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3 Ways to Continue Your Education While You Have a Full-Time Job

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The idea of juggling higher education with a full-time job is intimidating. Often, it can feel as though there is barely enough time for the life you have today, let alone if you decide to add schooling to your schedule. But there are ways to pursue your dreams of more education while keeping your current paycheck. To help you weigh your options, here is an overview of three ways you can continue your education while working 40+ hours a week.

1) Night and Weekend Classes

Many brick and mortar colleges and universities offer certain programs that can be finished using only night or weekend classes. Often, this is an ideal solution for people who need to work full-time but are interested in a degree that is best served by being in an actual classroom (or who simply prefer this approach).

In some cases, you can actually finish a degree in the same length of time as those taking courses during the day. In others, you may find a part-time school schedule is more conducive to your needs. Either approach will help you earn your degree, so choose the time commitment that works best for you.

2) Online Programs

Thanks to the rising demand, getting a degree online has never been easier. A range of schools, including some of the most reputable institutions in the nation, offer degree plans that can be finished entirely from the comfort of your own home. And, in most cases, you can complete your assignments at any time of day and on any day of the week as long as you meet the deadlines.

For students who are relatively self-motivated, don’t need a lot of direct instruction, and require some flexibility, an online degree program can be ideal. You can also choose from full-time and part-time class schedules, just as you would if you attended classes in person.

3) Certifications

Sometimes, you don’t need a full college degree to keep your career moving forward. There is a range of IT-related certifications that can elevate your resume and assert you have the right skills for your target position.

In some cases, certifications function as proof of knowledge you already have, meaning all you need to do is study and take the test. Others accompany specific classes or programs, but they usually require fewer courses to complete than a formal degree.

In either case, you can formalize your knowledge without having to commit to a multi-year degree plan, which can be ideal for full-time employees looking to advance in their current field and not necessarily start a new one.

Are you looking for a new job?

By using one of the methods above, it is possible to continue your education will maintaining a full-time job. If you are interested in learning how additional education can change your career options or are looking for a new position, the team at Resolution Technologies has the industry expertise to guide you forward. Contact us today to see how education and employment can work together for a brighter future.

 

Set Great Goals This Year That Will Benefit Your Career

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Now is the time of year when everyone looks toward the future. The start of a new year symbolizes new beginnings, making it the perfect time to set goals for your career. But how do you choose goals that will truly benefit you as they are achieved? By following the tips below.

1. See Where You Stand

Before you create any goals, you need to fully understand where you are today. Take an inventory of your skills to see what you have to offer. Then, consider what skills and tasks bring you the most satisfaction while working. Reorder your skills list based on these preferences as they will serve as a guide for future goal setting.

2. Know Where You Want to Go

You can’t set a goal if you don’t have a destination. You need to identify what you are aiming at in order to create a plan. Is there a particular job or promotion you want to obtain? A level of income? A college degree?

By envisioning the endpoint, you can determine the steps that stand between you and that goal.

3. Start the Research

Once you decide where your career is going, you can start researching what it takes to get there. For example, if a particular job is where you would like to take your career, research what the common qualifications are for that position. If you have a specific company in mind, then your research may be fairly quick if you want to find a job posting for that particular vacancy. However, if you are more flexible about the organization in which you would be willing to work, then explore listings based on your ideal location.

4. Break it Down

Now that you know where you are, and where you would like to be, you can begin breaking down the individual steps required to get from point A to point B. This can include filling in skill gaps, gaining more work experience, taking classes or training, and more.

As you identify these steps, make sure to keep things specific. For example, the idea of attending classes is too general. Instead, record the exact class (or at least the subject) that you need to fulfill that requirement.

5. Start Moving

Since the steps to your career goal are clearly set out, you can begin taking action. Pick a step that can be accomplished based on where you are today and make it happen. For example, you can sign up for that class or training opportunity to fill a skills gap, look into colleges that offer your ideal degree, or look for volunteer opportunities to gain more experience. The point is, now that you know what you need to do, you can start making your goal a reality.

6. Get That Job !

Most career goals focus on reaching particular positions. Once you have the experience and education you need, it is time to land the job that will benefit your long-term career goals. If you are looking for a new position today, the employment specialists at Resolution Technologies can help you reach your goal. Contact us today and let us use our experience to help you reach your goals.

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Hate Public Speaking? Upgrade the Way You Present

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The fear of public speaking is one of the most cited phobias amongst working adults. This can lead to notable challenges for those who must speak in front of groups on a regular basis. Luckily, there are a variety of techniques available to help you work through discomfort, allowing you to not just cover the material, but present it in a new, “upgraded” way.

Gain Confidence in the Subject

Most people who are asked to speak to a large group are being asked to share their area of expertise. Having confidence in your understanding of the subject matter, as well as the content of the presentation, can help boost your confidence overall.

Instead of focusing your energy on the idea of speaking, focus on the material instead. You may find yourself comforted by the fact that you are familiar with the information, which may make the entire process less intimidating.

Practice, Practice, Practice

Public speaking is a skill. As with any skill, practice makes (reasonably) perfect. After you have developed your material, rehearse your speech out loud, and then do it again and again. By going through your presentation completely, including verbalizing your points, you will become more comfortable with how you intend to present the material. Additionally, it will allow you to smooth out any transition statements to help your speech feel more natural and flowing.

Memorize Your Slides

Knowing the order in which your slides will appear can also help relieve a level of anxiety regarding the presentation. Not only will you look for professional, as you will not have to refer to the slide visually at every transition, you may also be more comfortable since you are confident in what to expect as you move forward.

Prepare for Tough Questions

If your presentation includes a question and answer session, prepare answers for any difficult questions or challenging aspects of the material. This can be especially helpful for items that require specific statistics or other concrete data to support your answer. If appropriate, prepare additional slides that cover the information, just in case the question arises. Not only will that provide you with a reference point for your response, it may also make the answer easier for audience members to understand.

Presentations are Not Performances

Regardless of how many people are in the room, presentations are not performances. Instead, they are structured conversations. Your primary goal is to inform, not to entertain. By keeping that thought in the forefront of your mind, you may find the situation less stressful.

Do Not Focus on Audience Expressions

When under stress, we tend to misinterpret the true nature of facial expressions. This issue can be compounded by the fact that audience members are less inclined to produce positive visual clues even when they are enjoying the content. Many audience members will appear to have a blank expression due to the fact that audience members listen in a different way than those engaged in a social interaction. The shift in the paradigm causes them to focus more on the content of your speech and less on providing you with cues regarding their receptiveness to the content.

Visualize Success

Visualization is a powerful tool that anyone can develop, and can also be as effective as actual practice. The key is too actually imagine yourself giving the presentation, from beginning to end, in detail. This can include every step of the walk towards the podium, looking out over the audience, and reciting each line of your presentation.

Don’t Fear Silence

When you are presenting, even a small pause can feel like an eternity of silence, even though it isn’t. Fight the urge to rush through material by allowing yourself to pause regularly. You can use the time to regain your composure or even squeeze in some deep breathing. By keeping the pace methodical, you may feel less frantic than if you try to rush through the material as quickly as possible.

Are you looking for a new job in the IT field?

If you are looking for more on how to upgrade your public speaking skills, or are interested in finding a new position in the IT field, Resolution Technologies has the answer to your most burning questions. Contact Resolution Technologies today!

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Career Guide

How Does Personality Affect Leadership Style?

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There are many different types of personality. Personality affects how people think, feel and act in every situation, especially in the workplace. So does personality type determine your effectiveness as a leader? Is there one best personality type that makes a good leader?

The answer is: it depends on the job. Just like every personality is different, every position is different as well. The required tasks, chain of command, hours and atmosphere affect which personality types are going to be most successful in a position. While personality shouldn’t be a make or break factor in the workplace, it can be useful to take into account if you are applying for a new job, or if you are in charge of hiring for an open position. Knowing your personality type can tell you some of your strengths and weaknesses, and give you areas to focus on to be your most successful self.

You may have heard of some different ways to determine your personality type, such as the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator, the Jung Typology Theory or the Keirsey Temperament Sorter. While these tests contain some differences– and may not be completely accurate– the fundamentals for the different personality types are very similar. Each of these tests determines a four-letter code that relates to four different two-factor categories. These categories can be broken down into Introvert/Extrovert, Intuitive/Sensing, Thinking/Feeling and Judging/Perceiving. Therefore someone with an INFJ personality type would be an Introvert/Intuitive/Feeling/Judging combination.

So what how do these personality types affect leadership style?

Extraverts can be very effective leaders. They are naturally charismatic and can command a room. However, sometimes a big personality doesn’t allow for others to voice different ideas and opinions. In order to be effective, extroverted leaders need to dial down their intensity and make sure there is room for others to give input and feel valued. On the other hand, introverts may struggle being the center of attention and directing others, however they are often good at stepping back to let others shine. This can improve employee morale and lead to loyal and motivated workers.

A person with the sensing personality type relies on past experiences and his or her senses to make decisions. While they often have experiences to back up their decisions, they might miss opportunities by failing to think things through. They tend to be very detail oriented and analytical, but they may miss the bigger picture by focusing only on what is in front of them. On the other hand, intuitive people focus mostly on the meanings and patterns in the information they receive. They tend to think about all the possibilities and theories before making a decision. However, because of this they tend to focus on the future and may have trouble finalizing decisions and seeing what needs to be done in the present.

Someone with a thinking personality tends to be rational and reasonable, making the most logical choice in a decision regardless of personal consequences. This is a beneficial leadership trait in hard decisions, however it might not be the most tactful where other peoples’ feelings are involved. A feeling personality considers how others will feel and react to decisions, but they need to be careful not to act too leniently in certain situations just because they are afraid of hurting feelings.

The leader with a judging personality is most likely very organized and structured. They schedule meticulously and keep order in their work lives. This can be an effective way of getting tasks done with the most efficiency, however their rigid procedures could prevent them from being open to other opportunities. The perceiving personality tends to be more open to new ideas and opinions because they keep a more flexible and open schedule. They act more spontaneously and can implement ideas on the fly. However, they tend to be less organized and employees may struggle with their lack of planning.

Any personality type can be successful in a leadership role. The most important thing to keep in mind is that everyone has some strengths and some weaknesses, and balance is the key to success. Realizing your personality type and the personality type of those you work with will help strengthen work relationships and create new opportunities.

Here at Resolution Technologies, we understand that serving our clients and consultants is what matters most and promise to never lose sight of that! We take the time to understand your individual needs through face-to-face interaction and strive to always make sure your objectives are met. Resolution Technologies is a full-service Information Technology Staffing firm offering flexible solutions for our clients ranging from contract, contract-to-perm, and direct perm placements. Whatever your needs are, we promise to provide unrivaled quality and service.

Career Guide

How To Ask Questions in an Interview

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Imagine you’ve just applied for a new job. You’ve sent in your resume and gotten the call about going in for an interview. After preparing for all the questions they could ask you, picking out a professional outfit to wow them and doing your research on the company, you feel ready. But one thing you may have forgotten to consider is thinking of some good questions YOU should ask your interviewer.

Typically, a good interviewer will ask you at the end of the interview if you have any questions about the job. This can be a key part of the interviewing process that is often overlooked. To stand out from other candidates, it is important to have a few thoughtful questions ready. This shows that you really care about the job and have thought critically about the position prior to the interview.

Don’t ask yes or no questions.

You want to create dialogue with the interviewer and establish a conversation. The more thought-provoking your questions are, the better the answers you will receive and the more intriguing you will look to the interviewer. Don’t ask questions just to ask something. If you get to the end of the interview and genuinely can’t think of anything worthy to ask, don’t blunder around with pointless questions. If you get tripped up and ask a silly question by mistake, take a second to recover and then continue with your prepared questions.

Force your interviewer to think.

If you planned a question to ask but it was already answered for you, skip it unless you need more clarification. Specify this by saying “I know you already talked about this, but could you explain a little more about ______?” That way your interviewer knows you were paying attention. You should have already done some research about the job, so if you ask a question you would have known the answer to by looking at the website, you will seem like you didn’t care about the position. A better idea is to ask the interviewer questions such as what they think are some of the keys to being successful in the position, or where they see the company going in the future.

Use this time to your advantage!

Not only will asking questions help you stand out to potential employers, it is a genuine way to get to know the job better and figure out if it is a good fit for you. You’re interviewing them too, and it is important to clear up any questions you may have about the work you will be doing. Sometimes you will learn that a job you wanted isn’t actually be a good fit for you, and it’s better to come to this conclusion sooner rather than later.

Remember, the hard part is over. You’ve already answered all their questions; this is your chance to put your interviewer in the hot seat and get some answers you need. Interviewing is a two-way street, and you want to do your part to make the process as successful as possible.

Preparing for an interview? Make sure to check out our post “How To: Dress for Interview Success” to look your best!

Click here to visit our IT and business job board.

Here at Resolution Technologies, we understand that serving our clients and consultants is what matters most and promise to never lose sight of that! We take the time to understand your individual needs through face-to-face interaction and strive to always make sure your objectives are met. Resolution Technologies is a full-service Information Technology Staffing firm offering flexible solutions for our clients ranging from contract, contract-to-perm, and direct perm placements. Whatever your needs are, we promise to provide unrivaled quality and service.

Career Guide

How To Craft Your Elevator Pitch

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Elevator Pitch

Looking for a way to sell yourself and your career experiences? An elevator pitch is the perfect way to showcase your talents to a potential employer. Your pitch isn’t limited to an elevator though; you never know where you may meet a future boss or coworker, even in the most casual of settings. That could be at a conference, on vacation, or in a coffee shop.

When someone asks you what you do, simply answering the question with “I’m a Salesforce Developer” likely won’t lead the conversation anywhere. You should instead use your elevator pitch to guide the conversation, quite possibly leading to new career opportunity.

The elevator pitch consists of three parts:

  1. The Benefit. What’s the reason someone should buy what you’re selling?
  2. The Differentiator. What makes YOU special from everyone else?
  3. The Ask. Is there an opportunity to learn more about this person or this company?

1. The Benefit

This includes the impact of what your product (yourself) can have on this person’s business.

  • “I was able to decrease inventory error at our company by 40 percent through a new initiative.”
  • “Through improvements to our information management system, I was able to increase efficiency and cut costs of $1.4 million.”

2. The Differentiator

This is what makes you different from everyone else. If there’s no differentiator, you’re selling anyone who has your position, not yourself.  There’s no particular reason to invest in YOU.

  • “I have over 15 years of expertise in this field.”
  • “I’m constantly looking for new certifications and courses that will help me perform my job better.”

3. The Ask

Elevator pitches are short, so this isn’t meant to be an interview. Next steps would be setting up a meeting to find out more about this person or the company they work for. Again, this usually happens in a more casual setting as a social conversation, so don’t feel like you need to go for a hard sell strategy.

  • “I’d love to learn more about what you do. What’s your availability next week?”
  • “I really appreciate the conversation we’ve had. What’s the best way to get on your calendar?”

With practice, your elevator pitch can take you great places. Remember, keep it straightforward and simple. There’s no need to over-complicate the situation. Use this as a way to network with like-minded professionals and potential employers if you’re looking for growth in your career.

Once you’re ready to explore new career opportunities, check out our blog post “5 Tips for Beginning Your Job Search” to learn how to get started.

 

Click here to view our IT and business job board.

 

Here at Resolution Technologies, we understand that serving our clients and consultants is what matters most and promise to never lose sight of that! We take the time to understand your individual needs through face-to-face interaction and strive to always make sure your objectives are met. Resolution Technologies is a full-service Information Technology Staffing firm offering flexible solutions for our clients ranging from contract, contract-to-perm, and direct perm placements. Whatever your needs are, we promise to provide unrivaled quality and service.

Career Guide

Navigating Your First Week on the Job

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First Week

Starting a new job is exciting, but it can also be a bit overwhelming to try and adapt to a new environment. Especially if you’re coming from a company that you’ve been at for a while, it can be difficult to get used to a new work environment with a different culture and team. With a ton of information coming at you from every direction, it’s important to know how to process it correctly. In this post, we’ll share with you our best advice for surviving your first week at your new workplace.

Be a sponge.

Your first week, you’re going to hear and receive a lot of new information about your new company and position. You’ll learn about company culture, preferred work and communication styles, new systems, top projects and customers, office politics, and company and department-specific goals. We could go on and on, but you get the point — information overload.

One of the best things you can do is absorb everything you can. Make sure to attend new hire orientation, team and office meetings, any other things that you think may pertain to your job. By sitting in on these meetings, you’ll start to understand what’s important to the organization and the part you play in the organization’s success.

If you get invited to happy hour, lunch or coffee with your fellow coworkers, don’t be afraid to say yes. Even if it pushes you outside of your comfort zone, you’ll start to make friends that you can count on at work. Being a part of a team requires everyone to participate, so saying yes will show your excitement and enthusiasm to be part of this new group.

Ask questions.

If you’re unsure of a project or process, it’s better to ask questions than to stay silent. As you receive new information, taking detailed notes will help you remember what you’ve learned and will give you something to review in the future. Writing something down will also ensure you don’t ask the same question twice.

Offer help.

The first few days of your job, you may have a lot of down time while you’re trying to adjust to your new role and environment. Your boss may also still be getting together your tasks and responsibilities. Instead of just sitting there with nothing to do, show initiative. Volunteer to help a coworker on a project. Even if someone doesn’t have something for you to do, offering help will show that you’re willing to put in effort to better the team.

Find a mentor.

When you’re the newest employee in the office, it can be difficult to start making connections and understanding how everything works. Find someone who has been at the company for a while and has good understanding of what’s going on. By having someone to talk to with more experience and knowledge of the company, you’ll make an easier transition. This can be a team leader or manager that others look up to as well. He or she will be able to help you make more connections within the company and give you advice to get started in your new role.

Good luck!

Even though these are tips for your first week, you should carry on these habits through your first month, year and beyond of your job. By being an engaged employee, you’ll showcase your dedication and commitment to excellence. Better work habits lead to better performance, so take the steps today to make yourself a valuable hire for your organization.

Want to join the Twitter world as a professional? Check out our blog post, Should I Be Tweeting Professionally? to learn more about using this social media platform in your job search and networking.

 

Click here to view our IT and business job board.

 

Here at Resolution Technologies, we understand that serving our clients and consultants is what matters most and promise to never lose sight of that! We take the time to understand your individual needs through face-to-face interaction and strive to always make sure your objectives are met. Resolution Technologies is a full-service Information Technology Staffing firm offering flexible solutions for our clients ranging from contract, contract-to-perm, and direct perm placements. Whatever your needs are, we promise to provide unrivaled quality and service.

Career Guide

Should I Be Tweeting Professionally?

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If you’re looking to gain a competitive edge in your job search and want to stay up-to-date with industry trends, the answer is yes. With 302 million monthly active users and 500 million tweets sent daily, Twitter is one of the strongest and well-known social media platforms out there.

You’ve probably noticed your favorite celebrities and brands are on Twitter posting engaging and entertaining content, because it’s a place to showcase things you’re passionate about. It’s also a great way to showcase knowledge. By creating a professional Twitter account, you can read and post about industry news, trends, and developments.

Interested in learning how to grow your professional network with Twitter? Read more below.

It’s important to identify yourself appropriately.

When choosing what you want your profile to look like, think of it as a resume. What do you want people to know right off the bat? Choose a Twitter handle that will make it easy to search and recognize who you are. That can be your name or the title of your blog if you have one. Include a professional photo, a link to your website, and a short description of who you are and your experience/interests.

Professional Twitter Example

Here’s a great example of what your Twitter profile should look like.

Tweet about professional topics and interests.

Now that you’ve created your Twitter profile, you can start posting updates. You can create original content or share/retweet from other sources, but make sure to keep it professional, engaging, and entertaining. It’s ok to have a personal twist — it shows that there’s an actual person behind your tweets. Just make sure you only post professional content.

Follow relevant users.

You’ve created a Twitter and posted content, but now it’s time to build your network and find accounts that interest you. Depending on your goal, that can be colleagues, industry leaders, your favorite brands, or companies you would be interested in working for. Using the search feature at the top of the page, it’s easy to find an account you love. If the person or brand you follow likes your content, they might even follow you back.

New Tweet

You can also tweet at the account with a simple greeting to introduce yourself.

Keep up with trending topics and #hashtags.

A hashtag is the # symbol followed by a word or two that relate to a topic or event. Formerly known as the pound sign, hashtags allow Twitter users to search for specific content. You can search #socialmedia, #Twitter and #jobs, and you can find tweets that relate to these topics. If you’re at a networking or professional event, they’ll often have hashtags relating to the event. You can live-tweet the event using the hashtag; you may get retweeted by the organizer of the event, leading to more retweets and new followers.

Stay organized.

It’s important to tweet consistently, but not constantly. You don’t want to tweet 25 times a day, but enough to show that you are staying up-to-date and generating thoughtful content. Applications like TweetDeck and Hootsuite help you schedule content in advance and create feeds that allow you to see and respond to tweets in a user-friendly way. Because 80% of Twitter users are active on mobile devices, it’s easy to keep track of all your information on-the-go.

You’re ready to tweet.

This will give you some guidance to get started, but don’t forget a few simple rules. Give your content some personality. Post things that are interesting, but don’t be afraid to add a personal spin. Also, make sure to NEVER post anything you wouldn’t want your managers or coworkers to see. You may think you can delete something once you’ve posted it, but it’s actually out there forever. Now, get ready. Get set. Tweet.

Want to learn more about using social media professionally? View our blog post, How To: Use Social Media In Your Job Search to understand how you can use other social media platforms to get a step ahead.

 

Here at Resolution Technologies, we understand that serving our clients and consultants is what matters most and promise to never lose sight of that! We take the time to understand your individual needs through face-to-face interaction and strive to always make sure your objectives are met. Resolution Technologies is a full-service Information Technology Staffing firm offering flexible solutions for our clients ranging from contract, contract-to-perm, and direct perm placements. Whatever your needs are, we promise to provide unrivaled quality and service.