But, undoubtedly, the most stressful part of interviews is the standard questions that seem to have no good answer, the ones that have plagued every job seeker before, and often during, the actual interview. No need to worry though: there’s a way to answer those questions in a manner that’ll satisfy the interviewer and portray you in a positive light. (Click here to tweet this bit of hope.)

1. Why are you leaving your current job?

Whatever your feelings about your current employer may be, you never want to speak poorly of the company — and you don’t want to paint yourself in a negative light either. Make it simple: you and the company are no longer a good fit.

Of course, you’ll have to go into a bit of detail, but make it about your long term goals and how they don’t align with what your company can offer you. During this part of the interview, strike a balance between offering some detail without rambling on. The worst thing you can do is throw your current employer under the bus, so make it a no-fault conversation.

2. Where do you see yourself in five years?

One of the cardinal rules of an interview is to remember that you’re interviewing for a specific job, not for the one you want in the future. That being said, it’s almost a certainty that interviewers will ask about your goals and aspirations. When answering this question, tie it back to the position you’re actually interviewing for.

A good answer is to say that you want to grow within the organization, using the position you’re interviewing for as a basis to learn. Make sure to keep it within the same industry though. If you’re interviewing for a position in HR, don’t say your five-year goal is to work in finance — that won’t sit well.

Employers like to know you see a job in their company as a stepping stone to more senior roles within their company — certainly not within an entirely different industry

3. What is your biggest weakness?

This is one where interviewers will look for the most honesty, so avoid the standard “I work too hard” answer; it’s a safe one and comes across as such. Instead, be honest about the things you need to work on — whether it’s overseeing a team or managing budgets.

As long as you remember to bring it back to how you’d like to learn more, you’ll have the interviewer’s respect.

4. Can you explain the gap in your employment history?

Given the recent recession, it’s not uncommon to have some holes in your resume. Yet, interviewers want to hear how you used that time off to still progress your career in the long run.

Perhaps you went back to school to get a degree, took a specific course to improve your skill set, or even volunteered or interned at an organization to keep your skills fresh. Either way, employers want to see an effort to learn transferable skills, no matter how you do so.

5. Why are you the right person for this job?

This is the time to sell yourself, but too many people are afraid of sounding boastful. Don’t be. Use this opportunity to show how your skills align with those that the position requires.

You might say, “What I’ve heard from you is that this position requires XYZ, and my prior experience doing ABC has prepared me to do that very well.” Ask questions so you can clarify and amplify your qualifications. This question allows you to put your best foot forward and make your case for the job, so take advantage of it.

Sure, it can be anxiety inducing, but at the end of the day, an interview is an exciting first step in the process of finding a job that meets your needs and allows you to reach your goals. Once you have the confidence to answer the toughest questions, you’ll be able to go far in your career.

Jennifer Kochilaris is a Regional Vice President for the South Florida region of Adecco Staffing, US. She manages 27 colleagues within her organizational structure and is proud to work with them to support hundreds of clients within a variety of industries in the South Florida market.

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The post How to Answer the 5 Toughest Interview Questions with Confidence appeared first on Brazen Life.

Interesting how a simple word — brazen — can make us feel a certain way and elicit a sense of power, strength and confidence.

Being brazen means taking ownership and being unapologetic about our lives. It’s a powerful word that serves as an anchor for when we want to make big (or small) shifts in our lives and our careers.

When I use brazen, I don’t mean being bossy, controlling, rude or self-absorbed. I mean the choice to be brazen in a conscious way. Anytime we step into a place of certainty, confidence and boldness, it doesn’t equate to being cocky or rude. It’s a grounded choice to proceed with an intention and goal of certainty from an authentic place.

It’s a fine line between being assured, certain and bold from a conscious place and being those characteristics from a rigid, inflexible, close-minded place. Choose the former.

When it comes to how you want to live your life and navigate the waters of your work and career, which would you prefer: to be brazen about it or meek?

As with anything in life, being brazen or timid, confident or insecure, happy or sad are all choices. The beautiful thing about being human is that we have a choice in how we feel, what we think and how we choose to act.

Our choices really do dictate what our lives look like. Learning how to be direct and conscious about our choices — how we feel, what we think or believe and how we act — are the ingredients required to get the most out of our lives.

But what does being brazen mean in this day and age? How can it help us to stand out in a crowded world of amazing, talented entrepreneurial people? How can it make us feel happier or help us shift something that we’ve been trying to shift with little to no success?

Maybe we want to improve a relationship, but can’t find that missing ingredient. Perhaps we’ve struggled financially, and the solution eludes us. Maybe we’re searching for the perfect career or want to make our current career choice more empowering.

Choosing to approach any problem or issue you face with a focus of being brazen is creates an energy that can assist you far beyond what you imagine.

If we don’t make the choice to pursue our goals with confidence and boldness, we won’t get what we want. Our energy will scream “You don’t really want it,” or “I don’t believe you!” The choice to be brazen about what we want is the choice to succeed and own our lives.

Here are four quick tips to increasing your success in life and business by choosing to be brazen: (Click here to tweet this list.)

1. Clarity

Be clear about your goals, intentions and desires. Without clarity or a plan, there’s no point. It’s that old saying: fail to plan, plan to fail. Create a vision of the outcome you want and be detailed about it.

For example, if you have a big job interview, take time to get quiet, maybe meditate, and  come up with your ideal vision of how you want the interview to go. How will you feel? What will you be wearing? How do you respond and handle interview questions?

Create the ideal situation in your mind first, so you can create the reality. See and feel what you want before it happens.

2. Commitment

If you’re wishy-washy with what you want, it’s not going to manifest. Being committed is an essential component of getting what we want and where we want to be. And commitment is a choice.

When you want a clear path, a better job, more money or a better relationship, being committed to your path is essential. If you don’t commit, it’s not a big want or desire.

3. Consistency

Once you have a clear plan and vision in mind, make the choice to be consistent. Create a plan that keeps you accountable and on track with your goals and intentions.

4. Consciousness

Be conscious about what you want to create in your life and career. It’s often required to step into a larger and bigger place of ownership and accountability. Being conscious means being aware and noticing what’s working and what’s not. It means being clear about and committed to your goals. It’s being consistent at all times.

Making a conscious choice to live in alignment with the definition of brazen — bold and without shame — is a masterful way to approach your life. We can have all the information and “how-to” to lead the exact lives we desire, but if we don’t implement those steps, it’s a waste of time.

And it comes down to a choice. Our ability to choose is our ability to create lives we love — right down to our health, our wealth, our relationships and our success.

But most of us forget how powerful a little choice can be. We can choose how to feel, what to think and how to react to situations in our lives — and that’s our point of power.

It’s a choice to be brazen or not.

Carrie Jolie Dale is an author, choice strategist and manifesting ninja. She is living proof that anyone can find happiness, meaning and purpose in their life by mastering their choices. You can find Carrie at  www.carriedale.com, Twitter, and on Facebook.

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The post Choose to Be Brazen: Why Confidence at Work is the Key to Everything appeared first on Brazen Life.

I am Shakespeare in the flesh. Walt Disney, Nike, Google. Now who’s going to be the Medici family and stand up and let me create more? — Kanye West

Yes, that’s a real quote.

Love or hate him, Kanye West is the master of tooting his own horn. Though Kanye may love to talk about all things Kanye-related, his boastful remarks often have the rest of us rolling our eyes and shaking our heads.

True, horn tooting can go wrong. There’s the humblebrag (“It’s so hard for me to write sometimes because I have so many great ideas”) or the boastful third person (“Erin thinks this example perfectly demonstrates boastfully talking about herself in the third person”).

But when done properly, a little self-promotion can go a long way. If you don’t make people aware of your accomplishments, no one else will.

So, how do you demonstrate your worth without sounding arrogant?

Know your value

Becoming successful is much harder if you don’t know what you’re worth. Not knowing the value of your skills could cause you to inadvertently hold yourself back. You don’t want to be an A-player wasting away in a position that’s going nowhere.

It’s equally important to recognize the value of skills you don’t possess. If learning a particular system or tool is in demand in your industry, consider how much more marketable you’d be if you became proficient in it.

Knowing your value isn’t about shouting it from the rooftops or interrupting someone’s award acceptance speech. (Click here to tweet this thought.) It’s about being prepared when an opportunity presents itself. Should a coveted position become available, you want your accomplishments to already be on the radar so you’ll be the first person considered for the job.

Use your relationships

You don’t have to get engaged to a reality TV star to make the most of your relationships. Learning good strategies for relationship building can make it easier to naturally promote your accomplishments.

Determine the stakeholders in your career, learn what their needs and values are and meet those needs. Strengthening your relationships will encourage your network to share your achievements in a more organic way.

People tend to give more when they get more, so be sure to reciprocate. When you praise others and acknowledge their accomplishments, they’re more likely to do the same for you.

You can also try offering something of value to your career stakeholders. Helping them or teaching them something can have a long-lasting impact as they share your advice or teachings with others in their network.

Learn to be confident (or fake it)

Confidence is the real secret to career success. It’s hard to get executive buy-in or new career opportunities if you’re outwardly insecure. People are less likely to want to invest in your career development if you seem unsure of yourself.

If you’re introverted or struggle with self-esteem, don’t worry. Even if you don’t always feel confident, you can still exude confidence to others. Practice speaking in a self-assured manner, making eye contact and working on your body language.

Eliminate phrases like, “it was no big deal” or “I guess so” when it comes to discussing your work. Learn to graciously take a compliment without downplaying your contribution. When in doubt, smile, make eye contact and say, “thank you.”

You don’t have to believe you’re the next Steve Jobs. You just have to know you bring something special to the table. You’re the first you.

And that’s something you and Kanye have in common.

Erin Palmer is a writer and editor who had to learn the hard way how to toot her own horn. She’s been published in The Chicago Tribune and The Huffington Post, yet she still gets excited every time she sees her byline. Erin loves to hear from readers, so reach out to her on Twitter @Erin_E_Palmer.

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The post Toot Your Own Horn (Without Sounding Like Kanye) appeared first on Brazen Life.

Ever had an event so big and devastating you felt your dreams and ambitions were shattered in one fell swoop? Or maybe it’s not one event, but a succession of life circumstances that make you doubt your potential, causing you to question yourself and hesitate.

When those times hit, here’s how to rise above them:

Step out of your box

Too often we’re led to believe the lot we’ve been cast dictates who we become — that we’re a product only of our environments. People put us in boxes and stereotypes, claiming our possibilities are dictated by who our parents were, where we were born, what our skin color is, how pretty we are, how much money we have.

But that couldn’t be farther from the truth.

These sweeping statements create a belief culture where people focus more on who they’re expected to be than who they want to be. And these restrictive beliefs have the tendency to become self-fulfilling prophecies.

Other people’s limitations are only prophetic if you give them credence. (Click here to Tweet this idea.)

If you let your environment dictate your future, you’re reinforcing your own glass ceiling. You’ll only go so far and so high. But if you foster a healthy belief culture, you’ve already exponentially increased your chances of success.

A healthy belief culture is your backyard garden

Think about it this way: You have a small garden in your backyard. It’s just a small plot of dirt. In it, you plant flowers — little seedlings with the potential to bloom. But, as with most gardens, weeds creep in. They start to encroach on your flowers’ growing space.

You have a couple of options. You can either let the weeds remain, killing off your flowers and littering your garden space, or you can weed them out. You can remove the junk and cultivate a space where your flowers can bloom.

Creating a healthy belief system is like that. While it would be great if we went through life with only positive people and situations around us, that just isn’t possible.

Life is real and it can be hard. You’ll come across people who doubt you and want to hold you back. You’ll have discouraging experiences that will make you second-guess yourself and your ambitions. But all of these negative people and events are weeds. Remove them or you’ll never be able to see your dreams bloom.

To move forward, you’re going to have to revolutionize your beliefs. Here’s how to remove your weeds:

1. Take inventory of your self-talk

Think about how you internally describe yourself, good or bad, and write it down: I’m not good enough. I’m too fat. That could never be me. Nobody’s better than me. I’m super smart. I’m very shy. I’m not a good test-taker.

2. Identify the self-talk that isn’t serving you

Go back to your inventory, and for every statement, ask: Is this going to serve me to meet my goals in the future?

3. Replace negative self-talk

Change your thoughts to a new dialogue that will move you forward toward your ultimate goal: I used to be very shy, but I’m more outgoing than I’ve ever been.

Will you be your own glass ceiling, or will you accept and fully embrace — no matter what happens — that there’s more out there for you than what you’re settling for?

Lisa DeMayo is a self-made multi-millionaire, a certified life, executive and leadership coach with more than 20 years of coaching experience, and a top-level network marketer recognized as one of the top income earners with Isagenix. Buy her book, The Art of Getting What You Want, to learn more about breaking through your glass ceiling.

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The post Empowering Ways to Cultivate a Better Belief in Yourself appeared first on Brazen Life.

But those comparisons and competitions continue throughout life, especially in the workforce. As you navigate your way up the corporate ladder, the adage that you get more with sugar than spice might as well be tattooed on your brain.

From the moment they enter the building, Gen Yers have a bad rap following them: lazy, arrogant, entitled. Unfortunately, the stereotypes are proven all too often—and that is not the way to get to the top.

Even if you graduated summa cum laude from Harvard, know seven languages and completed 10 stellar internships, being a know-it-all 20-something won’t get you very far. Your career will end up looking more like a Greek tragedy than a sparkly fairy tale.

Yet your employer doesn’t want a doormat, either. He wants an ambitious—but humble—worker who is willing to take chances and use their voice. So, how do you find yours (without stepping on any toes)?

Here are some dos and don’ts for finding your voice—the right way—at the workplace:

DOs:

Speak up and share your knowledge on topics your generation knows about

Businesses with social media are a good example. Social media is an area your boss may still be trying to learn, so he will look to you to be the pro.

Volunteer for tasks and projects

This is one of the best ways to get noticed in the office environment without being loud and obnoxious. If your boss is asking around for additional hands, speak up! It shows that you’re confident in your skills and aren’t afraid to take responsibility.

Ask your superiors questions

A little brown-nosing never hurt anyone. People love giving advice, and it will show that you’re eager to learn. If you notice that your boss is really good at client relations or sales, ask him for a few tricks of the trade.

Collaborate

Modern workplaces are all about collaboration. Get rid of the recession mentality that your job will always be in jeopardy and that everyone is out to get you. Batting around ideas with coworkers shows you’re a team player—and it’s more fun.

DON’Ts:

Become a martyr

Nothing is more annoying. If you volunteer to walk your boss’s dog or lend a hand on a company sales presentation, the whole office doesn’t need to know about your sacrifices. Your extra hard work won’t go unnoticed.

Argue

Remember when your mama told you to respect your elders? Don’t forget it.

There is no denying that with experience comes wisdom. If your boss says it’s going to be one way, then just go along with it, even if you don’t agree. There’s probably a reason for it, and arguing only leads to whining, which leads to confirmation of the negative Gen Y stereotype.

Become a leader (unless you’re asked to)

This is one of the most fatal flaws Gen Yers make. You can’t go around correcting coworkers and telling them how to do their jobs. It won’t inspire change; it will only result in animosity. Look for leadership roles outside of the company, but don’t overstep your boundaries at work. Leadership is earned, then granted.

Be overzealous about getting credit for your work

If your boss doesn’t praise you for a job well done, just let it go. If you’re putting in all your effort, it won’t go unnoticed.

All of these boil down to one simple thing: be nice. In the long run, making friends and being a team player beat any skills that look good on paper. They will help you jet up the corporate ladder at lightning speed.

Rebekah Epstein is the founder of fifteen media, an agency that works exclusively with PR firms to streamline media relations in a digital era. Rebekah also blogs about the ups and downs of Gen Y entrepreneurship at fifteenminutesblog.

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The post Tips for Walking the Line Between Cocky and Confident at Work appeared first on Brazen Life.

The first thing to worry about, the thing that matters first, before all others? Your confidence.

If you’re not confident, “networking” and “baby steps” won’t take you very far. You’ll go to events and flail about. As you interact with people, you’ll convey your own self-doubt. Your words may say one thing, but your body language will say, “I don’t believe in myself, and neither should you.”

If you first build your confidence—and do it in a way that is both sincere and natural (a way that works for you, not someone else)—then you can take just about any step you want. If you exude confidence, people will be drawn to you—not the other way around.

And when you put yourself out there with confidence, each of your efforts is multitudes more effective, because your aura says, “Hey, I’m worth something. I mean business here. I’m worth listening to. And you should.”

Failing to emphasize the importance of confidence does a real disservice to up-and-comers

Some people feel ineffective doing what they need to do to succeed. They’ll attend networking events without much success, and we just tell them to go to more. “Just get yourself out there,” we say. “The more people you meet, the more comfortable you’ll feel.”

But if you’re uncomfortable in these situations, forcing yourself to attend networking events will exacerbate the problem. You’ll stand in the room with an aura of insecurity, and your presence will have a limited effect on those around you.

Your confidence at events may improve over time, but it’s a slow-going and largely ineffective approach.

Instead, take the time to build your confidence beforehand.

How?

Here are three ways that work for me. You don’t need to pursue all three; you can focus your energies on one, and you’ll still likely benefit. Build all three, and you have a winning combination.

1. Think yourself into a positive attitude

Uh, yeah, I mean mantras. Dismiss them if you want, but at least hear me out. If you say only uplifting things to yourself, uplifting things are eventually what you’ll believe. It protects you from the self-doubt and self-hate that sometimes creeps into your psyche. If you busy yourself thinking one thing, there’s no room for weeds to take root.

For a good starting place, try Napoleon Hill’s self-confidence formula. Or, if Hill isn’t your style, use whatever works for you. Make up your own mantras.

The point is: you are what you think and believe. If your thoughts aren’t constructive and exuberant, you won’t be, either.

2. Take baby steps

Just make sure to pursue baby steps that make you feel awesome. Here are two approaches:

Pursue what comes naturally, even if it doesn’t seem related to your goal. If you’re a talented illustrator, draw for 20 minutes. If you’re a crossword puzzle whiz, do one. Do whatever you’re good at for 15-20 minutes prior to something scary as a confidence booster. And after you rock out at it, remind yourself, “Damn, I am good.” Hold on to that emotion as you transition to whatever it is that scares you.

I use writing as my confidence booster because I write quickly. Every morning, I write for 30 minutes. I also write whenever I need a boost so I can work through any emotions that are holding me back. Feeling myself move through words helps build my certainty. This is actually how the article you’re reading originally started. I was building myself up to write documentation for work. And though both are writing, you can see this is definitely not documentation.

The baby steps do not have to be in the direction of what you’re actually trying to accomplish. Your steps just have to make you feel good and re-establish your belief in yourself.

Or tackle something scary. Getting my wisdom teeth pulled terrified me. I put the appointment off for years. This was during a time when I worked a job I hated and knew I needed to quit, but I was scared to do that, too.

Months later than I should have, I finally put in my notice, and since my health insurance was expiring, I also had to have the teeth removed. I scheduled the appointment for the last day of work and, as I drove there, high on the realization I was leaving the office for the last time, it dawned on me: after finally quitting, the wisdom teeth felt like a joke. Tackle one fear, and other things feel suddenly easier.

3. Once you tackle something successfully, hold onto that little surge of confidence

A body in motion stays in motion! Dwell on the self-esteem and energy boost that you feel and quickly find something else to apply yourself to. If you can find something either a little scarier or a little more in line with your real goal (e.g., the networking event or the job application), then do it.

Keep at the little things to keep building confidence. I write every day, waiting for other opportunities, just so that I can preserve the momentum I’ve built with this habit. Do whatever you need to keep this momentum. Don’t let it dwindle at any cost. Get into a silly routine if you have to. Persevere and try to build on the boost by applying yourself to more and more challenging tasks.

Because the real step one, before you can be effective at taking any of the other steps toward success, is to build up your confidence. Confidence is everything.

Krista Goral is an IT consultant by day and doubles down as a writer, blogger, philosopher/doer by night. She explores the everyday human experience on her two blogs, Response Crafting and Moments in Notes.

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The post The Real Secret to Career Success: Confidence appeared first on Brazen Life.