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#CareerAdvice : #YourCareer -The 7 Deadliest #CareerMistakes ..Great REad!

June 28, 2019/in First Sun Blog/by First Sun Team

Whether you’re just starting your career or you’re a seasoned professional, we know that mistakes happen. We know the blunders that can potentially damage our careers, like the project that didn’t go as planned or the group email that we sent to people unintentionally.

We know we need to fix those problems. Sometimes though, it’s the career mistakes that we don’t know about and the things that we fail to do that end up having the most significant impact on our career. Here are seven of the deadliest career mistakes that you could be making and how to fix them.

The first set of mistakes occur when you learn the skills you need to do your job, but you fail to master the business of you.

1. You lack career goals

Many of us have a job, but we lack a bigger vision for our career. When we don’t have a bigger picture of where our career is headed, we often find that although we are good at meeting company goals, we feel personally directionless. When this happens, we must step back and take a broader view of our skills, talents and what is meaningful to us so that we can develop a clear career strategy.

2. You are stuck in a career rut

Without a connection to a bigger career vision, you might find that you are in a job that’s good, but not great. The pay might even be okay, but you just don’t feel engaged or have the energy that you once had. You might be bored, you dread Mondays, and your work might be suffering. The likelihood is that others have also noticed, but you’re hesitant to branch out because it’s easier to do nothing. The danger here is that you don’t want to tarnish your brand, so you must identify what’s behind your dissatisfaction and come up with a game plan to get out of the rut, whether it is staying at your current job or deciding to look elsewhere.

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3. The grass is always greener

Another sign that you lack a clear career vision is if you continuously go from job to job, role to role, without any rhyme or reason. While the job market has shifted such that workers now change jobs on average every three to five years, you could be derailing your career if you keep starting over without any sense of how your moves fit into your long term goals. Growth isn’t just about finding new opportunities; it is about finding the right opportunities.

The next set of mistakes occur when you fail to see that your career is not a hero’s journey so you can’t do it alone.

4. You fail to build a supporting team

Having good skills is an important start, but if you’re going to advance your career, you shouldn’t make the mistake of trying to figure everything out on your own. We all need people we trust that have walked the path we intend to walk. A mentor can provide us with candid feedback and connect us with the resources and experiences we need to keep moving forward, as well as redirect us when we are going off track.

5. You limit your network

We all know the importance of networking, but despite the benefits, we often give up too soon on building and extending our networks. The mistake we make is that we think growing our professional relationships no longer matters once we have secured the new job we hoped for, so instead, we end up limiting ourselves to building relationships mainly with the people we see day to day within our company. Some of the most important professional connections you will need throughout your career will be with people outside of your company. They are invaluable, particularly when you are considering your next move, so you should continue to invest in these relationships.

The final set of mistakes occur when you don’t pay attention to the rules of managing your career.

6. You stop investing in yourself

You’ve been in your role for a few years now, and you’re feeling comfortable. That may not necessarily be a bad thing, but it is a problem when you start to assume that your past success will automatically carry over to future projects. You start to become complacent and allow your skills to be out of date. When you stop pushing yourself to keep learning and growing professionally, that is when you risk becoming irrelevant. You must stay on top of what is happening in your field by keeping up with industry trends and events, and making sure you keep your skills up to date so that you can adapt as changes occur.

7. You burn bridges

We live in a highly interconnected world, so your reputation means everything. If things go wrong in your current position and you find it’s time to move on, make sure that you’re managing your career by also managing your emotions. You might feel like you want to walk away prematurely or be tempted to say things you might later regret. Given that there is a good chance you will run into some of the same people again sooner or later in your career, make sure you leave in a way that does not do lasting damage.

Making some career mistakes along the way is inevitable, but we can take better control of our future by being mindful of the missteps that can harm our career and by knowing how to recover and quickly get back on course.

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Author: Natalia Peart Contributor

I am a psychologist and career expert who has spent more than 25 years helping people and organizations achieve professional and personal success. Through my distinctive…

Forbes.com | June 26, 2019

#CareerAdvice : #JobSearch -Eight Ways Job Seekers Can Beat The Bot And Make It To The Second Round Of Interviews. Great REad!

June 28, 2019/in First Sun Blog/by First Sun Team

Applicants intending to get past an ATS and past the initial culling of unsuitable résumés need first to understand what an ATS looks for. Additionally, being confident in one’s presentation, job experience and professionalism is an excellent mindset to keep when submitting to a company that utilizes an ATS.

To help, eight members of Forbes Human Resources Council explore various ways for candidates to get their applications through the automated system and into the second round of the application process—in front of a real human being. Here’s what they recommend:

1. Emphasize Your Experience

Spell out acronyms and use the industry terms relayed in the job description to emphasize how your experience aligns with the role you are applying for. Ensure that your skills and experience are communicated on your resume in a way that resonates with how the organization describes the work. – Alina Shaffer, LivingHR, Inc.

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2. Customize Your Resume To The Job

Applicants should modify each resume they submit to tailor it to the specific job description or posting. Using the job description as a guide for customization ensures that candidates are peppering the resume with the same keywords used for the role they are applying for, which the ATS is likely trying to screen for. Make your resume speak the same language as the company you’re applying to. – Gwyn Purdue, Wafra Inc.

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3. Take Your Resume For A Test Run

A technique I’ve found success with is converting your resume into a plain text file to compare the results with the original document. If significant differences exist between the two, then you’ll know which areas require editing. You can leverage free online ATS review technology for ATS compatibility and to rank your resume against job postings to get a better idea of how your resume will fare. – Dr. Timothy J. Giardino, Cantata Health & Meta Healthcare IT Solutions

4. Very Important: Use Company Keywords

Do your homework and research the job description/posting and the company’s website and make sure that your resume includes keywords that are clearly important to them and that they use frequently. So for example, on a job posting, if you notice that leadership skills are mentioned five times, you might want to make sure that you emphasize your leadership skills on your resume. –Lotus Buckner, NCH

5. Fill Out The Entire Application

Most importantly, follow the process and fill out the entire application. The resume is not sufficient. If potential candidates fail to follow the instructions for submitting an application, they may miss an opportunity entirely. The pre-screening questions are important—answer them. These questions help recruiters to determine whether or not the applicant is even qualified for the position. – Frank Molinario, Security First Insurance Company Inc

6. Consider Your Application Timing

For the applicant, fully read the job description, follow the directions perfectly and use keywords. People usually don’t speak about “timing,” but we should. If a position is open for a long time, it may mean the selection criteria are faulty and HR will audit the applications. Submit your application during the business hours, as it is more likely to be questioned by an actual person. Good luck! – Patricia Sharkey, Sharkey HR Advisors

7. Keep It Clean

Applicants should always submit their resumes in a plain text format. People don’t realize that the ATS cannot read certain formats, and it doesn’t take much for it to reject an application. At this point in your job search, you’re just trying to get an interview. Make sure the ATS resume is a clean, plain text document. You can always give the interviewer a formatted file later on in the process. –Cameron Bishop, SkillPath

8. Eliminate Colors And Graphics

The quickest way to have a resume rejected by an ATS is to include colors, tables and graphics. Those who prefer flashy, eye-catching resumes should save them for face-to-face interviews, and initially submit a standard resume in a Word or PDF format that an ATS can scan. Also, an ATS will rank resumes by matching keywords, so candidates should customize resumes for each role to which they apply. – John Feldmann, Insperity

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Forbes Human Resources Council is an invitation-only, fee-based organization for senior-level human resources executives across all industries. Find out if you qualify a…

Forbes.com | June 28, 2019

#CareerAdvice : #GotFired – Can You Be #Fired for Joining A Walkout?

June 27, 2019/in First Sun Blog/by First Sun Team

When hundreds of Wayfair employees walked off the job June 26 to protest the company’s sale of furniture to a migrant detention center in Texas, they brought politics directly into the workplace. It’s not the first time employees have staged a massive protest, and it certainly won’t be the last.

As an employment lawyer, I’ve watched employee groups increasingly use open dissent to change corporate behavior in matters that have nothing to do with their employment or the workplace. Their focus is must larger: corporate responsibility. Last year, Google employees publicly objected to that company’s plan to launch a Chinese search engine that would spy on Chinese citizens. In February, Microsoft workers walked out over their employer’s contract to supply augmented reality headsets for use in weapons systems.

Welcome to the brave new world of free expression for American workers and their employers.

The story

Wayfair employees disagreed with the company’s decision to sell furniture to a private contractor operating a federal detention center housing immigrant children near the border with Mexico. The $200,000 order, on which Wayfair stood to clear about $86,000 in profit, was just another business transaction for the company. For the Wayfair employees staging the protest, it was a stamp of approval for a reprehensible system that separates migrant families and imprisons children.

The employees had earlier signed onto a letter to executives asking the company to halt all current and future business with the government contractor and with other contractors operating migrant detention camps at the southern border. They demanded the company establish a code of ethics for business sales that “empowers Wayfair and its employees to act in accordance with our core values.” The employees also asked the company to donate profits from the sales to RAICES, a nonprofit that provides legal services to immigrants and refugees.

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The law

If the Wayfair employees were hoping to be covered by federal law, they’re probably out of luck. Unless Wayfair was breaking the law — which it wasn’t — or the federal government was acting in a way that infringed the workers’ civil rights, the U.S. Constitution offers no protection.

But laws in many states do provide protections for political activities. Such laws may even include “free speech,” “political activity” or “off-duty conduct” protections that give employees rights against private employers not provided by federal law. If employees in those states are fired for protesting, they can assert that they’re being punished for exercising their free speech rights under state law. Wayfair employees may be able to rely on state law if their employer retaliates against them.

The perception

This isn’t a matter of Wayfair engaging in illegal activity — it’s in the business of selling furniture — it’s a matter of optics and corporate goodwill. Earlier this year, massive employee protests prompted technology giant Google to do away with forced arbitration in its employment agreements. Arbitration is perfectly legal in the workplace, but Google decided that it didn’t play well in the court of public opinion.

Similar protests have driven changes to arbitration policies at Uber and FaceBook. With sufficient public pressure, Wayfair could find itself moving in this direction with the perfectly legal sale of furniture to the federal government.

The balancing act

The Wayfair protest is, ultimately, a game of chicken. Someone in corporate management runs the numbers to see how much money Wayfair loses for every hour its employees don’t work. They weigh this against the anticipated profit from the contract and factor in the potential cost of a breach of contract claim against the company by the government contractor.

But protesting employees must also consider the costs they pay. Will they lose their jobs? Will they suffer other forms of retaliation? How long can they afford to stay off the job? There is tremendous strength in numbers. It’s highly unlikely that Wayfair will fire the protesting employees: How can it replace and retrain that quickly? Additionally, the size of the protest ratchets up the pressure by putting it on front pages all over the country. The power of a mass protest is a far cry from one or two workers taking a stand.

The power of voices

The Wayfair protest is a clear sign of the times. A decade ago, well before the advent of social media and crowdsourcing, the mobilization of a massive protest in a single day would have been unthinkable. In today’s connected world, people who share a belief system come together instantaneously to drive change.

Protests such as Wayfair, the 99 Percenters and the Amazon carbon footprint will only become more frequent and more powerful as these technologies are harnessed. Individual voices will become megaphones. The smartest businesses will get ahead of the trend by understanding the power of those voices and really listening to stakeholders — whether employees, investors or customers. Companies that fail to respect this power — the ones that blow protests off — will likely be brought to their knees.

Where will Wayfair land?

Author: Ron Zambrano, Litigation Chair of West Coast Employment Lawyers, represents employees in equal pay, workplace discrimination and harassment, wrongful termination, whistleblower protection, wage and hour, and other employment-related claims. Zambrano has won millions in lawsuits on behalf on aggrieved employees from all walks of life and backgrounds, including high-profile cases against the city of Los Angeles, the Long Beach Police Department, the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power, Boeing, Ralphs Supermarket, Carmax, Wells Fargo, Walmart, Macy’s and Curacao.

GlassDoor.com | June 27, 2019

#CareerAdvice : #ResumeWriting – How To Write A #Resume That Gets You a #JobInterview .

June 27, 2019/in First Sun Blog/by First Sun Team

With the average job receiving 250 applicants, building a standout résumé matters, especially if you have some rocky patches to explain, like job gaps or career shifts.

In my time as a career coach, I have been sent hundreds of résumés that are in dire need of help. Like so many people, a recent client, Sarah, came to me struggling to find a new job after having been laid off a few months prior. She sat down already feeling defeated, “I just don’t know how to get myself into another role…who would want to hire someone who has job gaps and was laid off?”

Everyone has a story for their career setbacks and I wanted to understand hers. Sure, Sarah’s job history was a little spotty, but that didn’t mean she wasn’t a hard working and dedicated employee. Turns out, her layoff story was telling: after the company laid of 70% of their staff, she was one of the last they let go. Why? Because she was an incredible, hardworking hire. This meant helping her craft a résumé that stands out in the pile, and even more importantly, an elevator pitch so that she’s memorable to the interviewer.

Here are three ways to make your résumé showcase your strengths and help you stand out.

1. Focus less on what you’ve done and more on what you want to highlight.

Your résumé is all about showing where you’ve been as it relates to where you’re headed. This means taking the thread of your past and relating it to your future. Sure, you can list out your past jobs and roles, but cater your résumé to highlight skills and job experiences that relate to where you’re going even more so than where you’ve been. This is especially important if you are looking to make a career transition into a field you might not have direct experience in.

Look at the job you are applying for and focus on the responsibilities it lists that you have experience in, whether direct or indirect. Don’t leave off the skill section of the resume, you can really capitalize on this to outline what skills your current position requires that translate into the new role.

Under each job, focus primarily on the responsibilities that relate to your past, and apply also to the job announcement–ideally tasks you want to do more of. Be sure that your first bullet under each job is always your best bullet. This means it’s high impact, quantitative and results driven.

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2. Don’t neglect the power of soft skills.

The value of soft skills is on the rise in the job market. By 2020, it is estimated that skills such as problem-solving and communication will increase the perceived value of employers by over one third. Why? Because robots are taking over the workforce. But they cannot compete fully with a human being in their soft skills.

Use your résumé language as a means to describe a soft skill the hiring manager is looking for. You can use facts or stats from your job history to show, not tell, what your communication and management skills have done. Weave together your soft skills of customer service, collaboration or public speaking into the outcome these skills have formed.

3. Showcase your achievements.

Roles are often either task oriented or results oriented. Resist the desire to simply outline the day to day tasks completed in your job history. When I reviewed Sarah’s résumé further, she had only included a bulleted list of job duties performed each day (project management, product research and market testing). Although it is great to showcase what you can do, hiring managers are looking to see what the results you provided the company. That means getting out of tasks and into results.

Don’t be shy with quantifying your results to the best of your ability.

In fact, Sarah’s work for the company resulted in saving $1M in revenue. This should’ve been a major highlight on her résumé as it showcased her ability to complete tasks and make a positive impact.

Sarah did some major revamping considering these tips and was able to get in the door for multiple interviews. She used her résumé as a talking tool within the interview and was able to illustrate what she could bring to the team to lock down not one, but two job offers.

If you are on the job market or considering a new opportunity, review your résumé to be sure it is a positive representation of you. Don’t let this single piece of paper make or break your next career move!

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Author: Ashley Stahl Contributor

I’m a career coach who helps job seekers via online programs and one-on-one coaching in finding their purpose, landing more job offers and launching their dream business…

Forbes.com | June 27, 2019

#CareerAdvice : #CollegeStudent – Essential Advice For Building Your Dream Career In The Digital Economy. Got Kids? Great One Min Read!

June 26, 2019/in First Sun Blog/by First Sun Team

Lauren Maffeo has her finger on the pulse of tech, education, and especially, how to educate people successfully in order to succeed in a tech oriented job market. But she certainly didn’t start out that way.

In fact, in college, computer science was her least favorite course. Yet, today, Lauren is an award-winning technology expert, covering the impact of emerging tech like AI and blockchain on small and mid-sized business owners. I caught up with Lauren on our From the Dorm Room to the Board Room podcast to discuss her interesting career journey and advice she has for young people interested in the digital economy. The following excerpt from this interview has been edited and condensed for clarity.

Andy Molinsky: Is there anything in particular you’d suggest about preparing yourself in college for a future career in tech?

Lauren Maffeo: If you’re still in a position to be picking classes, pick as diverse a range of classes as you possibly can. I don’t regret being a Media Studies major, but I do wish that I had taken more business courses, especially marketing and product management.

Molinsky: How about just majoring in Computer Science?

Maffeo: And if you’re a Computer Science major, I think it’s really essential to be taking courses on Ethics, and Philosophy, and Rhetoric to understand the bigger picture of what you’re building, and understanding the impact of your products on end users, which is something that tends to really get lost on technical teams if they’re too far away from their customers.

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Molinsky: You majored in Media Studies. Was there anything particularly useful in retrospect about that major?

Maffeo: For sure. I couldn’t foresee at the time how valuable my Media Studies education would be, both in my career and also in this weird cultural moment we’re in. I could not have imagined how media literacy, at large, would evolve the way it has into what it is today where we have this real explosion of literal fake news where even someone who is highly literate can’t necessarily tell the factual accuracy of what they’re reading. We’re in this very unique moment where the value of being able to dissect arguments and rhetoric for what they are and critique things at face value is a more essential skill than ever.

Molinsky: If you had the power to dictate how college was run, is there anything you’d change?

Maffeo: I would require interdisciplinary education, which a lot of universities already do. If engineers are building products for end users not thinking about the myriad of ways they could be used for both good and bad, that’s very problematic. So Computer Science students, for example, need to take coding courses alongside Philosophy. The other thing is that I would emphasize the benefits of project-based work, especially if someone is taking more technical subjects. You’re always going to get more exposure and more knowledge from doing something hands-on versus just memorizing information.

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Andy Molinsky Contributor

Forbes.com | June 26, 2019 | Andy Molinsky Contributor

#CareerAdvice : #Networking -5 Types of Connections you Need in your #LinkedInNetwork .

June 26, 2019/in First Sun Blog/by First Sun Team

Having a robust professional network can be a game changer when thinking about your career journey. The people in your network can help make future connections, refer you for a job, provide advice, and so much more. But building a thoughtful–and more importantly, actionable–professional network, can seem daunting. Who should you connect with and why?

Based on our research, the number of connections to kick-start the value of LinkedIn’s network is 30. Once you hit this many connections, you should start to see a more relevant news feed and engagement on your posts and new opportunities start to open up. However, this only works if you connect with people you know, as this ensures the notifications and information coming through are relevant to you.

With that in mind, here are the five types of people we recommend you connect with and nurture a relationship with on LinkedIn.

FRIENDS AND FAMILY MEMBERS

This might seem like overkill to some folks, but it’s important to consider your family members and friends as part of your professional network. Yes, you can probably pick up the phone and give your relatives a call for some professional assistance or call your friend who works at your dream company to help you get your foot in the door.

But, by actually adding your friends and family members to your LinkedIn network you will get insight into their unique professional network that you might not have known about otherwise. Maybe your father-in-law actually knows the hiring manager at that dream company, and he might be the best person to engage with to get your foot in the door. Or, your good friend has an old classmate who is on the career journey you’re aspiring to be on and is happy to connect you two for a coffee meeting. That’s the power of a robust professional network.

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CLASSMATES OR SCHOOL ALUMNI

Whether you’re currently a student or have recently graduated, connecting with your classmates (present or former) is another great way to build your professional network. Find people you worked with on a group project or studied with for that big final exam you aced. Your classmates are also looking ahead at their career paths, so it’s a good chance to help each other find new opportunities.

CURRENT AND PAST COLLEAGUES

The people we work with are more than just teammates–they help us make it through the day and can also help us get ahead in our careers. We spend the bulk of our day with these folks. In fact, 95% of working professionals think it’s a good idea to have friends at work, and 63% say they have relationships with their coworkers outside the office, according to LinkedIn’s data.

We all spend a lot of time each week interacting with our teams at work. But you can strengthen relationships by liking, commenting on, or even resharing what your teammates are sharing online.

Another benefit of connecting and engaging with your current colleagues on LinkedIn? If someone on your team is leaving the company (or if you are leaving), it will be easier to stay connected for the long-term. With messaging on LinkedIn, it doesn’t matter if contact information changes from job to job, you can always stay connected—which is why it’s also important to connect with your past colleagues. Whether you’ve only had that one summer internship, or you’ve held numerous roles in your career, we recommend connecting with your old colleagues on LinkedIn and staying in touch.

Previous colleagues can serve as a great reference for future job opportunities or can help talk through job challenges with an outside perspective you can trust. This is how you can turn a handful of meaningful relationships at one company into a powerful network of connections all across your industry.

SOCIAL ACQUAINTANCES

It’s important to have a diverse professional network, including people from different backgrounds and working in different industries and roles as you. This might seem like a difficult task since most of the people you interact with might be at your current job or past job (so same industry), but it’s time to think outside of the workplace.

So, you are part of an evening soccer league, a volunteer team, or a local church group? Put these social connections to work in your professional career. The people you meet through these types of organizations are a great addition to your network, since they likely add new perspectives and diversity to your current network.

SOMEONE YOU CAN HELP IN THEIR CAREER

Your professional network shouldn’t just be about adding people who can help you with your career. It’s about both getting and giving help. Make sure you consider accepting invitations or reaching out to people who are looking for career advice you can provide or to open the door for those who might be looking for a new gig.

These should still be people you actually know, such as a former coworker who is earlier in their career journey and might need advice, someone you met at a conference or networking event who is looking to build their career, or even someone you’ve interacted with via Linkedin Groups or InMail. Pay it forward, and pass along the professional goodness you’ve received in your career to date.

These are just a few of the types of connections you should be making on LinkedIn, but this is a great place to start as you build and nurture your professional network. As your career changes direction and evolves, your network is there to help you. The stronger your network, the further everyone goes.

FastCompany.com | June 26, 2019 | BY LIZ LI 4 MINUTE READ

#CareerAdvice : Risk Smart: Taking #YourCareer to the Next Level. “You Miss 100% of the Shots you Don’t Take.” – Wayne Gretzky

June 25, 2019/in First Sun Blog/by First Sun Team

The choices we make throughout our careers take us all on quite a journey. When you first enter the workforce, it is a time of excitement and anticipation for what lies ahead. Over time, life takes us on a winding road of twists and turns in which our personal lives can intertwine with our professional lives.

While some life experiences can catapult us into unknown realms, it is important that we be open to embracing new career opportunities, and, when the moment is right, consider taking risks and pursue some new challenges.

Over the course of my career, I came to appreciate the importance of taking risks. In one of my first jobs in consulting, I worked diligently and waited to be presented with new opportunities to continue building a promising future career. As time went on, I learned the importance of being proactive in one’s career advancement. Don’t wait for your career to come to you—you need to take ownership of your own growth.

Here are three ways to feel more empowered and prepared to take smart risks:

“You miss 100% of the shots you don’t take.” – Wayne Gretzky

Risk and reward go together. Some of my greatest career achievements came about by taking educated risks, such as taking on new—and, at times, daunting—responsibilities. Once when asked to create a digital business within an organization, I approached the assignment with apprehension because I was concerned about the risk of failing in front of leaders who trusted me. To build my confidence, I reminded myself that growth comes from seeking out and taking on new challenges. By changing my mindset about the task, I was able to visualize that taking a risk into the unknown realm of “digital business” would enable me to learn a new field, expand my professional skill set, and earn the respect of my peers.

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Before taking a risk at work, ask yourself, “What are the pros and cons?” If you miss out on the promotion or if you don’t get the open position, what does that ultimately mean to your career? Growth comes in trying and persisting. If things don’t go your way, it’s okay to feel disappointed. As Dr. Seuss says in “Oh, the Places You’ll Go!” my son’s favorite book: “I’m sorry to say so, but sadly, it’s true that bang-ups and hang-ups can happen to you. Use it as a learning opportunity. Make a mental note to reference how you will approach this the next time you’re ready to take a risk.

Above all, don’t miss the opportunity to take that chance and see where it takes you.

Think short – and long – term

There are times and places for risks, and the only person who can decide when the time is right to take a risk is you. I once received an offer for a position that I believed lacked long-term security from a company that was a major player in a volatile industry. Despite this uncertainty, I knew it was the right chapter of my life to take a chance—this was an opportunity in the short-term to propel myself toward my career goals, and I was committed to making it work.

When considering a career risk, it’s important to evaluate how it would fit into the current chapter of your life as well as your overall career journey. Is there a clear course leading you from where you are now to where you want to be? Are you willing to sacrifice some stability or salary in pursuit of this objective? Do you have the time to dedicate yourself to a new challenge now or are there other demands that would compete and make success unlikely? Answering these questions will help you become a better decision-maker when faced with opportunities to take chances.

Are you willing to sacrifice some stability or salary in pursuit of this objective? —Walia

Map out alternatives

When taking risks of any nature, it is important to have a sense of the full picture. It’s never fun to consider the downsides of risk, but it’s a necessary step to ensure you land on your feet if things go awry.

One good way to hedge your risks is to leverage your network and build your own personal “board of advisors” to your career. These people in your life can help you to assess risk and can also serve as a safety net in case things don’t work out. I believe in the power of positive thinking but having a Plan B isn’t a bad idea. Undeniably, having an alternate plan in place is critical to bouncing back and continuing your career journey.

Taking that first step into something new and unknown can often be unsettling. Our minds try and come up with all the reasons why not to take that risk. Start by taking the opportunity to talk it through with your trusted advisors and work out alternatives that will help ensure you are set up for success. Invest the time to map out what this could mean for your career now and in the future. And finally, take that shot! It could lead you down the path of a most rewarding career.

Author: Vicki Walia is Chief Talent and Capability Officer at Prudential where she oversees the talent team and a team of experts that connect strategy, identify organizational opportunities, build critical capabilities, and navigate change. Connect with her on LinkedIn.

Glassdoor.com | June 24. 2019

#CareerAdvice : #SalaryIncrease – 5 #Negotiation Mistakes you Didn’t Know You Were Making. A #MustRead for All!

June 25, 2019/in First Sun Blog/by First Sun Team

When I graduated from college and got my first job, my starting salary was $54,000. I was ecstatic. It was more money than I’d ever earned in my life, and as far I was concerned, I was balling. It didn’t once cross my mind to ask for more money or even a signing bonus. I was just happy that I got a job.

Well, as time went by and I got to know my coworkers, I realized that I was the lowest earner in the entire group. We were all hired for the same position, and we all had similar educational backgrounds. Some of them made thousands of dollars more than I did, while others had gotten signing bonuses. Why? Because unlike me, they didn’t accept the first offer they received. Instead, they asked for more. Not only did asking for more get them more money, it also positioned them to earn more when it came time for raises and bonuses since those are given as a percentage of the base salary. Throughout their careers, that’s likely hundreds of thousands of dollars more than I’d make.

Not negotiating my salary was one of the biggest mistakes that I made when I entered the workforce. But as I made progress in my career, I realized that it was equally important to be aware of financial pitfalls when it comes to negotiation. According to my friend Dorianne St. Fleur—a HR expert, career coach, and the founder of yourcareergirl.com—the following are five common negotiation mistakes that a lot of people often make (and don’t realize):

MISTAKE #1: NOT HAVING A COMPENSATION STRATEGY

A compensation strategy is a plan that spells out your long-term salary expectations. You should base this on your skill level and experience, industry standards for people in similar positions, and unique value. You calculate your worth, add tax, and create a plan to get you to that dollar amount.

Ideally, you should have a compensation strategy before you start your first job, but this is something most people don’t know they should do. A lot of us, especially those fresh out of college, don’t take the time to think strategically about how much we get paid. This can end up being a costly mistake. If you don’t already have a compensation strategy, start now. Take out a pen and paper and think about where you are currently, where you actually should be, and where you want to be in the future. Once you’ve done the math, create a plan to get there. That might involve asking for a raise, looking for a new job, or starting a side hustle.

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MISTAKE #2: ASSUMING YOU’LL BE PAID FOR YOUR CONTRIBUTIONS

It sounds so simple, right? Do an excellent job at work and you’ll eventually get paid for it. However, this isn’t always the case. Yes, there are times when doing your job well can mean a few extra coins, but nine times out of ten, managers aren’t sitting around waiting to hand over wads of cash every time you accomplish a new goal. If you want your boss to give you money, you need to be an active participant in your salary progression. That means making sure your boss (and anyone else involved in money decisions) is well aware of what you do at work and how that benefits the company. Whether you have to beef up your annual self-evaluation or schedule a stand-alone meeting to talk about your achievements, you need to make sure you create a platform to show your boss all you’ve accomplished throughout the year.

MISTAKE #3: BEING UNCOMFORTABLE TALKING ABOUT MONEY

Many people have pushed the subject of money to a space that is “off limits.” They don’t discuss things like current salary, future financial goals, and earning potential with even their closest friends. With this kind of mindset, it’s no surprise that the prospect of asking for a raise can cause a lot of anxiety. Although it can be tough, it’s time to move past the uneasiness that comes with talking about money—especially if you want to earn more. The saying “A closed mouth won’t get fed” couldn’t be more accurate in this situation. The most important conversations are usually the most uncomfortable ones, so it’s definitely in your best interest to push past your fear (and do it anyway).

MISTAKE #4: MAKING EMOTIONAL DECISIONS

Emotions like anxiety, anger, nervousness, and fear can sabotage your efforts to get the raise you want. Being so nervous that you accept the first lowball offer, or being so angry that you yell at your boss will ruin any chance of a positive outcome. Your goal should be to remain calm and collected throughout the entire process, leaving the way you feel out of the equation. When it comes to making decisions on salary, you need to focus on your research and the facts.

MISTAKE #5: BEING AFRAID TO WALK AWAY

It is important to note that ultimately, the final decision on whether you do get that raise is out of your control. Instead of getting hung up on this fact, have a contingency plan and exit strategy in case things don’t work the way you would have liked. You know what’s worse than realizing you’re being underpaid? Realizing you’re being underpaid, asking for what you deserve, and then staying put if nothing changes. This fear of change is what holds many people back in forging a new career path for themselves. Don’t do that to yourself.

This article is adapted from Clever Girl Finance: Ditch Debt, Save Money, And Build Real Wealth by Bola Sokunbi. It is reprinted with permission from John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

FastCompany.com | June 25, 2019 | BY BOLA SOKUNBI 4 MINUTE READ

#CareerAdvice : #Networking -This is an Non-Obnoxious Way to Follow Up on a #ColdEmail . A MUst Read for All!

June 24, 2019/in First Sun Blog/by First Sun Team

Just following up.” …. “Did you see my email? [fusion_builder_container hundred_percent=”yes” overflow=”visible”][fusion_builder_row][fusion_builder_column type=”1_1″ background_position=”left top” background_color=”” border_size=”” border_color=”” border_style=”solid” spacing=”yes” background_image=”” background_repeat=”no-repeat” padding=”” margin_top=”0px” margin_bottom=”0px” class=”” id=”” animation_type=”” animation_speed=”0.3″ animation_direction=”left” hide_on_mobile=”no” center_content=”no” min_height=”none”][Insert cute GIF here]” ……. “I just want to make sure you’re not DEAD!”

We’ve all been the recipient of cold-email follow-ups like these. But, if we’re honest (and I grew up in New Jersey, so I try), we’ve also been the sender of these emails.

One of the great parts of living in #2019 is that it’s possible to reach (almost) anyone. Thanks to the wonders of email and DM, even massive celebrities and moguls are just a few well-crafted lines of text away.

However, once you’ve crafted that initial message, the seemingly existential, anxiety-inducing question becomes: How often do you follow up?

The answer, I think, is surprisingly straightforward.

NETWORKING VS. SALES

There is plenty of research on sales emails. There the question is not necessarily etiquette (but you still have to be mindful), but rather effectiveness. According to a report by sales development consultancy Topo, the average number of emails and calls per prospect is 16.

While that can work to close a sale, if you’re simply trying to encourage someone to help you, plastering their inbox with requests is a great way to put them off (and maybe even block you).

For clarity, I am talking about the cold networking email. These are the emails you send to people you want to work with, befriend, be mentored by, and so on. There’s a different set of rules for this type of networking. It starts with how you send the email.

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REMEMBER, YOU ARE NOT OWED A REPLY

Spend enough time on LinkedIn, and you’ll see people posting about how it’s “rude” that people don’t reply to their unrequested missives.

While everyone (including the cold sender) is human and worthy of respect, whenever you contact someone without permission, you are owed nothing.

Imagine this, if you received telemarketing phone calls and voicemails asking you to call them back. Would you have a responsibility to return the call? No.

Not only is this idea of being owed a reply wrong, but it can also give the sender an excuse to make the cold email mediocre.

If you want to get a reply, you have to start by assuming you aren’t owed one. Instead, by crafting a great email, your effort is rewarded with a reply.

FOUR KEYS TO WRITING A GREAT COLD EMAIL (OR LETTER OR FAX IF YOU’RE A LUDDITE/HIPSTER)

First, it should be relatable. Did you go to the same college? Mention it. Love the same favorite classic rock album? Tell them. Both Armenian? Be sure to say. Research shows that people feel an immediate affinity for people who share identities with them.

Second, make a clear ask. Note, that was singular, as in one solo ask. You’re already interrupting someone. Don’t ask them for 17 things. Also, make sure it is clear. Asking someone if you can “pick their brain” is terrible, asking someone to “talk about your career options” is clear and good.

Third, be yourself. Those two words look good on a Successories motivational poster, but they’re also essential to getting a reply. I’ve seen too many otherwise solid emails, thwarted by a bad case of formalitis. That’s the medical term for turning into a robot when emailing like this: “Dear Mr. Gannett, If I can have a moment of your time . . . etc.” Remember, you are emailing a human and humans like to interact with people who bring them joy. Signaling that you take yourself too seriously is a great way to lose someone’s interest.

Fourth: Make it short. Like really short. Like this paragraph short (not really, but you get the point).

Okay, so you now have a well-crafted, thoughtful, and short email. How often do you follow up?

USE THE 3×3 RULE

You’re sitting on your laptop, in some coffee shop that thankfully has Wi-Fi, and you hit send. Your cold email is off into the nether spots of the internet.

But, now you look at the clock. A minute passes. Then 20 minutes. Then an hour.

When should you follow up?

When it comes to a cold email, my advice is to follow the 3×3 rule. This means following up a maximum of three times, with at least three business days apart. I’ve found this to be the ideal balance between persistent and annoying.

Also, I think it’s okay if your follow-ups are short, but try to avoid any clichés. For example, sending a follow-up asking if the recipient “was offended” in hopes of provoking a reply. Or, another classic, “You haven’t responded. Have you been kidnapped?”

Not only are these cheesy, but they’re emotionally manipulative. Your follow-ups should be pleasant and direct, such as “I wanted to bump this to the top of your inbox.” I believe in your third (and last) email that it’s helpful to say something like, “I wanted to try one last time” as it is direct and not manipulative, but otherwise avoid playing games.

The result? You’re pleasantly persistent. You are pushing on the universe and trying to make things happen, but you’re not shaking the universe so hard that Neptune gets mad at you.

I support cold emails. They work and represent the newer, flatter way that we live. I’ve sent cold emails that have led to everything from deep friendships to opportunities that I never could’ve imagined. Now, I’ve also made mistakes and definitely been unpleasantly persistent.

But you don’t have to remake my mistakes. Follow the 3×3 rule, send thoughtful emails, and be rewarded by having doors open—really wide.

FastCompany.com | June 24, 2019

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#CareerAdvice : #InterviewingQuestions : 3 Interview Questions(You Ask) To Uncover A Company’s Work-Life Beliefs And Values. Must Read Before your Next #JobInterview !

June 24, 2019/in First Sun Blog/by First Sun Team

Like most buzzwords, “work-life balance” rose to massive popularity only to rapidly become defunct and outdated. If you Google “work-life balance” and “dead,” you will find a host of articles making the case of why the idea of balance is a fallacy, why work-life balance is not the largest predictor of job satisfaction or a detailed explanation of the newly favored term “work-life integration” that seeks to merge all the things we value into one seamless life experience.

No matter the words you use to describe it, having a desire to work in a place that will share and support your values isn’t going away. The challenge remains in figuring out how to test and evaluate a company’s often unspoken work-life beliefs during the interview process.

You want to be selected for the job and don’t want to inadvertently signal that you are less than committed to your career, but you also don’t want to end up in a place that is mismatched to the work-life dynamics you need to thrive.

These three interview questions will help you gain insight into the company’s values and how they will ultimately treat you once you are hired.

1. How would you describe the culture?

This is a standard question and one that interviewers are expecting. Some will have canned answers based on talking points HR provided. Others will give you an honest, from the gut response. Pay attention to which one you are receiving as the latter will be more insightful. But either way, ask each interviewer this question to get a well-rounded view of how the culture is perceived at different levels and functions.

Certain buzzwords will tell you a lot. “Work hard, play hard,” notoriously means that they work long, demanding hours, but have frequent, often extravagant, social outings that will further commit you to being around colleagues instead of your other priorities. Depending on your demands outside of work, this can be attractive or a major red flag.

Other phrases to listen for are “family environment” which likely indicates a people-first philosophy that will at times prioritize individual needs over the clearest or easiest business decision.

“The best idea wins” phrase points to a results-oriented and transparent organization that probably values quality output over hours worked.

Excessive use of the word “collaborative” is a yellow flag of a workplace that may be bogged down with management layers and slow decision-making, which creates the need to spend more time in the office selling your ideas and dealing with politics.

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2. What is the best way to communicate with the boss?

If possible, ask this question of your peers or of the boss themselves. Work-life red flags are answers such as, “I’m in meetings most of the day but I catch up on email at night” or “You can usually catch up with her on Sunday evenings,” which show an expectation to work extensively during time you may have allocated to home life or other activities. Pause and consider if this is a problem for you. For some people, it is not, but be honest about what working dynamics would best fit your life.

Other yellow flags are answers about an open-door policy or “We grab each other in the hallway” as these may reflect an in-office culture that could limit your flexibility.

Remote and flexible working has forced many executives to be deliberate about how and when to communicate with team members. If the interviewer has already set up clear 1:1 time slots or communication meetings with their team, it is likely a sign that flexible working necessitated this and is their workplace norm.

3. What is the next step in the hiring process?

You can learn a lot about a company’s values simply from observing your hiring process. Companies that prioritize an employee’s overall life will be thoughtful about your candidate experience.

Was your interview schedule an exhausting all-day ordeal without food or breaks? This is a warning that employee experience may not be a top priority.

How many people are making the hiring decision and how long does it take? This will provide insight into how their business decisions get made, which is especially important if your role will be spearheading new initiatives or trying to bring about organizational change. Consider if they might be prone to acting rashly or moving too slow.

Finally, make sure you understand when and how they will get back to you. Pay attention not just to the timing they give but the manner in which they communicate with you as a candidate. Are they being thoughtful about the time you have already invested and how hard it is to wait for a decision? Do they care about how you might be feeling? Or are they using their power to make the process as easy and noncommittal for them as possible? These small actions can point to larger disconnects between their values and the kind of company you want to work for.

Ask each of these questions and pay attention to the answers. Turn down the instinct to assume the grass will be greener in a new job. If you want to build a career that is aligned with your values, you have to be willing to walk away from companies that aren’t a fit.

Kourtney Whitehead is a career expert and author of Working Whole. You can learn more about her work at Simply Service.

Author: Kourtney Whitehead

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Forbes.com | June 18, 2019