Regular old resumes appear to be for the birds these days. According to Colorado Tech University, the resume you choose needs to include your social networking savvy as well as your standard experience. Their own infographic walks a resume writer through the necessary steps:

Image courtesy of institutechildrenslit.net

You ask most people if the cause of their stress is email and they’d say yes, but the cause is not so much the amount of email or the work it can lead to, but the culture that has been created around email.  According to Boston University Associate Professor Stine Grodal, email causes stress because of the following issues:

• Time over volume: It isn’t necessarily the amount of email we receive that overwhelms us, but the time it takes to read and respond to dense, cryptic or outright incoherent messages.
• Nebulous rules: Because emails don’t interrupt us like phone calls do, there are no rules around appropriate and inappropriate times to send emails. In this way, “email begins to blur the lines between work life and home life,” says Grodal. “It comes at all times of day — late at night and early in the morning.”
• Response time: Further complicating the rules, most senders have come to expect a reply within two hours, explains Grodal. “That puts a lot of pressure on people to respond to email outside of the work day,” she adds.

By this reasoning, this stress can only continue as our business world relies more and more on emails and social networking and our personal lives adds text messaging and further social networking to the mix.

So, how do you manage that stress?

• Start a new culture. Pick up the phone and you might be encouraging others to call you instead of emailing. Response time will be cut down and hearing the intonation in voices will also cut down on your time spent decoding those “cryptic” emails.
• Schedule your emails. Read your emails and respond at set times of the day. Turn off the message alarms on your phone or Outlook/Entourage.
• Don’t double messages. If you send an email, leave it at that. Don’t then instant message, text message and/ or call as a follow up. If you’re in a hurry, start with a phone call.
• Avoid the cc. As a boss, I hate being cc’d on messages just to make a point. It acts as a silly threat; everybody knows why you’re doing the cc and everyone resents it. The risk is also that, if you continue to cc unnecessarily, the boss will ignore your more important messages.
• Same as above for bcc, read receipts and flagged messages. Don’t cry wolf.

Have you attended any networking events this summer? I just RSVP’d for an upcoming networking event in my area and I have to say, I always get excited at the prospect of meeting new people at events like these. Different people go to networking events for different reasons. People may attend networking events because they were invited by a friend, have seen an ad online, want to fill an open weeknight with a social event or have done some research on professional groups in the area and want to get involved. Whatever the reason may be, networking events can provide great opportunities for professionals to meet at a casual event without any pressure. These events serve as great avenues for creating new business and promoting products or services. More importantly, though, these events are meant to establish meaningful contacts and build relationships.

Whether you’re a seasoned veteran when it comes to networking events or just getting started, it’s worth taking note of the people you can expect to meet. Since I’ve started my career, I’ve been to quite a few networking events and have found there are some individuals you’re almost certainly guaranteed to meet while you’re out. So who can you expect to see at your next networking event?

The Connector – Do you know someone who seems to know everybody, enjoys meeting people and likes to help others make the right connections? That person is a connector. If you attend a networking event and know one or meet one, stick by their side! How can you spot a connector? You may have met the connector through another connector, know them from a previous job, went to college together or happen to meet them by chance. Personally, these are my favorite individuals to meet. They are friendly and easy to talk to, good at listening and best of all, this can all actually work for you. What do I mean by that last part? Connectors love networking and understand the importance of it, so these are the people who will help bring people to your life and add value to your networking. At a networking event, they will introduce you to tons of great people and help facilitate your conversations; however, in the end it’s really up to you to seal the deal so don’t expect the connector to do all the networking for you.

The Promoter – We’ve all encountered this person at a networking event. You may find yourself in the midst of networking with one or several other professionals when suddenly someone quickly jumps in, introduces themselves to everyone in the conversation, shakes hands, gives their elevator speech and simultaneously hands out business cards to everyone. The promoter may have a strategy to work the room in an effort to hand out their cards. Whether they choose to only hand out their cards or exchange with others, you’ll find they talk to a lot of people but don’t stay with any one in particular for very long. In the end, it never hurts to take a card or give a card at a networking event, so go ahead and take a card from the next promoter you meet!

The Social Butterfly – Professional networking events often come in the form of cocktail hours to attract attendees with free drinks while they meet and greet; however, these events may also attract another kind of attendee: the social butterfly. This is the person who lives for the free drink and the party. At a networking event, the social butterfly will most likely hang out with people they already know and just want to have a good time. While there’s nothing wrong with having a drink or talking with familiar faces, it’s important to remember that networking events are meant for business, too! You may find that it’s all about the social aspect for the social butterfly (hence the name) and that they never even intended to discuss business at all!

The Quiet One – This may be the person standing in the corner holding onto a drink and watching the event as it unfolds. For one reason or another, you may or may not have found yourself in this situation in the past. If you see someone who is alone, why don’t you take a step up and go talk to them? They may be new to the area, have come alone, or are just as nervous as you are. They could be shy and reluctant and may be standing there in hopes someone will come up to them first. Who knows, it could end up being a great connection for your network!

The Deal Closer – This person is all about selling and closing the deal. If you encounter a deal closer, you will quickly realize it because they will likely keep the conversation focused on their products, services, etc. Opposite of the social butterfly, they are ALL about business at networking events. They want to sell to everyone they can. They may look to sell their services and even try to set appointments right there at the networking event.

The Mentor – The mentor can be your boss, an executive level individual in your organization, an older family member, friend or acquaintance. Mentors should be the people who model success principles that you can you take in your own personal life. They are great to follow and shadow at networking events because they can introduce you to other established professionals very much like themselves. These people want you to grow and succeed so they will be happy to help you in any way they can. Going to a networking event with the mentor is a great opportunity so really try to soak in as much as you can. It would be extremely helpful to take note of how the mentor interacts and behaves at the networking event. You can use this to your advantage the next time you’re at a networking event on your own.

Did we miss anyone on our list? Who have you encountered at your previous networking events?

Image courtesy of: cen.cornell.edu

Special note: To our male readers, we haven’t forgotten about you! Stay tuned for our special Father’s Day blog post in June.

Charlotte, Miranda, Samantha, and of course… Carrie. It seems that talk about Sex and the City is EVERYWHERE lately… TV commercials, radio interviews, Facebook pages, magazine ads… you name it! With the release of the new Sex and the City movie, I thought this would be a great time to talk about just why we love these characters so much. Each of these women embodies four distinct roles of which every woman in the country can relate to. Behind those roles, they are strong, motivated and ambitious – qualities women across the world have come to admire.

When it comes to their careers, the SATC women have got it all. Whether working as a famous columnist and book author, a manager of an art gallery (formerly), a career-minded lawyer or an independent businesswoman with a career in public relations, three of the four main SATC characters has never failed to show prowess when it comes to workplace aspirations (for the sake of focusing on the careers in the workplace, we’re excluding Charlotte on this one because she chose motherhood as a full-time job!). I mean, after all, how do you expect any of these women to buy a pair of extravagant Christian Louboutin shoes without some success on the job?!

Today, more women are graduating from college than men. Women have come a long way as successful professionals and an increasing number continue to make a greater impact on various industries and professions. According to the Department of Labor, women are expected to comprise 46.5 percent of the estimated 164.2 million persons of the labor force in 2016.

So, as the number of women in the workplace continues to grow, it’s more important now than ever to make sure you’re comfortable being a strong woman if you want to succeed and move up in ranks. If your favorite Sex and the City characters could give you advice on how to feel empowered in the workplace, what do you think they’d say? I’ve come up with a list of tips inspired by these SATC characters to help empower all women out there. So grab a cocktail, leave on your favorite pair of heels and start reading these simple ideas that will help empower the working woman starting today:

First off, stand up straight! Body language accounts for 55 percent of your conversation, so if you think your posture is good, check again. Look in the mirror and make sure your back is straight or line up against the wall and feel how your back presses onto it. Standing up straight may seem inconsequential, but it can actually act as a way to show others how you are, the way you see things and the way you approach life.

Learn how to own your voice and assert your opinions. Studies show that women are more frequently interrupted than men. Over the course of many conversations, they get the message that what they have to say is not necessarily as compelling or valued as what men have to say. Stick to your guns and don’t back down. Say what you mean and mean what you say. Truly practicing this can lead to meaningful and effective communication. Not only will you be known as an honest and sincere person, but you’ll also get used to speaking your mind and being heard.

Don’t scare yourself with negative thoughts. Instead, why don’t you let go a bit and take some risks? Stop putting yourself down and start doing something to affect your situation in a positive way. Let go of some of your inhibitions and don’t be afraid to make mistakes. If you change your mindset, you may find yourself freed from some of those fears that held you back before.

Learn how to ask and negotiate for raises and promotions. If you want a higher salary or a promotion, you need to prove you deserve it! That means you need evidence to show your boss that you’ve earned it. In this situation, education can be your best defense. Research everything you can think of to find the competitive salary for your job in your region, including employment surveys, libraries, professional organizations and knowledge from peers.  If you want a promotion, you may want to consider keeping a job diary where you can write down what you’ve done and how it has helped meet the company’s objectives. Have you ever taken on more challenging tasks or responsibilities outside of your own role? These will help support your case.

Join a professional group, organization outside of work, or maybe just volunteer some of your time to a cause you feel passionate about. Being part of something outside of the workplace can in turn work for you when you’re on the job. It never hurts to put yourself out there and network outside of work, which could later lead to professional connections, business partners or potential customers! Plus, the more contacts you have, the more valuable of an asset you’ve become to any company you choose to work for. While you’re at it, why not combine a cause you are passionate about with networking opportunities? Getting involved on a board of directors or committee for a cause will give you great insight on leadership and teamwork while making a positive impact.

At the end of the day, one lesson resonates beyond the glamorous movies storylines and real life challenges women face – whatever you do, stay true to yourself and realize that you alone have a great influence. Women have the potential to rise as leaders as long as they can embrace their own strengths within.

(Photo courtesy of Mlive.com)

Sources:

More women in the workplace, but still not enough opportunities – Smart Blogs

Hot Jobs for the 21st Century, 2006-2016 – Dol.gov

Can She Lead? – Blogs.hbr.org

What the U.S. Can Learn From Europe About Gender Equality in the Workplace – Blogs.hbr.org

Sex and the City characters – Wikipedia

The Gender Gap: 10 Surprising Stats on Women in the Workplace – Jobprofiles.org

I’ll admit it: I’m probably somewhere in the running to becoming LinkedIn’s #1 Fan. I’ve even been known to call LinkedIn “my new best friend” from time to time. Why? In the professional world, LinkedIn can open up a wide range of opportunities. Whether you want to make new connections or just get your name out there, LinkedIn seems to be the best place to do it.

Let me start by saying that there are over 65 MILLION people on LinkedIn. That number includes job seekers, recruiters, hiring managers, executives and regular ol’ joe schmoe’s like me and you. There are tons, and tons, AND TONS of amazing professional opportunities and resources available on LinkedIn.

So, I’ve written this blog post and I dedicate it to all of you out there who may not know, or understand, the power behind a LinkedIn account in your job search. Whether you’re new to the site or a self-proclaimed LinkedIn aficionado, this post is for you.

I’ve compiled a list of my favorite features on LinkedIn that will immediately ease your job search by leaps and bounds, and how you can use them in your job hunt right away:

1. Answers: This is a forum where you can ask questions about any industry or subject and browse questions and answers that others have submitted. You can browse business-related questions from both your network and the greater LinkedIn network. If you want to try posting a question, start off by asking one related to your job search and see what answers you get!
2. Search: Want to be found by recruiters and hiring managers who are searching for people with the required skills, experience and qualifications listed for the jobs they need to fill? Then make sure you’ve created a keyword rich, well-developed profile! Take a moment to look over your resume and pick out keywords that will make your LinkedIn POP out to recruiters and hiring managers. Do you have any certifications? Include those as well. You can also look at other LinkedIn profiles of individuals in your industry for some ideas. What skills, talents and qualifications do they have listed?
3. Status Updates: Status updates go directly to each of your connections’ homepages. If you’re looking for a job, make it your status update! If you’ve done something great in your professional career, write a status update about it too! That way, your connections will have a clear understanding of what you’re looking for and what you’ve been doing lately in your professional career. You can also increase the impact of your status updates by syncing your LinkedIn and Twitter accounts.
4. Connections: On LinkedIn, anytime is a good time to build your network and the opportunities are endless. Try connecting with recruiters and hiring managers immediately after you speak with them so they’ll have you in their network. Stay in touch with former, valued and trusted colleagues for potential future employment relationships. Connecting with other members and building your network can help you increase your visibility, which could lead to several business and job opportunities down the line.
5. Groups: Joining groups on LinkedIn gives you access to view job postings, ask questions, form a dialogue with other group members, etc. Groups can be a powerful medium to find peers in your respective industries that you’d like to network with. Why is this helpful? Not only is it free, but also effective – you’ll get responses from members of the group who already share a similar interest or background element with you. Keep in mind, your messages on these groups can lead to hundreds and thousands of potential opportunities! Find relevant groups to network, including industry-related, local, job seeking/career-related, alumni and recruiting/staffing groups.
6. Inbox/Messaging: I work in the marketing department at my company and I’ll tell you, I get at least a few messages a week from job seekers who ask about positions with our company. What do I do next? I point them in the best direction possible and I let our recruiters know they reached out to me. How is this helpful to the job seeker? If I tell a recruiter someone has contacted me about a job opening, I’ve planted the seed. A recruiter would much rather offer a position to someone who is genuinely interested in the job and shows a little extra initiative. And in today’s economy, you SHOULD be showing some sort of initiative. Getting a job isn’t easy, and if you’re not willing to put in the extra effort, there are thousands of job seekers out there who are.
7. People You May Know: “People you may know” helps you discover potential professional relationships that may be right under your nose! LinkedIn makes it really easy to do this. According to the LinkedIn blog, staying in touch with your current contacts and reconnecting with old or lost ones is a critical part of establishing your professional identity and “People you may know” is a powerful way to find those connections. You can even break down the connections further into a list of people you may know by companies and schools. Make it a habit to page through all of your suggestions on the landing page, and quickly filter them by company or school. If you decide to connect, you may want to add a personal note referencing your history with the contact.
8. Follow companies: LinkedIn recently launched a “follow companies” option, which allows you to keep track of key developments at companies that interest you. This feature allows you to stay in the loop on the latest updates, potential business opportunities and job opportunities by following companies you like. You can even personalize the volume of updates you receive and determine the type, frequency and format of updates for the companies you are following.

So now that you’ve got this list of great LinkedIn features that can make a world of a difference in your job search – use them! The truth is, if you ain’t using LinkedIn for all it’s worth, you ain’t making the most of that job hunt of yours, my friend.

If you want to learn more about what you can do with your LinkedIn profile, you can also check out a nice little one page LinkedIn tutorial we’ve included in our online Job Seeker’s Guide. It’s free and you can get a copy of it here.