Job Hunting? Napalm in your Napsack

Now more than ever, making a good impression during an interview is CRUCIAL. Heck, making a good impression BEFORE your interview is crucial. Every time you submit your resume, communicate with a prospective employer, and go on an interview you are literally competing against hundreds of people and it is your job to make the right impression.

At this point in my career I cannot even count how many positions I have hired for, the amount of resumes I have reviewed, or the number of people I have interviewed, but I do know the things that I look for, or seek to avoid, when hiring. Here goes:

• Always Read The Full Ad: We throw in a special request at the end just to make sure that applicants read the full ad and can follow basic instructions. Generally we request a special subject line, so those who do not follow the rules automatically get removed from consideration. It spares us from having to look at 250+ resumes.
  

• Make Sure You Are Qualified: A lot of job seekers blindly apply to every position whether they are qualified or not, and it is pretty obvious. If you have most of the skills but feel you would still be able to handle the responsibilities, include a note in your email indicating how you can overcome that deficiency.

• Check, Double Check, Then Triple Check Your Email: Your email to a prospective employer is your first impression. I recommend creating a special email address when you are job seeking as "Ilovetoparty27@gmail.com" probably won't sit well with the HR Department. Make sure you address your email to someone, check your spelling, capitalization, and grammar, and make sure you have a closing. Most hiring managers don't read cover letters anymore, so this email is your make or break.

• Google Yourself: Your prospective employer will. It's too easy not to. Make your FaceBook private, or at very least take down the picture of you holding a Bud Light.
  

• Dress To Impress: This may seem obvious, but, no matter what position you are applying for, dress up. Clean, pressed clothing shows you care about your image and take the interview seriously. You don't need to go over the top, but make sure you look the part. The person interviewing you doesn't know you, so all they have to go off when deciding whether you aesthetically fit is what you wear and how you look at your interview.
  

• Talk, But Not Too Much: Letting your personality shine in an interview is very important, but be sure not to divulge too much. Going into detail about your personal life, why you are leaving your current employer, or being too casual can really hurt your chances. Your interviewer is looking to gauge your personality, your abilities, and how you will fit into the office dynamic and will generally assume that you are putting your best foot forward.
  

• Always Ask Questions: Research the company you are interviewing with in advance, and have at least two questions to ask your interviewer. This allows you to gain insight about the company (outside of the elevator pitch you get from your interviewer), shows that you are interested and engaged, and you may discover that you are no longer interested in the position.

• ALWAYS Send A Thank You: Whether you want the job or not, send a thank you email. Show the person who interviewed you that you respect and appreciate their time and consideration, and reiterate your interest. Give a specific example why. If you aren't interested, let them know so that they can take you out of consideration. If you REALLY want the job, mail a thank you card.
  

These are just some basic suggestions based on what I look for and my experience, but if you have any more questions or want additional advice, I would be more than happy to help! Shoot me an Email Here

Happy Hunting!

Keeping Your Individuality in a Suit-and-Tie Business World

In this day-and-age, the world of fashion and business attire seems to be "anything goes," but the business world is still run by the suit-and-tie generation. So, in a world where image matters, how can you keep your individuality while still "dressing to impress?"

First, I would invest in a few suits (pants and skirts). You can pick up cute, stylish suits from Ross or Marshall's for a pretty reasonable price ($30-50), but your selection will be limited. I buy most of my suits from Macy's and they have a much larger selection (flared skirts, various colors, and designer styles), but you will pay more ($100-350). The suit allows you to look polished and professional, but you can make it personal with the shirt, shoes, and accessories you use to spruce it up.

Second, make sure that your shoes are in good shape. Keep them clean, polished, and make sure that the tips are not broken off of heels. Not only does it look bad, but it can damage carpet, flooring, and can even rip your pants. Either replace them or take them to a shoe repair store and get them fixed for around $10. Shoes are a really great way to show your personality without being over the top.

Third, remember, work is not a dance club. If you would wear that shirt, dress, or skirt to the club, you probably shouldn't be wearing it to work, unless you work at a club. If you do have something borderline, throw on a cute cardigan, vest, or a light cover-up to keep it appropriate and professional.

Fourth, mind the length of skirts and watch out for low cut tops. I'm not saying you should wear flannel or button-ups every day, but when you sit or bend over, your co-workers shouldn't be able to see your "goodies," if you know what I mean.

Fifth, spend some time on your hair in the morning. A ponytail may be cute when done correctly (wrap your hair around the band and make sure it looks clean) but a sloppy pony tail means you just don't care. If you have limited time, use dry shampoo and a blow dryer to add some volume to a down do, do a twist or braid and pin it back, or invest in some cute headbands. If all else fails, get a haircut that is really easy to manage. That is what I did :-)

Finally, one of my favorite pieces of advice: If you wake up feeling sleepy, under the weather, or just plain lazy, make it a point to overdress. When you look good it makes you feel good and can turn a slow start into an amazing, productive day!

Do You Need Anything Before I Head Out?

Early on in my career I got a bit of constructive criticism that stung at the time, but has become an interesting part of my criticism for others as a boss.

At the end of the day when my shift was over, I would shut down, grab my purse, and head into my bosses office to ask if she needed anything else. The truth is I never intended on helping with anything else; I was already one foot out the door.

I never thought that it was a big deal until one day she told me “If you really wanted to offer help, you would ask me if I needed anything before you were already walking out the door. Spare me the pleasantries.”

Ouch! She caught me red handed, it was an embarrassment that I certainly wish I could have done without, and you better bet that from that day on I was in her office fifteen minutes before the end of my shift GENUINELY asking if there was anything I could help her with.

It reminded me of times when I needed to get home for some reason or had to make an appointment. What if she DID need help and had asked me to stay? How would I gracefully explain that I really didn’t mean to be offering my assistance, I just wanted to look good?

I would much rather one of my employees stop by and say “I’m taking off; have a good night” versus asking me if I need help when they have their coat and sunglasses on and car keys in hand. It is obvious that they have no intentions on helping, and it would make ME feel like a jerk if I did ask for help.

I learned a valuable lesson that day that carries through personally and professionally: if you don’t really want to help, don’t offer. Being genuine goes a long way and will spare you some embarrassment along the way!

My two cents, anyway :-)

Take a Time Out Before Asking for Time Off

While there are exceptions to every rule, I bet your boss gets in before you, works later than you, skips birthday parties and graduations to be at work, and will come in sick as a dog when they should be in a containment unit.

The next time you plan on calling in sick or asking for time off, think about your bosses dedication before doing so, because that is the exact thing they are going to think about as they consider your request for time off. Are you too sick to work, or would you just rather stay home and relax for the day?

Next up is the request itself. Telling your boss "I won't be in today" or "I need Monday off" can be seen as incredibly disrespectful. Why don't you try one of the following instead:

*I woke up this morning feeling really ill. I'm concerned about my performance and getting others sick, so I thought I would defer to you as my supervisor to decide whether I should come in or not.

*I just found out that my cousins graduation is next week during the workday. I know how important it is for me to be here everyday and that we are supposed to ask for time off two weeks in advance, but this is obviously a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity that I really want to be a part of. Is there any way I can come in for a half day and make up the time by coming in early the rest of the week?

The above give your supervisor the choice versus you telling them what is going to happen, and I would say that 99/100 times you are going to get what you want! Most people want the best for others and any reasonable boss will tell you to stay home or to enjoy yourself at your cousins graduation and they will respect YOU for respecting THEM.

...PS... the purpose of this post is to give people an insight into the way that bosses/supervisors think (from my perspective). If you are looking to make the best impression and get ahead in your career, the advice I give is based on the things I look for in those that I trust, promote, and know are dedicated to their career. The people I put in key positions are people that I know take their jobs seriously and only take time off when they actually need it, versus those that call in sick because they were up too late the night before or just want to lounge in bed all day.

A Good Deed A Day

I once knew a man who made it his mission to do something nice for someone every day. He lived to be 84 and was one of the happiest most loved people I have ever met, if not the most. An article I read today reminded me of my own personal desire to focus more on appreciating everything I have in life, and sharing my joy and enthusiasm with others.

A random act of kindness or a good deed done daily makes you feel better about yourself, improves your outlook on life, and can give you a sense of increased self-worth. You know that you are making a difference someones life, whether it is a complete stranger, a coworker, or a friend.

Have you ever had a complete stranger do something nice for you? Whether it was holding open a door, covering your change in line at the cashier, chasing after you to hand you the credit card you dropped on the floor, or the little old lady who made it a point to tell you how well behaved your children are, those little acts of kindness can make a huge difference in your day, and even your life.

Let me explain:

One small act can influence a chain of positive reactions. Have you ever seen the movie "Pay it Forward?" It is such a great concept. I do something nice for you, you do something nice for the next person, and it spawns a whole entire network of positive thoughts and energy out into the world. Good begets good, and the more good you put out into the world, the more good you get back!

or

What if the person you performed that nice, random act for happens to be the executive you are interviewing with in fifteen minutes for your dream job? You have inadvertently already showed this person that you are polite, caring, and a good person. If you let the door smash into their face because you didn't have the courtesy to hold it a few extra seconds, you probably haven't made the best impression.

So, you already hold doors. What else can you do? Commend someone on a job well done. Send compliments to the chef on a great meal. If the cashier seems flustered at the number of people in line, compliment her on her ability to stay cool under pressure. Compliment a stranger on shoes or a shirt you like. Express gratitude to a volunteer, officer, postal worker, etc for their dedication. Send a "thinking of you" note in the mail. Pick up trash as you are walking by. Donate to goodwill. Smile at someone. Grab your boss a coffee. Offer to join a stressed out co-worker at lunch.

If you have trouble forgetting to perform a good deed a day, put an alarm on your phone or in your Outlook to remind you! In no time it will be like second nature, and you will notice the positive effects you have on others, and how much more positive you feel about your own life!

Unprofessional Emails Leave a Lasting Impression

One of my biggest pet peeves is receiving unprofessional or informal emails from business associates, employees, vendors, or service partners.

In business classes, at any level, electronic communication is a topic taught, discussed, and tested on. There are countless articles, blogs, and stories about the importance of professional communication and horror stories of young executives being fired over simple miscommunication, yet people still refuse to adhere to a particular level of professionalism.

Here are some of the things that really make me cringe:

*Not using my name or randomly sending a message without addressing it
*Spelling the recipients name wrong (or anyone you discuss in the email)
*Not using Title Case or capitalizing proper nouns
*Blank or vague subject lines
*Hitting "reply all" when the message does not need to be seen by all recipients
*Abbreviating words, especially "ur." You are not so important that you cant type the word your
*Excessively large paragraphs
*No closing, recap, or salutation or a completely missing signature block

I guess you can say I am a bit of an email etiquette snob, but I feel it is a matter of respect to appropriately address your emails, get to the point so you aren't wasting anyone's time, and send your reader off with an appropriate goodbye!

Staying Cool When Things Get Hot

My employees are frequently asking for advice on how to handle themselves in high pressure situations. This can be one of the most challenging things for people to learn over time, so I thought it would be fun to share some tips and things that I have learned over the years.

Mood Mirrors Mood: Have you ever had an experience calling into a Customer Service Department seeing red only to have the personal on the other end of the line so polite, nice, and genuinely interested in helping you that it makes it impossible to be so angry anymore? When the person at the other end of the line is upset, make it a point to stay calm, cool, collected, and let them know that you are GENUINELY interested in helping them solve their problems. Nobody wants to be mad, they just don't want to be in the situation they are in. Be their hero and show them how dedicated you are to solving their problem by staying professional, light, and allow them to share their feelings. Eventually they will come around; mood mirrors mood.

Even when its personal, its not really personal: Dealing with customers, significant others, friends, co-workers, etc can be challenging, especially when conversations get heated and personal attacks come out. What you have to remember is that even when they are personal, it isn't really personal. A natural response to being upset is placing blame or attacking another, and most times there is no basis for reality in statements we make when we are emotional. Remember not to take things personally.

Decorate Your Workspace: Do you have a favorite funny picture, comic, story, or joke? Do you appreciate cards or gifts from employees or co-workers? Put items at your desk that make you feel good, that make you laugh, or make you feel appreciated. During a tough call, or after an intense meeting take a minute to read your joke, look at a picture and remember how you felt when it was taken, or read through cards of appreciate you have received. Taking thirty seconds to remind yourself of the positive really makes a difference and will help make your next call or meeting far more successful than if you head in frustrated or upset.




My Desk, Full Of Thank You Cards and Fun Pictures

Clear Expectations: If you are in a role where you handle Customer Service Calls, put out fires for your co-workers or employees, have high pressure decisions, or happen to be around high stress people, set your expectations as such. If you expect every call, every contact, every second to be stress free or low pressure, you will be very disappointed! If you know that most of your calls are going to be people calling with questions or issues, acknowledge that, don't expect otherwise, and focus your attention on turning the call positive. You have control over what you expect.

Put Yourself in Their Shoes: Remember that everyone has a reason behind why they are acting the way they are acting, or saying what they are saying. Try putting yourself in their shoes, think about how you would feel if you are them, and respond accordingly. If you are dealing with a customer who is frantically calling you with an issue in the middle of rush hour, imagine how you would feel with fifteen people waiting in line, employees looking to you for guidance and a solution, a kitchen backing up, a kid home with the flu, and an anniversary you forgot about coming up tomorrow. People have a lot to deal with and unfortunately a lot of that stress gets released when they call in for support because it is the only safe avenue they have to vent. Instead of getting frustrated, be thankful you aren't them!

Other ways to keep cool would include the standard "take deep breaths," listen to music, complete a quick puzzle, grab a starbucks, call a friend or loved one, or take a walk outside and smell the roses....