Bringing a Taste of Home to the Office

These days, it’s quite common to spend one’s lunch hour eating in the office at one’s desk. What are some things you do to create a more homey environment? What can you do to give your daily lunch more sensory experience and less drivel? 

Even the simple action of bringing leftovers from home rather than ordering takeout can make lunch a more “homey” experience, but I try to take it a few steps further. No little salt and pepper packets for me. I bring a salt and pepper grinder (purchased at Trader Joe’s for an affordable $1.99 each) to engage in the experience and give my meal more of a “freshly prepared” feel. 

Salt and Everyday Seasoning grinders from Trader Joe’s!

I use sturdy, reusable containers rather than the “typical” takeout containers and use a colorful placemat. REAL flatware also makes a huge difference! I also bring in fancy printed napkins so I have something nice to look at while I eat. 

Use real flatware!

These subtle, easy, and quick tweaks make such a difference in engaging the senses and making an at-the-desk lunch much more appealing! Try it some time and let me know what you think! 

This post was written by career coach Victoria Crispo and was originally posted on her personal blog. 

What’s Your Passion?

What is your passion?

This is a question that comes up in just about any personal development circle. If you’re looking for your next gig, chances are your inbox has been flooded with invitations to countless “find your passion and purpose” events. Do you go or sit them out? 

The choice to do either is a personal preference- there is no “right” or “wrong”. Even it’s not your style to go to this type of event, it doesn’t necessarily mean that it is not “right” for you. You may gain a lot of insight…and perhaps a new friend or two! If it is your kind of thing and your budget allows you to attend these types of events, you may still be feeling overwhelmed.

Below are some tips for assessing which event to attend (in no particular order): 

1. Price/Place- Does the admission fee fit your budget? Is the event being held at a local venue? If not, what will the cost be to travel to the event? Will you need to stay overnight? How do those additional costs fit your budget? 

2. Time- what is the time commitment? How long is the event? How long will it take you to travel to the event? 

3. Content- how well does the “level” of the content material match where you currently are? For example, if the event is an “intro” and you are already well-versed in the topic, would a more advanced event match your needs better? Will you be receiving an overview or a more “meaty” presentation? 

4. Structure- how is the event structured? Lecture, informal networking event, audience participation encouraged, exercises, group work? Will you get one-on-one time with the presenter? If there will be group exercises, how comfortable are you in engaging in this type of work? If attendees are encouraged to share their experiences, how comfortable are you in doing so? How likely is it that you will stretch out of your comfort zone to share your experiences? If it’s not likely, how beneficial will the event be for you? 

5. Size- intimate group or large lecture hall? How likely is it that you will get direct feedback from the presenter?  

6. Testimonials- upon reviewing the presenter’s website, what are previous attendees saying about his or her events? What are the outcomes? How closely in line are those outcomes with your own goals? 

7. In-person or webinar? Webinars and online events are becoming very popular. Some of these events are offered for free and give you a “taste” of the personal development workshop experience. If your budget does not allow you to attend a live in-person event, consider whether a webinar format might work for you. 

Going to a personal development event can be a rewarding, fun, and eye-opening experience. If it’s something you’ve never done before, review the list above to gauge your comfort level with attending an event. 

If you have attended a personal development event, we invite you to share a  tidbit about your experiences! How did the event help you? What is something you learned at the event? Which events would you recommend? Share with our readers by clicking the “Leave a Comment” link at the side of this post! 

On the Air with a Career Coach!

Did you know that one of our career coaches, Victoria Crispo, will be hosting live online internet radio shows in the coming months? Yes, it’s true! Now you can join us during live online career conversations! 

Thanks to the Life Coach Radio Network, we will be providing these online radio episodes via Blog Talk Radio. This month, the focus will be on keeping your confidence during the job search (or while seeking a promotion). This is one of Victoria’s specialties and she invites YOU to participate in these upcoming shows in a unique way! 

Victoria is seeking a few volunteers to call during the show and participate in a couple of confidence-building exercises. The shows will run on the following dates: Wednesday, Sept 17th at 8pm EST and Tuesday, 9/30 at 12pm EST. 
If you’re interested, please respond by emailing us at Career Services USA with the date you’re interested in. You can also respond with a comment below! 

We look forward to your participation! It will be a fun way for you to get some assistance with other aspects of the job search aside from just the application process. 

Your Network- What are You Looking For Your Contacts to Provide?

One piece of advice that gets mentioned constantly to job seekers is to make sure to “network” and keep in touch with your contacts. We agree that this is sage advice that even the most timid job seeker should take. Find ways to make networking more palatable to you and start doing it. Regularly. 

Here’s one extra suggestion that those well-meaning advice-providers may not tell you: make sure that you know what you want when contacting someone in your network. Have a purpose. Don’t just ask for “help” with your job search. Make sure that you are specific with your “ask”. Your contacts are not mind readers and may not know what “help” looks like to you. They may have their own ideas of what you need and provide what they think you need rather than what you really do need. There is more of a chance of setting yourself up for disappointment if you don’t clearly think through what you want help with and how your contacts can provide you with that help. 

It is important to make it easy for your contact to support you. Do some of the legwork for him or her. Identify your needs and assess whether your contact will be able to meet those needs. If he or she will not be able to deliver, figure out if he or she knows someone else who might be able to help, or can direct you to a resource that will fulfill your needs. 

Before getting in touch with any contact with a request, answer the following questions:

1. What do I specifically want from my contact? (ex: information about a company, an introduction to a hiring manager, interview help, etc)

2. Is it likely that my contact has the skills/ability, desire, resources, and/or time to provide this help? 

3. What’s in it for him/her (How will I show my appreciation for his/her time and expertise)? Am I willing/able to provide that for him/her? If not, can I come up with a reasonable alternative? 

If you are unable to identify a specific request that you would like to ask your contact, work the opposite way. Identify your current needs and then cull through your contact list to see who would be best suited to provide the assistance you require. 

It is imperative to have a clear vision of your needs before taking up your contact’s time. This is a great skill to hone as it will be beneficial not just in your job search, but when you are back in the workforce at your next job. You want to be adept at identifying the needs of the organization/department in which you work and develop possible solutions for meeting those needs. 

 

Why You Can Find More than a Place to Dine on Yelp.

Quick tip for this week:

I was recently working with a client and doing some research on a company on his behalf to help him prepare for an upcoming interview. One of the search results that turned up was the company’s Yelp reviews. I gain some insights into the company’s practices and the way it addresses its customers, just by reading those reviews. I saw it as an opportunity to learn about a company’s challenges and advised my client to develop solutions to those challenges. When on an interview, it is likely that you will be faced with behavioral questions, and this is just one way to work on preparing for those questions rather than being stumped by them.

What to Do When You Don’t Get the Promotion

While the argument could be made that it’s no longer just a man’s world, many women have experienced being passed over for a promotion, one which was given to a male coworker who may not necessarily have more or better qualifications. What do you do when you’ve experienced this?
Before letting your excitement get the better of you, take a step back and a deep breath before you rant (er, speak) to your supervisor. Give yourself time to process that the promotion you had been hoping for is not yours.

Allow yourself to feel your feelings. It’s natural for situations like these to cause anger, sadness, and frustration. Give yourself time to cry in your soup, vent to friends, and wallow a little bit. If you’re one to take the wallowing too far, give yourself a time frame in which you will then start picking yourself up by the bootstraps (and you must do this, if you want to be on track for the next promotion!). One other bit of advice–even if you are on friendly terms with your coworkers, save the conversations about being overlooked for the promotion for another time, place, and audience. Don’t discuss it at work-as the “walls may have ears”–and keep it off all social media.

Avoid the urge to expose the promoted employee’s lack of qualifications. Even if you may feel that your male counterpart was not “deserving” of the promotion, avoid pointing out all the ways in which his work is inferior to yours. While it may be true, this will only make you look like a “sore loser” and can cause tension at the office.

Reflect, Observe, and Identify Areas for Growth. Reflect. Now that some of the strong feelings have been worked out of your system, start to reflect. While your work may be stellar, how proactive were you in obtaining recognition for your efforts? The research shows that men are far more likely to toot their own horns–a Salary.com survey stated that 55% of women feel uncomfortable about negotiating for better pay, whereas only 39% of men reported feelings of apprehension. Women may fear that talking to a supervisor about their accomplishments is boastful behavior. However, you may have heard the popular phrase, “You don’t get what you deserve, you get what you ask for.” Reflect and take a hard look at whether you even made “the ask.” What could you have done differently to make yourself top contender for the job? This has little to do with your actual abilities and more to do with presenting yourself and your accomplishments to key decision-makers.

Observe. Take a look at your male counterpart in action. What characteristics does he possess that may have put him at the top of your supervisor’s list for the promotion? Think beyond what is necessary for the job and instead develop a list of the attributes that are favored by the organization, the ones that are really ingrained in its culture, attitudes, and philosophies. Are your own qualities in line with those attitudes and beliefs? (Note: now is a good time to identify whether you want to conform to those attitudes or if you should be looking for a better fit.)

Identify areas for growth. Is there a skill in which you could improve, which would further your chances at obtaining a promotion next time around? What professional development opportunities are afforded to you? What conferences might you be able to attend or committees in which you could participate? These are additional opportunities for you to shine and gain recognition.
If all else fails, schedule a meeting with your supervisor

Once you’ve done everything outlined above, if you still feel you were unjustly passed over for a promotion, consider scheduling a meeting with your supervisor. My advice would be to first ask what the criteria were for the selection process. Make sure you’ve actually met the criteria. You may want to follow that up with asking about your male counterpart’s performance–what stands out in their minds and how you might emulate that.

One of my most poignant sessions with a client was one in which he told me of a time he sat down with a supervisor after seeing a colleague consistently exceed sales quotas. He asked what this high performer was doing that was different from the others, and put those practices into action himself. Before long, he was also exceeding his quota. His focus was on building himself up rather than finding a way to pull his colleague down. Use this as an opportunity to get yourself higher.

During the course of your conversation, if the answers you receive confirm that you were unjustly looked over  for the promotion, ask about the protocol for submitting a formal complaint. 
Log all accomplishments

Going forward, make sure to keep a running list of all your accomplishments at the company. Use the list during your next performance review–don’t be shy about your contributions! Good luck!

This article was originally written by Victoria Crispo for WomenWorking.com. 

How to Find a Mentor

Whether you’re brand new to your job or a seasoned employee, there may come a point in time when you will be seeking guidance and direction on strategically planning your professional development and career moves. While some companies may provide mentoring opportunities for junior staff, it is always to your benefit to develop your own mentoring relationships with professionals who will truly understand your needs.

Unlike a work-sponsored mentorship program where you may not be able to find your “perfect fit”, if you seek a mentor on your own you can have better success at pinpointing someone who will have the expertise you are seeking. So how do you go about finding your own mentors?

Identify your needs. Are you trying to get a promotion in your industry? Transition to a different but related field? Gain exposure as an “expert” in your field? Knowing your needs is important for several reasons–one of them being that you can’t identify (or approach) a possible mentor without knowing what you will need from him or her.

Identify possible mentors. Now that you know what you need, identify people who can provide the information and insight you are seeking. You want to consider leaders in your field, but make sure that they have the actual experience and background that will be influential in taking you to the next level. The person at the highest level is not necessarily the best mentor for your needs. Look for someone who has already been in a situation similar to yours. You want to learn from their experiences and model a similar system that you can use towards your own success.

Where to look. There is no magical list of people who are interested in being mentors. In fact, being in this type of role may never have even been on their radar…until you came along! There is no reason not to broach the subject with those from whom you want to learn. Consider using LinkedIn or your college alumni association for introductions to potential mentors. Take a class or seminar and approach the instructor about serving as your mentor. If you gained insight from an article or blog post, write to the author. Again, have a clear focus and a strategy for getting them to join your “team”. Give them a reason to want to share their nuggets of wisdom with you.

Know what’s appropriate. Be mindful of your mentor’s time, but don’t assume that they only want to spend five minutes speaking with you. Let your mentor hold the reins when it comes to the time constraints, but also try to gauge how much time they will be able to give to you before you even ask for it. Know whether it is more appropriate to have a 10-minute phone conversation or a more formal lunch (which you should offer to pay for).

Send a thank you note. Show your mentor your appreciation by sending a thank you note or even a small gift. A handwritten note, complete with some key points you learned from your discussion, is always a nice touch! It is also an opportunity to keep the conversation going. Once you’ve made the contact, you want to have an ongoing discussion and give your mentor the opportunity to see how you progress.

This post was originally written by Victoria Crispo for WomenWorking.com. 

Refining Brand You

If you’ve started to develop your personal brand, most likely you have outlined what clearly defines you and are on your way to communicating your message through the power of your “brand”. Your brand should reflect a combination of your personality and skills in a way that is appropriate for your industry (or other audience you are looking to capture). It should have staying power. While it is the nature of human beings to change and evolve, it is a good idea to develop a brand that you’ll want to maintain over the years. You want your brand to be a positive addition to your reputation and use it to increase name recognition for yourself in your chosen field.  If you keep making drastic changes to your brand, your audience will get confused.

Your brand should also be:

Concise– you should be able to sum up the concept of your “brand” in a tagline or short motto.

Clear- your brand should clearly define you and not be easily confused with someone else’s brand or image.

Cohesive– your brand should not be a hodge-podge of characteristics. Everything you want to portray about your brand should be packaged in a cohesive message. Anything you use to illustrate your brand should “make sense”. The visual aesthetic should be in line with what you say about your brand.

How to Handle Life’s Surprises

Life threw you a curveball. Maybe you received news of a health issue, a demotion at work, or a relocation. How do you deal with the unexpected?

Whether the change has a positive or negative effect on your life, change can be stressful. Here are some tips for managing the unexpected:

Take inventory. Know what actually happened and what the implications of the change will be on your life and the lives of your loved ones. How big of an impact will it make? What steps do you need to take to lower the impact of the unexpected change? What resources or support will you need? Not all changes will actually make a big difference in your life overall, when you look at the big picture. Several months after the change occurs, you may notice that you are not all that much worse off. You may even find that the big change made way for something even better.

Learn from others. Perhaps it’s a conversation with a good friend, or it’s outlined in the book of a best-selling author. Educate yourself in tactics for dealing with the change, and move forward in order to:

Develop a plan. What must you do in order to deal with the change most effectively? What adjustments will you need to make? Where in your schedule can you sacrifice time to deal with the change? How will you provide nurturing and self-care for yourself as you work through it? What do you need to do to move on with your life?

Manage your emotions. How does the change make you feel? Confused, disappointed, inadequate, resentful, subservient? Scared, anxious? Elated, excited? Competent? Pressured? 
Identify your feelings and use your previous experiences in dealing with those emotions as a tool for developing ways to manage your emotions in the present. Learn what you need to do to in order to feel balanced and in control, in spite of the unexpected change.

See the opportunity. Understand that by our very nature, humans change constantly. We are organic–we change. While the change you are experiencing may be unexpected, look for the opportunities that are presented. Even if the situation seems wrought with misfortune, consider what possibilities might be waiting in the wings. Perhaps the unexpected change will lead you to a great idea, a new friend, or a fantastic resource that improves the overall quality of your life. Adapt and revel in your resilience.

This post written by Victoria Crispo, Career Coach at Career Services USA was originally featured on WomenWorking.com. 

Dodge, Duck, Dip, Dive, or Dodge- How to Respond to Personal Questions on an Interview

Bet you never thought some of the rules of dodgeball could apply to job interviews! Consider an interview in which you were asked a really personal question–perhaps even one that could be illegal. How do you respond?

Before even going on an interview, familiarize yourself with the questions that are considered illegal. In a nutshell, any questions that ask a candidate to reveal information about national origin, citizenship, race, marital status, pregnancy, sexual preference, age, gender, disabilities, arrest and conviction record, or military discharge status can be considered off-limits. However, the lines blur when questions asked in the guise of making small talk or showing genuine interest in the candidate’s life… Read the complete post by Victoria Crispo, Career Coach at Career Services USA, on WomenWorking.com!