I have presented my career advice workshop at over 50 colleges and universities and have had anywhere from single-digit to triple-digit attendance. Why were some career centers able to attract a lot of students and some very few? Based on my experiences, I'd like to offer a few suggestions on how to attract more students to your workshops.
Before I give my 11 suggestions for improving workshop attendance, let me start with a quote from my book, "From Graduation to Corporation": "I have worked with many college career centers, and I think they are a great, yet underutilized resource." I know that it's sometimes difficult to get students to attend career workshops so hopefully some of these suggestions may be beneficial.
1. Advertise/market the workshop. It surprises me when I go on a career center's website the week of my presentation and there is no mention of my workshop. Sending an email is great but putting the information on your website is helpful, too. So is putting a poster on the career center bulletin board and around the student dining room.
2. Get student groups to co-sponsor the event. I spoke at a school one year and only had about six students attend and the next year when I spoke, attendance had quadrupled because a business fraternity had co-sponsored the event. Get them involved.
3. Provide food. Pizza is popular-if they don't show up for pizza, nothing will get them in the door!
4. Work with professors and make workshop attendance mandatory. If students are required to attend and will get credit for their class, you will have a larger audience attend. Even if the workshop isn't mandatory, at least ask professors to let their students know about the event.
5. Be proactive. Send an email to your speaker about a month before their workshop and ask them for a photo, biography, and workshop description so you can post these on your website. Send them a campus map, parking information, and directions and ask them if they need a laptop, projector, etc.
6. Practice your introduction of the speaker and try to memorize it. If the person introducing the speaker is just reading the introduction for the first time when making the introduction, it won't get attendees too excited about the speaker.
7. Schedule the workshop so that students won't have to leave early. There is nothing more disruptive for a speaker than when students start getting up to leave in the middle of the presentation because they have a class to attend. Perhaps schedule the workshop during lunch if there is a "no class" period of time or in the late afternoon.
8. Schedule workshops around career fairs. It's more likely students will want to attend a career-oriented workshop when it's right before a career fair. If possible, schedule a workshop right before a career fair in the same building.
9. Have heavy users of the career center help you promote the event. Speak to five heavy users of your career center and ask them to help you recruit their fellow students for the event.
10. Give students an incentive. Perhaps raffle something off at the workshop. If the speaker happens to be an author, raffle off a few of their books or perhaps some other career-related book that will be helpful to students in their job search.
11. Keep it cool. There have been many occasions where the temperature was high in the room where I was speaking and no one knew how to make the room cooler. When the speaker is uncomfortable, they may not be at their best so find out ahead of time how to control the thermostat.
Even if you follow all of the above steps, you may not increase your career workshop attendance but at least the speaker will know that you've done everything in your power to help them.
Thursday, May 3, 2012
Thursday, August 11, 2011
How HR Can Enhance Its Reputation
Many Human Resources departments have a perception problem. Some employees see HR as being more supportive of the company as a whole and of upper management but not necessarily of rank-and-file employees. However, HR departments can overcome this perception by implementing the following:
1. Either set up an HR tab on the company website or set up an independent HR website. List the bios of all HR members with photos and responsibilities and let other departments know who their HR liason is. In other words, let employees know who you are.
2. Allow employees to fill out an anonymous survey which rates the HR department on various measures. Don't be afraid to get negative feedback but once you know where the problems are and among which group(s), it will be much easier to fix the problem.
3. Be proactive. HR shouldn't just see employees on their first day, their last day, and when they have a problem. Randomly select employees from various departments and contact them on a quarterly basis to get input on what is going on in their department and in the company. Handle problems in their initial stages so they don't get out of hand.
4. Take a second look at the HR receptionist if you have one. This is the first person many job candidates and employees see and hear. Their first impression of HR will come from their interaction with the receptionist so make sure they represent HR in a positive way.
5. Consider sending out a monthly or quarterly newsletter letting employees know what HR is doing including any new HR initiatives that are upcoming. It would be a good opportunity to remind employees about their internet usage, the importance of having a professional social networking profile, sexual harrassment laws,etc. You can also have some employees provide guest blogs.
6. Proactively meet with department heads on a quarterly basis to find out if they have any employee issues or potential employee issues.
7. Make it a requirement for management to attend management classes either at the company or off-site. Many employees are thrown into management without proper training so this training will be very beneficial to them.
8. During employee exit interviews, in addition to having the departing employee fill out paperwork, give them the opportunity to be very honest about their time with the company and assure them that whatever they say will be kept confidential.
9. Reevaulate your testing process for applicants when it comes to Word, Excel, and PowerPoint. Check with the department that has the job opening and see if their job candidate needs to take a more stringent test in these areas.
10. Does the HR department give job applicants a writing test? Many applicants lack excellent writing skills so if one doesn't exist, provide one to help weed out bad candidates.
11. Check websites like glassdoor.com and ebosswatch.com to see if your company or its executives are being rated by employees. This is a good way to get feedback without soliciting it.
12. Utilize personal coaches to help employees who have a lot of potential but are currently experiencing problems in their job or in dealing with other people. It pays to invest in good employees so that they can become great employees.
13. Evaluate how you reward employees. Consider having quarterly breakfasts to explain to employees how the company is doing or provide cash rewards for perfect attendance during the calendar year.
Many of these suggestions will take a lot of extra time and perhaps extra money but in the long run, if the employees feel that HR is on their side, then the extra effort is well worth it.
1. Either set up an HR tab on the company website or set up an independent HR website. List the bios of all HR members with photos and responsibilities and let other departments know who their HR liason is. In other words, let employees know who you are.
2. Allow employees to fill out an anonymous survey which rates the HR department on various measures. Don't be afraid to get negative feedback but once you know where the problems are and among which group(s), it will be much easier to fix the problem.
3. Be proactive. HR shouldn't just see employees on their first day, their last day, and when they have a problem. Randomly select employees from various departments and contact them on a quarterly basis to get input on what is going on in their department and in the company. Handle problems in their initial stages so they don't get out of hand.
4. Take a second look at the HR receptionist if you have one. This is the first person many job candidates and employees see and hear. Their first impression of HR will come from their interaction with the receptionist so make sure they represent HR in a positive way.
5. Consider sending out a monthly or quarterly newsletter letting employees know what HR is doing including any new HR initiatives that are upcoming. It would be a good opportunity to remind employees about their internet usage, the importance of having a professional social networking profile, sexual harrassment laws,etc. You can also have some employees provide guest blogs.
6. Proactively meet with department heads on a quarterly basis to find out if they have any employee issues or potential employee issues.
7. Make it a requirement for management to attend management classes either at the company or off-site. Many employees are thrown into management without proper training so this training will be very beneficial to them.
8. During employee exit interviews, in addition to having the departing employee fill out paperwork, give them the opportunity to be very honest about their time with the company and assure them that whatever they say will be kept confidential.
9. Reevaulate your testing process for applicants when it comes to Word, Excel, and PowerPoint. Check with the department that has the job opening and see if their job candidate needs to take a more stringent test in these areas.
10. Does the HR department give job applicants a writing test? Many applicants lack excellent writing skills so if one doesn't exist, provide one to help weed out bad candidates.
11. Check websites like glassdoor.com and ebosswatch.com to see if your company or its executives are being rated by employees. This is a good way to get feedback without soliciting it.
12. Utilize personal coaches to help employees who have a lot of potential but are currently experiencing problems in their job or in dealing with other people. It pays to invest in good employees so that they can become great employees.
13. Evaluate how you reward employees. Consider having quarterly breakfasts to explain to employees how the company is doing or provide cash rewards for perfect attendance during the calendar year.
Many of these suggestions will take a lot of extra time and perhaps extra money but in the long run, if the employees feel that HR is on their side, then the extra effort is well worth it.
Friday, June 10, 2011
Top 10 Job Search Mistakes
It's tough enough looking for a job in a good economy but in today's tough economy there is no room for error. Below are 10 job search mistakes that can be avoided.
1. Relying too much on the Internet to look for jobs and to network. Everyone should utilize the Internet to help them look for jobs and to network. The mistake many people make is that they depend too much on the Internet. Some people spend the day on their computer sending out resumes and making contacts. This is a good foundation but nothing substitutes for face-to-face communication. It is imperative to set up as many informational interviews as possible so you can get in front of people. Remember-out of sight, out of mind.
2. Not joining LinkedIn. When you do utilize the Internet to look for jobs and to network, LinkedIn should be at or near the top of your list. It is a professional website (with over 100 million members), not social, and once you get a connection, you have access to all of their connections. You can search for jobs and search for people (this is helpful when trying to get the names of people at companies whom you want to send your resume to or perhaps are trying to set up informational interviews with). You can also get recommendations online from supervisors, co-workers, college professors, etc. The more recommendations the better. Why is joining LinkedIn important? Because there's a good chance that an employer will take a look at your LinkedIn profile before considering bringing you in for an interview. Without a LinkedIn profile, you may be invisible to them.
3. Not realizing the importance of your social networking profile. Do you send resumes in but rarely get a response? Yes, it could be your resume that's the problem but it could be something else. Google yourself. What comes up? Anything negative? Take a look at your social networking profile on Facebook. Do you have any unprofessional photos of yourself? Do you use profanity on your home page? Do your friends make negative comments on your page? If so, you can bet that your future employer is taking a look at these things. Yes, there are privacy settings but you must make the assumption that your prospective employer is looking at your social networking profile, so be careful.
4. When networking, asking for help but offering nothing in return. Too many people appear desperate in their job search and ask for help but offer nothing in return. You have a much better chance of getting some good job leads and meeting the right people if you offer your networking contact your help in any way. You may not be in a position to offer much help but the fact that you offered help can go a long way. If you attend a networking event in person, ask them about themselves-what they do, where they're from. Don't make it all about you. Ask them for suggestions and leads but don't ask them directly if they can help you get a job. That's a turnoff for most.
5. Utilizing resumes/cover letters that are too general. I received hundreds of resumes over the years and the ones that were too general in tone were thrown out immediately. Try to find out the name of the person receiving your resume/cover letter so you can address it to them instead of "To Whom It May Concern." Also, don't give the impression that you're looking for any job within that company. Be specific. Since many companies use computer software to track the keywords in your resume/cover letter, match the specific keywords in the job description to your resume/cover letter as much as possible.
6. Utilizing resumes/cover letters that don't tout your accomplishments. Do you utilize phrases like "team player," "results-oriented," or "hard worker?" So does everyone else. As much as possible, try to use metrics to discuss your accomplishments-how much $ you saved the company, how much revenue you contributed to the company's bottom line, or what % increase in sales you've accomplished.
7. Not dressing properly for the interview. It's common sense to dress well for an interview but too many interviewees don't realize the importance of dressing up. As soon as you walk in the door, the interviewer has gotten their first impression of you. I would interview recent college male graduates who came to the interview without a suit or tie and I spent the interview wondering why they didn't dress properly instead of actually listening to what they were saying. That's how important your job interview attire is to many hiring managers.
8. Not asking the right questions during an interview. The interviewer will be asking the interviewee many questions during the interview but it's not all about answering questions. Asking the right questions is just as important. Do your research ahead of time so you know as much about the company as possible. Ask the interviewer specific questions about what your responsibilities are going to be and ask them to show you a hard copy of a typical project that you'll be working on. When the interview is over and they ask you if you have any questions, ask the interviewer about their career path and what they love about their job and company.
9. Not following up with thank-you notes. Whether it's for someone who is offering to help you in your job search or someone who interviewed you for a job, don't forget to send them a thank-you note (even if it's for a job you're not interested in). How important is a thank-you note? Many times when I had a job opening in my department and it was down to two candidates, we discussed who sent us the thank-you note. I'm not saying it was a tie-breaker but it was important. There are three types-a handwritten note which is more personal but has a space limit as to how much you can say, an email which is the fastest but less personal, and a typed business letter which is the most professional looking. Personally, I didn't care which format I received as long as I received some type of thank-you note. Also, you should not only thank the person for their time in the thank-you note, but it's an opportunity to address any concerns the interviewer had that perhaps you didn't address properly in the interview.
10. Turning down unpaid internships. Everyone needs to make money and especially if you've just graduated from college, you probably have a nice fat student loan to pay back. Having said that, don't make the mistake of turning down an unpaid internship. I've even had people turning down paid internships because it wasn't enough money for them. Big mistake. Having an internship on your resume is resume gold. Importantly, an unpaid internship gets you in the door of the company you want to work for. If you do a great job, this will be noticed and you'll eventually move up the ladder and make the money you deserve. Any internship, paid or unpaid, gives you something that every employer is looking for-experience.
1. Relying too much on the Internet to look for jobs and to network. Everyone should utilize the Internet to help them look for jobs and to network. The mistake many people make is that they depend too much on the Internet. Some people spend the day on their computer sending out resumes and making contacts. This is a good foundation but nothing substitutes for face-to-face communication. It is imperative to set up as many informational interviews as possible so you can get in front of people. Remember-out of sight, out of mind.
2. Not joining LinkedIn. When you do utilize the Internet to look for jobs and to network, LinkedIn should be at or near the top of your list. It is a professional website (with over 100 million members), not social, and once you get a connection, you have access to all of their connections. You can search for jobs and search for people (this is helpful when trying to get the names of people at companies whom you want to send your resume to or perhaps are trying to set up informational interviews with). You can also get recommendations online from supervisors, co-workers, college professors, etc. The more recommendations the better. Why is joining LinkedIn important? Because there's a good chance that an employer will take a look at your LinkedIn profile before considering bringing you in for an interview. Without a LinkedIn profile, you may be invisible to them.
3. Not realizing the importance of your social networking profile. Do you send resumes in but rarely get a response? Yes, it could be your resume that's the problem but it could be something else. Google yourself. What comes up? Anything negative? Take a look at your social networking profile on Facebook. Do you have any unprofessional photos of yourself? Do you use profanity on your home page? Do your friends make negative comments on your page? If so, you can bet that your future employer is taking a look at these things. Yes, there are privacy settings but you must make the assumption that your prospective employer is looking at your social networking profile, so be careful.
4. When networking, asking for help but offering nothing in return. Too many people appear desperate in their job search and ask for help but offer nothing in return. You have a much better chance of getting some good job leads and meeting the right people if you offer your networking contact your help in any way. You may not be in a position to offer much help but the fact that you offered help can go a long way. If you attend a networking event in person, ask them about themselves-what they do, where they're from. Don't make it all about you. Ask them for suggestions and leads but don't ask them directly if they can help you get a job. That's a turnoff for most.
5. Utilizing resumes/cover letters that are too general. I received hundreds of resumes over the years and the ones that were too general in tone were thrown out immediately. Try to find out the name of the person receiving your resume/cover letter so you can address it to them instead of "To Whom It May Concern." Also, don't give the impression that you're looking for any job within that company. Be specific. Since many companies use computer software to track the keywords in your resume/cover letter, match the specific keywords in the job description to your resume/cover letter as much as possible.
6. Utilizing resumes/cover letters that don't tout your accomplishments. Do you utilize phrases like "team player," "results-oriented," or "hard worker?" So does everyone else. As much as possible, try to use metrics to discuss your accomplishments-how much $ you saved the company, how much revenue you contributed to the company's bottom line, or what % increase in sales you've accomplished.
7. Not dressing properly for the interview. It's common sense to dress well for an interview but too many interviewees don't realize the importance of dressing up. As soon as you walk in the door, the interviewer has gotten their first impression of you. I would interview recent college male graduates who came to the interview without a suit or tie and I spent the interview wondering why they didn't dress properly instead of actually listening to what they were saying. That's how important your job interview attire is to many hiring managers.
8. Not asking the right questions during an interview. The interviewer will be asking the interviewee many questions during the interview but it's not all about answering questions. Asking the right questions is just as important. Do your research ahead of time so you know as much about the company as possible. Ask the interviewer specific questions about what your responsibilities are going to be and ask them to show you a hard copy of a typical project that you'll be working on. When the interview is over and they ask you if you have any questions, ask the interviewer about their career path and what they love about their job and company.
9. Not following up with thank-you notes. Whether it's for someone who is offering to help you in your job search or someone who interviewed you for a job, don't forget to send them a thank-you note (even if it's for a job you're not interested in). How important is a thank-you note? Many times when I had a job opening in my department and it was down to two candidates, we discussed who sent us the thank-you note. I'm not saying it was a tie-breaker but it was important. There are three types-a handwritten note which is more personal but has a space limit as to how much you can say, an email which is the fastest but less personal, and a typed business letter which is the most professional looking. Personally, I didn't care which format I received as long as I received some type of thank-you note. Also, you should not only thank the person for their time in the thank-you note, but it's an opportunity to address any concerns the interviewer had that perhaps you didn't address properly in the interview.
10. Turning down unpaid internships. Everyone needs to make money and especially if you've just graduated from college, you probably have a nice fat student loan to pay back. Having said that, don't make the mistake of turning down an unpaid internship. I've even had people turning down paid internships because it wasn't enough money for them. Big mistake. Having an internship on your resume is resume gold. Importantly, an unpaid internship gets you in the door of the company you want to work for. If you do a great job, this will be noticed and you'll eventually move up the ladder and make the money you deserve. Any internship, paid or unpaid, gives you something that every employer is looking for-experience.
Tuesday, November 16, 2010
Using Social Media For Career Advancement
Well, there’s good news and bad news regarding the use of social media for career advancement. The good news is that social media can help you get a job. The bad news is that social media can help you lose a job. Let’s start by discussing some websites that can help you get a job.
LinkedIn: I highly recommend that college students and recent grads join LinkedIn. Whenever I speak at colleges, I ask students if they are using LinkedIn and usually only a few say yes. There are currently 80 million members on LinkedIn and while the average age of its members is much higher than the age of college students, if you join while in college or right after you graduate, you will have a great advantage in your job search.
LinkedIn is a professional website, not a social one. You can put your resume on it and unlike a paper resume, you can add one photo of yourself if you desire, which is usually a headshot of you in professional attire. One of the great things about LinkedIn is that once you are connected with someone, you have access to all of their connections. If you want to get a job in finance, for example, and your new connection has 100 connections, you can go through each connection and search for those in the finance field. You can then ask your mutual connection to introduce you via LinkedIn to those finance connections and perhaps one or two would be willing to help you.
LinkedIn can search your online address book and let you know which of your contacts are already on LinkedIn. You can also search for jobs, people, and organizations on LinkedIn. However, one of the big advantages of LinkedIn is that you can get recommendations from professors, fellow students, former bosses and co-workers, etc. Employers will be checking your LinkedIn profile when you apply for a job and the more recommendations you have, the bigger advantage you’ll have over those who don’t have recommendations.
Twitter: Believe it or not, Twitter is not just about following celebrities or having your friends tell you where they are having coffee. Many of the top job search websites like Monster.com, CareerBuilder.com, etc. have a profile on Twitter. Importantly, there are many companies and people who give career advice on Twitter every day. They provide links to Internet articles on interviewing tips, networking tips, resume/cover letter tips, job listings, etc. All you have to do is enter a few keywords and you will find tons of valuable information on how to get and keep a job.
Facebook/MySpace: While these two websites are social networking websites, they can also be utilized as valuable networking tools when you are searching for a job. At the top of your Facebook page, for example, it asks “What’s on your mind?” This is a great place to let your Facebook “friends” know that you’re looking for a job in a particular field or company and to ask them if they know anyone that can help you. All it takes is one good referral and you may be on your way to getting a great job.
So far, I’ve discussed the positives of using social media for career advancement but you must be aware of the dangers, too. Perhaps you’ve heard the true story of a young woman who wrote on her Facebook page that she hated her job and her boss. Unfortunately, she had forgotten that her boss was one of her Facebook “friends.” He called her in the next day and basically told her he was sorry she didn’t like him or the job and showed her the door. One of my former colleagues was allegedly dressed provocatively on their MySpace page (they were fully clothed). The president of our company found out because one of the company rats, I mean employees, told the president about it who then spoke with my colleague’s boss who then spoke with my colleague. I’m sure this was quite embarrassing for them but these are just two examples of the dangers of social networking websites.
I think it’s quite apparent that we must all make the assumption that your employer or future employer is checking out your social networking profile. I know that there are privacy settings but they seem to be constantly changing and personally, I don’t trust them. As a result, you need to be diligent and be careful about the photos you post on your profile (don’t post partying photos, bathing suit photos, etc.). You also need to be very careful about what you say and what your friends say on your profile. Big Brother and Big Sister are watching.
As we have seen, social media can be extremely helpful in giving you an advantage when networking and job hunting but you do need to be cautious. You may even want to Google yourself and see what pops up. If you don’t like what you see, try to change it. Importantly, in addition to utilizing social media for career advancement, please keep in mind that there is no substitute for face-to-face contact. If you use a combination of online and in-person networking, you will be successful in your job search and career advancement. Good luck!
This article was a guest post for the Generation Y website ebrandingMe-http://ebranding.me/
LinkedIn: I highly recommend that college students and recent grads join LinkedIn. Whenever I speak at colleges, I ask students if they are using LinkedIn and usually only a few say yes. There are currently 80 million members on LinkedIn and while the average age of its members is much higher than the age of college students, if you join while in college or right after you graduate, you will have a great advantage in your job search.
LinkedIn is a professional website, not a social one. You can put your resume on it and unlike a paper resume, you can add one photo of yourself if you desire, which is usually a headshot of you in professional attire. One of the great things about LinkedIn is that once you are connected with someone, you have access to all of their connections. If you want to get a job in finance, for example, and your new connection has 100 connections, you can go through each connection and search for those in the finance field. You can then ask your mutual connection to introduce you via LinkedIn to those finance connections and perhaps one or two would be willing to help you.
LinkedIn can search your online address book and let you know which of your contacts are already on LinkedIn. You can also search for jobs, people, and organizations on LinkedIn. However, one of the big advantages of LinkedIn is that you can get recommendations from professors, fellow students, former bosses and co-workers, etc. Employers will be checking your LinkedIn profile when you apply for a job and the more recommendations you have, the bigger advantage you’ll have over those who don’t have recommendations.
Twitter: Believe it or not, Twitter is not just about following celebrities or having your friends tell you where they are having coffee. Many of the top job search websites like Monster.com, CareerBuilder.com, etc. have a profile on Twitter. Importantly, there are many companies and people who give career advice on Twitter every day. They provide links to Internet articles on interviewing tips, networking tips, resume/cover letter tips, job listings, etc. All you have to do is enter a few keywords and you will find tons of valuable information on how to get and keep a job.
Facebook/MySpace: While these two websites are social networking websites, they can also be utilized as valuable networking tools when you are searching for a job. At the top of your Facebook page, for example, it asks “What’s on your mind?” This is a great place to let your Facebook “friends” know that you’re looking for a job in a particular field or company and to ask them if they know anyone that can help you. All it takes is one good referral and you may be on your way to getting a great job.
So far, I’ve discussed the positives of using social media for career advancement but you must be aware of the dangers, too. Perhaps you’ve heard the true story of a young woman who wrote on her Facebook page that she hated her job and her boss. Unfortunately, she had forgotten that her boss was one of her Facebook “friends.” He called her in the next day and basically told her he was sorry she didn’t like him or the job and showed her the door. One of my former colleagues was allegedly dressed provocatively on their MySpace page (they were fully clothed). The president of our company found out because one of the company rats, I mean employees, told the president about it who then spoke with my colleague’s boss who then spoke with my colleague. I’m sure this was quite embarrassing for them but these are just two examples of the dangers of social networking websites.
I think it’s quite apparent that we must all make the assumption that your employer or future employer is checking out your social networking profile. I know that there are privacy settings but they seem to be constantly changing and personally, I don’t trust them. As a result, you need to be diligent and be careful about the photos you post on your profile (don’t post partying photos, bathing suit photos, etc.). You also need to be very careful about what you say and what your friends say on your profile. Big Brother and Big Sister are watching.
As we have seen, social media can be extremely helpful in giving you an advantage when networking and job hunting but you do need to be cautious. You may even want to Google yourself and see what pops up. If you don’t like what you see, try to change it. Importantly, in addition to utilizing social media for career advancement, please keep in mind that there is no substitute for face-to-face contact. If you use a combination of online and in-person networking, you will be successful in your job search and career advancement. Good luck!
This article was a guest post for the Generation Y website ebrandingMe-http://ebranding.me/
Tuesday, August 17, 2010
HOW TO BE A GOOD PRESENTER AT WORK
If you get an opportunity to give a presentation at work, it means that your boss has confidence in you and thinks that you're knowledgeable in a key area. This is your time to shine. If you can give an informative and entertaining presentation, you will enhance your work reputation and help your chances of moving up the ladder.
Many people get nervous before giving a presentation but don't worry, this is normal. It's extremely important to know your material inside and out. Practice giving your presentation several times. Try to anticipate every question that may come up. If it's a PowerPoint presentation, proof it very carefully and then have someone else proof it.
If your presentation is in PowerPoint, try to do a run-through the day before or day of the presentation in the room where you'll be presenting. Make sure you have the proper audio-visual equipment and that it is running properly. If you can get a co-worker to be present during the run-through to critique you, that would be helpful.
If your presentation is on a CD or DVD, personally check to see that the right CD/DVD is in the machine before you give the presentation. I once saw a colleague give a presentation at a big sales meeting that had the wrong CD/DVD and let's just say, his boss was not too happy.
When you give your presentation, look your audience in the eye and be confident and enthusiastic. Don't speak too fast or too slow and change the tone of your voice so it's not monotone. You can even make the presentation interactive by asking the audience questions as you proceed.
Important-always bring hard copies with you as a back-up in case you have technical difficulties. In other words, ALWAYS HAVE A BACK-UP PLAN. When I give lectures at colleges/universities,I ask them to supply a laptop and projector since I will be bringing a flashdrive. However, I always bring my laptop with me as a back-up and most importantly, I always bring a hard copy of the presentation with me in case of a power failure or their machines don't work (have the phone number of the A/V department with you just in case). By having a back-up plan, it will enable you to be confident that you are prepared for any eventuality.
Good luck!
Many people get nervous before giving a presentation but don't worry, this is normal. It's extremely important to know your material inside and out. Practice giving your presentation several times. Try to anticipate every question that may come up. If it's a PowerPoint presentation, proof it very carefully and then have someone else proof it.
If your presentation is in PowerPoint, try to do a run-through the day before or day of the presentation in the room where you'll be presenting. Make sure you have the proper audio-visual equipment and that it is running properly. If you can get a co-worker to be present during the run-through to critique you, that would be helpful.
If your presentation is on a CD or DVD, personally check to see that the right CD/DVD is in the machine before you give the presentation. I once saw a colleague give a presentation at a big sales meeting that had the wrong CD/DVD and let's just say, his boss was not too happy.
When you give your presentation, look your audience in the eye and be confident and enthusiastic. Don't speak too fast or too slow and change the tone of your voice so it's not monotone. You can even make the presentation interactive by asking the audience questions as you proceed.
Important-always bring hard copies with you as a back-up in case you have technical difficulties. In other words, ALWAYS HAVE A BACK-UP PLAN. When I give lectures at colleges/universities,I ask them to supply a laptop and projector since I will be bringing a flashdrive. However, I always bring my laptop with me as a back-up and most importantly, I always bring a hard copy of the presentation with me in case of a power failure or their machines don't work (have the phone number of the A/V department with you just in case). By having a back-up plan, it will enable you to be confident that you are prepared for any eventuality.
Good luck!
Wednesday, June 2, 2010
Top Ten Mistakes Of Recent College Graduates
Even in this tough economy, there are many recent college graduates who either have jobs or are about to start jobs. However, many of them will be making some mistakes that can be avoided. Here they are, in no particular order:
1. Not dressing appropriately. What's the first thing that people notice about you when you go to work? Probably the way you're dressed. Take the lead from upper management and don't follow your peers when it comes to the dress code at work. Dress appropriately. If you work in a corporate environment, a business suit is probably the norm and if you work for Google, it will be a lot more casual.
2. Criticizing the way things are done. When you're first starting out, I'm sure you want things to be done the way you're used to having them done but it's best to defer to the way your bosses want things done. I once had a new employee who was very smart and well-educated. They proceeded to criticize a big project my bosses and I were working on. We were very successful with that project and all this employee did was alienate themselves from their supervisors. Establish a great work reputation first before trying to change things.
3. Expecting a promotion after one week on the job. I was giving a college lecture recently when one of the students mentioned that her boyfriend couldn't understand why he hasn't gotten a promotion after being on the job for 3 months. BE PATIENT! It doesn't do you any good to quickly get a promotion if you're not ready for one. Once you have a great work aptitude and the experience that is required, you will move up the ladder but don't be in a rush.
4. Coming in late to work. You may have gotten used to coming in late to class but that won't cut it in the workplace. If you want to tick your boss off first thing in the morning, then by all means come in late but I wouldn't recommend it. When you arrive late to work or to a meeting, you're basically saying that your time is more valuable than everyone else's-it isn't. Set your alarm clock earlier and you'll be fine.
5. Spending too much time on the phone or Internet. You never want to be known as the person who "is always on the phone" or "is always on the Internet" for personal reasons. It shows your boss that you have too much time on your hands. Some departments keep a log of phone calls for their employees and many companies keep track of your Internet usage so avoid those porn sites at work!
6. Drinking too much at company functions. You may be used to partying at school but partying too hard at a work function can cost you a job or career. It's that one extra drink that can hurt you. I've seen employees say very inappropriate things to bosses and co-workers, some got hurt physically, some have gotten DUI's, and some just make asses out of themselves. If you must drink at a work function, have one drink and nurse it.
7. Inappropriate material on social networking websites. You may have hit the right privacy functions on Facebook or did you? Just assume that your employer or prospective employer can see your Facebook or MySpace page. Don't post any photos of you drinking/partying or in a revealing bathing suit. Definitely don't say anything negative about anyone at work because many people who have done so have been fired.
8. Not asking the right questions. When you're new to a job, it's not only important to ask questions but to ask the right questions. If you ask too many your boss might get frustrated but too few and you won't learn what you need to learn. Think about the most important questions you have and ask them. A former boss once told me that the person asking the questions is the one in power.
9. Sending inappropriate emails at work. You have to be very careful about the content of your work emails. They should all be professional and don't assume it's o.k. to use shorthand like you would in a text message. Importantly, if you are upset with someone, take a step back, wait 30 minutes, and then edit your email. Once you send a nasty email, you're at the point of no return and I've seen employees get fired for one negative email.
10. Not accepting constructive criticism. Younger employees have been brought up by parents, teachers, and sports coaches with a lot of praise which means a lack of criticism. Don't worry-your boss will probably make up for a lifetime of praise with a lot of criticism. Don't take it personally. Everyone gets criticized. Listen to what the boss says and if they're right, tell them you will do a better job in that area. If you disagree with your boss's criticism, it's o.k. to tell them that but make sure you have examples of why they're wrong.
1. Not dressing appropriately. What's the first thing that people notice about you when you go to work? Probably the way you're dressed. Take the lead from upper management and don't follow your peers when it comes to the dress code at work. Dress appropriately. If you work in a corporate environment, a business suit is probably the norm and if you work for Google, it will be a lot more casual.
2. Criticizing the way things are done. When you're first starting out, I'm sure you want things to be done the way you're used to having them done but it's best to defer to the way your bosses want things done. I once had a new employee who was very smart and well-educated. They proceeded to criticize a big project my bosses and I were working on. We were very successful with that project and all this employee did was alienate themselves from their supervisors. Establish a great work reputation first before trying to change things.
3. Expecting a promotion after one week on the job. I was giving a college lecture recently when one of the students mentioned that her boyfriend couldn't understand why he hasn't gotten a promotion after being on the job for 3 months. BE PATIENT! It doesn't do you any good to quickly get a promotion if you're not ready for one. Once you have a great work aptitude and the experience that is required, you will move up the ladder but don't be in a rush.
4. Coming in late to work. You may have gotten used to coming in late to class but that won't cut it in the workplace. If you want to tick your boss off first thing in the morning, then by all means come in late but I wouldn't recommend it. When you arrive late to work or to a meeting, you're basically saying that your time is more valuable than everyone else's-it isn't. Set your alarm clock earlier and you'll be fine.
5. Spending too much time on the phone or Internet. You never want to be known as the person who "is always on the phone" or "is always on the Internet" for personal reasons. It shows your boss that you have too much time on your hands. Some departments keep a log of phone calls for their employees and many companies keep track of your Internet usage so avoid those porn sites at work!
6. Drinking too much at company functions. You may be used to partying at school but partying too hard at a work function can cost you a job or career. It's that one extra drink that can hurt you. I've seen employees say very inappropriate things to bosses and co-workers, some got hurt physically, some have gotten DUI's, and some just make asses out of themselves. If you must drink at a work function, have one drink and nurse it.
7. Inappropriate material on social networking websites. You may have hit the right privacy functions on Facebook or did you? Just assume that your employer or prospective employer can see your Facebook or MySpace page. Don't post any photos of you drinking/partying or in a revealing bathing suit. Definitely don't say anything negative about anyone at work because many people who have done so have been fired.
8. Not asking the right questions. When you're new to a job, it's not only important to ask questions but to ask the right questions. If you ask too many your boss might get frustrated but too few and you won't learn what you need to learn. Think about the most important questions you have and ask them. A former boss once told me that the person asking the questions is the one in power.
9. Sending inappropriate emails at work. You have to be very careful about the content of your work emails. They should all be professional and don't assume it's o.k. to use shorthand like you would in a text message. Importantly, if you are upset with someone, take a step back, wait 30 minutes, and then edit your email. Once you send a nasty email, you're at the point of no return and I've seen employees get fired for one negative email.
10. Not accepting constructive criticism. Younger employees have been brought up by parents, teachers, and sports coaches with a lot of praise which means a lack of criticism. Don't worry-your boss will probably make up for a lifetime of praise with a lot of criticism. Don't take it personally. Everyone gets criticized. Listen to what the boss says and if they're right, tell them you will do a better job in that area. If you disagree with your boss's criticism, it's o.k. to tell them that but make sure you have examples of why they're wrong.
Friday, April 30, 2010
Top 10 LinkedIn Mistakes
I always recommend that people, especially college students, join LinkedIn, a free professional networking website with over 65 million members. I think it's a great tool which makes it easier for prospective employers to see your work history and background. Once you become "linked in" to someone, you then have access to all of their professional contacts. However, many people make some common mistakes on LinkedIn:
1. Waiting until they are unemployed before they join. If you wait until you're out of a job (or are looking for your first job) to join LinkedIn, you'll be in panic mode-trying to get as many contacts as possible in a short amount of time. It's best to join when you still have a job so that you can take your time posting your resume, making contacts, and getting recommendations.
2. Lack of a photo or having a non-professional photo. The first thing that people notice about you is your photo. Unlike Facebook or MySpace, you are only allowed one photo to be posted so make it count. Have a professional headshot in business attire taken of you.
A lot of people who are on LinkedIn don't have a photo (half of my contacts don't). Perhaps they're afraid that it will bring unwanted attention to them and that their bosses may suspect they're looking for a job. With so many members on LinkedIn, I think it's generally accepted that being on LinkedIn doesn't mean you're looking for a job. There's also many people who have a photo of themselves in casual dress with a swimming pool or baseball field in the background. As I said, business attire only.
Another reason that some people may not have a photo posted is that LinkedIn has a 4MB photo size limit. If your camera takes photos that are larger than this, you should edit and downsize them so that they can be downloaded on the site.
3. Posting an incomplete resume. When you post your resume on LinkedIn, you have to post it in different sections so make sure you don't leave out a section. Everything should be in chronological order and don't leave out dates-employers want to follow your career path from beginning to present.
4. Lack of a clear, specific objective. At the top of your profile you have an opportunity to list an update. This is the perfect space to state your job objective. You can also state it in the "Summary" section. Just like on any resume, a specific job objective goes a lot further than a general job objective. Unlike a resume, you can't keep changing your resume objective to match a specific job since you don't know who is looking at your profile.
5. Lack of a personal greeting when trying to get "linked in" with someone. Personally, when someone tries to "link in" with me, especially someone I know, I prefer that they send me a personal message and not the auto message that says "I'd like to add you to my professional network on LinkedIn." I think you have a better chance of getting someone to be "linked in" with you, especially someone you don't know, if you include a brief personal message.
6. Lack of recommendations. When potential employers look at your LinkedIn profile, they will be looking at how many recommendations you have. The more you have, the better chance you have of getting noticed. Get them from supervisors, co-workers, employees, professors, and fellow students.
7. Contacting your contact's contacts without a mutual introduction. One of the great things about LinkedIn is that once you are "linked in" with someone, you then have the ability to access all of their contacts, some of whom may be able to help you get a job. However, I would recommend not trying to contact them directly. First, ask your mutual contact if they can introduce you via email to the person you want to be "linked in" with. Now, you're no longer a stranger. If your contact is unable or unwilling to do so, then contact the person you want to be "linked in" with directly. However, don't tell them you think they can help you. A better approach would be to introduce yourself, tell them your objective, let them know you admire what they're doing, and tell them you would really appreciate it if they can take the time to speak with you in the future.
8. Not joining LinkedIn groups. There are many LinkedIn groups you can join and all it requires is doing a search, then clicking on a link. To start with, join your college's alumni association. Join a group that is associated with the field you're in. The more groups you join, the more diversified you become and you now have something in common with many other LinkedIn members.
9. Not using the search function. Once you join LinkedIn, you can do a search for jobs, people, groups, and companies. Don't forget to utilize this function.
10. Not using LinkedIn once you get a job. Networking doesn't stop once you get a job. You should always try to increase the number of contacts you have and continue to add recommendations. In this economy, this is no such thing as job security so always be prepared for the next job by constantly updating your LinkedIn profile.
1. Waiting until they are unemployed before they join. If you wait until you're out of a job (or are looking for your first job) to join LinkedIn, you'll be in panic mode-trying to get as many contacts as possible in a short amount of time. It's best to join when you still have a job so that you can take your time posting your resume, making contacts, and getting recommendations.
2. Lack of a photo or having a non-professional photo. The first thing that people notice about you is your photo. Unlike Facebook or MySpace, you are only allowed one photo to be posted so make it count. Have a professional headshot in business attire taken of you.
A lot of people who are on LinkedIn don't have a photo (half of my contacts don't). Perhaps they're afraid that it will bring unwanted attention to them and that their bosses may suspect they're looking for a job. With so many members on LinkedIn, I think it's generally accepted that being on LinkedIn doesn't mean you're looking for a job. There's also many people who have a photo of themselves in casual dress with a swimming pool or baseball field in the background. As I said, business attire only.
Another reason that some people may not have a photo posted is that LinkedIn has a 4MB photo size limit. If your camera takes photos that are larger than this, you should edit and downsize them so that they can be downloaded on the site.
3. Posting an incomplete resume. When you post your resume on LinkedIn, you have to post it in different sections so make sure you don't leave out a section. Everything should be in chronological order and don't leave out dates-employers want to follow your career path from beginning to present.
4. Lack of a clear, specific objective. At the top of your profile you have an opportunity to list an update. This is the perfect space to state your job objective. You can also state it in the "Summary" section. Just like on any resume, a specific job objective goes a lot further than a general job objective. Unlike a resume, you can't keep changing your resume objective to match a specific job since you don't know who is looking at your profile.
5. Lack of a personal greeting when trying to get "linked in" with someone. Personally, when someone tries to "link in" with me, especially someone I know, I prefer that they send me a personal message and not the auto message that says "I'd like to add you to my professional network on LinkedIn." I think you have a better chance of getting someone to be "linked in" with you, especially someone you don't know, if you include a brief personal message.
6. Lack of recommendations. When potential employers look at your LinkedIn profile, they will be looking at how many recommendations you have. The more you have, the better chance you have of getting noticed. Get them from supervisors, co-workers, employees, professors, and fellow students.
7. Contacting your contact's contacts without a mutual introduction. One of the great things about LinkedIn is that once you are "linked in" with someone, you then have the ability to access all of their contacts, some of whom may be able to help you get a job. However, I would recommend not trying to contact them directly. First, ask your mutual contact if they can introduce you via email to the person you want to be "linked in" with. Now, you're no longer a stranger. If your contact is unable or unwilling to do so, then contact the person you want to be "linked in" with directly. However, don't tell them you think they can help you. A better approach would be to introduce yourself, tell them your objective, let them know you admire what they're doing, and tell them you would really appreciate it if they can take the time to speak with you in the future.
8. Not joining LinkedIn groups. There are many LinkedIn groups you can join and all it requires is doing a search, then clicking on a link. To start with, join your college's alumni association. Join a group that is associated with the field you're in. The more groups you join, the more diversified you become and you now have something in common with many other LinkedIn members.
9. Not using the search function. Once you join LinkedIn, you can do a search for jobs, people, groups, and companies. Don't forget to utilize this function.
10. Not using LinkedIn once you get a job. Networking doesn't stop once you get a job. You should always try to increase the number of contacts you have and continue to add recommendations. In this economy, this is no such thing as job security so always be prepared for the next job by constantly updating your LinkedIn profile.
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