Is Networking a Waste of Time

Is Networking a Waste of Time A few weeks ago I saw a post on Facebook from career pro and friend Jacqui Barrett-Poindexter  with this image: I thought this was interesting because for me, 99% of my networking was indeed a waste of time. I was doing it wrong.  I had a sour attitude.  Im sure I repelled people. It felt like a waste of time.  At that time in my life, it was indeed a waste of time. I needed to fix myself, and my thinking, and my attitude.  I needed to learn how to network, and figure out what I was doing wrong. Reading Never Eat Alone (Ferrazzi) helped.  If you have a few minutes, read this Harvard Business Review article: 99% of Networking Is a Waste of Time Is Networking a Waste of Time A few weeks ago I saw a post on Facebook from career pro and friend Jacqui Barrett-Poindexter  with this image: I thought this was interesting because for me, 99% of my networking was indeed a waste of time. I was doing it wrong.  I had a sour attitude.  Im sure I repelled people. It felt like a waste of time.  At that time in my life, it was indeed a waste of time. I needed to fix myself, and my thinking, and my attitude.  I needed to learn how to network, and figure out what I was doing wrong. Reading Never Eat Alone (Ferrazzi) helped.  If you have a few minutes, read this Harvard Business Review article: 99% of Networking Is a Waste of Time

8 Tips for Designing a Conference Room Thatll Wow Clients - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career

8 Tips for Designing a Conference Room Thatll Wow Clients - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career A meeting room can leave a strong impression on clients. It can either help them come up with fresh, creative ideas, or it can distract them with how uncomfortable and stuffy it is. If you want your clients to remember the former rather than the latter in your next meeting, here are ways to infuse personality and professionalism into any conference area. Consider Your Clients Needs Of course, you want clients to be as comfortable as possible. You want them to have enough elbow room, as well as space to get up and walk around. At the same time, you also want the meeting room to be small enough to let people know theyre safe in a group. So get the numbers down first. Estimate how many people will show up on Meeting Day. Measure the rooms dimensions, and invest in a table proportionate to the size of the room. Have your clients sit in office chairs that are ergonomic, adjustable and affordable. Choose a Table Configuration There are plenty of seating styles you can choose from. For example, the U-style allows everyone to engage with the speaker and vice versa, while the theater/classroom style can accommodate more people. Be sure to check the pros and cons of each style before deciding on a final layout. Pick the Right Room Ideally, the room should be in a place where distractions are kept to a minimum. For example, a space near the CEOs office would be great, but not a space near the main lobby or facing a construction site. If you have to make do with a distraction-filled area, however, hire a professional to soundproof the meeting room. Also, using the right wall color can make a difference in how productive a meeting is. If you paint the room blue, your clients might feel more relaxed and agreeable. But if you paint it red, clients might become more argumentative. Regardless of which color you choose, it should evoke the right emotions in your audience and fit with your companys brand and image. Adjust the Lighting Its okay to let in a little natural light from outside. Just make sure the windows are covered with blinds and shades, in case the glare becomes distracting â€" especially if the meeting is in the mid-afternoon. Other ways to make lighting work include: Avoid or minimize overhead lighting. Use bulbs that dont give off too much heat. Have the wall colors complement the lighting. If the meeting is large, use an organic light-emitting diode (OLED). Choose the Right Screen The screen is the focal point of the meeting room, so choose it carefully. It should be big enough for everyone in the room to see, but small enough not to be overwhelming. Also, it should be positioned at just the right distance from your audience, which you can calculate via the AVDistanceCalc app available for iOS and Android. Aside from the screen size and distance, consider the right projector screen type and fabric as well. Think about whether youll have the screen mounted on a wall, ceiling or tripod, and which fabric will go best with the colors and tones of your presentation. Dont forget to consider accessories like cables, remote controls and speaker mounts. Provide Amenities As mentioned earlier, your guests should be as comfortable as possible. Give them a refrigerator within arms reach, so they can get up and drink whenever they need it. Invest in tables with mini-cabinets, where your guests can stash their belongings while participating in the meeting. Put a bin or two in a corner of the room so guests can dispose of their trash properly. Keep the Design Consistent The best meeting rooms are the ones that express what your company is all about. If your company has a fun, playful image, for example, you can take inspiration from these 13 quirky office designs thatll grab your clients attention. But if your company is more of the dignified and reliable type, the meeting room should reflect that too. Creativity is good, but authenticity is even better. Do a Test Run Prior to the Meeting When it comes to important events like meetings, preparation is crucial. Not only will it help calm your nerves before the Big Day itself, but itll also help you catch any technical problems before they escalate. Schedule a mock meeting at least a day before the actual meeting. Have your colleagues pretend theyre your clients, then give your presentation as you would in front of clients and ask them for feedback. They can give you pointers on how to present, whether the presentation is easy on the eyes, whether the room is as conducive to meeting as youd like, etc. Wrapping It Up No matter how you design a conference/meeting room, always remember: It should, first and foremost, be a safe and comfortable space where professionals can gather, brainstorm and collaborate. With that in mind, plus the tips given above, its hard to go wrong.

9 Emerging Brands with Killer Business Strategies - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career

9 Emerging Brands with Killer Business Strategies - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career What is your absolute favorite brand to have emerged in 2013 and why? The following answers are provided by the Young Entrepreneur Council (YEC) is an invite-only organization comprised of the worlds most promising young entrepreneurs. In partnership with Citi, YEC recently launched StartupCollective, a free virtual mentorship program that helps millions of entrepreneurs start and grow businesses. 1. Uber Its been around for years, but 2013 was the year that everyone talked about  Uber. This year, it committed to doing interesting and useful promotions the kind of marketing that resonates. Its Take a helicopter to the beach, Take a boat to work and Have us deliver a Christmas tree promotions were unique and provided interesting life experiences. Brennan White, Watchtower 2. Leap Motion Leap Motion  created an incredible controller that allows you to use hand gestures to manage your computer. It was the highlight of South By Southwest, and its platform is growing incredibly fast. The brand has created a new, more natural way to interact with technology. Aaron Schwartz, Modify Watches 3. Oculus VR The  Oculus Rift  has been in the works for years, but 2013 has been the year that awareness of virtual realitys potential has come full circle. It isnt every year that a truly revolutionary and industry-changing product comes along, and that is exactly what the Rift is. Its not just for games; virtual reality could change the world. James Simpson, GoldFire Studios 4. Treehouse Treehouse  has been around for a few years, but it really hit its stride in 2013. Treehouse provides comprehensive and fun training in coding, design and business. It offers high production-quality videos, quizzes, downloadable resources and more. Plus, it has ongoing adventures and badges you can earn to make things even more interesting. Dustin Lee, Playbook 5. OUYA The  OUYA  gaming device came into the scene in 2013. The idea of democratizing games has always enticed gamers. OUYA made it a reality and has blown us all away. Adam Lieb, Duxter 6. Lono My personal favorite is  Lono. Its a new automated sprinkler device app. Its going to help cut water consumption by at least 20 percent automatically and saves people money and headaches. I love all things connected to the home. Andrew Howlett, Rain 7. Everlane In 2013,  Everlane  really hit its stride. It hasnt been around long, but it has recently picked up the pace and stuck with a very smart business model. Everlane focuses on brand transparency, which is great to see and shockingly difficult to replicate. It also has a great design sensibility and solid products. Colin Wright, Asymmetrical Press 8. Nomiku Nomiku  is  an at-home sous vide machine that lets home cooks make food like pros. Its an incredible, beautifully designed machine thats fun to use, and the brand has a great personality influenced by the founders fun-loving and food-loving spirits. Leah Neaderthal, Start Somewhere 9. Nest With its smart thermostats and smoke alarms,  Nest has taken after-thought items, designed them beautifully and helped bring homes into the future. Kelcy Pegler, Jr, Roof Diagnostics Featured Photo

The 9 Attitudes of Leadership - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career

The 9 Attitudes of Leadership - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career One of lingering fallacies about business is believing that Jim Collins is right. As the bestselling researcher-author of Good to Great and now, Great by Choice, Collins is pretty good at retrospectively interpreting what worked in the past for some businesses. But he’s not great at forecasting how they’ll do when the research project is complete and the book is published. Turns out, if you follow the companies Collins called winners, they are now: not so much. Turns out Collins is a lot like the uncle you’ll soon sit next to at a holiday dinner. The one who tells you how great General Motors was before its CEO Robert McNamara started the Vietnam war. Okay, that’s harsh. But, it’s the truth. Actually, that’s a good measure when judging whether something important is true. The truth probably hurts, or at least causes you to wince. If someone tells you the so-called truth, and your cheeks are blushing with how wonderful you are? It’s not the truth and it’s not going to help you succeed in this chaotic environment. What does work in helping you predict the future, and more importantly deliver the greatest odds of succeeding in the nearly incomprehensible rush of problems and opportunities you face? Your attitude is what really matters. Not your skill set. Not your network. Not the number of business books you suck back and arm yourself with â€" or at least buy to fill up your Kindle or iPad. I had a look back at a course from Dr. Moshe Rubinstein, the father of problem-solving, productivity and leveraging the creative forces that is your brain. Without trying to express how profoundly grateful I am to have found a moving box that included some of my coursework from the then UCLA Graduate School of Management (now Anderson), I will share what Rubinstein knew a long time ago. The 9 attitudes that solve any business problem View a problem as a challenge, an opportunity for new experiences to expand your problem-solving repertoire. Focus on the present and future obstacles, and deal with those you can do something about. When obstacles appear to be insurmountable: question the goal, and if necessary, modify it. Pay attention to the distinction among facts, opinions and judgments. First get the facts, then interpret them. Don’t judge the facts before you do that analysis. Listen to experts, authorities and others you trust as if you will be required to take an exam on what they are saying. Don’t refute or judge what they say when they say it. Ask questions if you don’t understand, but don’t argue. Use reason not pride.   You will be tempted to distort the facts if you have to manage your ego rather than manage the problem-solving process. Don’t solve the problem too soon. Take every minute you can to gather and process information from sources. Don’t take more time than you can afford, but do not begin your evaluation and selection of a solution prematurely. Focus your attention on surmountable obstacles that block the way to a solution, any solution. Identify what can’t be overcome, and if a path still exists around those, then pick off the ones that remain. Expect that implementation of the solution will be harder than coming to it. You’ll undoubtedly need other people to implement. Educate them about the benefits of a solution, before you tell them what they will need to do. Believe you have control, because then you will. Even if you are wrong in fact, the perception that you have control will promote your ability to perform. Ask yourself if you have a choice, and if you answer honestly, you almost always realize that you do. Choice is control. So no hedgehogs or foxes needed now or in the future, sorry Jim. What Dr. Rubinstein documented about the power of communication? It is the greatest formula anyone ever devised about how you can get exactly what you want and more: from yourself and others. Change your attitude; change your life. Author: Nance Rosen is the author of Speak Up! Succeed. She speaks to business audiences around the world and is a resource for press, including print, broadcast and online journalists and bloggers covering social media and careers. Read more at NanceRosenBlog. Twitter name: nancerosen

12 Skills That Make You Stand Out While Applying For A Job in Social Media - CareerMetis.com

12 Skills That Make You Stand Out While Applying For A Job in Social Media Wondering what it takes to become successful in social media management career?Well, with the hype of social media increasing at a faster pace, it is obvious to think of it as a profitable realm.evalHowever, social media job requires much more than just communication skill. If you are an aspiring social media manager, you must hone some essential skills to stand out from the other.Here, we’ve compiled a list of must-have skills to help you stand out while applying for a job in social media.1. Creative MindsetevalWriting is a crucial part of social media job, but you also need to create visual content in this field. With every 8 out of 10 starts up businesses using social media to drive growth, it is tough to grab the eyeball with such fierce competition.This is where you need to create a powerful visual brand in the social channels to stand out from the crowd. Hence the ability to create a variety of creative and eclectic content is crucial for this job.2. Analytic AbilityThe socia l media job also requires you to evaluate your performance on different social media channels. This is why analytic ability is a must for a social media career.So the knowledge of the ins and outs related to social media metrics and the ability to judge the meaningful ones for business is imperative for a social media professional.Let’s say; you aim to drive more traffic to your website from various social media channels and drive the sales. If you can attribute conversions and traffic back to social channels, you can evaluate what content is beneficial for achieving your goal.3. Marketing SkillsevalAlmost every social media job description includes “interacting and engaging with existing and potential customers.” Engagement refers to responding to comments, striking up a conversation, and compelling the audience to share your content.4. Excellent CommunicationConnections and communications are the vital parts of social media. With the increasing number of companies relying on social platforms for branding and customer service, you must have the ability to present a branded persona to solve issues.Even more importantly, you must be able to communicate with your team and the clients effectively.eval5. Commitment Every work demands some dedication, and if you are kind of a person who quickly gives up, a social media career might not be the right choice for you. It requires effort, and determination to be successful in this career.evalAlthough there are tools and technologies, that keep social media at our fingertips, it takes some long-term strategy to see the best result. That said, a social media professional should have the forethought to place contingencies in the policy for moments of crisis.6. Multi-TaskingMultitasking is a crucial part of a social media position. As an aspiring social media professional, you should be capable of juggling multiple instant message conversations at a time.If you have proficient time management skills, it is likely that you are apt for this job. Ability to manage a steady stream of online activity and handling each social media platform with assurance can distinguish you from the rest.7. PatienceOne unavoidable fact about social media is that it happens so fast, but when it comes to seeing the result, it accrues slowly. It demands quick acknowledgment of comments response while offering a consistent help and support to the user.Here, the key is to identify the need to build and foster relationships and let the connections unfold slowly with patience. A deliberate and patient approach goes a long way to earn success in this realm.8. Customer ServiceEffectively getting your message out is not enough for a social media job, it also about how effectively you listen to the audience. You have to address concerns, engage in dialogue and gain feedback using these channels.So, to do it well, you need to be diligent, and open-minded. Also, you need to be genuinely interested in what your customers have to s ay through social media.9. Ability to FocusIn the middle of many distractions, the social media professional must have the ability to focus. Unless you can concentrate on what you are doing, it can be tough to achieve the goal.With so many distracting videos and post out there that make us forget what we were doing 15 minutes ago, it is hard to stay focused. However, set yourself apart and reap great benefits, you must strive to master in this ability.10. PassionevalEnthusiasm is a pivotal part of doing any job effectively. Strong belief in yourself and passion for what you are doing can help you achieve success. It doesn’t mean you need to talk about enjoying Instagram and hashtags.For instance, if you are going to work for the brand, you must be passionate about the product they sell. Your passion and zeal should come across in your social media posts.11. FlexibilitySocial media tends to evolve every day. It keeps introducing new trends and marketing methods and technology for b etter user experience. So, you need to stay flexible to adopt any change that comes your way.The best social media professionals are those who can rapidly adapt to a new situation and respond instantly to something that is happening in the social media world. Also, you never know when consumer expectations will change on a whim, so stay prepared to learn on the fly.12. Public Speaking“Why I have to deal with the stuff like public speaking. After all, I’m getting into social media so confining my awesomeness to a keyboard is enough.” If this is what you are thinking, you are mistaken.evalWith apps like Facebook Live, Instagram Live and live videos gaining more and more popularity on social media platforms, marketers prefer to create more live videos.The social media professionals especially the managers have to be confident enough to connect with the audience by going live. Having excellent public speaking skills can be a plus point while applying for a social media job.If you have all or a few of these skills in you, go ahead and embrace the social media career.

Impressing Your Target Audience As A Small Modern-Day Business

Impressing Your Target Audience As A Small Modern-Day Business The typical small business has a lot of work on its hands if it wants to compete with the big companies in the modern world. There’s so much competition, and it can be hard to make a name for yourself when so many reputable brands already exist on the market. Of course, your small business can still make a big impact. Here are some suggestions that should help you to impress your target audience as a small modern-day business. Portray some human values. Every successful business needs a successful brand. There’s so much competition in the modern marketplace that consumers have endless options for the goods they want to purchase. That means they make their decisions based on the brand they like the best. If you want your small business to impress the target audience in the modern age then you need to find a way to make your brand more appealing than the brands of your rival businesses. Portraying human values is often a good way to turn heads. You could donate a portion of your earnings to charity, for example. Make a gesture to show that your small business cares about important issues. Make life easier for your customers. If you want your small business to really impress the target market then you should aim to offer a service that makes their lives easier. Most importantly, you should do a better job of this than your competitors. For starters, you should search for solutions that other businesses in your industry have missed. If you can fill a gap in the market then you’ll impress your target audience. You should always be aiming to be an answer to a problem. That’s how your small business will make a big impact. You might also want to do some research into modern payment solutions for your website if you’re curious as to why there’s such an importance to credit card processing for small business owners. If you want to see a better conversion of traffic to sales on your online store then you need to make it as simple as possible for customers to pay for your goods and services. If your business gives people numerous payment options then you stand a better chance of securing sales and increasing your profits. The point is that your target audience will purchase the goods or services they want from the business that makes their lives the easiest. That’s how your small business can rise above the competition. Provide exceptional customer service. Customers can forgive mistakes, but they find it hard to forget bad customer service. If you want to make a good impression on your target audience then you need to provide exceptional service. That means you should be answering customer queries and solving problems wherever possible. Use platforms such as Twitter to help with this. Invite your clients to let you know any concerns you might have. Your business may not always run perfectly, but customers will be impressed if you always address problems and answer questions quickly.

Discover How CPE Credential Certified Resume Writing Training Can Help You

Discover How CPE Credential Certified Resume Writing Training Can Help YouAll the CPE companies have cPRW credential certified resume writing training for a reason. You should be educated about what to write when submitting your resume and how to select the best candidate to get hired, without wasting time on irrelevant details.The CPE company is set up to instruct you about how to find out the top candidates for the position of an HR executive in your organization. It will instruct you in proper resume writing and resume scanning. How to establish a professional image for yourself so that when you are hired, your professional history will not make you an easy target for those who do not care about your competence. You can find these CPE schools online.This CPE credential certified resume writing training course will teach you everything about resume writing and how to avoid writing an ineffective one. Not only does it instruct you on what to write in your resume, but it also gives y ou tips on how to make sure that you use the entire one-page document. This is very important when creating a resume because people will not read it, if it is badly written.CPE courses usually explain how to scan resumes and how to determine whether it should be deleted or not. This can make the difference between a qualified candidate and an untrained and incompetent one. The course takes care of these two problems and more, providing you with solutions to make your resume look clean and attractive.The course also teaches you how to use keywords properly in a resume. When creating a resume, using keywords on the entire document can make you look professional. As the instructor explains, people do not usually scan resumes as much as they scan the content and the structure of the resume, which is the text, the format, the color scheme, and the formatting.This CPE resume writing training course will tell you the right and wrong thing to do and how to do it. When making a resume, it sh ould be formatted properly so that it has an appealing appearance on the screen. People can see the information easily on the computer screen.All the information provided by the CPE company should be well researched before the start of the training course. This makes sure that you are being taught the right information at the right time. However, sometimes these sites do not give you an option about the resume format, so you have to choose the format by trial and error.Your resume should convey all of the information you need to make an impression to get hired. You should always think in the long term. The career objective, which should be the most important thing in your resume, should be presented as concisely as possible.