How to overcome awkward silence in an interview

How to overcome awkward silence in an interviewHow to overcome awkward silence in an interviewWeve all been tzu siche Youre in an interview and everything is seemingly going well. Then, suddenly, the conversation hits a lull. Do you speak first to fill the awkward-feeling silence? Do you wait for your interviewer to lead the way? What body language do you express?Ive worked in recruiting in the financial services industry for over five years and interacted with thousands of candidates throughout all stages of their interview processes, and I can tell you that awkward silences happen in nearly all interviews. They are rarely the result of doing something wrong, but rather part of a natural course of events someone stopping to think about a previous answer or someone trying to remember the point he or she welches planning to make, for example. Unfortunately, candidates often assume the void is their fault, get nervous, and start rambling to fill the void. But thats not necessarily the best plan of attack. Heres what to do instead.1. Understand the importance of the silenceAs a recruiter, there are so many things that go through my head during an interview. First and foremost, Im responsible for taking as many notes as possible. I dont want to forget anything the candidate is saying, because I have to pass along the right information to the hiring manager. This sometimes requires me to pause and take it all in. That said, I sometimes do use silence as a test I want to see how the candidate will respond under pressure. Hiring managers do the same - they use silence to assess a candidates comfort and emotional intelligence. To come out ahead, let the awkward silence run its course. Show poise. Count slowly to five, and then say, Is there anything else I can fill in on that point? Consider this a moment to reflect on your answers and gather your thoughts for the rest of the conversation.2. Come preparedYour battle plan starts long before you walk into the room and shake your interviewers hand. Practice answers to common inquiries with your friends and get comfortable answering open-ended questions. Structure each point to tie back to what you studied, what youve been doing, or why youre interested in this particular role. I recommend using the STAR format to make sure youve covered everything in detailSituationWhat was the context or background?TaskWhat exactly needed to be done?ActionWhat did you do to accomplish the required result?ResponseWhat was the overall outcome and how was it received?If you know youve hit all the points youve practiced, you wont feel the need to keep talking just to fill the silence.3. Know your audienceYoure likely to go through multiple interviews as part of a hiring process. It usually starts with a conversation with a recruiter or member of the human resources team. This can be your opportunity to drive the conversation a bit more. If and when you make it to the next stage of the process and sync up with the hir ing manager, youll want to be a bit more deferential. That doesnt mean you shouldnt have space to ask questions - you absolutely should. But its not up to you to steer the ship, so when that silence does happen, allow it to pass so as to give the hiring manager the chance to move onto the next topic he or she has on the agenda.4. Dont rambleI know its nerves, but Ive had candidates blather on so much that their sentences stop making sense. One interviewee started by speaking about her current job (makes sense), but ended up explaining why she dislikes a certain coworker. Clearly, thats no good. When a candidate goes on and on, he or she usually loses sight of the point and starts trying to connect the wrong things. For example, I once asked a job candidate to give me an example of a time he received criticism over his work and how he dealt with this feedback. He started out well, citing a specific project, but quickly diverged into a lengthy assessment of his managers difficult per sonality. Not only did he fail to answer the question at hand, he made it seem as if he couldnt possibly be the problem.If you catch yourself going down this road, know that all hope isnt lost. You havent blown the interview. Just apologize for rambling and say, Let me start all over. Its perfectly fine to admit when something doesnt go perfectly in an interview. Recruiters appreciate honesty over all else.This post was originally published on TheWell.com.Jopwell helps Americas leading companies connect with and recruit Black, Latino/Hispanic, and Native American professionals and students at scale.Sign upto find your dream job.

How to Determine If the Purpose of Your Resume Is Clear

How to Determine If the Purpose of Your Resume Is ClearHow to Determine If the Purpose of Your Resume Is ClearHow to Determine If the Purpose of Your Resume Is ClearBuild an effective resume that supports your job goals. Heres how. TWEETHave you ever tried to fly a kite without a string to guide its direction or without a tail to give it proper weight and navigational assistance? Sounds pretty frustrating - unless you dont care where the kite goes. Sending out a resume without giving it direction or strategic design can be a similar exercise in futility.Like a kite, a resume needs to be built properly (eye-catching, easily readable design and format), guided to its destination (by tailoring it to a specific job and market), and weighted properly (with quantified accomplishments and responsibilities).Consider the purpose of your resume.A resume is the marketing vehicle that, when crafted effectively, will facilitate your ability to secure an interview. It will also help you prepare fo r that interview because it will highlight your key selling points and boost your confidence in your own abilities.Like many applicants, you may feel at a loss for words when you initially try to list your accomplishments at work. I havent contributed anything, you say. I just do my job. However, once you take a step back and go through the process of brainstorming how youve actually added value to your department or company, I guarantee your feelings of self-worth will rise - and even soar. And that confidence will definitely get noticed by the hiring manager during your next interview.Define your resumes intended destination.While written resume objectives are no longer the standard, it is imperative that your job goals are clearly stated and supported throughout your resume for it to be effective. Below are questions to ask yourself before you start the resume-writing process. Your answers will help give your resume the direction and content it needs to land in the right place. W ho do you expect will read your resume?Believe it or not, fruchtwein job applications are not initially reviewed by a human being. Instead, an electronic applicant tracking system (ATS) will scan your job application for keywords and skills. If you are fortunate enough to have an actual human read your resume, the design can either hurt or harm you, depending on its effectiveness and readability. Keep in mind that HR professionals may not be familiar with all industry or job-related acronyms, so use both the acronyms and the actual words. Managers will pay more attention to your specific accomplishments to try to determine if you would be an asset, so make sure these are prominently featured. Which industry are you targeting?If you are open to a variety of industries, this point does not apply. But if you are seeking a position in the manufacturing industry, for example, industry keywords need to be included in your resume. This will increase your chances of the electronic applicant tracking systems honing in on your resume. Sophisticated systems can now detect if keywords are actually used in context, so they have to be strategically and effectively integrated into your resume.What specific position are you seeking?Unfortunately for the over-stressed and over-worked, the days of sending out a generic resume for several types of jobs are behind us. You have to design your resume with a particular position in mind. You have to know what keywords, skills, areas of expertise, and qualities an employer is looking for in a candidate. And then you have to make sure you feature them in your resume and show - not tell - that you have them. That brings me to the next bullet point. What results do you want your resume to showcase?Do you get things done? Do you improve processes or procedures? Do you surpass sales goals? Do you lead teams?Simply stating that you possess a certain quality will have almost no positive impact on a potential employer. In fact, it may actuall y work against you. How many times do employers read, Highly motivated, multi-tasking, very organized, successful, team player? Too many times They either yawn or toss the resume.Instead of telling the reader about your skills,show them what youve accomplished using dollar amounts, percentages, descriptions of projects, and other quantifiable results.Ready for a new career? Get started with a new resume today.

The Basics of Key Performance Indicators

The Basics of Key Performance IndicatorsThe Basics of Key Performance IndicatorsA key wertzuwachs indicator (KPI) is a value used to monitor and measure effectiveness. Although some, like net profit margin, are nearly universal in business, most industries have their own key performance indicators as well. Some Examples of KPIs KPIs are intrinsically linked to a firms strategic goals, Managers use the indicators to assess whether theyreontarget as they work toward those goals. A sales team might track new revenue,total revenue, new customer capture, average absprache size, and deal pipeline size to assess progress toward corporate revenue targets.A customer support team might measure the average on-hold time for customers and the percentage of calls that result in a positive post-call survey rating.A marketing group looks at the contribution of marketing-generated sales leads to total revenue over time.Production areas of the business measure the efficiency of processes and vario us quality metrics. Human resources departments measure employee turnover among other related metrics. Managers and key stakeholders monitor these indicators over time and adjust plans and programs to improve the KPIs in support of the firms strategic goals. Leading and Lagging Indicators Developing performance indicators is both art and science. The objective is to identify measures that can meaningfully communicate accomplishment of key goals. Lagging indicators measure performance in a period that is past. Financial metricsare classic examples. As the standard disclaimer warns, past performance does not guarantee future returns.Leading indicators contain guidance about future results. For example, an increase in orders for auto parts suggests a rise in new auto production and sales in the near future. In most businesses, the goal is to have the right balance of leading and lagging KPIs. Four Challenges Its not easy to develop a high-quality platzset of performance indicat ors. Managers and functional experts work together to debate and consider the right set of measures and their relative importance- and there are pitfalls. If the firms strategy and key objectives are not clear,its indicators tend to focus exclusively on financial outcomes.Overreliance on financial indicators leads to an unbalanced and incomplete view of a businesss health.Measures deemed important by one area of the business may not be viewed as important by others.If compensation is tied to key targets of performance indicators, conflicts of interest and considerable bias are built into the process.Accurately measuring and reporting indicators may be difficult or impossible if the internal reporting system to support them isnt in place. A healthy process for identifying and implementing key performance indicators includes a requirement that the managers and other contributors regularly revisit and revise the measures. This fine-tuning processrequires the time and diligence of all parties. Designing KPIs When choosing which KPIs will offer the most valuable business insights, ask a few questions to keep focused Are these KPIs derived from a valid strategy?Are they simple to understand?Are they relevant, not just now, but over time as well?Are they clearly defined?Do they accurately reflect the business process?Do they involve factors or quantities that the business can fully control or influence?Do they focus on improvement?Do they offer quick feedback? KPIs are mora useful when they reveal trends over time, rather than taking one KPI in isolation. Keeping them precise, simple, and relevant can reward a business with useful insights and guidance. Proper Use of KPIs A properly developed and implemented KPI program incorporates regular review processes during which managers and other stakeholders assess the meaning of the results. No matter how positive an indicator is, it needs to be analyzed and assessed in order to repeat or even strengthen the perfo rmance. No single KPI number standing alone explains how it happened or how to improve. However, a well-defined set of KPIs can include numbers that point to where conditions deteriorated and how they can be improved. Armed with these insights, team members can take action to strengthen the leading indicators and drive improved future results. A simple way to check whether a KPI can be used properly or offers meaningful data is to put it through the SMART filter. Each KPI should have A Specific objectiveA way to Measure goal progressAttainable, realistic goalsRelevance to the businessA Timeframe that makes sense for the company The Bottom Line KPIs are much like instruments that measure temperature and barometric pressure. Knowing that the temperature increased or decreased might be interesting, butmore critical is knowing whether a storm isimminent. KPIs work together to provide a more complete picture.

How to Write an Advertorial That Works

How to Write an Advertorial That WorksHow to Write an Advertorial That WorksAdvertorials are contrary to typical advertising that features 90 percent visual and barely any of the written word. Instead, advertorials seek to resemble the pages of the publication in which theyre appearing and are intended to be an interesting read, divulging a myriad of information about the product or service. The No. 1 rule is to entertain the reader. Advertorials are also known as long-form copy ads or native advertising in the digital world. To achieve advertorial success, start with whats known to work. Forgo the Sales Pitch When all is said and done, this is probably the most important piece of advice you can get when writing an advertorial. Your advertorial is your Trojan Horse. You may have an army of selling points but your audience wont read them if they see them coming. Readers dont want to read an advertisement, they want to read something interesting. Selling language and hard-hitting p itches are not interesting. To some, they may be offensive. To accomplish this, you have to create an advertorial that has a direct and logical connection to your product or service. If youre selling a cleaning product, an article about the unseen dangerous germs lurking in your home may work well. If youre selling a tool, write about 10 simple Do-It-Yourself projects that anyone can handle. As long as you can subtly weave in your specific product a few times, you will successfully tie the two together and plant a seed that may result in a sale. Blatant selling language is not going to convert as many people into customers. You can create an amazingly well-written advertorial that brings the reader from the headline through to the last paragraph. But if you suddenly travel from editorial language to sales speak, people will drop out. That translates to a big leap in tonality. Keep the selling messages tonedcorrectly. Headlines Do the Heavy Lifting Since your ads goal is to look more like an article or feature, leave the visual puns and expensive photo shoots out of the mix. The copy has to stand on its own merit. Your headline needs to be compelling, interesting, and jarring. Give readers something unexpected that calls to them to read the actual article. An advertorial headline from 1926 still captivates the ad community. John Caples wrote, They laughed at me when I sat down at the piano. But when I started to play Its success hangs on the emotions stirred within an instant of reading it. No hard sales pitch here, but the intended soft lead charms and beguiles. Involve the Reader Writers often misfire, overly concerned with weaving together the list of required selling points and dry research when readers want an emotional reaction. Looking again at John Caples work, the language in the first few lines of the copy continues to intrigue Arthur had just played The Rosary. The room rang with applause. I decided that this would be a dramatic moment for me to make my debut. The selling comes toward the last half of the ad and is written with masterful tonality. Look at advertorials through the decades. Caples work is from a time long past, but it continues to resonate because of his ability to elicit that emotional response from the reader. Your aim is to take a cold prospect and give them a reason to call, visit a website, or email the client. Entertain, inform, and sell is the mantra. Research the Context Every great advertising star through the ages, like David Ogilvy, William Bernbach, and Alex Bogusky, knows the importance of researching the media. If youre designing a billboard, its all about the location and surroundings. Working on a print ad? You need to read the magazine from titelseite to cover. The same goes for advertorials. Your advertorial should be targeted to the readership of the intended magazine or newspaper. An advertorial appearing in Maxim magazine, for instance, will have a completely different tone from o ne in the pages of Vogue, although the product or service may be exactly the same. If you know the magazines readership well, youll be better equipped to write an attention-grabbing headline and copy to keep them interested. Use Photographs and Illustrations Sparingly Some advertorials overuse photos or diagrams, leaving little room for the copy. This is a wasted opportunity to intertwine more of the story about your product. Use visual content judiciously and intelligently. Only use the visuals if they help sell the idea and move the story forward. Look at a newspaper article or magazine feature as a frame of reference. With too many images, the words dont have the power to build a story and complete the sale.

Customize this Outstanding Safety Director Resume Sample

Customize this Outstanding Safety Director Resume SampleCustomize this Outstanding Safety Director Resume SampleIf youre all about playing it safe, you want a resume that improves yur response rate on job applications. You need to build a good resume on a solid foundation, and our safety director resume sample can show you how to strengthen that foundation and develop it into a document that gets better results. Its no different from guiding construction build-out based on blueprints, and it provides you with the same sort of clear instructions on how to produce a strong final result. Use our sample as a coaching tool and the best example of how to reshape your resume for greater effectiveness if you need help getting started, you can also try our resume builder.Create Resume Allen Prince100 Broadway LaneNew Parkland, CA, 91010Cell (555) 987-1234alprinceexample.comProfessional SummaryMeticulous Safety Director with an array of industry certifications and a broad understanding of sta te and federal construction laws. Adept at managing mistakes, developing policies that prevent injuries and holding project managers accountable when their projects violate those safety policies. Specializes in large commercial projects.Core QualificationsDedicated to safetyProfessional approachComputer savvyResponsible professionalUpdated on industry changesPolicy presentationsExperienceSafety Director, August 2010 February 2015Gremlin Construction New Cityland, CADeveloped several systems that would adopt new state and federal safety laws into company policy.Personally inspected large job sites and handed out safety violations as needed.Maintained constant contact with state and federal safety agencies.Safety Director, June 1993 September 2004Porch Developers New Cityland, CAMade part of a regional safety board that created construction safety policies.Reduced safety incidents by 20 percent over two years.Developed a rewards program for safety that was extremely popular.Educat ion1993 Bachelor of Science, Occupational HealthHarvin College New Cityland, CACustomize ResumeWhy Is This a Good Safety Director Resume Sample?You know a good construction schematic when you see one the details are clear, the design well-crafted, all important safety protocols and building codes taken into account. The same is true of a good resume, and when hiring managers see a resume like our safety director resume sample, they know theyre looking at a professional with the skills needed to do the job.Its about presentation a solid presentation goes a long way toward making a great first impression. Before you can do that, though, you have to actually get your resume in front of a person. This means bypassing automated text scanners by ensuring your resume has a high keyword density. Our safety director resume sample uses keywords taken from target jobs and common industry terms to effectively deckblatt critical phrases in the summary, experience, and core qualifications. These phrases include state and federal construction laws, injury prevention, accountability, safety policy, and policy presentations. While these are only a few examples, you should strive to make your resume keyword-rich while still writing naturally and presenting these phrases in context with your experience.Once those keywords get you past the robot sentries (or at least the software search algorithms), its critical to impress with neat formatting and a simple design that uses bullet points and headers to segment information into easy-to-read sections. A messy resume is one of the fastest ways for employers to reject you out of hand. Whether its poorly formatted, too busy, or uses too many complex layout elements, too much clutter slows down the reader and makes him or her reluctant to read more. Our safety director resume sample demonstrates that you dont need bright colors or fancy bells and whistles to still create an engaging, appealing design. Our design is about centering the content so that it speaks for itself, giving room for accomplishments and vivid, action-oriented language to leap from the page.Why You Need a Strong Safety Director ResumeWhile jobs in construction safety management are maintaining an average growth rate of 8 percent per the Bureau of Labor Statistics, that doesnt mean its safe to be complacent about your job search. With only approximately 100,000 jobs for a safety director nationwide, youre still facing stiff competition from jobseekers who are just as hungry as you. The best way to beat out the competition in early stages is with a strong resume written to be both attractive and effective, such as our safety director resume sample. When your resume is sometimes your first and only impression on a hiring manager or recruiter, you want to make sure its a good one.Costly Safety Director Resume Mistakes To AvoidEvery safety inspection requires a key checklist before you can sign off on building safety, and every resume has a checkli st of core factors before you can consider it ready for applications. Dont neglect any of the components of your resume some jobseekers are in the habit of deleting the core qualifications or summary to dive right into the experience. This can be a fatal mistake when the opening summary is the first presentation of your professional experience the reader sees and can act as a major selling point - while the keywords allow you to easily modify your resume to include key phrases that pass automated text scanners. Your resume needs to have the same major components as our safety director resume sample.Dont forget to scan target jobs for useful keywords as well. Integrating keywords and skills such as industry knowledge and professionalism, directly from employer job ads will reduce the rate of rejection on applications passed through automated text scanners.ConclusionSign off on your resume credentials with assurance after using our safety director resume sample for a complete rewrite . A new resume can inspire confidence and provide a great refresher that not only gives employers a good look at your history but reminds you of your own accomplishments and why you can firmly say youre the best candidate for the job.

The Upside to Uf Msf Resume

The Upside to Uf Msf Resume Some schools ask a particular question and a few dont have a question in the slightest. Rather, youre asking for guidance and advice about ways to go about yur search. A great place to begin is emphasizing your talent for accuracy. Before submitting work application, watch a brief video to brush up on your grammar abilities or have a look at the Writing Studios internet cover letter guide. The Basic Principles of Uf Msf Resume You Can Benefit From Starting Today Furthermore, greater numbers of people are becoming savvy to the advantages of smart saving and investing. A fast and simple software installation processSo which you can get REDCap running and fully functional in a few minutes. If youd like to get considered for another program then youll need to reapply for the next term and pay another application fee. If you call, ask them if theyre totally free to talk for a couple minutes. Most hiring managers recognize the voreingestellt duties a nd daily tasks of a specific position. If you dont supply the info needed for the hiring agency to find out your qualifications, you may not be considered for the job. Hiring agencies will try to find particular terms in your resume to make sure to have the experience theyre seeking. Learn more concerning the federal hiring approach. The Basic Facts of Uf Msf Resume If youre a resident of a state in which FAU isnt currently authorized to supply post-secondary educational instruction, please get in touch with us to discuss program choices. Florida State University has seen a substantial rise in the range of applications for graduate school for the approaching summer term. Medical School programs demand a massive commitment of time and if you are considering attending, you should thoroughly research the programs youre interested in. Students are exploring a finance career to decide on if they would like to pursue additional education. Make certain you just apply to schools you wo uld think about attending If youre interested in attending a Medical School youll be required to have completed specific course work in your undergraduate area of study. Many certifications are obtainable for financial advisors, usually after theyve accrued three decades of work experience. In the long run, the department itself will decide whether to admit you. Federal jobs often need you to have experience in a special type of work for some period of time. Its well-known that internships are the very best way for students to obtain work experience before graduation. While monetary rewards are of practical significance, true job satisfaction springs from the chance to raise and learn in a business. Writing a resume for a non-government position your primary objective is to find an interview. Your experience should deal with every essential qualification in the job announcement. A global small business seminar which culminates with an overseas trip, will offer you an invalua ble worldwide small business perspective. Things You Wont Like About Uf Msf Resume and Things You Will Offered over the plan of seven semesters, its tailored for motivated individuals that are actively employed. Students will also have to conduct their own independent research in the shape of a dissertation. They can start the CFA preparation courses in their last semester. They learn how to analyze tauglichkeit roadblocks and formulate solutions. Some are general certifications, while some represent specialty locations. Begin with the folks in your industry you know in real life, like your professors, mentors, and peers in your industry. Many industries have professional organizations where youre able to take part in discussions that are associated with your area. If you own a niche region of specialization inside your military branch, share it. Working in financial mathematics will supply you with an invigorating blend of intellectual challenge and accelerated professiona l growth. That degree is particularly created for those who mean to manage public, governmental and nonprofit healthcare agencies. As an example, its not sufficient to offer you a carefully constructed ranking of great schools if many are too costly or too hard to get into. Our online MBA program rankings employ the exact same methodology that we use to make our well-regarded ranking of the greatest online colleges. Life After Uf Msf Resume Staff will supply you with individualized comments and the document is going to be approved. You dont need to request a copy be sent to the college. Documents aside from resumes wont be critiqued in the system and will just be qualified for use. In addition, there are two other documents you should SF-171 and OF-612. The goal in creating a profile is to boost your visibility on LinkedIn to recruiters and employers who are looking for talented candidates just like you. Concentrate on these sections to understand whether you meet the req uirements for the position. Each field will be different on what is encouraged to include in ones portfolio. Moreover, federal presentation resume format depends on specific job announcements.

3 Things Im Doing to Find My Own Definition of Success

3 Things Im Doing to Find My Own Definition of Success Article by Mary SauerFor as long as I can remember, I have been a fairly ambitious person. As a young child, I kept journals filled with ideas about what my future would look like. From dream jobs to where I would live, I always had a good idea of what I wanted to accomplish.As Ive grown older, starting a family and a career along the way, Ive experienced something I didnt expect Ive grown tired of chasing success.For a couple years now, Ive felt that Ive been falling short. Ive been frustrated to find Im always a couple steps behind where I expected I would be at any given moment. More maddening, perhaps, is that its been a while since I have felt I welches truly giving my all to accomplish what I had set out to do.Another version of myself, one characterized by avoidance and self-sabotage, has been winning more often than I care to admit.It wasnt until recently that I realized what wasbehind my resistance to moving forward.Itisnt that I had suddenly become lazy.Instead, I had adopted a version of success that was a poor fit for me.Finding your own definition of success is important to living a fulfilled life. For a lot of millennials, it has been difficult to connect witha personal vision of success because were constantly inundated by outside opinions at any given time. In an age of business coaches, gurus, and social media influencers, its harder than ever to decide for yourself what a life well lived looks like.I realized I was no longer emotionally connected to the success I was working so hard to achieve. It was a lightbulb moment for meI stepped back to see I had adopted another persons definition of success, even down to an income goal and work lifestyle, and it fit like a shoe three sizes too big.To correct this mistake, Ive been redefining my version of success. It hasnt been an overnight change, but Ive learned a few things that have helped me resist the pressure to model my personal success after the success of others1. Im Taking a Break From the NoiseCareer coaching has a time and place for many professionals, but it isnt for me at this specific point in my life. Ive learned a lot by joining mastermind groups and taking courses, butthese thingsalso pressure a lot of people to set goals for success that match up with the status quo rather than their own personal needs.At least for now, Im taking a break from all the noise. I unenrolled from one course, left a few networking groups, and simply stopped logging into another course I plan to schliff once my mind is in a better place. I even went as far as unfollowing some influencers on social media, because I found I was really sensitive to talk of income goals, lifestyle achievements, and the pressure to keep up.2. Im Practicing Self-AwarenessAccording to clinical psychologist Gladys Rodriguez, self-awareness plays an important role in creating an individualized definition of success.Start c onnecting with your feelings, Rodriguez advises. Practice breathing deeply and in silence to connect with that inner voice that will tell you what you need and what you want.For me, thispractice hasmeant spending the time Iused to invest in coaching and mastermind groups on reflection. Ive done a lot of journalingto explore my desires for the future. This time of intense self-awareness has allowed me to connect with a more holistic view of success. While I was once fairly committed to a singular goal of achievement as a writer, Ive become more aware of how important it is to define success for all areas of my life, including my family life, my health, and having fun.3. Im Celebrating How Far Ive ComeMost importantly, it became clear that the habit I had of constantly sizing myself up against the successes of others had to stop.Stop looking at social media to determine what you are supposed to do when or what success means, advises Rodriguez. Shenotesplenty of research has found it d etrimental to use social media as a benchmark for determining your own success.Im trying to replace these comparisons with small celebrations of how far Ive come. In the past, I havent done a great job of making a big absprache about my achievements simply because they felt like nothing more than small steps in the grand scheme of things. Now, Im sharing wins with friends, writing about them down in my journal, or treating myself to a glass of wine when Ive reached a new milestone in my personal or professional life.Instead of looking for what you dont have or what you are missing, begin noticing the steps you have taken to achieve what you have, the talents you have cultivated, and the milestones you have achieved, Rodriguez says. Nothing is too small.Ultimately, my effort to redefine success has been an exercise in being more present in my life instead of spending too much time worrying about the future or what I could have done differently in the past. It has been a refreshing ch ance to slow down and acknowledge that success is not some distant milestone, but something I am experiencing right this moment.A version of this article originally appeared on SUCCESS.com.Mary Sauer is a freelance writer living in the Midwest. She writes primarily about family life, food, and mental health. Marys work has been featured by Vice Munchies, SheKnows, Babble, and DailyWorth.

Skills Not to Use in Your Resume

Skills Not to Use in Your ResumeSkills Not to Use in Your ResumeWhile writing a resume, there are some skills you need to avoid including in your resume. Like, for example, you should include only the relevant ones for the job you are applying for, leid every skill that you have got. Basically, you need to carefully choose the significant ones and put them in your resume. For the rest of the skills, just keep them to yourself.What Skills To Avoid Including In Your Resume1. Skills You Dont Actually HaveYou may be under the impression that lying in your resume is okay. Well, you are wrong. There is a limit to everything and including skills that you actually do not possess in your resume is not okay at all. If you do not have the skill required for a job position, do not apply for it. Because, it will backfire on you either during the interview or during the job period. A negative impression will be created in their minds and your reputation will be at stake. So, only include those whi ch you have actually got. 2. Irrelevant OnesAny skill. that is not relevant to the job position you are applying for, need not get to be included in your resume. They only increase the number of words and decrease the white spaces in the resume, making it harder to read. Any insignificant skill needs to be removed from your resume. The recruiters do not have a lot of time to review your resume, and if they find useless information, they will just skip it without carefully reading it. 3.Basic Skills Everyone Should HaveDo not waste your time or the recruiters time using common words. There is no need to mention the skills every job applicant should have. For example, do not list things like MS Office as a skill of yours.

How to Negotiate Salary After a Job Offer

How to Negotiate Salary After a Job OfferHow to Negotiate Salary After a Job OfferAfter several rounds of interviews, you finally land a job offer from a terrific team at a company with a bright future. Heres one belastung question Are you ready to negotiate salary? You may have made it through the most challenging part of the job search process, but thats an important step before you accept the offer.A new survey from Robert Half shows more job landseekers are asking for more money. Fifty-five percent of the workers - up from 39 percent in 2018 - said they tried to negotiate salary during their last job offer.In a job market where in-demand professionals often consider multiple offers, companies know they have to have some ?flexibility in their salary ranges. According to the survey, 70 percent of hiring managers dont expect candidates to accept the initial salary offer.See the breakdowns of responses by city, from New York to Indianapolis, and by age and gender.Bottom line? You h ave bargaining power If you dont inquire about a better compensation package, you may be leaving money on the table, especially if you have specialized skills and an impressive?resume.Of course, these can be tricky conversations. For many people, talking about money is? uncomfortable. It can feel awkward to ask for more than what youre offered. You might be afraid an employer will withdraw the offer altogether if you counter it. Here are ?eight ?tips to help you tactfully and confidently ?ask for what you want your next job1. DO familiarize yourself with industry salary trendsYou may think you deserve a higher starting salary in your new position. But what do the national and local job markets say? Information is your biggest ally.?To enter a negotiation fully informed, consult Robert Halfs annual Salary Guides ?to determine the going rate for your career path, position and experience level, and the Salary Calculator to see adjusted figures for your geographic area. If youre ?in the running ?for one of the years hottest, highest-paying jobs, the employer may be having a tough time finding someone with enough skills and experience, and that?opens the door to negotiate higher ?pay.2. DONT negotiate too early - or too latefruchtwein employers expect to discuss a candidates desired salary in the first or second interview. Once they indicate they would like to make an offer, consider it an invitation to ask some questions. Begin with questions around benefits and other compensation areas before discussing salary.If the company doesnt bring up ?pay ?when they make ?the ?offer, dont hesitate to ask. Trying to negotiate?a salary after youve signed the contracts and agreed on a starting date is definitely too late.3. DO give a specific salarySome employers will ask about your expected salary early in the hiring process. Giving a wide pay range might seem smart, hedging your bets against pricing yourself out of a job. But if you tell a potential employer ?that your acc eptable pay range is $60,000 to $90,000, dont ?be ?surprised if youre offered $60,000. After doing your research, you should know your ?baseline salary - the number under which youd be willing to walk away from a company. Being willing to state a specific number or range will help you and the potential employer figure out if youre on the same page and if it makes sense to continue the conversation.? 4. DONT make it only about youSalary negotiations are a two-way street. When talking about your capabilities and career, you need to frame your request for higher compensation in a way that conveys what the employer will gain in return.? While youre preparing for a job interview, you should gather concrete examples of how your skills will benefit your new company, and ?when you ?get to the negotiation stage, express how excited you are to work for the company. Remember, many managers dont like negotiating, ei ther. Keeping your tone positive and collegial will help you navigate the discussions.5. DO be honestSuccessful salary negotiations depend on honesty from both parties. Theres no better way to see your offer withdrawn than having a hiring manager find out you invented a competing job offer or inflated your salaries from past jobs ?to ?leverage a bigger paycheck. Skip the bluffing, and be honest about your needs and expectations.6. DONT overlook the benefitsSalary negotiations often include some give-and-take on employee benefits, not just dollars. It may be less costly for the employer to give ground on extra vacation, flexible hours or a work-from-home schedule. Consider whats valuable to you and? what would make an offer more attractive to you and your lifestyle.?If you are considering multiple offers, remember to directly compare health insurance coverage and retirement benefits to make a truly informed decision.Also keep in mind the benefits that reach beyond compensation, such as career goals and advancement opportunities with the potential employer. These things should be part of your analysis of accepting an offer.7. DO know when to wrap it upA reasonable employer wont withdraw an offer just because you tried to negotiate. But dragging out the salary negotiation can frustrate the? hiring manager and start out your relationship on a sour note. If the ?company ?cant meet your requirements after a few discussions, respectfully withdraw your application and focus on opportunities ?that better match your compensation expectations.8. DONT forget to get everything in writingOnce you and the hiring manager settle on an agreeable compensation package, ask for documentation of your salary and any special arrangements in writing, along with a brief job description and a list of responsibilities for your new role. Ensure the document is signed by both you and the employer.If youd like to get a better starting salary offer, you have to ask for it. Job seekers too of ten accept the first salary thats offered.?Yet many companies set starting salaries as a range, with a variance of 5 or 10 percent. All it takes to find out if there is wiggle room in the budget is a simple question I welches hoping for something closer to specific amount. Is that possible? Then wait for the response.How to negotiate salary at your annual reviewSalary negotiations can also come up during ?the? annual performance reviews at your current job, so if ?you think your strong performance warrants a raise, remember the ?advice highlighted above. Do your homework ?and ?present a case that shows how your work has benefited the company. That way, your compensation will better match where you are in your career and set you up for a fruitful future.The more prepared and professional you are, the more likely you are to negotiate a great salary, so again, gather as much knowledge as you can about the position and comparable salaries for your region. Know your worth, practice your pitch, and speak up for yourself.If you decide to continue your job search, learn how Robert Half can help.

No Bites on Your Resume Check These 5 Things

No Bites on Your Resume Check These 5 Things No Bites on Resume? Check These 5 Things No Bites on Your Resume Check These 5 Things You sent out a few resumes for job openings that matched your skills. You researched the companies and demonstrated some of that new-found knowledge in your cover letters. You communicated a positive tone. You had someone else proofread your work before you submitted each resume. Then you waited, and waited and waited some more. No calls, no emails. No response, whatsoever. What happened? If your resume submissions are getting no response, and you've verified that there are no typos or other obvious errors, maybe you overlooked one of these five critical components of the job search: (1) You focused on duties rather than accomplishments. Anyone can list what they did in whatever job they had. But employers don't care about your past job descriptions, they want to know how you made a difference for your past or current employer. Did you change a process to make it more efficient? Did you take on a tough project and execute it well, winning applause from your boss and others? Did you help increase sales in a key target market? These are the things would-be employers are most interested in that will increase your chance of being called in for an interview. It's not always easy to remember your outstanding accomplishments after the fact. Start keeping a journalso you can easily refer to them when you need to. (2) You didnt follow the employers directions. If the employer asks you to apply using their own web form, dont fax your resume or send an email with your resume attached (or if you do, make it a follow-up to the employer-specified method). Be sure to read the entire job description, as well as the instructions for submitting your resume. (3) You didnt market yourself effectively. In short, your cover letter and Objective or Professional Summary focused more on how the job would benefit you instead of how you and your skills would benefit the company. Think about it this way: If a car salesperson is trying to sell you an automobile, you wont hear how your purchase would help the dealership. A big part of landing that next job is demonstrating how your skills and background would fit the job and benefit the companys growth. Remember: While you obviously want a good job that can be a good fit and possibly help your career, you cant explicitly communicate that when you make your opening pitch to an employer. (4) You revealed your age, and the employer prefers someone younger. Yes, age bias is against the law in hiring, but it's alive and well, and often difficult to prove. Dont give them any ammunition to prevent them from considering you. For instance, if you graduated from college in the late 1970s, dont include your graduation date on your resume. If you have more than 15 years of relevant work experience, dont detail any experience beyond that point (unless its more relevant to the job youre seeking than your more recent experience). (5) You didn't use enough keywords from the job description. Employers, especially the larger ones, will winnow a high number of resume submissions by scanning them electronically for keywords or phrases that come right from the job description. If you dont have a few of them in your resume, chances are you wont make that first cut. To improve your chances, compare your resume to each job posting you answer. Edit where necessary to match their wording, as long as youre not misrepresenting or stretching the truth about your background or skills. Look for specialized terms such as project leader, Cold Fusion experience, prepared software specifications and test plans, or expert in Sarbanes-Oxley compliance. If you've been guilty of one or more of these five resume infractions, correcting them may help you move past that important first hurdle: having your resume read and being invited for an interview.

Perfecting Your Elevator Speech 5 Essential Tips

Perfecting Your Elevator Speech 5 Essential Tips Perfecting Your Elevator Speech 5 Essential Tips Elevator Speech- Unique Value Proposition- Personal Branding Statement: Does it really matter what you call it? In a word: No. Almost as soon as the concept of an elevator speech made it to our vocabulary, you had people poo-pooing it in lieu of one of the other terms. That happens in our culture for various reasons on a whole array of things. It can leave you in a state of confusion about all of them and certainly shaking your confidence on what direction to follow. I’d like to simplify things by not only pointing out what all three are trying to accomplish and leave you tips on how to construct a powerful ______________ (fill in the blank on your favorite term). What is your objective with any of these? You are doing a self-introduction. We all have to introduce ourselves in both social and professional situations and you want to be fluid and confident. You want to be memorable. People remember other people from “markers” or information that will stick in their memory.  You want to be remembered and to be remembered in a way that serves you. You want to reinforce your personal brand. Since your personal brand is in your control, you want to be deliberate in quickly getting across to others at least one key aspect of your personal brand. You want to appeal to WIIFM (What’s In It For Me). All of your objectives will be met if what you do in your Elevator Speech is help someone else figure out how YOU will be of value to THEM. To meet these objectives in your elevator speech, keep these tips in mind: 1. Keep it short and sweet. Seriously, one sentence is enough. More that one sentence and you will be prone to making you and others uncomfortable. 2. Don’t use “I am. Unfortunately, most people role model the worst possible way to begin an elevator speech. Don’t say, “I’m an accountant”. Although it will satisfy one of your objectives, it will miss the rest of the list in a big way. 3. Do use a powerful verb. If you are unclear about a good verb to use, Google a list of powerful verbs that reflect some of the actions of your work. Things like: “I teach, I help, I perform, I coordinate” instantly set up your Elevator Speech to be interesting, memorable and appeal to WIIFM. 4. Deliberately develop your elevator speech. In order to hit your goals and to avoid a cringe worthy self-introduction, sit down and write out a variety of sentences you can use. Practice them out loud so you can hear them for flow and to help you remember them for use. 5. Have different things to say for different people. Consider a wardrobe of elevator speeches that you can use in different settings and with different types of people. This is not a one-size-fits-all thing to do. You might look back at the various settings where you could have used a powerful way to introduce yourself for ideas on what you would prefer to say in the future. An Elevator Speech is such an easy, controllable thing to do, there’s no reason not to master them. They are a handy career management tool to help you reinforce who you are to everyone you encounter from now on. Try your elevator speech! Use our list of the 100 top companies with remote jobs in 2015 to find a company to pitch to today! Readers, do you have a go-to elevator speech? Share your pitch with us below! Brought to you by Dorothy Tannahill-Moranâ€"dedicated to unleash your professional potential. Find me at www.introvertwhisperer.com. Personal Branding starts with how well you speak about YOU.  I want to help you accelerate your career by connecting you with your Free Instant Access to my eBookâ€"The Definitive Guide to Creating and Using an Elevator Speech.  In this guide, I give you simple to follow instructions for creating a “wardrobe” of ways to talk about you â€" to leave a lasting impression.

How to Build a Career in Financial Services -The Muse

How to Build a Career in Financial Services -The Muse How to Build a Career in Financial Services The financial services industry is all about building trust. But what does it take to create those strong relationships and build lasting bonds? We talked with Keith Huber, Head of Sales and the Branch Network at E*TRADE, who has 30 years of experience in the industry, for his advice on the topic. While we don't want to give it all away too soon, Huber suggests looking at things from the client's point of view so you can truly understand their need, and then offer a solution. Read on for what qualities he looks for when hiring and more tips for success in a client-facing role. Then check out open jobs at E*Trade. Our Office See Their Open Jobs At E*TRADE Can you tell us a bit about your background? What led you to your job at E*TRADE? I always knew I wanted to work in the financial services industry, but I started out, as many do, in a producer role and graduated to management in the late '90s. I've been in the field for 30 years at various firms- Citibank, Shearson Lehman Brothers, Waterhouse Securities, and Charles Schwab. Now I'm the Head of Sales and the Branch Network at E*TRADE. How did you know E*TRADE was going to be a good fit? I actually competed against E*TRADE for many years from other firms. But, I always had a lot of respect for them and the quick fashion in which they executed. The smaller size and flat organization appealed to me and the competitive nature of the employees was inspiring. Having grown up in New York, the opportunity to work for a New York headquartered firm was also a draw. I was excited to use my experience and all that I had learned at other firms to get things to market faster at E*TRADE. Do you have a moment in your career that stands out as being pivotal? Tell us about that. Earlier in my career I ran a small branch office in the suburbs. I had success and produced results with my team and was asked to step into a much bigger role, running a larger office with four times the staff size and many moving parts and complexities. The person I was reporting to had confidence in my ability and inspired me to take that leadership leap. Being a competitive person, I wanted to succeed and having the full support of my manager in this new situation was pivotal. What was the best thing you ever did to further your career? I took risks and pushed myself. You have to challenge yourself every day. What are you working on right now that excites or inspires you? Right now we're in the midst of a hiring blitz for financial consultants in the branch network, increasing the headcount by 15% in 2019. We are also training our financial consultants aggressively in sales techniques and rolling out the E*TRADE Advisor Network (EAN). This will help our clients with higher end wealth management and financial planning needs by pairing them with a registered investment advisor that has been vetted and approved by E*TRADE. What is your best advice for finding success in a client-facing role? It's critical that you enjoy helping and working with people. That may seem obvious, but you have to aim to please and solve problems. To be the best, you need to put yourself in the client's shoes and understand their perspective. What is your advice for someone looking to get into the industry? Network as much as possible via LinkedIn, industry events, and with others at firms. Devour industry publications to get ahead of trends, and don’t be shy about introducing yourself to professionals in the industry. A lot of people are willing to help eager candidates. What qualities do you look for when deciding to bring a new person onto your team? Is there a track record of developing talent and promoting others? Are they positive in nature and competitive, and can they demonstrate that by providing examples? They must have a passion for our business, drive results, and be an inspiration to others. Most importantly I am looking for employees that lead with integrity. What skills are essential for building a career in financial services? Organizational time management, effective communication, relationship management, and adaptability. Those skills are all key. Tell us a bit about what you do outside of work. Where can we find you on a typical weekend day? My typical weekends are spent chasing around two of my three sons, splitting time to watch one play college lacrosse at St. John's University in New York, and the other at Washington and Lee in Virginia. In addition, we try to visit Charleston, SC as much as possible to see my oldest son and take in the sites, food, and boating culture. Find a great gig of your own with these open roles at E*TRADE

Free Professional Internship Resume Templates

Free Professional Internship Resume Templates Free Professional Internship Resume Templates Our professional internship resume templates make it simple for you to showcase your talents in the sea of competing candidates. (Note that professional is the name of the resume style.) Take a look at the sample available to learn the ins and outs of good resume writing.Create ResumeProfessional Internship ResumeCustomize ResumeIndustry SnippetsBy trying our free professional internship resume templates, you will gain insight into perfecting this important document as you wade professional waters. Professional Resume Pros and ConsThe sample provided is made to fit an interns needs. You dont have much experience yet, but thats no reason to avoid putting your best foot forward.Pros: Simple layout, perfect for first-time resume creatorsPros: its hard to mess up with such a basic formatCons: Shows no creativity or personalityCons: Is not memorableResume TextSCOTTBURROWS123 Street,City, ST, 12345 H: (123) 456-7890 C: (123) 456-7890 email@isp.comProfessional SummaryFocused graduate with a strong background in marketing and communications, seeking to launch career in digital media marketing with a respected organization. Hands-on experience creating engaging marketing campaigns, tracking social media traffic, and fostering relationships with media outlets. Skilled in writing public relations communiquÃÆ'Æ’Æ’ ©s to promote organizational mission and brands.Skill HighlightsMarketing strategySocial mediaMedia relationsDigital mediaMarketing campaign developmentKPI analysis and analyticsEducationMaster of Arts, Marketing Communications, CurrentUniversity of Denver Denver, COCoursework in Marketing Strategy and Process, Branding and Market Positioning, Digital Marketing Communication, and Web Analytics.Bachelor of Science, Marketing 2015Metropolitan State University of Denver Denver, CO Coursework in Marketing Research, Consumer Behavior, International Marketing, and Marketing StrategyProfessional ExperienceIntern, Digital Media 1/1/2016 5/1/2016Frontier Airlin es Denver, COSupported online marketing campaigns, including paid search, paid social, display, email acquisition, and email campaigns; facilitated day-to-day activities and long-term campaign efforts.Assisted with implementing digital media channels, built campaigns, and monitored traffic.Tested creative messaging and landing page experiences to identify top performers.Analyzed performance metrics of deployed campaigns to drive learning and optimization of future messages.Communications Intern6/1/2014 8/1/2014DaVita Kidney Care Denver, COWrote press releases promoting awards, initiatives, and other activities enhancing companys reputation.Created and managed media lists and distributed relevant material to targeted media outlets.Assisted with metrics reporting, surveys, and content strategy.Maintained media monitoring database and organized daily newsletter for internal distribution.

How to Answer Interview Questions About Anger at Work

How to Answer Interview Questions About Anger at Work How to Answer Interview Questions About Anger at Work When interviewers ask, “When was the last time you were angry? What happened? they want to know how you might handle stressful situations at work. The real meaning of the word angry to an interviewer is a loss of control, and its important to know that you can handle difficult situations while remaining professional. In your response, you should share a moment when you felt angry at work, but make sure the experience, and your reaction to it, does not reflect poorly upon you.     How to Answer As well as asking about the last time you were angry, you may hear the similar  interview question,  â€œWhat makes you angry?”   Your answer to any question about anger should contain two components. First, describe the particular situation that frustrated you, and then explain how you handled that situation. The situation should be work-related, and not something that happened in your personal life. Keep your explanation brief and to the point.   When describing the situation, avoid heated words like “hate” or even “angry.” Instead, use less intense words to describe your anger, like “frustrated” or “disappointed.” This will emphasize that you are not one to lose control in a difficult scenario. As you answer, keep your tone even or light - that is, you dont want to seem fired up just recounting the situation.   Try to select a situation that does not involve a previous boss or manager, as this will make you appear to be an easily disgruntled employee. Similarly, while it is fine to mention being frustrated by someone’s unprofessional behavior or a difficult situation, do not spend too much time blaming or attacking someone else in your answer. Its also not to your advantage to mention something that could portray you in a bad light or something so minor and petty. Your interviewer might wonder why it riled you up.     Briefly mention the behavior or event that bothered you, and then move on to the solution. Make sure to explain how you handled the situation, with an emphasis on your calm, professional manner in dealing with it. For example, if you were frustrated by an employee’s behavior, explain how you met with him or her and provided constructive feedback that led to a positive change in their actions. Another option for answering this question is to say that you typically do not get angry at work. This demonstrates both that you do not lose control at work and that you realize that kind of behavior is inappropriate. However, after explaining this, you should still describe a time when you were frustrated or disappointed by something at work, and how you handled it. To deny that you ever become frustrated would make you appear insincere.   The STAR approach can be a real asset in formulating your response to these types of questions.   Examples of the Best Answers I try to look at every situation from an analytical perspective, and not let my emotions dictate my actions. I have had employees in the past whose professionalism has been questionable, and who have not met the requirements of the job. In those situations, I have found that the best policy is to be honest about the issues and offer clear strategies for improvement.I don’t think anger is an appropriate workplace emotion. I have dealt with situations that I found frustrating; for example, I had a coworker who was very confrontational in her written and oral communication. I felt like I was constantly being criticized for things beyond my control. I sat down with her and talked about ways that we could improve our communication. After having that calm, productive conversation, our relationship as co-workers improved greatly, and we actually became collaborators on a number of successful projects. Anger to me means loss of control. I dont lose control. When I get stressed, I step back, take a deep breath, thoughtfully think through the situation and then begin to formulate a plan of action. For instance, when I am given multiple projects to complete in a short amount of time, I come up with a strategy for how to complete the work in a steady, methodical manner that will not overwhelm me.When I was working on a major project with a team, I got frustrated when one team member failed to deliver an asset on schedule, after promising it would be ready. I took a moment to walk around the block, then invited the team member out for coffee to talk about what happened and how I could help. My approach focused on how can we fix this in the future rather than on the many ways the co-worker messed up. I was glad I took the time to chill out since it turned out my co-worker was dealing with serious personal health issues and unforgiving deadlines from several other projects.

How To Promote Your Personal Brand

How To Promote Your Personal Brand How To Promote Your Personal Brand How To Promote Your Personal Brand How To Promote Your Personal Brand PDF Note: Youll need Adobe Reader to view the PDF file above. Download Adobe Reader. Wednesday, March 19, 2014 Lisa Orrell is back again to continue her discussion on why your personal brand is so important! If you missed part one Make Your Personal Brand Outstanding dont worry. We have all the information available with just a click. This new webinar will discuss why having more notoriety as a Thought Leader Expert in your industry, and more recognition companywide is so important to your success! Its never too late or too soon to create your Personal Brand and promote itmost successful executives will tell you being your own Publicist is critical to your career success! Presenter, Lisa Orrell, is a globally renowned Personal Branding Leadership Expert, speaker, and author who is hired by many well-known companies, such as eBay, Wells Fargo and Johnson Johnson, to conduct workshops on this topic for their employees of all ages and levels. So dont miss out on the tips and strategies Lisa will be sharing in this popular webinar! Overview of What You Will Learn: Why defining managing a Personal Brand can improve your career success Unique was to promote yourself at work Surefire strategies to get more recognition in your industry And much more! Presented By: Lisa Orrell, CPC The Orrell Group Lisa Orrell is globally recognized as The Generations Relations Leadership Expert. As such, shes the author of 3 top-selling books: Millennials Incorporated; Millennials into Leadership; and Boomers into Business. And her highly anticipated fourth book, Your Employee Brand is in Your Hands, will be available in March of this year. Lisa is also an in-demand professional speaker and consultant hired by well-known organizations across the U.S. and internationally. Her popular presentation topics include: Understanding generational dynamics in the workplace; improving the recruitment, management and retention of Millennial talent; educating Millennial employees on how to be effective young leaders at work; and Personal Branding for Career Success. Plus, based on her expertise, Lisa has been interviewed by countless media, including: NPR, MSNBC, ABC, New York Times, and The Wall Street Journal. Webinar Transcript: How to Promote Your Personal Brand Ladies and gentlemen, thank you for standing by. Welcome to the How to Promote Your Personal Brand conference call. During the presentation, all participants will be in a listen-only mode. Afterward, we will conduct a question-and-answer session. At that time, if you have a question, please press the 1 followed by the 4 on your telephone. If at any time during the conference you need to reach an operator, please press *0. As a reminder, this conference is being recorded Wednesday, March 19, 2014. I would now like to turn the conference over to Jim Thompson. Please go ahead, sir. Good afternoon. Im Jim Thompson, senior writer with Monster. I would like to thank you for joining us today for this exclusive webinar hosted by Intelligence. Todays webinar is titled How to Promote Your Personal Brand and Be Your Own Publicist. Lisa Orrell is back to continue her discussion on why a personal brand is so important. If you missed the first part of the Make Your Personal Brand Outstanding webinar, please dont worry we have information on the webinar available on our website, hiring.monster.com. Simply visit HR events and archive events for all the information. In this webinar, Lisa will discuss how to promote your personal brand for more notoriety in your organization, as well as your industry. Before we get started, Id like to mention a few housekeeping items: todays presentation and a copy of the recording will be posted on hiring.monster.com within two to three business days. Please click on the Resource Center tab to navigate to HR Events to obtain your copy. All registered participants will also receive an e-mail with a direct link to todays materials. Intelligence helps HR professionals improve worker performance, retain top talent, and enhance recruiting strategies. We analyze and collect data from more than four million unique job searches performed on each day. We invite you to visit hiring.monster.com and read our in-depth reports and analyses. For our latest materials, click on the Resource Center tab when you visit the website. After the presentation, there will be time for questions. Our meeting manager will help to facilitate the QA. Please feel free to type your questions into the available space during the event, and we will make every effort to include them in todays QA. If youre listening to todays presentation via telephone, you will be placed on mute until the QA session begins. Id like to provide some background on todays speaker, Lisa Orrell. Lisa is recognized as a generations, relations, and leadership expert. As such, she is the author of three top-selling books: Millennials Incorporated, Millennials Into Leadership, and Boomers Into Business. Lisas fourth book, Your Employee Brand Is In Your Hands, will be available this month. Lisa is an in-demand professional speaker and consultant hired by organizations such as Wells Fargo, Johnson Johnson, eBay, Paul Mitchell, and Pepsi. Her presentation topics include understanding generational dynamics in the workplace; improving the recruitment, management, and retention of millennial talent; educating millennial employees at being effective leaders at work; and personal branding for career success. Based on her expertise, shes been interviewed by a wide range of media outlets including NPR, MSNBC, ABC, New York Times, and The Wall Street Journal. Without further delay, please welcome Lisa Orrell. Thanks, Jim. Hello, everybody. Its great to be here, and if youve missed the first part of this webinar, which was on Jan. 8, that was Make Your Personal Branding Outstanding. Thats when I took some time to discuss how you can actually create a personal brand. So this is the follow-up to that. I will be doing a little bit of a brief on that, a little bit of a recap for those of you who might have missed that first webinar, but then we are going to spend the majority of our time talking about how you can be your own publicist at work, as well as within your industry to gain more notoriety for your personal brand. So weve got a lot of information to cover and I want to go ahead and jump right in here. So lets talk a little bit about why its important. Youll see some quotes here. This ones from a senior VP of worldwide marketing for a Fortune 500 company, someone who I personally know, and I point this out because if you take a look at someone with a title like that and are talking about being aware that people are judging you based on what you say, what you dont say, what you do, and what you dont do and theyre talking about personal branding and taking it that seriously, then someone with that title to me is good enough for all of us to be talking about, and discussing, and focusing on our personal brand. That quote, I absolutely love it because it is so true. People are judging you all the time based on what you say, what you dont say, and what you do, and what you dont do. It totally influences your reputation. Thats your personal brand at work. Another quote here from a COO of a Fortune 500 company, somebody who focuses on their personal brand on a regular basis, which has helped them with their extreme career success. You want to be talking about who you are, what people can expect from you. And you want to be managing it, and you want to be aware of the fact that how much time and effort you put into your personal brand will limit or launch your career success, as this persons quote does say. One thing before we jump into this just a little further. With personal branding, it doesnt matter what level you are at work. Whether youre entry-level, or whether youre a middle-manager, or whether youve been in the workforce for 15-20 years. I have a lot of people in the workshops that I do, because I do a three-hour workshop on building your personal brand and how to develop and then promote yourself. I get people on their 40s and 50s coming to me afterward, saying, I wish people were talking about this when I was younger, because it really would have helped with my career path and my career success. Im really glad you guys are here today and taking this so seriously, because it really will impact the notoriety that you get at work and your career success, as well as the notoriety that youll get within your industry. One thing to note as well, with personal branding, its not just about who you are now. It really focuses a lot on who you aspire to be. What are some rough edges you might have that you need to work on, that you might even have notoriety for at work that might be detrimental to how well you are doing at work with how well youre advancing, and the types of opportunities that you get from your employers. Do you have a temper? Are you extremely shy, and thats something that you want to work on? Are you a great listener, or are you not a great listener? All those things influence your personal brand. A lot of personal branding is about, again, not only who you are now, but who you aspire to be and what kinds of changes you might need to make. You want to be aware of and be extremely mindful of the fact that wherever you go and whatever you do, youre not just an ambassador for yourself, but unless youre self-employed which clearly most of you arent, right? Youre all employed youre also a representative of your companys brand. There are expectations as to how you should be acting, and the types of things you should be doing so youve got a positive reflection on yourself, not only for yourself, but for the employer as well. We want to go ahead and talk about some basics here. Whats personal branding, what it is, what it isnt. This is a basic quick recap from the first webinar that I did Jan. 8 on this topic. Then, like I said, well jump into actual tactics and strategies you can implement to get more notoriety at work, as well as within the industry. Personal branding is none of this stuff. Its not your title. Its not your business card. Its none of those types of things. Those are all things that support your personal brand. What personal branding is, its all about this. How do people feel about you? How do you have yourself defined? Are you consistent and persistent with how you act? Can people trust how youre going to react in any given situation? Are you known as a go-to person? Are you known as not a go-to person? Are you known as reliable, or not reliable? All those things are what impact your personal brand. So again, I really encourage you to take some time for some self-reflection, because pers onal branding is all about you. Who are you? Who do you want to be? Who do you aspire to be? And again, working out some of the kinks you may have. I work with executives all the time who have temper issues. I have to work with them on that because its impacting their personal brand and its also impacting their career growth and opportunities that they are missing out on because of some of those rough edges. And if you get nothing at all from this webinar today, please be aware of those two things. Take a look at that slide right there. Every single thing you say, and every single thing you do, either strengthens your personal brand or weakens your personal brand. So, it becomes really good when youre very mindful of your personal brand. It helps it as a barometer for you. What Im about ready to say to this person in this meeting, is this going to impact my personal brand in a positive way or in a negative way? It gives you that one-second check to put yourself in check about whats ready to fly out of your mouth, or what youre about ready to do, or how youre about ready to communicate with someone via text or via e-mail. So thats something you want to be aware of on a daily basis, on a regular basis. What Im about ready to say or do, how is it going to impact my personal brand? To some of you, this may sound like common sense, but Im sure a lot of you can attest to the fact its not common practice, and theres a difference. Just because its common sense doesnt mean people are do ing it. One of the things you want to be aware of is, who are you? Even if youre already in an executive or middle management position or youre a millennial whos just out of college and this might be your first job, it doesnt matter. As far as Im concerned, everybodys in a leadership role, and the sooner you think of yourself like that, the sooner youll start conducting yourself like that. And you want to be aware of some of these things; outstanding leaders with personal brands that seek employee commitment versus a management mindset that kind of wants compliance instead. You want to make changes, take some risks. Management mindset a lot of times maintains status quo. Theres a time and a place for that, I get that, but if you really want to excel within your company and your industry, sometimes youve got to be OK with taking risks and being willing to make some changes. Even if it might not be the most popular way to go, maybe you can influence people to understand the importance of your idea. Im sure some of you, as you look down the slide on the right, youre taking a look at that and going, Wow, Ive worked for some people like that. Well, the question becomes: are you turning into that? I work with a lot of individuals and management teams where they tell me, My gosh, Ive been in the workforce now for about 10 years, and I used to be everything on the left side. But over time, Ive kind of realized that Ive turned into a lot of whats on the right side, and I dont want to be that. I need to work on that, because it is impacting and influencing my personal brand. So I would like everybody on this call to obviously really focus and work on being everything on the left, because that is where a personal brand can really excel and give you the types of recognition and respect that youre seeking in your career. So, were going to talk a little bit more about why this is important. When you have a defined personal leadership brand, as you see in this particular quote from a real individual whom I know, it really can help you in excelling in your career, and more importantly, how can you be you be proactive in building and managing your personal brand? And if you dont have a plan for yourself, as it says with this American proverb quote here, youll be a part of someone elses. Other people will start defining your personal brand for you, and its not always going to be accurate. We want it to be accurate. We want it defined by you. So lets talk about this. This is what we are going to jump into, the step of what you can be doing outside of work. For those of you who are here today because you are interested in getting more notoriety, you want to be considered a thought leader, you want to be considered a topic expert, not just within your company but outside of work. You want opportunities to speak at conferences. You want to be invited by members of the media for interviews on topics for which youre a suited expert. Theres nothing wrong with that. This isnt about ego. This is about you. This is about your career. And it doesnt just typically happen organically. Youve got to be doing some things outside of what you just do for your job in order to make this happen, to get more personal brand recognition for you outside of the office. In terms of networking, if I had a whole group of people here in front of me and it was a live workshop, I would be asking how many of you are involved in networking groups outside of the office. And a lot of times, maybe 25 percent of the room will raise their hands. But then when I ask, Well, how often are you involved in those networking groups that youre a part of outside of work? Only about maybe 5 percent of the hands go up. I strongly recommend that you get involved in at least one or two networking organizations within your industry, and participate on an active level. Youll make great contacts, youll find out about great opportunities that are possibly for speaking engagements, and maybe even be considered a speaker for that particular networking group. If theyve got monthly meetings and Lunch and Learn sessions, those types of things. Those are the types of things you want to be doing to expand your personal brand awareness outside of just where you work. You can possibly e ven come up with an idea for your own meetup group. Then again, youre bringing in people, youre building your own notoriety. You also want to be sharing your time with people who share your values and your vision. You dont want to just be with people who might be dragging you down. Its a good time to reassess who are the people that you tend to be hanging out with at work. Who are the people that youre hanging out with and what types of organizations are you involved with outside of work? Its also a great opportunity, with the networking side of it as well, to find mentorship. I strongly recommend to everyone on this call, you should have at least two mentors, one of whom is in your organization to help you navigate, and help you deal with the politics and give you feedback and all that kind of stuff. But also finding a mentor outside of your office, outside of where you work, someone whos not involved in your company culture at all, who can give you good sound advice and good struc ture for what you should be doing and could be doing with your career. When we start talking about promoting yourself outside of work, we start talking about things like LinkedIn, social media networks, which Ill jump into here in a second. One thing I want to say, and the caveat to this is, you need to be very mindful and aware of what are the policies your organization has in this realm. If you do start a blog to position yourself as a topic expert in your industry, thats wonderful, but you want to make sure its something your organization is OK with. If youre self employed, totally different story. But being employed, youve got to be aware of this. Some companies have very strict social media policies. Before you jump into this stuff, please make sure you find out through HR, whomever, legal department, your corporate communications department, what it is that you can and cannot do. In terms of a blog, it might be that youre in the PR department, youre a PR person. Great. You can start your own blog and position yourself as a PR pro, offering PR tips, PR strategies, those type of things. You might be an HR professional within your organization. You can start a blog thats all about HR policies and procedures, new laws coming into play, employment law, all that kind of stuff. You might be a software developer. Great. You can talk about software development, new trends in the industry. But again, youve got to be very careful about not sharing things that are going on with your organization, but thinking of yourself outside of the organization as a topic expert. Those are the types of things that start getting you the notoriety outside of your organization, and get you notoriety within the industry itself, and thats when things start happening where you start getting asked to be on panel discussions at major industry conferences. And you might be asked to conduct a breakout session or a seminar at a major conference. This is also when you start getting the notoriety of when the media might want to interview you. Theres somebody from the Wall Street Journal or Industry Publications talking about certain trends that are in your industry, and they think of you as a thought leader, so they want to hear your feedback on that. They want to hear your take on it. And you have to be willing to really educate yourself on whats going on in the industry around you, other than just whats happened within your own organization, because thats when youll start getting ideas that you can be sharing with people. What can help position you as a topic expert and help you with all of this is the fact that youve got some unique twist to say. Youve got some insight to share. And it shows, again, that theres a thought leadership situation going on. Now, for most of you who are taking a look at number five, were taking a look at LinkedIn and again, this might sound like common sense to some of you, but I guarantee you its not common practice, because I come across it all the time. For most of you, because you are employees youre not self-employed your LinkedIn profile page, that is pretty much going to be your website. So, you want to make sure that your profile is absolutely complete. You want to make sure you put the invites out to get recommendations from co-workers, past colleagues, past employers, past clients. You really want to focus on the recommendations side. If you do start a blog, if you do start a Twitter account, set up the feed so every time you tweet something, it also shows up on your LinkedIn profile page. Im sure some of you know this, but just in case you dont, LinkedIn profiles are searchable on Google or any of the online worlds, in terms of search engines. So, you want to make sure when youre writing yo ur profile and adding content, its also rich for a lot of SEO. You want to make sure youre putting in a lot of keywords and terms so that conference and event planners, the members of the media, when they do Google searches for individuals and for topic experts, we want to make sure that your LinkedIn profile does come up. Now, for social media networks, theres a whole lot of different stuff you can do. You can get involved with Pinterest, you can get involved with Instagram, you could start your own YouTube channel, which I think is a fine way to go because so many people are so into video these days, which is great. You can do five- to 10-minute videos with quick-hit tips, insights and trends going on in the industry, all that kind of stuff. Same types of thing, obviously, with Twitter. But what are one or two social media tools that you could possibly be utilizing to build your own personal brand, as a thought leader, as a topic expert? And if your employers allow it, you might even want to take it to the next step and create your own website that has you positioned as the PR pro, the HR pro, whatever department youre in, whatever focuses on your career. Get known and get notoriety for it. You can be creating things like white papers, and special reports, publish your own little eBooks, those types of thing. Theyre free, they dont have to cost you anything. But those are the things that will set you apart from co-workers and competitors at other organizations who are in the same role that you are, and you want to step out of that; you want more recognition within the industry. Its all those types of things that are required to do that. Im not saying you have to do every one of them; these are just ideas for you to consider. Article writing is a great way to go. E-newsletters, publications, blogs, websites that are industry focused, industry-related in what you do for a living, in your career. What are articles and topics that you can be posing to them? Ask them if they accept guest blog posts, if they accept for art, for magazines, and online magazines and websites? Do they accept outside contributors? If they do, jump on it. Come up with a couple of article ideas. Run it by them and see what they have to say. One of the best things you can do to build your personal brand outside of work and get the recognition youre seeking is the public speaking aspect. If youre fearful of public speaking, I understand. People prefer to its like death. I think public speaking is the biggest fear, second in line with dying. A lot of people have a fear of public speaking. You can get involved in local organizations, such as Toastmasters, in your area. Toastmasters was created for people to help them build their confidence and build up their content and build up their topic expertise, and give them a safe environment for practicing and getting tips from other people who are into speaking, whether theyre professional speakers or they work in an industry such as you and just speak a lot in their industry. Its a safe place for you to go to kind of work out the kinks and build up your confidence level. Public speaking is one of the greatest things you can do. If you speak at a conference and youve got a hundred people in front of you or 2,000 people in front of you, a lot of them are also going to be members of the media; theyre going to be presidents of industry organizations. It gives you that notoriety, it gives you that credibility. It is something that can start building your personal brand resume, if you will as a thought leader in your industry. I strongly recommend getting involved into the public speaking aspect. And it might be that you want to start small, it just might be a local chapter Northern California HR Association, lets say you want to get involved in that and do some speaking around that. It might be a safer environment for you, again, to build up your confidence level. So thats a little bit about what you can do outside of work, but lets talk a little bit about what you can be doing to promote your personal brand at work for more notoriety within your organization. One of the things you want to focus on are some of these questions right here. And then well get into actual promotions and publicity-type tactics. But you want to take a look at these questions here, and Ive worked with a lot of entry-level people, millennials, I do boot camps for them on how to become young, effective, respected leaders in the workforce. I work with a lot of middle managers and also work with a lot of executives in the different seminars and workshops that I conduct. I have a lot of individuals who actually take this list of questions, and once a week, every Friday when theyre driving home from work, or every Monday when theyre jogging or whatever, theyre asking themselves these questions, because a lot of your personal brand at work and how you build recognition for y ourself at work is really about your job performance, not just how you conduct yourself personally as a human being, but how you are with the actual job performance that you do. One of the great things about these questions is that you ask, what more can I offer? I think I should be doing this more. Again, its that self-check. Am I willing to go beyond on whats in my job description? Can I be more productive? How do I work ideas, and the ideas that I have, do they add to the bottom line? Are my contributions essential? If a lot of these things youre answering yes to now, but in about three to six months you find yourself saying, No, not really. Can I go beyond whats in my job description? I could, but I dont really want to anymore, that also gives you a self-check on, are you getting burnt out? Are you not happy at that organization any more for whatever reason? Either major changes that have occurred at the company, or maybe youve gotten a new manager that youre just not really thrilled about, and youre just not happy anymore. Thats OK, lifes too short. My thing is, if youre not real happy at work, then you should find a different job or a different position within the organization. But this is a really good checklist to keep you in touch with yourself that can help in determining, why am I not answering these questions in a positive way anymore? If youre not, then its influencing and impacting, in a negative way, your personal brand at work. Youre not going to be standing out, and its also someth ing that obviously can eventually lead to not being employed there anymore, by getting fired. Lets talk about actual ideas for promoting your personal brand and being your own publicist at work. There might be some of you who arent really interested in getting industry notoriety. Thats OK, but you want more notoriety within the organization, or I would imagine that you wouldnt even be at this webinar right now. One of the best things you can do is networking in the office. What happens, especially within large organizations I see it all the time is people get stuck in their little silos. We get so busy human doing that were not human beings anymore. We lose sight of it. You can be in this big organization and realize, My gosh, the only people I really know are the people I work with in this department of 20 people, or 30 people, or 10 people. I dont really even know anybody up on the third floor. I dont even really know anybody else down the hall. You want to get to know people in different departments all around your organization, thats the key. If theres a womans leadersh ip diversity group, or whatever LGBT diversity group, whatever type of diversity group, or any type of networking organizations within your company that are available, join them, be a part of them. The meetings are typically going to be right there where you work. Take an hour once a month to be a part of it, get to know them. Again, it can help extend you into finding mentorship as well, as Ive mentioned earlier. Thats one of the easiest things you can do, is just kind of whats going on in your own backyard at work that maybe youre not participating in, or maybe you have joined the womens leadership group, diversity group within your organization, but maybe you only went to two of their meetings last year. How consistent are you being? One of the things you also want to do is go out of your way to help others. Become known as somebody whos willing to take that extra step, go that extra mile. We all get busy, you might have kids, I dont know, whatever. But we always have reasons: Im too busy, Im too busy. Well, you know what? Sometimes you can make time. Its just a matter of making the time. Not finding the time, but making the time. And what can you be doing, more so than you maybe are doing now? When you have the opportunity to present your ideas and do presentations at work, be creative with it, stand out. One of the best things you can do within an organization, to build a personal brand in a positive way and get more recognition, is by being known as a good presenter. How many of you not by show of hands, but just think about it to yourself how many of you have had to sit through presentations by co-workers and colleagues, or even your own boss, where youre just like, Oh no, because its oh-so-boring? The cont ent theyre sharing might be phenomenal, but we dont care because were starting to just mentally check out. I dont know if some of you are aware of this, but a recent study came out that our attention span used to be about 12 minutes. In the last 10 years, our attention spans have gone down to five minutes. Its been cut more than in half. So how you present your ideas to get peoples attention and keep their attention, and if you do it well it doesnt mean you have to be like a really funny speaker and all that kind of stuff, but someone who can command the room, can get the attention, and present your ideas creatively. Not only will you stand out, but it also helps get you more buy-in because youll have more people who are actually paying attention to what you have to say. In terms of promoting your own news, it might be that outside of work youre a marathon winner. It might be that youre on a softball team, I dont know. It might be that youve recently won an award in your community for outstanding and exceptional achievement in fundraising for a particular organization. Any of those types of things. If youve got a company e-newsletter that goes out, an internal e-newsletter thats just company news and employee-type news, throw your stuff out there, throw your hat in the ring. Let them know you just ran a marathon. Let them know you just ran a half marathon. Let them know you just ran your first 5k, whatever. The stuff about you outside of your organization, put it in there. One of the key things with that is, lets say I know I keep saying marathon, but Ive never won a marathon in my life and I dont intend to, but for some reason that example is stuck in my head right now lets say youve run your first half-marathon, and someone in the organization or several people in the organization read the e-newsletter that month the employee newsletter and saw that Sally Smith, Oh, she ran a half-marathon. It was her first time. Thats so cool. Thats been something Ive been thinking of doing. They might want to contact you. Theyll look at the employee directory and figure out how to reach you because they might want your insight on how you trained for the half-marathon. A person who reaches out to you might be a senior vice-president; might be someone way up the food chain who otherwise you might never have gotten to know, but because of the fact that you shared your news, all of a sudden that person does know you. You can build a bond based on the hobby that was mentioned in the newsletter or whatever, but also it starts giving you that expansion and that internal networking that I was talking about, to give you more recognition within the company. One of the things you can do thats simple is pat more people on the back in meetings. Hey, I wanted to say that Mike or Jean did an amazing job over the weekend pulling all the information together for the meeting, and I want to say that I really appreciate that. A lot of people dont take the time to pat other people on the back. They dont. We tend to be by nature tend to be people who like to complain about stuff a lot. If you can start doing the patting on the back, and I dont mean on every single thing not like, I love your shoes. Oh, your hair looks great I mean not constantly do it, because that would be little weird. But when its appropriate, other people will see that you do that. That reflects positively on your personal brand. Wow, that was really nice that she took the time or she took the time to give kudos to so-and-do. And youll slowly see that what can start happening is that other people will start doing it to you. And theyll start giving you recognition for things that otherwise maybe your boss or other co-workers didnt even know that you put the extra effort in on and worked the entire weekend to get something done, that type of stuff. Because when people start becoming your brand advocate, they become the people who are talking about you behind your back, but in a positive way. And its expanding the brand recognition for you. So, youve got to give a little to get a little. A lot of what you want to do in meetings is prepare and participate. Most people dont. Most people show up to meetings, everybodys on an agenda, everybodys busy, everybody rushes into this meeting, sits down, OK, whats going on. Somebody might have taken the time to put together the entire agenda and whats going to be discussed. You didnt bother to read it, you didnt bother to print it out, and you showed up to the meeting kind of like, What are we talking about? Whats the purpose of this meeting today? I strongly recommend when someone takes the time to write out an agenda and key points of what the meeting is about, you take the time to read it, because it will give you the opportunity to maybe come to the meeting with some ideas so that youre prepared and youre participating, versus just one of the people sitting there and letting one or two other people be the people that run the whole meeting and do all the talking. Its about being prepared. And a lot of people, again, dont take that time. I like the whole speak, write, repeat situation. Its like I was saying for more notoriety outside and through the industry; do it internally. Does the company have an internal newsletter? Can you start a company newsletter if there isnt one? What opportunities within the organization can you be writing about? What can you be participating in in that way for more recognition? It might be top five trends youre seeing in the industry. You can reach out to your PR department, your corporate communications department, ask them what opportunities are available there. One of the other things you can do is your own Lunch And Learn. Put together your own brown bag Lunch and Learn, think of topics that other people might be interested in. It might be that you are a total yoga fanatic and you want to do a Lunch and Learn where you promote it to the company that, in such-and-such conference room or out on the front lawn if its a nice day in the spring or the summer, youre going to be talking about 10 ways to relieve stress that you can do at work, that you can do sitting at your desk 10 minutes a day. And you bring in your yoga knowledge. Now all of a sudden, other people are coming to this Lunch and Learn who otherwise you wouldnt have ever gotten to know. They wouldnt have known who the heck you were, but they came because of that topic, and then they got to know you as a person. And again, youve expanded your network within the organization for more notoriety. If youre a philanthropic person, what are things that you can be doing, and events and efforts that you can be putting together at work, that marry your philanthropic efforts and that aspect of your personality and value system with being an employee there? Maybe during the holiday time, youre the person who puts together the toy drive for Toys for Tots. The food drive might be during October, breast cancer awareness month, where you put it out there to promote everybody being a part of a fundraising walkathon during a lunch day or after-work thing and people raise money for breast cancer foundations. All those types of things are ways you can bring that in. I know one gentleman who part of his personal brand was that he was uber dad. He loves his kids. He didnt want to be the absent father. Being very aware of that aspect of himself and his personal brand also enabled him to find a job at a company that shared those values and was cool with the fact that he was not going to be missing his kids soccer games, even if it was at 3 in the afternoon on a Wednesday. He said, No, Im just not going to do it. My dad was an absent dad, Im not going to be an absent dad. So how he took it a step further and married that value system and part of his personal brand identity into uber dad was, he started a play dates group on Sundays, like one Sunday a month, where he promoted it to the company, for any dads out there who had kids between the ages of 1 month old to 10 years old, or whatever. On Sundays, dads from the company would get together with their kids and bring them to a certain park, and theyd go do different events. It gave him an opportunity to meet all these other dads in the company who he wouldnt have gotten to meet otherwise. And because of it, their day jobs, aside from being dads engineers, people in marketing, people in HR, people in operations he got to meet all these people across the company, but the common goal that brought them together was the dad part of it. I know people who have done that with dog walking. All kinds of interesting things that people have done, to marry their worlds together, to expand their personal brands at work in a unique way. Also, be a rainmaker. What are the things you can be bringing to the table more that can expand and improve things at work that make people go, Wow, I am really glad that you made that happen. It makes everyone feel so much better. Have you identified a new software solution that can help run the company better or run your department better? What are different things, thinking outside of the box, that you can be doing that make people go, Wow. That is really cool. Who made that happen? Oh, so-and-so made that happen, and then everybodys talking about you. Again, its how you become your own publicist. The other thing is be uncomfortable. A lot of the things Ive suggested here might be things that make you go, I want to do that. I cant do that. I want to do that, but when am I going to find the time? Or, I want to write, but I dont know if Im a very good writer. I would like to do a brown bag lunch session based on that idea that we just shared in that webinar that day, but I dont know, I kind of worry about, what would I do? Just feel the fear and do it anyway. Youre not going to get shot because of it. Youre not going to get fired. Its not bad. What can you be doing? Just get outside of your comfort zone to go to the next level. Its your personal brand. Its your career what are you going to do with it? One of the other things I wanted to mention too real quick Im going to go back real fast for the outside of work. I know Ive thrown out some ideas like YouTube channels, Instragram, Pinterest, Twitter, all that kind of stuff. One of the other things you can think of doing is and you can do this as an internal thing as well is start your own podcast show, where you interview industry experts and industry leaders. Theres a double-edged sword here, in a positive way. One, it gives you a reason to reach out to someone who might be the CEO of a huge organization or some major spot leader in the overall industry. It gives you an opportunity to reach out and ask him or her to be a guest on your show. And theres not a lot of people who are going to turn it down. And once the recording happens of the podcast, theyll want to share it, like, Hey, check out this interview. I was interviewed by so-and-so for their podcast. It might be HR Trends Today with Joanne Henderson, or whatever. And tha ts the concept of your show, so you interview people who are thought leaders in HR and insurance and employment law, all that kind of stuff. There are endless numbers of guests you can come up with. You might want to, like I said before, instead of maybe making it a podcast for everybody thats out there for the whole world, you might want to bring it back in and just start by doing it as a podcast within your organization. If you work for a really big company where its hard to get some recognition and to stand out, you can start your own podcast that is for internal only and its just promoted to the company internally, and interview key people within the organization. Whats going on in their departments? What are trends theyre seeing? All that kind of stuff. Ive done podcasts before where its been listened to by people in like 30 different countries, 100,000 downloads or listenership to it. Its easy to do, and in most situations, its free. So again, think of those types of things. You dont have to go into the world of blog talk radio and do live radio; that can get a little more complex and a little bit more cost-prohibitive, but doing a vidcast or a podcast, theyre easy to do and theyre fun to do. All youre doing is just being the talking head; youre just doing the interviewing. The people youre interviewing are the ones doing the heavy lifting. Theyre the ones bringing the content, and you make them provide the questions to you ahead of time, so that they get out the information they want to get out and then youre just asking the questions. So you can have a lot of fun with that kind of stuff. So in terms of takeaway, too, were about winding down from this part of it and then well get into the QA. You want to start developing your leadership mindset now. I dont care, again, what level you are. It might be your first job out of college, might be youve been in the workforce now five years, 10 years, 15 years. It doesnt matter, but starting to think about yourself more seriously and what you need to be working on and who you aspire to be needs to start now. You never want to stop learning and honing your leadership skills, as well as your skills as an employee and what you do and why you were hired for the company or role within the organization. The more you learn and the more blogs youre following and the more people on Twitter youre following who are industry experts, those are all the things that will help give you ideas for content and ideas of what you can be sharing and whats your twist and whats your thought process around what people are sharing, so that you can jump in and put your two cents in and start getting recognition as a thought leader in the industry, as well as within your organization. You want to be able to create your personal leadership brand consistently. What are your value systems? Those are things I talked about in the first webinar that I did in January: who are you, and what are you about, and are you doing it on a consistent basis? And again, go beyond whats expected of you, and more importantly, here at the end, be clear on who you are, and what you want, and what you aspire to be. And taking the time to put together a little bit of a strategy, a little bit of a publicity plan, if you will, on how youre going to go about it by implementing some of the ideas that Ive shared today, as well as ideas you may come up with on your own. Because the most highly successful executives that I know, and industry thought leaders I know, are people who have focused on this stuff, and theyve taken the time to do it, versus just focusing on what they do at work. Not just the job they have at work. If you want to stand out, youve got to put a little more effort into it, because its not just going to happen. No ones going to do it for you. Oh, I forgot about this slide. Jim had mentioned at the beginning, Millennials Incorporated, I wrote that. Thats all about how to recruit, manage, and retain millennials, also known as Gen-Y. Then I wrote the second book, Millennials Into Leadership. I wrote that book for millennials on how to be young, effective, respected leaders at work. I do all kinds of seminars and workshops for organizations on those topics there. Boomers into Business, I wrote for the boomers wrote that for people who are looking for ways to make some money outside of work and possibly coming up with a career change they can do after they retire or later in the years, because our boomers are financially in a really tough predicament right now. Weve got more than 47% of our boomers between 55 and 65 at risk of outliving their retirement savings, so were kind of in a dire state with that. So this book I wrote for them on things they can be doing even though theyre full-time employed now, what are things they c an be doing on the side, as well as what they can be doing later in life to continue to generate income? And as Jim mentioned, my fourth book, Your Employee Brand Is In Your Hands: How Any Employee Can Create and Promote Their Own Personal Leadership Brand for Massive Career Success, that will be available all those are available on Amazon, but this fourth book will be available later this month on Amazon, as well. So thats a little bit about my background and why I talk about stuff and do what I do. So with that I want to thank you all very, very much for attending today. If you did miss the Jan. 8 one and you want to know more about how to actually create your personal brand and what thats about, then I strongly recommend going back and getting hold of that particular webinar recording. But until then, again, I want to say thank you very much, and Im going to go ahead and hand it back over to Jim, and well jump into some QA here before we wrap up. So thank you everybody. Id like to thank Lisa for sharing her insight and knowledge with us today. At this time, Id like to turn the webinar over to our meeting manager to help support our questions and answers session. Thank you. Ladies and gentlemen, if youd like to register a question please press the 1 followed by the 4 on your telephone. You will hear a three-tone prompt to acknowledge your request. If your question has been answered and you would like to withdraw your registration, please press the 1 followed by the 3. If youre using a speaker phone, please lift your handset before entering your request. One moment please for the first question. And while were waiting for the questions to spool up on that side, we have a few questions here on our side via text. Ill jump right into the first one from Miss Jensen. Im going to read this one, its a bit lengthy, apologies for that. Im 25 and feel like Im part millennial, part Gen-X. Would you recommend any book in particular, Lisa? Miss Jensen likes the idea of leadership books for millennials, and wanted to make sure that shes covering the right material as she begins. John Maxwell, he is a leadership expert and has written, I dont know, like nine billion books on leadership. I would say you want to take a look at some of John Maxwells books. My book Millennials Into Leadership, I wrote directly for people like you, although I focused it on millennials, also known as Gen-Y. I have a lot of people in their early 30s and mid-30s who read it as well and get a lot from it. Im not doing it to sell the book, but youre asking about particular books. Thats the one that I think would be really good for you. But anything by John Maxwell, and then taking a look on Amazon at different books on leadership. I dont know of a whole branch of books that were specifically written about management leadership specifically for millennials, which is why I chose to go with that angle so that my book wasnt just another leadership book. So I hope that answers your question. Great. Thanks very much for that, Lisa. And Ill check in again with our meeting manager for questions on her end. There are no questions at this time, but as a reminder, ladies and gentlemen, you may press the 1 followed by the 4 to register for a question. Okay, well, Ill continue along with the questions coming on our side. The next one is from Mrs. Grave, who asks, Ive been out of college for a couple of years, but still seem to struggle to be taken seriously from my superiors. Are there any initial tips you can offer to catch the attention of the CEO or executives at her company? Especially as thought leader. Well, part of it depends obviously on the sides of the organization. If youre a Fortune 500 company with 30,000 employees worldwide, thats a little more challenging, obviously, than if youre working for an organization with 50-100 people, but a lot of the stuff that we talked about early on and I dont know if I am able to go back. If I go back on the slide, is that something people can see? Is that bad that I didnt? The things that you see on this particular slide hopefully, you can still see it its the one where we talked about what you can be doing to promote yourself at work. I think that doing the writing, doing the brown bag, coming up with event ideas that you take the time to be the event coordinator of; those are all the things that you can do. Another idea that you can do if you want to circumvent getting, like if your boss is not really giving you a lot of recognition and not moving your name up the food chain, so to speak, theres one other thing that you can suggest to a boss and I suggested this to quite a few people and Ive seen it work out pretty well is saying, Hey, why dont we once a month put out to our department that they can send me a quick email and Ill go ahead and coordinate it, Boss; you dont have to do it. But they can send an email to me of an achievement or something theyve done or a specific project they worked on that theyre really proud of and accomplished during this month, and they can send the emails to me and Ill organize them in a one-page Word doc or a two-page Word doc or whatever. That way I can provide them to you, Boss, and you can get a snapshot, because I know youre so busy with everything thats going on and you cant keep tabs on every single thing people are doing and certain things that people have accomplished all the time, so it kind of every month will give you a good snapshot of whats going on with employees, the department. It might be a really good thing for you, once a month that you can share it with your boss, Boss. That way, you as the employee who is suggesting this to your boss, always make sure that each month youre throwing in something about what youve done, and then that way, if your boss does decide to move it up the food chain to show his or her boss, so that you say, Hey, look whats going on in my department. Look at all the great things that were doing, youre always mentioned in that. I know it might sound a little weird, but it works. Im telling you, it works. Because everybody is so busy. One of the biggest complaints I hear from employees especially millennial employees is they are very frustrated that their one-on-one their monthly one-on-ones are cancelled all the time by their bosses, because the bosses get too busy, and that frustrat es them a lot. So, I have to work with middle managers all the time on, Dont cancel your one-on-one. Youve got to do it. Its part of your job. Its part of retention of the employee, especially for millennial employees. Its a big deal. So, this is a way, with everybody being so busy, to get recognition for not only other people in your department, but for yourself, and also potentially get moved up the food chain so you get more recognition from other folks that otherwise your boss might not be mentioning you to. Apologies. We had some slight technical difficulties, but were back online now. If I could check once again, Rebecca, Did you get any additional questions on your end? No one has queued up for questions at this time, but if youd like to register for your question, You may press the 1 followed by the 4. Okay. Well press on our side then. Lisa, this next one is for employees with a bit of tenure. Could you go into a bit of detail about initial steps one might take if they were a seasoned employee and wanted to reinvent their personal brand? Perhaps a second career or just to revitalize their reputation. Thats a big question. I work with a lot of individuals one on one who hire as a consultant outside of the presentations, who I help with that kind of stuff. Its a process. Its not something I can give you all the tips for all at once right now. The number one thing to do and this goes for somebody of any age, quite honestly is really evaluating are you happy with what you are doing? Did you make the right career choice? Are you in the right position? Are you in the right position but possibly not with the right company? Maybe it doesnt match to your personal brand. I know a lot of people where it does becomes very clear on who they are and what their personal brand is about. It plays a big role in what jobs they choose to take and in what type of companies. It might be that its a great job offer, but the corporate culture of that company does not map well to my personal brand, so I know that Ill be very unhappy there. In terms of reinventing yourself, it comes down to, what are you doing at the organization? Are you happy with what youre doing and what your job is? What can you be doing differently? Are you not happy, and are you possibly burnt out? Maybe youve been in HR for 18 years, or youve been in Marketing for 14 years; maybe you want to be expanding out? What else can you be doing? I strongly recommend, if you feel that youre in a burn-out phase in your overall career and just kind of bored with the career path that youve had for quite a while, this is the time to really seek a good career coach a really good career coach, a career counselor who can help you identify what else are you qualified to do based on your likes and based on your background. What can you be doing? It might be that youve been an HR director, HR manager and worked your way up for 17 years, and because of that, youre also qualified you look at it and youre like, I could be a recruiter. Thats not far removed. If you dont want to make a huge major, major, major, major career change, maybe you become an executive recruiter, helping people find jobs at high levels. There are all those types of opportunities. What are you interested in? What are you passionate about? When I wrote Boomers in the Business, thats basically what it was about. It might be that you have a hobby outside of what you do for a living, a hobby that youre very, very passionate about, such as growing award-winning roses, I dont know, things that youre really into. Is your hobby something you could potentially turn around and monetize into something you can be doing on the side for additional income and/or eventually grow it to the point where you are able to start your own business. making a living off that,.and do it for the next 15-20 years, until youre 75, 80, 85 years old. Who knows, right? But taking a look at what are the different things youre interested in, other than what youve been getting a paycheck for. Excellent. Thank you, Lisa. We do have time for one additional question. This is more of a process question. Would you recommend methodically going through each one of the tips you had for us today one at a time, or do you have a favorite, or is there an approach as far as which one would be the first to tackle? The very, very first one that everybody here should tackle should be your LinkedIn profile. If you have not tended to your LinkedIn profile in about six months, or a year, or its been a couple of months even if youve been on LinkedIn in the past two days, I dont care make sure youre looking at your LinkedIn profile and making it as complete as possible. Are there certain things about you, the description of you, and your background information and stuff, that maybe should be rewritten in a better way that also incorporates more keywords and phrases to help with the search engine optimization side of it? Again, because like I said, with Google, your LinkedIn profiles are searchable. They come up on searches for keywords, just like if you had a website. Really making sure and getting those recommendations in and being active in the world of LinkedIn. Again, it goes back to that networking thing. Great, youre a member of five groups on LinkedIn, lets say. When was the last time youve logged in and done anything with those groups, answered somebodys question, posted some unique content, even a link to an article? The content doesnt always have to be from your brain. It might be that you found a great article an industry article and youre like, Hey, I just came across these seven tips for better employee engagement. Theres a difference between curating content and creating content. Curating is sharing other peoples content, creating is when you sit down to actually create your own content, not an article that you read. But definitely start with the LinkedIn side of it. Once youve got that tightened up, then its a matter of what youre comfortable with. If youre into writing, and even if your company said, Yeah, its okay, have your own Twitter account. Yeah, you can write your own blog. Thats cool, were good with it; you just cant talk about specific things about the company, thats great, but if youre not into writing and you dont think youre going to be able to w rite or to even want to write a blog once a week or whatever, dont do it. Whats one of the things that you can do? Whats one of the things that does excite you? Is it creating short how-to videos or short industry trend videos that you put up on YouTube? Quick the podcasts, interviewing other people, and creating your own little podcast and quasi radio show. What are the ones out of those ideas that seemed interesting to you and that you would feel comfortable doing and be able to do on a consistent and persistent basis? Doesnt do you any good to start a blog and only do one blog post every three months. Doesnt do you any good to start a podcast show but only do two interviews in a year. What are you passionate about? What, out of those things, are things that you think that you could do marketing strategies and PR publicity tools that we went over today that you can do and enjoy doing? Because Ill tell you right now, if you dont enjoy doing it, youre not going to do it. Youll do it a couple times and then youll just fade off into the sunset. Now, any Start small? Start small, yeah. Start small, like whats a brown bag session you could do at work? Something to that effect. Whats a fundraising effort you could put together at work that you would be known as the founder of and the event planner for? Thanks very much for that, Lisa. Sure. Well, Lisa, Id like to thank you for sharing your expertise with us today. In the interest of time, and since it is the top of the hour, this does conclude our webinar. A recording of this event, as well as the presentation materials, will be available shortly.