Have you ever felt like you're stuck on the same rung of the corporate ladder while everyone else is zooming past you? You're not alone. It's not easy to get promoted at work. In fact, there are 30 common pitfalls that might be holding you back from that promotion.
If you're wondering why you're not getting promoted at work, here are some possible reasons why you haven't moved up the corporate ladder yet.
No matter how nice or easy-going you are, you will inevitably find yourself in conflict. People will not always agree with you, and you will not always agree with others.
I know a little bit about conflict resolution. It was the topic of my dissertation at Harvard. I have found that collaboration is key to positively resolving conflict. When you collaborate with the person with whom you’re in conflict, you focus on meeting both your needs and their needs. This helps you bring together both of your viewpoints to get the best solution.
When you collaborate, neither person is likely to feel as if they won or lost. Successful people, the people who get promoted, are adept at resolving conflict in a positive manner. They're collaborative; and when you collaborate with others—especially those with whom you are in conflict—you're not only likely to resolve your conflict in a positive manner but you're also likely to strengthen your relationship with the other person. It’s a win-win.
Successfully dealing with conflict is somewhat counterintuitive. By definition, conflict is a state of disagreement. When you’re in conflict with someone, instead of focusing on where you disagree, focus on where you both agree. That’s collaboration in action. This is a great way to not only resolve the conflict but also strengthen relationships. And, as we all know, conflict often leads to a deterioration of relationships.
This approach is a no-brainer. First, you get to resolve conflict positively. Second, you strengthen your relationships. Third, you improve your chances of getting the promotion you want and deserve.
This is a quid pro quo world: you do for me and I’ll do for you. While there's nothing wrong in reciprocating a good deed or a favor, there's a fundamental problem with quid pro quo. It's reactive, not proactive. Too many people wait for others to go first. They adopt the attitude, “When and if you do for me, I’ll do for you.” This scarcity mentality is not conducive to building the strong relationships you need to get the promotion you want.
When you come from a scarcity mentality, you focus on holding on to what you already have. This can prevent you from receiving what you might possibly get. On the other hand, giving with no expectation of return comes from a proactive abundance mentality. When you give with no expectation of return, you are demonstrating faith that the good you do will benefit others close to you and the world at large—and that good things will come back to you.
Giving with no expectation of return is ironic. I have found that the more I give, the more I receive, often from unlikely sources. But that’s not my reason for giving—and I hope it is not yours. The best reason for giving is the basic joy of making a difference in other people’s lives and in your company. It helps that people who pay it forward are more likely to get promoted.
Self-awareness is the foundation of good communication. It’s the first step in building positive relationships and resolving conflict in a positive manner. Self-aware people understand how they are similar to and different from other people. They use this insight to help them do things like initiate relationships with a variety of people; determine how much they should disclose about themselves at various points in a relationship; and determine the appropriate amount of emotional support they should offer others.
Self-aware people also use their knowledge of themselves and others to determine when and how to assert their displeasure with another person’s actions and to manage and resolve interpersonal conflicts. If you understand yourself, you can better understand others.
I’ll use myself as an example. I make intuitive leaps. My mind goes from A to B to F. Most people aren’t like me. They process information sequentially. Their minds go from A to B to C to D to E to F. When I am with these people, I don’t blurt out my intuitive leaps. When I have one, I go back and fill in the B to C to D to E before I come out with F. In this way, I am better able to get my point across to my sequentially thinking colleagues and clients.
Get to know yourself. Use this self-knowledge to better understand and communicate with others. This will help you become a more influential person and get that elusive promotion.
Your boss is the one person who can most influence your chances of getting promoted. Before any promotion offer is made, your boss will be asked for their input. Trust me on this one. If you have a good relationship with your boss, your chances of getting promoted increase greatly.
The best way to manage your boss is to make them look good. You do this by being a good performer—delivering work that reflects well on you, your department, and your boss.
Think of it this way. If you do a good job, your boss is more likely to get promoted. When your boss is asked who would be a good replacement—and believe me, they will be asked this question—they are more likely to choose you if you’ve done a good job and built a strong relationship with them.
Managing your boss is pretty simple. Keep them informed of what you’re working on and how it’s going. Ask them how you can help the department move forward. Volunteer for tough jobs. Ask for quarterly performance reviews to make sure you’re on track. Build a cordial relationship with them. Your boss has a lot to say about whether or not you get the promotion you want. Increase your chances of a positive recommendation by building a strong, trusting relationship with them.
Everybody knows employers Google you before they invite you in for an interview. Fewer people realize that people in your own company Google you when you’re up for a promotion.
When people Google you, what do they see? Pictures of you pounding a beer at a baseball game? Pictures of you hanging out with Hooters girls? Or do they see photos in good taste—a nice shot of you and your spouse, or a picture of you and your kids? You may not like to hear this, but this stuff counts. You want to come across as a serious professional online—not some drunk fraternity or sorority kid.
I stay away from religion and politics on my blogs and Facebook posts. You never know who might take offense to your religious or political beliefs. If these beliefs are really important to you, go ahead and make them known online. But remember, you may suffer some consequences. I think it’s best to play it safe online. Brand yourself as a serious professional. That’s what the folks who are making promotion decisions are looking for.
I once saw a tweet online that said, “The impression you make when first meeting someone is 7% verbal, 28% body language, and 65% visual.” I retweeted that one. I’m not sure if the numbers are 100% accurate, but they are pretty much aligned with my personal experience.
How you dress does count. When you’re going to work, look like you’re going to work—especially if you want that promotion. If you work for a large company, you’ll notice that your senior executives dress well. Most days, they’ll be wearing a suit. You don’t have to wear suits all the time, but you should follow their example. In general, you’ll find that executives wear clothing that fits well and is clean and in good repair. You should too.
Remember that “business” is the first word in “business casual.” Dress like you’re going to work and are serious about your job. Here’s a piece of advice I give to my coaching clients. Every morning, before you leave for work, stop and look in the mirror. Ask yourself this question: “Does what I’m wearing today indicate that I respect myself and the people I’ll meet today?” If the answer is yes, go ahead and knock ‘em dead. If the answer is no, head back to your closet and change.
If you want a promotion, job, or career success, you have to consciously build the image you want to project. Nature abhors a vacuum. If you don’t brand yourself, others will. Abraham Lincoln once said something that applies here: “Don’t worry when you are not recognized, but strive to be worthy of recognition.” The idea of constantly striving “to be worthy of recognition” captures the essence of creating a positive personal image. People who create a positive personal image have three things in common:
Be very conscious of the image you present. I have a very successful friend. He sold a company he founded for about $100 million. Yet, when I first met him, he was struggling to get a promotion at his company. Why? He is a smart guy and a good businessman. But he had a poor image inside his company.
He’s a fun guy. Enjoys sports, a good laugh, and a beer or two now and then. Somehow this got him branded as immature. Whenever his name came up for a promotion, he was dismissed immediately. The dreaded “immature” tag saw to that.
He eventually had to leave that company and move to another where he set about consciously building his image. He was able to create an image as a serious businessman who could consistently deliver solid bottom-line results. He flourished in the new company, in large part because he managed his image. This gave him the confidence to start his own business. His success speaks for itself.
Good writing will set you apart from the crowd and put you on the road to career success. Most unsuccessful people are poor writers. They are unclear. They ramble. Their emails, letters, and reports are a series of long sentences filled with big words that don’t really say anything.
You can’t catch people’s attention by writing this way. You need to write in a clear, crisp, concise manner in order to get that promotion. Your objective in writing at work is to communicate—not to impress others with your vocabulary. Make sure you write with your reader in mind.
Sometimes it’s a good idea to read aloud what you’ve written to get a feel for how it will sound to your reader. Write in short, simple sentences. Use the simplest words you can to get across your point, while still being accurate. Write fast. Get your thoughts on paper or the computer screen as quickly as you can. Then edit and rewrite until you’ve said exactly what you want to say.
One of my first bosses always told me that rewriting is the secret to good writing. Spelling counts, too. Correct spelling does two things for you. First, it shows that you have a good command of the language. Second, and more importantly, correct spelling demonstrates that you respect both yourself and the reader. Misspelled words stand out like sore thumbs to readers. Don’t just spell-check your documents. Proof them. Spellcheck often won’t pick up improper usage in words like “your” and “you’re,” “hear” and “here,” and “their,” "they're," and “there.”
The same holds true for punctuation. Make sure that you know how to properly use periods, question marks, commas, colons, semicolons, exclamation marks, quotation marks, and apostrophes. If you’re not sure about punctuation rules, spend a little time on the internet learning proper usage.
Want that promotion? Presentations are opportunities to shine. Just like with conversations, careers have been made—or broken—by one presentation. You need to treat every presentation as a career-enhancing or detracting event. Refining your presentation skills will make your promotion pitch that much more effective to your boss.
A lot of people suffer from presentation anxiety. Public speaking can be frightening, although it doesn’t have to be. Presenting is like any other process: there is a series of logical steps to follow.
Years ago, I learned a simple five-step process for effective presentations. Below, I’ll share the material I covered in a three-day workshop on presentation skills. Breaking the presentation process down into these five easily manageable steps is the best way I know to get over presentation anxiety.
Ask yourself these questions to help you determine your message:
Determine the best way to communicate your message by analyzing your audience. Ask yourself these questions:
Use the golden rule of journalism to organize your information: “Tell them what you’re going to tell them. Tell them. Tell them what you told them.”
Design visuals to support and enhance what you are saying. Good visuals support the points you are making, create audience interest, improve audience understanding, and save you time—a picture is worth a thousand words, and they are memory aids.
Practice, practice, practice. There is an old saying, “Practice makes up for a lack of talent." Prior to getting in front of an audience, say your presentation out loud—several times. Listen to yourself. Consider recording yourself. If you don’t have the equipment, practice in front of a mirror, or your spouse, or your dog or cat—just practice.
If you want to get a promotion, you have to learn to handle yourself in conversation. A brief conversation with the right person can greatly help—or hinder—your chances of getting promoted.
In a conversation, two types of activities occur simultaneously: speaking and listening. In good conversations, both of these are continuous and productive. In plain English, when you’re in a conversation, if you’re not speaking and providing information, you need to be listening and receiving it.
Asking good questions is an important way to become known as a great conversationalist. But in order to take full advantage of the questions you ask, you need to really listen to the answers and respond appropriately.
Here are my top seven tips for becoming a good listener—and conversationalist.
You can’t perform at a high level if you’re not healthy. If you don’t perform at a high level, you can’t get promoted. The better you feel, the better you’ll perform.
Live a healthy lifestyle. Eat well. Exercise. Get regular checkups. You have to be in reasonable shape if you want to get that promotion. A reasonable level of fitness will help you deal with the inevitable stress that accompanies creating a successful life and career. Diet and exercise are the keys to living a healthy lifestyle. You don’t have to be a fitness fanatic, but you do need to get some exercise and pay attention to what you eat.
You don’t have to become a fitness fanatic to be a high performer. However, eating well and exercising will keep you sharp and on top of your game. It will keep your stress in check. And while a little stress is a good thing, too much stress can knock you out of the game and the promotion you want.
If you want to get a promotion, you need to realize that business is a team sport, and team players get promotions.
Here are my seven tips for being a team player:
Your work says a lot about you. Clean, complete work defines you as a professional, someone worthy of a promotion. Messy, incomplete work defines you as someone who doesn’t care—and is not worthy of a promotion.
I always advise my coaching clients to sweat the small stuff. It’s the small stuff, the details, that helps you create a professional image.
Make sure your emails are well-written and grammatically correct. Read them, don’t just spell-check them. Practice your presentations before you give them—out loud. Anticipate questions you’ll get in a presentation and bring back up information with you so you can answer those questions.
Your work is a reflection of you. It can show that you care, or that you’re just getting by. If you want to get promoted, demonstrate that you care about the quality of your work. Good enough is never good enough. Make all of your work the best it can be.
Procrastination leads to missed deadlines. It also leads to stress and a poor image. Procrastination is a promotion killer with a capital “K."
Procrastination is the physical manifestation of fear. Most people fear failure, criticism, and rejection. It’s only normal. We all want to feel good about ourselves. Failure, criticism, and rejection are not pleasant experiences. They lower our self-esteem and make us feel bad about ourselves, so we often avoid doing things that we think might lead to failure, criticism, or rejection.
You have the courage to do things that might result in failure, criticism, or rejection. Here are some great questions to ask yourself the next time you find yourself procrastinating because of your fear of failure, criticism, or rejection.
A lot of people tell me that they have difficulty finishing projects. This is a promotion killer. You have to be seen as someone who follows through and gets things done if you want to get promoted. But remember, you have to start before you can finish.
Jill Koenig, one of my online friends, posted this bit of wisdom on her Facebook page a while back… “To accomplish big things, you must do the small things. This overcomes inertia. To accomplish the small things, visualize the big-picture outcome. This overcomes overwhelm.”
That’s exactly the kind of career advice I’m talking about when I advise my coaching clients to break large projects into small chunks. Small steps and mini-milestones will help you overcome the inertia that can stop you from beginning—or finishing—a big project. On the other hand, you also have to keep focused on the big picture to avoid being overwhelmed by the sheer number of small tasks involved in completing a big project. I’ve written over 15 books. Believe me, writing a book will teach you the importance of following through.
One more piece of advice here: I always start large projects late in the afternoon. I do this to create momentum. Even though I barely scratch the surface of the project, I get up the next day ready to go because I have accomplished something on the project and have momentum on my side. Try this the next time you are faced with a big project. It works.
Deadlines are usually there for a good business reason. Miss them at your own risk. Your work is almost always part of a chain that leads to corporate profitability. When you’re late, or miss a deadline completely you’re gumming up the works. That’s why it’s important to meet your deadlines and commitments—especially if you want a promotion.
If you find that you’re not going to meet a deadline, tell the person who is counting on you and your work right away. Don’t let the deadline pass without saying anything. This is not only good manners but it also helps the other person manage their workload. Finally, don’t complain about being micromanaged if you miss a lot of deadlines and your boss starts following up with you. That’s their job and the price you pay for not being reliable.
I once read an article that had some really terrible career advice. The author suggested that it’s good to give the appearance that you’re harried, so busy that you don’t even have time to finish lunch. He said you can accomplish this by leaving a half-empty cup of oatmeal on your desk in the morning and a half-eaten sandwich on your desk in the afternoon. Not only does this have a high "yuck" factor, but it also brands you as someone whose professional life is out of control.
Even if you’re feeling a little out of control, don’t let it show (especially if you're trying to get a promotion). I bet you know at least one person who always responds negatively when you ask how they are doing. You know what I’m talking about—answers like “just peachy,” in a sarcastic tone, or “same stuff, different day.” Don’t be one of these people. Present yourself as a well-organized professional, someone who is in control.
I’ve seen plenty of people lose a promotion because they were branded as “disorganized.” Start with managing your time. Only engage in unimportant activities like scrolling on social media in your leisure time. Complete unimportant but urgent activities quickly and move on. Focus on important and urgent tasks. Get them done well and in a timely manner. Create time to work on important but not urgent tasks. This will give you a leg-up on your competition and lead to that promotion you really want.
You have to do a good job with time management, but time management is not the only key to personal organization. Get organized if you want that promotion. Organize your time, life, and workspace. Sweat the small stuff. Success is in the execution. Execution is in the details. Create a personal organization system that works for you. More importantly, give the appearance of being organized. Be seen as someone who has all the details at their fingertips.
Business acumen allows you to understand your company’s overall strategy and how the company competes in the marketplace. It helps you speak the language of business. This lets you communicate with senior leaders in your company and show them that you’re aware of the issues they deal with daily. Developing business acumen shows others that you’re a business generalist, not a specialist—an important key to getting a promotion.
One way to see how well you understand your company’s business is to see if you can answer 11 questions. For the most recent fiscal year-end:
I hear it a couple of times a week. One of my clients says, “I didn’t get the promotion I wanted. When I asked why, I was told that I’m not strategic enough.” That can be a catch-all phrase to explain why another candidate was chosen over you. Oftentimes, it has no real meaning. On the other hand, not being strategic, not demonstrating that you see and understand the big picture, can be an impediment to your corporate climb.
As you move up the corporate ladder, you have to become more strategic. You need to learn about some promotion killers. You need to develop your business acumen. Think of business acumen in two ways. First, you have to have a basic understanding of how your company makes money. This means that you have to have a working knowledge of finance, marketing, sales, and operations. Second, you have to use this to make sound decisions that contribute to your company’s profitability.
Stay up on things, in your field, in your company, in your industry, and in business in general. Not being current is a surefire way to sabotage your promotion opportunities.
When you interview for a promotion you can be sure that you’ll be asked questions about what’s new in your field. You need to be ready to answer these questions. You need to demonstrate that you’re up on the latest technology and ideas in your field. This means you need to become a lifelong learner.
My best common sense suggestion for becoming a lifelong learner is simple. Read. Read technical journals. Read trade magazines. Read business publications like The Wall Street Journal, Business Week, Fortune, and Forbes. If you think they’re too stodgy, read Fast Company. Read your company’s annual report. Read your competitors’ annual reports. Read your local newspaper and The New York Times. Read news magazines like Newsweek and Time. Read business and industry blogs. Read ezines and eBooks. Read books. Reading is the best way to stay up with what’s happening in your field, your company, your industry, and your business.
There are also other things you can do to keep learning. Attend seminars. Join the major groups or trade associations for your industry. Attend their meetings and participate. Take a class at your local university. Use your company’s tuition reimbursement program to get a free degree.
No one can do it alone. You have to have someone in your corner. If you want to get that promotion, find a mentor. Mentors are positive people who will help you find the lessons in your experience and use them to move forward. Mentors are people whose hindsight can become your foresight. Do you want to find a mentor? Just look around you. Who are the people you admire and want to emulate? Watch what they do, and do the same.
I’ve had several mentors who never even realized they were mentoring me. The reverse is also true. I’ve learned plenty about what not to do to build self-esteem, give performance feedback, and treat people with respect and dignity from observing a few of my managers over the years. I’ve created an acronym to define what it takes to become a good mentor.
A good mentor…
M Motivates you to accomplish more than you think you can.
E Expects the best of you.
N Never gives up on you or lets you give up on yourself.
T Tells you the truth, even when it hurts.
O Occasionally kicks your butt.
R Really cares about you and your success.
Look for people with these qualities when you are searching for a mentor. Embody them yourself when you are mentoring others.
Your attitude drives a lot of your results. You get to choose your attitude. A pessimistic, negative attitude won’t help you get the promotion you want. An optimistic, positive attitude will.
Choose optimism. Believe that things will turn out well. Often they will, sometimes they won’t. When they don’t, don’t sulk. Learn what you can and use it next time. Follow the Optimist Creed…
Promise yourself:
Wallflowers don’t get promoted. You may be the kind of person who thinks that your work will speak for itself—that all you have to do is keep your head down and do a good job, and the promotions will follow. Unfortunately, they won’t. You have to put yourself out there.
Let your boss know your long-term and short-term goals. Ask for his or her help. Find a mentor who can guide you in your career journey. Never be afraid to ask for help. Volunteer for the jobs no one wants.
I once got a promotion because I volunteered to lead the United Way campaign at the company where I worked. No one wanted that job—who wants to ask their co-workers for money? On the other hand, my company was a big supporter of the United Way. By volunteering for the job, I got to meet several senior executives—one of whom offered me a great promotion.
Don’t be shy, put yourself out there.
Didn't get the promotion? You’re going to experience some rejection and setbacks as you pursue those elusive promotions. That’s a fact. But remember this: The career success game is a marathon, not a sprint. If you want to win, you have to keep at it. Don’t let a setback or two get you down. You have to pick yourself up and go back to work the next day.
You demonstrate your commitment to your career success by doing three things. First, take personal responsibility for getting the jobs and promotions you want. Only you can make you a success. Be willing to do the things necessary to succeed. Second, set high goals—and then do whatever it takes to achieve them. Third, stuff happens; as you go through life you will encounter many problems and setbacks. Don’t get discouraged and give up too soon. React positively to the setbacks and keep moving forward toward your goals, dreams, and career success.
If you’re going to get the promotion you want, you need to set SMART goals. These goals are Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time Bound. SMART goals will keep you focused and moving on a path that will help you get ahead.
Sometimes, that path might not be as straight as you would like. It might involve some twists and turns along the way. That’s why you need to keep the big picture in mind. If you know exactly where you want to end up, it’s easier to see how all the pieces fit together.
Goals are important. You can’t get what you want if you don’t know where you’re going. Written goals are the first step when it comes to life and career success. Sharpening your goals until they are clear and concise is the second step.
If you don’t have written goals for your life and career, write some tonight. Then, check them against the SMART criteria. Make sure they are Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time Bound. Do this and you’ll be well ahead in the career success game.
Things don’t always work out in your career. There will be times when you're an excellent candidate for a promotion but you still don't get it. This is frustrating. But it's also an opportunity.
Successful people are resilient. They approach rejection and failure as an opportunity to learn and grow.
You need to take positive action if you don’t get the promotion you think you deserve. Politely inquire about your interview performance. Ask what you could have done to come across better. Take this feedback to heart. Take a look at your skills. What's lacking in your portfolio that could have led to the promotion? Do whatever you can to develop these skills. Volunteer for projects in your company. Get some additional education and training. Get active in professional societies where you can take a leadership role.
Don’t blame others when you don’t get a promotion. Take a hard look at yourself. Identify your growth areas. Develop the skills that will put you at the top of the promotion list the next time around. See if you committed any of the promotion killers in this article.
As the John Mellencamp song goes, “You’ve got to stand for something, or you’ll fall for anything.” That’s why it’s important to know what’s important to you when you are considering a promotion.
If your kids are young, you might not want a job that keeps you on the road 80% of the time. If your spouse has a good job and their prospects for advancement look good, you might not want to relocate. On the other hand, if your career success goals involve climbing the ladder in your current company, you might want to consider a lateral move to demonstrate your commitment to your company and your willingness to broaden your base of experience.
Make sure that you turn any unclear values you may have into easy-to-understand rules, so it's easier for you to react consistently, no matter whom or what you're dealing with. Knowing what you value, what you want out of your life and career, can really help you make the right decisions that will lead to the promotions you want and deserve.
Some people think that applying for every job that comes along brands them as someone who is career-oriented and committed to their company. Not true. When you apply for every job that opens, you come across as desperate for a promotion.
You don’t want to get the” desperate” label attached to you. Decision-makers see chronic job applicants as unfocused and unclear about their life and career goals. They assume you're more interested in the title and money that comes with a promotion than making a positive impact in the job you’ve applied for.
Don’t be a chronic job applicant. Be selective. Get focused. Apply for those jobs in which you have a legitimate interest and, more importantly, the skills to perform the job. Being selective will increase your chances of getting that elusive promotion. You’ll brand yourself as a real pro in your field.
Want to get promoted at work? We can help!
Become a member to learn how to UNLEASH your true potential to get what you want from work!
Internal controls are important to safeguard the organization’s assets. When you have strong internal controls, you have more confidence that the organization is promoting operational effectiveness including managing risk effectively, compliance with regulations, and maintaining effective corporate governance.
The organization is working towards achieving its goals and strategic objectives but figures out that it has some internal control deficiencies. Maybe a lack of documented policies or procedures; frequent errors or inconsistencies in reports; or terminated employees whose access hasn’t been deleted timely. If you’re experiencing these types of issues, it’s important to validate and remediate them in a timely manner to prevent them from becoming bigger issues.
Implementing the right internal controls is similar to working on a crossword puzzle coming up with the right word in the right spot. Use the clues below to uncover some elements for effective internal controls:
Unsure about some of the clues above? If the organization’s internal controls are not as strong as they should be, some places to start are to check documentation, physical/logical security access controls, and the existence of training programs.
1. Start by reviewing the existing documentation including policies and procedures. And if you don’t have much documentation, that in itself is a sign.
2. Do a walkthrough of the key processes to understand and validate how the activities flow, the individuals involved and authorized, and the key controls in place.
3. Monitor anomalies and incidents that occur in day-to-day operations (e.g., data analytics, user activity monitoring, or firewall data). If you have a lot of data, use that data to analyze performance metrics, and identify inefficient areas to streamline—potentially using artificial intelligence to take your data analytics to the next level.
4. Conduct a risk assessment to identify potential vulnerable areas. When the business continuity plan was created, the organization probably did a risk assessment identifying key risks. Or many organizations have a dedicated CISO because one of the top risks is cybersecurity.
Now you better understand how internal controls (preventative, detective, and corrective) can mitigate risks or prevent incidents. Below are the answers to the crossword puzzle:
Promote a culture of control awareness by embedding internal controls into the organization’s operations with a shared responsibility among all employees. Working with groups that focus on internal controls such as Internal Audit or GRC (Governance, Risk, and Compliance) can be valuable trusted business partners.
For more information about the elements of a strong internal control system, follow me on LinkedIn!
Finding a job isn't a simple task in normal circumstances. Add in an ultra-competitive job market and there's no margin for error. For job seekers, an underwhelming cover letter is one of the major factors preventing them from moving forward in the job search process, and it's the smallest error that can get your cover letter thrown out.
Cover letters are extremely important to securing a job interview. If you continue to make the same mistakes over and over again, you may never hear back about the job opportunities that you desire.
Recruiters go through hundreds of cover letters and know exactly what they're looking for. If your cover letter has these simple mistakes, it will get tossed.
Don't start your cover letter with "To Whom It May Concern." This phrase is impersonal, old-fashioned, and incredibly lazy.
For one, job seekers should be able to track down the company's hiring manager or lead recruiter via the company's website or LinkedIn page. (Many LinkedIn postings contain the profile of the recruiter posting the opening.)
In cases where you can't find a name, use "Dear Hiring Team." It's a lot more personal.
If the majority of your cover letter is focused on how great you are, then you have a problem. Many job seekers will take up space in their cover letter with empty statements like, "I'm a self-starter and a great team player." Not only should such statements be quantified, but there's really no room for such self-promotion in the cover letter.
Instead, the cover letter should focus on how you understand the company you're applying to and its mission, and how you personally connect to that mission. You need to make a personal connection and show how you'll be able to fit into the company and its culture.
You can sell your skills in your resume, and if you land an interview, you'll have an additional opportunity to sell yourself as a strong employee.
A cover letter is an entirely different document than a resume! This point can't be stressed enough. A recruiter will not waste their time looking at two documents that are virtually identical.
A resume captures your work history, skill sets, and accomplishments, while a cover letter is your opportunity to express interest in the job and make a connection with the company.
The best way to do this is with a disruptive cover letter, in which you grab the recruiter's attention from the start by sharing a personal story about how you connect with the company or position you're applying to.
Explain what you admire about the company you're applying to. Do they sell a product or provide a service that's had a big impact on your life? Do they support causes you are passionate about? Why do you feel connected to their mission?
Once you draw the recruiter in, you can slowly begin to explain why you'd fit into the company's culture.
Making these three simple cover letter mistakes can hurt your chances of landing a job interview. The next time you're applying for a job, remember not to use a lazy greeting, brag too much, or treat your cover letter like a resume. A well-written, disruptive cover letter will help you stand out to employers in this ultra-competitive job market and land more job interviews. Give it a try today and let us know how it works for you.
Need more help with your cover letter?
Become a member to learn how to land a job and UNLEASH your true potential to get what you want from work!
This article was originally published at an earlier date.
Sometimes there's the thinking that stuffing a resume with a wide range of skills and experience will do the trick. But an overstuffed resume can dilute the message of how you're a perfect fit for the job you're applying for.
To capture a hiring manager's attention, you need a customized resume that is specific to the job. Here are some great ways to customize your resume.
Think of your resume as a search engine with results.
The key is not to bombard your resume with information that is irrelevant to the job but to be as specific and relevant as possible. The most relevant information always comes up at the top of the search engine and that's what you have to do on your resume.
The top fold of your resume should contain 6-8 major skill sets that you have that also relate to the job you're applying for (just like keywords in a search engine).
Make it easy for a hiring manager to identify why you're a perfect match for the job.
You want your resume to showcase that you're a specialist and expert in the field of work, not a generalist. As hard as it may be to believe, that's the truth in the case of resumes. Remember, your resume is there to help get your foot in the door at the company.
You have to first understand what the employer is looking for and specifically address that need for them in order for them to want to talk to you. If you come off saying you can do everything else, it can impact your message from getting across in those quick seconds that a hiring manager takes to review your resume (or prevent you from getting past the ATS).
Carefully review the job posting to understand what the employer is looking for and customize your resume to address those specific points.
Put yourself in the employer's position to answer the key questions they have, like:
You can expect better results with your resume when it's tailored to an employer's specific need. Employers often receive hundreds of job applications for a single job posting, so when your resume requires digging for relevant information, you've already lost them.
Follow the tips above to customize your resume for every position you apply for, and you'll succeed in getting the employer's attention.
Need more help with your resume?
Whether you work in a traditional office setting, a remote environment, or a hybrid setup, all workplaces need activities to bond over. The NCAA Men's and Women's Basketball Tournaments, also known as March Madness, is a great opportunity for workplace bonding. Even if you're not a college basketball fan, March Madness can still be fun.
Both tournaments kick off in mid-March and run until the start of April, and office pools have become extremely common and popular in American workplaces. However, March Madness office pools can be somewhat of a gray area for many companies, so a lot of businesses just prohibit them altogether to be safe.
Chances are many of your employees are part of a March Madness pool outside of work, which can lead to a distracted workforce when the tournament begins. However, according to a 2019 survey from staffing and recruiting agency Robert Half, 72% of senior managers said college basketball tournament activities have a positive impact on staff morale, and more than half of survey respondents (52%) also see productivity benefits.
So, rather than dreading March Madness, here are three ways to bring the office together during the tournament.
With a batch of opening games occurring on a Friday afternoon, this lends itself to an extended lunch period or a shorter workday. This could be a great opportunity to let the workplace come together in person, or virtually, to watch some of the games.
If companies are open to virtual happy hours, why not try some virtual basketball watching?
For those not interested in the basketball games, it could be an opportunity to plan another fun activity or team-bonding exercise during the time period to make sure everyone gets a chance to make the best use of their time.
Many companies don't want to deal with the potential ramifications and drama of office pools where money is exchanged between employees. But what if you took money out of the equation?
A company could hold an office pool where the prizes are not financial but work-related. It could be for things such as an extra personal/vacation/sick day, lunch with the CEO, or a chance to choose the next company outing or charitable donation.
The options are unlimited and there are several other prizes the company could throw in. Doing the pool this way encourages some friendly competition while taking any potential gambling concerns out of the equation.
However, if your office is comfortable with money pools—game on!
Forget college basketball. Perhaps March Madness means something totally different to your company.
It could be an opportunity to do a major sales push where, if employees meet some aggressive goals, they could either earn a bonus or another type of award.
Make March Madness some type of company initiative that helps to ramp up intensity at the workplace. Employees will be so focused on their work that they won't have time to be distracted by basketball.
Companies interested in going in another direction could also use March as a month to recognize employees, push training opportunities and professional development, or focus on community service initiatives.
If you're an active job seeker, perhaps your version of March Madness is stepping up your job search!
What do you need to get a job? Most job seekers think a good resume and cover letter are enough to land job interviews and stand out to employers in the hiring process. In today's competitive job market, you need a lot more to get a job.
Here are the seven things you need to get a job in 2024. Let's see if you have all of them.
1. A Job Search Strategy
You do not want to waste your time applying for jobs that are going to ghost you. You need to know what types of opportunities and companies will actually hire you. From this moment forward, make sure you have a proactive job search strategy.
2. A Skimmable Resume
We call it the six-second resume. That's because recruiters and hiring managers skim your resume first to make sure you have the five or six main skill sets they put on that job description. Otherwise, you won't be considered.
3. A LinkedIn Profile That Is Searchable
Keywords are very important on LinkedIn. Recruiters and hiring managers use a tool that helps them find people who are a match for the jobs they are hiring for. If you don't optimize your LinkedIn profile with keywords, you will not be found.
4. LinkedIn Posts
You need to post on LinkedIn, especially if you are looking for professional jobs. LinkedIn changed its algorithm recently and people who actually post on a regular basis rank higher in search results, and that's how you're going to get seen more.
5. Answers to Behavioral Interview Questions
You need to be ready for behavioral questions in job interviews. Everyone is doing evidence-based hiring now, which means they're going to ask you questions like, "Tell me about a time when you did X or Y." If you don't understand what behavioral interview questions are and how to answer them correctly, you will end up giving too little information or too much information, and that'll get you ruled out.
6. A Follow-Up Process
You need to know how to follow up after each interview, whether it's a phone, video, or in-person interview. Following up correctly will help you stay in the running.
7. Salary Negotiation Skills
When you get to the final interview, you need to know how to negotiate salary like a boss. Do you know how to approach the employer to get more money? If you don't, you could miss out or leave money on the table.
Do you have all seven of these things? If not, I can help.
At Work It DAILY, we have a 7-day risk-free trial to our job search career coaching platform, and we recently dropped a new program called the Job Search Accountability Program (JSAP). We're going to make every single day of your job search easier.
Honestly, if you don't have all seven of these things, getting a job will be that much harder. But this is not rocket science or brain surgery. The Job Search Accountability Program (JSAP) gives you the answers to all of these things quickly and easily, all at your convenience. So, I hope to see you in there.
Good luck, and go get 'em!
Why do we love Fridays so much? The answer is pretty obvious: In front of us, we have a weekend of possibilities, days where we can hang out with friends, do something fun, or enjoy doing nothing at all.
The weekend spells r-e-l-a-x, and for most people, that means Monday spells d-r-e-a-d. Fortunately, some simple adjustments to your normal routine can trick your mind into thinking it's the best day of the week.
Here are four ways to make Monday feel like Friday...
Before you leave your desk on Friday afternoon, take the last few minutes of your day to ease the shell shock for your future Monday self. Jot down a list of loose ends and then prioritize the things that need to be done so that when you get back to work on Monday you can just dive in.
Also, leave yourself an inspirational note on your desk to greet you when you arrive at the beginning of the week. You are awesome at your job; this is going to be a great week! Or even better, remind yourself why you like this job in the first place. Can you believe you're getting paid to do ___? Be thankful! (Sound cheesy? Try this just once and tell us it didn't brighten your mood.)
Sunday night preparations can make your Mondays better too. Afford yourself some extra minutes of snooze time by showering the night before and having your clothes ironed and ready to go. Also, remember that good nutrition is in direct correlation to your energy levels and mood, so prep for a protein-rich breakfast (i.e., a hard-boiled egg or a grab-and-go yogurt).
Having something to look forward to makes getting out of bed on Monday a whole lot easier. There's no rule that states all of your fun has to be saved for the weekends!
Try setting a standing date with friends on Monday nights. To increase your mood even more, incorporate exercise. An evening walk with some local friends can make you feel great—both mentally and physically.
Can't get anyone else to break out of their Monday routines? You can still have something to look forward to at home. Try turning Monday night into movie night, or wait until Monday to watch your favorite show.
There's no denying the pick-me-up power of a great outfit!
Looking good boosts our mood and confidence. So much of the Monday blues are mental stipulations we put on ourselves, which means we hold the power to bring about change. Switch things up by wearing your favorite outfit on Monday and give your mood a chance to compete with the other, more popular days of the week.
Does your work wardrobe lack some overall excitement? Your clothes can still have a positive effect based on colors alone. Studies show wearing red or violet boosts energy and green or yellow can put you in a noticeably happier mood.
One of the things that make Fridays so great is that for the next few days, you are not obligated to do much. Having freedom and flextime are instant mood boosters, but those perks do not need to be held off for just the weekends.
Afford yourself some of the same luxuries on Mondays by opting out of something you would normally feel obligated to do. Whether it's laundry, cooking dinner, or checking your bank account, give Monday evenings a free pass and indulge in the comfort of knowing your limits.
If you need help getting through the dreaded Mondays, try one of the tips above. They will make Mondays just a little more bearable!
Need more help with your career?
Sales is an art rather than a science. Sure, there are trainings out there that may give newbies a leg up, but a lot of the learning is done by being mentored by experienced salespeople and observing salespeople in action.
Unfortunately, there are several bad examples out there of "gems of wisdom" that are anything but. I am discussing a few of them.
There is certainly a stereotype of the salesperson as a master charmer. They know precisely what to say and how to say it to achieve their ultimate goal: sell.
I guess sales have been achieved purely because of such a charm offensive. Just not that many.
Behind the idea of the schmoozer is an assumption: Sales is the art of manipulating a client into entering into a business relationship. That supposes that most clients can be manipulated—if only you turn on the charms and deploy your "secret tactics."
That is a terrible, very dangerous assumption.
In my decades of experience, clients are generally bright. They see right through attempts at manipulation and will hold manipulation against any salesperson foolish enough to attempt it.
I can tell you I have been on the other side of that fence, as we all have at some point in time, and made sure the manipulators would not get any of my budget. And I am not alone: I have also heard clients complain about salespeople who felt they were too "foxy."
Some don't go that far. They do not attempt to manipulate. But they want to become their clients' best buddies, so they keep buying.
Obviously, people like to buy from people they like or at least don't hate. But relying on friendship to carry the day is a sure way to miss quota. People buy to either solve a problem they have or gain a tangible advantage, neither of which has anything to do with friendship.
Find the right accounts, the clients where your products and services can make a positive difference. Then, treat clients with respect and work hard to ensure their success. They will like you for it, and you will achieve quota.
Other salespeople have a much more authoritarian approach. They want to be perceived as the definite reference for whatever they sell, and are ready to play hardball in the process.
They will explain (not always patiently) how the customer should think about their challenges. Of course, these explanations will always lead the clients to the inescapable conclusion that their offering is the best and that the client would be a fool not to purchase it.
Some will even try to shame you into a sale!
I saw this approach employed multiple times: follow-ups on LinkedIn stating, "Since I did not hear from you, it must mean you like to lose money" (no kidding!); a salesperson telling an important organization leader that she was wrong in front of her reports; another salesperson, visibly scripted, not giving a prospect a chance to engage in a meaningful conversation.
This results in a poor customer experience. Once again, it is about the salesperson being manipulative.
But in fact, it is even worse. Here, these salespeople are simply not listening at all.
Why is this worse? Because information is power, and your customer has information that can be worth gold to you. Yes, even if they provide you with details that disqualify them as potential customers.
By not having a conversation, these folks deprive themselves of valuable information. Instead, the best salespeople are excellent listeners. They try to understand what their clients are going through. They empathize first and then think about whether they can lend a helping hand.
They do not put together a dog-and-pony show. They can do demos and presentations, but they monitor their audience's reactions and collect feedback to enhance their value to their clients. In other words, they keep the meetings conversational. By doing so, they build trust, the currency of choice for closing deals.
Keeping it conversational does not mean not putting sufficient effort into a deal. Sales are not easy, and momentum can be lost for a number of reasons. Without proper follow-up and a sense of urgency, one salesperson may miss quota.
It sounds like incentive plans should prevent this. And yet, I have seen this happen for many reasons, in the form of opportunities left in the funnel whose stakeholders were not contacted for months.
In some cases, that was because this was a big deal that was likely lost—and the salesperson did not want to confront that most uncomfortable realization. In others, it was a lack of stamina and drive.
Unfortunately, self-delusion and lack of determination will not help you meet your quota. There are enough external reasons why a deal may hit a snag and lose momentum; you don't need to add self-inflicted injury to the list.
I tell the ones I manage this: We can fail, but we must try perfectly every time.
All of the examples above are sure ways to lose accounts and sales momentum. But I feel this one is in a league all of its own. So much so that it is frankly incredible that anyone—ANYONE—would feel this is acceptable at all.
That ought to be the worst stereotype in the world: the salesperson selling snake oil.
Yet, I saw this with my own eyes, like when a competitor told a prospect of mine that their tool was the only one that could achieve a certain software standard because of a feature unique to their tool.
Technically, their argument was built on sand: in fact, other tools lacking their unique feature were used to meet that standard.
This was also done in bad faith, not ignorance, quite a few times. The idea: if anyone pointed out this was not the case, the customer would chalk it off to that someone being defensive.
This is sometimes called planting a landmine. The problem is that it may maim those who planted it.
I called their bluff, listed a number of accounts that proved them wrong, and said I was really angry because they obviously gave our whole industry a bad rap.
We won that deal.
That is why lying is never a good way to win a sale. Chances are someone will call you out. It may happen immediately, with your client knowing better and showing you the door. They are smart, after all.
Even if they don't detect it immediately, it is bound to bite back, one way or another. And when it does, it will be perceived as a breach of trust.
No trust, no deals. It is really that simple.
And you? What are your top sales myths? Leave them in a comment—they will certainly inspire me for future parts!
The concept of "spring cleaning" also extends to your career. In fact, spring is the perfect time to take a look at your resume and see what needs updating and what you can get rid of entirely. When was the last time you cleaned up your resume?
If it's been a while since you've updated your resume, don't wait any longer! Here are three easy ways you can spring-clean your resume so it's ready for your next job search.
One of the most important parts of your resume is the experience summary, which is a list of 6-8 skills at the top of your resume. (You can find resume templates inside Work It DAILY's community.) This helps your resume get past the ATS and stand out from the competition, allowing hiring managers to quickly see how you're qualified for the job.
When spring cleaning your resume, it's a good idea to update your list of skills, adding new ones and removing irrelevant ones. What skills have you developed? Which skills do you want to highlight in your job search? What skills do you need for the jobs you want to apply for, and how many of those do you currently have? Which skills are no longer relevant in your career or aligned with your career goals? Think about these questions as you decide which skills to include on your updated resume.
If you haven't done so already, when you clean up your resume, you should also quantify your accomplishments. In the bullet points under each position you've held, don't just list your job duties. You need to talk about your accomplishments (what you achieved on the job). You need to quantify your work experience so employers can see exactly how you add value as a business-of-one. Each bullet point should include at least one number. For example, a car salesperson might write: "Sold an average of 12 cars per week."
Once you've quantified your accomplishments from previous positions, it's time to think about your current job. What have you accomplished lately? Are there any past accomplishments you haven't quantified yet? Have you completed a certificate or received any awards? Whatever you achieved, chances are it can be quantified, and it definitely belongs on your resume.
The easiest way to spring-clean your resume is to simply clean up your formatting. A resume with an updated, simple format will be easier to read and have a higher chance of getting past the ATS. A resume with an outdated format will likely get tossed by hiring managers because it gives them the impression that you're old and/or out of touch.
Your resume should have a simple, clean format with consistent styling throughout the document. Bullet points and white space are also important. Choose a clean-line font like Arial or Calibri (11pt.), not a script font like Times New Roman. Also, make sure you have one-inch margins and no bold, italics, or underlining except in very specific places where you want to focus the hiring manager's eyes. When in doubt, a simple resume is the most effective.
We hope these tips help you spring-clean your resume so it's ready for your next job search!
If you need more help with your resume, we're here for you.
Did you recently get a big promotion or start a new job and now have a new circle of individuals you’re working with (whether you work in IT, finance, HR, or another department)? It’s important to do the job successfully and that includes being a trusted business partner. Within IT, how well does the IT technology plan support the business partners? For example, how much does the plan focus on the technology initiatives versus aligning with the goals and objectives of your strategic business partners?
Most organizations have limited resources so it’s key to use those resources efficiently and effectively. Not only do you want efficient resource utilization, but still be strategically aligned with the business goals. So actively work together fostering collaboration and creating a culture of collective problem-solving. When you do, some potential benefits of working together are:
If you don’t invest enough time to build strong relationships, others could make assumptions on their own. Generally speaking, do departments including IT seem to operate more in silos? Or is there a perception that IT is seen as more technically focused over understanding the business’ broader goals? If this is the case, IT could be perceived as a cost center with limited involvement in strategic decisions.
If that is the case, these perceptions can be changed, and it’s not just for IT. Years ago, I took over Internal Audit at a bank. The group meticulously performed audits but wasn’t a “trusted business partner” who was sought out. I told my boss that I would know we had successfully changed our reputation when we started getting phone calls from the business requesting our assistance and participation in projects. We changed our processes, developed the staff, and turned around our reputation. We had established ourselves as a competent, collaborative, and trustworthy partner. As a result, there was mutual respect, and they knew that we had their best interests in mind to help them.
Regarding IT, it can go beyond being a support function to a strategic partner that is innovative and solves challenging problems with transformative solutions. A partner that fosters cross-functional collaboration focusing on the business and customer experience helping build a competitive advantage. Some initiatives affect both IT and the business such as cybersecurity, or when the organization wants to utilize artificial intelligence (AI) to automate repetitive tasks, enhance decision-making, or unlock new possibilities for data-driven insights.
Take the time to understand the business goals and processes. Then make sure the IT initiatives align with those business goals. Since business needs are continually changing and evolving, communication is key. Seek feedback from your partners and have regular check-ins so that you can adjust, as necessary. If there are any challenges or conflicts, address them right away.
When completing projects, show tangible benefits such as key performance indicators (KPI) for business objectives or measuring the return on investment (ROI) for IT projects. Once the change has been implemented, discuss what went well and what could be improved next time. Also, encourage continuous improvement and monitor to ensure you’re getting the anticipated benefits or other additional improvements.
When you implement these types of practices, you will be better connected with the business and aligned with its goals. This will enhance your relationship to become a trusted business partner driving organizational success.
For more information about the importance of being a trusted business partner, follow me on LinkedIn!
Do you think age discrimination is affecting your job search? Do you feel like you are losing out to the competition because you're older? If so, you're not alone in this thinking, and I'm going to share some information with you that will help you overcome this challenge.
I have been getting a ton of questions lately on the subject of age discrimination, and I want to start by breaking a huge misconception: It's not technically age discrimination that you're experiencing. It's experience discrimination.
What do I mean by that? Well, let me give you a little history. Right now there are about 40 million baby boomers in the workforce. These are people in their sixties and beyond, and all of them have decided to stay in the workforce a lot longer than the generations before them.
The problem is that, over the last 10+ years, 70 million people from younger generations have also emerged and entered the workforce.
Millennials and Gen Z make up over half the workforce today, and many of them are now in their late twenties and early thirties. This means that they have enough years of experience to be relevant in the marketplace, and given the fact that they cost a lot less—and oftentimes have fewer bad habits and are more technologically savvy—more and more employers hire them over older, more seasoned, more experienced workers.
Again, it's not really age discrimination. It is a case of the law of supply and demand. If you think about the world of business, there is too much supply—too many seasoned workers—and not enough demand for their skill sets (even with low unemployment rates).
So, what do you do about this?
Well, first understand that this situation isn't only affecting baby boomers. Eventually, millennials are going to be impacted by this as well. This is due to globalization, and every single day the geographic and economic boundaries to getting affordable help are lowering around the world.
In fact, I was working with a client recently who told me how he could hire one PhD here in the U.S., or hire three PhDs for the same price in Europe. This trend is going to continue. Believe it or not, here in the U.S., we all live in the 1% in terms of income and opportunity when compared to the rest of the world.
So, start thinking about how you're going to change your strategy with respect to your career and your relevance in the marketplace. Again, it's a supply and demand concept. What you want to do is build a way where your skill sets and expertise are in less supply, so that you are higher in demand.
Now that you understand this whole concept, focus on the fact that you are no longer an employee. You are a business-of-one, and your job is to sell and market your services to employers.
For a business to stay in business, it has to stay relevant in the marketplace. And there are three specific things that we suggest people do to make that happen for themselves.
The first thing you have to do is define your personal brand.
You have to understand what you're the go-to person for, what your specialty is, and specifically what problems you solve/what pain points you alleviate. This is because employers can only hire you when you save or make them enough money. When you solve their problems, you alleviate their pains to justify the cost of hiring you.
So, it's on you to get very clear about what your value proposition is, and to do so I suggest you take my free Career Decoder Quiz. This is going to show you what your workplace personas are—the things that you like to do, the tasks that you like to accomplish, and how you like to deliver value in the workplace.
Understanding your workplace personas is the first step in building a very clear personal brand that will help people understand why they should hire you.
The second step in the process is to follow a smart career strategy. Today, every job is temporary, and we know that school has taught us everything except how to manage our careers.
Now that the marketplace is always changing, you can't build a 5-, 10-, or 20-year career plan. You can really only do one or two years out at a time. Your career strategy has to be agile, but it has to be very succinct and focused at the same time.
So, at any given time, you should know exactly what you're trying to achieve, both in your career overall and specifically about relevant skills that you're trying to grow and leverage.
What you don't want to do is plateau. Again, I've seen a lot of seasoned workers in their fifties and sixties who got to a certain level in their career and thought, "This is good enough. My skills are good enough." Meanwhile, the whole world around them was changing.
This kind of works like a bell curve. They go up, they plateau, and they start to go down. Now all of a sudden they're trying to get any job they can—but they've also outpriced themselves in the market.
So your job is to always keep focusing on growing your skills, and being able to tell the world specifically what you're doing to upskill every single year.
The third step is to work on your career as much as you work in it. The truth is that we can easily get caught up in the day-to-day aspects of our job and kind of grind through our week, our months, and our years without ever really thinking about the strategy of our career.
One of the biggest components of this is networking. These days, your network is your net worth. It's all about who you know.
There are tons of studies that show the best way to get your next job is through a networking connection. If you haven't checked out our video on this, we've got some great resources on networking that can really help you start to understand this strategy—especially with regard to online networking tools like LinkedIn.
A lot of people don't understand that there are protocols you need to follow in online networking that are very similar to offline or in-person networking. Unfortunately, people have been short-cutting these protocols and making some terrible, terrible mistakes in the process.
So, please make sure that you're digitally networking the right way—growing your network, nurturing your network, and serving your network. This is the best way to have a healthy network. If something happens and you suddenly need to look for a new job, you'll be able to tap into your professional network without having to start from scratch.
No matter your age and experience level, building skill sets and having smart strategies in place are vital to a successful career. And they're especially important if you're trying to overcome experience discrimination.
Again, you are a business-of-one, and you need to stay on top of these trends in order to stay relevant. Remember these tips and you'll successfully overcome age discrimination in your job search.
Need help staying relevant in today's job market?
So many things changed in 2001. Certainly, there were major political and security changes that came because of the terrorist attack on 9/11. Profound and long-lasting changes.
So, too, there were massive changes in how we conducted discovery in litigation and investigations. Specifically, discovery started to have an “e” in front of it.
I remember my first eDiscovery project in 2001 where discussions were held over how to collect electronic information from a computer and whether and how we should print that information to make it ‘usable.’
Slowly, everyone in litigation started to grapple with the “e” but were doing so inconsistently from law firm to law firm. Finally, in December 2006, the federal rules were amended to make their first attempt at grappling with the “e” by defining and standardizing various processes. What was readily accessible? What was proportional? How far back would you have to look and how broad would the searches be?
We had asked similar questions before but more as it related to file cabinets and filing rooms in storage facilities. Now we were grappling with backup tapes and servers and floppy disks.
I have long said that you deal with technology problems by using technology. When the volume of data became humanly unmanageable, we started to see the litigation world go through new changes as it relates to the use of technology. Machine learning was introduced on various review platforms. Humans made decisions that computers would then enhance and find similar documents.
The acceptance of such machine learning has not been universal. In the age of ever-changing technology, the legal landscape never seems to keep up with the business realities. Mobile devices, remote work, and all its implications are dealt with daily in the business world and in litigation. However, lawyers both by training and experience do not always have the knowledge base or the skill sets to answer the questions that inevitably arise. We need to close that knowledge gap.
Now, in 2024 we start to grapple not with the “e” in discovery but with artificial intelligence (AI) and its impact on the eDiscovery process. We will look at four areas that will inevitably be impacted by the use of AI and other machine-learning tools. First, we will look at the impact on the collection of data. Next, we will look at the impact on searching that data, particularly as it relates to protected content. Third, we will look at the growing impact on the review process. And finally, the impact of AI on the analysis of the data that we need for deposition or trial (i.e., the use of the data).
No longer can you collect everything. There’s just too much. Data may be cheap to store, but it’s not cheap to collect, search, and review. We need to find a better way so the cost doesn’t overwhelm the value of the case.
Also, the sources of data are increasing in number. Beyond shared drives and hard drives. We now have multiple social media platforms and websites (mostly containing video instead of just text data.) This makes the use of AI critical to collect only the needed data. And to improve the process from one litigation to the next. AI can collect, preserve, and prepare the data for searching.
AI has an incredible searching capability. Not just using antiquated keywords which have been used for more than a decade, but nuanced searching particularly for protected content. Things like attorney-client privilege, work product, or, in regulated industries, additional privileges related to banking and suspicious activity reports. Or, in the healthcare industry, anything related to protected health information, personal identifying information, HIPAA, or any of a number of other privileges that might apply to your particular industry.
We are fast approaching the ability to type or speak out a search using AI that searches, in mere seconds, across the universe of data types that you’ve collected. Then, changing or editing that search and re-doing it equally as fast. Each time, you get a better sense of the data available rather than searching for keywords or having attorneys review each set to see what’s in the data.
When I started as a baby lawyer looking at documents, we had pieces of paper and we had a file room where that paper was stored. We had individuals looking at each page wondering what we might discover as we went through someone’s file. Gradually, we started to use the computer for tagging and consistency between different productions in different locales.
The industry finally moved on to machine learning where individual attorneys could make decisions that the computer would then try to replicate and enhance rationally to include similar documents. (Not unlike how streaming services try to find you movies similar to the ones that you have liked or watched before.)
The growth of AI in the review space is not over. Instead of just assisting the lawyer on that first-level review to find responsive, confidential, or privileged materials, I see AI quickly making that step disappear completely.
Instead, a higher-level, experienced review attorney who specializes in quality control review or in that specific industry will focus on training the AI and then sifting through what the technology has identified as responsive, confidential, or privileged. That quality step is necessary but it will also likely be limited as AI becomes more sophisticated and nuanced and lawyers become more comfortable with its outputs.
This would include documents you are producing for the other side as well as documents you are receiving from the other side.
AI can go through an enormous amount of information in a short amount of time. It can categorize it and put documents into subject matter buckets considerably faster than a human can. It can also spit out its analysis of what it has categorized.
AI no doubt will be increasingly used for this step possibly removing the need for the young associate at the outside counsel and, much like in the review world where only quality reviewers are remaining, only those dealing with the actual litigation will need to look at those documents.
Technology has impacted the legal field for at least the last 20 years. The speed of its impact is only going to increase. Both in terms of jobs available and the in-depth analysis that is available now, that would have taken a human many, many hours to absorb and understand.
I am of the persuasion that we should not fight technology advances. While the ATM did cause a shift in the banking employment industry, I much prefer going to an ATM to get cash than standing in line in front of a teller. Restaurants, too, were impacted by the pandemic and the push towards drive-thru and delivery versus customers dining inside. They had to adjust their business model. So, too, will lawyers.
We need to embrace it, we need to understand it, and we need to learn to use it rather than creating roadblocks to try to preserve what has gone before.
Since the 1920s, nearly every fashion house has expanded into beauty at some point as a relatively low-effort additional revenue stream. While most designers are able to maintain their grip on fragrances, many struggle to keep a cosmetics line afloat.
Recently, I found myself thinking about a famous brand that went through a long saga of trying to break into the beauty and skincare space multiple times.
Upon reflecting on a few things the brand did such as targeting formulas and products to the wrong customer base, not addressing the beauty needs of a diverse audience base and instead sticking to a single-color tone palette leaving much to be desired for customers of darker skin tones, the lack of targeted and personalized campaigns to its audience base (mass campaign using celebrities versus forming any connection to the audience and how it addresses their beauty needs), not prioritizing their customer experience and rather being driven by transaction, emphasizing quick product line extensions versus quality going from 18 to 130 products when trying to break into an industry without previous experience, just to name a few, I wanted to write about a few lessons from the dermatology marketing world that are applicable to the beauty and personal care products space.
In pharma, the lesson is that credibility matters. Trust is built on the foundation of scientific credibility so, similarly, the beauty and skincare industry can benefit from emphasizing the scientific backing (where applicable) of their products. In an age where consumers are empowered and with a plethora of options available, highlighting any research, clinical studies, or trial results and leveraging the use of dermatologist-recommended/safe yet efficacious ingredients can instill confidence in consumers.
Pharmaceutical marketing prioritizes transparency in communicating the potential benefits and risks of medications. In the beauty and skincare realm, being transparent about ingredients, sourcing, testing, and manufacturing processes fosters trust with consumers who are now more than ever increasingly conscious about what they apply to their skin. Honest communication builds brand loyalty and cultivates a positive brand image.
Pharmaceutical companies excel in tailoring their marketing messages to specific target audiences based on deep-rooted insights including but not limited to demographics, psychographics, and other factors outside of just the health condition and disease state and within those categories hyper-target by subcategories.
By understanding the diverse needs of different skin types, ages, and concerns, brands can create targeted campaigns and product formulations that resonate with specific consumer segments. In addition to personalization in targeting, it is important to take into account diverse consumer profiles in any brand marketing campaigns and assets.
Pharmaceutical marketing often involves educating consumers about health conditions and treatment options. Similarly, the beauty and skincare industry can empower consumers by providing educational content on skincare routines, ingredient benefits, and the science behind product formulations. Informed consumers are more likely to make confident purchasing decisions and become brand advocates.
Pharmaceutical marketing tends to emphasize the long-term benefits of treatments knowing there isn’t always a quick fix. Likewise, for the beauty and skincare industry, focusing on long-term skin health and sustained results can set a brand apart.
Keeping the emphasis and encouraging consumers to view skincare as a holistic and ongoing practice, part of their wellness practice as a whole rather than a quick fix, will contribute to the overall well-being of the consumer and thus as a byproduct build brand loyalty.
Don’t let the need for speed to market or having cornered a market lead to a drop in quality and safety. Pharmaceutical marketing is subject to rigorous regulatory standards from product to every brand marketing campaign. Similarly, the beauty and skincare industry should prioritize compliance with regulatory guidelines to guarantee the safety and efficacy of their products and create transparency around them. Adhering to these standards will not only build trust with consumers but also protect the brand from legal implications.
In conclusion, by embracing transparency, science-backed claims, and personalized approaches, beauty brands can elevate their marketing strategies and redefine industry standards. As these two industries converge on these principles, the future of beauty and skincare marketing looks like a promising landscape, one where authenticity and efficacy reign supreme to cut through the noise in a crowded market.
Is your job search turning into a grind with no end in sight? It may be time to take a step back and reevaluate your entire approach.
In cold weather climates, the beginning of spring is a time to clean the house and get organized—a practice known as spring cleaning. Through the years, spring cleaning has taken on a larger meaning with people using the time to organize and declutter things in their lives.
For professionals on the job hunt, a little spring cleaning (metaphorically speaking) could be a great way to reinvigorate your job search. Here are a few strategies your job search spring cleaning should include.
Make a list of the last handful of jobs you applied for and see if you can identify any positive or negative trends. Consider things like:
A lot can be learned about your job search approach just by answering these questions and identifying patterns. For example:
Negative Trends
You discovered five jobs through job boards, applied to all of them via the job boards, and never heard back from any of them.
The common pattern here is applying through job boards. This isn't to say that job boards don't serve a purpose in the job search process, but they have their limitations, and you can't run your job search entirely off of them. When you apply through a job board, there's a good chance that your materials will never get past the applicant tracking system (ATS) and never be seen by an actual person.
One simple fix is to research who the hiring manager or recruiter is that posted the position and email your materials to them directly.
The more efficient fix would be to take a proactive approach by putting together a bucket list of companies that you want to work for and start making connections on LinkedIn with people who work at those companies. You may already know some people who work there or have connections that can refer you to some individuals.
This is a great way to network your way onto a company's radar.
Positive Trends
You applied to three jobs via referral, were invited to two job interviews, and made it through multiple rounds of interviews for one of the jobs before being passed over for someone with a little more experience.
The pattern here is that getting referred to a job by a professional acquaintance is a great way to land a job interview. This indicates that you're leveraging your network well and you should continue to focus on your networking efforts.
The next step is to review the interview process and determine what went well and what needs to be improved. Sometimes the interviewer will provide feedback, and that feedback can be valuable. However, not everyone is comfortable with giving feedback.
Chances are you probably have a good idea about areas of improvement and the skills you need to gain. Put together a plan for addressing those shortfalls.
The good news in making it deep into any interview process is that it indicates that the company likes you as a potential employee (even if the timing just wasn't right) and the experience could be a roadmap to a job with that company at a later date, or another similar opportunity elsewhere.
Are you continuously sending similar resumes and cover letters to each job opening with only minor adjustments? If so, your strategy needs some serious spring cleaning.
Let's start with resumes!
Every resume should be tailored to the position in order for it to stand out to recruiters and hiring managers. It may seem like a lot of work, but it's actually less work than submitting the same resume over and over again and never hearing back.
The reason why it's so important to tailor your resume is that throughout your career, you acquire numerous skills, but the job you're applying for may only be focusing on 6-8 of those skills. In that case, those skills must rise to the top of the resume with quantifiable examples of how you successfully used those skills at previous jobs.
Remember, recruiters go through hundreds of resumes. They need to be able to tell from a quick glance whether or not you're a potential candidate for the position.
While updating your resume, you could also spruce up your LinkedIn profile by highlighting the skill sets that you want to be noticed for by recruiters.
As for writing a good cover letter, the key to success is writing a disruptive cover letter. When you write a disruptive cover letter, you're basically telling a story. The story should focus on how you connect with the particular company and job position. The story could also focus on your personal journey, and how you got to where you currently are in your career.
If your resumes and cover letters aren't unique, now is the time to clean things up and get on track.
Just because you're looking for work doesn't mean that you don't have anything to offer. Use previous career experiences and passions to build your personal brand.
Ask yourself, "How do I want other professionals to view me?"
Pick an area of expertise and start sharing your knowledge and experience with your professional network by pushing out content on your LinkedIn and social media accounts. Good content can include blogs, social media posts, and videos.
By sharing content about your experiences and passions, you slowly build your personal brand, and others will start to notice. The content could lead to good discussions with others in your network. It could also lead to reconnecting with connections that you haven't spoken to in years, or making new connections.
You never know when one of these connections could turn into a job lead or referral. The trick is to get on people's radars. So, when you're cleaning up your job search, be sure to build a plan for personal branding.
Your job search is important, but it's even more important to know when to pull back and focus on personal health and spending time with family and friends.
There are actually things that you can do for your own enjoyment that could help your job search in the long run, such as:
Spring is the perfect time to clean up and improve your job search so you can land the job you want. If you're struggling to find a job, follow the tips above to reinvigorate your job search—and watch your career blossom!
Need more help with your job search?
There are three types of questions I teach all of my career coaching clients to ask when they are in an interview. These three questions are especially important when you're in those final stage interviews with higher-ups. If you ask these critical questions, you are going to be seen as more intelligent, more engaging, and the candidate who will give them the return on the investment they're looking for if they hire you.
At the end of your next job interview, make sure you ask the following three questions so you can stand out as the best candidate for the job.
When you get to the end of the interview and the hiring manager says, "Do you have any questions?" the first type of question you want to ask is a connection question. This type of question allows you to ask them about their experience at the company. Here are some examples:
I particularly like the connection question around how they ended up in their job and what they like most about it because it gives the hiring manager a chance to talk about their own professional journey and people enjoy sharing that.
The second type of question you want to ask should be about the company's difficulties and challenges. Here are some examples:
Then, you end the question with this:
By asking this type of question, you're saying, "I get it. You're hiring me to solve problems and alleviate pain. So tell me about the big challenges." In fact, I've even coached people to say:
No matter how you phrase it, this type of question lets the hiring manager vent and talk about what concerns them, and it also gives you the framework of what you would need to do in order to succeed in the role.
The third and final type of question that is so important to ask in a job interview is about the next steps in the process. Here are some examples:
This closing question is all about you getting to the bottom of what to expect (managing your own expectations), and the hiring manager should be able to frame that out for you.
I've given you a few different examples of how to ask these questions because everyone has to find their own voice. So, at the end of your next job interview, remember to ask these three types of questions (we'll call them the three Cs), and ask them in a way that feels right to you:
When you ask these questions consistently, you're going to see much better results from your interviews. I guarantee it.
During your career development, there comes a point when your leadership skills will be put to the test. Technical skills are obviously important because they will get you to a position where you may have to start utilizing your soft skills. This is the exact reason why leadership skills are considered a very important attribute that can help you climb the career ladder.
With a combination of technical know-how and valuable leadership qualities, you can get promotions easily and be regarded as an important asset to the company. Here are a few tips that can help you become a better leader.
It is a leader's job to keep a very clear vision of the goal and make sure the team members are happy and thoroughly motivated to follow. This means the leader also should know how to put forward a certain task in front of the team to get maximum output from them with ease.
The leader also should bring out the importance of the goal and the reason why the team should put the ultimate effort into it. This ability can really bring all of the team members together and unify them to give their best for the ultimate goal.
Communication plays a very important role in all relationships, especially between a team leader and their team members. Team members rely on their leader for ideas and motivation, which can be generated only with good communication skills.
As a leader, you should also create a very friendly environment where the employees are engaged in sharing their ideas and concerns. It has been said that a team leader who can communicate well wins the trust of team members.
If you wish to be a better leader, then you will have to be a better listener too. Listening skills help in generating feedback from the team members regarding the project, and the right feedback can be a good way to solve issues and achieve goals with ease.
Listen without any distractions, keep steady eye contact, and respond thoughtfully. Apart from being good at verbal skills, you should be aware of your body language while talking to your team.
It is a part of leadership skills to understand people and resolve conflicts positively. In situations where an employee does not give their best and brings negativity to the team, the leader has to be able to talk to the member in private.
You should keep courage and never shy away from honestly speaking your mind. This approach is better than firing people without knowing their side of the story.
It is important that you keep high standards of professionalism, integrity, and work transparency to earn respect from your team members and your clients.
It is the leader's job to set a high standard of credibility and strong character to motivate the team to perform to their level best.
Passion is quite contagious, and if the leader shows a lot of passion, it may rub off on the team members too. This helps in easing pressure from difficult projects. It also drives the employees into encountering hurdles with ease.
The positive energy and enthusiasm should flow within the team through the leader first.
A genuine leader is one who has the capacity to influence members and drive them to perform at optimum levels. The leader's positive motivation is important, especially when members lose focus or get disappointed in the wake of difficulties that may arise during a job.
A leader should be upfront in talking to team members and tell personal stories that would encourage the members to help them get back in the game.
Innovation is coined to be the most important aspect of growth and is largely related to out-of-the-box and unorthodox thinking. Great leaders are the ones who can instill a culture of innovation among the team members and help them find solutions that can involve some trial and error.
Such an outlook will help in achieving long-term success with the team and earn their respect furthermore.
The truest and most genuine leaders are the ones who are humble, honest, and respectful toward all the members of the team. A leader also has to constantly learn from all of the members and encourage others to do the same.
Such leadership qualities can help in motivating and inspiring the members to achieve greater success and produce fruitful results.
A team member feels more positive and motivated if their work is being appreciated. As a team leader, it's your job to recognize such hard work with rewards and recognition. This will also drive and encourage the other members to be more productive.
A good leader understands the value of taking a backseat sometimes and gives the due credit to the rightful individual to promote team building. A great leader ensures that the work rate of the team is increased without increasing the stress levels.
Leadership is a learning process. Each of the tips above can help you achieve greater success as a leader, and also help you understand that when you are a leader, the most important goal is always to keep the team together and performing at the highest level.
Are you thinking about becoming a teacher? As a young elementary school educator, I've learned some important lessons after being in the field for the past few years.
Some of those lessons include:
Want my view of a career in education stripped down? It's definitely not what you think it's going to be. Throw all of your preconceived misconceptions out the window, because that's what they are: misconceptions.
Don't get me wrong—I love my job and I feel lucky to get up every day and teach. But no matter how many internships you do or how many lessons you observe, you will still learn more in a single day in your own classroom than you ever will teaching in someone else's.
Here are some of the many lessons they don't teach you in all of those “Educational Theories" and “Teaching Through the Content Areas" courses…
The days you go home feeling as if no one cares you poured your heart and soul out on your classroom floor will far outnumber the days you go home feeling someone, anyone, truly appreciates what you do all day.
If you are an exceptional teacher, you will give your all each and every day with the hope that, in some small way, you are making a difference in the lives of your students. They probably won't say "thank you." They probably will grumble and complain about an assignment you worked endlessly on in an attempt to ensure they would find it compelling. But what will get you through your first year, your fifteenth, and your twenty-fifth will not be the unending gratitude and appreciation from your students. Remembering why you chose to teach in the first place will get you through those years.
Remembering will get you through those long days when nothing you planned seems to go right. Remembering will help you when you have reached the end of your rope after a parent with no background in education questions your abilities. If you hold onto that, you'll be the best teacher you can possibly be. If you let go, you'll be miserable (and your students will be too).
If you are cut out to be an educator (especially at the elementary level), you will discover you have a seemingly bottomless reserve of patience once you enter your classroom. Students will ask the same question (which you have already answered, by the way) again, and again, and again. Did I mention you already gave them the answer? And it's written on the board? And it's printed on their paper? If the thought of repeating yourself countless times every day makes you crazy, you better get used to it.
And please be forewarned: The patience you had for all other aspects of your life will suddenly be sucked dry. You will find yourself annoyed by little things such as having to wait in line at the grocery store or having to stop to get gas for your car.
Many of the people at your school will probably want nothing to do with using SMART Boards, tablets, and generative AI. Hopefully, you will. The way students need to be taught has changed over the past few years because the students themselves have changed. Sitting at a desk while someone talks and completing worksheets isn't going to motivate any of today's students. The kids of today need to be constantly stimulated, engaged, and communicating with you and each other.
The best avenue available to teachers is technology. The odds are in your favor here. Chances are, you grew up with computers and other technologies, and your brain is thought to work the same way that your students' brains work.
Surprisingly, there is a huge population of teachers out there who have absolutely no desire to use or learn about technology. I can honestly say I teach in a district where this year many of my colleagues complained about being required to check their school email. Most of them didn't even know how to check email.
You can quickly make yourself a valuable member of the school system by showcasing your knowledge of technology in the classroom—and more importantly, your willingness to learn about and use it.
Once you find the grade level you think you'd like to teach, do everything in your power to get an internship at that grade level. If your college offers a year-long internship placement, take it—and be incredibly thankful.
Many schools require a couple of six-week-long student-teaching placements at different grade levels. However, you will never get a real grasp of what your life would be like teaching during a measly six weeks. The best thing I ever did was go to a school that required a year-long internship for a master's degree. Yes, I paid tuition for a year and then worked every day of that year for free; but the experience I gained was more valuable than all of the college classes, observations, and short student-teaching placements put together.
I saw what it is really like to start a school year with a group of students and see how much they grow and learn throughout that entire school year. I was then able to market myself as a first-year teacher with a year of experience under my belt which, believe me, is pretty attractive to administrators with a budget crunch looking for teachers who already know the ropes.
Regardless of what some people tell you, teaching is not "just a job" (and those same people will say you have the easiest job on earth because you get summer vacation). If you want a 9-to-5 job with weekends off, you better start looking for a new career now.
Sure, there are those teachers who come in each morning with the students and then leave with them in the afternoon, but those teachers really aren't giving it their all.
If you're not in it to be the best teacher you can be, then you shouldn't even be there. Yes, you will get paid far, far less than the amount you deserve. Yes, you will put in 10-hour days and create lesson plans on Saturday afternoons. Yes, you will spend an exorbitant amount of your paycheck on items for your classroom. But you will do all these things because they are a part of doing what you love.
Whether it was for a feeling of personal fulfillment or just to see the smiles on students' faces when a concept finally clicks, it's something you're going to need to hold onto in a profession that almost half of all people hired will leave within the first five years. If that doesn't make all the other hoops you'll have to jump through seem worth it, then you don't belong in teaching.
Teaching is one of the most demanding and critical careers that exist today. Think of where you would be without ever having a teacher in your life. Think of a teacher who really made an impact on you—a teacher who changed your life in some way. Chances are, without that teacher, you wouldn't be reading this right now. You just have to decide if you want to be that person for someone else.
Need help finding the right teaching job (or career) for you?
Sign up for a 7-day FREE trial today and learn how to UNLEASH your true potential to get what you want from work!
In this article, I'm going to tell you how to make a great first impression when you get asked the question, "What do you do?" I've been teaching you the basics of how to craft this message. But now, we're going to dive a little deeper.
Just to do a quick recap, the first thing you need to know is to never, ever answer, "What do you do?" with your job title. It's a wasted opportunity.
Second, you need to answer these three questions:
The last thing you need to know is to incorporate and assess your personality and your workplace personas. How do you like to deliver value? Make sure that your answer incorporates those things.
A workplace persona is the way you best communicate with your colleagues and get work done. It's how you like to create value at work using your professional strengths. If you don't know what your workplace persona is, I've got the FREE quiz here!
In my case, I am a commander. I'm a take-charge kind of gal. But I'm also an energizer, which means I'm going to deliver with energy and I'm going to try to convey in my explanation that I'm a mentor. I really want to be a visionary. I want to change the world. I am an optimizer. That's the message I want to get across.
If you asked me the question, "What do you do?" I'm going to respond with something like this:
"Well, I love helping people grow their careers. In fact, I'm making it my mission this year to help 10 million people on TikTok grow their careers and land better jobs because school teaches us everything except how to get a job. I know that times are changing and people need this information."
That answer isn't perfect, but you get the point! You know why I'm taking charge of this and why it matters to me. Hopefully, that came across in a way that's more memorable to you.
Everyone has the opportunity to do this. You don't have to be outgoing, but you do have to understand what your workplace persona is and how to use it to your advantage.
Don't waste a valuable opportunity to build your reputation! People cringe when they hear "personal branding," but I can't say it enough. It's just reputation management.
Your reputation matters. And when a recession hits and you lose your job, that is not the time to start managing it. The time is now.
Don't know where to begin? Work It DAILY can help.
For a variety of reasons, baby boomers are staying in the workforce a lot longer. However, this demographic faces a number of challenges, including experience discrimination, an issue where baby boomers struggle to get employment opportunities because millennials have enough relevant experience to be just as valuable, but at less of a cost.
Because the pool of baby boomer employees has grown so significantly, employers are starting to change their views on the 65 and up demographic, and are at least giving them a closer look. Just because you are of a certain age doesn't mean your resume should reflect that age!
One of the keys to staying attractive to potential employers is to not look or act out of date—in person or on paper. This doesn't mean that you shouldn't use a photo on your LinkedIn profile. Profiles without pictures only make recruiters and potential employers wonder what you may be hiding. And the truth is they are going to meet you during the interview process. So there's no reason to hide.
Still, there are many ways you can date yourself without realizing it. Here are three ways your resume can make you look old.
Over the years, styles change. You wouldn't wear the same suit you wore 20 years ago. Unless you're a collector, the car you're driving looks a lot different too. The same is true for resumes. Having an objective statement on top of the resume used to be all the rage! They were used to let employers know that a candidate had some career direction.
Today, having an objective statement on your resume makes it seem obsolete. Maybe even worse than being outdated, an objective statement implies that your focus is on you.
Big mistake.
Like most of us, employers are listening to station WIIFM (what's in it for me?). They want to know how you can solve their problems. Removing your objective statement and creating a succinct experience summary (a list of skills at the top of your resume) updates your resume and puts the focus on what you can do for the employer.
via GIPHY
Back in the 90s, having an AOL email address indicated that you were ahead of the curve, an early adopter of new technology. That was last century. Today having an AOL email address, even a Yahoo email address, makes you look decidedly outdated.
The trendy email address to have today is Gmail. The good news is that Gmail is free and easy to join. No need to eliminate that old AOL email address—use it to keep up with friends and family.
When you do create a new email address, opt for one that sounds professional. For example, your name or a variation of your name that will look appropriate on your resume. Cutesy email addresses like talketome@ or carguy@ are best kept for personal use.
One thing that's sure not to impress potential employers is a resume filled with clichés. Every day recruiters get resumes from out-of-the-box thinkers and team players. Tired phrases like detail-oriented or excellent communication skills are not likely to impress anyone either. Neither are bullets that begin with responsible for or duties included.
You're much more likely to get a recruiter's attention by including examples that actually show what you can do. That means a resume that highlights your skills and achievements. A resume that illustrates how you saved time, saved money, generated income, etc. for a previous employer.
Will making these changes make you look 20 years younger? Not likely. Nor should you want them to, particularly if you are looking for a more senior position. But they will keep your resume looking fresh and up to date.
Remember: Your resume may be the first time a potential employer meets you. Shouldn't it reflect someone who's on top of their game, who's still relevant and in demand in their industry?
You want a job that's one or two levels higher than your current job. How do you apply? Well, definitely not through an ATS.
Applicant tracking systems (ATS) are designed to find exact matches, and if you are trying to land a higher-level job, you are not an exact match. But the good news is I can give you a workaround.
Lots of people get hired into higher-level positions, but not through applying online.
Step one in this process is to learn to go around the ATS. You need to connect with people who work at the company. Not the recruiter. Not even the hiring manager. You need to connect with people who would be your peers in the organization.
Then, you need to focus on step two, which is to tell a great connection story. A connection story is how you feel connected to the mission of the company. What would get you up out of bed every day and want to crush it for them? You need to identify with these people who would be your future peers.
After you've found a handful of future peers to connect with, put together this connection story and send it to them via LinkedIn. Ask them to connect. Here's an example of what that connection request message should look like:
"Hey! Can we connect? I have a story I'd love to share about your company."
Then, when they accept, message them and share the story about why you're a huge fan of the company, and that's why you're really interested in the XYZ position, the higher-level position.
This going to prompt them to check out your LinkedIn profile and more than likely just forward it to the hiring manager, saying something like, "Hey, this person reached out to me. They're interested in the job you've posted."
Why does this matter? Because the ATS is run by recruiters who are told to find exact matches, and they're going to screen you out. If your LinkedIn profile gets forwarded to the hiring manager from a person who works in a totally different department, you're not going through that same screening process as other applicants who apply online. In fact, they're elevating you because they're saying, "This person made the effort to reach out and tell me their story. You might be interested in them."
Now your story gets in front of the hiring manager, and the hiring manager thinks, "Oh, love the story. Looks like they might be able to do the job. Let me pass them to the recruiter." And then the recruiter sets up an interview because even though you're not a match, they were told by the hiring manager to do so.
I've seen a lot of people get higher-level jobs when they follow these two steps. But let me be clear: When you're applying online, there's no resume fix or cover letter or LinkedIn profile tip that I can give you that's going to get you through the ATS and get you a shot at that job because you don't meet the requirements.
If you believe you can do the job, you've got to tell a connection story and talk to other people in order to get in front of the hiring manager.
This job search strategy works. If you don't believe me, sign up for Work It DAILY where I'm working with thousands of job seekers right now—and these tips are working. Try us free for seven days.
These tips will help you conduct a proactive job search. It is a game changer, and it's really needed in this job market, especially if you're trying to get a higher-level job. You can do it, but you need new and better techniques to succeed. And I would love to teach them to you.
Unemployment: It's a situation that many fear that can lead to financial hardship and high levels of stress, anxiety, and low self-esteem. For anyone who has been laid off, had their employment terminated, or quit their job, facing down the barrel of unemployment is a scary prospect.
For whatever reason you are out of a job, being unemployed is no time to be complacent. Instead, look at your period of unemployment as an opportunity to reassess yourself as well as reinvent yourself. They say that as one door closes, another door opens. Use this period wisely and that other door may be a giant leap forward in your career path.
There are many strategies you can use to help you empower yourself, take control of your situation, and make the most of the time you have on your hands.
Here are four ways to take advantage of being unemployed.
Take an interest in what is happening in your community and get involved. Join one or more local community groups and volunteer some of your time and expertise. Volunteering always looks good on a resume and showing an active interest in your community will be positively viewed by employers.
In addition, volunteering gives you the opportunity to network with people from all walks of life, and this, in turn, could lead to your next job.
Good points of contact are your local Lions or Rotary clubs.
Keep your mind active by learning a new skill. Potential employers will look positively on the fact that you have been using your time wisely to keep up with industry changes or develop a new skill.
A great place to start is with free or low-cost online courses. If you find the courses you want to take cost a good amount of money, think of them as an investment in yourself.
In addition, pay attention to any industry developments in the news so that when it comes time to apply for that dream job, you are prepared to discuss not just your role but the industry at large and how the skills you've developed will help you succeed in that role.
At such a stressful time, you need to take extra care of yourself. There's no excuse now for putting off starting an exercise regimen because you don't have the time. You have plenty of it.
You don't have to join a gym or get a personal trainer. Take up running or cycling, go on expeditions to explore your local area, or simply create your own at-home daily exercise routine and stick to it. You'll look better, feel better, and feel less stressed—all of which will boost your confidence.
Now is definitely the time to update and polish your resume. If you've been in the same job for a long time, it might be a good idea to research the best way to optimize your resume so it gets past the ATS.
In addition, start improving your online presence by creating or updating your LinkedIn profile and joining professional industry groups. This is all a form of networking and a great way for you to find opportunities that may not be widely advertised.
Also, sign up for daily job alerts and make your interview bucket list. The more targeted your job search, the easier it will be to find a job.
So, are you feeling a bit better about being unemployed? We hope so! If you want to take advantage of being unemployed, you just have to follow the four tips above.
Remember: Don't view unemployment as a setback. Think of it as an opportunity to improve your career—because that's what it is!
Many job applicants prepare phenomenal resumes but fail to secure a physical interview. Oftentimes, this is because of improper phone etiquette, poor voice presentation, and bad voicemails.
Here are five things to remember before leaving your next voicemail if you want to make a good impression and increase your chances of getting an in-person interview.
In our digital age, the majority of communication with friends and family happens via text or other direct messages. Making a phone call seems like a cumbersome, slow, and inconvenient form of communication. However, people over the age of 35 are much more comfortable using the phone and they will commonly use it as a screening tool for applicants. But no matter the age of the hiring manager, most employers will schedule a phone interview with you before bringing you in for an in-person interview.
Phone interview skills are essential across all employment levels. High-powered consultants as well as café workers will all usually face a phone interview and need to use voicemail sometime during the interview process. This is your first contact with a potential employer and it is critical to make a fabulous impression.
Leaving an excellent voicemail begins by nurturing a good speaking voice. Speak slowly, clearly, and correctly. Use Dragon software or even the simple record feature on your phone to cultivate a good phone voice. This takes practice.
Prepare five outgoing messages in quick succession.
On the first, use your normal speaking voice and your usual outgoing message.
On the second, follow this text: “This is (your name). Press # to skip the rest of this message. I am currently unavailable. I check and answer voicemails after breakfast, lunch, and at 3:30 pm. Please leave a detailed message and I will get back to you as soon as possible.” (Vary the content of the message to your schedule but provide the listener with details about when you will be checking messages and calling them back.)
On the third outgoing message, purposely lower the tenor of your voice and speak again.
On the fourth outgoing message, consciously speak a little slower and remove "ums," "uhs," and any other common speech fillers.
On the fifth message, make your voice slower, lower, and speak clearly.
Wait at least four hours and then listen to all the renditions of your outgoing message. Then, record a final outgoing message using what you have learned by listening to your own voice. Listen to this sixth message the next day and if you are happy with the results keep it as your outgoing message.
When leaving a voicemail, always leave your full name and the job title of the position you are calling about at the beginning of the message. Then, leave the reason you are calling and your callback number, including the area code. Repeat the callback number and your name at the end of the voicemail.
Leave enough information in the body of your voicemail so that the listener can quickly separate you from the rest of the applicants. This can be as simple as, “This is John Jones, I submitted my resume two weeks ago on April 15th. I am returning your call dated May 10th requesting a personal interview.” Something more informal can also work.
The idea here is two-fold: make an impression and help the person on the other end quickly identify who you are and your reason for calling.
Leaving too little information is a common mistake. In a voicemail, there is room for at least one sentence after all the details to leave an impression. Do not drone on! The idea here is to leave something for the hiring manager that shows you are as interesting as you are interested. Something like:
“This is John Smith, I am calling about the job that you had listed to work in the herpetology lab at the Natural History Museum. I sent you my resume last week. My callback number is (913) 244-8022. If your department can handle another crazy guy with an excellent Godzilla movie collection, I’m your man. Again, my name is John Smith and my number is (913) 244-8022.”
Craft your lines carefully and appropriately. Herpetologists are scientists who study reptiles and amphibians and they notoriously love Godzilla movies. The comment above reflects research as well as the personality of the applicant.
The next time you need to leave a voicemail in your job search, remember these five tips. With a well-executed voicemail, you'll make a good first impression and increase your chances of landing an in-person interview. Practice makes perfect!
Not sure of the right way to send your cover letter to employers? There are some critical things you should keep in mind.
You already understand how important it is to write a disruptive cover letter for each position. But how do you send your cover letter to employers without making a mistake?
Here are three tips for successfully sending your cover letter to employers.
Always send your cover letter as a PDF so your formatting doesn't get screwed up, unless you're instructed differently by the employer. Why? Because your attachments can be sent to multiple people within the company and you don't want your amazing cover letter to get lost at the bottom of an email chain.
So, let's make things easy. Saving and sending your cover letter as a PDF should be the default. There will be less confusion on their end and you can be sure that your cover letter is being viewed in the correct format and won't take away from the appeal of your entire job application.
Proofread your cover letter at least three times. If you think you've proofread it enough, do it once more. This is one of your first impressions. Make it a good one! Don't let typos or grammatical errors hurt your brand.
It also doesn't hurt to have another set of eyes review your cover letter before you send it to an employer. Ask a trusted friend or colleague to proofread your cover letter and give any feedback they may have on formatting, sentence structure, or clarity. Does the story you tell in your cover letter convey everything you want to say effectively, without spelling and grammatical errors?
Don't put the email address in until you're 100% sure your message is perfect. You don't want to accidentally send in your job application without attaching your cover letter or reviewing its contents one more time.
Bonus tip: Your email message should be your cover letter unless the employer specifically says to attach your cover letter to the email.
Writing and sending cover letters to employers can be tricky. Follow these three tips to ensure your cover letter makes a great first impression.
The latest AI advancements enable easier expression of individuality by harnessing our unique knowledge and experiences. With AI, harnessing our distinct knowledge and experiences becomes easier. These advancements empower us to amplify our uniqueness, fostering a world where each person's distinctiveness is celebrated and utilized to its fullest potential.
How we interact with computers has changed over time. We went from punchcards to command line interfaces to graphical user interfaces. Each iteration has expanded the accessibility of computers to a broader audience.
The first commercial computer, UNIVAC I, was purchased to help with the US Census data in the 1950s. It weighed over 7 tons and needed an army of people to operate using punchcards. By the 80s, kids at home played Oregon Trail on IBM PC at home via command line interfaces on MS-DOS. Now, people interact with computers in their pockets graphically with their fingers as they walk.
The latest advancement in AI, known as LLM (large language model), unlocks two key superpowers: programming via natural language and learning from user preference for more personalized experiences (Yingqiang Ge, et al, 2023). These two key superpowers will enable more people to program computers using everyday language and tailor their interactions to suit their preferences. These breakthroughs will empower users to shape computer behavior according to their unique desires, making technology more accessible and personalized for all.
Personalized experience means tailoring things to suit my unique preferences and interests. I love traveling. I am all about discovering unique and a little obscure experiences over taking Instagram-perfect pictures. I follow Mitra (@travelbymitra) because she's a wealth of knowledge when it comes to off-the-beaten-path destinations like Galleria Sciarra, tucked away near the Trevi Fountain.
Let’s imagine Mitra has her own AI travel agent packed with all that insider info. With AI, she could create a personalized itinerary just for me. I'd simply tell my own AI agent to team up with hers, and voila—a customized travel plan tailored to my tastes. Plus, thanks to AI's adaptability, we could tweak the itinerary on the fly, adjusting for things like traffic or those last-minute restaurant finds on day two of the trip. It's like having a travel buddy who knows exactly what I like, helping me make the most of every adventure.
In the previous evolution of human-computer interfaces, we standardized and trained people to interact with computers in specific ways: cntr+alt+del to restart, click this button to send an email, pinch-and-zoom to enlarge a picture, etc. These actions became routine because software developers determined them to offer the best user experience, and users were trained to follow suit. Essentially, we fit users into predetermined steps in order to interact with the computers.
Exciting new possibilities emerge with the latest AI advancements. Individuals now have novel avenues to train computers to behave according to their preferences, embracing the unique characteristics of each person. This shift opens the door to a future where technology enriches the lives of individuals in meaningful ways, and I'm eager to see what lies ahead.
Did you ever leave a job interview feeling like it didn't go so well? Self-doubt can creep in as soon as you walk out the door. Little things nag at you like your posture, tone, and the answers you gave.
You can turn these negative experiences into positive ones and become better at interviews.
Every setback in life is an opportunity to learn, and there are multiple things that you can learn from a bad job interview that could lead to success in the next one.
Here's what you need to do to recover from your mistakes and put yourself in a position to ace your next job interview.
After the interview is over, take a step back and think about the interview.
Write what you feel may have gone wrong. Putting your thoughts on paper after the interview gives them the most validity. This is when raw emotions come out and your thoughts are true. After a couple of days, revisit what you wrote. Look at your entries completed in the heat of the moment. Reflecting on these thoughts with a clear head can help you focus on how to develop your interviewing skills.
It also may be helpful to talk to a friend or professional acquaintance about your poor interview experience and get their feedback.
The job interview can be a crucible. It is a source of stress for most job seekers. The thought of saying something wrong or not presenting yourself correctly can be taxing in an already nerve-wracking job search. However, stress and adversity can make you stronger going forward in any job interview process.
Think about what you did that went well. Did you explain situations you were in through solid storytelling? Reflect on what parts of interviews you were most comfortable in. Think about your approach and mindset in these areas. Develop an interview strategy with this as your foundation.
Many great figures in sports set up a routine before every game. Whether it's because they are superstitious or not, there is a level of comfort in doing something familiar. It eases their minds and gets them into the flow of the game. Develop your own routine for yourself with job interviews.
Set up a consistent practice routine where you dedicate a certain amount of time on a daily basis to preparing for the interview. Try to do at least one mock interview with a trusted friend or colleague.
The morning of an interview, go for a run, read, or do something you enjoy that gets your mind off the interview. Develop a routine and set your own flow, and you will improve in the job interview.
You should not only send a brief thank-you note after the interview thanking the company for the opportunity to interview for the job, but you should also send a brief thank-you note after receiving a job rejection.
A job rejection can be an opportunity to get some feedback—just don't be too pushy about it.
In responding to the rejection, once again thank them for the opportunity to interview, express disappointment for not getting the job, but congratulate them on finding the right candidate. You can then ask them if there's anything that you can do to improve as a candidate and stay on their radar for future opportunities.
If they respond, it's free feedback! If not, just let it go and move one.
Everyone has made mistakes in job interviews. The important thing is to learn from them and focus your efforts on improving. Follow the tips above to recover from a bad job interview and ensure success in your next one.
Whether you're a college student trying to figure out where your true calling lies, an experienced professional getting back to work, or someone just looking for a career in another field, you need to make your choice carefully. With women making considerable strides in fields that were previously male-dominated, the lines of career limitations have blurred.
There are more career choices available to women now than ever before. A woman plays many roles—sister, daughter, friend, wife, mother, confidante, breadwinner, and so on. You, being a multitasking woman, need to find a career that not only pays you well but allows you to be a career woman without having to compromise on any of these roles.
If you think this is impossible, think again!
Lots of women have found careers that balance beautifully with their family/personal life. So, now that you know it isn't unthinkable to achieve work-life balance, how about making it happen for yourself?
With a plethora of options, you may have a tough time deciding which career would be most suitable for you. Of course, no two women are the same and neither are their choices. However, some careers provide women with the best opportunity to achieve both career success and work-life balance.
Here are the top eight career choices for women.
The careers women are happiest in are entrepreneurship, IT, medicine, teaching, human resources, psychology, interior design, and media—due to career opportunities, average salary, and overall career satisfaction.
According to this article from College Consensus, these are the most popular highest-paying careers for women and their average salaries:
For women who want a chance to do what they really love doing, and who have always dreamed of starting their own business, entrepreneurship could be the perfect career.
Wouldn't it be great to work from a place of your choice and on your own time? This would give you the flexibility to allocate time to your business and family as needed.
This is also one of the biggest challenges you will ever take up in your life as every decision will rest on your shoulders. Your employees would depend on you for their livelihood. Hence, this is also a great way to contribute to society.
Being an entrepreneur lets you be in charge because it is you who runs the show. Instead of putting in efforts to generate profits for other companies, why not channel those efforts towards creating greater profits for yourself?
With IT companies starting up and mushrooming rapidly, it's little wonder that this field has become so popular among women.
Young women can take up a career in the IT sector after earning a certificate or bachelor's degree in an applicable field, like computer science, informational technology, and cyber security. There are also many programs available to women of all ages who want to learn how to code—one of the most useful and in-demand skills in today's job market.
The ease and excitement of working on the internet, designing software and apps, and implementing IT solutions for businesses, security, gaming, smartphones, etc. could be a huge draw. This is another field where you can make a difference as well as earn good money.
Whether you choose to be a pharmacist, a surgeon, or a nurse, a career in the medical field provides women with the ability to achieve career success and wealth. Plus, there's good job security.
As a qualified professional, you will always be in high demand, and once you've gained significant work experience, there's no looking back.
Teaching has always been considered one of the most women-friendly careers as it allows women to spend sufficient time with their families, de-stress, go on vacations, and balance home and work. It's also one of the most rewarding and important careers anyone can choose to pursue.
The best part of being in the teaching field is that recession or no recession, your skills will always be sought after.
This field is perfect for women who have a penchant for working in the corporate world and interacting with people to solve organizational issues.
The job involves shortlisting and interviewing candidates, hiring and training them, setting their pay, benefits, and perks, designing appraisal systems, formulating policies and leave structures, looking after employee welfare, and settling disputes.
Every large organization needs qualified and experienced HR personnel, and they are paid quite well too.
No one solves problems like a woman does.
Given the fact that most women are good observers, empathetic listeners, and great communicators (all soft skills employers want in employees), they're sure to excel as psychologists or therapists.
A career in this field allows you to help those struggling to overcome many different personal and family problems. With substantial work experience, you can stand to make a lot of money and even charge on an hourly basis.
You've probably put a lot of thought and effort into designing your home and making it look stunning. From selecting the perfect hangers for the closet to picking out the most exquisite lampshade, you know what it takes to make a home beautiful.
Now, how about extending this talent a little further and helping others make their homes look gorgeous too? A career in interior design is a great option for women who are creative, organized, and detail-oriented—who don't want a boring office job.
As you develop your career as an interior designer, you also gain the flexibility to pick your clients and appointments and get paid immensely well.
For women who are creative, good at communication, and love research, media is the place to be.
All companies nowadays have (or should have) social media accounts that need managing, in addition to their primary marketing and PR departments, so this field is only growing.
Writing, advertising, public relations, journalism, photography—there are many choices available for women who want to pursue a career in media.
Women today can achieve it all, from financial independence to a family, and from a progressive career to a great personal and social life. And, why not? Your decisions have the potential to give you all that you desire.
So, make sure you decide well!
Take our FREE quizzes to figure out what careers will leverage your strengths and make you happy.
The Career Decoder Quiz will help you determine what your workplace persona is. That means you'll get a sense of who you are as a working professional and what makes you thrive at work. You'll find out how you like to create value and what your professional strengths are, which will help you find the right career for YOU.
The Communication Style (ISAT) Quiz allows you to understand your communication style so you can work more effectively with others. It has 18 questions about your personality and how you handle certain situations. You deserve to know this information about yourself so you can unleash your career potential and get what you want from work.
If you have an idea of the career you want to pursue but are struggling to find a job, become a Work It DAILY member today (FREE for 7 days!) and we'll help you get results—fast.
Every day, millions of job seekers find themselves struggling to understand one big question: What does it take to actually get a job offer? Interviews come and go but no job offers. What gives?
The whole job search process has changed so much in the past few years. But at the end of the day, there is one thing that has not changed at all: You can only get a job offer as a result of your performance in a job interview. However, if you don't have a fundamental understanding of who actually gets job offers, it doesn't really make a difference if you land five or 50 job interviews. It'll be tough to land a job.
Here's a little insight on how hiring managers make decisions...
When hiring managers sit down together to decide which candidate gets a job offer, the decision is not likely going to be made based on any one candidate's education, qualifications, work experience, or hard skills. Occasionally, one or more of those could play a part in breaking a tie between two great candidates, but that doesn't happen all that often.
Here's the truth: Some people who are clearly less qualified than you are get the job offer.
In an attempt to be the most impressive candidate, many job seekers search online for the most common interview questions and then spend time compiling their best stories so they can give great answers that show they have the skills to do the job. But by the time you get past the phone interview (and especially when you get to the second interview and beyond), it's not really about whether or not you meet the requirements set forth in the job posting anymore. It's already been determined that you are qualified enough.
Pulling out your best stories is a good idea, but it skips over a key component. Hiring managers don't just want to know what you did in previous jobs. They are also looking very closely at how you did it. Hiring managers are very interested in knowing who you are as a person—your work ethic, your attitude, your work style, your people skills, and whether or not you will fit into the workplace culture and be a big asset to it.
If two managers are trying to make a hiring decision, the following is a representation of a typical conversation:
Manager 1: "Wow! Mike has 10 years of experience and a master's degree, but I was more impressed with Jeff. Wasn't that a great interview? He doesn't have the experience but he has the passion, a great attitude, and the drive that we need around here. And he has a lot of great ideas! His enthusiasm was contagious! I sensed that Mike sees this job as more of a way to just collect a paycheck. I also get the feeling he might be resistant to our way of doing things. Didn't he seem pretty set in his ways? I think he might be burnt out or something. I think I can get Jeff up to speed in no time. Staci was good too, but I say we go with Jeff."
Manager 2: "I agree. I admit, I am a little concerned that Jeff has only three years of experience since we decided we needed someone with at least five years. But he seems to really know his stuff so I think I am okay there. I love how he talked about how important his own personal development is—he's the type who will probably train himself. You are right on with Mike. I didn't sense that in the first interview but I did in this one. He seems like the guy who wouldn't do much outside of his job description. And while he could step right in and do the job, we definitely need more positive energy around here. I liked Staci too. What are your thoughts on her?"
Manager 1: "I like Staci and she could be the right person, but having Jeff and Staci's interview back to back really showed some of Staci's deficiencies. She could easily do the job. She didn't say anything that was overly concerning, but she just doesn't have that energy—the enthusiasm—that Jeff has. He seems to have a lot more ambition than she does. It just doesn't seem like this job excites her as much. Jeff seems excited about what we do here and has a personal interest in it and that's important. Also, I am not certain she'll fit in. Remember when she talked about that project she worked on with four others but then said she did 90% of the work? She had a reasonable explanation but I don't know if I buy it. Plus, she did seem focused on questions about work hours and flex time. I just feel like Jeff will really run with this job and turn it into something great. I would like to extend an offer to him."
Manager 2: "You'll be his manager, so if you are certain, I will support that."
That is a key question to ask yourself. Do you express your positive attitude, enthusiasm, excitement, and stellar work habits? How will hiring managers describe you, as a person, after you leave?
Soft skills are critical and it's not enough to say you have them. Most people say they are a positive person and will work very hard to get the job done right. That does nothing for you if you don't prove it.
If you want to impress, hiring managers must be able to feel those words and see how you displayed those characteristics in the past. Show enthusiasm in your tone—raise it up a few levels! Be expressive and show excitement. Show you care about the work by giving examples. Show how you always put forth your best effort in everything you do by giving clear examples of excellence in past jobs (quantify your accomplishments). Show ways you went above and beyond and express why excellence is important to you.
However, there is one critical question that plays the biggest part in making this work for you: Are you that person?
Most people know they should present themselves in this way but many just say who they are and don't show it. Some are people who don't even have positive attitudes. And many of these people go into interviews and try to fake it. Some people are really good at it. Many others are not so good. But for the most part, a lot of hiring managers can see right through it.
By far, the most effective way to express positivity, enthusiasm, and excellence is having it in you to express—it has to be real to have a significant impact. And that only happens when you truly feel connected to the company and its mission. (What companies are on your interview bucket list?) If that's what hiring managers want to see in you, then it should go without saying that they also expect it from you on the job. If those words don't describe you, taking some time to work on your own personal development in this area should be a top priority on your to-do list.
When it's all said and done, hiring managers need to be wowed by you! While your skills and expertise matter, companies actually hire for three things: personality, aptitude, and experience (in that order). If you want to stand out and get job offers, then show up at the interview and give them your best self so that when you leave, they already know they want you to come back.
Do you know what evidence-based hiring is? Well, it's going to directly impact how you get a job in the future. If you want to understand evidence-based hiring so that you can make sure you're standing out to employers, continue reading...
Evidence-based hiring is a result of the broken hiring system that we have today. Right now, we send a text-based resume and cover letter and fill out a text-based application online, and all of that goes to a recruiter who, for example, is getting anywhere from 100 to 500 to even a thousand applicants for one job opening.
Recently, I talked to a recruiter who got 500 applicants and had to sort through them all and then rank them based on the criteria the hiring manager gave them. Then, they took the top 10 resumes and passed them on to the hiring manager. The hiring manager started calling these people and interviewing them. All 10 of them didn't move on in the hiring process. All 10 of them weren't qualified (or a good match) for the role. The resumes they sent in were so overdone. They weren't authentic and they didn't talk about their true skill level.
People are now using ChatGPT and other AI tools to write their resumes. When the candidates' true skills and experience don't match the resumes they sent in, the hiring manager and recruiter have to start the whole hiring process over again. This is a broken system, and this scenario is exactly why companies are shifting to evidence-based hiring.
Companies are now asking themselves, "What can we do upfront to get the evidence to authenticate that every candidate is who they say they are?"
ChatGPT has sped up the death of the resume. So many people are using it to fake their qualifications profiles and it's frustrating the heck out of hiring managers. In response to this, companies are moving to asynchronous video interviews—they send you a link, you click on it, and you record videos answering specific questions that will authenticate you and prove with evidence that you know what you're talking about. Then, hiring managers will evaluate those videos instead of a resume, and then you may move forward in the interview process.
Video in the hiring process is here to stay. Companies have to be able to authenticate talent when there's a sea of text-based applications that all look the same.
If you want to stand out in the evidence-based hiring process, you need to get proactive with video, and the way you do that is by using tools like McCoy. It's a free phone app that you can download that will let you choose what you want to share in 60-second reels. You record a video and then you get a URL that you can send off to a hiring manager to introduce yourself or include at the top of your resume or put it in other places so they can open it up and watch you and know that you are who you say you are and can do what you say you can do.
Evidence-based hiring is here to stay, and the sooner you lean into this and authenticate yourself, the better off you're going to be. You can prolong it for as long as you want, but evidence-based hiring is the new normal because the system has been broken for too long. So, however you choose to do it, you are going to need to have more evidence because a text-based profile or resume or application isn't going to cut it anymore. If you want to take control of your job search, you're better off downloading a phone app like McCoy and using it so that you can control your first impression and your messaging. It'll be the best decision you make in your job search.
And, as always, I'm here if you need help with your job search. Become a Work It DAILY member today (FREE for 7 days!).
Thinking about returning to the workforce? Whether you took some time off to see the world, care for a family member, or raise your kids, you're probably feeling a little rusty at the whole job search thing.
You might also have a few questions: Where do I start? How can I make myself relevant again? How do I deal with my resume gaps?
Not to worry. You're not the only one in this situation.
People have to leave and return to the workforce every day. Life happens! If you want to get back to work as soon as possible though, you need to build a strong job search strategy. Otherwise, you will have a hard time marketing yourself to employers.
Here are some tips from Amanda Augustine, career advice expert for TopResume, that you can use to get back on the job after being MIA for several years.
It's important to be crystal clear on your job goals before you jump into your job search. It will save you a ton of time, energy, and frustration if you have a target to work toward. If you just try to "wing it," you'll have a hard time marketing yourself to employers. Moreover, it will be hard to nail down an opportunity that's truly satisfying for you.
"Before you launch into your job search," says Augustine, "do a little soul-searching and clarify your job goals. You may find that a corporate job may no longer hold its appeal or that you're extremely passionate about your recent volunteer work and would like to pursue a career in that area instead."
"Remember, just because you haven't received a paycheck in a while doesn't mean you haven't gained skills worth bragging about," says Augustine. Think about what you bring to the table. What skills do you have to offer? What are you good at? What have you done in the past?
Think about your skills and make a list. This will help you get a sense of where you stand in terms of qualifications. Plus, it will help you brand/market yourself more effectively.
After you've taken an inventory of your skills and clearly understand what you have to offer, it's time to look at areas where you could improve. "Invest in your career by seeking opportunities to bolster the skill sets your target employers care most about," says Augustine. "This is also a great way to brush up on skills you haven't had to use in a while or familiarize yourself with a new technology that's now commonplace in your industry."
Look at the industry and job postings to get an idea of where you need to upskill in order to be a qualified candidate. If you've been out of the workforce for a few years, it's likely there are a few areas you need to upskill in. Are there any new technologies you should learn? Are there any new skills you need? Identify weak areas of your personal brand so you can strengthen them and stand out to employers.
When you've been out of the game for a while, it's crucial to have people on your team who are willing to help you out. You need people in your corner who know what you can do and can advocate for you. Having those third-party testimonials or recommendations can really reinforce your potential to employers. This is especially important when you have resume gaps or have been out of a job for a long time.
"Make a concerted effort to reconnect with former colleagues, clients, vendors, and alumni from your alma mater who work in your industry," says Augustine. And don't just focus on your professional connections to help you out. Your family and friends can also be great resources for you, according to Augustine.
"Don't discount your personal connections during the job hunt," says Augustine. "Whether you're cheering in the stands at your son's baseball game or leading your daughter's Girl Scout troop, family activities are networking goldmines. Use these opportunities to get to get to know the other parents. You'll be amazed at who you could meet at your child's dance recital or karate lesson."
As someone who's coming back into his or her field after being out for a while, it's very important that you brush up on industry news and trends. You don't want to appear clueless during interviews because you didn't hear about that super important thing that affected the company to which you're applying.
Augustine suggests subscribing to relevant online publications and setting up Google News Alerts on the major players in your field and other industry terms. That way, you can get automatic updates on the news and trends in your industry.
Returning to the workforce can be scary and stressful. Make your life a little easier by building a plan of attack that will get you back on the bike as soon as possible.
The past 18 months have painted a picture of economic ambiguity, with predictions ranging from smooth landings to potential recessions. Geopolitical tensions add further complexity, making future outcomes elusive. While perfect foresight remains out of reach, proactive risk management can equip mid-size growth companies to navigate these uncertainties and achieve resilient growth.
Regional banks, traditionally a financing mainstay for mid-size companies, are facing constraints, leading to tighter credit and higher borrowing costs. This necessitates exploring alternative financing solutions like private credit, even though they may differ from traditional bank loans in terms of structure and cost. Equity financing, while dilutive, might become a last resort. Asset-backed lending offers possibilities for asset-intensive companies, but collateral risks require careful consideration.
As interest rates rise, companies must prioritize debt reduction and focus on value creation for both customers and shareholders. A comprehensive understanding of the value chain within each business unit is crucial, enabling informed capital allocation and ROI maximization. Operational efficiencies alone won't suffice. A C-suite equipped to understand and leverage the "value equation" is essential for driving growth through strategic investments, sales, and capital deployment.
The current geopolitical climate poses challenges, but proactive mitigation strategies can lessen their impact. While predicting specific outcomes remains impossible, companies can identify and address supply chain vulnerabilities through comprehensive assessments and diversification strategies. This includes diversifying sourcing locations, suppliers, and production facilities. Additionally, contingency planning, buffer stocks, and contractual flexibility offer further safeguards in this complex global landscape.
Justifying IT investments in a cost-sensitive environment demands clear demonstrations of cost savings and business value. For mid-size companies, this challenge becomes even more crucial. Trade-offs between IT security, infrastructure upgrades, and other needs are likely to arise. Identifying and prioritizing critical IT needs that directly support growth is essential. Continuous tracking and communication of the value delivered by IT investments are key to securing future funding.
The post-pandemic era has redefined the traditional office environment, presenting challenges for company culture and talent acquisition/retention. Creating or maintaining a strong culture while embracing hybrid work arrangements is paramount. Aligning values and fostering engagement when staff are physically dispersed requires open communication and hard conversations about roles, compensation, and expectations. While small and mid-size companies can operate remotely, sustained growth often necessitates fostering a strong in-person element as well.
As the U.S. economy recalibrates to a 3.5% to 4% interest rate environment, mid-size growth companies reliant on regional bank financing must adapt. Exploring alternative financing solutions, stabilizing supply chains, building a strong culture, retaining talent, and driving innovation are crucial for navigating this new reality and achieving sustainable growth.
Below are examples of consulting interventions to address these challenges: