5 Ways Graduates Can Stand Out from the Competition

5 Ways Graduates Can Stand Out from the Competition In today’s competitive job market, having a degree and doing good work unfortunately may not be quite enough to land you  the  job you want after you graduate. In order to get yourself one  step closer than other graduates to your dream job, you have to stand out from the crowd and make a good impression on your potential employers. Here are 5 tips to help you set yourself out from your competition. 1. Build soft skills Yes, for some careers you will be  required to have achieved a good degree in a specified  area, however a lot of the time employers are looking for more than just a great set of exam results in their prospective employees. Instead of merely  looking at academic scores, employers look for candidates that suit  their company culture and they feel will fit in well with the team. They want candidates with personality and the right combination of soft skills,  in areas such  as interpersonal and leadership. Therefore, in order to stand out from  the pack and show your uniqueness, try to market your strengths and let your personality shine through. 2. Develop  your professional presence Research the leading professional organizations in your field of study and join them. Many of these organizations not only can provide you with information about the field, but they can also offer career advice and even mentors to help you with your job search. In addition, if you do not have a LinkedIn profile, do yourself a favour and sign up now! Having a presence on LinkedIn automatically makes it easier for employers to check out your professional background and some hiring managers wont actually consider applicants who do not have a profile. Make the most of LinkedIn by listing all of your past experience and skills and a summary outlining why you are such a great employee! Its great for building a professional network by connecting with people in your desired industry, maintaining contacts and following organisations you are interested in. LinkedIn is a great place to find out about jobs, as well sharing your existing experience, so be sure to keep your eyes peeled in groups, company pages and the jobs section for all the latest vacancies.   Other social media platforms such as Twitter and Facebook can also be great for networking and finding out about job opportunities. 3. Break some rules Many college students have no idea how to write a good resume and cover letter. Most use the same resume template and end up having resumes with similar format, including headings and the choice of words, so as tempting as it is, its probably best to steer clear of the  ready made templates online. To make yours stand out, you should break the mould and be creative. This doesn’t mean that you have to sacrifice the focus and readability of your resume. Just make your cover letter and resume are interesting and concise. Grab your potential employer’s attention by breaking a few rules! If youre applying for a creative industry, you may wish to opt for something a bit out-of-the-box or visually impressive that will really make it stand out from others. 4. Get business cards You may think that business cards are out-dated because we are in a digital era. Well, not really. Business cards are still the currency of business relationships. Some colleges even offer free or deeply discounted business cards to students. Even if yours doesn’t, you can get one done and printed at a very low cost.   Business cards are great for networking and dont ever underestimate the value of your industry contacts when on the hunt for a career opportunity! Make sure you attend networking or industry events when you can and distribute your business cards to those who you would like to stay in contact with. Make sure that you list any social media accounts that you have on there, as well as an email address/ phone number, so people are free to  connect with you in whichever way they feel fit. 5. Be your own PR agent Once you are out of school, you are responsible for marketing yourself. Keep your resume and business cards with you all the time because you never know when opportunity will knock. Be ready to showcase yourself and make the most of any opportunity you have to build your network.   If you havent already, you may want to clean up your social media a bit or create new accounts for professional use, as employers will frequently turn to these profiles to check out an applicant. Image Credit: Shutterstock

How can social media aid your employee search

How can social media aid your employee search Recruitment can be a costly, time-consuming process but there are ways to speed up your search for the right candidates. Using social media to promote your job opening, for instance, is just one of the many ways to attract talented professionals â€" and if you don’t want to do much online recruiting yourself there are always companies like The SmartList to help you out. With this in mind let’s take a closer look at how Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter and other platforms can help aid your employee search: You can cast your net wide By sharing your new job opening on social networking sites, you can essentially cast your net wide and find the most suitable candidates around. Start by sharing the link with all your fans and followers on sites like Twitter and Facebook and you’ll probably find the link is retweeted and shared to other users who might be interested in the role. News travels fast online, so it is well-worth putting your job advert out there â€" just don’t forget to include clear instructions on how to apply along with relevant and up-to-date contact details.  [amazon template=productasin=B00EUF4Z8Y] Make the most of video marketing When it comes to filling vacancies at your company, it’s important to let future candidates know a little about where they could be working. Video marketing is ideal for this as it will allow you to be as creative as possible while simultaneously giving potential employees an insight into the working environment they’ll enter. Post your material to popular social network site, YouTube, and you’ll hopefully promote your company as well as find the ideal employee. Search for job candidates on LinkedIn                                                                                     These days, many professionals create a detailed profile on LinkedIn to help them land the career of their dreams. In fact, LinkedIn is made up of a community of 161 professionals worldwide, so if you want access to the best talent around, this is certainly the place to come. This popular site offers premium accounts for companies looking to recruit and give you access to all kinds of unique features such as advanced search filters and free InMails per month which allow you to contact anyone on LinkedIn. According to LinkedIn itself the site: combines job listings, candidate search, trusted referrals and the power of networks to give you results, so why not advertise your job opening here as well as flick through the wide range of profiles and CVs for a new addition to your team? After all, there are many highly-skilled individuals just waiting to be headhunted. Utilise industry-specific job boards Did you know that industry-specific job boards are popping up all over social media? Graduates and talented professionals are even being directed to these sites such as MediaBistro’s Facebook page for job openings and industry information, so it’s worth keeping an eye out and networking with potential candidates. Often, the most skilled people will join industry specific social media groups simply to stay informed, so contacting individuals who pique your interest could lead to a hiring opportunity. Social media can undoubtedly assist with your search for the ideal candidate, so give the above tips a try!

Dental Assistant Cover Letter Sample - Algrim.co

Dental Assistant Cover Letter Sample - Algrim.co Dental Assistant Cover Letter Template Download our cover letter template in Word format. Instant download. No email required. Download Template Related Hiring Resources Dental Assistant Job Description Sample Dental Assistant Resume Example

5 Ways to Avoid an Average Personal Brand - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career

5 Ways to Avoid an Average Personal Brand - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career Why is it that we find it more natural to focus on what we suck at rather than what we are awesome at? I used to think this was cultural and that some cultures are simply more prone to talking about their weaknesses. In Japan, for example, people almost go into a state of denial when someone points out a strength!  However, as I meet people from all over the world I tend to see a consistent trend people are concerned with fixing their weaknesses rather than maximizing their strengths.  This really comes as no surprise as the focus on weakness in most cultures is hard to ignore. Almost every job interview asks about our weaknesses in light of our strengths! Avoiding a Culture of Average Personal branding is all about finding what we are uniquely strong at and making it stronger. This is what enables us to be known for something so that people are compelled to connect with us. When we gravitate toward our weaknesses we tend to become average in a bunch of things, not superb in some thing. And guess what? People do not get excited about average in any culture!  As a general rule, unless a weakness gets in the way of your personal brand strengths, then  forget about it!   Here are 5 culturally appropriate ways to uncover your strengths and avoid an average personal brand. 1. StrengthsFinder 2.0 Are you an “achiever”, “relater”, “maximizer”? First introduced in 2001, the  StrengthsFinder  assessment was designed with the simple purpose of helping you to discover your top five strengths and how each of these plays out in your life. By doing the assessment you have more clarity in understanding how to do what you naturally do best every day, and how to identify the opportunities that will enable you to use your strengths. Access to the assessment does require a code that comes with the purchase of the book and it is available in over 20 languages. 2. SOAR SOAR retains the ‘strengths’ and ‘opportunities’ from the traditional SWOT model, but adds a critical process of ‘appreciative intent’ by including ‘aspirations’ and ‘results’. Appreciative Intent (AI) really goes hand-in-hand with personal branding as its function is to build plans around what works, rather than trying to fix what doesn’t.  This empowers us to focus on the positives that we can imagine and actually achieve in the future. When it comes to personal branding SOAR is ideal for removing ‘weaknesses’ from the equation and shifting our mindset toward our strengths. 3. Headline News How do you want the world to see you? What do you want to be known for? If someone picks up the newspaper and there is a front page article about you, what would the headline read? Identify a list of people who know you well including friends, family, colleagues, etc. Ask them to write a front page headline about you.  Remind them to be genuine and real here. You don’t want them to fantasize. Their headline should be something they feel is absolutely achievable and realistic for you. What you get back will be an amazing collection of headlines. Look for themes across these headlines and pay attention to all the verbs used as they will say a lot about how they see your strengths. 4. Seven Stories Seven Stories is a comprehensive introspective activity where you first make a list of 25 enjoyable accomplishments in your life from childhood to present time. Things you not only enjoyed, but also did well. From this list you narrow it down to the seven that are the most important to you and write a short paragraph about each accomplishment. With these seven stories you will find some common threads and uncover strengths that perhaps you never realized. 5. My Retirement Party This is a great “forward visioning” activity that combines aspects of ‘Headline News’ and ‘Seven Stories’. Imagine you are sitting on the porch of your home and old friends, family members, and colleagues are showing up. People are coming to celebrate your retirement. As everyone gathers they are gradually breaking into smaller groups, talking, laughing, and having a great time. They are talking about you and how you have impacted their lives. You get up from the porch and walk around. As you pass by each group you can overhear what they are saying. Write down what you hear. How have you made an impact? What did you do to help them?  Author: Peter  Sterlacci  is known as “Japan’s personal branding pioneer” and is one of only 15 Master level Certified Personal Branding Strategists in the world. He is introducing a leading global personal branding methodology to companies and careerists in Japan and adapting it for the Japanese culture. In a culture where fitting-in is the norm, his mission is to pioneer a ‘cultural shift’ by helping Japanese to stand out in a global environment. His background spans over 21 years in intercultural consulting, international outreach, and global communication coaching.

Recruiting New Employees What to look for - CareerMetis.com

Recruiting New Employees What to look for Whether you are a new business owner or a seasoned veteran, there comes a time in every business when you will need to hire new employees. Who do you hire? How do you hire? How do you know you are hiring the right person?These are just a few of the many questions running through your mind. There are many things to consider when hiring new employees, especially if it is your first time. Here are some tips to get you started:1. Have a systemevalCreate a hiring process that works for you. As your company evolves and you hire more employees, this process will undoubtedly change. For now, create a checklist to help you keep track of your hiring process. What key traits are you looking for? What process do you want potential hires to go through?Be sure that you don’t forget important things such as background checks and references. Having your own system will help keep you on track and ensure that you hire the people that are best suited to your company.2.Form an accurate job description This is harder than it sounds. When your business is growing and you begin to hire, you may not even know what to call the position. Whether you need a secretary, a sales person, or an electronic guru, create as accurate of a job description as you can so that you will attract the skills and experience that you want within your company.Again, keep in mind that as your company grows this job description will change and grow as well. Do not get stuck on the same job description when you need a different skill set to keep up with your growing business.3.Get the word outOnce you have come up with a great job description begin to put up job listings in appropriate places for your business. Social media outlets are always a good way to get the word out.However, be sure to post job listings in more traditional methods such as the newspaper or magazines that are appropriate to your business. Think about who and where the people are that you would want on your team and target those areas. Yo u want to draw in the right people for your business.evalYou have put up multiple job listings with the perfect job description. Several days have gone by and resumes are beginning to poor in. Now what? There are so many to choose from, where do you begin? Once you choose who to interview how do you choose who to hire, what should you look for?Calm down, take a deep breath, and think about the following:4.Eliminating ResumesKnow exactly what you are looking for in terms of skill set and experience. Knowing what you want from an employee will allow you to look through resumes quickly and weed out those who do not fit your criteria.This is the first step in eliminating candidates.5.The InterviewevalThe interviewee is not the only one who needs to be prepared for the interview. Come up with a plan and have 10-12 set questions that you will be asking everyone.Having set questions ahead of time will ensure that you ask every candidate the same things so that you can compare and contrast answers in order to find the best fit for your company.Do your homework. What interview questions will work best for your business? What do you want to know about your future employees? As your company evolves so will your questions.6.Are They Passionate?As a growing business owner, you want someone who is as passionate about what you do as you are. They may not know much about your product, but you want someone who is excited about the way you do business and who wants to learn about your product and become part of your team.A good way to find out how interested they are in this job is to ask them why they want to work there. You don’t want someone who will take any job offered. You want someone passionate about what you offer.7.Are They Responsible?When you are beginning to hire you want individuals who can handle responsibility. You want someone who is willing and eager to learn, who will be able to handle whatever you throw their way.In short you want someone who asks “what can I do to help” and takes initiative instead of someone who backs down in the face of a challenge. In an interview this can be tricky to gage.Do your best by asking behavioral questions such as; “tell me about a time when you were working in a group and you were faced with a member who was struggling to pull their own weight.” How well they respond in a situation like this will give you an idea of how responsible they are?8. Find the TruthevalNow, this is not to say that every interviewee is lying to you. However, you will find as you interview more that some people are too modest about themselves and others are greatly over exaggerated. Your job is to find out who the good employees are and who is too good to be true.All too often business owners hire a candidate who looks great on paper but turns out to be a less than ideal employee. The best way to find out the truth about potential employees is to check their references. References are often overlooked in all but the bes t businesses.Keep in mind that references are often biased, so ask your potential employees for previous employers so you can gage their work ethic. To get the full story try to talk to a mixture of former employers, peers, and subordinates 10.Listen to Your GutEverything may look good on paper and every question may have been answered satisfactorily during the interview but, if you do not feel quite right about a particular candidate and you just can’t put your finger on the problem then don’t hire them.Don’t be biased just listen to your gut and chances are you will hire the individual who is right for your business.You don’t just want an employee who fits a job description. You want someone that you feel comfortable with, who fits the environment and culture of your business. You want someone you can work harmoniously with. Hire those people who will contribute to and help your business grow.There is more to hiring than looking at a resume and asking questions. The most i mportant thing is to find the truth. By utilizing a good system, you will ensure that you find the best employees for your growing business.

Top 10 reasons why happiness at work is the ultimate productivity booster - The Chief Happiness Officer Blog

Top 10 reasons why happiness at work is the ultimate productivity booster - The Chief Happiness Officer Blog Lisa was falling behind at work. Every morning she woke up nervous about the workday ahead of her. Every evening she went home thinking of all the tasks she hadnt gotten around to. Lisa is a 35-year old engineer and project manager at a Danish IT company. With business booming, keeping up had become a struggle she felt she had to run really fast, to just to stay in place. With her in-box overflowing and people all around her clamoring for assistance on their projects, she started to look at various productivity tools and systems and quickly settled on the one shed use. As is typical for Lisa, once shes decided to do something, she does it, and with new ways of tracking time, improved todo-lists and prioritizing her work, she did notice that she was getting more work done. But she still felt, that she could be more productive. While she was thinking about her next step, it struck her: Some of what she did, she hated doing. While she generally enjoyed her job, especially helping people plan their projects and advising them on the best ways to move forward, some of her tasks were administrative in nature. Tracking progress, updating various statics, generating reports, etc . They didnt take up that much of her time but they were a lot less fun. Lets face it: to Lisa, they were boring as hell. She talked to her boss about it, and they decided to give those tasks to a project secretary. This freed up a little time for Lisa, but mostly it allowed her to work on those parts of her job that she really liked. Consequently Lisa became a lot happier at work and THATS when her productivity sky-rocketed. Now she had the energy to connect with her people and the creativity to think up and implement new ideas. Instead of feeling stressed and harried, she was optimistic and positive. While her productivity system had definitely helped her get more done, the productivity boost she got from being happy at work was many times bigger. Lisa is now working way less hours and getting much more done. And most importantly, shes enjoying work a lot more! If you want to get more done at work, the productivity gurus out there will tell you that its all about having the right system. You need to prioritize your tasks, you must keep detailed logs of how you spend your time, todo-lists are of course essential, you must learn to structure your calendar and much, much more. But thats not where you should start. You should start by liking what you do. The single most efficient way to increase your productivity is to be happy at work. No system, tool or methodology in the world can beat the productivity boost you get from really, really enjoying your work. Im not knocking all the traditional productivity advice out there its not that its bad or deficient. Its just that when you apply it in a job that basically doesnt make you happy, youre trying to fix something at a surface level when the problem goes much deeper. Here are the 10 most important reasons why happiness at work is the #1 productivity booster. 1: Happy people work better with others Happy people are a lot more fun to be around and consequently have better relations at work. This translates into: Better teamwork with your colleagues Better employee relations if youre a manager More satisfied customers if youre in a service job Improved sales if youre a sales person 2: Happy people are more creative If your productivity depends on being able to come up with new ideas, you need to be happy at work. Check out the research of Teresa Amabile for proof. She says: If people are in a good mood on a given day, they?re more likely to have creative ideas that day, as well as the next day, even if we take into account their mood that next day. There seems to be a cognitive process that gets set up when people are feeling good that leads to more flexible, fluent, and original thinking, and there?s actually a carryover, an incubation effect, to the next day. 3: Happy people fix problems instead of complaining about them When you dont like your job, every molehill looks like a mountain. It becomes difficult to fix any problem without agonizing over it or complaining about it first. When youre happy at work and you run into a snafu you just fix it. 4: Happy people have more energy Happy people have more energy and are therefore more efficient at everything they do. 5: Happy people are more optimistic Happy people have a more positive, optimistic outlook, and as research shows (particularly Martin Seligmans work in positive psychology), optimists are way more successful and productive. Its the old saying Whether you believe you can or believe you cant, youre probably right all over again. 6: Happy people are way more motivated Low motivation means low productivity, and the only sustainable, reliable way to be motivated at work is to be happy and like what you do. I wrote about this in a previous post called Why motivation by pizza doesnt work. 7: Happy people get sick less often Getting sick is a productivity killer and if you dont like your job youre more prone to contract a long list of diseases including ulcers, cancer and diabetes. Youre also more prone to workplace stress and burnout. One study assessed the impact of job strain on the health of 21,290 female nurses in the US and found that the women most at risk of ill health were those who didnt like their jobs. The impact on their health was a great as that associated with smoking and sedentary lifestyles (source). 8: Happy people learn faster When youre happy and relaxed, youre much more open to learning new things at work and thereby increasing your productivity. 9: Happy people worry less about making mistakes and consequently make fewer mistakes When youre happy at work the occasional mistake doesnt bother you much. You pick yourself up, learn from it and move on. You also dont mind admitting to others that you screwed up you simply take responsibility, apologize and fix it. This relaxed attitude means that less mistakes are made, and that youre more likely to learn from them. 10: Happy people make better decisions Unhappy people operate in permanent crisis mode. Their focus narrows, they lose sight of the big picture, their survival instincts kick in and theyre more likely to make short-term, here-and-now choices. Conversely, happy people make better, more informed decisions and are better able to prioritize their work. The upshot Think back to a situation where you felt that you were at peak performance. A situation where your output was among the highest and best its ever been. Im willing to bet that you were working at something that made you happy. Something that you loved doing. Theres a clear link between happiness at work and productivity. This only leaves the question of causation: Does being productive make us happy or does being happy make us productive? The answer is, of course, yes! The link goes both ways. But the link is strongest from happiness to productivity which means that it if you want to be more productive, the very best thing you can do is focus on being happy with what you do? So how do you get to be happy at work? There are two ways, really: Get happy in the job you have. There are about a million things you can do to improve your work situation provided you choose to do something, rather than wait for someone else to come along and do it for you. Find a new job where you can be happy. If your current job is not fixable, dont wait move on now! Related: How to find a job youll love How to lose your fear of being fired The feel factor why no workplace can afford to ignore how people feel Kathy Sierras brilliant post on why its great to be happy Thanks for visiting my blog. If you're new here, you should check out this list of my 10 most popular articles. And if you want more great tips and ideas you should check out our newsletter about happiness at work. It's great and it's free :-)Share this:LinkedInFacebookTwitterRedditPinterest Related

Should You Disclose Pregnancy During a Job Search

Should You Disclose Pregnancy During a Job Search A typical job search can be stressful. Add in pregnancy, and you up the anxiety ante. Should you disclose pregnancy while job searching and once you secure an interview? If in your first trimester, you have several weeks before you begin to show, but if you’re further along in your pregnancy, you may feel tempted to dress in baggy clothing for an interview. If you dont disclose your pregnancy and you accept a job, you risk breaking trust and damaging your professional relationships due to your nondisclosure. Whatever choice you make, you take the risk of rejection â€" that point is, unfortunately, a fact. As with any matter, its best to weigh the pros and cons and make an informed decision. Waiting to disclose your pregnancy doesnt mean youre not an untrustworthy employee, but trusting prospective employers with appropriate disclosure may leave you with more options than you think. What the Law Says Regarding Pregnancy and Work More facts: An applicant is not required to disclose her pregnancy by law during an interview, showing or not. Its illegal to deny a candidate a job due to sex discrimination, and pregnancy falls under that prohibited employer practice umbrella. Its also illegal for a previous employer to give a negative reference to a prospective employer because of pregnancy. If hired, employers may not harass or discriminate against you during training or let you go due to pregnancy. These facts should put your mind at ease somewhat, but you may still ask: What stops an employer from digging hard enough to find a just cause for termination? Your employer may force you out if youve been chronically late to work or failed to meet other duties, even though you worked to rehabilitate such behavior, as their reasoning for termination. Always do your best to fulfill your job duties. An employer may outright reject you, whether you disclose your pregnancy or not, and you may never know the reason since most rejection notices are brief and dont give away details. You dont want to work for a judgy employer or in a negative work culture that affects your pregnancy and professional development. Beyond the job search, you must also consider the law regarding the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA). Most know that a mother may use 12 weeks of FMLA leave for prenatal care, childbirth, and incapacity or serious illness after birthing a child. However, these 12 weeks are only available to employed mothers after a year at the job and at least 1,250 hours over the past 12 months at a location with at least 50 employees within 75 miles. The employee must provide the employer with 30 days’ notice, or as practical, with sufficient details. Only 12 percent of companies offer paid leave during maternity, and the U.S. lags behind other countries when it comes to adequate maternity policies. That doesnt mean you shouldnt try to negotiate or search for what you deserve. If youre already pregnant, why worry about FMLA if you wont be eligible anyway? You must know about your rights for the future and decide if a job search is right for you right now, if you have that freedom. If hired for a new job, its possible the employer has their own generous policies in place regarding maternity leave or flexible work options for working moms. Life Happens, and Pregnancy Disclosure Could Open Doors One new mother, Rubina Madan Fillion, started her new job as a digital engagement editor at 25 weeks pregnant, and she didnt know she was pregnant when interviewing with her recruiter. Fillion got the job in her second trimester, and the employer response was “Congrats.” Interestingly, her new job was at a brand new company that decided to create a maternity policy offering at least 12 weeks of paid leave. While you may be lucky to land a job with a family-friendly employer, thats not always the case. It doesnt mean the employer wouldnt be or isnt open to discussing flexible work options. The employer needs to know they can provide you with proper accommodations without jeopardizing their business and trust youll do your best on the job no matter what, within reason. Freelancers already make up 36 percent of the workforce, and theyre projected to make up half of the workforce by 2027. The way business is done is changing: 54 percent of those surveyed, freelancers and non-freelancers, didnt feel confident the work they were doing now would exist in 20 years. Working as a flex-time employee is different than being self-employed or working as a contractor â€" your income is typically stable, but you still possess reasonable flexibility with your workload and schedule. Flexible work options allow you to achieve a better work-life balance, and many professional duties at the office can be conducted at home. What about working half days or particular shifts? What accommodations or options are available? You wont know unless youre honest and investigate further. Your disclosure presents an opportunity for the company to analyze its current policies regarding family leave and flexible work schedules â€" options that more companies are beginning to consider because of the changing labor force. Strategize Your Job Search as an Expectant Mother Regardless of whether or not you choose to disclose your pregnancy, or when, strategize and target your job search based on your skills, pregnancy and professional development goals. For example, while you may be tempted to accept any paying job, you dont want to take on a job that requires heavy lifting or movements you wont be capable of doing in a few months â€" and without anyone to help you out. Its advisably ethical to speak up when you need the job you earned the interview for and are asked: Is there anything that would prevent you from fulfilling the described duties? Whats considered highly ethical isnt always realistic. Inexperienced employers may worry youre not able to perform your job duties, and many women fear the unspoken bias of pregnancy discrimination that is often hard to prove. Yet, its not impossible: 4,778 charges of pregnancy discrimination were solved by the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) in 2002, along with $10 million recovered in financial benefits for those who filed the charges. If you want to pursue this route, keep detailed records of your experiences and correspondence. The question still stands: Would you really want to work for that type of employer? Not disclosing your pregnancy at first doesnt make you a bad person or a bad employee. Women face many challenges on their pregnancy and professional journeys, and introducing such personal information early on leaves them in a mentally, emotionally and physically vulnerable position. When strategizing your job search, your reasons for nondisclosure may revolve around more sensitive concerns, such as fear of miscarriage. You want to take the necessary tests to make sure your little one is healthy. You may also be receiving fertility treatments or using a surrogate and want to wait for privacy reasons to see how it goes. These cases are certainly understandable. Theres No Reward Without Risk Disclosing a pregnancy comes with the risk of rejection, but also the opportunity for acceptance and revolution in the workplace. Many employers unfairly judge the ability of pregnant professionals to continue working at their best levels, but many also do not. Many employers see the valuable team player in her professional glory, baby bump and all. They eagerly hire her, realize life happens and work to get her acclimated, even creating new maternity leave and flexible work options. Life presents you with risks every day. Weighing the pros and cons of pregnancy disclosure isnt an easy task, and it adds to your stress levels as you search. Dont let it. Just as you see your pregnancy as bringing new life into the world, see your job search in a more determined and positive light. Your pregnancy challenges you and presents you with the opportunity to find an even better fit professionally. For more career advice on tricky job search situations, subscribe to Punched Clocks and continue the conversation by commenting below and sharing your insight. 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