Get it Right the First Time - Interviews - CareerAlley

Hit the nail on the head the First Time - Interviews - CareerAlley We may get pay when you click on connections to items from our accomplices. You know how it is. You put in this work to get the chance to get The Interview. You spend innumerable hours refreshing your resume, calling contacts, perusing pursuit of employment motors and managing selection representatives. At long last the enormous day, the entirety of your work pays off and you get your meeting. Is it accurate to say that you are prepared? Except if you are meeting for a passage level employment (and now and again not and still, after all that), recruiting administrators just dont have the persistence to endure an awful meeting with somebody who isn't readied. Obviously, there are degrees of terrible. Like the time that I was talking with somebody and they couldn't remain conscious. Each time I began talking, he began falling asleep. Presently I know Im not the most intriguing person, yet dozing? So whats the point? You have to invest loads of effort before meeting. Know the organization, attempt to discover as much as possible about the questioner, ensure you ve examined the set of working responsibilities and can without much of a stretch contrast it with your experience. This post is tied in with getting the data you have to expert the meeting. Dont wear nightgown for a telephone talk with Telephone interviews have gotten progressively mainstream in the course of the most recent couple of years and have nearly gotten a standard first before the in person meet. The abilities required for a phone meet unquestionably cover with the in person meet, yet there are various things you may need to do any other way. This article, distributed by CNN Money, gives significant focuses on the What, When and How of phone interviews. There are points of interest to a phone talk with, you can have materials accessible that would not be conceivable in an in person meet. This article covers what to have and what to do. 9 hints to get ready for a prospective employee meeting Another incredible article (this one from CBSNews.com) with heaps of extraordinary tips to help guarantee you are prepared for the prospective employee meeting. Web-based social networking, directing your own historical verification and in any event, looking at your opposition all remembered for this article. Certainly worth a read. About.com Interview Answers This article is from the Job Search specialists at About.com. An intriguing arrangement of potential inquiries questions and the appropriate responses they suggest. There are huge amounts of extraordinary extra data (all identified with your pursuit of employment) at the base of the article. 100 Interview Questions You Should Be Prepared to Answer This rundown of inquiries is from Insidetech.com, gives 100 of the most widely recognized inquiries questions. Set aside the effort to peruse these and consider how you would react. While it is improbable you will be asked every one of the 100 out of a meeting, you are probably going to be posed these inquiries sooner or later in your pursuit of employment vocation. Beast Career Advice 100 Potential Interview Questions Another great article with 100 likely inquiries and connections to a portion of the appropriate responses. Inquiries questions are arranged by class, for example, Basic inquiries, conduct questions, compensation questions and the sky is the limit from there. We are consistently anxious to get notification from our perusers. If it's not too much trouble don't hesitate to get in touch with us in the event that you have any inquiries or proposals in regards to CareerAlley content. Good karma in your search,Joey Google+ Quest for new employment work title, catchphrases, organization, area occupations by

Thinking About Law Indias Prestigious School, Nmims Has Some

Blog » Viewpoint » Thinking about legislation? India’s prestigious school, NMIMS has something thrilling for you! Thinking about law? India’s prestigious faculty, NMIMS has something thrilling for you! by Charudutt Malhara | Apr 20, 2019 | Viewpoint What do Mahatma Gandhi, Nelson Mandela, Dadabhai Naoroji, Margaret Thatcher, Benazir Bhutto, Barack Obama have in common? Interestingly they all studied law. One of the oldest educational fields in the world, a legislation diploma is a highly regarded qualification and guarantees nice profession opportunities. Law as a career is in nice demand these days. Due to the altering social and financial circumstances and the ever-growing regulatory role being undertaken by the federal government, there is a rising demand for the attorneys. Besides being financially lucrative, Law is an adventurous and exciting career option. The regulation career is respectable and noble. The legal professionals have always been meticulously helping in regu lating the legal system of our nation. The legal professionals help society and ensure that the authorized system is regulated. They assist members of the society by representing them in circumstances, by filing PILs, by giving them suitable legal recommendation on matters sought by the purchasers, and most significantly to assist the consumer get justice. The people working within the legal profession receive utmost respect. The greatest part of pursuing law is, that there is an ocean of profession options in the area of law. One will all the time have the ability to discover various fields in regulation. One is usually a lawyer, a choose, an arbitrator (or a moderator) or work in the authorities through civil services. And the need of legal professionals will stay as long as the society exists. If you are somebody who needs to alter the world, pursuing regulation provides you with the opportunity to work for the rights of the folks, by providing them with legal help. A lot of lega l professionals in India are representing the needy and the vulnerable individuals of the nation. They assist them get justice! Also, when you like constructing your network with celebrities and prosperous folks, the legislation is a good profession option. The attorneys can work with the heads of the businesses and provides them legal recommendation, work with film stars and high people. Everyone needs legislation advice! A profession in legislation is an ideal steadiness of ardour and pay. The prime legal professionals earn extremely well and get a lot of respect. For young professionals too, one can anticipate a good amount of earnings. A law profession may be very enticing and hence the competition is excessive. One needs to pursue legislation from a great college where one gets to be taught and explore higher. A good school will allow you to to achieve maximum information, get hands-on experience and alternative to interact with trade leaders. All this provides you with an edge over others. CLAT (Common Law Admission Test) is your get way to prime Indian regulation colleges. CLAT is an internet take a look at which often happens in the month of May. There are 5 sections- Logical Reasoning, GK & Current Affairs, Legal Aptitude, Elementary Math and English. The candidate has to answer 200 MCQs in one hundred twenty minutes. You will really want to work onerous to crack the entrance. And if you're somebody who finds legislation thrilling and is planning to pursue a profession in regulation, you definitely want to consider SVKM’S NMIMS (Deemed-to-be University) the Kirit P. Mehta School of legislation (KPMSOL). Established in the yr 2013, this school aims to deliver quality authorized training in India. NMIMS brand may be very well-known for its administration courses and now the team desires to create waves within the legal schooling sector in India. Located in the Financial Capital of India, Mumbai, Kirit P. Mehta School of Law, NMIMS aims to refine colle ge students’ competency by partaking them in curricular and further-curricular actions. It has uniquely included compulsory credit score-primarily based Internship and Moot Court as subjects which will help the students achieve first-hand publicity of working in the real world. It additionally permits students to harness the talent, knowledge, and theoretical apply they learnt in the faculty. The inexperienced campus has the most recent facilities and services, properly equipped Classrooms, Libraries, Media Center, IT Labs, Resource Centers, Moot Court, Legal Aid Clinic, Placement Cell, Personality Enhancement and Development Cells, Hostels, Cafeteria, Dining Halls, Medical Facilities, Yoga Club, Sports amenities to ensure the manifold growth of the character of the scholars The Law courses can be found at 5 campuses (apart from Mumbai) of SVKM’S NMIMS- Dhule, Chandigarh, Indore, Bengaluru and Ahmedabad. The packages offered are- This 5-yr built-in program is a superb mixture of Humanities and Law. It is a superb opportunity for those who wish to specialize in Humanities together with the law. Apart from imbibing the knowledge of the regulation, one would get to be taught different important topics like Political Science, Economics, Sociology, History and their influence and interdependence on the legislation. Students also get publicity to topics like Critical Thinking, Legal Writing, Moot Court, Internship and Professional Ethics. Selective international languages are also taught to give learners an edge over others for his or her worldwide outreach and communication. This permits learners to grasp the law in far more element, thus expanding their important views on regulation. Eligibility: Seats: 60 NMIMS School of Law has created a singular fusion of Management and Law where the scholar will get expertise in Human Resource Management, Costing and Accounting, Statistics along with the law. In this 5-12 months built-in program, students will get publicit y to subjects like Critical Thinking, Legal Writing, Moot Court Internship and Professional Ethics. Selective foreign languages are additionally taught to provide learners an edge over others for their worldwide outreach and business. This permits learners to grasp the regulation in far more element, thus helping them become better management professionals with a comprehensive understanding of the regulation. Eligibility: Seats: 60 Studying for the LLM at NMIMS School of Law is a chance for college students to specialize in the emerging dynamic area of company regulation & apply. An LLM in company regulation allows students to give attention to specific areas of the legislation in rather more element, thus better making ready them for a profession in the corporate world. This 1-12 months program provides you a chance to concentrate on Corporate Law or Intellectual Property Rights or Financial Regulations or Constitutional Law. Eligibility: Selection Procedure: The School additionall y has aPhD in Law program- Eligibility: Candidates should have a Master’s diploma in Law (LL.M) or an expert diploma equal to the Master’s degree in Law (LL.M), with at least fifty five% marks in aggregate or its equal grade ‘B’ in the UGC 7-point scale. The NMIMS School of Law supplies learners with quality teaching and learning alternatives thereby creating an intellectually stimulating academic setting with skilled and dedicated college committed to offering a superb and world-class training. Don’t miss the golden opportunity to be a part of India’s premier college. For additional data, visit /lecturers/applications/

Training Contract for Solicitors - Application Advice - How 2 Become

Preparing Contract for Solicitors - Application Advice - How 2 Become Preparing contracts are a pivotal stage to turning into a certified solicitor.This blog will talk about the significance of your law preparing agreement and how you ought to go about effectively finishing your application.Remember its a 'cruel' world out there, and you have to do all that you can to guarantee that your application is the best!WHAT IS A TRAINING CONTRACT?A preparing contract depends on a time of perceived preparing; the last phase of the passing process.Once you have finished the LPC, you will enter the preparation contract phase of capability. This stage includes filling in as a student specialist in a firm of specialists or another association that is approved to take on learners. You will be in this phase of meeting all requirements for a long time, yet on the off chance that you have past significant and appropriate lawful experience, it very well may be decreased by up to six months.Think of your preparation contract as an apprenticeship. It will furnish you with two years of chances and significant experience that permit you to extend your viewpoints and improve your performance.What you will learn, and what you will do inside your preparation contract, will at last rely upon the kind of law office for which you have applied. On the off chance that you join an enormous firm, you are probably going to invest your energy in a scope of various seats (divisions) giving you an overall feel to the conceivable outcomes open to you after your preparation contract has ended.WHERE TO LOOK FOR A TRAINING CONTRACT?The greater part of huge firms select on the web, you ought to do your most extreme to investigation into the law office for which you are applying. You can stay in front of the opposition on the off chance that you take the time and exertion to comprehend what makes a decent application and how to improve your odds of increasing a Training Contract.Make great utilization of enrollment occasions, for example, law fairs and set out to find ou t about what scouts bring to the table you, just as showing what you have on offer.Match your abilities to the characteristics and properties required from various law offices. Keep in mind, each law office will be searching for something different.WHAT TO EXPECT FROM YOUR LAW TRAINING CONTRACTThe preparing contract, including the Professional Skills Course (PSC), is the phase that permits you to put all your arrangement, information and aptitudes into training and create as a specialist inside a law firm.Normally, in bigger firms, you can hope to burn through four squares of a half year in various offices (these are normally called 'seats').So, as such, inside your two years preparing, you for the most part go through a half year in one seat, before turning to another seat, for example another office. In littler firms, this can shift. The measure of turns you take in one seat will rely upon the law office which you have applied to. The Solicitors Regulation Authority notwithstandin g, requires student specialists to cover in any event three distinctive areas.In 2014, the SRA made a few adaptions to the preparation agreements and training arrangements. The SRA no longer specifies the specific terms and states of an individual's preparation contract, and thusly law offices have been given the opportunity to plan their own preparation program which they see valuable for their firm.WHEN TO APPLYThe larger part of law offices hope to fill their preparation contract arrangements two years in advance.If you are a law undergrad, that implies you should apply for a law preparing contract in June/July between your second and third year at college. Be that as it may, this can shift contingent upon the law office, and you should explore further into the law offices in which you need to apply for.For nitty gritty data on when to apply for your preparation contract, if you don't mind visit the accompanying connection: http://www.lawcareers.net/Solicitors/TrainingContract.HO W TO APPLYYou should get in contact with the individual answerable for managing student enlistment at the law office you have applied for.Remember, rivalry is wild, and you will go up against many different candidates, and consequently you have to establish a decent connection by means of your preparation contract.Your application should be explicitly custom fitted for every law office that you apply to. Law offices will see on the off chance that you are utilizing a summed up application, and it will influence your progress.Details of contacts and the application method, I have furnished you with an immediate connection that will be amazingly helpful to you:http://www.lawcareers.net/Solicitors/AdvancedSearch. TOP TIPS TO IMPROVE YOUR CHANCES OF GETTING A TRAINING CONTRACTBelow I have recorded a portion of the KEY tips that you ought to consider while applying for a preparation contract.Remember, you are a trying specialist, and that implies you should be on your top game on the off chance that you need to make it in the realm of law. Work ExperienceWithout work understanding, you won't progress in your lawful vocation. On the off chance that you don't yet have applicable work understanding, go out there and get a few! You won't get far all the while on the off chance that you don't have the significant experience. Draft and re-draft your application before submissionDraft your answers in a word report. This will offer you the chance to check your work first before presenting your application.Be sure to check language, accentuation, spelling and layout.Another preferred position of composing your application in a word report initially is that it empowers you to revisit and alter your answers. You ought not depend on one sitting; compose your answers and look them over.How would you be able to improve? What is superfluous? What else can I include? Sticking to the word limitIn your application, you might be given a word limit.You MUST hold fast to this. Potentia l bosses are searching for individuals who can follow fundamental instructions.The word limit is set for an explanation, so ensure you recognize what as far as possible is, and you don't go over it! Use ACTION words all through your applicationAction words will be words that will eventually make your application stand out.Powerful activity words you could remember for your application are: created, accumulated, finished, improved, arranged, composed, capable, capacity, proficient and so forth. Immaculate your CV and Application For AnswersSpelling botches, absence of data, poor format, linguistic blunders, mistaken data and offering nothing significant to a business, are the most well-known missteps on a CV and occupation application.Make sure you have another person go over your CV. Each application should be custom fitted to every law firmDO NOT present a normalized application.Your application should be explicitly customized to every law firm.Each law office is searching for vari ous range of abilities, characters and experience, and in this manner you can't just turn in an application that doesn't reflect what they are looking for. Make Sure You Have A Great Cover LetterYour introductory letter is your opportunity to tell the business about you and why you need to work for them.Do your exploration about the firm so you can be certain that your introductory letter reveals to them you have the stuff to be a specialist for their firm.Not all law offices request an introductory letter, however in the event of some unforeseen issue, you should be set up for this! Read through your application at any rate THREE timesBefore presenting your application, ensure that you have perused your whole application thoroughly.Your application should be right on target and any mistakes will influence the achievement of your application. Use a reasonable email addressBecoming a Solicitor is a serious deal and is viewed as an exceptionally savvy and expert career.Therefore, you would prefer not to demolish your odds of picking up that exceedingly significant law preparing contract, by utilizing an improper email address.Make sure that your email address is proficient â€" it needs to give the correct impression to your potential employers. Give Yourself An Interesting PersonaSimply expressing on your CV that you like to peruse or watch films will cause you to appear to be exhausting to an interviewer.There is nothing amiss with going sky-plunging and posting that as a hobby.There are such a large number of side interests out there that show character, and on the off chance that you do it once, you can show it as something that interests you.Make yourself intriguing and exciting. Consider Your LocationBecause the opposition is so close in this field, individuals are happy to head out far and wide to get a position.There is no standard that says you need to express your location on your CV.If you have family members almost a firm you are intrigued, don't hesi tate to utilize their location. This gives you a bind to the area. WHAT HAPPENS NEXT?During your time of perceived (preparing contract), you will likewise need to finish the Professional Skills Course (PSC). The PSC is the last and obligatory piece of your preparation before you become a certified solicitor.For more data on preparing contracts, proficient abilities course, necessities, tips and the way toward turning into a specialist, investigate our guide!How2become a Solicitor is a definitive guide for any individual who is contemplating turning into a specialist. This book will give all of you the important data you should consider to settle on that choice, and get whether work as a specialist is properly for you.Here is the immediate connect to our guide How2become a Solicitor:https://www.how2become.com/professions/solicitor This passage was posted in Career Advice, Resources. Bookmark the permalink. Katie Noakes Army Officer Fitness Test 2016: Top TipsWhen to utilize SER and ESTAR: GCSE Spanish Revision

Uber Interview Questions - Arrange Given Numbers To Form The Biggest Number Possible

Uber Interview Questions - Arrange Given Numbers To Form The Biggest Number Possible This week, Im going to discuss the question arrange given numbers to form the biggest number possible. Like our previous posts about Uber interview questions, Im focusing more about the analysis process than the final solution. The idea is not to give our readers the answer/code immediately. Instead, Id like to guide you through the whole analysis process. At the end, I hope you can be equipped everything you need to solve similar questions. Here we go. Arrange Given Numbers To Form The Biggest Number Possible Write a function that takes a number as input and outputs the biggest number with the same set of digits. For example, suppose the input is 423865, then the biggest number with these digits is 865432. Two reasons I chose this question. First, this Uber interview question is a great problem to test candidates coding skills and has been asked by many companies including Uber, Facebook recently. Second, well also discuss an extension of this question, which makes the problem more interesting. Analysis I think most people should be able to come up with the right approach without difficulty. However, when it comes to code, youll be surprised about how many people fail to do that. In order to get the biggest number by rearranging the digits, all we need is to order all digits in descending order. For example, if the input is 62832, we just need to sort them and output 86322. As I mentioned above, few people can get the code right. Thats why Id like to focus more on the coding part. As a practice, please try to finish the code within 15min before reading rest of the post. Code To start with, we need 3 basic methods here: Transform a number to a list of digits (number_to_digits) Sort the digits in descending order (biggest_number) Transform a list of digits back to the number (digits_to_number) Lets first take a look at the code and Ill highlight few points after that. The code should be as simple as it is. A few points are worth to mention here: Instead of having a huge single method that does everything, we put two util methods separately. This is a good style to follow for both interview and real projects. Also, it makes it easier to code as the logic is clearer. We should always validate input and in this case, its number 0. Though you dont see any explicit validation here, I started the code by checking if the number is 0. However, it turned out to be unnecessary as the two util methods have handled that automatically. But its important to keep this in mind. Most of the time in an interview, you are not required to implement the sort by yourself (unless the question is about sorting). So feel free to use the system library. Also, dont worry about the exact syntax. For instance, its completely okay to just write sort(digits, Reverse=True) when you cant remember the syntax. Get Next Greater Number Lets change the question a little bit. How can you get the next greater number with the same set of digits? For example, suppose the input is 423862, then the biggest number with these digits is 426238. Think about it before reading following sections. One of the best ways to think is to try with examples. If all digits are in descending order, the number is already the largest one. So in essence, we should look for digits in the “wrong” order. Lets use the same example 423862. If we start from the right, digit 3 is in the “wrong” position because all digits after it 862 are in descending order. So to get the next greater number, all we need is to swap 3 with a bigger digit 6 and re-order the rest digits. So we can summarize the algorithm as follows: Go through each digit from right to left Find the first digit that is not in descending order. In the example, its 3. For all digits after the current digit (862), find the smallest one that is also greater than the current digit, which is 6. Swap it with the current digit. So the current number is 426832. The last step is to sort all digits after the current digit (6) in ascending order, so we get 426238. Summary Takeaways for question arrange given numbers to form the biggest number possible: Starting with some real examples is a great way to get ideas. Sometimes, you just need to summarize all your manual steps and that becomes the final algorithm. Have the right idea is far from half done! As you can see, getting to the right code to these two questions is not trivial. For the 2nd question, although there are just 10 lines of code (excluding comments), you should be very cautious about boundary checking to make it right. Separate util methods from the main function can keep your code much cleaner and actually its easier for you to implement. By the way, if you want to have more guidance from experienced interviewers, you can check Gainlo that allows you to have mock interviews with engineers from Google, Facebook, Uber etc..

How to Use Your Time Off for Professional Development

How to Use Your Time Off for Professional Development When is the last time you thought about professional development?The spread of COVID-19 has caused many people to be out of work or taking mandatory time off while stuck at home feeling uncertain about the future of their jobs.With so many in self-quarantine and cut off from regular work and social life activities, there is a new and unfamiliar challenge: how to fill all of those extra hours in a productive way.If you’re working from home, currently job searching, or simply want to stay on top of your professional development, now can be a perfect time to give some attention to career development practices you don’t usually have time for.Of course, it can be hard to focus when you’re anxious about the future. First, we’ll talk about the psychological strain you may be feeling and ways to help alleviate your stress.Next, we’ll get into some proactive ways to use your quarantine time to advance your career goals.The Psychological Impact of Time OffWorking from home has become a way of life for many. For years, the gig economy has been booming and many workers have been building side hustles in addition to their office jobs.But for many millions of others, a traditional job is all they’ve known.If you fall into this category, having your structure, routines, comforts, and social circles suddenly cut off can be very stressful and disorienting.It’s important that you give yourself room to have feelings about this.Don’t get stuck in the mire, but acknowledge that it’s okay that you feel off-kilter and more importantly, that it’s within your power to take actions to help yourself feel balanced again.We’re not trained therapists here at Big Interview, but our founder is an experienced career coach who has helped a lot of clients through career transitions. We are also a team of people with a lot of experience working remotely.Based on that, here are some things we suggest for keeping your mental health a priority:1. Keep Your Days StructuredWhil e it’s certainly tempting to let it all go and zone out in front of a screen for 12 hours at a time, this is probably one of the worst things you can do for yourself.Sure, enjoy the luxury of free time a bit, especially if you’re someone who has been overscheduled and overworked.However, too much TV or other screen-centric entertainment will cause “brain fog,” make you feel lethargic and unmotivated, and will cause you to be inactive which won’t do your immune system any favors.Instead, try to structure your days by planning a wake-up time, a bedtime, and structured activities throughout the day which can include work, hobbies, exercise, professional development, building relationships, cooking nutritious meals, research, or whatever else floats your boat.Structure is also important for those of you who don’t have a lot of “free” time due to work and/or child care responsibilities at home. See if you can schedule blocks of time for different responsibilities so you d on’t lose track of the day due to constant distractions and getting stuck in reactive mode.This is easier said than done, of course. Don’t be too hard on yourself if you’re not immediately perfectly productive in your new situation. Transitions take time.However, some degree of structure can help you manage your anxiety and ensure you have time for the things that are important to you and help you feel good.2. Get Plenty of Sleep, But Not Too MuchSleep is an excellent booster for the immune system. According to the CDC, adults need seven or more hours of sleep a night for optimal health and wellbeing. Unfortunately, the percentage of American working adults who are sleep deprived has increased in recent years.This means you currently have an excellent opportunity to catch up on some much-needed shut-eye.However, just as it’s tempting to do nothing with your unstructured time, it’s all too easy to binge-watch TV all night and sleep the morning away.Becoming nocturnal or sle eping too much can make you feel worse, not better, and make it harder for your body to stay healthy and alert.You know your body best, so be sure to give it as much rest as it needs to be healthy, but not so much that you become lethargic.3. Connect SafelyWhile you should be following the recommended CDC guidelines for safety and self-quarantine, isolation can wreak havoc on the human psyche.If you live alone or are currently socially isolated during this time, reach out to friends and loved ones by phone, skype, or social media.Make sure you are continuing to stay engaged with people and are able to talk about your concerns and anxieties during such an uncertain time.If you need additional support, consider trying online counseling. Services like Talkspace and BetterHelp offer affordable options. You can also find traditional therapists who offer phone, video, or text sessions. This directory  from Psychology Today may help you find a good matchWe need each other now more than eve r, so make an effort to safely reach out and connect to your fellow humans for your own mental health.4. Put Your Phone DownOr shut the laptop or turn the TV off. The human brain can only handle so much bad news and we have the dual blessing and curse of being plugged in constantly.There is a never-ending stream of news and opinions on every device you own from millions of people all over the world.Of course, you want to remain informed about what is happening, but don’t let it control you.Structure your time with the news and social media. Once you’ve reached your quota for the day, put it down and walk away. Your mental health will thank you.Using Time Off ForProfessional DevelopmentWhen we’re busy with the typical daily routine, it’s hard to prioritize all of those to-do items to support our long-term career goals. We put off things like continuing education, networking, exploring career change ideas, and updating our resumeNow’s the time to finally focus on your future career!“Little things” can make a big difference in a job search, so here are a few things you can put your time and energy towards in the coming weeks to elevate your professional development and keep things on track.1. Give Your Resume a MakeoverIt’s important to have a current resume that presents your background in the best possible way.If you’ve had your job a long time or have been in the same industry a while, you may not have looked closely at your resume in years.Standard practices in resume writing have likely changed since the last time you were searching for a job.For example, including a resume objective at the top of your document used to be standard practice.Now, the recommendation is to replace the objective with a couple of succinct, specific, and well-crafted sentences that are called a resume summary.Additionally, many employers now use an Applicant Tracking System (ATS), which is an algorithm that scans resumes for required keywords that the bot has been programmed to see as “hirable”.Researching the job description, using the correct format, and using proper keywords are more important than ever.Even if you feel pretty good about your current resume, it’s worth taking a critical look to make sure you’re not missing opportunities to take your resume from good to great.Check out our posts on resume best practices for some inspiration to make your resume stand out in a competitive job market.You want your resume to be up-to-date and ready to go, so sprucing it up is a great place to start with getting your professional development ducks in a row.2. Update (or Create) Your LinkedIn ProfileLinkedIn is a huge social network. As of January 1, 2020, it hosts half a billion professional profiles.Numbers like that mean most professionals have some sort of presence on LinkedIn already.But what state is your profile in?Is it mostly empty, without a profile picture or any of your credentials?Did you maybe fill in where you went to scho ol and your current job and that’s it?LinkedIn is used heavily by recruiters looking for new talent and hiring managers looking to verify potential candidates.With a professional profile, endorsements from colleagues, links to publications and projects you’ve worked on, and a nice photo, you are taking your professional image up quite a few notches.Having your profile ready to go can save a lot of time in the job search process since all of your information is hosted in one place. You can simply send a link to your LinkedIn profile instead of dealing with a bunch of hyperlinks and attachments in an email.Additionally, LinkedIn has a job board and learning center where you can develop your skills and search for jobs directly on the site.Social platforms change often so it’s likely that LinkedIn has more to offer now than it did when you first started your profile.Login and poke around. Polish up your profile and make some connections. With so many people active on the platform, you are guaranteed more exposure and exposure can only help you in your career pursuits.3. NetworkLinkedIn is also a great place to start when it comes to networking.The very idea of networking may make you cringe, and we completely understand.The idea of trying to connect with strangers can feel extremely awkwardespecially if you’re of a more introverted persuasion.But online professional platforms are an excellent (and safe!) way to build your network.Begin on LinkedIn by reaching out to colleagues and connections.Next, research groups in your industry on Facebook and LinkedIn.Take some time to really interact and get to know people’s stories.Expanding your pool of professional contacts creates a wider safety net for you when it comes time to job hunt, and the right connection can really help you elevate your career.Plus, if COVID-19 is hitting you hard right now it’s likely impacting others in your industry similarly. Connecting will give you a sense of camaraderie and ide as and inspiration for how others in your field are handling the setbacks.4. Sharpen Your Interview SkillsCVS Health is one of the companies currently experiencing a boom in hiring due to the demands COVID-19 has placed on the market. CVS Health recently made a statement that they intend to hire 50,000 new workers via virtual job fairs and video interviewing.Preparing for a job interview is stressful even when there isn’t a global pandemic but if you’ve never had a video interview, it can add an additional layer of anxiety.The best way we know to grow confidence in job interviewing is to practice and prepare.The majority of interviews are focused on a variation of 10 Common Questions that are practicable and predictable.In fact, we’ve designed our entire curriculum to prepare you for job interviews in hundreds of industries and multiple experience levels.Practicing common interview questions in front of a cameraor at least in front of a mirrorwill bring up your confidence and sharpen your presentation in no time.We’ve seen time and time again what good practice and preparation can do for job seekers, so sharpening your interview skills is an excellent use of your time.5. Take Classes and Earn CertificationsWords like “classes” and “certifications” can sound like big and expensive time commitments, but in the age of the internet, they certainly don’t have to be.With platforms like HubSpot and Coursera, many online classes and certifications are free and available for you to learn.Dont be afraid to take the initiative in your own professional development.Get certified in inbound marketing, Google Analytics, SEO, learn Photoshop or WordPress or any other platform you’ve been wanting to explore but never had the time.You will be adding skills and certifications to your resume and better yet, have the knowledge to make yourself a more well-rounded professional.In addition, mastering a new skill or engaging your brain in a new topic can really he lp to reduce anxiety and build confidence.Remember, knowledge that you’ve acquired is something that can never be taken from you and can be retained from job to job, wherever your career may take you.6. Build Your Side HustleMany people have projects on the side they would like to be able to devote more time to. Maybe it’s an Etsy shop selling hand-crafted designs, or building an email list to sell an e-course you’ve been working on. Perhaps you’ve been trying to break into freelancing or building your blog into an income stream.All of these projects are ways to build your professional development, skills, and income outside of work. A side hustle can even turn into a full-time job.Look at your free time as an opportunity to start brainstorming how to grow your side hustle and taking steps to make it happen.7. Demonstrate Your ValueIf you love your job, your employer, and your boss, now may be the time to step in and step up. Demonstrate your value by making yourself availab le and asking your managers what you can do to help them. Show that you’re adaptable and can take initiative.In some cases, this may require volunteering your time without the promise of a payout.However, if you work for a great manager, you can bet that your efforts will be appreciated and rewarded down the line. You may also find opportunities to gain valuable on-the-job experience and skills that will benefit your future career and professional development.Don’t push this idea so far that you sacrifice your own well-being, but think about how you may be able to step up in a way that helps both you and your company.ConclusionWe are currently in a strange and uncertain time. Depending on your industry, the working world you are used to may look very different when you return to it.Stay ready and alert, keeping your skills, knowledge, and hiring materials polished and ready. Be mindful of your mental health and take steps to manage the psychological impact of the changes.This is an opportunity to improve yourself and your prospects, and we’re here to help and offer resources every step of the way.