Inevitably, no matter what line of work you are in, you will need to lead a difficult conversation at one point or another in your career. You may need to give bad news, communicate performance issues, or express dissatisfaction to elicit change of some kind. Whether the conversation is with your manager or a direct report, these types of conversations can be very intimidating. It’s important to be prepared to lead the conversation well to elicit the best possible outcome. In order to have a productive, difficult conversation, it’s important to make sure you have it at the right time and in the right place. Schedule a time that works for both parties, do not catch the other person off guard. Set aside a private and comfortable space. Do not have a difficult conversation where others may hear you and join [...]

The job world is always changing. With advancing technologies, corporate mergers, and a variety of workforce settings, adaptability is a more important skill than ever. Adaptability is defined as a skill or ability to change actions, course, or approach of doing things in order to suit a new situation. Do you consider yourself an adaptable employee? How can you become more adaptable? It's important to understand that there are multiple ways to reach the same goal. There’s not always a right or wrong answer. One person can add 8 +2 to get to 10, and another person can add 3 + 7 to get to 10. The end result is the same, but different people may find different ways to reach the same end goal. Neither way is wrong. Stop complaining. Negative attitudes about impending changes set you up to fail. [...]

It’s that time of year again—the time where we sit and ponder if continuing an education is worth the time and money. College courses are expensive—will you get a return on your investment? Did you hate school, and you dread the thought of studying and taking tests again? You are not alone. The decision to enroll in continued education courses is not an easy one. Whether or not to continue your education is a very personal choice, and it should be based on your unique career goals, experiences, and lifestyle. Continued education is not a one-size fits all, and it’s important for you to consider the costs vs. benefits for yourself personally. It is true that graduate degrees often improve your chances at promotions, and can help you qualify to receive  higher wages. Specialized training is often required to qualify for [...]

Summer internships are coming to end, and most internships include a final presentation in front of executives. Few things are more nerve-racking than presenting in front of leadership when you have little to no experience in the business world. These 5 presentation tips will help interns and experienced professionals alike to get ahead in their career. Develop a thesis statement. Before you get lost in the weeds—consider what value you are adding to the audience. Are you giving a recommendation? What are your conclusions? What do you want the audience to take out of this meeting? Once you have a statement in mind, put this forward as the premise and spend your time proving this statement with examples and specific data/evidence. Make sure to follow an outline. Every good presentation follows a logical outline. There should always be an introductory slide, [...]

Job seekers often ask if they should submit a cover letter with their resume—and the answer is always a resounding YES! But, why? What purpose does the cover letter serve and why is it so important—even when job applications do not require it? Whether the job application asks for a cover letter or not, going above and beyond is always a good idea. At the end of the day, no hiring manager will rule you out for submitting one, but you may lose out on the job if you don’t. If used correctly, a cover letter can actually be one of the most effective ways to stand apart as an applicant. A cover letter provides a narrative as for why you are interested in the position, how you would be a fit for the role, highlights your unique skills and accomplishments, [...]

One of the most common interview questions is, “Tell me about your strengths and weaknesses.” However, it’s one of the most common questions people fail to answer correctly. Although most people answer in a tricky way, the question is not designed to trick you. Interviewers use this question to make sure you are self-aware and capable of reflecting. Everyone has strengths, and yes, everyone has weaknesses. So, don’t try to trick the interviewer by giving a phony answer for this question. How should you answer this question without coming across as narcissistic or insincere? Before you begin any interview, you need to be prepared to share your strengths. After all, sharing your strengths is really the entire purpose of the interview. Read over the job description and make a list of all of the ways you meet the needs of the [...]

Although the economy is healthy, companies are still laying thousands of people off for a multitude of reasons. According to a January release by executive outplacement firm Challenger, U.S.-based companies cut over 500,000 workers in 2018. Sometimes companies lay people off because their job is redundant, because of new acquisition, or simply because the company is no longer profitable. While there many reasons companies lay people off that are seemingly outside of your control, there are some things you CAN control. Follow These 3 Steps to Reduce Your Risk of Being Laid Off: 1. Prove yourself valuable. A general rule of business is to either find a way to save your company money or earn your company money. If you are doing at least one of those two things, you will be considered a valuable employee. Do not waste company time [...]

A deadline is looming and your coworker interrupts you when you are in the middle of an e-mail, your phone alerts you of a Facebook event, a coworker messages you on Skype, Microsoft Teams alerts you of new activity, your cubical neighbor is speaking loudly on a conference call… With all the communication, technology, and open concept floor plans becoming increasing popular, it can be very difficult to keep on task. Here are 5 Tips to Stay Focused at Work: Create a to-do list with deadlines. Set goals for yourself throughout the day and commit to accomplishing them. Today I will complete X task by Y time. This will help you feel a sense of urgency and prioritize your work accordingly. Keep your workspace organized. We have enough distractions coming at us from coworkers, personal lives, and office environments. Try to [...]

At work, perception is everything. You may feel like you are above the office politics, and you have no time to schmooze your coworkers. But, the way others perceive you and your work is key to your success. Do you feel like you’ve done everything right at work, but yet you’re not getting promoted? Are you having trouble connecting with your coworkers on a personal as well as professional level? You may need to take a step back and examine how others are perceiving you and your work. If you think you may not be perceived the way that you want to be perceived, then it’s time to make a change. Follow these steps to improve your perception at work: Become self-aware. It can be a difficult pill to swallow, but you must be honest with yourself. Observe how people react [...]

Constructive feedback is by nature hard for us to receive. It can be a real punch to our ego when we pour ourselves into something only to find out that we missed the mark and require improvement. It’s human nature to put up a defense mechanism when we hear feedback about ourselves that hurts to hear. According to psychologist Daniel Goleman, “Threats to our standing in the eyes of others are remarkably potent biologically, almost as those to our very survival,” (Click for Source) Our brains literally feel criticism as a primal threat, so we have a tendency to not only disregard the message but even develop animosity for the messenger rather than learn from it. But, how will we ever reach our full potential if we can’t handle constructive feedback? No great athlete, performer, employee, or manager has ever become [...]