The post How to Make Your Business Card Stand Out appeared first on Brazen Life.

But there are plenty of situations where the person you want to remember you has been handed over a dozen business cards—so how do you make yours stand out from the crowd? (Click here to tweet this question.)

Have a Signature Color

Have a specific color tone to your website? Love a specific color combo? As long as it doesn’t hurt the eyes, let your business card build your personal brand in a memorable way through color. The right use of color can take a simple, standard business card and upgrade it both in design and its ability to stand out from the crowd.

Plus, psychologists have found that color improves memory performance, since it adds an extra “memory tag” onto the item. Having a perfect color combo, whether that’s pairing complementary colors or a bright color on white, literally helps your business card stand out when it’s received, and when that receiver thinks back to the best business cards.

Organize, But Not in a Boring Way

We’ve all seen the standard, a quick list of information in size nine font that looks like it belongs in the depths of corporate America. With companies like Vista Print and Moo cards, you’re able to take the basic design and customize it to feature your key information beyond the normal standard. Why stuff your entire address in there in tiny font when you could fit your Twitter handle and website in an easy-to-read size?

The design and organization of your card speaks volumes, beyond just having an eye-catching card. Jaime Petkanics from The Prepary definitely feels this way. “A well-designed card with key information clearly laid out is much more important than something really creative or flashy in my opinion. I love a super fancy business card as much as the next person. But in reality, the content of your conversation while networking is going to make you stand out more than any business card can!”

Have a Catchphrase or Quote that Matches You

My business card has multiple versions of the backside, and one of them has the phrase “Do What You Love.” It speaks to what I blog about at thenenja.com. So many of us have slogans, quotes or proverbs that match what we work toward on a professional and personal level, and it’s a great way to add life to your business card without just placing your logo on the back. You can often design business cards to have multiple designs on one side, so you could have business cards that alternate your favorite phrases, have your logo, etc.

Plus, having that catchphrase will help bring your personal beliefs to life, adding a personal touch to your card beyond the best place to find you and your work. And who knows? Maybe the person you hand it to happens to also love that quote, philosopher, or idea behind what you’ve added to your card. And voila, instant connection.

Nena Farrell is a soon-to-be holder of a BA in journalism from San Francisco State University. Nena runs a career and tech-focused blog (with a few SF foodie reviews) at thenenja.com.

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The post Feeling Stuck? Here are 9 Real Reasons You’re Not Getting Promoted appeared first on Brazen Life.

You personally feel like you have a lot of potential and are worthy of a promotion, but you continuously see your coworkers pass you by. When this happens, you can feel discouraged about your job and lose the motivation to keep trying. It’s fair to say most people desire the opportunity to receive a promotion at least once in their careers. However, when that promotion doesn’t happen, it can feel pretty painful—especially when one of your coworkers becomes your new boss.

When you don’t receive a promotion, the first thing you need to do is re-evaluate your qualities as an employee. If you’re trying to figure where you went wrong in your position, here are nine reasons you were probably overlooked for a promotion:

1. You lack strong leadership skills.

Not everyone is a born leader, but it is possible to possess traits of a strong leader. When it comes to awarding promotions, the No. 1 quality employers look for is the ability to lead. Those who aspire to be leaders in their company are the ones who are most likely to receive the promotions. However, the goal isn’t enough—you must understand what it takes to be an effective leader.

To be a strong leader, you need to inspire people to accomplish goals, have effective communication skills, and understand the bigger picture. If you can develop these three qualities, you’ll have a better chance of landing a promotion. Good leaders are never stuck in their jobs. They’re always moving forward and finding new ways to improve and succeed.

2. Working hard isn’t enough.

If you think working hard is going to get you promoted, you might want to think again. You can spend countless hours in the office and be the most efficient worker, but this doesn’t mean you’ll be a candidate for a promotion. Employees often get stuck in the mindset that working harder will bring them more results. But what if your hard work doesn’t achieve results? What if your character or attitude is preventing you from being successful?

When you’re trying to receive a promotion, you need to look at the bigger picture. The best employees are the complete package. Not only are they dedicated and hard working, but also they have the compassion, positive attitude, and leadership skills needed to be successful.

3. You have a sucky attitude.

No one wants to promote a Negative Nancy or a Betty Brown-noser. If you continuously complain about your workload, coworkers, or the company itself, chances are you won’t be a candidate for a promotion. Employees who receive promotions are typically those who have positive attitudes, work well in a team, and are all around kind and considerate people.

If you don’t think of others or the needs of your employer before yourself, you’re probably not going to receive a promotion. You need to have an attitude that makes work a great place to be and gets work done.

4. Your soft skills aren’t up to par.

When it comes down to receiving a promotion, your soft skills will be the difference between you and the other candidate. Sixty-nine percent of employers look at soft skills when making a hiring decision. To make sure you are worthy of a promotion, make sure your soft skills are some of your strongest skills.

You need to be an effective communicator, strong team player, reliable, and have motivation. Sure, while you might be an expert in your field, you can’t always depend on your hard skills to take you further. You need to have a balance between your hard and soft skills that will make you the perfect candidate for a promotion.

5. Your initiative took a hike.

Job promotions don’t magically fall into your lap by sitting and waiting. You need to have initiative and motivation if you plan on getting ahead in your career. If you sit at your desk all day pushing papers without a care in the world, you’re definitely not a candidate worthy of a promotion. Promotions are awarded to those who push themselves outside of their comfort zones to accomplish the goals for their company.

You have to be willing to take some risks and try new things in order to be noticed by your employer. Drive is huge when it comes to being successful, and if it took a hike a year ago when you first started your job, it’s definitely not going to get you further up the ladder.

6. You don’t think like a boss.

Employers don’t give promotions to people they don’t see as future leaders. If you’re only showing up to work to get paid, how do you expect them to view you as a leader? Most people are passive in their careers and wait for opportunities to happen. Even if you aren’t in a management position right now, this shouldn’t keep you from thinking like a boss. Great employees look for challenges and opportunities, even when it isn’t required of them.

Going the extra mile in your position without seeking reward is what will get you noticed by your employer. You need to be driven, creative, and willing to do anything to bring success to your company. When you think like a boss, you’re able to develop the leadership mindset needed to manage and inspire others. This will help your employer see you are serious about making a difference in the company, thus making them more likely to see you has a candidate for a promotion.

7. You haven’t brought any results to the table. 

Results, results, results! This is the key to success for every company. If you aren’t making improvements or increasing sales for your employer, what’s the point of you moving up in the company? Even if you can’t guarantee results 100 percent of the time (after all, no one can), you still need to make the effort to accomplish goals.

Employers want employees who genuinely care about their company’s goals. If you want to stop feeling stuck in your current position, you need to find new ways you can bring results to the table.

8. You’re lacking passion for your job.

Inspiring leaders are incredibly passionate. When you have passion for your work, you put all your energy and time into your projects. Passionate employees also embody the vision and mission of their companies and will go to the ends of the earth to make success happen. This type of passion is exactly what management is looking for when promoting an employee.

Passion is infectious and can have a huge impact on your company. Chances are, if you’re going to receive a promotion, you’ll need passion that will inspire others. If you’re lacking this passion, your boss will definitely search for it elsewhere within your company.

9. You have high hopes.

It doesn’t matter if you’ve been with the same company for six months or five years. If you don’t have the qualities your employer desires when looking to promote someone, you’re not going to receive the promotion. Just because you were a loyal employee doesn’t mean you were the best employee. For all we know, you could have sat at your desk for five years allowing minutes to pass you by. People who receive promotions deserve it because of their drive, results, and passion.

If you don’t have these qualities, you need to start figuring out how you can become a better employee before expecting a promotion. Just because you were overlooked for a promotion doesn’t mean it’s the end of the world. In fact, missing out on a promotion can provide you with a great opportunity to learn new skills and improve as a professional.

If you strongly desire a promotion, evaluate your strengths and weaknesses and see how you can improve from there. This will guide you in the right direction for receiving a promotion.

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The post The Mere Exposure Effect and How It Helps with Networking appeared first on Brazen Life.

We’re told to just “start networking,” but in reality it’s never that simple. When you’re new to the professional networking scene, figuring out how exactly to create meaningful connections that lead to real opportunities can seem overwhelming and out of reach. Say you go to an event and get someone’s business card—how are you then supposed to keep the relationship going?

It turns out that when done right, networking is far from just a way to reach Linkedin Influencer status or get free drinks at happy hour. It’s actually a complex relationship-building exercise that takes a degree of practice and skill. (Click here to tweet this thought.)

The good news is that there’s a great brain hack which can help you elevate simple acquaintances to their greatest potential, and all it takes is a bit of consistency. It’s what’s known in psychology circles as the mere exposure effect, and when understood and used to your advantage, it can yield big results to help you supercharge your networking activities in a lasting way that grows your career.

The mere exposure effect (also known as the familiarity principle), suggests that simply being repeatedly exposed to a person, thing, or idea increases our liking for it. According to this principle, the more time you spend with someone, the more likely you are to have a preference and positive opinion of him or her.

Using the mere exposure effect to build your professional network can ultimately help you strengthen your skill set, provide you with contacts who can help you land a new job, set you up with a reference, or simply serve as a mentor to seek out advice from.

So the next time you’re prompted to ”just get out there and do some networking,” kick it up a notch by employing the Dos and Don’ts of the mere exposure effect.

DO Follow Up Like a Pro.

After a job interview, conference, or event, failing to follow up is one of the biggest mistakes you can make. Think about that pile of business cards you’ve collected over the years: how many of those people are you no longer in touch with? You probably shared a good conversation when you met, but if you let the lines of communication go dead, you’re losing out on an opportunity to forge a stronger bond, and in turn, to grow the relationship. After you trade business cards, send your new contact a “thank you” or “nice to meet you” email within a day or two. In the coming weeks and months, check in periodically to ensure you remain top-of-mind, each time providing some kind of value to the person. Adding value to the relationship consistently over time is the number one key to leveraging the mere exposure effect. Do this by sharing relevant blog posts, book recommendations, or events via email once a month, meeting for coffee, or letting the person know how you took action and saw results based on advice they gave you.

DO “Like”, Tweet, and Connect.

Social media is a no-brainer when it comes to extending your networking efforts beyond in-person interaction. Be sure to connect with your new contact on LinkedIn, and, if appropriate for your company or field, follow the person and their organization on Twitter, Facebook, Pinterest, etc. Show your continued engagement and dedication to building a long-term relationship by liking, sharing, or commenting on their posts every now and then. Every time you do so, your contact is not only reminded of you (and what makes you great), but they also receive a rush of serotonin, the brain’s reward chemical, which boosts their self-worth, making them associate you with feeling good.

DON’T Overdo it.

Familiarity does breed attraction, but no one likes to be pestered. Say you’re interviewing for a new job and have been expecting to hear back about whether or not you got it for two weeks now. While a follow-up or two is certainly expected and will help keep you top-of-mind, emailing the HR contact to check in each morning makes you seem needy and obnoxious. The mere exposure effect only works if you are adding a certain degree of value to the relationship, so be sure to strike a balance.

DO Keep an Open Mind.

Networking pays off in different ways at different times. That’s why approaching it from the mere exposure effect perspective is preferable to simply blasting out emails to your network as you begin your job search. Familiarity will allow others in your network to reach out to you with a question or favor to ask, making it easier for you to do the same for them when the time comes.

DON’T Get Discouraged.

Life happens. People are busier than ever, and as everyone knows, it can be all too easy to lose touch amidst the chaos of life. It happens. But taking the mere exposure approach to networking will, over time, leave you with a solid set of valuable contacts who you can call on to ask advice and favors. Most importantly, you’re bound to learn a thing or two about people and your industry along the way.

Using the concept of the mere exposure effect as your guide, you can reinvent the way you network, and most importantly, create truly valuable relationships that will skyrocket your career.

Understanding how the familiarity principle works in human interaction should help you to relax and feel confident that a relationship can grow out of repeated exposure and proximity. Follow these steps, and you’ll see a dramatic shift in how you approach networking on a professional and personal level, and how these interactions can reap big rewards.

Melody Wilding, LMSW is a psychology expert, coach, and therapist for entrepreneurs and young professionals. Her advice has been featured on Glamour.com, The Huffington Post, The Daily Muse, and more.

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The post Can Vacation Photos Hurt Your Career? appeared first on Brazen Life.

If you’re like most people, then your first move when you get back is to immediately post your photos on all forms of social media. You want to relish in the glory of your vacation for as long as possible, so show others how much fun you had. But you might want to start thinking twice–your vacation photos may hurt your career:

1. Coworker FOMO

As silly as it may be, coworkers could resent you for your vacation photos. (Click here to tweet this thought.) While they’re stuck in the dreary office and staring at pictures of you with your toes in the sand, it could spark some serious FOMO (fear of missing out). Everyone wishes they could take a sixth month vacation, twice a year, and the reminder that they’re not on vacation usually doesn’t sit well. Furthermore, no one genuinely enjoys covering for a coworker while they’re out of the office, and then to have the photos inadvertently thrown in their face just adds salt to the wound.

2. Extravagant spending

If your boss, or anyone in upper management, sees the photos from your extravagant vacation, you don’t want them thinking, “are we paying her too much?” or questioning how serious you are about you career based on your carefree (or wild) spirit captured in the photos.

3. A damaged reputation

The most obvious thing to consider before uploading any photos is whether or not they may damage your reputation. Would you be comfortable with coworkers knowing how you look in a bikini or six drinks deep? Any scantily clad photos or ones that show inebriation could cause your coworkers to think of you in a different light.

While it’s hard to refrain entirely from not posting a single vacation photo, here are a couple tips to keep in mind if you just can’t fight the urge:

Keep the amount of vacation posts to a minimum.

Multiple albums or constant tweets about your vacation are unnecessary and also may come off as bragging. No one wants to see 30 pictures of you in front of the same palm tree.

Be smart about the photos you do post.

Pictures showing you immersed in the culture, learning a new skill or making a new networking connection show that your vacation was also a learning experience–not just a break from reality.

Amy Wolf graduated from the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, and is a newbie to Chicago. When she is not exploring the city and spending time at Lake Michigan, she enjoys trying new recipes, obsessing over her planner, and listening to country music. Amy can be easily won over with dark chocolate, flowers, Carmex lip balm, and Cocoa Cola. Find her on Twitter @_A_Wolf

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The post Stop Sabotaging Your Happiness and Learn to Celebrate Your Successes appeared first on Brazen Life.

You feel on top of the world, invincible and light… for about five minutes, until things start to go south.

You swear your boss has been looking at you funny for a few days in a row, your computer crashes just as you’re about to send in a report, you lock yourself out of your apartment, and you have one too many glasses of wine at the company happy hour.

So much for a few days ago, when you totally had your life together. Now you’re left wondering, “Where did that person go, and how do I get them back?”

Welcome to the Upper Limit

This is the Upper Limit Problem in a nutshell: that subconscious self-sabotage that happens when we get a taste of something great, be it a promotion, a financial windfall, a great relationship, completing your first marathon or any other measure of success. It’s the self-defeating belief many of us have, without even realizing it, that we’re not deserving of success, and it can quickly make happy moments backfire on us.

Psychologist and author Gay Hendricks, who first introduced this theory, described it as an “inner thermostat setting” that determines the amount of good feelings we allow ourselves to enjoy. If we experience an increased level of joy, success or abundance, we approach our upper limit and subconsciously invite in negative thoughts to bring us back down into the level of happiness with which we are most comfortable.

Often we mask this in our heads as simply “being realistic,” being modest or being careful not to outshine others, but in fact it can hold us back from achieving big wins and can have lasting consequences that sabotage our potential for success down the line. In reality, if you’re feeling unsure or undeserving of happiness, it’s actually a sign that you’re positively challenging yourself and experiencing more abundance than before as a result.

Has this ever been you?

Have you ever been celebrating a personal success, thinking to yourself or telling a friend about just how darn good things are right now, when all of a sudden negativity enters the picture and, like a punch to the gut, it knocks the wind out of you? (“I know presenting in front of the CEO is an awesome opportunity, but what would my colleagues think of me being chosen for this instead of them? Who am I to have the spotlight?”)

In a moment, the feelings of happiness have been replaced with anxiety, mistrust and that general bad feeling in the pit of your stomach. This in turn manifests itself externally, and before you know it, you’ve come down with a nasty sinus infection just in time for the presentation.

Understanding what the Upper Limit Problem is, why it happens and how to get over it is essential to preventing its negative effects from interfering with your life. (Click here to tweet this thought.) In order to eliminate the feelings of discomfort and the associated self-sabotage that come with success and happiness, we must learn to overcome the Upper Limit Problem.

Here are three steps to take:

1. Get to know your “happiness comfort zone”

Now that you know what the Upper Limit Problem is and some signs that you may be experiencing it, think back to some times in your life when you experienced this type of discomfort as a result of success. This can give you a sense of how you perceive your self-worth and the threshold at which you’re putting a cap on your happiness. Next time you’re flying high about an exciting new opportunity, you’ll be aware of limiting beliefs cropping up to sabotage you.

2. Practice pushing the envelope on your limits

Lean into the feelings of happiness and try to enjoy them free of judgment or analysis. Catch yourself as you begin to conjure up images of the worst case scenario and instead return to experiencing the feeling of joy.

Another way to lean in is to share your successes and positive experiences on social media. When compliments or congratulations begin to roll in, practice reading each one and responding with a simple and gracious, “Thank you. I worked really hard and I’m glad to see it paying off.” Resist the urge to shrug off a compliment by chalking it up to luck, good timing or some other external factor.

3. Re-frame your discomfort

Now that you’re able to bust through that happiness set point, make it easier on yourself in the future by working to change the way you feel about success and happiness. Upper Limit Problems happen because our brains are naturally wired to avoid risk.

So when your lizard brain takes over, triggering panic as you’re celebrating a “risky” success, take a step back and do a reality check. Acknowledge this feeling of discomfort as a positive sign that all the hard work and risk you’ve taken is paying off. You’re on the right track, and all you’re at risk of is achieving success you’ve never believed possible!

By recognizing and acknowledging the feelings that come along with the Upper Limit Problem, but not allowing them to take over, you can begin to shake it off. This will enable you to truly work up to your fullest potential and share your unique gifts with those around you.

Have you struggled with the Upper Limit Problem and seen its negative side effects in action? Share your stories in the comments!

Melody Wilding, LMSW is a psychology expert, coach and therapist for entrepreneurs and young professionals. Melody has helped entrepreneurs running some of today’s top startups along with published authors and media personalities. Her advice has been featured on Glamour.com, The Huffington Post, The Daily Muse and more. Visit her at www.melodywilding.com and follow her on Twitter at @MelodyWilding.

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The post How to Stop Playing the Comparison Game appeared first on Brazen Life.

But the real reason people may give this show a shot is because it revolves around the ageless concept of “the grass is always greener.” We always think someone else has it better off than us, whether it be financially, career-wise (wouldn’t it be cool to be a surf instructor?) or in terms of their looks, location, ability to pull off hats or yoga capability.

If you’re anything like me, you may suffer from CCMTO (Constantly Comparing Myself To Others). It is one of my worst habits, even though I know this is not how I should approach the world. But I can’t help it. I have always done it. I love my friends and am thrilled for their achievements and happiness, but there are certain times when I wonder, “Why can’t it be that easy for me to do that?”

But apparently I am not alone in my CCMTO. Psychiatrist Judith Orloff calls us a society of “comparison junkies.” And it starts pretty much from day one. Babies are compared to each other: Who is the cutest? Who’s crawling first? Speaking first? Has the most hair? Orloff writes, “Comparing yourself to others can preclude a bond of common fellowship and is a disservice to finding true worth. Either you’ll end up with the short end of the stick or, if you deign to put yourself above anyone, you’re nowhere. (No one is above anyone else.) Self-esteem must come from simply being you.” (Click here to tweet this thought.)

Sometimes the comparisons get so out of hand that we end up losing friends. Last week, Christina Pesoli wrote for Huffington Post about a very negative tendency many women have that’s a result of comparing themselves to their friends. Pesoli describes it as the “Two Out of Three Club.” She writes:

It is a sorority of women dedicated to keeping each other from living full lives. Few people know that the sorority exists, and fewer still realize that they are active members of it. Like computer zombies that are part of a vast botnet, women in this sorority work overtime to sabotage each other’s success, yet they aren’t even aware that they are part of this destructive network.

Members of the Two Out of Three Club condition their friendship with you on your having only two out of the following three things going for you: looks, success and happiness. If you have a great career and a fantastic boyfriend, you’d better look like Ugly Betty. If you are gorgeous and have a job that you love, your boyfriend better be a jackass. If you and your significant other have a good thing going and you’re also attractive, you’d better have a boss like Miranda Priestly from The Devil Wears Prada.

This is tough to hear, but I think most of us can admit that we may have at times pledged this sorority or at least acted like we could be a member. Jealousy can rear a very ugly head, and that head usually comes out in the form of being unsupportive. This is especially bad if it happens in the workplace.

Women need to support each other as we move up the ranks and not turn our backs on each other. Kathi Elster, co-author of Mean Girls at Work: How To Stay Professional when Things Get Personal told me, “The workplace is competitive by nature. And many women are conflicted when it comes to competition: we want to be liked and we want to win at the same time. The result is covert competition — which often manifests as mean behavior. For example, a woman might be nice and friendly to her coworker’s face, but say things that erode that person’s reputation behind her back.”

So, how do we get over this?

1. Identify the person you feel envy towards or are jealous of

Find that person you tend to envy and try to mindfully stop comparing yourself. Whenever you think you are about to do it, think of something else. Think about how you can do better at work or contemplate something really tough, like the series finale of Lost.

2. Jump on the bandwagon

Instead of pouting or looking sad when you hear something good about this person or they receive praise from your boss, jump on the bandwagon. Say “good job” too! Show that you’re confident. But by being generous to them, you will receive generosity back. Same for kindness and encouragement. Put it out there.

3. Learn from them and make a change

Why are you jealous of this person? Is it because they seem to be doing better at work than you? Then figure out what you need to also excel. Do they do extra work? Do they lead projects? Take a cue from them. If they are in shape, ask them what exercises they use or for some diet tips. If it’s a friend, ask them where they shop. Use your negative feelings to your advantage.

Meredith Lepore is the former editor of the women’s career site The Grindstone. Before that, she was on staff at Wall Street Letter and Business Insider and was a contributing writer for LearnVest. She earned her Masters in Magazine, Newspaper and Online Journalism from the Newhouse School at Syracuse University after graduating with a degree in Brain and Cognitive Science from the University of Rochester. Meredith resides in New York full-time and enjoys reading, jogging, shopping and playing with her puppy, Otis.

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The post Get the Most Out of Professional Conferences by Utilizing Social Media appeared first on Brazen Life.

Professional development is a hefty investment companies pony up for every year, but there’s typically very little discussion around expectations. All too often, employees are given a plane ticket and a conference badge and sent off to Orlando, Cincinnati or (if you’re lucky) Las Vegas, without any support on how to fully harness the experience for the good of the company. The responsibility lands on your shoulders to take the bull by the horns and figure out where you need to go, who you need to meet and what you need to learn.

Waiting until the last moment to prepare for a conference (or not preparing at all) is a major missed opportunity, for your employer and for you. (Click here to tweet this thought.) Use the guide below to maximize your conference experience through using social media — and become an industry mover and shaker in the process.

Articulate your goals

What is it exactly that you’re there to achieve? Is your objective to network? Find potential clients? Look for business partnerships on behalf of your company? Brush up on the most recent industry trends? At least one month before the conference, write down your top three objectives and make a plan for how you can achieve them.

Do your homework

Do not wait until the flight is over to start researching which speakers will be in attendance and which presentations you plan to participate in. Examine the conference agenda two to three weeks before the event and reach out to the speakers directly on Twitter. Sample Tweet:

@Presenter I’m really looking forward to your session at #XYZConf14. Would love to meet up with you to discuss my ideas on XYZ! You game?

Jump on the event hashtag, ASAP

Most conferences have an event hashtag to use, and people often use them weeks or months in advance. For bigger events, they’re used year-round! Start following the hashtag and use it when tweeting articles or news relevant to that audience. Learn who the influencers are, follow them and engage with them. If you tweet with them consistently in the days and weeks leading up to the conference, you’ll win yourself a natural icebreaker when approaching them during the event.

Use LinkedIn

Many large-scale conferences have their own LinkedIn groups. Find out if yours does, and if so, use it! Join the group and introduce yourself. Tell them (briefly) about yourself and your goals for the conference, and invite anyone in the group to eat lunch with you the first day. Define the goal: to discuss a particular industry trend, kick around some ideas and learn what’s worked for them and what hasn’t. Boom. Your first meeting has been scheduled.

Create curated Twitter lists

A surefire way to become everyone’s hero. Research the speakers and organizers and add them to your list if they’re on Twitter. Create a Twitter list of people who use the event hashtag. Update and share both every other day using the hashtag. In doing so, you’ve automatically boosted your visibility and positioned yourself as an influencer.

Make a YouTube video

Create a short video introducing yourself, your company and what you hope to achieve at the event. Encourage the audience to follow you on Twitter and to approach you in person. Invite them to join you at lunch or at the cocktail networking reception for a brainstorming session. People will recognize you and gravitate to you. No more standing in the corner, shuffling your feet and feeling awkward as you stare at your smartphone!

Write a killer recap blog

If (tsk, tsk) you didn’t have a chance to do anything listed above, it’s not too late to redeem yourself! Create an interactive recap of the conference highlights, post it to your blog and share it using the conference hashtag. You’ll boost traffic to your site, get visibility and look like a rockstar when you share it with your boss.

Follow up

Don’t stuff those business cards in your pocket and forget them, only to find them later, balled up in a pulp at the bottom of the washing machine. Download an app that turns business cards into contacts (CardMunch is a good one) and maximize your networking digitally in real time by doing so.

Wait two to three business days after the event has concluded and circle back with the people you met. Tell them you’re glad to have met them and propose coffee (either in person or on Skype) to stay in touch and explore mutually beneficial opportunities.

What are your top tips for maximizing your conference experience? Share them with us in the comments below!

Tatiana Natzke is a social media consultant, an avid sci-fi reader and a prolific gardener. As Senior Account Manager at Social Tribe, she works with clients to design and execute cutting-edge B2B and B2C social campaigns and strategies. Follow her on Twitter @TNatzke and @Socltribe.

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The post How Your Emotions Can Help You Win at Work appeared first on Brazen Life.

Emotional intelligence accounts for 58 percent of performance in all types of jobs. Studies have found that 90 percent of high performers are also high in EQ, and that every point increase in EQ increases annual salary by $1,300 on average.

Plus, a high IQ is less important when it comes to leadership skills. That’s where your EQ really comes into play. EQ addresses how we perceive and understand our own emotions and the emotions of others. And then we get into Behavior Emotional Intelligence (BEQ), which is our ability to use EQ to manage personal behavior and relationships.

We talked with Casey Mulqueen, Ph.D., Director of Research & Product Development for The TRACOM Group, one of the nation’s top leadership development companies. They’ve developed a proven BEQ training program used by many Fortune 100 and 500 companies from all around the world. Mulqueen wrote an entire white paper on the subject called “Behavioral EQ: Putting Emotional Intelligence to Work.”

Here are a few of her best tips so you can get your EQ in check:

1. Control your behavior by understanding your emotions

Learn and understand your emotional triggers — the things that result in losing behavioral control. This is invaluable for understanding the situations and emotions that you experience just prior to losing control of your behavior. Understanding your emotions is key to learning how to manage your behavior.

2. Mentally rehearse common situations that set off your emotional triggers

Research shows that when you mentally rehearse scenarios, you’re activating the same neural circuitry that is activated when you’re actually in the scenario. Instead of responding the way you typically have in the past, imagine yourself acting in a more productive way. Develop a mental “movie” of yourself and clearly imagine yourself behaving in the ways you want. This will help prepare you for when these situations actually occur as you will have a script to follow.

3. Force your brain into action by solving a problem

Actively distracting yourself is an effective way to maintain self-control. If you’re suddenly in a situation where you’re feeling anger or frustration, for instance, shift your focus from the other person or situation to a mental problem. Make the problem challenging. For example, work out the solution to 15 x 18. This will force your brain to focus on the math problem and away from the stressful situation.

The old adage that you should count to 10 is not effective. It’s too easy, and therefore doesn’t actively engage the brain. Distracting yourself with a difficult problem is an effective strategy for avoiding an emotional reaction.

It isn’t important to solve the problem correctly; the point is to engage the brain region that solves problems, thereby preventing the emotional center of your brain from flooding the bloodstream with adrenalin and other stress hormones that cause strong emotional reactions.

4. Engage in healthy escapism

If it’s too hard to find a mental problem to solve, another form of distraction is to actively let your attention shift to a pleasant memory. You can sing a song in your mind, think of your favorite place or activity or a funny TV show — whatever works best for you. Similar to solving a problem, this will engage your mind and prevent the amygdala from taking control and causing a strong emotional reaction.

Think of this as a healthy form of mental escapism.

5. When it comes to email, the “send” button is not your friend

Ask a friend or trusted colleague to review questionable emails before you send them. Research shows that as many as one-half of all emails are misinterpreted by the recipient. If you think something sounds neutral, it might be interpreted as offensive or rude.

Carefully consider your message and the recipients. What type of people are they? What are their behavioral styles? How are they likely to interpret your email? In what ways could your message be misinterpreted?

Just as important, if you’re feeling angry or frustrated when writing the email, this is a red flag. It’s too easy to hit the “send” button, so develop a habit to always wait at least 30 minutes before sending an email when you’re feeling emotional. (Click here to tweet this advice.)

6. Walk away from tense situations

If you’re in an emotionally heated conversation or situation, say, “I need time to think about this before I respond,” or some other appropriate response that allows you to leave the situation. Not everything has to be dealt with immediately, especially if tempers are high. Separate yourself from the situation. Allow adequate time to pass so you, and the other person, can calm down. When feeling more controlled, you can then respond to the person.

Remember that in these situations, the amygdala is in control of your mind. It takes time to calm down and for your prefrontal cortex to resume control of your thoughts and actions. Leaving the situation is not escapism; it’s a healthy and productive action that will result in a better outcome.

7. Make a conscious decision to speak clearly and with decorum whenever you’re in an emotionally charged situation

This is an effective strategy for avoiding the urge to blow up and lose control. Think of the language you will use; make sure it’s respectful and calmly delivered. Like all habits, practice will enhance your effectiveness and it will become more natural over time. If you know that you will be in an emotional discussion, rehearse ahead of time. Determine exactly what you will you say and the language you will use.

Meredith Lepore is the former editor of the women’s career site The Grindstone. Before that, she was on staff at Wall Street Letter and Business Insider and was a contributing writer for LearnVest. She earned her Masters in Magazine, Newspaper and Online Journalism from the Newhouse School at Syracuse University after graduating with a degree in Brain and Cognitive Science from the University of Rochester. Meredith resides in New York full-time and enjoys reading, jogging, shopping and playing with her puppy, Otis.

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The post How Your Emotions Can Help You Win at Work appeared first on Brazen Life.

The post Mean Girls at Work: Why Professional Women Bully Each Other appeared first on Brazen Life.

Lea Edwards: It was my mom’s in the ’80s.

Regina: Vintage. So adorable.

Lea Edwards: Thanks.

Regina: [turns to Cady] That is the ugliest effing skirt I’ve ever seen.

The above line is from the classic and brilliant film Mean Girls, which celebrated its 10 year anniversary over the weekend, if you can believe it. The fake compliment was given by Regina George, a queen bee at her high school. She rules the social scene because she’s a brilliant war strategist. Seriously, General Patton has nothing on this girl. Everything looks effortless, but every move is actually calculated. And, though I would like to say this type of foul play only exists in high school and (wildly entertaining) movies, that is absolutely not true.

Woman-on-woman harassment is on the rise. Thirty-five percent of Americans reported being bullied at work, according to a 2010 survey by the Workplace Bullying Institute. (Click here to tweet this stat.) Female bullies more frequently engaged in under-the-radar behaviors such as sabotage (53.7 percent of female vs. 39.9 percent of male bullies) and abuse of authority (50.2 percent vs. 44.7 percent), as compared to the more observable form of verbal abuse engaged in by more male than female bullies (at 57.5 and 47.1 percent, respectively).

Why are we picking on our kind?

Well, in some ways, it’s because we are our own worst enemies. One reason women choose other women as targets “is probably some idea that they can find a less confrontational person or someone less likely to respond to aggression with aggression,” said Gary Namie, research director for the Workplace Bullying Institute.

Women are not raised to be confrontational. They’re supposed to be the nurturing peacemakers. I am a classic example of this. If someone is arguing near me, I remove myself from the room. When the barista screws up my drink and spells my name wrong, I apologize for ordering an annoying drink (so, anything that isn’t black coffee) and that my name isn’t Bob. I don’t confront people. I wait until I get home and then talk about the person behind their back to anyone who will listen. I was raised right.

But women are seriously trying to take other women down in some ways because they are threatened by them. Washington Post journalist Selena Rezvani writes:

While workplace studies show women are routinely underestimated compared to men, we don’t give much credence to the fact that women hampering other women is also to blame…. Many of us have witnessed the man who comments on a woman’s hotness just as she leaves the room. But what about the woman who criticizes another’s appearance (“Did you see what she was wearing in there?”) or frowns on a woman’s unapologetic use of power (“Just who does she think she is?”)?

And, in a way, I think the woman who waits for the other woman to leave the room or tries to sabotage her very quietly is even scarier than the loud-mouthed confrontational lady. Think how scary Miranda Priestly was in The Devil Wears Prada. Her voice level was barely above a whisper, and she was absolutely terrifying. Women can be so sneaky. On an episode of the brilliant but short-lived series Don’t Trust the B in Apartment 23, the naive June thought the only other girl on her investment bank team was trying to befriend her, but she was only finding out information about June to take her down later. It made for a hilarious episode, but in real life, that would not be so fun.

The repercussions

Now, this behavior is partly because it took women such a long time to make progress in the workplace, and we don’t want to go backwards, but this is really hurting us. According to Catalyst, women make up more than 50 percent of management, professional and related occupations but only 15.7 percent of Fortune 500 officers and 15.2 percent of directors. This lack of support is part of the problem.

According to new research, one of the major reasons we don’t see women being promoted is because women at higher levels don’t help other women get ahead. Women at the top experience something called “value threat,” which causes them to not want to help other women.

Michelle Duguid, PhD, assistant professor of organizational behavior at Olin Business School and author of Female Tokens in High-Prestige Work Groups: Catalysts or Inhibitors of Group Diversification?, identifies two forms of value threat she thinks affect the behavior of women in high-status work groups in the context of promotion and selection — competitive threat and collective threat.

“Competitive threat is the fear that a highly qualified female candidate might be more qualified, competent or accepted than you are,” Duguid writes. “Women also might be concerned about bringing in another woman with lower qualifications, who could reinforce negative stereotypes about women and impact others’ impressions of them. This is collective threat.”

Basically, we are still all in high school

The women’s bullying program is really due to our environment. A study from the Netherlands found that if a woman was in a sexist environment, she was far more likely to behave like an alpha female or queen bee. The woman would actually become more sexist than her male counterparts as a result.

“These women are concerned that if they are seen to be helping other women rise to the top or supporting other women in the workplace, they will be derided by the men at work, and will be seen as operating counter to the culture rather than acting like one of the boys,” according to research.

Rezvani says that women, especially those at the top levels in their careers, may be experiencing some sort of “sexism amnesia.” She writes, ”They may forget what it’s like to be junior, to have little sway, and to be underestimated as a young woman. When they finally do get to the top, they adopt the mindset of those around them and gloss over their past struggles. Even harsher is the sink-or-swim school of thought whose club motto is, ‘I was treated like dirt on my way up, so you should be too.’”

These women make Regina George sound like a day at the beach.

Ladies, have you experienced this at work? Do you agree with these findings?

Meredith Lepore is the former editor of the women’s career site The Grindstone. Before that, she was on staff at Wall Street Letter and Business Insider and was a contributing writer for LearnVest. She earned her Masters in Magazine, Newspaper and Online Journalism from the Newhouse School at Syracuse University after graduating with a degree in Brain and Cognitive Science from the University of Rochester. Meredith resides in New York full-time and enjoys reading, jogging, shopping and playing with her puppy, Otis.

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The post Why Women Apologize More — and What That Means for Their Careers appeared first on Brazen Life.

I don’t know when it started. I was definitely one of those kids who didn’t like to get in trouble growing up, and I probably thought saying “I’m sorry” would get me out of bad situations — but this has gotten excessive.

According to a new study from the University of Waterloo in Ontario, Canada, I’m not the only one with this problem. A very blatant gender gap emerges when measuring just how often men and women apologize and the reasoning behind it. While many women say “sorry” as automatically as they say “hello” and “goodbye,” they also apologize for the littlest things.

Take me, for example. I’ve started apologizing to my yoga teacher when I can’t hold my position in my beginner yoga class. This is not good.

The thinking behind our apologies

“By taking responsibility for things that aren’t your fault, you denigrate your self-esteem,” Linda Sapadin, PhD, author of Master Your Fears: How to Triumph over Your Worries and Get on with Your Life, tells Fitness Magazine.

“Women are biologically wired for harmony and nurturing. For most women, the apology is a way of keeping the peace,” says Judi Clements of Judi Clements Training & Development.

She cites a study where a group of young girls are offered one pickle. Unlike the boys, who each fight to take the pickle themselves, the girls go to great lengths to split the pickle equally. Woman would rather do really tough things — like share a single pickle — than make a mistake or upset someone.

Women can really have an auto-apology problem.

“Men aren’t actively resisting apologizing because they think it will make them appear weak or because they don’t want to take responsibility for their actions,” said study researcher Karina Schumann, a doctoral student in social psychology at the University of Waterloo in Ontario, Canada. “It seems to be that when they think they’ve done something wrong, they do apologize just as frequently as when women think they’ve done something wrong. It’s just that they think they’ve done fewer things wrong.”

The repercussions

Personally, I think I apologize a lot because it makes me seem polite. I may do it in hope that the other person will feel bad and forgive me of this awful thing I did, like spilling a little water on the floor or picking up their coffee at Starbucks by accident. In certain settings, this won’t hurt me, but in the office, this can be a bad move.

“It seems that if many men are issuing apologies without understanding why, and women are both issuing and demanding apologies with greater frequency, there is an obvious misalignment. This can be dangerous, particularly because of the power relations involved in being the apologizer versus the aggrieved,” writes Alison Fairbrother of Politics Daily.

Bottom line: your coworkers will start to respect you less if you’re constantly saying, “I’m sorry.” (Click here to tweet this thought.)

So, what can we do to get over this?

1. Keep track of how many times you say “sorry.” Look at when you’re using it, how often and why. Are there situations that really merit it, or do you act like you killed someone when you step on someone’s foot?

2. Save your “sorries.” Don’t waste a good “I’m sorry” when you forgot to put an extra sugar in your friend’s coffee. Save it for when a friend really needs actual sympathy, because your “sorry” loses value when you overuse it.

3. Say “sorry” in code. Most of us were raised to be polite, so we do feel like we have to apologize when we’re late or when we inconvenience someone. At work, where your “sorry” is detrimental, come up with a different way to say it. If you’re late for a meeting try, “Thank you for your patience; I appreciate it.”

Do you think women apologize too much? Share your thoughts in the comments!

Meredith Lepore is the former editor of the women’s career site The Grindstone. Before that, she was on staff at Wall Street Letter and Business Insider and was a contributing writer for LearnVest. She earned her Masters in Magazine, Newspaper and Online Journalism from the Newhouse School at Syracuse University after graduating with a degree in Brain and Cognitive Science from the University of Rochester. Meredith resides in New York full-time and enjoys reading, jogging, shopping and playing with her puppy, Otis.

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The post Why Women Apologize More — and What That Means for Their Careers appeared first on Brazen Life.

The post How to Share Your Awesomeness with the World appeared first on Brazen Life.

It wasn’t until I was applying for my first post-college job that my mentor at the time explained to me that being busy wasn’t the same as accomplishing something. I was shell-shocked; how could she sit there and tell me I hadn’t done anything? I knew that I had been working hard, and after taking a few breaths, I acknowledged that she was right. Somewhere along the line, I had stopped articulating my impact and accomplishments.

That night, I went home and in my journal wrote a list of what I was proud of. I found myself digging deep and assessing real change that I could attribute to my hard work. The next day, as I presented my mentor with my updated resume, I had a moment of feeling guilty, as if sharing what I had done was wrong and impolite. I felt like I was bragging, and bragging was wrong. My mentor exclaimed that my resume was in much better shape, and that moment of validation changed everything.

Nearly every week, there will come a moment, over drinks or maybe even in the locker room at the gym, where the women I’m speaking to, no matter their age or socioeconomic status, will say meekly, “I don’t want to toot my own horn…” and then in a voice barely above a whisper mention a recent success they’ve had.

As young women (and men), if we can’t share our successes with our friends and family, then how can we expect to ace the next interview? Seal the deal on a new opportunity? Or impress a new supervisor or contact? The ability to share your accomplishments in a way that is palatable is a skill successful people leverage on a daily basis. So how do you enhance your ability to articulate your awesome? Here are a few ideas:

Write it out

Do you know what you’ve accomplished? If you just read that sentence and then looked off into the distance because you aren’t sure how to answer, I suggest taking the next 10 minutes to write out a bulleted list of what you’ve done (at work or outside of work) that you’re proud of.

Once you finish this first list, take another 10 minutes to go through the list and add some facts and figures to it to flesh it out and make it more substantial. For example, “contacted various media outlets to pitch new digital content” would be stronger as, “cultivated 20 new international media relationships which lead to five new content partnerships.” “Worked with young women on self-esteem and empowerment issues” would be stronger as, “developed a personal development curriculum to support teen girls in identifying their strengths and increasing their self-esteem.”

Once you have a personal understanding of what work you’re doing in the world and can articulate that work, you’re a step closer to being able to share your accomplishments.

Practice with strangers

Now that you have the language and maybe even a little more pride in what you’ve done, it’s time to practice talking about it out loud. When I was in junior high school, I had a small part in the musical Hello, Dolly! During one of our rehearsals, the director told me to put down my script because I was using it as a crutch — I knew the words and needed to live them and really feel them. I am now passing this sage wisdom on to you.

The best way to get comfortable talking about your successes is to talk about your successes. (Click here to tweet this thought.) The next time you find yourself on a plane, strike up a conversation with the person in the seat next to you and see how you can mention something you’re proud of. Test your personal success story telling ability with the woman who sits next to you on the bus every day. Try it again and again so you can get cozy with shining a bit brighter.

Don’t apologize for being awesome

Now that you’re able to articulate your awesomeness and have practiced this new skill with people you may never meet again, you’re ready for the hardest part. When you find yourself sitting with your bestie at the manicure place and she’s asking work is going? Toot your own horn! Let her know what you’ve been up to, and encourage her to share also. Make it a part of your relationships with your friends to share your successes — that way, when it’s time to share your accomplishments with the recruiter for the company you’d love to work for, you’re ready and able to share your value add.

Simone N. Sneed is a social entrepreneur building the capacity of women and girls and the institutions that empower them to discover and leverage their full potential. You can learn more about her work at www.adviceforabrilliantlife.com or @catchbrilliance.

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The post Everything You Need to Know About Making Friends in the Office appeared first on Brazen Life.

Sometimes, you really hit it off and stay friends forever, even well after you’ve left the job; other times, you dread going into the office each day because you don’t feel like you connect with a single soul. Both are reasonable and very real scenarios, and there are ways to manage both so that neither takes away from what you show up at the office every day to do: your job.

Levo spoke to Shasta Nelson, life coach, CEO of GirlfriendCircles.com and author of the book Friendships Don’t Just Happen, and asked her about everything you need to know about making friends in the office, including who you should pursue and who you should stay away from. Her answers are below:

If you really feel a connection with a coworker, is it a good idea to try to deepen that relationship? Or should “office life” and “real life” be kept separate?

No! I don’t think they should be separate at all! In fact, work really is one of the places to make friends where we have one of the biggest friendship challenges taken care of for us — consistency. That’s why it felt easy in school — we saw each other every day. In “real life,” it’s actually much more difficult to see each other regularly enough to build up that familiarity and comfortableness.

The office is perfect, since you both have to spend so much time there. I’d definitely try to deepen that relationship, so much so that I’d encourage you to practice being friends outside of work, too, so that when one of you leaves the job, you already have other structures in place for your friendship to continue.

How concerned should you be about making friends in the office, even at the basic level of casual friendship?

People who have friends at work are way more inclined to report job satisfaction, and companies recognize that that’s one of the best ways to retain employees. We will put up with a lot of stress and non-ideal job descriptions if we like the people we work with, so I’d say it’s worth being a pretty high priority at work. Plus, this is where you spend most of your time, so it make sense that at minimum, you want to be surrounded by people you’re friendly with, even if they don’t all turn into consequential friendships. (Click here to Tweet this thought.)

Are there any “rules” to making friends in the office?

I’d say two good principles are to 1) take it slow, and 2) don’t let your friendship ever make others feel excluded in the office.

The first one is super important. Don’t over-share with someone. Vulnerability — sharing more about yourself with less of a filter — is one of the actions that develops a friendship, but I encourage everyone to engage in it step by step so that, really, you’re never taking a big risk as much as you are many, many small ones. But that’s even more important at work, where you don’t want to share too much with someone before you’ve co-created a trusting relationship with each other.

And the second rule speaks more to making sure your friendship is adding to the office dynamics, not excluding others or making people feel wary, left out or suspicious. While at work, invite more people to join in your friendly relationship, invite others to sit with you at lunch and try to do more of your eventual secret-sharing outside of the office.

What are some good ways to explore deepening a relationship with a coworker?

It probably starts with friendliness and chit-chat, talking about the weekend and what TV shows you’re watching. Then the next goal is to find a way to spend more substantial time together, so usually an invitation to grab lunch together, attend an event together or meet for drinks after work will help make that happen.

And this is where it may stay for a while: friendliness in the office, friendship for an hour here and there outside the office. In fact, if this is as far as it goes, it’s an incredibly valuable relationship that will increase your happiness at work. In some cases, you may want to grow it to the next step, and that means eventually starting to get together when it’s completely unattached to work, such as brunch on the weekend, a double-date with the boyfriends on a Friday night or getting together to watch your favorite TV shows one night.

Can you — or should you — ever be friends with your manager? (Or, if you’re a manager, friends with your subordinate?)

This one can be tricky, because there is not a “one size fits all” answer. Our personalities, company culture and individual job descriptions will inform the decision. But in theory, I’d say yes. We can be friends with people even if we have different roles at work. Obviously, it requires both people respecting the other so much that neither one shares confidential information or asks for favors at work.

And the two rules I mentioned earlier — taking it slow and not letting your friendship make others uncomfortable — are even more important. But the first two steps of friendship — being friendly and starting to spend more considerable time together — are more than appropriate, in my opinion.

Fights among friends are inevitable and can become even more hot-button if that friend is also a coworker. What is your advice for dealing with conflicts with friends in the office?

This goes back to the second rule: Don’t let your friendship make others uncomfortable in the office. That means they shouldn’t know you’re fighting. You don’t gossip about each other, talk about other or take it out on each other.

Maturity means trusting each other so that even when we’re mad or disappointed,  we can still trust each other to have our backs. It also speaks to the “taking it slow” part — you should never have shared more than you felt the relationship was ready to support. By the time you fight, you should have some considerable history between the two of you where you can trust you’ll both make up and be closer than ever.

Is it appropriate to get into a friendship with someone who’s in a romantic relationship? Should you pursue a friendship with a coworker if it could be misconstrued by their significant other?

Wow, you’re asking the toughies! Good for you! Again, though, this is not an easy answer. Cross-gender relationships are a wholly different animal in this setting.

If the friendship could hurt people — in the office or in either of your lives — then one has to ask whether there are other feelings or motives at work. Because mature friends wouldn’t want to jeopardize their friends’ other relationships. At the least, recognize this relationship has a whole different level of complication and drama that may best be avoided simply by fostering other friendships, even if there isn’t as much chemistry.

What should you do if you don’t feel a connection with coworkers, on even the most basic level? (Assuming that you enjoy your job.)

Bonds can always, always be developed in some form or another. The best place to start is with having enough conversations that you can start seeing where you both have similarities or where you “get” each other.

We all have more things in common that we realize, even if we have a 40-year age gap, opposite political views or are in completely different life stages. I believe that those who seek, find. Which means that if we say to ourselves, “I am choosing to like you; now I’m going to keep looking for the reasons,” we will always find them!

What are your tips for making friends in the office? Tell us in the comments!

Jennifer Merritt is a writer and editor based in New York. Follow her on Twitter @jennifermerritt.

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The post Everything You Need to Know About Making Friends in the Office appeared first on Brazen Life.

The post Giving a Presentation at Work? Keep These Dos and Don’ts in Mind appeared first on Brazen Life.

Whatever it may have been, the fact is our average attention span is roughly eight seconds — that’s one second less than a goldfish. Consequently, it’s critical to get your message across quickly and efficiently. Next time you find yourself in front of an audience, make sure to combat these four presentation pitfalls:

Your PowerPoint is not your presentation

All too often I find myself reminding presenters of this fact when I receive their handiwork to edit. Nothing is worse — or more insulting — than staring at the back of someone’s head while they read a presentation to their audience. Combat this by designing your PowerPoint as an outline (10 to 20 slides) of your discussion and remember the Boy Scout motto: Be Prepared!

Know your topic inside and out, be ready for questions, make sure hardware is functioning and always remember that a PowerPoint is merely a tool to help guide the presentation — not the presentation itself.

Don’t be a presentation robot — or encyclopedia

Unless you find yourself in front of a bunch of computers, find a way to engage your audience and insert a certain humanistic quality to your presentation. Failing to do this is a surefire way to get your audience to check out and fail to connect to your message on an emotional level.

What if your presentation topic is as cerebral as giving the history behind the French fur trade and exploration of the Great Lakes in 1723? Easy. Open your presentation with a story or analogy the audience could potentially relate to. Beginning in this manner establishes the emotional nail you need to drive your overall message home. Additionally, it’s unlikely an audience member would be able to recite every fact and figure discussed, but what they will be able to take away is how your presentation as a whole made them feel. (Click here to Tweet this thought.)

Don’t go overboard with the concept — K.I.S.S.

Keep it simple… silly! The last thing you want your audience to experience when flipping through your presentation slides is a migraine brought on by trippy transitions, rainbow color palettes and immature font choices.

A few points that will help in the overall design of your presentation:

• Trim your color palette to three or four colors utilizing tools like ColourLovers and Kuler.
• Be conscious of readability. Complementary colors (e.g. red background, green type) aren’t so complementary when partnered on slides.
• Stick to one, maybe two, slide transitions for the entire presentation. Preferably one of the simpler options like push or uncover.
• Yes, it’s exciting to see animations come to fruition. But they can be distracting to an audience, especially if they end up lagging. Keep animations ridiculously simple.
• Unless you have extensive experience in typography, shy away from using decorative fonts downloaded from the Internet. This presents not only readability issues, but potentially compatibility issues in the event the presentation needs to be sent somewhere besides your computer. Typically, sans-serif fonts like Arial or Century Gothic work best for digital projects and are considered “browser-safe fonts.”
• Nothing is worse than cheesy graphics. Get creative with your imagery, but only if it makes sense in the context of the slide it’s living on. Check out Stock Free Images for royalty-free images you can use in your presentation.
• Establish a hierarchy and stick to it! If you use Verdana for one headline, use it for all subsequent headlines as well. People don’t just expect consistency; they crave it, too.
• Don’t design a slide at a time. Begin by outlining your entire presentation from start to finish. This will help trim unnecessary slides and also create continuity to your presentation.
• Research! Sometimes a “blank canvas” can be very daunting. Check out SlideShare.net for inspiration.

Don’t think PowerPoint is the only answer

Although PowerPoint is extremely popular and user-friendly, there are countless other creative ways to present information beyond the Microsoft platform. Check out some of these other tools the next time you’re developing your presentation strategy:

• Keynote – This is Apple’s version of PowerPoint and, in my opinion, is even more user-friendly than its counterpart. While staunch Microsoft supporters may not agree, Keynote offers significant upgrades in the ways of graphics, templates, transitions and overall usability. Be sure to research the pros and cons of each before diving in.
• Prezi – This is one of the more unique presentation platforms I’ve seen in a while. With Prezi, you have the ability to create 3D interactive presentations that can live on or offline. Although it may not be as user-friendly as PowerPoint or Keynote, I think it warrants consideration if you’re willing to take the time to figure it out.
• Google Presentations – Just like most Google platforms, Google presentations is fairly user-friendly and aesthetically pleasing. However, it seems to lack some of the customization abilities other platforms offer.
• Other noteworthy platforms to check out are SlideRocket and Haiku Deck.

By avoiding the above presentation pitfalls, not only will you better captivate your audience’s attention, but your credibility as an expert on your topic will be realized.

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The post 5 Tips to Rock Your First Management Job appeared first on Brazen Life.

But, now that it’s your turn to manage, what type of boss will you be?

Being a first-time manager is an exciting learning experience, but it can be overwhelming at first. Here are five tips for new managers:

Set expectations upfront

Congrats, you’re promoted!

Now what?

Meet with your boss to discuss performance expectations for you as a manager and for your new role and responsibilities. Then have the same conversation with your reports individually. Clearly communicate what success looks like for your team. Talk to your reports about their career aspirations and outline their goals to work towards throughout the year.

This is also the perfect time to share your hot buttons. For example, do you consider being on time arriving five minutes early before a meeting starts? Tell them.

Seek training and mentorship

Being a manager introduces you to new challenges you might not anticipate. What will you do if one of your direct reports is consistently underperforming? Or if one of your team members says they’re being verbally harassed by another employee?

Your friends in Human Resources can teach you how to navigate challenging situations like these, give effective feedback, monitor performance and have difficult conversations. Reach out to your HR department to see if they offer training programs for new managers.

Mentors are another excellent resource to help guide you as new manager. Do you have a former boss you admire? Invite them to coffee to talk about the things they wish they’d known when they first started managing others.

Tailor your management style

When I was promoted to a management position, I quickly realized that what I thought made a good manager was somewhat different than what my team needed from their manager.

I hate being micromanaged, so I wrongly assumed all of my reports would benefit from a less directive, high-level approach. I learned that it’s important to tailor your management style based on your team members’ skill levels.

For example, a team member with little experience needs a direct manager who provides step-by-step processes for learning new skills. They also need clear rules, methods and deadlines. An experienced team member, on the other hand, benefits from a more supportive leadership style that gives them more responsibility and autonomy.

Succeed as a team

If your team does well, you do well. Take the time to understand the challenges and needs of your team. As a manager, you’re only as strong as your weakest team member. (Click here to Tweet this thought.) What resources do they need to do their job better? How can you help them grow professionally?

When your team succeeds, use words like “we,” “our,” “us” and “the team” to give credit to the entire team, rather than owning all the credit.

Be confident

Being a manager requires you to make decisions that might be unpopular with your team. Remember you weren’t promoted to be their friend, but to make decisions that will be in the best interest of everyone. Company leadership recognizes your experience and potential to lead others. Be confident with your decisions and, whether or not your direct reports agree, they will respect you.

There are hundreds of books on how to be an effective manager, but you’ll learn the most from your daily experiences.

What do you wish you would have known when you first became a manager? Let’s discuss in the comment section below!

Brittany Thomas is a digital advertising professional with a passion for emerging technology, media, continuous learning and travel. Her first professional role after graduating from the University of Michigan was at a large advertising agency in Chicago, where she was responsible for researching and recommending the best digital media practices for a major CPG client. She currently resides in Chicago and works in advertising sales for a top online publisher.

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The post How to Navigate the Burnout Zone appeared first on Brazen Life.

As much as we all think sleeping in on the weekends will make up for not getting enough sleep during the week, we’re wrong. The truth is, if you’re dedicated to building a successful life and career, you’re going to have stress, and you need to work as hard at navigating the burnout zone as you do in your career. (Click here to Tweet this thought.)

So what do you do when you’ve accepted a new job and find out the workload is much higher than anticipated? When you get a new boss, start dating a new person and find your time tighter than ever? How to do you motivate yourself to excel when you wake up tired? What do you do when you find yourself yelling at your roommate when she just asked where the laundry detergent was?

I don’t have all of the answers, but I do have a few insights I can share:

Establish a burnout symptoms checklist

Oftentimes when you’re in the midst of exhaustion and fatigue, you don’t know it until it’s too late and you’re in a fight with the person at the checkout counter over the price of a box of cereal. It’s likely there were signs leading up to this moment that maybe your loved ones could identify. When I can no longer laugh politely at cab drivers’ jokes and instead feel rage creeping up in my temples, I’m probably in a burnout zone.

Take the time to write down the symptoms of your burnout zone. Have you been comprising your standing date with your best friend? Or your time at the gym? Are you sneaking Snickers not only at 3:00 p.m., but also at 10:00 a.m.? Are your self-care tools slipping away? Create a list and keep your eye on it.

Create a “best life” schedule

Do you know what it takes for you to thrive? If you don’t, it’s time to start.

Besides a daily visit to the gym and a limited amount of processed food, I need intellectual stimulation. It doesn’t matter if it’s a conversation with a brilliant friend or a great book; I need to feel engaged in learning. What in your life should be a non-negotiable? If you’re super cranky when you go to sleep after 11:00 p.m., then a 10:30 p.m. bedtime is a non-negotiable.

The more you can formulate a best life routine, the easier it is to get back on the wagon when you slip up. If you don’t even know what your wagon looks like, no wonder you’re wandering.

Equip yourself with a just-in-case toolbox

Once you know what the symptoms are for your particular burnout zone and what type of lifestyle best supports your holistic wellness (mind, body and spirit), you need a just-in-case toolbox. Very simply, this is a logical model that says, “When I feel like X, I will do Y.”

For example, when I find myself coming home at the end of the day so tired I wish someone could take my contacts out for me, I know that I need to turn off my phone immediately, brush my teeth, put on some Deepak Chopra and lay in the bathtub. Period. I have learned over time that when my exhaustion has a chance to compound, it’s nearly intractable and requires much more intensive efforts to get back to my healthy place.

Master compassionate detachment

If you have all of the strategies and tools above in place and you continue to find yourself struggling, the next step is compassionate detachment. There is a beautiful quote my father shared with me when I was young, “Be in the world, but not of the world.” It’s a spiritual concept that I think can be applied regardless of faith or religion.

There is a moment, just a moment, right before anyone of us boils over, when we make a decision. Emotions are things we opt into. If you truly want to feel freedom and your powerful potential, this is where you should focus your time — the mastery of compassionate detachment. For today, that means trying to be a little more compassionate with yourself and a tad more self-aware so you can navigate the burnout zone with grace.

How do you avoid burnout?

Simone N. Sneed is a social entrepreneur building the capacity of women and girls, and the institutions that empower them, to discover and leverage their full potential. You can learn more about her work at catchingbrilliance.com or @catchbrilliance.

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The post How to Go from Reluctant Networker to Career Hustler appeared first on Brazen Life.

Ev-ev-ev-everyday I’m hustlin’

Everyday I’m hustlin’

Ev-ev-ev-everyday I’m hustlin’

Ev-ev-everyday I’m, everyday I’m, everyday I’m hustlin’

Everyday I’m hustlin’ hustlin’ hustlin’ hust-hustlin’ -Rick Ross

I’ve never thought of myself much as a hustler. I’ve always been an extremely hard worker, but being a hustler is different.

Up until now, it always had a bit of a negative connotation for me. A hustler is pushy, demanding and maybe a little shady. If you watch the spectacular trailer for the new film American Hustler, you’ll get my point. (Bradley Cooper’s hair alone is convincing.) However, recently I was called a hustler, and I realized it was actually a compliment.

I’m currently in the midst of establishing myself as a freelance writer, editor and content strategist. I’m talking to everyone I possibly can and promoting myself. I’m writing tons of emails, being persistent (remember, there’s a difference between being persistent and nagging), and I’m networking — or power networking, as I like to call it. (With power networking, you burn more calories.) I’m not a shy — or, rather, lazy —  networker anymore because I can’t be. My livelihood depends on it.

“Hustling” in the working world just means strategic self-promotion and constant networking, as well as looking for non-obvious opportunities. I’m not walking around with a cane and a hat throwing my cards at people, but I am trying to get more people to listen to me. And it’s actually working! Yes, I’ve had to eat more Ramen noodles than usual this month, but that’s OK. It makes me feel like I’m 24 again. Fun!

I’m taking my work ethic and channeling it into all these different things. It’s hard work, but also exciting. I’m getting to see a whole new side of myself. There are a lot of things I can’t control right now, but one thing I can control is how much I’m networking and promoting myself. I can take charge of that — and so can you.

So, here are my tips for being a hustler. Hustling 101, if you will.

1. Give everything you’ve got

It won’t work unless you’re putting everything you’ve got into it. It’s not going to be easy. It’s cliche, but no pain, no game.

2. Be fearless

I used to be the person who hated to write those emails once again asking if someone has read my stuff or could meet for coffee, but now I do it all the time — and most of the time, people thank me. I’ve been in the other seat, and it’s hard to answer those emails when you have a million other things to do.

I’ve found a second email is just enough of a push that people realize you’re seriously interested and excited. It’s not embarrassing. If they never email you back, then it’s their loss.

3. Network until the cows come home

As Sallie Krawcheck says, networking is the new career. (Click here to Tweet this thought.) You have to talk everybody because you never know how they can help you.

Last week at a Marie Claire event, Krawcheck, owner of 85 Broads, said, “We should embrace networking. It is the number one unwritten rule of succeeding in your career.” It’s almost a hundred percent more likely your next job is going to come from a loose business connection and not a friend, she said.

I’m a social person, but it takes me a little while to warm up. I don’t have time for that anymore. If you have this problem, too, take a sip of wine and bring a friend who can be your networking wingman, and get to it. It will get easier every time. Talk about how awkward you are. That’s one of my best ice breakers.

4. Love it

Hustling is work, but it’s really exciting. You never know who you’re going to meet or what opportunity may present itself. Right now, literally every day something happens that I couldn’t have predicted. I’m introduced to another person or made aware of a company or job I didn’t even know existed.

Embrace it! That’s the only way you’ll thrive. Remember, “Good things happen to those who hustle.”

Meredith Lepore is the former editor of the women’s career site The Grindstone. Before that, she was on staff at Wall Street Letter and Business Insider and was a contributing writer for LearnVest. She earned her Masters in Magazine, Newspaper and Online Journalism from the Newhouse School at Syracuse University after graduating with a degree in Brain and Cognitive Science from the University of Rochester. Meredith resides in New York full-time and enjoys reading, jogging, shopping and playing with her puppy, Otis.

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The post How to Network for a New Job While Still Employed appeared first on Brazen Life.

So, what’s your escape plan? How can you get out there, network and look for new opportunities without your employer finding out?

Make networking something you do not just during the bad times, but during the good times as well. When you’re known as a networker, it’s perfectly normal for your boss to see you eating lunch with strangers, going to meetings for professional groups and joining organizations that further your career. It’s also normal to see you volunteer time for causes you support. Some of the best networking takes place among like-minded people.

The more you reach out to others, the more people you’ll connect with and know. “Relationship before task” is good advice that I got while pursuing my master’s degree. It means that first you form relationships, and then you ask for favors.

Too many people wait until they’re desperate for a new job, then go out to network while coming from a very needy place. Neediness is a turn-off, and potential employers can smell it a mile away. Offer a favor before you ask for one. And always be ethical — no taking company material for a competitor in order to gain ground.

Here are three ways to get your network started:

1. Block out some time

How much time are you willing to devote to networking? Is lunchtime networking available to you, or evenings only? Are breakfast meetings an option? How many days a week?

Remember, this is a long-term plan. You may start out networking every night of the week, but it’s not sustainable over time — not without relationships or other areas of your life suffering. It can also be expensive. How much time and money are you willing to spend?

2. Choose your method

Do you prefer face-to-face networking or online networking through social media? Are you ready to go to meetings alone? How many people can you stand in a room before it makes you crazy?

I prefer to connect through social media like LinkedIn and then set up a time to meet. I also meet people initially at networking functions and reach out afterward for coffee. If you can’t do face-to-face meetings, try Skype, FaceTime, Tango or Google Hangouts. It’s important to make eye contact and read body language, which you can’t do via email.

There is a methodology to writing professional emails and choosing your appearance and background on video. Understand that each and every step you take may be remembered, and you’ll want that first impression to be a great one.

3. Find your tribe

Who do you want to connect with? Think about the kind of people you’d like to have as coworkers. Where do they hang out? Are they at industry conferences and groups, or do they do volunteer work? Are they in your master’s program? Can you reach out to someone via LinkedIn, Twitter or Facebook? What about “accidental networking,” which can come from meeting someone at an unexpected place like the grocery store, gym or a hiking group?

From there, just start networking! By making it an everyday occurrence, you keep your reputation and skills sharp. It becomes a way of life. And then, when that itch creeps in, you’ve already got an active network that’s there for support and guidance. Networking is funny—it’s a web, not a straight line. Often the connections come from the oddest places.

One last thing…

Karma is a b***, and you get what you give. Always, always be professional, ethical and on the top of your game.

Whether you realize it or not, people are always watching and judging. Every interaction is a potential job interview. The best way to get that call for a great new position is to be the first person someone thinks of before they post that opening.

Now, go get ‘em!

Laurie D. Battaglia is a career and leadership coach and Co-Owner of Living the Dream Coaches, LLC in Scottsdale, AZ. She coaches high-achieving women and men who want more out of life, work and relationships. Laurie is a blogger, speaker, consultant and leader. She writes for various online blogs and has been quoted on career and workplace issues in national and international publications. Find out more about Laurie and her company here or like them on Facebook.

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The post The Secret to Dealing with Criticism (and Avoiding Tears) at Work appeared first on Brazen Life.

Criticism takes many forms and has many purposes, most of which you can’t control. What you can control, however, is how you respond to it. Will you be cool and calm or will you, well, kind of lose it?

Keeping it together in the face of unpleasant feedback is a mark of real professionalism. So, with that as your end goal, here are a few tactics to help you avoid embarrassing meltdowns, job-endangering rage fits or even just lingering (and potentially job-ruining) disappointment:

Remove yourself from the situation

If at all possible, coolly and calmly excuse yourself from the presence of the person giving you feedback. Simply saying something like, “Thanks for your input. Will you excuse me for a moment?” should work just fine.

It can be very, very difficult to control your emotions in the face of harsh criticism — so don’t try. Just get yourself out of there as gracefully as you can.

If you’re in the middle of a meeting and can’t take a bathroom break, calm yourself down by mentally escaping and thinking about things that make you happy: your best friends, your puppy, your upcoming vacation.

Vent—but choose your ventees wisely

Many people like to talk through things that upset them. It’s a great coping mechanism… with two caveats.

First, if you can avoid it, don’t vent to coworkers. It can be hard to know where people’s allegiances lie, or even just if they’re any good at keeping things confidential.

Second, if your coworker is your best friend and your go-to person for venting, do not (repeat: do NOT) discuss it at work! The very last thing you need after getting criticized is for someone to overhear you “complaining” about it. If that gets around — or worse, gets back to the criticizer — it’s going to look pretty bad for you.

Wait until drinks after work. It’s a great excuse for a margarita, anyway.

Get more information

Once you’ve cooled down a bit, go back to talk to the person who gave you the criticism.

I know; this is the person you least want to see, but bear with me. Everyone’s communication style is different. What’s “criticism” for you, could just be “feedback” for her.

Schedule some private time with the person who gave you the criticism to ask questions about what she said. Let her know you’re just looking to best utilize her feedback, and ask things like, “Could you be more specific about _______?” or “I understood that you meant _______. Did I get that right?”

You may discover you weren’t even being “criticized” at all!

Figure out what you can learn from it

Again, wait until you’re calm for this step. But in almost all of even the most heinous pieces of criticism, there is some lesson you can apply to make yourself a better person.

Think through the criticism. Try to restate it to yourself without any anger or frustration. For example, say your boss shouted, “This report is unacceptable! My third-grade daughter could have done a better job!” (Especially cruel, but you see what I’m getting at.)

Restating that without emotion, it might become, “This report is disappointing to me. There are more mistakes in here than I think are acceptable, and it’s not as thorough as I’d like it to be.”

Figuring out what you can learn from criticism gives you action steps to improve your performance and, hopefully, help you avoid getting criticized in the future.

Figure out your optimal feedback style

OK, so you know you’re going to have to get feedback throughout your career. One of the best ways to make sure that feedback is constructive and usable is to plan ahead. How and when are you most receptive to feedback?

Some people like immediate feedback; others need time. Some like itemized issues; others prefer the big picture. The list goes on, but you get the picture: Figure out what works best for you.

Then, let your boss (or the people giving you feedback most often) know. After all, what’s the point in knowing how you best receive input if they don’t give it in that way?

Communicating this can be as simple as, “Thanks so much for the feedback; I really appreciate your input. In the future, though, I take feedback best in private/in writing/in person/etc. Would it be possible to set up our feedback sessions like this?”

Criticism can be difficult to receive, but it can also be beneficial for your professional development. Looking at it in a new light and dealing with it effectively can help you take any feedback in stride.

How do you deal with criticism? Do you have any additional techniques to share? Let us know in the comments below!

Nicki Krawczyk is a copywriter, copy coach and founder of Filthy Rich Writer, an online resource for new and aspiring copywriters. She helps people take charge of their careers, craft their own unique selling points and perspectives and market themselves or their businesses to the world. You can get access to her free Break Into Copywriting ebook here and find her on Twitter at @nickikr.

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The post The Secret to Dealing with Criticism (and Avoiding Tears) at Work appeared first on Brazen Life.

The post 10 Simple Body Language Tricks That Will Do Wonders For Your Career appeared first on Brazen Life.

Body language is one of the most important and powerful types of communication in the history of the world. A wink conveys an air of mysticism and charm, a simple raised hand in front of your face tells everyone you’re not going to put up with what’s happening anymore, and a leg popped behind you with your head tilted back is the international symbol for glee and whimsy.

How you present yourself physically at work can truly help (or hinder) your career. According to a study led by Amy J.C. Cuddy (@amyjccuddy), an associate professor of business administration at Harvard Business School, standing in a power pose for a few minutes before an interview can literally help you get the job. Watch Cuddy’s excellent TED Talk on power poses here. According to Cuddy, power posing also increases people’s tolerance for risk and pain and their ability to think abstractly.

So what are some simple tricks you can do to make yourself a better negotiator, make a difficult task easier and encourage more collaboration? We talked with Dr.Carol Kinsey Goman, the author of 12 books including The Silent Language of Leaders: How Body Language Can Help — or Hurt — How You Lead, about her best body language workplace tips.

1. To reach an agreement, send engagement signals

Goman says she has seen work groups reach agreements faster by showing engaged body language such as smiling, nodding, mirroring and gesturing. ”Interestingly, that positive result is the same whether the display was the product of an unconscious reaction or a strategic decision,” she said.

2. To make a difficult task seem easier, smile

This is basically faking it ’til you make it for your body. You’re tricking yourself into thinking you’re enjoying this very difficult task.

“No matter the task,” Goman says, “when you grimace or frown while doing it, you are sending your brain the message, ‘This is really difficult. I should stop.’ The brain then responds by sending stress chemicals into your bloodstream. And this creates a vicious circle: the more stressed you are, the more difficult the task becomes.” But if you smile, you will start eventually thinking that this work is really not so bad.

3. To reduce resistance, hand out your business card

If you’re standing in a room with your arms folded and looking down, no one will approach you. Sitting with your legs crossed gives off the same signal. However, if you literally open your body up when a person comes into the room — either by giving them a card or getting them a cup of coffee — this will lessen the resistance.

4. To maximize your authority, curb your enthusiasm

Sometimes appearing over-excited can make you look weak. “In situations where you want to maximize your authority, minimize your movements,” Goman says. “Take a deep breath, bring your gestures down to waist level and pause before making a key point. When you appear calm and contained, you look more powerful.”

5. To defuse a tense situation, realign your body

If a person is arguing with you, it’s most likely because they feel they aren’t being heard. One way to make that person feel better and show good leadership is to physically align yourself with them, either by standing or sitting next to them. Conversely, an action that will make the argument worse is to square your body to the other person or to move in closer, says Goman.

6. To increase participation, look like you’re listening

If you really want to show people you’re listening, put down your phone! Goman says you can show your focus by turning your head and torso to face the person directly and by making eye contact. Leaning forward, nodding and tilting your head are other nonverbal way to show you’re engaged and paying attention.

7. To encourage collaboration, remove barriers

Literally, remove any barriers. You should take away anything that blocks your view or forms a barrier between you and the rest of the team. “Even at a coffee break, be aware that you may create a barrier by holding your cup and saucer in a way that seems deliberately to block your body or distance you from others,” Goman says.

8. To connect instantly with someone, shake hands

A good handshake is the foundation of so much good business. Goman cites a study that found people are two times more likely to remember you if you shake hands with them.

“Touch is the most primitive and powerful nonverbal cue. Touching someone on the arm, hand or shoulder for as little as one-fortieth of a second creates a human bond. In the workplace, physical touch and warmth are established through the handshaking tradition, and this tactile contact makes a lasting and positive impression,” she says.

9. To show agreement, mirror expressions and postures

When clients or business colleagues unconsciously imitate your body language, it’s their way of nonverbally saying they like or agree with you. “When you mirror other people with intent, it can be an important part of building rapport and nurturing feelings of mutuality,” she says.

10. To improve your speech, use your hands

Sometimes people say making too many movements with your hands connotes nervousness, but that’s only if you aren’t doing it in the right way. “Since gesture is integrally linked to speech, gesturing as we talk can actually power up our thinking,” says Goman.

Meredith Lepore is the former editor of the women’s career site The Grindstone. Before that, she was on staff at Wall Street Letter and Business Insider and was a contributing writer for LearnVest. She earned her Masters in Magazine, Newspaper and Online Journalism from the Newhouse School at Syracuse University after graduating with a degree in Brain and Cognitive Science from the University of Rochester. Meredith resides in New York full-time and enjoys reading, jogging, shopping and playing with her puppy, Otis.

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The post 10 Simple Body Language Tricks That Will Do Wonders For Your Career appeared first on Brazen Life.

The post Tips From a Recruiter: How to Ask for Feedback After a Job Rejection appeared first on Brazen Life.

If this is you, you’re probably wondering “why?” yet have no answers in sight. The question then becomes: should you ask for feedback?

While it depends on your relationship with the company, getting feedback on why you didn’t get the job will be incredibly helpful as you continue on in your search.

When you should ask for feedback

The more a company has gotten to know you, the more helpful the feedback will be. If a company turns you down after a phone interview or initial screen, they’ve only spent a limited amount of time getting to know you. Chances are there was something on the surface that made you not the right match for that job — whether it be your skill set, a culture fit or many other reasons. No harm in asking, but don’t be surprised if the answer isn’t very insightful and seems pretty basic.

I’d say the most meaningful feedback you’re going to get is when you’ve gotten to a second or third round of interviews and then get rejected.

If you’ve gotten past the first round, it means your skills and work experience are viable for the job — so the reason for not getting the job could be a little more interesting. (Maybe you talked too much, maybe you came off as disinterested in the company, maybe you didn’t know Photoshop as well as the candidate they hired.) Knowing that reason (after a second or third round) is a lot more likely to help you the next time you’re interviewing for a similar role.

Who should you ask for feedback?

This always depends on the situation and who you’ve interviewed with, but the best person to ask in general would be the recruiter. Not only can they give you feedback from their own interview with you, but they also probably were the one to gather feedback from others.

If you interviewed with one person and it wasn’t the recruiter, just ask the person you did interview with.

Keep in mind that you won’t always get feedback after an interview. There are various reasons for this, but more often than not, the recruiter or interviewer won’t give you anything too meaningful because there are risks in doing so. However, in my experience, I’ve been the most likely to give feedback to someone I have built trust and a relationship with — so those are always the best people to ask.

At what point should you ask for feedback?

Generally the best time to ask is after you’ve been turned down for the job. It’s usually best to ask for feedback over email versus phone or in-person because people don’t love being put on the spot in this scenario.

Keep in mind, it’s always a good idea to respond to a job rejection to keep the relationship in good standing for the future.

How you should ask for feedback?

You’re asking someone to:

1. Potentially have an uncomfortable conversation.
2. Take a risk (legally).
3. Take the time in general to have a conversation with someone they’re not hiring.

This means you’ll want to approach the conversation in a way that is gracious, open and not entitled.

First, thank the interviewer for their time and consideration. Then give them the option of providing feedback (without demanding it). Something along the lines of, “If you do have any feedback for me, I’d love to use it to make myself a stronger candidate for the future” is a good way to approach it. If you don’t tread lightly, you could come off as sounding defensive or basically arguing, “Why didn’t you hire me for this job?”

In real life…

Getting feedback and hearing the truth can be really tough. Your natural reaction will probably be to get defensive and think, “I didn’t sound like that,” “I didn’t say that” or “I totally covered that,” but resist that urge.

I’ve seen clients get feedback that hit them like a ton of bricks (eventually in a good way). They went on to take that feedback to heart and become much stronger candidates. So have the courage to ask, and then really use it to your advantage the next time around.

Have you ever asked for feedback after an interview?

Jaime Petkanics is the Founder of The Prepary, an online resource providing honest and accessible job search advice based on her past experience in the recruiting world. She also works with job seekers one-on-one to help them land their dream job or internship. Prior to starting The Prepary, Jaime worked as a recruiter in both the fashion and finance industries and got her BA in Psychology from NYU.

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The post Why You Should Structure Your Work Day on a High School Schedule appeared first on Brazen Life.

I recently connected with many new graduates to find out why they’re uncomfortable with the daily work routine. It seems that unfortunately, college spoiled us into having classes a few days a week at the times when we wanted them. Our days were built to accommodate our lives.

College wired us to approach our days very differently than what we experience in corporate America and in offices around the world each and every day. Even with the latest shifts in company culture, most of our work days are dictated by company policy, and flexibility varies.

However, we can structure our day to optimize our productivity in the same way high school did.

1. Break your day off into periods

By understanding your attention span and your bursts of productivity, you can create a set schedule to tackle your to-do list in designated time periods. The average adult has an attention span of 20 minutes. This may not seem promising for a working professional with a million things to do. However, giving yourself short-term deadlines to accomplish tasks will help keep you focused.

For example, identify five priorities for that day and assign hour blocks to them with 10-minute breaks in between. To accommodate for the tasks that might pop up throughout the day, allot a sixth period. By creating this schedule, you can focus your energy on one task at a time and get more crossed off your to-do list instead of trying to simultaneously handle multiple projects. Multitasking is actually more distracting than you realize.

2. Breakfast and lunch are non-negotiable

Whether you ate or not, breakfast and lunch were part of your day in high school. Make it a priority to take your breaks to fuel up on food as well as give yourself a mental rest. Take a walk outside, connect with your college friend who lives across the country via phone or just sit and eat somewhere that isn’t at your desk.

By stepping away and engaging in a completely different activity, you break up the monotony of the day and feel refreshed and rejuvenated when you return.

3. Become involved in extracurricular activities

No matter how much your day might have dragged on, you usually had something to look forward to after school, whether it was a sport, club, meeting or even just grabbing a bite to eat with your friends. Now, as an adult, you should look to become involved in an activity that also gives you something to look forward to. Take a class at the gym, schedule a date with a friend or significant other, join a professional organization or participate in your company’s affinity groups.  If all you have waiting for you at the end of the day are errands, you will approach your day much differently.

Recently, there have been a lot of different perspectives on having it all, leaning in and achieving work-life balance. The reality is that finding equilibrium between our job and personal life is something that we spend a majority of our careers trying to do. Working long hours has become the norm, and becoming burnt out can happen quickly if you don’t know how to adjust to the change in your schedule and lifestyle.

Remind yourself to take short breaks between tasks and carve out pieces of the day for yourself. You really can become comfortable in the daily routine while maintaining your sanity. All you have to do is find a structure and system that works for you.

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The post Get Up, Stand Up: How to Fend Off Sitting Disease appeared first on Brazen Life.

But sitting in a chair all day is completely harmless, right? Wrong.

The scientific community has coined the phrase “Sitting Disease” to refer to the effect sitting has on the metabolism and just the general horrible things that come as a result of a sedentary lifestyle. “Sitting Disease” is a serious problem, and you need to try to deal with it now.

According to a survey by Ergotron, a manufacturer of digital display mounting and mobility products, just sitting at your desk could produce numerous health problems. Here are some startling findings from the survey:

• People who sit for more than 11 hours a day have a 40 percent increased risk of death in the next three years, compared with people who sit for four hours or less.
• Women who were inactive and sat for over six hours a day were 94 percent more likely to die during the time period studied than those who were physically active and sat less than three hours a day.
• Sitting for long periods may also affect the development of musculoskeletal disorders.

Basically, even if you’re going to the gym every day after work and running marathons on the weekend, you can still be affected by Sitting Disease. Designer and Founder of Focal Upright Furniture Martin Keen told Levo:

Primarily, Sitting Disease is twofold. One [issue is] the inactivity that it puts you in, a state of non-motion, which shuts down circulation and respiratory function to a degree. Second is the issues of what it is doing to your internal organs. Ninety-degree sitting causes Sitting Disease by folding or compressing organs that were intended to be used for the full amount of space. For example, those folds and compressions can alter the function of the pancreas and the production of insulin. Even digestion is an issue. Again, respiratory and less space for the lungs and the heart.

So, what can we do to fend off Sitting Disease as long as possible, besides quitting our jobs?

1. Look for any opportunity to walk

If you can walk or bike to work without it taking too much time, do it. If you get sweaty on the way, bring extra clothes. Also, don’t just Gchat with your coworker; walk over and ask them your question. If you can read a memo and walk, do it. Walk the extra blocks to the better Starbucks. Suggest replacing boardroom meetings with walking meetings. (You’ll feel like you’re on The West Wing!)

2. Ask your employer about a standing desk

Employers are getting more and more flexible about alternative seating for employees. Ask about a standing desk, an exercise ball or even a treadmill desk. Being more upright can do wonders for your health. Keen told Levo:

As a solution, I recommend to keep your body more upright in a leaning posture where you are able to maintain mobility and movement throughout the day. As we evolve to be upright people, you are keeping your organs more open, as intended for nature. When you sit in a 90-degree position (what causes the Sitting Disease), your hip flexors shorten, you put a lot of strain on the posterior side of your back and compress the front side of your vertebrae. Maintaining upright posture keeps you more in column with your respiratory system.

3. Stretch your legs as much as possible

Try to stretch out your legs and back at least once per hour. Your spine will thank you later.

4. Try to stand as much as possible

It sounds tiring, but it’s better for your body and is actually better for productivity as well. Sitting is associated with relaxing, but standing has a stronger link to actually working (especially before everyone got desk jobs). When you are standing, you literally feel more productive.

5. Better posture and standing will help you communicate better

Standing and upright posture will not only to fend off Sitting Disease effects; they will also make you come across better in the workplace because they are power poses. According to The Wall Street Journal, new research shows that using powerful body language can actually change a person’s hormones and behavior, just as if he or she had real power.

Dr.Carol Kinsey Goman, author of The Silent Language of Leaders: How Body Language Can Help—or Hurt—How You Lead, told Levo: “Remember that status and authority are non-verbally demonstrated through height and space. So stand tall, pull your shoulders back, widen your stance and hold your head high.”

Is sitting all day giving you health problems? Tell us in the comments!

Meredith Lepore is the former editor of the women’s career site The Grindstone. Before that, she was on staff at Wall Street Letter and Business Insider and was a contributing writer for LearnVest. She earned her Master’s in Magazine, Newspaper and Online Journalism from the Newhouse School at Syracuse University after graduating with a degree in Brain and Cognitive Science from the University of Rochester. Meredith resides in New York full-time and enjoys reading, jogging, shopping and playing with her puppy, Otis.

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The post Why Asking for a Flexible Schedule Doesn’t Have to be Career Suicide appeared first on Brazen Life.

Researchers from The University of Texas, Yale and Harvard asked managers how they would respond to requests for a flexible schedule (in the form of a shift in work hours) in three different scenarios: male versus female employees, professional workers versus hourly workers, and for the purpose of career development versus childcare. From The Miami Herald:

Managers were most likely to grant a shift in work hours to the professional men pursuing career advancement opportunities. Male hourly workers also were likely to receive approval if they needed flexibility for family care. But the women—both professional and hourly—were unlikely to be granted a flexible schedule regardless of the reason for the request. Women were unable to use either their professional status within the organization or their reason for requesting flexibility to boost the probability that the manager would say yes.

Well, this is upsetting news on a few levels. First of all, it looks like women aren’t likely to be granted a flexible schedule even if they work up the nerve to ask for it. These results also don’t encourage women to believe that asking for a flexible schedule won’t hurt their careers. According to a recent survey from More magazine, 92 percent of women say they value workplace flexibility, but one-third consider it career suicide to ask for more flexibility in their jobs. This study only supports the notion that when a woman asks about even the possibility of a flexible schedule, she is indicating to the employer that she isn’t willing to work as hard as her colleagues.

Roy Cohen, author of The Wall Street Professional’s Survival Guide: Success Secrets of a Career Coach, said:

On Wall Street and at top law firms, asking for a flexible work schedule is often a career “killer”…it can be the kiss of death. Even at firms like Goldman Sachs, which has historically been viewed as a desirable “mommy” friendly environment, when cuts are made, women with “alternative” schedules are often the most vulnerable. In addition, when it comes to determining annual bonuses, the numbers are often based on visibility and time seen on—and in—the job. In large part, it is due to the fact that women with flex schedules are not present to engage in political jockeying. So…there is truth to the statement: out of sight out of mind.

But there are other reasons women may get turned down for their flex time requests. They may not have a prepared, thought-out presentation on why they need this alternative schedule, or they might be asking for this kind of flexibility too early on in their career. Just like asking for a raise, the strategy for changing your work schedule takes time and devotion. However, there are some simple things you can do to improve your chances of getting a flexible schedule:

Do your homework

You have to have a formal proposal when making a request like this. It’s the same as if you are asking for a promotion.

Don’t ask on your first day

Having a flexible schedule is a rite of passage in the work world. You have to be at your company long enough to prove that you’re responsible enough to get your work done, no matter where you are.

Be clear about your schedule

Don’t propose some loose, unclear schedule. It has to be realistic.

Inform your coworkers about your schedule

Make sure your coworkers and support team are comfortable with this change in schedule. If you can tell your boss that your team will not be impacted negatively by your working outside of the office, your point will be stronger.

Show your boss you’re indispensable

Just like you would when asking for a promotion or a raise, you need to show your boss that you are an asset to this company. You need to be retained, even if you’re working from home or odd hours. Show your boss your achievements to prove you’re indispensable. Even if you don’t get the schedule, he or she will be reminded of your talent.

You can also remind your boss of all the companies that do permit flexible schedules for their employees and the benefits of that. Flexible work arrangements can reduce absences and company turnover, which contributes to overall better production, according to a 2010 report from the President’s Council of Economic Advisers. Companies with flexible work hour arrangements include Best Buy, PNC Financial Services, PricewaterhouseCoopers, General Mills and KPMG LLP.

It just goes to show that if you do it right, asking for flex time doesn’t have to be career suicide.

What do you think about this study? Tell us in the comments!

Meredith Lepore is the former editor of the women’s career site The Grindstone. Before that, she was on staff at Wall Street Letter and Business Insider and was a contributing writer for LearnVest. She earned her Master’s in Magazine, Newspaper and Online Journalism from the Newhouse School at Syracuse University after graduating with a degree in Brain and Cognitive Science from the University of Rochester. Meredith resides in New York full-time and enjoys reading, jogging, shopping and playing with her puppy, Otis.

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The post Use Blogging to Brand Yourself as a Business Authority appeared first on Brazen Life.

You can blog about what interests you, what you’re passionate about and topics in your field of study or expertise. Spend just a half hour to an hour a week keeping your blog up to date. When potential employers search for your name on the Internet, they will see your blog and that you’re an authority in your field. If you start blogging in college, it can help launch you into the job market and establish yourself as an authority on your topic. It might even become a successful business in itself.

Where to start?

Two of the most popular free blogging platforms are Blogger and WordPress. Both platforms offer free tools and are very easy to use.

One of the most important things to do when starting your blog is to pick a name that will be your brand and represent the topic you will be writing about. Next, set goals for blogging that will allow you to be consistent. It’s important to blog regularly, so make sure to choose a schedule that you can keep up with. Finally, a clever design that entices readers and is well-organized will ensure that readers can find what they’re looking for.

What to blog about?

The possibilities here are really endless. Whether you have a broad topic or a very specific niche, others are bound to be interested in what you have to say. The key is establishing yourself as an authority on whatever it is you’re going to be blogging about.

Promoting your blog and getting readers to subscribe will propel your blog to the next level. When you continue to post interesting and shareable content, you will establish your brand and notoriety.

Reaping the benefits

Being a popular blogger also means managing successful social media channels to help promote your blog and a consistent brand. Once your brand begins to be recognized and established, you will see increased sharing and more subscribers who regularly read your blog and look forward to your postings.

As your subscribers and social quotient rise, your marketability will also increase, giving you the potential to be hired for your services, expand your brand to writing or host advertising, product reviews or affiliate links on your blog to generate income.

Learn from the masters

Some bloggers have established powerful brands and successful blogs. There are many lessons and tips to be learned from their success. Here are just a few:

Perez Hilton. Perez Hilton has been blogging since before it was popular. He has blogged about celebrity gossip since 2005, embraces the controversy that goes along with reporting about celebrity gossip and continues to have a top-viewed site on the Internet. Following the success of his blog, he has gained access to celebrity events, talk shows and is a published author.

Melanie Notkin. Melanie Notkin has developed her brand about being an aunt and has appealed to millions of other aunts (and even uncles) with her SavvyAuntie blog and brand. She has established Auntie Day and has a very specific niche for her readers. When you visit her blog, you will see the consistent imagery and graphics that help establish her brand as recognizable.

Michelle Phan. Michelle Phan is a beauty expert who got her start posting how-to makeup tutorials in 2005. Since then, she has grown her brand and her business in amazing ways. If video blogging matches your concept, you should consider that as well. Phan has grown a successful company from the early beginnings in video and then expanded into writing and posting pictures to tie it all together.

Crockin’ Girls. This unique concept for a food blog features cooking tips, recipes and videos for crockpots and slow cookers only. The success of the niche brand has led to a cookbook, in addition to a successful social brand and many contributors to their recipe ideas.

Mommy bloggers. This whole category deserves a shout-out here, because there are so many successful mommy bloggers. Some have niches within the category, but they all have being a mom in common. The successful blogs have a distinct look to them and use graphics or images to create a brand that is recognizable and memorable.

When mommy bloggers develop a following, they can host advertising on their site and bring in income that way. Many mommy bloggers review products, and companies send them their products for free in exchange for a review and the exposure to the blogger’s readers. In exchange for posting an honest review to their readers, the mommy blogger gets to keep the products. Even though this is not cash payment, it is definitely a great way for moms to help support their families.

This post originally appeared on Levo League.

Carly Heitlinger is the founder and blogger behind the blog “College Prep.” Ask her for advice on how to best brand yourself.

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The post Why You Shouldn’t Always Quit a Job You Hate appeared first on Brazen Life.

It’s no secret that Generation Y isn’t scared to quit when their reality doesn’t fit their expectations. After all, why should you stay at a job you hate?

Grit

It seems like the logical thing to do when you’re not happy somewhere is to leave, right? However, in a TED Talk, Angela Duckworth, a psychologist who studies achievement, attributes success to a trait she calls grit. She defined grit as passion and persistence for very long-term goals, having stamina, sticking with your future day-in-and-day-out—not just for the week or month, but for years, and working really hard to making that future a reality.

Grit is living life like it’s a marathon, not a sprint. It is being able to persevere in situations that are less than ideal on the path to success. A big part of grit is being able to stick with a job you hate. In most cases if you’re not happy, I think it is a good idea to find a way out. However, when it comes to careers, I believe that patience is a virtue. In most situations, you’ll find that you have more to gain by sticking through it than quitting.

Everyone has to start somewhere

Before Amanda Palmer became the star she is, she stood on a carton as a bride on the street exchanging flowers for money. At night, her band would ask the crowd for donations. Jay-Z’s rap career took off in 1996, but he had been trying to break into music for at least 10 years. His first album was sold out of the trunk of a car.

I could go on about these humble beginnings; everyone has to start somewhere. The beginning is never glamorous. It’s rough, challenging and usually doesn’t pay very much. This is a part of the process; embrace it.

“Where you are is just as important as where you’re going”

Last September, I attended a conference on advertising and marketing in DC where Richard Kirshenbaum, a well-renowned pioneer in the industry, was a keynote speaker. He said something that I hear in my head everyday: “Where you are is just as important as where you’re going.” As tough as they are, these early experiences are full of intangibles that will come in handy one day. Too often, people refer to these experiences as “stepping stones.” I’ve never been too fond of the term as it downplays the importance of the present.

These humble beginnings are where we prepare for the future. As tedious as they may be, entry-level positions are where we learn to master things such as details, deadlines and data, among other skills that we’ll need to execute our dreams. The beginning is also where we make some of our most valuable relationships. People don’t become mentors and friends overnight. Relationships take time to build. The relationships, experiences, lessons and skills we have to gain from this first job we can’t stand won’t manifest if we quit too quickly. We can’t develop if we don’t take the time to focus and succeed in our current jobs before moving to something better.

Take time to explore

When you start a new job, it takes about a good three months to really learn the role, company and environment you’re working in. In the time that follows, you are in the process of building trust, showing your colleagues what you are capable of and getting a sense of where the organization is headed. By quitting in less than a year, you are selling yourself short. While it’s important to be well-rounded and have many different experiences, you can’t reap the rewards of each experience if you leave before the right time.

Quitting your job too quickly has consequences far beyond the regret that follows missed opportunities. By quitting a job you don’t like in less than a year’s time, you’re sending a message that you are a bad decision-maker. Future employers can read into this easily. When you quit a job while you’re unhappy, you set yourself up to make more bad decisions. Most people make poor decisions when they’re unhappy, often thinking of immediate gratification without considering long-term consequences.

When I first started my job, I had doubts. I wasn’t sure that I made the right choice and thought about all of the opportunities I had passed up. A lot people probably don’t like their first job. When talking to others about how I felt, I got the same advice that many people my age hear: “Get the experience and quit after a year.” As tempting as it might seem to quit quickly, something about that mentality didn’t feel right, either. It’s been 10 months, and I can say that I am happy I didn’t quit. In addition to gaining a solid understanding of the future opportunities available to me, I’ve encountered a lot of pleasant surprises and new opportunities—opportunities that I would’ve missed out on because of impatience.

The minute you realize the opportunity you have to grow where you are, your feelings about your job will change. Your feelings of disappointment and fear of missing out will turn into gratitude and drive. When it comes time for you to leave, you’ll look for new opportunities from a position of strength, not a position of weakness. After all, if you can excel in tough situations, imagine what you’ll be able to accomplish at your dream job.

Note: I want to give a special thanks to entrepreneur and George Washington University Alum Dan Simons of VSAG. If it weren’t for him taking the time to share his experience, I wouldn’t have been able to write this post.

How have you handled jobs you didn’t like? Should you quit or not, and how can you best manage a position you don’t like? Share with us in the comments!

This post originally appeared on Levo League.

Alix Montes is a recent graduate of George Washington University, where he studied marketing through a concentration in International Business. Someday he would like to start his own business where, ideally, he’d get paid to come up with great ideas. Currently, he works as an Account Coordinator at LM&O Advertising, Washington DC’s largest independent ad agency. He likes to learn, laugh and think.

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The post How to Establish Yourself as an Expert appeared first on Brazen Life.

1. Pick a niche

The topic needs to be narrow enough that you don’t have a lot of competitors, but it also needs to be wide enough that it’s relevant to a fair number of people in the industry.

First, look at your experiences and see what they all have in common. I’ve worked in digital media, traditional marketing and PR for a variety of fashion, beauty and lifestyle companies, but I didn’t want to be a marketing or social media expert because there are so many people established as experts in those fields already. I thought a bit harder and realized the thing that tied them all together was luxury. However, that was too broad as well. I then attached a geographical location to it, China, and narrowed it down again to e-commerce. I therefore established myself as as an expert in luxury e-commerce in China.

If you don’t have that much experience, simply consider the one topic that you just can’t get enough of. Read everything about it and then try to narrow it down from there.

2. Have an opinion, even if it’s a difficult one

This is a great time to stand out! Don’t be a contrarian just for the dramatic effect, but if you truly feel differently from others on a topic, it’s likely that this will gain you more attention. Journalists are often looking for balanced articles, so you may get quoted more often if you’re willing to offer the other side of things.

On the one hand, when you’re taking a very steadfast stance, you’re more vulnerable, which allows people to relate to what you’re saying. On the other hand, be ready to defend your opinion!

3. Stay updated

Set up Google Alerts: Set up Google Alerts for your industry terms so that you make sure you don’t miss the breaking news on the topics you’re an expert in. You can also contact the author of relevant or interesting articles to offer them ideas or expert opinions for future pieces.

Use source tools: Websites like HARO (Help a Reporter Out), Bottlesource, MediaKitty, MediaSpot (apply via LinkedIn) and ExpertEngine (Beta version) are all free tools that help you get noticed. Journalists and other members of the media constantly need sources for specific articles they’re writing—the perfect opportunity for you!

Utilize SEO: In your website’s titles and content, put your name next to words like “expert,” “source”  and “expertise” for your topic. Oftentimes, reporters just Google the topic and the word “expert” and contact the top hits. Here’s a place where having a particularly niche topic is very beneficial.

4. Start local

Set your sights on more national or international goals, but remember it’s okay to start small. However, don’t overextend yourself with too many local commitments, either. Just because they’re small publications doesn’t mean they’re small time commitments. It’s better to write one quality article than five small ones.

Here are some ideas:

• Write for a local newspaper column. It needs to be a pretty broad topic, though, so be wary.
• Reach out to organizers of events and offer yourself as an expert for a panel.
• Speak at universities or schools. Classes always need real-world speakers.
• Volunteer at your Chamber of Commerce or Better Business Bureau to give a presentation on your topic.
• Organize events yourself and invite industry leaders. Afterwards, write up a summary of the points the panel discussed and pitch it to a blog.
• Write for free everywhere.

5. Guest blog

Contact the top blogs in your industry (often you can find lists already online) and pitch them a guest post idea. Do your research and make sure to send a specific pitch to each, rather than a general idea. Give them a couple of options, but offer them fresh, new ideas that are relevant to topics they’ve covered before. If you can, try to pitch yourself as an expert and get yourself noticed.

6. Interview real experts

Not to say you’re not an expert, but there are clearly people even more knowledgeable than you are, so take advantage! Act as the middle man—pitch the media source to the expert, and pitch the expert to the media source. Many experts love to get quoted, but may not be inclined to write an article themselves, which is where you come in. Everyone wins.

How do you establish yourself as an expert? Tell us in the comments!

This post originally appeared on Levo League.

Stephany Zoo creates fire, not flash. Stephany seeks to bridge her bicultural heritage and achieve a greater understanding of international consumer behavior as marketing co-founder of e2 (ecommerce + experience) platform BUNDSHOP.COM.

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The post Your “Golden Years” Should Be Every Year appeared first on Brazen Life.

Being in my mid-20s, I knew it was a good time to start thinking and planning for retirement and also saving for it so you’re not playing major catch-up later. (Without doing crazy math here, we’re talking about $500,000 extra in your 60s if you start saving a few hundred dollars a month now, instead of waiting 10 years.) That’s the awesome power of compound interest, my friends!

However, I don’t want a typical 9-to-5; I want to build businesses and work at jobs I love. I’d rather earn less and love what I do than spend 40 years working a higher-paying job I don’t like. Because what is retirement, exactly? Most people consider it a time to stop working the job you don’t really like and to devote your time to things you love to do: volunteering, hobbies, traveling and spending time with loved ones. I definitely understand that.

But I’ve seen a growing trend around me. People who have retired (including my own grandparents) have started businesses doing things they love, like making jewelry or writing books. Or they’ve gotten part-time jobs they enjoy, and not always because of the need for money. Usually it’s because they just enjoy working and staying connected with lots of people. Do they still take time to travel? Yes. Do they still take time to read a lot? Yes. Do they spend a lot of time with family and friends? Yes. (My grandparents have a fuller social calender than I do half the time!) But my point is, must we wait until we’re 65 to have all this?

No, I don’t think so. Instead of waiting until I’m in my 60s or 70s to enjoy these things in life, I’ve taken a different approach:

Money management

I’m still saving and investing for retirement, but it’s more of a second “emergency fund.” We can live really healthy lives, but there is always the chance we may not be able to work at some point for some health reason. It can also act as a “supplemental”-type fund where I can eventually cut back on work and still have enough to continue my lifestyle.

Living life

I’m choosing a different lifestyle to begin with. I’m not doing the 9-to-5 thing. I’m also not taking out tons of loans for cars, houses or other things. I don’t really mess with credit cards much, and I’m keeping things simple in the money department.

I’d rather spend the extra money I’m not using for saving for my retirement fund, paying down debt, traveling or other fun experiences instead of a fancier car or bigger apartment. I’d rather work a little less and have more time for family and friends now rather than wait. (Or read more now, or travel more, or volunteer more… you get the idea.)

Working well

I’m choosing to do work I love now, instead of waiting until I’m in my 60s to be able to devote time to things I love. This may mean weird looks from people when I tell them I don’t have a fancy job title at a big company, and it may mean less money at the moment. But it also means loving the work I do (at least 90 percent of the time) and having that old cliche be true: “Doing work you love means you’ll never have to work a day in your life.”

There may come a time when I do want to change the work I’m doing or cut hours in a big way, but regardless, I still am doing work I love, and I’m pretty sure I’m never going to want to stop. In fact, most retirees don’t really stop working, even if they can. So I’m not planning on stopping, either.

I’m not a certified financial planner or accountant, so I’m not an expert on retirement planning. But I have done a lot of research in this area, and this is the plan I’ve come up with that is working well for me so far. Hopefully something similar works for you, too!

How do you plan to enjoy your “Golden Years” now? Tell us in the comments!

This post originally appeared on Levo League.

Ashlee Thurlow is a life coach unlike other life coaches. Certified by the School of Coaching Mastery, Ashlee helps improve the quality of others’ lives and enables them to look around and realize they’re living the lives they’ve always wanted to live.

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The post Is It Better to be a Small Fish in a Big Pond or a Big Fish in a Small Pond? appeared first on Brazen Life.

There are great leadership lessons for each, and I hope you get the chance to be both a big fish and a small fish…then a big fish again and a small fish again. It’s a cycle of viewpoints that increases our development.

Chris Abraham, the President and COO of Abraham Harrison Public Relations, has asked whether you’d rather be the smartest person at your local college or the dumbest person at MIT. His answer? If you want to be in the big pond, then you better have perfect scores. Yes, the big pond is a great place to swim, but beware of getting left behind. That’s right—if you can’t take the heat, then stay out of the kitchen.

So what’s the key to succeeding in the big pond?

Differentiation.

Blake Hall, CEO of Troop ID, moved his company to Washington, D.C. so that he could stand out from the crowd. He essentially made his pond small. Jessica Herrin, the founder of Stella & Dot, did the same thing with her soon-to-be-billion-dollar business. She found a niche in the jewelry and personal sales market (a big pond) and made it her own (the pond gets smaller). She made herself the big fish.

What if you’re in the small pond?

Well, any good big fish leaves his or her mark.

Frances Hesselbein, former CEO of the Girl Scouts, presided over the foremost leadership organization for girls. (Talk about a small pond of organizations!) She wasn’t satisfied with just keeping the organization running; she actually overhauled the Girl Scouts and espoused leadership development for all. She was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom for her work, among other honors. She started the Frances Hesselbein Leadership Institute after retirement and is now a small fish in the big pond of leadership training.

There are advantages to every pond size

I’ve been both the small fish and the big fish, and I’ve loved and struggled with both.

As a small fish, I enjoy the freedom to be a “freshman” and work on career, leadership and growth at a pace that’s as quick as I can make it. I love having mentors, being able to ask questions and absorbing content from dozens of departments. There’s no pressure to succeed at everything because I’m the small fish!

On the other hand, the big fish is a fun position, too. I set the standards, I do the mentoring. The success or failure of the strategy is on me, and that pressure forces me to get up every day and be great. I have to be self-taught. That’s much different from being taught. But know that both will teach you something.

So go be the big fish… but also enjoy being the small fish. Whichever one you are, know that it’s not the size of the pond that matters; it’s whether you swim with purpose.

How have you been a big fish? A small fish? Tell us in the comments!

This post originally appeared on Levo League.

Bethany Miller is a business executive, professional pilot, military officer and avid traveler. She has a B.S. in Atmospheric Science from The Ohio State University, an M.B.A. in Global Business from Georgia Institute of Technology and is an advocate for leadership development and global awareness. She’s easily won over with good coffee, dark chocolate and travel-size products. Follow her on Twitter @LearnLeadRepeat for business and leadership or @BethanyJJMiller.

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The post Advocate for Your Own Work-Life Balance appeared first on Brazen Life.

I work in an industry where evening and weekend work is just part of the gig. I have no idea what it’s like to have a 9-to-5, Monday through Friday job. Even though my industry is one with non-traditional hours, and I’ve had my fair share of issues carving a life for myself outside of my work identity, I’ve come to learn that the nuances of my work environment have made all the difference in how I feel about the time I spend working.

I’ve also learned that while my work may demand a lot of my time, the person who is most responsible for choosing whether I work or go home is me—and I need to own that.

Avoiding burnout

In my first job out of grad school, I ran myself into the ground. So much so that I only spent two years working directly in the field in which I had just invested thousands of dollars’ worth of tuition. I only expected to be in this job for two to three years to help build a new functional area and to overhaul another one. There was a lot of work to be done, and I was an eager, energetic new grad ready to dive in. I made the assumption that I needed to do all of it before I left the job, which left me exhausted and suffering a pretty heavy depression. Where a lot of progress had been made, all I saw was how much there was to do, and I felt like I was failing.

Six months after I left the job, I was indulging some nostalgia by perusing the website of my old employer, and I realized that I’d had a hand in creating every single program that appeared on it. Only then did I realize how much I had accomplished.

Lessons learned:

1. It’s a bad idea to start a job with an end date already in mind. It boxes you in and may create unrealistic expectations.
2. Stephen Covey was on to something when he talked about sharpening the saw. Even if you’re invested in what you’re doing and the work seems fun, if you don’t take care of yourself in the process, you dull the things that make you so great.
3. No amount of work product is going to make you feel like you are “enough,” and spending time at work to fill a void is dangerous. Check yourself and your motivations for the pace you’re keeping. Trying to prove your self-worth through productivity and exhaustion is completely self-defeating.

Setting boundaries

In my next job, I was able to dial it back to more standard 40-hour work weeks. I felt productive at work and enjoyed it, but I struggled with the work culture. It was clear that time in the office was valued and respected. It was equated with passion, but this was in direct conflict with the lifestyle I was trying to cultivate for myself. Though I knew my work was respected, I felt pressure to be there.

What the organization valued and what I valued were simply different. I either had to choose to try to make them work, or find something that fit a little better.

Lessons learned:

1. When you do good work, you can set boundaries on your time and people won’t question it.
2. Remember that boundaries come with tradeoffs. Even when no one is questioning your work, you may notice that the opinions of those staying late carry a little more weight. And if decisions are being made in doorway conversations late at night and you aren’t there, that means decisions are being made without you. Only you can decide if you’re okay with that.
3. Just because you don’t have a partner or kids at home doesn’t mean your non-work life is less important than the lives of your partnered coworkers. At least once a week, make an appointment that requires you to leave the office—dinner with a friend, ballet barre at the gym, etc. I once had a friend who got a dog simply so she would have a reason to go home at night. Whatever it takes to create the life you want to have.

Being comfortable with complexity

When I made the move to my current role—a senior position leading a growing team—I found a great environmental fit for me. The key has been working with people who don’t define themselves by their jobs. These are people who work diligently and genuinely to be successful at work and put enough physical, mental and emotional space between it as well. Admittedly, we aren’t always so good at it. It can be a challenge to manage increasingly complex work while leading a large team. Once you take on a leadership role, and know others are taking their cues from you, the pressure is a little different.

Lessons learned:

1. Every day, somebody’s needs are not going to be met. Sometimes they’ll be your coworker’s, sometimes they’ll be your family’s, sometimes they’ll be a client’s and sometimes they’ll be your own. The goal is to make sure the same party doesn’t get neglected all the time.
2. Trust people to do good work and give them some freedom in setting their schedules. When you place value on quality work and reinforce it, people will put in the time. As long as our team is there during business hours, we give them the flexibility to shift as needed to accommodate for late-night conference calls or extensive travel.
3. Encourage and celebrate healthy choices. When a team member is in the midst of a long run of evenings and weekends, I ask when—not if—he or she plans to take a couple of days off. When we’re coordinating a work trip and a possible date conflicts with the half-marathon a team member is running, we work around it. We congratulate people when they set dates for vacation. It lets people know we value their time, both in and out of the office.

The biggest lesson I’ve learned has been to stop seeing balance as something to be achieved and sustained. I’ve had to let go of the idea that I’ll be able to work, go to the gym, see friends, go on dates, eat balanced home-cooked meals and have “me time” all over the course of a one-week period. Sometimes it’s a more social week. Sometimes work eclipses everything. As long as I get to do all of those things over a one- to three-month period of time, I feel like I get what I need.

How do you set your work-life balance standards? Share your tips in the comments!

This post originally appeared on Levo League.

Abbie Schneider is a non-profit manager with experience in higher education. She believes that organizational culture is the greatest influence on workplace performance, and her work is focused on the intersection of instructional design, talent development, succession planning and organizational change. Abbie holds a bachelor’s degree in English and Women’s Studies from Elon University and a master’s degree in Education and Human Development from The George Washington University. A creative at heart, she enjoys all forms of storytelling and expression.

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The post 8 Steps for Making the Most of Your Summer Internship appeared first on Brazen Life.

A word of warning: not all internships are created equal. Some will be very structured and, if you’re conscientious enough, it should be fairly easy to have an enjoyable and enriching experience. Others will have next to no structure, so it’s important you take the lead. The first two weeks of an internship are crucial in setting expectations and your trajectory for success or failure.

1. The basics

These are things which, if you’ve had an internship before, you probably already know, but we’ll list them just to be sure:

• Dress appropriately (and don’t assume Fridays are casual).
• Watch the language you use.
• Don’t bitch, whine, complain or moan.
• Don’t hit on your cute coworker—or, worse, your manager.
• Do not get drunk at the welcome drinks (or happy hour).

Now, on to some of the lesser-known tips…

2. An internship is a six-week interview

Many internships will offer some full-time jobs to recent graduates at the conclusion of the internship program. So if you think you want a permanent role in the company, your internship is the best time to prove to your managers that you’re the right choice. Even if you don’t get a job straight away, you can still build up contacts for later down the road.

3. Failing to plan is planning to fail

The internship will be over before you know it, so it’s important you plan exactly what you want to get out of it. By letting your manager know upfront what you want to do, it will be a lot easier to design a program tailored to your interests. Be firm, but not demanding; they might not give you much “real work,” but at least you can let them know which types of roles you want to oversee.

Try to set up brief weekly catch-ups with your manager so you can update them on your progress or flag any concerns you have. Use this time to steer the direction of your internship if you feel it’s getting off track.

4. Be realistic about what you want to achieve, and have a daily plan

It’ll be impossible to deliver a major project in such a short amount of time, but you should look to add value in any way you can. Tagging along to meetings is a great way to find out what your manager actually does all day, what problems they face and how they deal with them. Offer to take the minutes and send them to your manager afterward. This will help keep you in the know and will get you well-acquainted with the different stakeholders and the steps required to complete a project at the company.

5. Be social (but not at your desk)

Sure, eating out every day can be expensive and unhealthy, but imagine you’re the only one who brought lunch and you’re sitting in the lunch room by yourself while everyone else is out. Next thing you know, everyone is calling your manager “the dolphin” and you have no idea why. Hanging out with your colleagues during non-work hours is an essential part of getting to know their personalities and how to best work around them, so don’t be the one left behind!

6. Don’t just hang out with your intern friends

It’s great to make friends, but make sure you also spend time getting to know your managers and teammates, their backgrounds and the team culture as they’re ones you’ll be working with in the future. Being an intern, people will generally be more lenient when it comes to you asking questions and poking your head into different parts of the business.

Use this to your advantage and don’t be afraid to ask lots of questions about how different divisions work together or whatever else you’re interested in. Most people love to talk about themselves—they just don’t have an audience! By asking how your colleagues got to this stage in their careers, you can see what skills you need to acquire in order to get to the same place.

7. Your manager is not your friend

An internship is a mighty short time to build strong, professional rapport with your colleagues and your manager, so always make sure you act professionally in the office. Even if they say it’s cool to take a two-hour lunch break, it probably isn’t. The same goes with sharing too much personal information.

This doesn’t mean you have to act like a robot with no feelings or personality; just make sure you’re showing your best self during this time. Also, don’t be too concerned about sucking up to high-level managers! Often it’s your immediate manager or middle management who will have the last call about hiring you.

8. Don’t come with problems; come with solutions

Instead of asking, “What should we do about XYZ?” say, “I think we should do [insert activity] for [insert project]. What do you think?” This will test your own analytical skills and also show your manager that you’re thinking about the problems, not just waiting for instructions to be dropped in your lap. People who follow instructions without adding value are easily dispensable. Always have a go at finding a solution before asking your manager; they want to work with people who can think on their own, not people they have to micromanage every step of the way.

So, there you have it! Eight simple steps to getting the most out of your internship. Keep your head up, and great job taking charge of your career!

How do you make sure you get the most out of your summer internship? Share your tips in the comments!

This post originally appeared on Levo League.

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The post How to Take Any Work Meeting From Zero to Sixty appeared first on Brazen Life.

Ever been in a meeting that seems to drag on forever? Or where you spent more time in back-and-forth emails to schedule the meeting than actually having a discussion?

How can you think about meetings to help you make the most of your time—and the time of your colleagues?

When you think about it, there are four types of meetings. To be most effective, you need to know what type of meeting you’re in and tailor your preparation and message appropriately.

1. The meeting: selling people on a new idea

The first kind of meeting is selling people on a new idea. In the “sell” meeting, you need to be clear about the “ask.” What do you want? Do you need funding, or just an okay to proceed with the team you already have? The goal of the meeting may be to get an initial “Okay, that sounds good” or to agree on an approach to take when moving forward.

To succeed in the sell meeting, make sure you can:

To succeed in the discussion meeting:

• Think about the core issues. This requires clarity of thought.
• It’s okay to have less formal preparation.
• Have enough materials—and the right materials to get to the heart of the discussion.

These materials could be an article, an image or a one-page outline in a Word doc you can build upon in the actual discussion.

3. The meeting: presentation of results

The third type of meeting is the presentation of results meeting. If you work in management, consulting, finance or advertising, you may have one or more of these a week. The important part about the presentation meeting is that you have to prepare, prepare, prepare.

If you have a long time to prepare—say, six to 12 months in advance—brushing up on your public speaking skills is a good idea. Toastmasters International is an affordable and convenient way to practice giving speeches. There are thousands of clubs around the world and dozens of clubs in major cities.

To succeed in a presentation meeting, make sure you:

• Tell a story.
• Have quality content that shows you did the work.
• Speak confidently and persuasively.

Be prepared to outline the findings of your work in a clear, compelling way. As human beings, we all love stories. This is true whether you work in Hollywood or on Wall Street. For consultants especially, the difference between a “fact pack” and a true presentation is the difference between a “data dump” and something on which your client can take action. You should be able to tell the story with no notes at all. If you need a document as a crutch, you haven’t refined your thinking enough to make it a real story. (Throwing everything into a PowerPoint deck and hoping that everyone will “get it” isn’t enough.)

The process should look like this:

Data > Discovery > Synthesis > Further Synthesis > Success Story

Another thing to consider: does your presentation pass the “pencil test?” This means that you want to follow the implicit organizational boundaries of the page. Keep labels and titles where they belong. If you want your thinking to be taken seriously, package it with care. Think about how Apple products come in custom packaging—not just any old bubble wrap. Your clarity of thought is reflected in white space and design. Consider designing your PowerPoint slides like a place setting with silverware.

4. The meeting: formal decision-making

The fourth type of meeting is the formal decision meeting. This could be as simple as scheduling 30 minutes with your manager to get an approval for a new project, or it could be as complex as an annual board meeting that lasts for one or several full days. The thing to remember is that people will be judging your ideas with more scrutiny.

Preparation for this kind of meeting matters, but in a different way from the presentation meeting. While you should be prepared with the materials and your arguments in advance, the challenging preparation you may need to make involves lining up all the relevant stakeholders in advance so that they can approve your project or idea. You don’t want to wait until the day of the formal decision meeting itself to find that someone hates your idea and you can’t implement it, so some informal advance reconnaissance work is strongly recommended.

To succeed in the formal decision meeting:

• Prepare your answers to issues well in advance.
• Decide which issues can be deferred until after the meeting.
• Meet with all the relevant stakeholders, especially potential detractors, in advance. This could be as simple as stopping by their office or making a phone call.

I hope that this helps you classify your organizational landscape. Once you know what kind of meetings are on your calendar, you can prepare more appropriately to turn your ideas into reality.

How do you take your work meetings to the next level? Share in the comments!

This post originally appeared on Levo League.

Katharine Bierce graduated Phi Beta Kappa from the University of Chicago with a degree in Psychology. Over the last few years, she’s been thinking about what makes organizations tick and how to connect people to career development opportunities, whether through compiling resources like this Google Doc (http://ht.ly/2wPB8) or making introductions. In 2012, she was a Finalist for the Net Impact “Impact at Work” award for her “intrapreneurship” in a global employee volunteering group at work. In her free time, she enjoys yoga, reading, cooking and meditation. You can follow Katharine on Twitter @kbierce.

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The post The Importance of Soft Skills appeared first on Brazen Life.

While working for a mid-sized healthcare information technology firm that was looking to rapidly grow—bringing on 70 new team members in just 70 weeks—I developed a strategy to hire at a fast pace without losing the quality I desired in a team member. This was no easy feat, my friends!

This strategy was based on three tiers of consulting resources I wanted to join our team: mid-level, senior level and executive level. We found that we wanted 90 percent mid- to senior-level consultants and 10 percent executive-level consultants; but, realistically, we could only find around 20 percent of our needed total in all three.

With this knowledge, I knew I needed to bridge this gap. I had to find a way to bring on approximately 45 talented, billable consultants who didn’t actually exist.

After brainstorming with my director, we decided to develop an associate- or junior-level consulting program. This program would include hiring resources that we could use to train, develop, mentor and guide a junior-level consultant to become a mid-level one within a year. This was a lofty goal, but I knew that with support and strong communication, we could make it successful.

During our pilot program, we initially hired those with extensive operational or clinical experience within a healthcare organization (e.g., a nurse, an IT programmer, a registrar/scheduler). We assumed that experience in the industry we were working in would help them learn the vendor system easily and relate to our end users. However, the result was very different—each person in the pilot program failed…miserably.

We couldn’t understand. How did this happen? We vetted and screened candidates, we conducted in-person interviews, we helped and guided them through the entire process…Something just wasn’t adding up. The results of the pilot program were so poor, the entire idea was almost postponed indefinitely.

A few days later, a light bulb went off in my head. I had been hired into the healthcare information technology industry based on a few different factors, and none of them had to do with experience in that industry. Rather, I was hired based on personality, soft skills and a particular level of intelligence (taking exams for the company to even consider me, graduating at a certain percentage ranking in my business school, etc.).

It all made sense now—most likely, anyone can learn something new, but those that will succeed at it must also have strong personalities, confidence, motivation, drive and the ability to speak well in front of others. You see, I always trust my gut and what I call “inspired ideas” or “inspired thoughts” that seem to come out of thin air—so when this idea suddenly popped into my head, I trusted it, ran with it and revised our hiring strategy to be based on soft skills rather than experience.

I asked for the opportunity to try again, and this time I vetted and interviewed people for personality and these soft skills. In fact, we built the entire program around them learning the software application and further developing their soft skills. After hiring approximately 45 associate consultants over the next six months, I set up exercises on a weekly, and sometimes daily, basis where we ran through mock interviews, writing assessments, developing and presenting information for different audiences, message manipulation through tone of voice, handling difficult situations or conversations, learning how to push back on an idea without overstepping boundaries, trusting instincts even when you may not yet feel like the “expert” and more.

Though not every person in the program succeeded, our success rate went from zero to about 95 percent. We were quite astonished, happy and relieved. This program taught me just how important soft skills are—and I walked away with a few key lessons that I believe are important to share:

1. You don’t need to be the expert in something to succeed

Rather, all you need to bring with you are your great personality, motivation to learn and confidence. Allow yourself to ask questions, learn from others and research as much as possible; combined with your soft skills, this will enable you to become an amazing asset to any company or industry you work in.

2. Experience alone is not necessarily an indicator of success

How many times have you known someone who has extensive knowledge and experience but has little personality and levels of engagement and is on a stagnant career path? Personally, I can name many.

3. Soft skills can be developed, to a certain extent

Often, people assume that these softer skills are inherited rather than developed. I would argue that they are both inherited and developed for optimal success.

I watched many of my former team members grow in confidence, expand their comfort zones, gain increased motivation and improve their public speaking/presenting/interviewing skills. With practice, honest feedback and encouragement, these skills can be developed far beyond what is just inherited or (right now) natural to you. Now, yes, it would be easier to develop these skills for someone who naturally has a positive and driven disposition, but nonetheless, they can be greatly improved upon for someone who doesn’t feel this way at the moment.

Push yourself beyond the norm. Push yourself to improve your social and soft skills, because these, in combination with knowledge and experience over time, are what will propel your career.

How have you developed those soft skills? Tell us in the comments!

This post originally appeared on Levo League.

Nina Ferraro is the creator and primary contributor for Nina Inspired, where she provides career advice, inspirational challenges and webinars to help professionals and college graduates continue to propel their career. Her ultimate goal is to help coach, guide and motivate individuals and teams to extraordinary levels of success.

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The post 8 Tips to Get Over Being Laid Off appeared first on Brazen Life.

Remember That It’s Not You

Could you have worked longer hours, spent less time tweeting on the job or taken fewer trips to Starbucks? Of course. But that’s not why you were laid off. Remember that layoffs are business decisions, not a reflection of your talent or commitment.

Find the Silver Lining

It’s easy to romanticize your job in retrospect. I had flexible work hours and the ability to work from home, which I instantly appreciated more as soon as I was laid off. But chances are, your job wasn’t perfect. Maybe your pay was lower than what you would have liked, or your work attire was more formal than your style. Think of being laid off as a blessing in disguise—you’re one step closer to finding a job that fits all of your workplace priorities.

Be Graceful

No matter how tempted you are to send a snarky email to your boss or shoot out a biting tweet from your company’s account, don’t. Step away from the technology! Remember that there is no way to delete your harsh words from cyberspace or from someone’s memory.

The one word of feedback that stuck out to me most when I publicized my layoff was “graceful.” Readers and friends commented that my blog post was direct without making me look petty or bitter. If future employers see the post, I have faith that they will see it in the same light.

Feel Your Emotions

When I got the call from HR about my layoff, I cried. And I’ve cried several times since then. Pushing your emotions aside won’t benefit you in the long term, but acknowledging them will. I oscillated from laughing to crying to disbelief—and back—in a matter of hours.

Cut Loose…

Guess what? You’re laid off; you can sleep in! You can have a few drinks on a weekday. You can work out in the middle of the day. You can take a day trip to a cool nearby town. Take advantage of your newfound freedom and break out of your normal routine for a bit.

…Just Not Too Much

Then get back to your normal schedule. Wake up at a decent time. If you work out regularly, keep fitting in gym sessions. Eat healthy, home-cooked meals if that’s what you’re used to. Remember that job searching is just a like a job—you have to commit many hours to it, so make it easier on yourself by sticking with a routine that you’re used to.

Reach Out to Your Support Network

Contact friends, family or someone else who was laid off with you—anyone who will allow you to express your sadness over the loss of your job or your fear over your need to start job searching again.

Surround Yourself with Go-Getters

Likewise, don’t sit at home on the couch in your pajamas all day (okay, maybe for a day or two). Job search at your local Starbucks or coworking space, make dates to meet up with people who inspire you and read blogs of professional development gurus. These positive influences will keep you motivated and away from your fifth pint of Ben & Jerry’s.

Getting laid off is never a wholly positive experience, but you can spin it into an experience that you can grow from.

Have you been laid off? How did you deal? Tell us in the comments.

This post originally appeared on Levo League.

Cristina Roman is a Raleigh lover, a business owner and a former Junior Recruiting Coordinator. She is obsessed with volunteerism, Twitter and Starbucks and loves tennis, gluten-free cooking and professional development. Cristina likes to think of herself as professional with a goofy streak. She blogs about just about everything over at Scintillating Simplicity. Find it here: http://www.cmroman.com/

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The post Is Signing Emails “XOXO” Appropriate for the Office? appeared first on Brazen Life.

On the one hand, workplace etiquette for women is already complicated enough. We have to worry about everything from our heels and hemlines to how we give commands and feedback. Why bother with worrying about when to reciprocate an interoffice xo or what happens if you xo a male colleague, to say nothing of your boss? At best, misplaced xo’s may end in a humorous misunderstanding. At worst, they can cause discomfort or the belief that you are trying to kindle an office romance. More important, as the Atlantic article asks, “Why, after all the strides we’ve made to be taken seriously at work, must we end our e‑mails with the digital equivalent of a pink Gelly Roll pen?”

Yet power players like Arianna Huffington, Wendy Williams and Diane Sawyer all xo. Norah Ephron‘s effusive xo-ing matched her effusive personality. In You Just Don’t Understand, sociolinguist Deborah Tannen points out that for men, conversation is about negotiating status, while for women, conversation is about negotiating closeness and intimacy. If communication is how women bond, a preference for ending emails to female colleagues with a more intimate “xoxo” instead of a relatively icy “regards” makes a lot of sense. Perhaps xo-ing isn’t unprofessional, then, but part of a new type of professionalism being created by women who finally have offices of their own?

While there are valid points for and against hugs and kisses in the office, professionalism is mission critical to young women climbing career ladders. Frankly, it’s just not worth risking. Yes, context matters a lot; finance norms are not the same as fashion norms, and hugs and kisses to a close female colleague or peer are very different than hugs and kisses to your older male boss. If you must xo, whether you would actually hug and kiss the recipient is probably a good litmus test. But there is never anything wrong with “best,” “thanks” or “regards.”

Do you “xo” your coworkers? Do they “xo” you? Or do you think that digital hugs and kisses at work are equally as inappropriate as real ones? Tell us in the comments.

This post originally appeared on Levo League.

Kirsten Murray holds a bachelor’s degree from Dartmouth College and a master’s degree from the London School of Economics in Gender, Development and Globalization. She managed a daily research publication for a large hedge fund in the New York area but has since traded in her city slicker status for life on an Indiana farm, where she is pursuing her goal of being a writer. You can follow her rural mishaps and adventures on her blog, www.dupontdiaries.com.

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The post Is Signing Emails “XOXO” Appropriate for the Office? appeared first on Brazen Life.