Oct
20

Transformation or Transition? Is it time?

Cindy Key Action Tips, Career Management, Next Level Add your comment

doubtHave you been asking yourself, “Is it time for a move to the next level?”  Maybe you’ve been wondering what you want to do next or asking yourself, “What do I want to do when I retire?”

If you are restless odds are that you are asking yourself these or similar questions.  And, they are all great questions.

Whether you’re restless or simply seeking a better understanding of your next move, making the shift may be easier than you think.

Here’s a quick tip to help you with the process:  write your question at the top of a blank page of paper, then set aside 10 minutes everyday for the next several days to brainstorm all your possible ideas and write them down.

Don’t evaluate the ideas — just jot them down.  At the end of the week, review all the ideas.  Move the top 3-5 ideas to their own blank page and continue to explore your ideas.

For starters, ask yourself:

  • What would it take to do this?
  • What would be the impact of this?
  • Why do I want to do this?

When you are ready to seriously explore your ideas, discuss them with someone you trust.  Then, formulate a plan and take action to create the transition or transformation you desire.

Have a comment or thought?  Post it below.

Do you have a question about moving to the next level?  Sign up for our next Q & A call to the right.  Join the session in November to ask your question.

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Jul
21

Do you trust yourself & others?

Cindy Key Career Management, Mindset, Personal Branding Add your comment

trust“You can trust people, trust them to be exactly who they are every time” – Mastin Kipp

Do you trust yourself?  Why not?

The quote above has become a favorite of mine.  I like the truth in it.

I think it was Kerri Konik who first introduced me to this Mastin Kipp quote.  Thanks Kerri!

People are who they are.  People are worthy, funny and insightful.

All people have gifts and talents unique to them.  People are resilient, graceful, and caring.  People are amazing!  All people have an essence unique to them.

Yes, this is my point-of-view and I realize it is often not a popular point of view.  Over time, many have shared with me how wrong I am on this point.  Others protest and disagree with me, stating they cannot support my point of view.  I understand.

The world is full of different points-of-view, so much so that often people begin to believe that just being themselves is not enough.

Yes, there are days when I am not focused and not aware of the essence of every person around me.  Yet, I do trust that I can pause and, with a moment of focus, am able to capture a person’s essence and, usually, the person’s unique gifts.

People are flexible and adapt.  Some people work hard to change, adapt, and adjust who they are for various reasons, needs or concerns.  Some people move away from their essence if they feel they need to do so to survive or maintain the status quo.  Some people live in the present, being who they are in a conscious manner.

Perhaps those who disagree with me view people differently.  That is okay.  Seeing who people are, at least for me, requires being present and trusting myself first.  Then I can see and trust people for who they believe they are now.

What circumstances, thoughts or beliefs shape your trust of others?  Of yourself?  What needs shape your trust when you look in the mirror each morning?

Do you trust yourself?

Do you communicate trust in yourself?

Trust is critical in hiring and finding a job.  People hire and do business with people they know, like and trust.

Does your brand allow you to build and to shape your know, like and trust factor?

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May
05

A mother’s career advice . . .

Cindy Key Career Management, Mindset, Personal Branding 8 comments

In 2012, I posted the article Did you get career advice from your mother? about the some of the career advice I had received from my mother early in my career.

As Mother’s Day approaches and I reflect on how to honor and celebrate my mother, I could not help but reflect on the fact that my mother’s advice continues to bless my life.  I appreciate her years of wisdom and experience and her more recent advice, too.

I hope you get to honor your mother as Mother’s Day nears.

This is my mother . . .

What was the best career adMother's Dayvice you received from your mother or another special women in your life?  Will you share?  Post your comments below.

Here the gems of my mother’s advice:

Don’t work too late.  Days can be long sometimes.  Late one day, my mother, in her kindest voice, shared, “I think you should quit for today and quit early more often.”

Good advice.  Stop, bring the day to close and be grateful for all you have accomplished and for those you served on that day.

Relationships count.  Building and nurturing relationships in your life and in your career matters.  See and understand the point-of-view of others, learn about other people, and know what they like and dislike.

Then, find a way to make a connection and build a relationship– doing so is a skill and an art form.  Honing your relationship building skills is valuable and critical to building a sustainable career.

Service matters and, when done gladly, all the better.  The minimum is just that and less than average.  Always do your best and then something extra.  My mother always adds the extra thing.  It is part of her personal branding.

Delivery of what’s expected meets the standard, it gets the job done.  It completes the job and just covers the basics.

Adding something highlights your brand and increases the perceived value of your work.  Over time, your added value does set you apart from the crowd.  Something of extra significance can:  bring a smile, help you gain favorable attention, encourages referrals, and repeat business.  All these items enhance your stock value and helps sustain your career.

Enjoy Mother’s Day on Sunday as you celebrate in whatever special way fits you!

To my mother — Happy Mother’s Day – thank you for being a coach, a mentor, a role model, a friend and a wonderful mother. 

See you soon.  Cindy

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Mar
17

Mining the Gap – telling the story of your part-time job

Cindy Key Action Tips, Interviewing, Mindset, Personal Branding, Resume 5 comments
mining 2 A common question I hear is, “How do I add a part-time job to my resume and/or LinkedIn profile?” 

The deeper, often not asked, questions are:

What will people THINK?

Will this hurt my reputation [personal brand]?

If you are “mining the gap” and hesitate to tell the story of your part-time job, ask yourself WHY?

Does it feel too risky?  Or just too vulnerable?  It’s okay, I get it.

First, I recommend reading the body of work by Brene Brown or at least watching her TED talks.  She is an author, speaker, researcher and Texan.  Yes, that final fact would make her cool in my book, even if her body of work was not amazing!

Brown’s research is on connection, vulnerability and shame.  Tough topics, right?

My bet is you will come to a new understanding of your feelings and concerns about telling the story of your part-time job by watching the TED talk “Listening to Shame”.  Stop and invest 20 minutes in yourself right now.

Second, for most of us, telling our story is hard.  And, when the story is not unfolding as you planned or wished, it is HARDER.

At least that’s the way it was for me for years, and sometimes still is.  It is also what I hear over and over again from my clients who are seeking a new job and the road gets a little bumpy.

You see, I deal in facts first.  Then, I sort out my feelings, which come from my thoughts.  I own my feelings and feel I am accountable for those feelings.  I don’t (at least I try not to) play the blame or shame game.  This was not always the way it was for me.  It is how I choose to live my life now and I love life that way.

I grew up with the “What will people THINK?” question.  It was a question I learned to ask myself out of habit.

The habit, by the way, included asking the question and then not bothering to find out what people really thought.  Instead, I answered the question with my own thoughts.  If you wonder what people are going to think — go ask them!  That way you will actually know what they think.

If you can’t, or don’t want to ask people, here is a process to help shift the feeling of “OH MY GOSH!  What will people THINK?” to something more positive:  think of what questions an interviewer might want to know about your part-time job.  Questions such as:

  • Why this part-time job is important to you?
  • How does the job align with your goals and values?
  • What problems do you solve on this job that connect to problem the potential employer needs solved?

Finally, I think the easiest way to “mine the gap” and tell the story of your part-time job is to look at the data, sort out your thoughts and emotions and decide how to tell your story.

Telling your career story is sharing your data and your soul, and that can be and feel vulnerable.  Stories are merely data with a soul.

Facts alone don’t always paint the whole picture.  When people read or hear ‘just the facts,’ questions may come up, allowing data to show its soul within a story, helping answer the unanswered questions.  Bottom line?  A story helps bring the data alive and helps create a connection — a human connection.

Sometimes the connection will be positive, sometimes not. When you are able to understand your feelings, you will be better able to listen to what the interviewer is THINKING about and you have a better chance to connect.

Understanding your feelings and why you took the part-time job, as well as how and what it says about you, will help you tell the story.  Ask yourself the tough questions.  Your answers will help you tell your story.

Post the story of your part-time job or comments below.  If you need help to tell your story contact me.

 

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Mar
03

A job interview process that works

cdkey Action Tips, Interviewing 5 comments
 be yourself

You have an interview coming up!  Great!  Congrats!  I am sure your goal is to hear, “You’re hired.”

There are thousand of articles, blog posts, books and workshops to help you prepare for an interview and become a more skilled interviewee.  Over the years, I have coached many interviewers and interviewees and shared many tips through this blog and others.

Today, I am sharing a secret that I have long reserved for my one-to-one conversations.  Why share it now?  The rise I have seen in the use of this element is reaching a critical point.  This one element, if not dropped from your process, spells certain interview failure.

Over the years, I have discovered that many add this element unknowingly.  Then, after repeatedly failing in interviews, and feeling desperate, they must unlearn it or the failing — in interview after interview — continues.  Not succeeding in interviews results in decreased confidence, the loss of hundreds of dollars a day in salary or being unemployed longer than necessary.

What is this element?  Emulation.  Yes, the quest of emulating the “perfect person” for the job.

Are you doing this?  My advice?  STOP IT, STOP IT NOW.

Replace it with a process that works.  And, what works?  Authenticity.

If you want to guarantee that your interview process will succeed, be authentic, share your unique value and your brilliance.  Show the imperfect and flawed you.

Human beings are imperfect and flawed — all of us!  Isn’t it time you paused and looked at what you uniquely offer?

Hiring is about risk mitigation.  Emulation is spotted a mile away.

Hiring managers will pass on emulation faster than a candidate clearly lacking a skill or one possessing a flaw.  Skills can be taught and learned.  Some imperfections or shortcomings known upfront may be determined to be worth the risk.

The risk of emulation is not just to the hiring manager and organization; you are at risk, too.

Hiding your qualities and who you are may well result in being hired, only to be fired, terminated at the end of the probation period.  Or worse, landing a job you dislike and suffer in daily.

Are you ready for an interview process that works?  Be authentic, be you and share your unique value.

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Nov
25

How do you market yourself using LinkedIn?

Cindy Key Career Management, LinkedIn, Personal Branding Add your comment
linkedin

This post was first shared in March 2012 and although LinkedIn has changed (with more changes on the way), one thing remains constant — if you want more opportunities you must market yourself.  LinkedIn is a key marketing tool and the tips below are still very timely — making this post worth revisiting:

LinkedIn, a business-oriented social networking service, helps leverage your brand.  Once your LinkedIn foundation is in place and you have started to add connections, it is time market yourself and your LinkedIn profile to your target audience and all who need to know you.

Do have your critical five pillars in place?

The critical five pillars are: Name, Headline, Photo, Personalized URL and Experience.

If they are in place, it’s time to add your personal contact information to your profile and make it visible.  During a job search it is critical that you can be found easily.  Before entering contact information into your profile decide how you want others in your network to reach you.  Phone?  Email?  Mail?

Then, share with your network, and the other users of LinkedIn, the types of connections and communications to which you are open.  Do you want job leads?  Are you open to introductions?  Or business ventures?

Next, make use of your Personalized URL.  Your Personalized URL gives you a web presence.  Add your URL to your email signature block, your business card and your résumé.  Mention how to find you on LinkedIn and, if you are interested in connecting, invite others to connect with you at appropriate times.

Now, enhance your brand with a strong summary.  Use your summary to tell your story.  Who are you?  What do you do?  What are your accomplishments and specific results?  Ensure it is readable, not too long and tedious, or filled with jargon.  Allow your personality to shine in your summary and share your unique value.  Be authentic.

Last, augment your profile and your brand by adding your specialties, unique brand attributes, leadership skills and a bit about your interests beyond work.  Do you collect and renew classic cars?  Build houses with Habitat for Humanity or volunteer for a special organization?  Did you receive a special award or honor in your last job?

Used appropriately, these are the areas that can boost your brand.  What will you do this week to market yourself on LinkedIn?

Need help with LinkedIn?  Call and schedule a one-on-one appointment.

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Sep
16

Accelerate Your Success with Social Proof & Your LinkedIn Endorsements

Cindy Key Action Tips, LinkedIn 3 comments

linkedin

Social proof (what others says about you) has always been important to success.  Within LinkedIn there are several ways to leverage social proof, including Recommendations and Endorsements.

The Endorsements feature within your LinkedIn Profile allows your first degree connections to offer social proof regarding the skills you have listed in your profile.  The feature is easy to set up and use.

Yes, I know, since 2012 when the feature was introduced there has been a love/hate relationship with Endorsements . . . but that’s a post for another time.

LinkedIn Endorsements are a public statement of support, or approval of, your skills in a specific area.  Unfortunately, LinkedIn has not encouraged users to be thoughtful about using the tool or endorsing others.

By following the recommendations listed below you can favorably influence the value of your Endorsements:

1. Review the skills in your profile.  You can list up to 50 skills.  Ensure the skills you list are consistent with your current professional focus and strategy.  Keep in mind that few people will wade through a list of 50, so it important to list your most important skills first.

2. Appropriately endorse your connections.  Make a list of your first degree connections that you are willing to endorse.  Your official public statement or approval of someone’s skills on LinkedIn is a valuable gift.   Your endorsement is social proof of a person’s skill.  Set up time in your schedule, review each profile and endorse the skills you are willing and able to talk to others about.  Don’t forget to write LinkedIn recommendations for your connections as appropriate.  This is a pay-it-forward activity.  Don’t expect an endorsement or recommendation in return.  Also, do not feel obligated to endorse everyone who endorses you.  One reason the value of endorsements has been questioned by some is the quid pro quo factor.

3. Review your settings.  If the big blue box that appears when you view profiles saying, “Show me suggestions to endorse my connections” annoys you, turn it off.  I don’t recommend you elect not to be endorsed as that action is akin to saying, “No thanks, keywords don’t matter.”  Keywords within your profile are important and helpful to others.

It is easier than you think to build social proof and leverage your LinkedIn Profile.  If you need help leveraging the power of LinkedIn feel free to contact me.

Unlock your potential, share your uniqueness and amazing results will occur!

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Jul
01

Building Know, Like and Trust for Career Success

Cindy Key Career Development, Career Management 6 comments

kltBuilding your know, like and trust factor (aka KLT) is a critical component in a successful career.  Whether you have stepped into a new position, or soon will do so, know that it requires sustained engagement with influencers and advocates in your industry to be known, liked and trusted.

Yes, knowledge and experience are first steps, yet to be trusted as an expert your must also be known and develop clout, both in your organization and your industry.  To build trust, you must also market your expertise and your results.

Begin to build your visibility by assisting others and by being a strong brand ambassador for yourself and your organization.  Grow your external visibility by volunteering and staying connected to channels of trade that support your industry.  This allows you to stay engaged with key influencers inside and outside your industry and organization.

Share your knowledge and passion in relevant ways.  Write for a newsletter or mentor others.  Talk regularly to your boss and other key influencers.  Understand who the thought leaders are in your field and follow and engage them — making sure you have a strong online presence.

Here are three actions not to overlook:

  1. Actively manager your online profiles, keeping them accurate and up-to-date.
  2. Build your own thought leadership.  Write articles or a blog.  Curate and share content about your field/industry.  Become known as a subject matter expert.
  3. Engage and stay engaged.  Relationships do count — both in person and online.  Read, comment and share information.  Introduce like-minded people.  Connect with thought leaders at meetings, conferences, and online.  Make phone calls. Write notes and send them by ‘snail mail’.

Read the reports and articles of others in your organization and industry.  Learn what is important to them.  Note what they are reading and watching.  Listen twice as much as you talk.  Social media has made connecting and sharing information with individuals in your industry so much easier than in years past.

Creating KLT is an ongoing process.  It requires that you build and maintain expertise; build and maintain relationships and share what you know.  Doing so provides proof of your influence and shows hiring managers that you are liked and trusted by people in your organization and industry.

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Apr
15

What is your reputation?

Cindy Key Career Management, Personal Branding Add your comment

cindy 415_2The world around you runs on ideas, thoughts, judgements and conclusions.  Those you interact with help write your story.  Some will fill in the blanks with a “good” story, others with a “bad” story.   But, they are not the only ones influencing your story  — you are also are critical to the story told, to your reputation.

Ask people what they have too little of and odds are the response will be, “Time and money.”  Usually in that order.  With most of the world feeling the time crunch, people will naturally look for the fastest, shortest and easiest way to do things.  Can you relate?

People are built, at least in my view, to look for the shortest and quickest path possible to a decision or the solution to their issue.  Employers are people.  Employers, especially hiring managers, seek information from others to help solve their problems and get more done, in less time.

This is where your reputation [a.k.a., your personal brand] comes into play.  Your reputation includes what others think and feel when they interact with you -AND- what others are saying about you.  These things speak volumes and impact your success and the speed at which you land your next position.

As a kid, my mother would say, “Cindy, your reputation precedes you. Think about who you hang out with and what you do.”   I did not get it then.  I saw it as nagging and assumed she just didn’t like my group of friends.  However, she was right.

A reputation, whether great, good, neutral, poor or bad, is critical.  Your reputation alone can be the reason you receive an interview, or not.

Recently, I read a description of your reputation as a “shadowy twin.”  A twin that is everywhere and ensures you are in two places at once.  Be sure your “shadowy twin” is helping you rather than causing harm to your career.

You and your reputation are always evolving.  If you are currently seeking a promotion, are in career transition, or thinking of a career move, pause and look at your reputation.

Discover how to be your own best ambassador, both in person and online.  Understand how others view you.  Leverage that information to enhance your online profiles and all your professional and personal communication.

As people, including recruiters and hiring manager, seek to make quick decisions and draw conclusions about your value and whether or not to offer you an interview, make sure your reputation is working for you.  Don’t let your LinkedIn profile, resume or emails wound — or worse yet — assassinate your career. 

What time or energy have you invested in positively communicating you reputation?

How do others view you?

When was the last time you paused and really looked at how your unique values comes across to those who are making hiring decisions?

 

Do you have a question about communicating your reputation?  Post it below or contact me.

 

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Feb
04

4 Tips to Help You Make Positive First Impressions

Cindy Key Action Tips, Networking 5 comments

Impressions and judgments occur.  And, yes, I think they matter.

People take in information quickly and, just as quickly, use the data to make judgments about what they see and hear.  Presto!  A first impression of you is produced.  That first impression sticks and all other things someone learns about you is layered on top of that first impression.

In early January an “old” friend came to visit.  We have known each other for nearly 30 years; yet don’t see each other often.  During her visit she shared the story of how we first met to her friend.  As my old friend described our first meeting in great detail, I wanted to hide.

Why?  I didn’t make such a great first impression.  Even though we didn’t get off on the right foot, it all worked out.  Still, the story was a BIG reminder to me of the importance of first impressions.  Especially when the person listening to the story replied, “After all that, I am surprised you have been friends for so many years.”  Ouch.

Here are a few tips to help you distinguish yourself in a positive manner — whether during your job search or any other time you need to make a good first impression:

Be Enthusiastic.

Enthusiasm is contagious.  Thoughtful questions, openness and the desire to engage are viewed as positive interactions.

Be Professional.

Professionalism is demonstrated by how you communicate with others, how you carry yourself and in your overall appearance.  A sincere attitude, and a look that matches, instills respect and trust.

Be Responsible and Accountable.

A job search (and life!) has good days and bad days.  If there are things you need to do, get them done.  Blaming outside factors (the economy, a previous boss, the weather, family duties or traffic) for preventing you from doing a task does not fly.  Drop the excuses.  Stuff happens.  It is how you handle the “stuff” that leaves an impression.

As the saying goes, “You never get a second chance to make a first impression.”  Make the most of every opportunity.  The first connection with someone new is the foundation for all future interactions.  Do everything in your power to connect and make a powerful first impression.

Have an amazing week.

Do you have a tip to add?  Add your tip below.

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