- The First 30 Days — How to Get Started on the Right
Foot in Your New Job
Congratulations: you got the job! But now you have to keep it. What you do (or don’t do) in the first 30 days can make or break your success in your new position. In fact, according to career coach Lauren Still of Careerevolution Group, you only have about three months in a new position to make the right impression.
- He Said, She Said – What’s the Difference? — How
gender differences in communication can hold
women back in the workplace
The recent publication of Sheryl Sandberg’s new book Lean In has reignited the national conversation on gender equality in the workplace. Some have speculated that what holds women back is a lack of ambition. Others, including me, don’t believe that. What often doesn’t get as much play in the media is the disparity in men’s and women’s communication styles.
- Are You Linked In? — Three ways to use LinkedIn to your advantage
Even in the best economy finding a job, particularly the right job, isn’t easy. Every career professional will tell you that networking is the best way to find a job. And it’s true. It’s more than the old adage that people hire people they know. The fact is that people hire people who catch their attention. And one of the best ways to catch a recruiter’s and/or hiring manager’s attention is to network your way into a job.
- Snarky Coworker Got You Down? — How to work with people you don’t like
You’re stuck with the people you work with — coworkers, bosses, and staff — for 40+ hours a week. So what do you do if you don’t like them, or they don’t like you?
- Work and Romance: Love Match? — The pros and cons of having an office romance
Chances are if you work with a group of people, you know someone who is having or who has had an office romance, or, perhaps, it’s you who’s had the experience. Either way, you may already know some of the situations that can arise from being an observer or a participant. And make no mistake—if you are having an office romance, you have observers, no matter how discreet you think you are being, and that is just one of the potential problems.
- Is Your Image Helping You Get Ahead? — How to update your workplace wardrobe – and why you
should
Is one of your goals to get a promotion or a raise? Believe it or not, an updated, fresher look can help you achieve that goal. Sure job performance and success at the office are critical, but don't underestimate the power of presenting your best self at the office.
- Winning at Office Politics: The Challenge of Culture Fit
In the first part of our two-part series on Winning at Office Politics, we discussed strategies for dealing with workplace cliques. Now we turn our attention toward culture fit, or lack of it. If you’re not one of the boss’s favorites or you’re the odd one out for any number of reasons—from gender to race to work style—what do you do? And how do you know if it might be time to call it quits?
your image
Today your credentials may get you in the door. Yet to really succeed, you’ve got to look credible when it matters most: in face-to-face interactions. Whether you’re meeting one-to-one or presenting to a packed audience, your credibility is immediately being assessed. Don't make these seven mistakes.
- Winning at Office Politics: The Risk of the Clique
Office politics are a turn-off for many in the corporate world. No matter what the industry, you'll find professionals who express distaste for having to navigate murky political waters at work.
- Are You Fine? Or Are You F.I.N.E.?
Do you tell people you're fine when you're feeling overwhelmed? While standing alone is admirable, there's no shame in asking for help when you need it. It's easier to recover after you stumble than it is to get up after you fall.
- Communication: Style & Substance — How to communicate more effectively today
Being able to communicate effectively is essential in every career. As recruiters will tell you, it's a skill coveted by employers. However, the ability to communicate well goes beyond being able to express yourself. It's more than giving a compelling presentation or writing a solid report. It's part of the talent for developing interpersonal relationships.
- Stop Wishing, Start Doing — Successful goals are all about the follow-through
Are you wishing you could find a new job or start your own business or drop ten pounds? Don't waste your time wishing for what you want set a concrete goal. Preferably, a S.M.A.R.T. goal. But, to be successful you also need commitment, accountability and a little help from your friends.
- Ready, Set, Olympics! — Six career lessons learned from the Olympics
Even if you're not an athlete, the Olympics can teach you a lot about managing your career. Whether you're competing with a superstar for a promotion or worrying that you're too old to start something new the right attitude makes all the difference. Here are six lessons from the Olympics that can help you become more successful in your career.
- Why You Didn't Get That Promotion — Six Ways Women Hold Themselves Back In the Workplace
If you're trying to climb the corporate ladder you're probably focusing on ways to move up. But, you also need to consider the things you may be doing that can keep you from getting that next promotion. Here are six ways you may unconsciously be holding yourself back.
- SMART Goals Mean Success — How to develop your personalized plan for success
What is your vision of success? It's different for each of us at different times of our life. Right now your vision may be getting a job or having a flexible work schedule or going back to school. Five years from now it may be different. But, whatever your dream, setting SMART goals will help you make it come true.
- Suicide by Social Media — How social media can wreak havoc on your career
To a great extent, you are who the Internet says you are. Your online presence is your virtual calling card, particularly, when it comes to your career. Monitoring your online presence and cleaning up your digital dirt is even more critical when you're looking for a new opportunity. Recruiters are looking you up online make sure you know what they're going to find there.
- Your Looks and Your Job: Does Appearance Affect Advancement?
We'd all like to believe that career success is strictly a result of talent, drive, and skill set. Workplace experts, as well as women in various industries discuss how looks affect getting hired, getting promoted, and making more money. And what you can do about it.
- 7 Myths About Getting Ahead — What Women Need to Know
Everyone has ideas about how women can get ahead in the workplace. However some strategies for career advancement work better than others. Learn which commonly held beliefs, like you need to be more like a man, aren't necessarily true and how your natural strengths can help you succeed.
- Trying to Get Ahead in Your Career? Having a Guide Can Help
There is no doubt that having a mentor and/or a sponsor in the workplace can help advance your career. This is particularly true for women. However, it's important to know the subtle differences between mentorship and sponsorship and how to develop the relationship.
- Setting SMART Goals
What is your vision of success? The image is different for each of us. For one person it's having the corner office, for another it's having a flexible schedule with plenty of time off to be with their kids. But, whatever your dream, setting SMART goals will help you make it come true.
- Success Shifts: Cutting-Edge Strategies for Career Advancement
Eight ways women can get ahead in the workplace including creating visibility, developing strong communication skills, staying current, how to promote your personal brand and more.
- Five Aptitudes for Female Business Success
Ever since a certain assertive female decided she wanted to eat from a certain forbidden tree, influential women have been loved, hated, glorified, vilified, and misunderstood. Our modern time is no different.
- Nightmare Employees - Difficult personalities
Aggressive, Demeaning, Arrogant, Insubordinate, Untrustworthy, Demanding, Unproductive. Ever have a nightmare employee? You know, the one that gets on your nerves you before you can even grab a cup of coffee in the morning. Some difficult personalities are extremely overbearing. Others can deposit a dark cloud over the entire office.
- How Do You Handle Conflict?
How do you get along with your co-workers? How about with your boss? Developing good working relationships is one of the greatest workplace challenges.
- Conflict in the Workplace — Five causes of conflictand how to diffuse them
No matter what type of business you're in, workplace conflict is inevitable. It may arise from a misunderstanding between co-workers or poor communication within a department. No matter the cause, you can deal effectively with conflict in the workplace.
- Partner Wars — The Landmines That Can Devastate Your Business
Are you at war with your partner? If so, that ongoing battle is sabotaging your company's business objectives. More important, it's causing collateral damage that could be avoided. With each attempt to prove you are right, you may think that you've one-upped your partner with a laser guided missile. In fact, you may as well have pointed the missile at yourself and your company.
- The 85% Solution
If your mind-set is that you’re at least 85% responsible for your success — and that just 15% could depend on the way the wind blows — you can get the results you’re looking for. If not, odds are, you blame your problems and failures — big or small, personal or professional — on other people, "circumstances beyond my control," or just plain bad luck.
- Be Prepared For The Unexpected In Your Career
Where were you when the lights went out? We lose power fairly often in Fairfield County. Usually, it's only a brief inconvenience. However, one Thursday in August proved different for us and 50 million of our neighbors.
- Check Your Ego At The Door
Why are we so hard on ourselves? Why is it whenever we try something new we think we must do it well right away? I was thinking about these questions last week while trying to make it through a spinning class. - Enjoy The Ride — Don't spend all your time waiting for "when"
Are you waiting to be happy? Will you be happy when you finally find that new job, lose 20 pounds, get your degree, get promoted or whatever? Are you focusing on the future at the expense of enjoying the present? If you're like me the answer is probably yes.
- How To Use Social Media To Find Your Next Job
Most people know that the best way to find a job is through networking and there are a lot of great books on how to network. You can go to networking meetings, tap into your own professional network (my personal favorite) or ask friends who they know. But there are many ways to use social media in order to network, and eventually find a job. Here are a few of the ways that social media can help you to stand out from the crowd during your search.
- How to take charge of the interview process
Going into an interview with baggage from the past is like dragging a big black garbage bag along behind you and parking it next to your chair during the interview. And it is going to "stink" up the room after a while.
- Heat Up Your Summer Networking
A lot of people take the summer off. That is they don't put much effort into finding a job or building their business. After all, it's summer. Nobody's around. A bunch of folks are on vacation. The rest are taking advantage of summer hours. Even business associations put their monthly dinner events on hiatus till September.
- Need to Up Your Professional Voltage?
Today, almost one-half of working professionals say they are dissatisfied with their jobs, according to a recent survey by consulting firm Accenture. Only 30 percent, however, have any plans to switch employers. The rest, seven out of ten, say they want to power up'increase their voltage'and pursue better opportunities in-house. If you're one of them, I've got good news.
- What Do You Mean By That? Overcoming Communication Barriers
Communication is a lot like humor. While I may think a joke is funny, you may not. The most successful comedians have learned what will make most of the people laugh. A lot of that has to do with 'frame of reference.'
- Got Goals? What Julie & Julia can teach you about setting goals
When is the best time to set goals? Many people set goals at the beginning of the year. These are often referred to as New Year's resolutions. By March these goals are mostly a memory.
- 11 Smart Career Tips for 2011
Andy Warhol said, 'Being good in business is the most fascinating kind of art.' As a passionate executive recruiter, I couldn't agree more, particularly when it comes to professionals being good in managing their careers. Here, for 2011, are 11 smart, specific career tips:
- Do You Have a Personal Brand?
Do you think of yourself as a product? You should. Today success is all about personal branding.
- Dealing with Criticism
Dealing with criticism can be tricky. Whether you're on the giving or receiving end you'll need to choose your words carefully. What you say, and how you say it, can mean the difference between improved performance and bitter resentment.
- If I Didn't Do This, Would Anyone Notice?
Unfortunately, not all of our tasks excite us, so spending energy on them feels wasteful. If an activity's not challenging or offers no reward, motivation is difficult. Wouldn't it be wonderful if you could complete your tasks more efficiently, so you'd have energy to spare? Well, I can help you with that.
- There is More to the Job Interview Than Answering Questions - It's in the Ears
Most people who have an interview scheduled work like crazy on the answers to the questions that may or may not be asked. They focus entirely on the questions and answers and are very nervous about having all the right answers.
- Partner Wars — The Landmines That Can Devastate Your Business
Are you at war with your partner? If so, that ongoing battle is sabotaging your company's business objectives. More important, it's causing collateral damage that could be avoided. With each attempt to prove you are right, you may think that you've one-upped your partner with a laser guided missile. In fact, you may as well have pointed the missile at yourself and your company.
- Keep Your Job — The Secrets Of Agile Employees
Some people simply can't handle change. They lose their emotional balance and stress themselves out and everyone else in the process. Others seem to be able to roll comfortably with the punches, often coming out better than before. These people are known as Agile Employees and they show up at every level of business.
- Staying Positive in a Negative World — 5 Steps you can take today
Harvard and Stanford Universities have reported that 85% of the reason a person gets a job and gets ahead in that job is due to attitude; and only 15% is because of technical or specific skills. Interesting, isn't it? People spend how much money on their education versus much money they spent on building their positive attitudes.
- Look Like a Workaholic in a 40-Hour Workweek
In a perfect world, we would be judged solely on our results, regardless of what others thought about how or when we got our work done. The good news is that this type of 'results only' mentality is catching on. Some companies and managers are beginning to realize that there are better ways to manage performance than by counting hours at the office. Organizations are responding to the changing needs of workers everywhere by offering arrangements such as flex-time and telecommuting.
- Step-by-Step Promotion
Traditional wisdom tells us that to get a promotion, you have to ask your boss. However, most people don't get promotions by simply asking for them. In fact, asking may be the worst thing you can do. Here are six steps that will help you to get that increase in responsibility and hopefully an increase in your paycheck.
- Be a Productivity Role Model
Have you ever taken an honest look at how you are perceived around the office? Your behavior, attitude, and reputation play a huge role in how you interact with coworkers and subordinates. Others may listen to you because of your job title, but if that's the only reason, you have a serious problem on your hands.
- How To Network When You'd Rather Stay Home
It's Wednesday at 5:30 p.m. You were late for work, again, because of the stupid traffic. You missed lunch because you were on the phone with an upset client. And you already have the feeling that tomorrow's meeting with your boss isn't going to go well.
- How an Introvert Survives Giving a Presentation
Around 10% of us are introverts (though even Jung proposed it was the rare person who was 100% introverted 100% of the time), but nevertheless the world is more neatly arranged for the extravert. Introverts can be excellent salespeople and also presenters (as can extraverts), but they do it differently.
- Learn To Listen
Whether you're interviewing with a potential employer, meeting with a client or giving a project update to your boss whether you're successful or not depends in large part on your communication skills.
- Leading the Troops - Tips for New Supervisors
So you've been promoted, congratulations! You're beginning a journey, where you'll discover things about yourself that you've never known. You'll learn how to set boundaries with employees and motivate your team to improve their performance.
- How To Get And Stay Motivated
Motivation is a huge part of getting and staying fit. Unfortunately, it also is one of the most difficult challenges exercisers face. But, it doesn't have to be. Below are some motivating tips to help you every step of the way.
- Start Networking Now
The signs of Spring are everywhere. Daffodils are poking their heads through the ground. As I look out the window, I see the first blooms on our forsythia bush. After a long cold winter, particularly for us in the Northeast, gardens everywhere are beginning to grow.
- Increase Your Luck For Better Business Success
Certain people, like lawyer John Woods, can be identified as lucky. He left his office in one of the Twin Towers seconds before it was hit by a hijacked plane on September 11, 2001.
- 10 for '010
If you're like most business leaders, you spent much of 2009 feeling down and just about out'an often inescapable result of the worst recession since the Great Depression. Odds are, you grappled with many new challenges, uncertainties, and 'don't want to, but have to' decisions. It was a difficult year'period.
- Beating Holiday Stress
Many of us look forward to the holiday season all year. I know I do. We think about spending time with friends and family. Decorating our homes and shopping for the perfect gift. And as a bonus we get extra days away from the office. It's supposed to be the most wonderful time of the year.
- Holiday Party Do's & Don'ts
November is here, which means the office holiday party is just around the corner. Due to the current economic climate, for many companies the swanky evening bash has given way to more modest afternoon festivities. In some cases it's a pot luck lunch held at the office.
- Holiday Networking Tips
We all know that networking is one of our most powerful business tools. One of the things most of us forget is to continually nurture our network even when things are going well. The holiday season is a great time to catch up with old friends and make new ones.
- How to Avoid a Typical Conversation
Everybody knows the key to a successful career is networking. It's the best way to find a new job, land a promotion or build a new business. Yet, many people are uncomfortable around strangers, particularly when they're outside their comfort zone.
- Employment Contracts 101
Being offered an employment contract can be a good thing or not. It all depends on whether or not you know what to look for. Who better to ask about the ins and outs of employment contracts than a contract lawyer?
- What skills do employers want? Communication.
When you're looking for work in a tough job market, it's essential to focus on your transferable skills. In some circles these are also known as soft skills. They include abilities like managing, negotiating and problem solving. And things like the knack of meeting deadlines and getting along with your co-workers. But, the one skill set sought after in every industry is communication.
- Can Women Be Great Negotiators?
Are women at a disadvantage in negotiation? Yes, suggest a number of books and articles. No, I reply without hesitation. Anyone who doubts women's negotiating skills couldn't have worked with well-trained negotiators in the business world, because such real-world experience would have set to rest all ideas about disadvantage. If anything, women can have an edge at the bargaining table.
- Phone Etiquette 101
Do you think that people can't see you when you're talking on the phone? Wrong. You'd probably be surprised by how much you convey about yourself during a phone conversation.
- Communicate More Effectively
How well do you communicate? Most of us think of communication as getting our message out through the spoken or written word. But, that's only a small part of the process. Effective communication also means listening actively, understanding the nonverbal cues we send, dealing with criticism and knowing how to be taken seriously in the workplace.
- The Critical Moments Just Before You Speak
You're waiting your turn to make a speech, when suddenly you realize that your stomach is doing strange things and your mind is rapidly going blank. How do you handle this critical time period?
- Accepting an Award
Accepting an award is like walking a tightrope. You need to be gracious, grateful, and humble ' but not so humble or self-deprecating that the audience thinks you are trivializing the honor. The warm glow of the occasion can suddenly turn chilly or sour with a few ill-chosen words.
- Top Ten Tips For Writing Like A Pro
Many people love to write, but simply don't feel they are as effective as they could be. Others hate to write, but find themselves in a position of having to for business reasons. Regardless of whether you write advertising or website copy, books, manuals, or simple business letters, there are certain aspects that remain the same.
- Using Soundbites in Business
To speak succinctly is an art. The irony of talking concisely is that people will listen to you longer. Colleagues, employees, bosses and audiences will wait for your next pithy phrase. Radio and TV talk show hosts will give you more air time. Journalists will quote you. Master of pith, Mark Twain, describes a soundbite as, "A minimum of sound to a maximum of sense."
- Public Speaking
Public speaking is a great visibility vehicle. The power of the podium gives you instant credibility as an expert. The perfect clients filter themselves out of the audience and approach you about working together. In a 20 minute presentation you can reach 20 to 50 people at a networking event.
- Start Networking Now
The signs of Spring are everywhere. Daffodils are poking their heads through the ground. As I look out the window, I see the first blooms on our forsythia bush. After a long cold winter, particularly for us in the Northeast, gardens everywhere are beginning to grow.
- Listen Up - Four steps to becoming a better listener
Want to be a better communicator? That's easy. Become a better listener. Most people think of communication in terms of speaking or writing. Maybe we think this way because we've all taken classes with names like composition, creative writing and speech. Unfortunately, most of our schools never offered courses in listening.
- How to Connect at Conferences
What's so hard about going to a conference? You send in your registration, buy your plane ticket, pack your suitcase, and go. Right? Wrong. That's the way most people go to conventions. What you actually gain from a conference depends what you do to get the most out of the experience.
- How To Network When You'd Rather Stay Home
It's Wednesday at 5:30 p.m. You were late for work, again, because of the stupid traffic. You missed lunch because you were on the phone with an upset client. And you already have the feeling that tomorrow's meeting with your boss isn't going to go well.
- Networking - Making Better Connections
Contrary to what many believe, networking events are not about pressing your business card into as many hands as you can. They are, however, great opportunities to learn about what other people are looking for. As you listen, you will find that what you offer may be exactly what the other person seeks.
- Beneficial Liaisons
If you're over the age of 21, you've already heard about the benefits of networking. You've been told that connecting with the right people will help you grow both personally and professionally. From personal experience, I can say that having relationships with like-minded individuals that you respect, and genuinely like, can provide valuable support and lift your spirits when you need it most.
- Are you a Negative Networker?
All month you've been looking forward to tonight's event. Several people you'd like to do business with will be there. This should be a great opportunity to make some new connections.
- Jumpstart Your Career - Be a better connector
We've all heard how important it is to network. Someone, somewhere along the way has told us it's the best way to find a new job or build a business. And it makes sense. Networking works because people like to do business with people they know.
- Networking 101
Networking is a funny concept. Many of my clients see networking as something that only really aggressive and outgoing people do well. The truth is that everyone networks. You probably network without even knowing it. Every time you have a discussion with someone about your life whether it be that you are looking for a job or a day care center for your child or a health spa with good aerobics classes, you are networking.
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