation.

Our award-winning coaches at the Ignite Your Potential Centers offer a complimentary 25-minute phone session to help. We are home to the #1 San Francisco career coach and Los Angeles career coach, let us show you how we earned that praise.

Guide to Answering Common Interview Questions

January 13, 2020/0 Comments/in Job Interviewing, Job Search /by igniteus

Wouldn’t it be great if you knew exactly what questions a hiring manager would be asking you in your next job interview? A pocketbook, made just for you, containing all the popular questions during an interview.

We can’t read minds, but we can give you the next best thing: a list of some of the most asked interview questions, along with advice for answering them all.

While we don’t recommend having a canned response for every interview question (in fact, please don’t) we do however recommend spending some time getting comfortable with what you might be asked, what hiring managers are really looking for, and what it takes to reflect that you’re the right person for the job.

Interview Question and Answer Study Guide:

1. Tell Me About Yourself.

This question seems simple, so many people fail to prepare for it, but it’s crucial. Here’s the deal: Don’t give your complete employment (or personal) history. Instead, give a pitch—one that’s concise, compelling, and shows exactly why you’re the right fit for the job. Talk a little bit about your current role (including the scope and perhaps one big accomplishment,) then give some background as to how you got there and experience you have that’s relevant. Finally, segue into why you want—and would be perfect for—this role.

Why You Need a Professional Headshot

October 7, 2019/0 Comments/in Job Interviewing, Job Search /by igniteus

Many professionals assume a headshot is something you upload to your LinkedIn profile and then never touch again. That assumption is wrong!

Your headshot will come in handy throughout your career. It will grace the “About Us” page on your company’s website, be sent to new coworkers so people can easily recognize you, and be asked for by event organizers to advertise your speaking engagements.

Maybe you’re thinking: Speaking engagements? Please, I am never going to need a professional headshot in my career.

If so, you need a reframe. Our Ignite Your Potential career coaches can point out countless blurry or inappropriate LinkedIn profile pictures (or no photo at all) that affect whether or not people reach out and collaborate.

A headshot is useful for many professional situations:

Your Email Account
Your Email Signature
Your LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook, Instagram
Your Website or Portfolio
Your Posts or Bylines
Your Company Bio

Convinced? Great, now it’s time to take one. And the good news is, it’s really easy.

Step 1: Pick out a shirt that you feel confident in (Tip: Avoid busy patterns or anything you would not wear to Grandma’s Sunday dinner).

Step 2: Find a plain, but ideally interesting backdrop (Tip: Avoid posing in front of windows or busy backgrounds unless you’re a lighting and photography editing pro.)

Step 3: If you’re a woman, you might consider makeup. Even if you don’t usually wear it. Without it you may look a little faded out in a photo. Time to smile and take the photo.

Step 4: Save it and use it for everything.

Whether a friend takes the shot or you hire a professional photographer—it is up to you. But whatever you do, make sure you have one handy—and update it every couple of years. It can costs you very little to make and will save you from having to scrounge through old Facebook albums and crop an adult beverage out of your hand.

Need more tips when it comes to professional headshots? Our award-winning coaches at the Ignite Your Potential Centers offer a complimentary 25-minute phone session to help. We are the #1 career coaches in San Francisco and Los Angeles, let us show you how we earned that praise.

7 Awesome Companies You’ll Love

September 9, 2019/0 Comments/in Job Search /by igniteus

How do you know a job is The One? Alongside the fact that your role fits your personality, strengths, and your well thought out requirements. You also can’t stop smiling and talking about it with friends and family. Your heart flutters on your 1,000th day the same way it did on your first. You know that all your hard work matters.

If you think that kind of connection is rare, look carefully at the 7 companies below. These businesses and organizations have an impact, mission, or culture that’s sure to make you swoon.

1. Clearlink

Clearlink combines digital marketing and sales conversion services to add value to a brand’s customers by offering a holistic service approach. Established in 2003, Clearlink employs over 1,500 marketers, technologists, and sales professionals. They partner with some of the world’s leading brands—including AT&T, CenturyLink, Travelers, Safeco, and DISH—to extend their reach and deepen customer insights.

2. AT&T

AT&T is excited to announce the expansion of its entertainment and content services. The company is the largest provider of pay-TV in the United States and is among the largest in the world. The company utilizes its broad media footprint and high-speed services to reach over 60 million locations to deliver primetime shows, sporting events, and movies to customers around the globe.

3. GLG

GLG is helping its clients change the world every day by connecting them with the smartest experts. With a global presence across 22 offices in 12 countries, and more than 2,000 talented, passionate professionals, GLG is powering smarter business for a world that works better.

4. VRBO

Vrbo, a world leader in the vacation rental industry, is the place to book beach houses, cabins, and condos with more than two million places to stay in 190 countries. The site makes it easy to find and book the perfect vacation rental for any getaway, often for less than the cost of traditional hotel accommodations. Vrbo is part of the Expedia Group family of brands.

5. Boxed

Boxed was founded in 2013 by an experienced group of tech pioneers with a simple idea—make shopping for bulk easy, convenient, and fun. Today, Boxed is a late-stage startup delivering a first-class e-commerce experience for everyday essentials across the country. Boxed values tech and innovation and is passionate about creating a delightful and personalized online shopping experience for each and every customer.

6. eMarketer

Established in 1996, eMarketer is the first place to look when you need data on digital. eMarketer offers data and insights essential to effective performance in the digital world, with a focus on understanding how consumers spend their time and money and how marketers can best communicate with them via digital channels.

7. Johnson & Johnson

In the next ten years, healthcare is predicted to radically transform more than any other industry, with old models being disrupted in favor of new methods to make the world a healthier place for everyone. Johnson & Johnson has long excelled in times of transformation. Its history of firsts—from Band-Aids to feminine care to treatments for HIV, cancer, Ebola, and, most recently, Alzheimer’s—demonstrates how J&J combines passion, science, and technology to create game-changing innovations.

Do you need help finding a job that is The One? Our award-winning coaches at the Ignite Your Potential Centers offer a complimentary 25-minute phone session that will help you find the perfect company for you. We are the #1 career coaches in San Francisco and Los Angeles, let us show you how we earned that praise.

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3 Tips to Overcome Fear of Rejection

June 17, 2019/0 Comments/in Defeating Fear, Job Interviewing, Job Search /by igniteus

“Each of us must confront our own fears, must come face to face with them. How we handle our fears will determine where we go with the rest of our lives. To experience adventure or to be limited by the fear of it.” – Judy Blume

Fear of rejection can negatively affect most aspects of one’s life. It’s so powerful that it discourages the achievement of goals and living a full life filled with happiness. It also has many consequences. Facing this fear is not easy, but it is necessary. Here are three tips to help you start overcoming your fear of rejection:

1. Don’t Take it Personally

Everyone has a different reason for saying no, and it could have absolutely nothing to do with you. Maybe you didn’t receive a job because the interviewer had a current employee in mind for the position. Or maybe a person at the bar (you finally mustered up the courage to approach) declined a date because they recently got out of a bad relationship. Not every opportunity you pursue is meant for you. Timing and compatibility are two things that are completely out of your control.

Being confident in your personality and capabilities is essential to facing rejection. You’ll be able to detach your self-worth from the opinions and acceptance of others. This could lead to your life flourishing in ways you didn’t know were possible.

2. Don’t Run, Stay Engaged

Often times when we face rejection the fear centers in our brain tell us to flee from the situation. However, as a reframe, welcome the feedback that rejection offers. Instead of running away and never looking back, if it’s appropriate, ask why. You may find that the feedback is constructive.

Jia Jiang, author and founder of Wuju Learning, has an amazing Ted Talk titled “What I learned from 100 days of rejection”. Jia outlines his experience with fearing rejection and how he overcame his fear. He also shares how he continues to inspire others to do the same.

3. Embrace Rejection

Rejection has a negative connotation, it’s viewed as a form of failure. Finding the lesson in every experience you faced rejection is very valuable. From every “no” there is an opportunity for self-growth, self-exploration, and self-improvement. It is important to understand rejection does not define you. Let your reaction to being rejected showcase who you are.

Think about the last time you were rejected. Now think about all the opportunities that came from that closed door. Celebrate your rejection because you stepped out of your comfort zone to get closer to achieving your goals. Staying positive and working hard will introduce you to new opportunities. Embracing rejection is truly a catalyst for your odyssey to self-fulfillment.

After reading this article, we hope your perspective of rejection has improved. Remember, all of the award-winning coaches at the Ignite Your Potential Centers offer a complimentary 25-minute phone session to help you meet your life goals and career goals. We are the #1 career coaches in San Francisco and Los Angeles, let us show you how we earned that praise. We can’t wait to witness your pursuit of living a life without regrets.

Top 7 Reasons Our Career Coaching Will Save You From Job Hunt Frustration

January 23, 2019/0 Comments/in Career Coaching, Job Search /by igniteus

Here at Ignite Your Potential we know there’s so much more to your next job search than just finding a job. Ideally, that job hunt process starts with high-quality coaching that encourages you to look inward at your personality, strengths, and values, as a means of finding true satisfaction in the realm of your career. The kind of fulfillment that is about you being in the right place, with the right people, making the money you deserve, and having the impact that helps you sleep at night.

If you’re feeling job hunt frustration, it could be a lack of critical tools, that will help you develop a concrete idea of the elements you need in place, that help you thrive. Think of it this way, you need to find the next right job not just because you’re jobless, or unhappy at your current job, but also because you’re ready to discover the essential requirements that create your next right opportunity.

Here are the top 7 reasons Ignite Your Potential’s Career Coaching services can help save you from job hunt frustration.

1. We begin by looking at who you are.

At Ignite Your Potential, we begin by looking at who you are. We know now, through research at UCLA, that personality is neurological…in other words, how you are hard-wired. By looking at your personality and considering what this means regarding career, we can tell quite a lot about the complex recipe that makes a job path one that you as an individual can thrive in. This is the beginning of understanding your own personal list of ingredients that make up your ideal next right career move.

2. We’ll build your confidence by identifying your top strengths.

Every person has a unique set of strengths and a special way they activate that arrangement of talents. Ignite Your Potential understands that the more you know about yourself and your strengths the more you can succeed in the workforce. Not only that… you will then mindfully put yourself in scenarios that best use your set of talents rather than being in a space where these characteristics could work against you. Your career coach will help you identify your strengths, then the two of you will reframe them as your key selling points. In this way, you can highlight what makes you a desirable employee, understand how to capitalize on these strengths, and show why you’re a good hire so you can stand out from other hopeful candidates.

3. We’ll help you make informed decisions about the future of your career.

Your Ignite Your Potential career coach goes beyond just helping you land a job for the here and now. They’ll assist you in identifying your future career aspirations so that you can find positions that will help gradually move toward “North Star” goals.

4. We’ll help you set objectives and build an action plan so you attain them.

Setting specific and detailed goals are vital in helping you work toward your ideal future. At Ignite Your Potential, we’ll help you identify what you want to work toward, what you want to achieve, and will help you brainstorm an action plan with specific benchmarks so you can get there.

5. We’ll help you build valuable connections and reap the benefits of networking.

The career coaches at Ignite Your Potential have connections in many different industries and can provide you with access to a diverse network of partners. When we can, we’ll help you form valuable relationships with industry leaders to create new and unique opportunities.

6. We’ll help you build a strong and memorable resume and LinkedIn profile.

Working on your own resume and LinkedIn, adding details, updating, and hoping it looks good enough to blast to multiple companies with job openings can be a daunting process. Ignite Your Potential resume writers have years of experience and are producing the most modern, compelling resumes out there that get people interviews. They know the keywords that need to be used for your industry and they know how to get past the software programs used by recruiters to troll through thousands of resumes that come through. Do you know the simple mistakes you could be making that causes these software programs to throw out your resume? We do and will make sure this doesn’t happen to you. Our resume writers will work with you to make sure your resumé truly exhibits your personality and strengths, your experience, and your firm understanding of the role you are pointing yourself toward. We craft, what is essentially your marketing materials, in a way that pops and consistently gets interviews.

7. You’ll gain lifelong career skills.

Ignite Your Potential’s unique system for career success, wherever you’re at in your career trajectory, is designed to give you, or build on, the skills necessary to plot your course to your best future. However, the materials you will develop while working with us will give you a customized blueprint that you will use over and over again as you go through your career. And the career insights you’ll have with us will build over time, increasing your momentum, and allowing you to make more informed choices as you go forward.

Ignite Your Potential will save you job hunt frustrations by re-wiring your job search. We help you be who you were meant to be: more aligned with who you truly are.

Contact us today to sign up for a free 25-minute phone session with any of our coaches. It’s time for the year of your career!