Passenger Or Pilot: Which One Are You?
It's easy to think we are all doing what we can to take control of our careers. However, this article points out a misconception some people have: thinking they lack control over certain aspects of their career. Or worse, not even bothering to try to take control.
In our careers, we are either a:
A) Passenger - an employee held hostage by golden handcuffs.
B) Pilot - a business-of-one who is in charge of their destiny.
I can see why being a passenger in your career might be attractive. You get to leave the scary, intense work of navigating to the pilot. But is that what you really want? Currently, I'm seeing a shift in our workforce's mentality.
More and more people are seeking professional emancipation as part of the natural evolution of the employee. They are tired of being a passenger and want to learn how to become the pilot of their career. That being said, here are seven tips for those seeking to become an ultra-successful professional...
Your career has equity. Recognize it and start to determine how to use it to your advantage.
Inventory your assets as a professional and determine who is willing to pay top dollar for them. If you don't have valuable skill sets that are in demand, start acquiring some.
You must negotiate with employers. Don't take what is given to you without a discussion. An employer is a customer who is always looking for the best deal, and you're the business-of-one providing a service for them. You want to do business with a customer willing to pay for the quality of work you provide.
Learn to effectively negotiate salary, perks, and other benefits so you feel good about the partnership. You don't work "for" an employer. You work "with" an employer.
Remember that doing things well is more important than doing new things.
Get focused on building your expertise and understanding how you are the aspirin to an employer's pain. You must be great at a few things, rather than okay at a bunch of things. What is your specialty as a business-of-one?
Look for the smartest people you can work with. Find companies you admire and respect. Not for their pay and benefits package, but for the kind of products or services they deliver.
You must seek your professional tribe and partner with them to up your career game.
Want to do better in your career? Don't be so self-centered. It's not about your needs and wants.
Instead, focus on the needs, wants, and business objectives of the people you are partnering with. You'll be able to offer more value and get more in return if you do. They are your customer. Exceed their expectations and you'll have them eating out of your hand.
Get yourself in a financial position that enables you to quit a job and survive without income for one year. Every job is temporary. You may lose a job. You may want to leave a job. In either case, having the security of savings will give you the power to make the best decisions for your business-of-one.
Who wants to stay in a bad situation just for the money? Ask anyone who held on to a life-sucking job only to get laid off how that worked for them. They'll tell you they wish they could have left at the first sign of trouble.
There is no real failure. We experience, learn, and grow. Stop playing it safe and start embracing your fear. As the old saying goes, "Life begins where your comfort zone ends." You will not survive and thrive in your career if you don't constantly learn new things.
Making mistakes teaches us what not to do. That's a good thing! Stop worrying about what others think and start worrying about what will happen if you don't take control.
I hope these tips help you build good habits in your career so you can become an ultra-successful professional. How are you taking ownership of your career today?
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This article was originally published at an earlier date.
You've probably heard the term best fit or ideal candidate quite a bit if you've been applying for new jobs, submitting college applications, or simply sifting through your long-term career goals. Employers know who they want, and usually what they want, in the hiring process. However, sometimes that's not always clear on the other end and candidates can find themselves with many mixed messages.
Aspiring to be the perfect fit for a new position is a job in itself. After all, nobody's perfect, and everyone is unique. But what do you do when you've received the infamous rejection email for the umpteenth time? How will you possibly bounce back from not being the best fit after nailing the first or second interview, time and time again?
Here are a few ways to grow as a candidate and own not being the ideal fit:
If you can't express appreciation or thanks to the hiring manager after receiving the job rejection, then you need to take a step back and go for a walk.
Never communicate with a recruiter, hiring manager, or anyone else in the hiring process while under the influence of anger. You may say something that could damage your reputation and cripple your career. It's okay to feel hurt after putting in time for an opportunity you really wanted, but save those emotional feelings for close friends or family.
Following the job rejection, it's okay to ask the hiring manager for some feedback about what you were lacking as a candidate, and how you can improve for future job opportunities.
When asking a hiring manager for feedback, it's important to be professional and not too pushy about it. If they don't respond, or decline to respond, just let it go. Not everyone is comfortable with or has time to give feedback.
However, if they do provide feedback, the information could be invaluable.
Not only is it good to know who you're competing against, but it's also good to assess what other candidates have in common, and what traits your dream company looks for in candidates. Why? Because you'll be able to better understand if you fit in.
For example, if you have a hard time taking charge of tasks on your own but find yourself applying for jobs that offer little structure or support, you might not be the ideal candidate for the job.
Let's say you didn't get the design job of your dreams despite having a portfolio with years of obvious hard work. So what? Use rejection as a way to perfect your skills and toughen your skin. Maybe you were just one year shy of the necessary job requirements, or maybe your skill set needs some fine-tuning.
This is all perfectly okay. Sometimes we don't get the things we want because we're not ready. Remember, the company isn't saying "No, not ever." They're actually saying "No, not today." You could re-apply to the same company later on and get the job. It's important to keep the lines of communication open.
Don't let your job search get in the way of your personal growth. There are always opportunities available for professional development and upskilling—you just always have to be open to those opportunities.
Just because you weren't the ideal candidate initially, doesn't mean you won't be in the future.
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It can be hard to turn down a job offer, especially if you're currently unemployed. But just because you got an offer doesn't mean the job or the company is the right fit for you.
Even getting an interview in a competitive job market is an achievement in itself, but you need to be very clear from the start of the interview process what the most important aspects of the job are to you and then prioritize them accordingly.
Obviously, salary is important, especially if you're not working right now, but we're all looking for different things. For some, it might be the work-life balance that is the most important; for others, a culture that fosters innovation, or maybe location or opportunities to grow and develop.
Most of us have had an experience of the job not turning out to be as promised during the interview process. But how do you know if you've found your perfect company? How do you determine what the red flags are, which means that the job might not be a good fit for you long term?
Here are some signs a company might not be right for you:
As much as you need to impress a prospective employer during the interview process, the employer also needs to impress you. If the hiring manager is half an hour late or rushing around, this can be a sign of what the work culture is like and it shows that bringing in new talent clearly isn't a priority.
You want to connect with your interviewer on some level during the hiring process. That will be impossible to do if they're disorganized and not giving you the time of day.
No matter what happens in your interview, if you're left with a bad taste in your mouth after interacting with your interviewer, that's a red flag that shouldn't be ignored.
If you're not going to get on well with your boss, chances are you won't enjoy your work. Ask yourself whether you have a good feeling about the person who will be your manager. Will they offer you good feedback and career advice when needed? Do they know how they will measure your performance on the job? Are they approachable?
If you don't feel your prospective manager is someone you want to work with, you might want to think twice before accepting their offer.
Even before the interview, there is a lot of research you can do to determine if the company is a safe bet for you. You might want to look at the changes the company has gone through in the last few years to get a sense of its stability and general direction. You might also want to research current and previous employees on LinkedIn to see what their career path has been and how long they've stayed in the job. You might even want to reach out to previous employees in similar roles to find out their reasons for leaving.
Also, have a look at what the employees are saying about the company on Glassdoor. I remember seeing a job posting that looked great, but before applying, I went to Glassdoor to read reviews of others who had interviewed with the company. Every single review was negative and provided specific details. Needless to say, I did not apply.
We all have different work preferences. Some prefer to work in an open office space, which is probably noisier but offers more interaction between employees. Some companies have a lot of cubicles and separate offices. It provides quieter spaces to work but also less interaction with others. Other companies have a remote workforce, so could you handle working from home every day?
Does the layout of the company suit you? If you're social and like interacting with others during the day and you're stuck in a tiny office, you won't enjoy it.
It's easy to ignore red flags in the hiring process when you're desperate for a job. To figure out whether a company is really the right fit for you, make sure you consider the four points above before accepting any job offer.
There are a lot of things job seekers add to their resumes that they don't actually need. In some cases, these things hurt a job seeker's chances of landing an interview.
If you're asking yourself, "Do I need these things on my resume?" take a look at the things job seekers should and should not include on their resumes.
An objective or mission statement used to be the right header for your resume. Today, it's obsolete.
Instead, utilize an experience summary. This is a list of your skills and requirements that are needed for a certain job. They're hard skills and transferrable skills, and they will help optimize your resume with keywords so it can get past the ATS.
Once it does that, it will be in the hands of the hiring manager, and they'll be impressed by your qualifications at first glance. It will also compel them to continue reading further about your successes and job history.
References should not be included on a resume. If a job posting requires you to submit a few references, create a separate document and add them in there instead. Then, attach your resume and references (saved as separate documents) to the job application or attach them to an email to the hiring manager.
In the hiring process, references are important. But how you distribute those references matters more than you think.
Having a professional image and a great personal brand isn't just about your social media accounts. Your email address should be professional as well and easy to comprehend.
Consider creating a separate email account for job-hunting purposes. You will find it easier to track the applications you've sent and any potential leads and lessen the risk of accidentally deleting emails you've misread as junk mail.
Your resume must contain quantifiable work experience and accomplishments that support the very skill sets you state you possess. Without them, you are simply providing opinions with no facts to back them up.
If you are great at driving explosive business growth or saving companies money, make sure that your resume contains monetary amounts, figures, or other numbers to display those skills. A good rule of thumb to follow is to make sure every bullet point contains at least one number. If you can't quantify it, it doesn't belong on your resume.
When crafting your resume, consider these four important tips. Remember, you have less than 10 seconds to get the hiring manager's attention. Make your resume worth those few seconds.
Years ago, I was interviewing for a job. As many of you know, when you go through the interview process, you start with the recruiter, and then you meet with the manager, and then you meet with some of your peers—if you're lucky. Then, at the end of the interview process, you might meet with the highest-ranking executives. So in this case, I met with the CEO.
I knew I was doing okay because I was getting through each round of interviews. So, I go into the CEO's office. I don't know what to expect. It's a startup company. He's sitting there in a t-shirt and sweatpants. He's eating cereal and has his feet up on his desk. He says, "Come sit down." Then, he proceeds to interview me while he eats cereal, his feet still up on the desk.
There I am in my suit, answering all the questions, and, finally, he asks, "So do you have any questions for me?"
And I said, "Yeah. What keeps you up at night?"
The CEO stops eating his cereal, looks at me, and says, "I'm sorry. What?"
I respond, "When it comes to this business, what is keeping you up at night about its success? And how will the job that you're considering me for, how will the job that I do, impact the ability to solve for that?"
His face goes blank, he takes his feet off the desk, and he puts his cereal down. My heart starts to pound. Then, all of a sudden, he turns and looks at me. He leans in and says, "Hmm, let me think about that."
Now I'm thinking, "Oh my gosh, I just blew it."
Then, he gets really serious and starts to explain how this job impacts that ability. Then, he starts singing. Eventually, the interview ended and I went home thinking, "What did I just do?"
I got myself a job.
He told them that I should be hired because anyone who understands that their job impacts every level of the organization—and that they should be thinking about that impact—understands the value of the work that they need to do, and would do a good job. That's what he told the hiring manager. And the hiring manager told me.
So that gamble paid off. It not only taught me how important it is to ask questions in an interview but also how important it is to ask the right questions to the right people.
If you want to stand out in the interview process and land the job, try asking this question in your next job interview. It's all about understanding and relieving an employer's pain points.
With such a competitive job market, it makes sense to work on the way that you present yourself and come across to prospective employers. There are many different things you can do in this respect, but we have come up with five ways that should be easy enough for you to implement.
If you use the tips listed below, you should be on your way to making yourself a more attractive job candidate, and could even land the job you have been lusting after...
The first thing you will want to look at is your resume or CV, as this is the document that an HR team will scrutinize and analyze to get an idea of you and your skills. There are many resources online that can be used to improve your resume or CV, and there may also be clinics and seminars held in your local area or online. It is also worth asking your friends and family if they know any recruitment specialists as they may be able to provide you with some pointers.
Another aspect of becoming a more attractive candidate is showing that you are safe and trustworthy, and stay within the law. Basic disclosure checks are ideal for this; there is plenty of information available online about how to get one. As an individual, you can get a basic disclosure; however, in some sectors, an employer may be required to get a standard or enhanced check on your behalf.
Having good references is another way to prove you are as good as your resume or CV says you are, which leads us to our third point...
Many people only consider references once they have a conditional offer (meaning that you have succeeded in your interview but the employer wants to carry out checks before confirming a full job offer). However, this should be something considered at a much earlier stage as it means that you can ensure that your references fully understand you, your desired career path, and the important points to cover.
Ask whether they could provide you with a short version of a reference for your LinkedIn profile (aka a LinkedIn recommendation).
It is always a positive thing if you can go above and beyond a job description, so get thinking about what extra skills you can add to the job. Whether this is a full and clean driver's license or an extra qualification, make sure that these are listed on your resume or CV and are communicated on your cover letter where appropriate.
Finally, you should always ensure that you act professionally and respectfully when you are on the hunt for a job. Being too pushy, lazy, or hostile can get people’s backs up and will be unlikely to get you an interview or a job offer. Whilst it is acceptable to follow up on how your interview went and so on, remember to find the balance between getting feedback and being pushy—it is a fine line that you won’t want to cross.
Also, keep in mind dress codes and timeliness whenever you are attending an interview as these are easy boxes to tick.
In a competitive job market, you can't afford to make small mistakes or pass up opportunities to shine. Become a more attractive job candidate to employers by following the tips above.
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Our program has helped thousands of professionals from all over the world gain employment, make career changes, or advance their careers. We accomplish this by combining courses, coaching, and community to form the best learning environment possible.
When you sign up for our Standard, Premium, or Elite subscription, you'll get access to a private community of professionals with similar goals, challenges, and experiences. You'll also get access to our coaching team (Premium and Elite only) as well as career-focused courses to help you with your job search or professional development.
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When you sign up for our Standard, Premium, or Elite subscription, you'll get access to a private community of professionals with similar goals, challenges, and experiences. You'll also get access to our coaching team (Premium and Elite only) as well as career-focused courses to help you with your job search or professional development. The combination of these tools will allow you to learn the fundamental skills you need to achieve career success.
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The Career Decoder Quiz unlocks your professional strengths and potential. I'm going to walk you through three ways you can use your results to improve your own career happiness, success, and satisfaction.
I built the Career Decoder Quiz back in 2015 and, as of today, hundreds of thousands of people have taken the quiz. When I first shared it with our members and followers, I got a comment from someone on LinkedIn with a PhD in psychology who said their results were spot-on accurate. It truly made my day because I always knew that this information was important and accurate but it's very validating when you hear other individuals saying that as well.
The Career Decoder Quiz is all about your workplace personas. Your workplace personas explain how you like to add value and how you like to create value and results for your employer when you're doing work. And this is important to understand because you're not an employee. You're a business-of-one, and you're selling your services to the employer. You want to be able to sell services that you enjoy providing. That's how you find satisfaction in your career.
I've worked with thousands of people over the last 20 years. I've been a career coach for a long time, and I know that the number one reason people are so unhappy is that they're not internally motivated by their work. The technical term is "intrinsic motivation." It means it's work you desire to do and that's exactly what the career decoder results reveal. You're going to feel more satisfied naturally when you're doing the kind of work your results say you should do.
When we work with people inside the Work It DAILY platform, when our career coaches help our members, what we normally find is that they're doing work that is not leveraging their top two or three workplace personas. The Career Decoder Quiz is going to tell you you're top personas. When you get your results, anything that scores 20% or higher means it's a strength of yours. It's a persona that you prefer to leverage. Some people only have one. Some people have a couple of them. But you can't be all eight, so you're going to see what you prefer to do and how you prefer to deliver that value.
The first way (and probably the most important way) you should be using the results of the Career Decoder Quiz is to get very clear on the kind of work you want to do.
We had a client take the Career Decoder Quiz. He was a very successful executive. In his current role, he was known as an Optimizer. (That's one of the eight workplace personas.) He was very good at looking at problems in the company and fixing them. But he wasn't fulfilled in this work. When he took our quiz, it turned out that his top three workplace personas were Mentor, Visionary, and Educator.
What he preferred to do was coach others. He preferred to share a vision, help people connect the dots, and see things that they couldn't see on their own. He also wanted to close gaps in knowledge and information.
So what we did was work together to quantify his skills and abilities in these three areas—the ways he preferred to work—and then he went to his leadership team and expressed the fact that he really wanted to find work within the organization that allowed him to leverage these three areas. And, lo and behold, the executive team said to him, "We've been waiting for you to say this." He was shocked. They were very happy with him in the Optimizer role and he seemed to be happy in the Optimizer role, so why would they've changed things? It wasn't until he expressed his desire to do work that was in line with how he felt satisfaction that he was able to get results.
I see this every single day inside the Work It DAILY platform as we coach people on their careers, helping them better understand themselves, and this is just one of the ways that we do it.
The second way you need to leverage the results you get from the Career Decoder Quiz is to use them in all your career tools (resume, cover letter, LinkedIn profile, etc.).
As a business-of-one, you have to market yourself to employers, and the way you market yourself is with things like your resume, LinkedIn profile, cover letters, answers in your interview prep, and elevator pitch when networking. A lot of people tend to have the "everything and the kitchen sink" mentality where they put everything they've ever done in all of these career tools. They want to present themselves as a Jack or Jill of all trades. That is a fatal error. You need to brand yourself as a specialist, and, more importantly, as a specialist doing the kind of work you want to be doing. The Career Decoder results are what enable you to do that.
Now, a lot of people get their results and suddenly change their LinkedIn headline to "I'm a Builder, Mentor, Superconnector," or in their resume they write that they are an Educator or Warrior or Researcher. That's not what I want you to do. That's actually pretty hokey and that's not what this was intended for.
Instead, take a look at your top personas. You'll realize those personas are really verbs. So if you're a Builder, then you want to go through your tools and quantify your experience building things: "I've built X systems." Or if you're an Educator, "I've taught X number," or "I trained X number of people." Or if you're a Superconnector, "I've connected X number of customers/vendors."
You want to look at how you move the needle in your career. You want to quantify your accomplishments and work experience using the terms that align with your top workplace personas. Quantifying these things and branding yourself this way is how you're going to send the message that this is your specialty, this is how you like to create value, and you can prove it.
The third way you can leverage these results and improve your professional satisfaction is by understanding or getting familiar with your co-workers' personas.
It's important that you know how to leverage the strengths of other people. And let me explain why.
When you know what your strengths are, you're going to have more confidence, and when you know the strengths of others, you know how to tap into them and collaborate better. This is what companies are looking for—their top resources working well together and creating much better results.
By recognizing the talents of others and knowing to leverage them in concert with yours, you're going to gain a lot of trust, respect, and credibility within the organization.
I see a lot of people plateau in their careers because they get so focused on what they're good at and how they win that they lose sight of the fact that in order to get to the next level in their career, they need to partner with others. They need to be able to leverage the strengths of others. You can't be all eight personas. You're going to need all eight of those personas in the workplace. So if you want to get ahead in your career you need to put your ego aside. You need to leverage your own strengths, your own personas, and you need to leverage those of your teammates. Your credibility, the trust and the respect that you're going to get, is gonna skyrocket. And, of course, that's going to make you much happier on the job.
Those are the three ways you can leverage the Career Decoder results. Discovering your workplace personas is so empowering. And we don't just use the Career Decoder Quiz with job seekers and professionals. We also use it with employers. They use it with their staff to help them better understand their teammates. And if you're a leader, not only should you take this quiz, but you should also give it to all of your employees and learn their results so that you can tap into their strengths and make sure they're happy on the job.
I hope this free quiz helps you, your coworkers, and your leaders. If you want to work one-on-one with our coaches and learn more about your results, join us inside Work It DAILY today. Let us be your guide toward a happier, more satisfying career.
Even though it's one of the most common interview questions out there, everyone hates being asked, “What is your biggest weakness?" in a job interview. It's hard enough to show your potential during an interview. How are you supposed to sell yourself to employers when they want you to tell them what's wrong with you?
Thankfully, answering this question isn't as hard as you might think. And you can actually use it to show your potential if you respond strategically.
To successfully answer the "What is your biggest weakness?" question in a job interview, don't lie or come up with an answer you think might impress the interviewer (like "being a perfectionist" or "working too hard"). Instead, focus on a skill you're trying to develop.
For example, let's say you're interviewing for a training coordinator role at your favorite company. You love developing training materials and teaching others; however, you get very nervous when delivering your presentations because public speaking isn't your forte.
Instead of trying to sweep this under the rug, address it, but ease the interviewer's concerns by sharing what you're doing to overcome this challenge.
"I have to admit that public speaking has always been difficult for me because I'm an introvert. It makes me nervous to get up in front of people and talk. However, I've learned that this was an integral part of training others, which I love doing. So, I've been working hard to improve my public speaking skills by participating in monthly Toastmasters meetings as well as taking on volunteer training sessions for colleagues so I can get some extra practice. Since challenging myself to do this, I've noticed a big difference in my confidence level and have felt more capable than ever in my role as a trainer."
Essentially, you want to convey that you understand you're weak in one area, but to make up for it, you've been working hard to improve that area because you know it's important in your role. There's no need to give a long explanation for this question. Keep it simple and straightforward, and focus on the positives rather than dwell on the negatives.
Don't get stumped by common interview questions like, "What is your biggest weakness?" Instead, go in prepared. Be honest with yourself and tailor your answers so you can market your skills rather than detract from your potential. Remember: Every weakness is an opportunity to grow as a professional, so frame it that way in your next job interview!
Are you sick and tired of depending on other people for your career success? Good! The only person in charge of your success is you.
If you're feeling trapped by a job you hate, a bad boss, insulting pay, or all of the above, it's time you take ownership of your career. But where do you start?
Here are three things you can do to start taking control of your career today:
What are you known for? What are your best skills? What accomplishments are you most proud of? What are your best qualities?
Take some time to list your best skill sets, and how you use those skill sets to add value to a company. Think of all the quantifiable examples of the times your skills have helped previous employers and other examples of your skill sets standing out from everyone else's.
Organizing all of this information will help you build your personal brand and organize how you want to market yourself as a business-of-one to employers.
If you want to take ownership of your career, you need to stop being reactive and start being proactive. Reactive activities include but aren't limited to the following: waiting for your boss to give you a promotion, waiting for recruiters to reach out to you with new opportunities, or waiting for employers to email you back about your resume.
Notice that all of these "job search activities" started with the word "waiting." Newsflash: Waiting doesn't get results. Taking action does.
Instead, set up a meeting with your boss to discuss advancement opportunities or make a bucket list of companies that you want to work at, and then reach out to employees at those companies to connect, and maybe even set up informational interviews.
It's also important to submit your cover letter and resume to an actual person when applying for a job, and following up with that hiring staff.
The old saying, "It's who you know," has never rung more true. Get by with a little help from your career friends! Focus your efforts on building your professional network. Meet new people within your industry and bucket list companies. Start conversations and build relationships with them.
Even if you're not ready to find a new job or change careers yet, having these people in the wings as references, mentors, and professional contacts will help you tremendously. They can provide tips and insight, act as a sounding board for ideas, and even hook you up with a job. Just make sure you help them out in return!
Part of your new, proactive approach is to step out of your comfort zone. Many people hold themselves back solely because they are afraid of what people might think. But remember, nothing will change if you don't!
Make an effort to put yourself out there and meet new people. Set up informational interviews with like-minded professionals, strike up a conversation with someone at a conference, and attend in-person or virtual networking events.
If you're ready to achieve career success, take ownership of your career today by following the tips above. What is your business-of-one capable of?
When there's a company you really want to work for and you've applied and applied and you don't get any results, the first thing I ask is how many informational interviews have you done with people who work at this company?
Informational interviews are not job interviews. They are interviews where you are asking that person for guidance or coaching by saying things like...
You're not asking them to refer you to the hiring manager or help you get the job. You're asking them to coach you on being the best version of yourself so that you can be a standout candidate to get the job yourself.
At the end of each informational interview, say, "This was really helpful. Could you introduce me or recommend one person at this company that you think I could also learn a lot from?" What happens is the person always recommends one person, and that's how you get your next informational interview. And you do that over and over and over again.
Now why is this important? Well, they are going to start to give you all the information you need to help you understand what you have to do to stand out and get hired. Also, you're building up your networking connections so that when a recruiter comes across your LinkedIn profile and sees that you're connected to all these people, it increases the chances that you'll actually get a job interview.
Plus, when you're in the job interview, you can say, "I've had the pleasure of talking with so-and-so who works at your company, and they shared (blank)," or "I talked to so-and-so and they told me (blank)." This shows that you are connected to these people and you've listened to what they've said, and this can be one of the best ways to get a job with a company you love.
Let me give you a real-life example. I actually coached a young woman on this. She was a senior in college, and she wanted to work for a very well-known sports company. And so we started this process. We got her her first informational interview, and then she got another one and another one and another one. She graduated from college, applied for jobs, and didn't get any job offers. Then, out of the blue, while she was home, she got a call and it was from a manager at the sports company she'd never met. And this person said, "Hey, I'd like to interview you over the phone. I had a candidate lined up for a job and the candidate dropped out. I need somebody to start ASAP. So I sent a message out to all the managers saying, 'I need somebody with these skills ASAP. Can you think of anyone?' And three different managers messaged me back and recommended you. You clearly made an impression when you were talking to all these people. So I want to interview you." And that's how she got a job with them.
Informational interviewing is so effective when you're trying to get into a dream employer. At Work It DAILY, we teach the framework for informational interviewing. It is an entire module that is part of our interview prep course. We take you through the interview process from the eyes of the hiring manager so that we can prepare you to do the right things before the interview, during the interview, after the interview, and throughout the whole process. And part of that is also knowing how to do informational interviewing.
If you would like access to our interview prep course, become a Work It DAILY member today. Sign up for our 7-day FREE trial and see how easy it is to get the results you want and deserve.
Good luck, and go get 'em!
Staying active at work can be a real challenge. It's easy to get sidetracked with projects and meetings and not even realize you've been sitting for a couple (or more!) hours. So, how can busy professionals be more active during the work day?
Thankfully, there are a few simple ways you can change your daily routine so that it is more active and you are less sedentary. We all know how important it is to be active throughout the day so we are expending energy, moving our joints, working our muscles, and staying flexible. With that in mind, here are four tips to be more active at work today!
View this post on Instagram A post shared by Work It Daily (@workitdailyinsta) on Nov 19, 2019 at 10:02am PST
A post shared by Work It Daily (@workitdailyinsta) on Nov 19, 2019 at 10:02am PST
Our first tip is to have something to track your steps and calorie burn throughout the day. You can use an Apple Watch, a Fitbit, or just a pedometer so that you have something monitoring your activity level and telling you that you're moving enough.
Plus, it feels like a real accomplishment when you know you've met your goal of 10,000 or 20,000 steps!
via GIPHY
It's all about squeezing more activity into what you already do. When you're running errands or going to work, for example, instead of looking for one of the closest parking spots, try to park as far from the door as possible (if it's safe!).
Just think how many more steps you'll walk if you do this all day long!
Our next tip is stairs, stairs, stairs. Wherever you are—at work or at home—always take the stairs.
It may take you a little longer, and you may be out of breath at the top, but it's worth it. Taking the stairs is so beneficial to your overall health and cardiovascular system. Make it a goal to take the stairs at least once a day, if not two, three, or four times.
Start now, and see how much easier it is to walk up the stairs in a month's time.
Lastly, try adding some type of activity to activities you already do.
For example, we all go to the bathroom. So, before or after every visit to the bathroom, do something. Whether it's squats, lunges, push-ups, or another body weight resistance exercise, you'll be sure to get moving if you make it a goal to do so!
We hope this motivates you to add a little more activity to your busy workday. If you don't have time to go to the gym, you can still incorporate physical activity into your existing daily routine.
Over time, making these small changes to your daily routine will make a big difference!
Like what you learned today? Be sure to follow Amber on Instagram @AccentuateWellness, or like her Facebook page to discover more fun workouts, healthy recipes, and helpful lifestyle tips!
Download her FREE at-home workout guide now!
Note: Individuals should always speak to their physician before making any significant dietary or lifestyle changes.
I have worked in the tour guide business in Egypt for one year and consider it to be one of the greatest memories of my life. Packing your bags and moving overseas may seem like a big step. However, things fall nicely into place once you get your boots on the ground.
I was based in Cairo and shared a spacious apartment with a French woman who worked for the Coca-Cola Company downtown. Though the tour guide business in Egypt demands long and irregular hours, life was pleasant along the river Nile and I met some fascinating and wonderful people. The tour guide trade opens the door to new people and cultures, making this a fantastic long- or short-term working abroad experience.
The best part about a tour guide career is that no two days are exactly alike. This type of work is ideal for those who thrive on the adrenaline of the unexpected and can make friends easily under pressure. My day could usurp morning, noon, and night with guided tours and often required long waits at the airport for incoming tour group clients. The first step is to meet and greet the guests, get them through customs, and assist them at the hotel for check-in.
My college undergrad was in criminal justice; however, I took 18 units of hospitality management and some tour guide classes. I also speak, read, and write fluent German and have learned basic conversational Egyptian Arabic. Bilingual skills are necessary for foreign tour guide services; however, becoming a multi-lingual guide will increase your job prospects and send you to the front of the line.
My tour groups were usually about 15 to 30 visitors, and on a few occasions, I had only one small party traveling together. My clients received a written outline of their itinerary from the main office and they could expect a three- to four-hour tour of Cairo each day. The main events were always the Egyptian Museum, the Great Pyramid, the Sphinx, the Solar Boat Museum, and a drop-off at the Khan el-Khalili souk for a self-guided tour through the shops. In addition to the standard points of interest in the city, my clients were able to book additional sightseeing with me for extended tours such as a day trip to Alexandria, an excursion to Dashur, or a special night out on the town aboard a Nile dinner cruise ship.
Although being a tour guide appears to be a very structured line of work, it has its elements of surprise that require some quick thinking on your feet. I would give my cell phone number to my clients and urge them to call me if they had any travel difficulties, would like to arrange something special, or if they needed some fast facts on adjusting to life in Egypt.
To connect well and establish an instant rapport with foreign travelers, it is essential to possess a high level of people skills. Though the pressure could be intense dealing with late drivers, combative clients, or juggling last-minute reservations, I kept going with a smile because I knew I was appreciated and applauded by the majority of my guests.
No matter how hot and bothered some of my clients would be, I always remembered that they might have had to save their money for years to take a fabulous trip to Egypt, and my pride and joy was making their Cairo experience a pleasant one.
The academic side of training in this exciting field does not communicate the hard work and energy that the tour guide business requires. It may not be brain surgery, but it does require a quick and sharp mind to problem-solve for each unique individual on the tour and spin a lot of wheels to keep the group activities interesting and entertaining.
At the end of the tour in Cairo, most of my clients would be moving on to Luxor or Aswan to board a Nile cruise ship, then perhaps spend a few days on the beaches of the Red Sea. However, this was not goodbye as they would return to Cairo for the final one or two days of their itinerary.
My clients were briefed on the proper etiquette for tipping in Egypt, which was approximately 15 Egyptian pounds per person, per day. I knew I was not going to get rich working as a tour guide in Cairo; however, the base pay was decent and the tips were excellent.
The bonus to the job was having some free time in Egypt and exploring the country from top to bottom on my own. I was given drastically reduced hotel rates, low airfare, and train tickets, and was able to see Egypt at my own pace with two five-day vacations over the year.
My best advice to someone considering a tour guide position abroad is to choose a country that interests you and let your passion for travel lead the way. In addition, get the best education you can and get busy with one or more foreign languages. I got started in this line of work from hearing a friend rave about her tour guide job in New York City and decided to make it happen for myself in my beloved Egypt.
Since I left my job in Cairo, life has become more complicated with ties to the United States. This confirms that my timing was right to chase the dream, board the plane, and create some priceless memories overseas. If you are feeling the pull to do something different with your life, I say now is the time to make it happen.
This is a true story told by LatPro.com, the worldwide leader in providing online employment resources for Hispanic and bilingual professionals since 1997. With 95 of the Fortune 100 companies using its service, LatPro is the largest diversity employment site in the U.S. and the most complete personal career advancement service for Latino and bilingual professionals. Visit to find careers in your field specifically tailored for Hispanic and bilingual professionals like yourself.
Working abroad image paul prescott / Shutterstock.com
For me, coaching is a passion. I've been an athletic coach for 18 years. My job description is to teach basketball and baseball, schedule, write game plans, attend clinics, hold camps, and general duties.
To have success according to my contract, I have to get my teams to win games. When people criticize coaches saying that we only care about winning, they need to understand that we have to win in order to keep our contract. If we don't win, our administration and our fans want us fired.
I rate my job satisfaction as a coach at 9. I have to deduct a point from a full 10 because of the outside pressure, which comes mostly from parents. Years back, I allowed myself to be concerned with their noise. Now I know every day that I walk into the gym or onto the field and impact my players, in a way, that doesn't matter to their parents. I know that I put my team together in the best way possible to win games. I know that I improved every athlete in some way.
What I can do with these kids is awesome. I teach them plays and fundamentals but I use athletic discipline to instill life lessons in them. First I teach kids to love the sport, and then I take kids who are below-average students and require them to better themselves academically to play the sport. When they want to quit, I ask them for more. I challenge them to work as a team with people they don't like in the hall at school. I require them to think smartly in an intense situation.
I do enjoy working with more mature teams, to an extent. The challenges are that bad habits have already been formed and I have to coach to win. I spend a tremendous amount of time with my line-up so that everyone who works hard gets to play, regardless of skill. It's important to me that I reward every athlete with decent game time.
Middle school teams give me the opportunity to work on solid skills and good habits. I can teach more and I have leeway to make certain that I develop every athlete by giving them game time. The pressure to win is not as intense as at the high school level.
When I entered into coaching as a volunteer in a recreation center for at-risk kids, I became hooked. I'm glad that I started the way I did. I see the big picture of what I can actually do for kids other than teach them to hit a ball. I still volunteer with young kids who eventually play for me on a school team. Sometimes I have to buy their shoes or pay for their fees. I always have to tutor them, but as I do so I see the high school diploma that they might not have gotten otherwise.
When I first became a paid coach, I was miserable. I had parents screaming at me. For a while, I tried to keep everyone happy. I wasn't having the impact on my kids that I wanted. I eventually got to the place that I am now. I know that I am here for these kids and no one else.
Without a doubt, parental interference is the most frustrating thing about coaching. Parents believe their kid is the star. I'm fortunate to coach team sports so that I can hide weaker players and get every kid in the game for a decent amount of time. It helps the athlete keep working and it keeps the parent quiet.
To me, coaching is not particularly stressful. There are definitely some intense moments, 11 seconds on the clock and we are two down, but it's not real stress when you look at the big scheme of life. Job stress in coaching comes from outside the gym.
The money is a supplemental income unless you make it to a college or professional team. I make around $2,000 for a six-week season in middle school, and $5,000 for a three-month season in high school. I only coach in small schools. Bigger suburban schools certainly pay more. I open the gym in the off-season two times a week and run two camps a year. Other than season play, my time off is up to me.
A degree in teaching or coaching is a standard requirement to coach at a school. I don't have that, but I do have the ability to put a group of athletes who are very diverse in skill, talent, and attitude together and eventually win games and titles. I would like to become a coach in a juvenile detention center or somewhere like that. I want to bring kids back to the world and I think I can.
I'm not getting rich in this job, but I am certainly enriched because of it.
Job sports coach image from Bigstock
As a former hiring manager in several consulting firms, I often wondered if candidates were cognizant of the impression they made on employers. Even small things, such as the frown displayed by an applicant upon arriving at an interview, or the worn-out jeans of an applicant in a roomful of suits, gave me pause as I worked to screen candidates.
Ironically, many of the problems I spotted could have easily been fixed by taking care of seemingly minor issues. In some cases, these corrections would have made the difference between hiring the job candidate and taking a pass on the applicant!
Here are 10 “little" things that make a big difference to hiring managers in the interview process:
Yes, recruiters and hiring managers will be checking out your LinkedIn presence and verifying that your Facebook and Instagram activity is not violating their corporate policies. But have you stopped to think about your tweets or the content you're creating on TikTok?
Even the most realistic employer will need to assess your liability as a potential new hire. Therefore, your online activity must be sufficiently toned down and presentable to a potential company—long before you enter the job market.
If you've kept up a website on your middle-of-the-night gaming habit or constantly tweet your distaste for political candidates, these items can offend hiring managers—and cause them to rethink bringing you in for an interview.
Struggling to hide employment gaps in your work history on your resume? Failing to mention that new job you just took (that isn't working out)? White lies or sins of omission on your resume and in your interviews will come back to haunt you in more than one way.
If interviewers don't catch lies during the resume screening process, there's still a chance that your background check will reveal all. Even after you're hired, your record of impeccable service won't make up for less-than-forthright stories on your resume or LinkedIn profile.
Stories abound of high-profile executives, entertainment professionals, and sports coaches who attended college but didn't graduate—and who paid the price for fudging these resume details years down the road.
Are you open enough on LinkedIn that others can contact you? Or did you forget to make your email address (and possibly mobile number) visible to other users? Here are best practices for ensuring you're more easily reached on LinkedIn:
Sent in a resume, but failed to take any action beyond pressing the "Send" button? If you didn't spend some time following up or identifying company insiders for further networking, your job search will take longer.
Doing some homework on the employer's business needs and identifying key people for personal follow-up (through LinkedIn or an online search) shows them you're truly interested in a career opportunity, and that you've given thought to solving their business problems.
Be sure to use formal channels when applying for a posted job. Then, reach out to your newly found contacts to reiterate your interest in joining the company. Better still, connect and network with employees at the companies on your interview bucket list well before you start your job search. That way, you'll already have connections at those companies when it comes time for you to apply for a job.
Cranking out LinkedIn messages or cover letters at top speed—with just a few adjustments here and there? Hiring managers can smell a "form letter" approach a mile away. Nothing says "I'm desperate and don't care about your needs" more than a disjointed cover letter or a LinkedIn message that simply asks for a job.
No matter how you're getting in touch with employers, take the time to write a brand-specific message of value to them—helping them discover who you are, what you offer, and why you're interested in a position with their company. This means customizing each LinkedIn message and writing disruptive cover letters.
You may not be able to crank them out as fast, but you'll be sacrificing quantity for quality. And, in the job search, quality is always better than quantity.
When setting up any kind of business meeting, there's a certain amount of give and take required for coordination. No matter how in-demand your skills may be, you'll be expected to acquiesce to interview timing and location parameters set by employers. That can mean dealing with less-than-helpful receptionists or HR personnel, all of whom will be taking notes on your reactions.
Your phone etiquette and email communications will be watched closely; a courteous and respectful tone will go miles in reinforcing your personal brand and potential as a job candidate.
Feeling put out by the fact that your interviewer appears younger, more inexperienced, or otherwise beneath you in the professional hierarchy? Be careful how you convey this disapproval. You may believe you're hiding these feelings, but as one of those younger-looking interviewers, I often picked up on this tone very quickly!
Even if you decide mid-interview that you're not interested in the company, remember to display a high degree of professionalism. You never know how well-connected your interviewer might be.
Polarizing, hot-button subjects such as politics or religion should make their way out of your resume, LinkedIn profile, interview discussions, and side conversations.
No matter how neutral or popular you consider your stance to be on these topics, there's bound to be someone who disagrees with you—and who votes against hiring you.
Yes, you should be sending a thank-you note to employers after your interviews! Whether a short, handwritten card, LinkedIn message, email, or even hard-copy letter, a thank-you note gives employers the impression that you're a gracious and appreciative job candidate.
A post-interview note can also be used to address lingering questions, counter potential objections ("Regarding our discussion on your new Western region, I can assure you that I'm accustomed to handling accounts in person for maximum effect—and therefore open to travel"), or mention a fond memory you have of the experience (a conversation, for example) to highlight a connection you made with the individuals at the company.
Be sure to address your notes to each person you've encountered in the interview process (or at least mention their names in the note), especially if you've met with a panel or group.
Just because social media lets you send messages faster than ever doesn't mean you should pester employers. Following up once or twice after applying for a job should suffice to let them know you're still interested in the position. The same is true of the post-interview period.
Hiring managers have companies to run and customers to serve in addition to the process of choosing you. They may also have other candidates to consider. Staying on an employer's radar is important, but so is professional discretion. Aim for somewhere in between silent and stalker in your follow-up activities.
There are numerous ways employers can be put off by your job search practices or approach. Ensure you're taking steps to satisfy their need for information and put your best professional foot forward.
Recruiters look at dozens of resumes a day. If they see something they don't like, your resume could wind up in the “no" pile in just seconds.
Here are a few tips you should follow to make your resume better than the rest, standing out from all that competition!
We know that sounds like a no-brainer, but you might be surprised by the number of resumes that have a spacing issue, a punctuation error, or even a misspelling. The problem is that you have looked at your resume so many times, your brain knows what it is supposed to say, but in reality, it says something else.
Get several people to proofread your resume, and have them read it for different purposes. One person should read for grammar, for example, and another should read for punctuation and spelling. You cannot afford to send a resume to employers with mistakes. Any superficial error can severely hurt your chances of getting a call for that job.
Too often people think that their resume is a "one-and-done" proposition. Not so! You should customize your resume for every job each time you apply.
Match up keywords from the job description with keywords in your resume. Make sure that your achievements and successes indicate that you are an excellent candidate for the job you're applying for. You need to tweak your resume for every single job posting. There are no exceptions.
Some people think the trick to a great resume is to stuff as many accomplishments into it as possible by using tiny font and stretching the margins to the limit. The result is a resume that is difficult to read and looks cluttered and clunky. Those resumes will wind up in the "no" pile because the hiring manager doesn't care enough to search the document for truly relevant information. They also don't have time to waste when there are dozens of other resumes to review.
Your resume should have a clean and contemporary look and feel. Use lots of white space and be as concise as possible. Also, use clean-looking fonts like Calibri or Arial.
Check the job description carefully for each position you're applying for. Then, use keywords in your resume that match the keywords in the job description. Also, you may find it helpful to use free word cloud tools to identify the keywords that are used most frequently in the job description. Adding those keywords to your resume will make it easier for your resume to get past the ATS.
Recruiters and hiring managers are looking for individuals who are a good match for their job openings. Don't make them guess whether or not you have the required skills or experience. Your resume should get them curious to know more about your qualifications. At the end of the day, the goal of your resume is to get the employer to call you. It won't be the thing that gets you the job, but it will be what gets you an interview.
Avoid using the word "responsible" in your resume. Instead, concentrate on specific and quantifiable accomplishments. For example, which sounds more impressive:
Demonstrate that you are a person of action. Rather than being "responsible for" something, use words like "advised," "led," "launched," "executed," "generated," "planned," "produced," etc. These powerful resume words (and others like them) demonstrate your ability to perform on the job and your specific role in previous jobs. Strong action words validate your capabilities and specific duties you have performed.
Consider which is better:
If you want to stand out from other job candidates, both your resume and LinkedIn profile need to have specific, tangible, quantifiable achievements.
We see so many resumes that are very "duty-oriented"—the candidate lists what they've done but doesn't mention anything about what they've achieved.
Here are a few tips on how to write an achievement-based LinkedIn profile...
Your resume and LinkedIn profile are your personal branding tools, and first impressions are important. Highlight your skills in your LinkedIn profile just as you would on your resume. People often say generic stuff like, "I worked in marketing," but that doesn't tell recruiters anything about what they've done.
What powerful words can you use to stand out? What specifically have you done that would be relevant to the jobs you're applying for? Think about these questions as you list your hard skills at the end of your "About" section.
Recruiters want you to tell them why you're the right fit for the job, so don't be shy about emphasizing what your skills are and how they'd help the company.
Quantify your results as best you can. Use examples that include numbers. if you've saved time or money—by how much? List your accomplishments as bullet points. If something can't be quantified (like job responsibilities), it won't impress recruiters and employers. Therefore, don't waste space on your LinkedIn profile by including them.
What is it that you've initiated in your job? Did you start any new projects or come up with new ideas? Highlighting projects you've set out to achieve on your own is a great way to show that you're someone who takes initiative, without always being told what to do.
Of course, you should quantify as much information about these projects as possible. This will catch the eye of recruiters and act as a great conversation starter with your network.
Writing an achievement-based LinkedIn profile is a great way to highlight why you're a good fit for the job. You'll stand out to recruiters as a qualified job candidate, one who could achieve great things at the company.
This may be controversial, but as a 20-year career coaching veteran, I think one of the biggest mistakes people are making post-pandemic is they are overly focused on trying to pursue career happiness when in reality you should be focused on building career resilience.
There are three reasons why career happiness is very difficult to achieve. First, career happiness is a state of mind. So if you're sitting here and wondering, "How can I just be happier in my career today?" you can't. Instead, certain things need to happen that are going to make you stronger and more resilient, feel more in control, and give you more satisfaction.
Career satisfaction will make you feel happy.
The second reason you should quit trying to pursue career happiness is that it constantly evolves. It's like a moving target. The moment that you start to feel happy, the situation will change, or your circumstances will change. So it's not a one-and-done sort of thing. Many people struggle with the concept of "happiness," and say something like, "I was happy here and now I'm not. I'll never be able to achieve this." That's not true at all. Happiness is a constantly moving state.
The third reason you don't want to focus on career happiness is that it's different for every person. I coach people every day who tell me they tried something that worked for someone else, but they didn't get the same results, and now they feel bad about it—about themselves, their situation, etc. You can't compare someone else's success, someone else's perceived happiness, with your own ideas of success and happiness.
Career happiness just isn't the right thing to pursue for all three of these reasons.
So, what do you do instead? You focus on building up your career resilience. Why do you do that? Because the stronger you get, the more in control you will feel, and the more satisfied you will be with your career—and that will make you feel happy.
There are three things you need to build career resilience. First is the environment. You need to surround yourself with a community of people who are all focusing on career resilience as well. What happens is you end up learning from these people. In fact, they show you things you didn't know you needed to know. But also, candidly, you look around the room and you go, "These people aren't any better than me. I can do this." And that's going to give you motivation, which many people lack.
The second thing you're going to need is coaching. You're going to need people who have done this, who have hacks, who have tips, who have tricks, who are keeping up with the latest techniques, who can understand your particular situation and get you the advice you need. Think about all the people in your life you use when you can't get results on your own. They're essentially coaches. That's what you need right now to get you to the next level. If you think about it, coaching isn't a sign of weakness. It's the path to greatness, especially in things like sports. And this is no different. You're playing a sport here in your career.
The third thing that you're going to need is knowledge. Knowledge is power. Knowledge is the one thing nobody can take away from you. Employers can never take away your knowledge. That's your power. That's your value. That's your worth when it comes to work.
When you gain new insights, when you learn new things, it is going to make you much smarter. You're going to make more informed decisions, and you're going to take yourself from being an employee who feels like they don't have any power to an employee who realizes they're a business-of-one, and you want to be a partner with that employer. They're not any better than you. You want to partner up, and you want the mutual trust and respect that you deserve. But that only comes when you build up that resiliency.
I like to call people who build career resiliency "Workplace Renegades" because they get off the hamster treadmill, think for themselves, and learn how to take ownership of their carer using the right environment, the right community, the right education, the right courses and knowledge, and then the right coaching, the right support.
If you would like some help building resiliency in your career, become a Work It DAILY member today. Sign up for our 7-day FREE trial and see how easy it is to get the results you want and deserve.
Interview questions are not as straightforward as they seem, and answering just one question incorrectly may put you out of the running for a job.
The takeaway? Be ready to read between the lines.
Here are seven of the most common interview questions, what the hiring manager is really asking, and how you should respond:
All of the most common interview questions require a thorough answer because they are behavioral interview questions. To answer these types of interview questions, use the "Experience + Learn = Grow" model.
Let's take a closer look at how to answer the most common interview questions below...
What the hiring manager is really asking...
"How do your education, work history, and professional aspirations relate to this position?"
How to respond: Select key work and education information that shows the hiring manager why you are a perfect fit for the job and the company.
For example, a recent grad might say something like, "I went to X University where I majored in Y and completed an internship at Z Company. During my internship, I did this and that (name achievements that match the job description), which really solidified my passion for this line of work."
"Does this position fit into your long-term career goals? Do you even have long-term career goals?"
How to respond: Do NOT say you don't know (even if you don't) and do not focus on your personal life (it's nice that you want to get married, but it's not relevant). Show the employer you've thought about your career path and that your professional goals align with the job.
"Are you self-aware? Do you know where you could stand to improve and are you proactive about getting better?"
How to respond: A good way to answer this is with real-life feedback that you received in the past. For instance, maybe a former boss told you that you needed to work on your presentation skills.
Note that fact, then tell the employer how you've been proactively improving. Avoid any deal breakers ("I don't like working with other people") or cliché answers ("I'm a perfectionist and I work too hard").
"Are you a hard worker? Am I going to have to force you to produce quality work?"
How to respond: Ideal employees are intrinsically motivated, so tell the hiring manager that you find motivation when working toward a goal, contributing to a team effort, and/or developing your skills. Provide a specific example that supports your response.
Finally, even if it's true, do not tell an employer that you're motivated by bragging rights, material things, or the fear of being disciplined.
"How do you respond to failure? Do you learn from your mistakes? Are you resilient?"
How to respond: Similar to the "greatest weakness" question, you need to demonstrate how you've turned a negative experience into a learning experience.
To do this, acknowledge one of your failures, take responsibility for it, and explain how you improved as a result. Don't say you've never failed (delusional much?), don't play the blame game, and don't bring up something that's a deal-breaker ("I failed a drug test once...").
"Are you genuinely interested in the job? Are you a good fit for the company?"
How to respond: Your goal for this response is to demonstrate why you and the company are a great match in terms of philosophy and skill. Discuss what you've learned about the company, noting how you align with its mission, company culture, and reputation.
Next, highlight how you would benefit professionally from the job and how the company would benefit professionally from you.
"Can you think on your feet? Can you handle pressure? Can you think critically?"
How to respond: When faced with a seemingly absurd question like this one, it's important you're not caught off guard.
Resist the urge to tell the interviewer the question is stupid and irrelevant, and instead walk them through your problem-solving thought process. For this particular question, you would talk about how many people are in the U.S., where couches are found (homes, hotels, furniture stores), etc.
As with other parts of the job application process, it's a good idea to solicit feedback from family, friends, and former colleagues. Try out your answers to each of these questions with at least two people, then revise based on their feedback.
The importance of preparation before an interview cannot be stressed enough. The more you practice, the more confident you'll be. If you successfully answer the most common interview questions, you'll be sure to stand out to employers as a great candidate for the position.
You dread going to work. Every morning is the same: you have to drag yourself out of bed. It's not that the body is weak. It's that the mind is not willing. Most of us know that. Many people have felt this way at least at one point in their careers. Is there a way to overcome the dread of going to work every day?
I am not sure if I have the absolute solution, but these are some of the strategies I have personally tried in my years of experience:
If you dread going to work, do these four things:
Yes, it's completely normal to dread going to work. If you wake up and can't bear the thought of working, take a mental health day. If the feeling lasts for days, weeks, or even months, that may be a sign that it's time to look for a new job.
Before you decide to quit your job and find a new one, try doing these four things...
Do not let the Monday blues or the "dread going to work" syndrome become your dominant thought. Yes, I know it is easier said than done. But you have to start somewhere, and that somewhere is your thought process.
The more you think about how much you dread work, the deeper you will dwell on that feeling. Stop thinking about it. Take that thought out and focus your thoughts on something else.
Find out the source of your dread. Otherwise, you will not be able to tackle it. Do not complain if you do not know what you are complaining about.
Why do you dread going to work? Is it because of your co-workers, your boss, your routine work, your pay, or the commute?
Write all the reasons down and see if you can tackle them. I am sure resignation has crossed your mind. But before you do that, let's see if there is a way to alleviate your feelings of dread. We cannot expect life to be perfect, or work to be perfect, for that matter.
As I stated above, life is not perfect. Why should work be? Accept that things being imperfect is how things work. If you expect perfect colleagues, perfect bosses, perfect resources, or perfect processes, then you are in for a shock.
There can never be a perfect system, perfect factory, and perfect office wherever you work. Because, trust me, no matter how high your pay is, it can always be higher; no matter how good your colleagues are, they can always be better; and no matter how understanding your boss is, he or she can always be better.
Seek not perfection if you do not want to dread going to work. Seek adaptation—adaptation from yourself. What can you do to make the work environment better?
Ever think that the process of work can also teach us something about life? Think of work as a pedagogue.
It teaches us that we do not always have things our way and that life can sometimes mean having to do things we do not like or even enjoy. But it's only temporary, and we have a choice of doing something about it.
Use this experience of dreading work as your teacher. What does it teach you? Ask and answer, and you will immediately see this experience in a different light.
There is something you can do about the feeling of dread you get when thinking about work. Do not fear it. Sit down calmly and have an action plan to tackle it. When you start working on a plan to diffuse it, you will feel better—even if the plan does not work in the long term.
Remember: Every job is temporary! You'll get through this rough patch in your career soon.
We know most people don't enjoy going to work, especially if they're feeling lost, trapped, or burned out in their career. If you're struggling to find a job that you like, we can help.
Someone accepted your request to connect on LinkedIn. Yay! Now what?
Now, you need to start a conversation.
Don't just let that new connection sit dead in the water. Here's how to start a conversation with a new LinkedIn connection:
To start a conversation with a LinkedIn connection, first write a friendly subject line. Then, introduce yourself and offer your support. Make sure not to ask for any favors just yet!
Struggling to write your initial message? Here are a few subject ideas to get you started (you would elaborate within your message).
For a basic subject line, you could start with something like:
If you enjoyed an article they wrote/shared, you could start with something like:
If you met your new LinkedIn connection in person, you could start with something like:
Shoot your new LinkedIn connection a brief message shortly after connecting. You can start by introducing yourself, and then elaborate on why you wanted to connect in the first place.
Mention things you have in common. Feel free to ask them about their goals and interests. What do they want to accomplish? What do they love doing? Highlight commonalities. It will help build a stronger personal connection.
We can't stress how important it is to offer value to your connections, especially in your first conversation. It shows that you're a valuable contact who's ready and willing to help your connections.
Offering your support can be as simple as saying something like, "If there's anything I can do to offer support or anyone in my network that I can introduce you to, please let me know. Happy to help." You don't have to go overboard with this in your first message. A brief sentence like the one above is great. Just let them know you're offering.
Do not ask for anything from your new connection unless it benefits them in some way.
For example, if you need a quote from them for an upcoming blog post you're writing, highlight the fact that you'll be promoting the heck out of it and that it will give them some exposure. You can ask for a favor after you've built your professional relationship with this person and you have a history of offering value without asking for anything in return.
A good introduction message has three parts: a subject line, a sentence or two where you introduce yourself, and a sentence where you offer your support.
Here's an example: "Thanks for connecting! I noticed you also studied at XYZ University. Go Bobcats! Please let me know if there's anything I can do to offer support or anyone in my network that I can introduce you to. Happy to help!"
When someone reaches out to you and asks to connect, make sure you message them immediately after accepting their request with a message that says something like, "Thanks for connecting. It's great to meet you." That way, if they forget to message you, you'll be sitting in their inbox, happy and ready to chat.
Starting a conversation with a new LinkedIn connection is easy once you know how to do it properly. The next time you want to connect with someone new on LinkedIn, follow these four steps. You'll grow your professional network in no time!
Your manager is not responsible for your career. You are. They are responsible for your output. So waiting until annual review time to determine your goals and accomplishments is not the best idea.
Here are 10 things you can do today to improve your career...
If you want to grow your career faster, you need to "work it daily." This means you need to work on your career a little bit every day. Make career growth and development a daily habit, and you'll grow your career faster than you ever have before.
Start growing your career today by doing the following...
When it comes to annual reviews, there is so much focus on goals for the year. A year is a long time—too long in fact to set tangible, achievable goals. Therefore, it is far wiser to set smaller goals throughout the year.
Think about your day-to-day work. What could you be doing to elevate that work? Are there skills you could learn to help you advance? Think about this for a bit and then make a list of goals that relate to these items. And then, once you've set the goals, give yourself a deadline to have learned these things.
When you've hit the deadline, give yourself a grade. Seriously. It works. Did you do it? Did you do it well? Then ask someone else how they would score or grade you on these new skills. Then rinse and repeat.
The smartest of us say that success is just outside of our comfort zone. So it goes without saying that you must stretch beyond your area of expertise.
Do something that scares you. Don't like public speaking? Start signing up for presentations at work or networking events. Does it terrify you to put your industry thoughts out there? Ask someone for the opportunity to guest post.
Whatever gives you the collywobbles, sign up for it—today.
While self-assessment is important, it is also important to get feedback. And it is important to get feedback all the time.
For example, at the end of each and every meeting I lead, I ask the following questions:
You can learn a lot from these two questions. So much about your work product and performance can be gleaned from these two questions. Give it a try and see what you learn.
Do you have any idea how many amazing things you've done this year? Probably not, because you aren't curating that great work anywhere to revisit it.
There are countless places for you to store this work in a cloud. When you've got a great portfolio of work you've produced and are proud of, it's like writing your resume as you go.
It is also easy to share with your manager at review time. You're better prepared to wow them when you've got yourself visual proof of your awesomeness.
Spend time each and every week as a student of your industry or company. Study your industry and company as if you'll be tested on them. Ask questions of people in your space. Ask your manager and colleagues questions. Ask your company's customers how they feel.
Develop thoughtful insights about the industry and your company. And don't be shy about sharing those insights.
Spend time reading blogs, big and small. Spend time reading books about your profession. Read business books that stretch your thinking.
At the end of the day: read!
Reading new things can start conversations when you're networking and can also build your own career with new ways to do things and different work and life hacks to make life flow a little more smoothly.
Never, ever, ever send a standard LinkedIn invite. Ever. We cannot stress this enough. Personalize the message and tell the recipient what you have in common, and how you'd like to help them. If you do not know someone, ask someone in your network for an introduction.
Networking brilliantly is about leaving a positive impression. And it isn't just LinkedIn. Attend industry events and local events and meet as many people as you can. This will also help in being curious about your industry.
Mentors are great resources for all of these elements. Need feedback? Ask your mentor. Need to bounce off industry or company insights? Looking for ways to stretch? Mentor!
Conversely, a good protégé can also be a tremendous resource to learn from as well. A protégé can bust some of your paradigms. They can also expose you to new thinking and present you with new ways to solve problems and look at things.
Even if you are really happy in your current role, it never hurts to listen to other opportunities and build relationships with new people in the industry. In fact, that's what you're supposed to be doing if you want to grow and improve your career.
Always be open to new opportunities and new connections with people. Plus, it feels really good when you get noticed!
Improve your career today by following the tips above! Remember: If you want to win, you've got to work it daily.
Looking for more ways to improve your career?
Recently, a list of companies that have the happiest employees was circulated online. The companies were commended on their ability to promote a healthy work environment and sustain work-life balance. Pfizer came out on top with Kaiser Permanente coming in second, followed by Texas Instruments. Looking at these lists, one wonders how these companies are able to promote such a positive productive environment for their employees.
Many would think this is due to compensation packages or other related perks. But then, is work only about earning money? Is it the most important aspect when employees join a new company? What about the other factors that play an important role in building a strong bond between the employee and the organization?
The importance of core values is illustrated by a quote from famous author and inventor Edward de Bono: "Effectiveness without values is a tool without a purpose."
This analogy really hits home. A purposeless tool is a worthless thing and so is a company without a campus—a culture that is formed on the basis of core principles.
Core values serve to constantly guide both the employee and the company in achieving their mutual goals, in a manner that is based on an ethical and ideological framework. Every business is different, and so are its core values. Having said that, there are some principles that are alike for all, even though they may be phrased differently.
Here are four such core values every organization should have:
The four core values of an organization are integrity and ethics, respect, innovation (not imitation), and drive.
Simply put, the two principles of integrity and ethics translate into doing the right thing, in an honest, fair, and responsible way. Building your entire business on the foundation of honesty and integrity goes a long way toward building a strong, trusting relationship with your employees, stakeholders, and customers.
Truthful conduct on everyone's part can create a strong, credible reputation for the company in the market, which is beneficial for everyone's interests.
Without dedicated employees, a company is nothing. Period.
Committed employees form the backbone of the entire corporation. They work together with the system in order to achieve growth and profitability.
A company has a responsibility toward its employees, and if one of its core principles is showing the utmost respect to its employees, it's likely management will have a low employee turnover rate.
Respecting all employees means respecting their individual human rights and privacy, and eliminating all kinds and forms of discrimination, whether based on religion, belief, race, ethnicity, nationality, gender, or physical disability. Moreover, ensuring a safe and healthy work environment for all employees is an important part of giving respect to them.
Many organizations across the globe adopt an attitude whereby the entire company interacts together like a close-knit family. Such an atmosphere helps boost the confidence of employees and makes them feel like an important, even indispensable, part of the organization. This inspires feelings of commitment and a drive to do even better.
Companies that focus on being ahead of their competitors and introducing new ideas in the marketplace follow the principle of "innovation, not imitation." This is crucial if a company wants to be a trendsetter and introduce new products that consumers appreciate.
Employees in such companies are encouraged to be dynamic and come up with innovative ideas that can translate into successful products for the company. Constantly imitating others won't take the business far.
The thirst to constantly improve can be achieved if one is never satisfied. Organizations that have this principle as one of their core values try to provide a dynamic platform for their employees, where they can explore their creativity and skills and further enhance themselves.
While celebrating successes is an important thing, just sitting back and getting complacent over them is unacceptable for such companies. The reason why some companies habitually do well is because they know that employees are the most valuable resource.
Nothing compares to an employee who is dedicated and willing to go the extra mile. This requires a company to cultivate an environment that promotes respect and frowns upon politics. If you want to achieve this type of work environment at your company, these four core values are a great place to start.
Want to work for a company with these four core values?
Have you ever felt like you totally rocked an interview? You had all your questions and answers prepared, the hiring manager really seemed impressed, and they even hinted at a callback. You wake up the next morning with a huge grin on your face expecting an email or a phone call, but you receive nothing. No worries, right? “They will probably get back to me tomorrow," you think to yourself.
However, tomorrow comes and goes, as does the next day and the day after that, all without a phone call or an email. Days turn into a week, and you begin to get a bit antsy. Hope starts to dwindle as the questions begin to mount.
As time goes on, you are consumed by these questions and can think of nothing else. This is a dangerous time for any job seeker. This inner state of turmoil is often referred to as job offer anxiety.
The first step to dealing with job offer anxiety is understanding what it is and why you're experiencing it. Usually, there are five reasons why a job seeker might be struggling with job offer anxiety: they're forgetting to continue their job search, they're suffering from restlessness and insomnia, they lack perspective, they're not sure when to follow up with the hiring manager, and/or they lack confidence in their resume.
You're likely to hear back about a job offer a week or two after your final job interview with the company. If you haven't heard back from the hiring manager after two weeks, you should send a follow-up email. As always, remember to continue your job search while waiting for a job offer.
Job offer anxiety is the anxiousness and stress one feels usually while waiting for an interview or a callback. This anxiousness is frequently accompanied by tense behavior and rumination. People who suffer from this are in a never-ending search to discover why they haven't received an interview/callback when everything seemed promising.
In a struggle to answer this question, job seekers start to second-guess their interview and writing skills as each day passes. They blame themselves for not getting the call and their confidence all but disappears. Job offer anxiety can even affect job seekers after they have received an offer.
For instance, a job seeker may receive a job offer that happens to be their second choice. The question of whether to accept the offer or wait for their first choice now arises. This may cause unnecessary panic in the applicant which can lead to a misguided decision. Even just waiting for a callback is extremely destructive to the job search. You end up losing focus and wasting valuable time that could be spent pursuing other job opportunities.
If you have ever suffered from job offer anxiety, have no fear. Here are some specific causes of job offer anxiety and ways to overcome them...
The solution: Apply for other jobs.
This advice seems obvious, but many people become so focused on the callback that they forget about the end goal: getting a job.
What better way to distract yourself than to continue looking for other jobs? Continuing your job search allows you to take your mind off the callback and get back to using your time wisely. Sitting around and waiting for the perfect job to get back to you isn't productive and won't get you anywhere closer to realizing your goal.
And who knows? While you are being focused and productive, time will pass a lot more quickly and you might finally get that callback you were waiting for, and if not, at least you expanded your job opportunities.
The solution: Exercise.
All that stress and anxiety can inflict heavy damage to your body and overall health. Those at WebMD.com recommend people with high anxiety to "relieve tension with vigorous exercise or massage." The Anxiety and Depression Association of America has found that "regular participation in aerobic exercise has been shown to decrease overall levels of tension, elevate and stabilize mood, improve sleep, and improve self-esteem."
When it comes to reducing stress and anxiety, exercise should not be overlooked.
The solution: Realize that HR is on a different time frame than you.
There is no doubt that when searching for a job time seems to creep by at a snail's pace. Some like to believe hiring managers sit at their desks with an evil smirk, tapping their fingers together (think Mr. Burns from The Simpsons), purposefully making candidates wait in despair.
It's easy to forget that employers may have responsibilities other than hiring candidates. Hiring managers would love nothing more than to get through all the applicants in a timely manner. But like every job, things tend to pop up unexpectedly that require immediate attention. It's important to remember this, take a deep breath, and give the hiring manager the benefit of the doubt.
The solution: Use proper follow-up etiquette.
It's important to remember that the interview doesn't end until you have sent a follow-up thank-you letter. Susan Adams of Forbes advises applicants to send a follow-up letter as soon as possible. If you wait too long, other prospective employees might beat you to it.
While sending a handwritten note is a nice thought, it takes much too long for the employer to receive it. So email is always the best choice for sending your follow-up thank-you note. It's also a nice touch if you add a high point from the interview in your message.
However, even after the follow-up thank-you letter, applicants can still find themselves without a response. In this case, it is appropriate to follow up again.
In "4 Things You Need To Do After The Interview To Get The Job," Sudy Bharadwaj believes that periodically following up every few weeks is a great way to stay on the hiring manager's mind. He recommends, "Instead of asking, 'Have you made a decision yet?' forward a recent article you've read that you believe he'll find interesting and helpful. Following up in this way demonstrates that you're a great network connection instead of a pesky wannabe employee."
The solution: Check if you made common resume mistakes and/or get your resume reviewed by trained coaches.
One last measure to reduce stress and anxiety during the job search is to make sure your resume is in tip-top shape. Knowing that your resume is up to par can be a great boost to your confidence.
An excellent way to get some tips on your resume is to pass it out to your friends and colleagues. They might be able to bring some fresh ideas to your resume and suggest edits to improve it.
We hope you found these tips for overcoming job offer anxiety to be helpful, no matter where you are in your career. And remember...only worry about the things you can control. You'll avoid a lot of stress and anxiety this way!
We know how difficult it is to overcome anxiety in your job search. If you're struggling to find a job, we're here for you.
What should you do when you and another co-worker like each other? Worse yet, what happens if you have a crush on your boss, or that most terrible of taboos, on your secretary?
Yes, given the social environment of the workplace, it's completely normal to be attracted to a co-worker, but that doesn't mean your crush feels the same way, or that you should act on your feelings for this person.
Rather than ignore the problem or act on your instincts, you should learn how to stop being attracted to someone at work. Here are 10 tips for handling the lust genie and putting her back in the bottle where she belongs:
If you're attracted to a co-worker, the first step is to acknowledge the problem. Then, talk to a friend about your dilemma and get a copy of your company's rules and regulations.
It's important to understand that you might be a target of manipulation. At the very least, realize that the "grass isn't always greener" and your brain can play tricks on you. Understand the consequences, set clear and safe boundaries for yourself, and improve your home life and/or add extracurricular activities. Whatever you do, don't try to deal with the issue with the object of your affection.
The first step in dealing with attraction at work is to acknowledge the problem. In all likelihood, you have pushed these feelings to the side of your mind. Unfortunately, they are sitting there fermenting and probably deepening.
Bringing your feelings to the top of your to-do list will help you logically deal with them. In cases of workplace attraction, you are going to need every ounce of Dr. Spock you can muster.
You should absolutely talk to a friend about your work crush, preferably to someone who is not employed by the same company, your spouse, or the target of your attraction.
Talking about your feelings is another way of acknowledging the problem. In addition, you will acquire an ally who will help you cope with the issue.
Reading the black-and-white company policy about what can happen if you act on your attraction is sometimes enough to change those feelings of amore into slight sickness whenever you see the person.
In the world of business, there are many ways to get ahead. Some people have learned that ignoring office etiquette and company rules about relationships is a quick way to gain a competitive edge.
It's very difficult, but try to realistically evaluate the skills of the other person. Have they earned their position through brilliance, dedication, and hard work? Or did they just sort of miraculously appear?
Maybe your home life isn't as blissful as it could be. This doesn't mean that acting on your instincts with the person at work is going to be the dream relationship.
That possible relationship might be better, but in all likelihood, you will be exchanging one set of problems for another.
In love with your boss? Have you ever heard of Stockholm syndrome? People in positions of power are often attractive even if they are absolutely horrible.
Romance at work (even between consenting single adults) often translates into negative repercussions. It can create sordid rumors and much worse.
If you truly have found the love of your life, get proactive about switching jobs or changing departments so you can continue your romance without worry.
Not willing to do that? Maybe this isn't the "one."
This will make coping much easier. Social decorum dictates that most intimacy doesn't occur in the presence of others. Design strategies that remove direct and private contact with the person.
Whenever possible, interact with the person only when there are other people around. This will prevent intimacy and, with luck, the workplace crush will fade.
So many of us get absolutely absorbed in work. It is our lives. When this is the case, it is perfectly natural to look for affection and intimacy at work. Make your social life outside of work a priority.
Once other people enter your life, the attraction for that colleague often disappears.
This approach rarely leads to a happy ending.
First, if the attraction is mutual, the crush will likely escalate into a full-blown affair. Second, if the attraction is not mutual, you face rejection and possibly a sexual harassment lawsuit.
We are all human and human interaction is sexual. Having a crush or being attracted to a co-worker is natural. But natural doesn't necessarily make it good for you!
Use these 10 tips to fight attraction in the workplace—because most of the time it isn't worth the risk.
Need more help navigating workplace issues?
By the age of 23, I’d written articles for the Wall Street Journal, Huffington Post, and Los Angeles Times. By 25, I had signed my first book deal. My publisher told me I was the second person they ever contracted without an agent.
What was my secret? Connections? No—my most prestigious pieces were simply submitted to open editorial inboxes like oped@nationalnewspaper.com. My book manuscript was also picked up through cold emails… and I got not one, but two publishers interested. Simply put, my writing spoke for itself.
I had the “it” factor.
And I wasn’t writing about rainbows and butterflies. Most of my pieces were either about Middle Eastern foreign policy dilemmas or mathematical statistics and probabilities found in Texas Hold ‘Em poker (ex. The 2-3% equity changes a hand like King-Ten suited has vs. King-Ten offsuit). For the general public, it wasn’t fun stuff.
But that’s where “it” comes in—the unique beauty of making dense content relatable.
Here are my tips and tricks on how you can do it too.
1. Raise Your Voice! First order of business, we have to know that article is distinctly coming from you. No one else could’ve ever written it. No one else could’ve possibly dreamed of using your same vocabulary, pacing, and tone! Generally speaking, confidence is key. Not sure what I’m talking about here? Then don’t start with writing—start with reading. Find favorite authors and develop your taste. You don’t even have to like their opinions. Just their way of communicating things. For me, those two journalists are Derek Thompson and Jennifer Rubin. I don’t agree with half of what Jennifer says and Derek’s economic analysis is almost always beyond me, but I like their style. I’ll never forget how struck I was when Ms. Rubin started a Washington Post article with the word “bizarrely.” No matter what followed, I was already hooked. You want people to feel that same way about you too.
2. It’s Not What You Say, It’s How You Say It. Many people have heard that when you’re talking to someone, 70% of communication is non-verbal. What you say isn’t nearly as important as how you say it. Believe it or not, this applies to writing as well. Style, flow, and finesse matter. You can’t simply rest on the content of your message; you need to deliver it with ease. Writing is like a dance. When you read it out loud, it shouldn’t have two left feet. Or two clunky syllables. Great writing is incredibly agile, nodding its head to literary grace.
3. Be Fearless. Say what needs to be said. Say what you mean. Don’t fear a controversial conclusion—people are drawn to strength. It takes bravery to express our ideas clearly, but trust me, it gets rewarded.
4. Set Limits. Whenever I write, I limit my commas. I never let consecutive sentences contain three or more of those little squiggly marks. I also try not to stuff too many big words together. People get tripped up here because they confuse accuracy with greatness. Just because what you’re saying is valid and true doesn’t make it readable. In order for your brilliance to reach wider audiences, you need to dial down the density. Information should be given as a slow drip—not a dam-breaking explosion.
5. Use Three Words. It is punchier.
6. Make ‘Em Laugh. It is funnier.
7. Encourage Critical Thinking. We’ve drilled down pretty hard on the delivery of your message. Now we need to address the substance. Obviously, hot takes generate buzz. But you don’t always need a controversial opinion in order to make your work sell. People are struck by simplicity. The bolder you can state your claim, the better. It doesn’t have to be original. You can move the masses just by being unapologetic. I don’t care if your stance is saying something as mundane as, “We need to stick to our diets!” or “Kids need to read more!” If you can articulate your ideas clearly and powerfully, you are bound to reach people. Most of us ‘overthink’ things—by taking affirmative stands, your writing will inspire people to think more deeply.
Transforming dense content into something relatable requires practice, creativity, and—dare I say it—a touch of your own personal magic. You need to be able to charm your reader. This includes when discussing tough subjects. Yet I guarantee that if you can incorporate the above strategies into your writing, your dazzling prose will breathe new life into your most meaningful findings. Sometimes the best way to convince someone of an argument is to demonstrate conversational mastery.
As a rookie manager, embarking on the journey to create your first budget can be a daunting and nerve-wracking experience. The key to success lies in knowing where to begin, understanding the starting point, and making breakthrough habits.
But fear not! In this article, we will guide you through budget creation with a focus on avoiding rookie mistakes, navigating the approval process, and effectively locking and monitoring your budget.
Rookie mistakes in budgeting often stem from the absence of a clear vision. To avoid this trap, communicate openly with your superiors to understand the department's future directions. Sometimes, you might be directed to keep the new budget flat at last year's spending.
When starting your budget, referencing the previous year's budget is a safe and valuable starting point. It provides insights into past expenditures and helps lay a foundation for the new budget. Remember that a budget is a living and breathing document that requires periodic revisiting and adjustment.
Don't hesitate to seek input from colleagues; their insights can be invaluable. Communicating with stakeholders will lend a sense of ownership of the budgeting process.
One common oversight is the failure to include new initiatives in your budget plan. As your supervisors introduce new programs or investments, it's essential to incorporate these changes into your budget. Equally important is removing outdated or one-time initiatives from the previous budget.
Understanding salary and contractual changes is crucial. In certain industries, such as sports, specific costs are predetermined due to collective bargaining agreements, making up a significant portion of the budget. Recognizing these fixed costs helps you accurately plan the remaining flexible expenses.
To create an adequate budget, it's essential to understand your business thoroughly. Dive into past financial records, departmental spending, and the profit and loss statements from previous years. Understanding the spending patterns and where the money goes is vital for effective budgeting.
Interacting with various stakeholders within your department is crucial. Gather information about their plans, changes, and needs. Creating an inclusive budget process may not incorporate all suggestions, but it fosters valuable input and enhances the decision-making process.
Once you've crafted your budget, it's time to navigate the approval process. Before you head out to show your new budget to your boss, take a step back and ensure you don’t miss anything. Make sure that your formulas are cross-checking your numbers.
Proper coding of expenses is crucial for accurate financial tracking. Assign codes to invoices and categorize them within the budget to ensure the appropriate allocation of costs to specific departments or categories. Make it a habit to utilize the budget daily to determine expense placement and maintain financial clarity.
After the finance team approves your budget, it becomes a finalized document, entering the 'lock and monitor' phase. In dynamic environments, such as the sports industry, urgent changes may arise; they might be a one-time expense or a large purchase requiring immediate budget adjustments. In such cases, you can change your financial position by updating the quarterly forecast. The budget cannot be adjusted because it is locked.
Calendarizing your budget assists in managing cash flow. Now that you have a final budget, you can distribute the expenditures when they occur during a 12-month period. This approach ensures better tracking and aligns costs with the correct quarters, providing a more transparent financial overview.
Contesting miscoded expenses to your budget line item is expected. Whenever this occurs, a simple phone call to the recording department typically settles the issue. This is why a budget to actual expense analysis is necessary periodically.
Categories like travel and entertainment expenses tend to fluctuate and be less controllable in budgeting due to unforeseen pricing and travel demands. These challenges can test the accuracy of budget projections, but adaptability and vigilance are your allies.
The critical lesson in creating a budget is establishing trust, credibility, and accountability. When stakeholders know and trust the validity of your numbers, they tend to relax and believe in your executive presence.
Creating your first budget is a transformative journey that empowers you to take control of your department's financial destiny. By avoiding rookie mistakes, mastering the approval process, and effectively locking and monitoring your budget, you pave the way for success.
Budgeting is not merely a financial task; it's a strategic tool that propels your organization to take hold of its current position and predict the future with confidence. Embrace the process, learn from your experiences, and let your budget become a beacon of financial prosperity and strategic mastering. Be that lighthouse on the hill that others look to as an example of excellence. You can do this!
If you needed to convince someone that Girl Scout Cookies are delicious or that rainbows are really beautiful, you'd have to first know what the cookies taste like and what rainbows look like—right? The same applies when it's time for you to sell yourself in an interview to strangers.
In a job interview, you need to know where you've been, what you've accomplished, and where you're headed.
On the one hand, that might sound really simple. They are your experiences, so you would be the best one to know how far you've come. Yet how many times do we easily forget by Monday what we just did on Saturday and Sunday? How often do we make the same mistakes over and over because we failed to assess our experiences and extract the lessons learned so we don't repeat those mistakes?
These things happen often, only to leave us stumped and running in circles. The same thing can happen in a job interview if we don't take the time beforehand to really understand our past and know what we have to offer in the future.
Preparing for an interview is crucial to ensuring that you come across as a competent potential employee. You need to be able to recount your previous work experiences as if they were yesterday. You need to be able to tell a future employer what you're good at; they aren't going to know yet, so you need to be able to tell them. You need to be able to show them that you think about the future and have goals and aspirations you're working towards. All of this requires you, the applicant, the interviewee, to know yourself first.
Below are some simple steps every job seeker should take before each interview to ensure they present their best self in the most confident way:
In addition to steps 1-3, know what you are good at and where you could stand to use improvement. Be confident (not cocky) when you tell the interviewers what your strengths and weaknesses are.
What current skills do you have that would easily crossover into a new role or industry? These are your transferable skills. Don't underestimate their value in your job interview.
Practice telling your stories. Which words sound good when you say them? Which words don't? What key elements do you want the employer to know and which are irrelevant? Be able to tell a story, hit all the key points, and don't bore the interviewer(s) in the process.
Have a friend conduct a mock interview with you so you get practice in front of another person. One caveat: don't memorize anything. Just know what information you'd like to share and how you'd like to share it when the opportunity arises.
Remember, in the end, you are the one who needs or wants the job. As unique as you are, the employer can easily find another person who will perform the same tasks.
By knowing who you are, you will be more readily able to express to the interviewer what you as a unique individual have to offer and why they need to hire you. By embracing all of who you are before the interview, you will have the tools you need to settle into a place of confidence. When you exude this confidence and sense of knowing who you are, you'll present the image of an articulate, focused, and self-aware individual who employers will want to have on their team.
Now, who are you?
I attended a cybersecurity conference and there were sessions about zero trust, securing generative AI, and emerging threats. And then there was a very atypical keynote session called “Understanding and Managing Neurodivergent Staff” (presented by @Rick Doten). It was one of those “you don’t know what you don’t know” presentations.
I learned that there is a wide spectrum of neurodiversity, and ADHD, autism, and dyslexia are a few of the conditions. Generally speaking, neurodivergent individuals interpret, experience, and socialize with the world differently. They typically approach problem-solving and critical thinking in innovative ways producing creative insights and solutions. You may know neurodivergent individuals and not realize that they are neurodiverse. Or individuals may be undiagnosed and not realize that they are neurodiverse.
If everyone thinks differently anyway, how do you know if someone may be neurodivergent? Some examples of the skill set neurodivergent individuals may have are:
Neurodivergent individuals aren’t limited to these skill sets. Their abilities will vary based on their interests and strengths. As part of their personal development, find out what’s important to them. You should be encouraging and having open conversations with each team member anyway.
Individuals with these skill sets are a great fit for jobs that require meticulous work or breaking down complex problems and systematically analyzing them. Depending on their interests and strengths, some roles and careers that could be a great fit are accountants, administrative assistants, graphic designers, librarians, or pharmacists.
Neurodivergent individuals have a deep passion for specialized knowledge and have a natural aptitude for technical skills such as math, programming, and scientific research. This means they may naturally gravitate towards the IT and security fields. Some roles and careers that could be a great fit are statisticians, data analysts, IT support specialists, quality assurance testers, and ethical hackers (Red Team).
Pause the next time you look at a job description (JD) either as a job seeker or as a hiring manager. A person may not be an obvious choice superficially but may be an excellent fit and a superstar! Some common job description skill sets that may align with the strengths of neurodivergent individuals are:
JD Skill Set & Strength Descriptors
Compare the job description with the specific skills and interests of the individuals. Hopefully, your application process allows individuals to highlight their relevant skills and experiences during the application and interview processes.
If you have the right role for the right person, neurodiversity could be an advantage. Offer reasonable accommodations to enable neurodivergent individuals to thrive. This could include flexibility in work hours/environment, a quiet/sensory-friendly workplace, communication preferences for expectations, as well as structured feedback.
For example, neurodivergent individuals may range from non-communicative to overly communicative. There are several tools and technologies (such as noise-canceling headphones, fidget toys, and task/time management apps) to facilitate communication, organization, and well-being for both personal and work life. If you demonstrate an inclusive work environment, research shows that neurodivergent employees may have lower turnover rates, which can reduce recruitment and training costs for the organization.
Having a diverse team with diverse perspectives makes the team stronger. Each person, whether neurodiverse or not, is unique and brings something different to the table. Appreciate those different perspectives and encourage and be supportive of each person.
For more information on understanding that neurodiversity is a superpower, follow me on LinkedIn!
When you're looking for a new job, your resume is your calling card. It's often the first time a potential employer gets to meet you. Obviously, you want to make a good first impression. This means you don't want a resume that leaves potential employers shaking their heads.
When most people think of mistakes, they think of misspelled words, poor formatting, and typos. These things are easy to avoid by proofreading your documents thoroughly. But there are other resume mistakes that you probably don't realize you're making. These mistakes can look pretty careless, but they are easy to fix if you spot them before it's too late.
Here are three of the biggest resume mistakes:
The first thing a recruiter is likely to do after receiving your resume is to check you out on LinkedIn. This is often when inconsistencies crop up because the information on your resume might not match the information on your LinkedIn profile. This is not to say that your resume and LinkedIn profile should be mirror images. But they should match when it comes to current and past employers, job titles, and dates of employment.
Unfortunately, when candidates prepare a resume they often "lump" all their work at an employer under their current (and likely most prestigious) title. This is bad for two reasons. First, it fails to show career advancement. Second, it makes employers wonder what other inaccuracies they may find.
This may seem like a no-brainer, but some people are so focused on the meat of their resume that they forget to include their contact info. When you're looking for a job, it's important to make it easy for interested parties to contact you. Some recruiters prefer to contact candidates via email. Others would rather just call.
Of course, if they really want to contact you it's not impossible to find your phone number or email address. But why would you want to make a potential employer jump through hoops? Be respectful of the preferred communication styles of others by providing complete contact information. While you're at it, put your LinkedIn URL on your resume, too.
Resumes that highlight outside activities that directly contradict a candidate's job aspirations are just a waste of valuable space! Think an accountant with a side business designing jewelry. Or resumes that include sports activities, like being on the soccer team, when the candidate graduated 15 years ago. While you're at it, unless you graduated in the last five years, there's no reason to include graduation dates or your GPA.
Besides being irrelevant, including a few lines about leading your college team to victory (unless you're a recent grad) takes up valuable space that could be used to focus on your skills and achievements—things employers actually care about!
Your resume needs to make a good first impression, one that will make a recruiter or hiring manager want to learn more and possibly contact you for an interview. Don't waste space with irrelevant information. Don't confuse them with inconsistencies or make them go into detective mode to find you. Begin your relationship with a potential employer as the candidate to beat.