#careerdevelopment Archives - First Sun Consulting, LLC | Outplacement Services and Career Transition Firm

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#YourCareer : 10 LinkedIn Learning Courses Worth Taking. Our Favorite: Professional Networking. Must REad!

February 28, 2023/in First Sun Blog/by First Sun Team

Despite all of their achievements, high achievers are life-long learners. They realize there is always more to learn, and their mind is consistently open to new knowledge. They are eager to learn from anyone, including those who are junior to them. In today’s digital world, continuous learning is more important than ever.

While billionaires Marc Cuban, Warren Buffet, and Bill Gates are known for reading three to eight hours a day, there are many other ways to increase your cross-industry knowledge base. You could read articles, listen to podcasts, and watch TED talks or webinars. The point is there is no shortage of opportunities to learn something new if only you are open to the idea.

Learning and Development Departments at your company might offer professional development classes. However, a minority of the employees can usually access these courses due to fixed time commitments that conflict with their other obligations. But that doesn’t mean you cannot take professional development courses to advance your career according to your timetable.

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What Skill Sets Do You have to be ‘Sharpened’ ?

Did you know? First Sun Consulting, Llc (FSC) is celebrating over 30 years in the delivery of corporate & individual outplacement services & programs to over 1200 of our corporate clients in the U.S., Canada, the UK, & Mexico!

We here at FSC want to thank each of our corporate partners for the opportunity in serving & moving each of their transitioning employee(s) rapidly toward employment!

Article continued …

Previously Lynda, LinkedIn Learning has been a leading e-learning platform that exploded with courses and learners eager to upskill during the pandemic. E-learning, or online learning, through mediums such as LinkedIn Learning, has allowed users to further develop their skills by learning a variety of hard (technical) and power skills (often referred to as soft skills) from the comfort of their homes. This asynchronous learning puts content experts on your screen and learning at your individualized pace.

There are over 20,000 courses available in three main categories: Business, Creative, and Technology, with new courses added regularly. You can take technical programming and data analysis courses or leadership and communication. These on-demand courses allow you to learn anything ranging from leading high achievers mastering Canva, and becoming an Excel ninja. With a LinkedIn Premium subscription account, or if your work has an enterprise account, you can access tens of thousands of LinkedIn Learning courses for free, and take the courses based on your interest and availability. The bonus is that when you complete the course, you get a certificate of completion which you can add to your LinkedIn profile.

Long before I taught my courses on LinkedIn Learning, I was a devoted user of the platform and, to date, have watched over 100 courses on topics ranging from mentoring to Photoshop. The courses are always relevant, up-to-date, and expertly taught.

Here are ten must-see courses which should be on your radar:

10 Mistakes Leaders Should Avoid by Halelly Azulay

Cultivating Growth Mindsets by Gemma Leigh Roberts

Quick Scripts for Difficult Conversations by Alisa Cohn

Create and Deliver Standout Presentations by Melissa Marshall

Professional Networking by Dorie Clark

Preparing for Successful Communication by Sam Horn

Learning to be Promotable by Elizabeth Lotardo and Lisa McLeod

Managing a Multigenerational Team by Lindsey Pollak

Disrupting Yourself by Whitney Johnson

How to Have a Great Day at Work by Caroline Webb

If you want to learn new skills or reinforce those you already have, take charge of your professional development by taking online courses. This online opportunity to upskill might be a solution that is right at your fingertips.

Forbes.com Author: Dr. Ruth Gotian – Follow me on Twitter or LinkedIn. Check out my website or some of my other work here.

Forbes.com | February 28, 2023

#BestofFSCBlog : #YourCareer -How To Stop Sabotaging Your Career. Are You your Own Worst Enemy When it Comes to your Career?

August 24, 2020/in First Sun Blog/by First Sun Team

Are you your own worst enemy when it comes to your career? Perhaps unhealthy thought patterns or destructive work habits are interfering with your professional development. Self-sabotage occurs when that critical inner voice holds you back from achieving greatness.

By following these do’s and don’ts, you will finally be able to stop sabotaging and start succeeding.

Don’t let fear get in the way

Fear of failure: You fall into your comfort zone, and it’s gotten to the point where you can do your job in your sleep. Then you have the opportunity to take on a completely new and exciting project, but fear of failure creeps in.
Fear of success: It sounds strange, but many people are afraid of succeeding. It’s because once you finally get what you think you want, you realize it’s more than you bargained for. With success comes expectation and responsibility. It can be unsettling if you don’t know how to handle it.
Fear of loss of control: Our need to be in control at all times can be limiting. It might turn you into a micromanager who is burned out because you just can’t seem to delegate work. Ultimately, you are holding yourself back from reaching that next level in your career.

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Don’t avoid going outside your comfort zone

You’ve outgrown your position, yet moving from familiar territory to a different company seems daunting. You wonder, “What if I don’t like it as much?” or “What if I end up with a manager who is a tyrant?” You’re in a seemingly “safe” place, but the growth happens outside your comfort zone. The first step is to acknowledge that you want to make a move but are afraid of change. Here’s a secret many people don’t know, fear and action can’t coexist. So, start taking small steps in the direction of your goal. Talk to as many people as you can before jumping into that new role. Learn about the good, the bad and the ugly. Make sure it’s the right fit and then take the plunge. If you feel you still need help combating those self-sabotaging behaviors, you may even consider working with a career coach or mentor to get you across the finish line.

Don’t compare yourself to others

Do you find yourself comparing your career to that of friends and colleagues? Maybe you and your best friend went to the same law school, but your friend has already made partner, and you haven’t. When you learned about it, it may have felt like a punch in the stomach. But career progression is different for everyone because we are all unique individuals. The only person you should be comparing yourself to is the person you were the day before.

By comparing yourself to others, you are not only sabotaging your career, you are eroding your self-confidence and creating unnecessary anxiety. If you do this consistently, it can be paralyzing. Instead of using that energy to feel resentful, use it to motivate you. Invite that person you’ve been admiring to be your mentor. Learn their secrets to success. This is also a good time to take inventory of all the things you’re grateful for. It’s almost impossible to feel envy and gratitude at the same time.

Do focus on your strengths

Often we don’t see ourselves for who we really are. We attribute accomplishments to luck or simply being at the right place at the right time. Make a list of all your biggest accomplishments—the ones you are most proud of. Then post it somewhere you can see it every day. Dig up any positive performance reviews, thank you notes or emails from clients and put them in a “kudos” file. That way, when you’re having a bad day, you can refer to them to boost your confidence. (I have one that I call my “inspiration” file).

Do recognize self-sabotaging behavior

The first step to break the cycle is to become aware of habits that are holding you back. What self-destructive mindsets are interfering with your ability to develop professionally? Here are a few typical self-sabotaging behaviors to be mindful of:

Perfectionism: You tell yourself you can’t act right now or believe you need to perfect your skills before moving forward. Perfection is an impossible standard that keeps you from advancing.
Procrastination: Instead of tackling an important project right away, you wait until the last minute. Start setting hard deadlines to hold yourself accountable.
Negative self-talk: Your inner dialogue is consistently critical. Are you punishing yourself for past mistakes? Be patient, and make an effort to build your self-esteem rather than tear it down.

Do be open to feedback

Knowing ourselves and being open to feedback is essential to career advancement. That way, you’ll be able to pinpoint the areas where you are excelling and need improvement. Don’t wait for others to provide input regarding your performance. Make it a point of regularly soliciting advice from managers, friends and co-workers. By being proactive and having an open mind, you will be able to use that information as a learning tool to propel you to the next level.

You are worthy of wanting more and having more. The world will put endless obstacles in your path, but none will be as big as the ones you create for yourself. Isn’t it time to get out of your own way and embrace the possibilities?

Feeling stuck and unfulfilled in your current career? Download Caroline Castrillon’s free guide: 5 Signs It’s Time to Make a Bold Career Change!

Author: Caroline Castrillon –Contributor Careers – I write about career, entrepreneurship and women’s advancement.

Forbes.com | August 23, 2020

Your #Career : I Used A “Career Map” To Get My #DreamJob –Here’s How…Sometimes All it Takes is some Good Planning & Patience to Pull yourself Out of a Serious Job Slump.

January 23, 2018/in First Sun Blog/by First Sun Team

Due to an unfortunate coffee mishap, I spent the holidays setting up a new computer and frantically trying to extract documents from my old, caffeine-soaked laptop. While in the middle of my rescue mission, I stumbled upon a career map that I’d created four years ago.

Making a career map wasn’t my brilliant idea, but it helped me get out of a serious job slump. At that time, I was working as an account executive at an ad agency and hated it. I’d only taken the job for two reasons: I was turning 26 and couldn’t stay on my dad’s health insurance, and I wanted to be a copywriter, so being in close proximity to some would magically transform me into one–right?

Not so much.

My brother recommended working in the industry I wanted firstand worry about getting a writer position once I had more experience–hence, the advertising job. But things were moving a little too slowly for my liking. I’d been at the agency for nine months and wasn’t any closer to becoming a writer. Deflated, I shared my woes with a coworker. She suggested making a “career map,” an outline of steps to take me to the next level.

She explained further: You write down where you want to be in your career three to six months from now, one year from now and five or more years from now. Then, for each timeframe, you identify the steps to achieving the next milestone. So, for example, If your career goal is to take the Iron Throne and rule the Seven Kingdoms of Westeros, you might write “Acquire fleet of ships” as an action step. Here’s what mine looked like:

THREE TO SIX MONTHS

1. Ask HR to consider me for a copywriting position.

Action steps:

Create portfolio of three to five pieces
Schedule meeting with HR

2. Network and research.

Action steps:

Talk to at least three professional writers to get insight into the profession
- Name 1
- Name 2
- Name 3

List of questions to ask:
- How did they get their start?
- How would they recommend getting started today?
- Are they happy with their career, compensation, work/life balance?
- What’s a reasonable starting salary to ask for?
- Do they know any other writers who would be willing to connect?

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ONE YEAR

3. Take at least one course in copywriting/writing/building a portfolio.

Action steps:

Research what class to take, estimated tuition
Start setting money aside for tuition

4. Get copywriting job at another agency or company if I don’t get offered a position at current company.

THREE TO FIVE YEARS

5. Work at a major agency or company in New York City.

6. Gain freelance experience.

Writing all this down provided me with much-needed clarity and actionable steps to follow. Best of all, it worked! When I stumbled across my old career map, I realized that I had accomplished every goal, even those as far out as five years. So I set out to write one for the next five years–and this time around, my goals don’t feel as daunting.

If you want to create your own career map, here are a few things I learned along the way that could help make the process easier.

Get as granular as you want. Back when I was complaining to my coworker, her first piece of advice to me was: Ask for the job you want. Groundbreaking, I know. But it had never occurred to me to simply ask HR to consider me for a different role. That became my first milestone.

Prioritize what’s important to you. For example, I value a good work/life balance, so I included that on my career map as something to inquire about while doing research. I love writing, but I love a lot of other stuff, too. What gets you excited about a job can differ from person to person, so tailor your map to fit what matters most.

Don’t let fear of rejection stop you. I got turned down for the account executive role the first time I interviewed. I was devastated–I really wanted to get my foot in the door. So I emailed my contact at the agency to ask why I didn’t get the job, and for advice on how to kill it in future interviews. Turns out, the main reason they didn’t offer me the position was because they thought I wasn’t interested! But my contact was impressed that I asked for feedback–he called me back in, and I was hired shortly afterward.

That story just serves as a reminder not to assume that what you want is too lofty. Sure, you may need to account for a detour or two on your map, and you often learn more from the things you did wrong than right. But your dreams are your own to pursue–you just need to break down the steps it’ll take to achieve them.

FastCompany.com | January 23, 2018 | BY RITA BRODFUEHRER—LEARNVEST 4 MINUTE READ

Your #Career : 6 Things you Might Not Realize are Sabotaging your Career, and How to Avoid Them…Want to Get Ahead at Work? Heed this Advice on What to Avoid in the Workplace to Maximize your Professional Potential.

August 10, 2016/in First Sun Blog/by First Sun Team

Just because you’re doing a lot of work doesn’t necessarily mean that you’re doing your best work.

Mistaking volume for effectiveness

Just because you’re doing a lot of work doesn’t necessarily mean that you’re doing your best work. If you’re feeling overwhelmed with your workload — or you feel like you’re not putting out quality material because you have too much on your plate — tap into a professional organization platform to help sort things out.

“The most effective communication is focused, consistent, trustworthy and accessible,”says Gretchen Pisano, co-founder and CEO of pLink Coaching Center. “Internal communication platforms, like Slack, transform office communication, eliminate email from the process and dramatically reduce unproductive status meetings that are designed to keep everyone in the loop.”

Clustering in cliques

Joining a clique at work can provide a sense of belonging and security. However, workplace cliques can be career killers when you become branded for your peers and not for yourself. This is particularly dangerous for your career when your clique has fallen out of favor, or is not being targeted for positions of leadership.

“Instead, cross-pollinate and expand your work networks to be broader, rather than deeper,” advises Becki Saltzman, author of Living Curiously: how to Use Curiosity to Be Remarkable and Do Good Stuff. “Knowing more people and having more people know you will provide more opportunities to step into unforeseen leadership positions. This can also help you navigate group layoffs.”

We live in a tech-driven world, and if you can’t keep up with the times, you’ll be replaced.

Failing to keep up with technology

There’s an entire generation of employees who are being phased out of their jobs because they’re behind the curve on technology. The harsh reality is that we live in a tech-driven world, and if you can’t keep up with the times, you’ll be replaced.

“If your workplace implements new systems and you do not embrace the new direction and soak up the training, you risk putting yourself out of a job,” warns Justine Miller, an HR consultant with The Stir Group, a business-consulting firm in Philadelphia. “People remain in the workplace for a lot longer now, so older employees need to be as enthusiastic about new technologies as their Millennial colleagues.”

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Failing to keep up with technology

Trying to be too interesting

When you’re new to an organization, or feel marginalized at work, making an effort to have your co-workers, customers, and superiors get to know you better seems like a good thing. However, the danger is in the perceived effort.

Trying too hard to be seen, heard, and interesting can backfire and make you appear self-centered and desperate. Instead, focus on being interested in others. By doing that, they’ll become more curious about you.

“Look for sincere and specific reasons to like people,” Saltzman suggests. “Ask curious questions like, ‘What would surprise people most about your job?’ and ‘If you could implement one new policy at work, what would it be?’ Or perhaps interview a co-worker about an unusual work-related project that you both find intriguing.”

Being a nobody in the boss’ eyes

Trying to be too interesting can hurt your career, but so can being a wallflower, especially if it means the boss never notices you. It’s important to stand out, but even more important to provide value to the company.

“One of the biggest killers people make in their careers in today’s layoff-prone world is not becoming truly indispensable,” says career expert Barry Maher. “Find a task that your boss hates to do and offer to take it over. If losing you means the boss will have to go back to doing something he hates, then he will fight for you as if you were the company’s most valuable employee.”

Maher also says another smart strategy is simply to write the boss a very short note at the end of each week that explains what you did during the week.”Not only will the boss be reminded of just how valuable you are, but many bosses will save those notes and use them to write your review from them.”

It’s important to stand out and provide value to the company.

**Letting your true colors come through a little too much**

You shouldn’t act like a completely different person at work than you do in your personal life, but you also shouldn’t fly off the handle like a raving lunatic every time something goes wrong if that’s something you’re apt to do when nobody “important” is watching.

“Triggers and biases can activate our personal behavior bombs that might cause you to erupt when confronted by others’ selfish behavior, false accusations, a lack of recognition, or exclusion from decision-making,” Saltzman explains.

“So be aware of those triggers before they activate and destroy your career. Create a ‘trigger tool’ that will help you elevate curiosity ahead of criticism, judgment, fear, and complacency. Doing so will allow you to assess your triggers before reacting, thereby reducing their power over you.”

Businessinsider.com | August 10, 2016 | Mikey Rox, Len Penzo dot Com

Your #Career : How To Wow A Job Interviewer When Changing Careers…The Trick is to Convince an Employer that your “Old” Skills/Experiences Can be Just as or even More Valuable in a New Industry or Role.

January 26, 2016/in First Sun Blog/by First Sun Team

According to a new AARP survey, four out of 10 experienced workers will be looking for a job this year, and of those, a quarter are considering a complete career change. If you’re one of those eager to change careers in 2016, what can you do to improve your odds of success?

The trick is to convince an employer that your “old” skills and experiences can be just as — or even more — valuable in a new industry or role. Or, as my colleague Kathryn Sollmann, founder of the career advisory firm 9 Lives for Women (and an expert on women’s career change issues), puts it: “You can change industries when you connect the dots.”

The Connect the Dots Approach
I find Sollmann’s “connect the dots” approach spot-on (pardon the pun).

Once you thoroughly research your desired field, learn its lingo and identify commonalities between your previous experiences and your target employer’s needs, you’ll know which accomplishments and experiences to highlight during the interview process and on your resumé. In turn, you’ll be more likely to convince prospective hiring managers that your skills really do transfer well.

“The fact is that it’s easier for employers to settle into default mode and hire cookie-cutter candidates who all have the same background and experience. The trick is to remind employers that quick studies can learn the language of a new industry. Then through research and networking, prove you know the very specific ways your skills can be transferred to get the job done.”

In her instructive blog post detailing this “connect the dots” method, Sollmann shared the steps she took early in her career to progress from being a newly minted college grad with an English degree (aka Unemployment 101) to a job editing and writing training programs for a Big 8 accounting firm to tripling her salary in a job as a conference organizer for an investment publication.

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To summarize, Sollmann successfully made the leap between industries by doing two key things:

She thoroughly researched the specific needs of employers in her target industry.

She carefully reframed her experience in a way that proved to employers that her skills and experiences were relevant to their industry.

In other words, she made it really easy for employers to understand why they needed her.Continued from page 1

“I didn’t just say that I had the research, writing and event planning skills to do the job. I connected the dots, showing that the way I applied skills to responsibilities X, Y and Z for the training job would be applied the same way to do A, B and C in the conference-planning job,” writes Sollmann.

How to Research and Network Well

Research and networking are especially critical before you enter a job interview to change careers; they’ll help you know what to say to convince the interviewer that your seemingly inappropriate background is actually a great fit.

So I asked Sollmann how to dig up what you need to persuade an employer in another field to hire you. Here’s her advice:

Identify through LinkedIn, school alumni networks, and elsewhere a few people who work in the field you want to switch into. Then, ask for a 15-minute phone appointment with each to help you understand how you can prove that your skills are transferable.

Before you meet for this informational interview, distill your expertise into three or four major skill areas. Then, during your talk, bring up a major project or initiative you worked on that exemplified these skills and ask about parallels to the initiatives where these contacts work.

Some questions you might want to ask during your phone calls:

How is your type of expertise used where they work?
Did most of the employees “grow up” at this employer?
Does the firm or nonprofit value having employees with varying professional backgrounds and perspectives?
Can you connect me with someone who was hired from an entirely different industry so I can find out how they adapted?

Cutting Through the Cookie Cutter Mentality

If this sounds like a lot of work, well, it is. But this informational-interview research will increase your likelihood of finding appropriate job opportunities and help you make your strongest case to hiring managers.

As Sollmann concludes in her post: “The fact is that it’s easier for employers to settle into default mode and hire cookie-cutter candidates who all have the same background and experience. The trick is to remind employers that quick studies can learn the language of a new industry. Then through research and networking, prove you know the very specific ways your skills can be transferred to get the job done.”

Good luck with your career switch in 2016!

Forbes.com | January 25, 2016 | Nancy Collamer, CONTRIBUTOR

Your #Career : Do You Need A New Job in 2016? This One Question Will Tell You…So here is the Question. Where is your Career on the Curve?

December 31, 2015/in First Sun Blog/by First Sun Team

Should you stay in your current job, or is it time to move? You will have various ways of dealing with this question, but let me suggest one concept that you may have missed. Or if you are thinking of it, you may not have realised its full ramifications. I’m going to ask you a very pointed question here. The answers might transform your plans for the coming year.

The concept is the simple S-curve. If you have studied marketing, you will recognise it immediately as the product lifecycle, but it applies to everything – businesses, careers, musical genres, empires…

SCN_0008

For a product the stages are introduction-growth-maturity-decline. For a career the stages can be characterised as:

Learning the job – excitement, disorientation, growth;
Proving yourself – producing results, acquiring mastery;
Mastery – quite effortless competence;
Decline – boredom, staleness, beyond your sell-by date.

So here is the question. Where is your career on the curve? How much have you learned in the past year, compared to how much you learned in the first year? What is your level of excitement, relative to past years? If you are still growing, that’s good. It’s probably worth staying, unless there’s something wrong with the organisation. It’s the mastery phase that is dangerous.

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The feeling that you have mastered your job is, for most of us, very pleasant. We feel comfortable, competent, in control (but see my previous post!). Life is good. But here’s the bad news. If you have reached this point, the rot is already setting in. Peak mastery is in fact the beginning of decline. And from this follows something very important; just when you feel on top of things is the moment you need to be looking for the next step. This seems counterintuitive, but think for a moment and you will see why it makes sense.

When is the best time to be looking for a new job? Is it when you are at the top of your powers? Still energised about the job you are doing, still performing strongly, still confident? Or is it better to be looking when you are starting to fade, getting a little bored, maybe not giving of your best, starting to worry? Put that way, it’s obvious, but it is so easy to miss. So often, we don’t start to plan the next move until we start to feel bored or uncomfortable where we are. Then, given the inevitable delays in getting our ideas together and the time waiting for the right thing to come up, we are into the period of decline. Trust me on this – it’s a mistake I’ve made. Probably one of my biggest mistakes.

If this little piece of productive paranoia seems an unwelcome intrusion in the season of peace and goodwill, please believe it’s well intentioned. If it does make you feel uncomfortable, that probably means there’s something you need to attend to as soon as you are back at work.

Forbes.com | December 31, 2015 | Alastair Dryburgh

#Leadership : 5 Surefire Signs That You’re #Promotable … When it Comes to Getting #Promoted, you Want to Present yourself in a Way that Feeds into the Biases that #Bosses ’ have about What Makes someone Promotable.

December 28, 2015/in First Sun Blog/by First Sun Team

It’s the end of the year already, and it isn’t too late to show your boss that you’re worthy of a promotion. Maybe you’ve been holding down the same position for a few years and are ready to move up. Maybe your company is going through some internal shuffling and you’re expecting your dream job to open up. Or, maybe you’ve been disappointed a few too many times by other people getting promoted ahead of you.

Whatever the reason, you want to make certain now that you’re ready to move up. In other words, you need to make certain that your boss sees it that way.

“Be so good they can’t ignore you.” –Steve Martin

Anthony Greenwald at the University of Washington has studied bias more than just about anyone, and his research findings have major implications for your ability to get promoted. His recent studies showed that unconscious workplace biases tend to stay constant, and bosses follow these biases, whether they are aware of them or not.

“People are claiming that they can train away biases,” Greenwald says, “[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”][They’re] making those claims without evidence.”

When it comes to getting promoted, you want to present yourself in a way that feeds into the biases that bosses’ have about what makes someone promotable. You’re already doing the hard work, so why not frame your effort in such a way that it increases your chances of obtaining the position you want?

While this probably sounds a bit manipulative, there are several straightforward things that you can do to showcase your work and make certain that you’re promotable. The following five actions will appeal to your boss’s inherent biases about promotability, without you being disingenuous.

1. You stretch your boundaries

Anybody (well, almost anybody) can do what they’re told. To get promoted, you have to go above and beyond. Taking on additional responsibilities without being asked is not only a great way to demonstrate your work ethic, energy, and skills, but it also lets your boss know that you’re ready (and able) to expand your scope. When you take on more than the norm, your boss can’t help but think that you’re capable of a bigger role. This includes showing that you’re willing to take risks by making innovative suggestions.

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2. You aren’t too irreplaceable

Most people fail at this. Of course, performing at your highest level regardless of the position you’re in is always the best idea. The key here is not to be seen as the onlyperson capable of performing the necessary duties in the position that you want to move on from. If you do, your boss will conclude that promoting you isn’t worth the trouble (and risk) of finding someone to replace you.

The best way to find a balance between doing your best and showing that you’re ready for more is by developing other people. As tempting as it is to hoard knowledge, don’t. Instead, make certain that there are others who know how to do important aspects of your job. Plus, teaching is a critical leadership skill. So, in addition to alleviating concerns about finding your replacement, you’ll demonstrate that you can handle the responsibility that comes with a more advanced position.

3. You demonstrate emotional intelligence (EQ)

You might be able to get away with being a temperamental genius in entry-level positions, but you’ll never move past that without emotional intelligence. If you’re the type who’s prone to temper tantrums when things don’t go your way; losing your cool when people cross you; storming out of rooms, yelling; or going silent during conflict, you’re signaling to your boss that you don’t want a promotion.

No boss wants to be known as the guy or gal who promoted a short-fused person. Once you’re promoted, your behavior is a reflection of the judgment of the person who promoted you. Show your boss that you have enough self-awareness to acknowledge your weaknesses and to work to improve them. This will prove you’re capable. Emotional self-control is the result of hard work, not an inherent skill.

4. You speak the company’s language

Bosses appreciate vision more than anything. They love it when you see what could be useful to the company over the long term and tell them about it in language they understand. As you move up in any company, your choice of language becomes increasingly important. It’s no longer enough to simply be an expert at what you do; you have to demonstrate that you understand how the work you do serves the business.

That means learning the vocabulary of the executive team and your boss. Whether that’s KPIs, EBITA, profit margin, market share, failure rate, or what have you, know what the terms mean and why they’re important so that you can use them correctly when speaking with upper management. Speaking the right language will not only show that you’re interested in more than your current role, but it will also demonstrate your intelligence and fit within the company.

5. You aren’t afraid to ask for it

Not everybody wants to be promoted; some people are perfectly happy doing the same job for years on end. If you don’t tell your boss otherwise, he or she may assume that you’re one of them. When the time comes to show up in your boss’s office and say, “I’m interested in a promotion,” it’s important that you have something specific in mind—if not a specific job title, then at least a clear idea of what the responsibilities might include and how this ties in to your career goals. And, if the job requires skills you don’t have yet, outline your plan for acquiring them.

Bringing It All Together

You may not get the promotion you’re aiming for. If that happens, ask for feedback, but stay away from sour-grapes questions like “Why did you pick him and not me?” In fact, don’t speak about the person who got the promotion at all. Instead, ask which of the critical skills you lack and what you need to do to be ready for the next opportunity. Don’t argue; just listen, and ask thoughtful follow-up questions. Just make certain you follow through on the suggestions you’re given. If your boss suggests some things you can do to become more promotable and you don’t follow through, don’t expect to be considered the next time around.

Promotions don’t just happen, and they’re not a guaranteed result of high performance. That’s because you don’t get promoted as a reward for what you’ve already done. You get promoted because your boss thinks you have the potential to add more value in a larger role.

Forbes.com | December 28, 2015 | Travis Bradberry

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#Leadership: 10 Tips For Better Business Writing…“Clarity is the Most Important Characteristic of Good Business Writing,” – Mignon Fogarty

April 27, 2015/in First Sun Blog/by First Sun Team

The ubiquity of email means that everyone in business, from lords of finance to programmers who dream in code, needs to write intelligently. By using simple, clear, precise language, and following a few other basic writing rules, you can become a better communicator and improve the prospects for your career.

“Clarity is the most important characteristic of good business writing,” says Mignon Fogarty, creator of the “Grammar Girl Quick and Dirty Tips for Better Writing” podcast. “Often businesspeople will use big $10 words because they want to sound intelligent. Instead, they end up sounding like they’re trying too hard.”
Start by writing short, declarative sentences. Never use a long word where a short one will do. (No need to write “utilize” when “use” works just as well.) Be ruthless about self-editing; if you don’t need a word, cut it. Never use a foreign phrase, a scientific word, or any kind of jargon if you can think of an English equivalent. Regardless of how many times your managers ask you to “circle back,” or “move the needle forward,” take a stance against tired business jargon. These expressions may sound important, and like the official language of a club you’d like to join, but you will express yourself more clearly if you say what you mean in plain language.

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When you’re composing an email, make your point and move on. If your big idea isn’t in the first paragraph, put it there. If you can’t find it, rewrite. “Simplicity doesn’t mean simplicity of thought,” says Kara Blackburn, a lecturer in managerial communication at MIT Sloan School of Management. “Start by asking yourself what you want the person to do as a result of this email. Just asking yourself that question can make your communication much clearer.”

Be specific. Instead of mentioning “the current situation,” explain exactly what it is, whether it’s low company morale, or an SEC investigation.

Curb your enthusiasm. Avoid overusing exclamation points, regardless of how energized or friendly you might feel. Choose professional sign-offs like “Best” and “Regards” over the too-cute “xoxo.”

Whenever possible, use active instead of passive verbs. Active verbs help to energize your prose. Instead of writing, “The meeting was led by Tom,” write: “Tom led the meeting.” Use a straightforward sentence structure–subject, verb, object–that people can read quickly.

Choose pronouns wisely, and don’t be afraid to use “me.” “I often read versions of ‘Send the memo to Bob and myself,’” says Fogarty. “For some reason people think that ‘myself’ sounds more important or formal.” To avoid this mistake, Fogarty recommends thinking about how you would say the sentence if you removed mentions of other people. “Send the memo to me” sounds correct. If you add “Bob” to that clause, the “me” pronoun still works.

Beware of common grammatical mistakes. Know when to use “that” and “which.” “That” introduces essential information in what’s called a “restrictive clause.” “Which” introduces extra information in a “nonrestrictive clause.” Here’s an example: “I’m interested in speaking with you about our new product, which has the potential to increase sales.” The second clause provides extra information, and it isn’t essential to the first clause. Therefore, “which” is correct. In a sentence such as “Computers are the only products that we sell,” the clause “that we sell” is essential to the meaning of the sentence, so the correct word is “that.” You can’t remove the “that” clause without changing the meaning of the sentence.
Another common error is confusing “affect” and “effect.” Affect is a verb meaning “to influence.” “Effect” is a noun that means “result.” The weather affects our ability to travel, and it had a terrible effect on my flight to New York.

For more writing tips, consult classic books on writing and grammar, such as The Elements of Style, by William Strunk and E.B. White, The Associated Press Stylebook and The Chicago Manual of Style. On iTunes, download the “Grammar Girl Quick and Dirty Tips for Better Writing” free podcast. Happy writing.

This is an update of a story written by Helen Coster.

Forbes.com | April 27, 2015 | Susan Adams

Your Career: 7 Ways To Get Noticed At Work…“It’s about Results… And Likeability,”

April 8, 2015/in First Sun Blog/by First Sun Team

Over the course of my work as a career coach, I’ve had some exceptional clients. While I typically help eager job hunters get more clarity and job offers, I felt inspired to work with a young woman named Amy, who didn’t fit my usual profile.

Amy wasn’t concerned about landing a job, she was becoming increasingly concerned about getting ahead in her job. In her words, she’d been doing “everything” that was asked of her, but no one was acknowledging her efforts, let alone rewarding them. Meanwhile, other entry-level employees were flying past her with promotions and raises.

… Sound familiar?

We immediately got down to the specifics, assessing the culture and mission of Amy’s company. I learned that it was a small company with a very casual vibe, yet Amy couldn’t even get up the nerve to speak to the CEO when she saw her in the lunchroom. When I pointed out that her hesitation to communicate was hurting her chances of promotion, Amy was bewildered.

“It’s about results, right?” Amy asked.

“It’s about results… And likeability,” I shared.

How could Amy ever going to convince her colleagues that she cared about the business if she wouldn’t make any effort to engage with the people in it?

The truth is that the people who get promoted are doing more than just getting the work done. Studies show that how we value an employee’s competence changes according to how much we like or dislike that person.

In other words, being really good at your job isn’t enough.

For an employee to stand out, being likeable is a huge indicator for career success. The good news is that the biggest hindrance to likeability is apathy… This means you can change how others perceive you simply by making the choice to care.

There are steps you can take right now, regardless of your circumstances that will put you back on the promotion path, where you belong:

1. Take initiative. Are there any tasks that have been lingering on your boss’ to-do list for a few weeks? Have the office plants been calling out for water that everyone’s been too lazy to give them? A great way to get noticed is by taking on a project that no one wants to tackle, but that has to get done. I’ll never forget my last corporate job before becoming a career coach. One of my employees went out of her way to make a chart of the deliverables, and it just made my heart surge. It was a job that needed to be done but I hadn’t set aside any time for it, so when she took the initiative and presented it to me, it felt like Christmas morning!

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When you want to stand out at work use your job description as a starting point, not an end point.

2. Build rapport, everywhere. People who get big things done are people who know people, but the Amy’s of the world have a tendency to think that inter-office relationship building is too time-consuming and draining to be worthwhile. I teach hundreds of job hunters around the world the networking skills they need to create contacts out of thin air, and the truth is that it’s less complicated than people make it out to be. Start with a gesture: If you’re running out for Starbucks SBUX +1.03%, offer to pick up a latte for your coworker.

Networking is about kindness, mutual support and growth… Who’s in?

Every aspect of your professional life will improve if you get to know your colleagues and making them feel comfortable getting to know you. Once you’ve broken the ice, you won’t feel nearly as uncomfortable about initiating a conversation in the elevator.

3. Participate in the office’s extracurricular activities. Needless to say, I recommend minimizing the vodka cranberry cocktails during office happy hours, but know that the boundaries of good behavior don’t end with your sobriety. Back in my corporate life, I’ll never forget my company’s Halloween costume party, where a younger member of the team proudly showed up in an elaborately overdone get-up that was so tone-deaf and inappropriate. It distracted everyone else from enjoying the evening, and the mortified CEO “joked” that he’d never be able to take the employee seriously again.

The bottom line: When it comes to office events, never put more effort into your social persona than you’re putting into your professional persona, and when in doubt, always err on the side of maturity.

My colleague’s bad costume decision is undoubtedly going to show up in his bank account.

4. Do business development. Every organization has a bottom line, and if you’re bringing in new business opportunities, you will always be seen as an asset. It doesn’t matter if you’ve been hired for marketing; it’s all about contributing in a bigger way. This doesn’t mean you need to be a walking billboard for your employer, but you should maintain a keen awareness of the opportunities that surround you, whether you’re in a coffee line or a board meeting.

5. Be a team player. Sometimes you’re the star of the show, and sometimes you’re in the chorus. Being alert to your coworkers’ needs, and offering to help when their workload is overwhelming, is the best way to establish yourself as a team player.

You don’t need to be a martyr of self-sacrifice by staying late every single night to do someone else’s work, but stepping up without expecting any personal benefit will never go unnoticed or unappreciated.

6. Never talk smack. That’s the number one way to get noticed…and get fired. Your critiques may be spot-on and your impersonation of the boss might be the best in show, but don’t resort to gossip as a way of gaining popularity in the office.

It’s a universal truth that the person doing the trash talking always looks worse than the person who’s being trashed, even when the criticism is deserved. Stay above the fray at all costs.

7. Speak up. At 23 years old, I was hired to run a program for the Pentagon, and I’ll never forget my fear of speaking up as I sat in a sea of military leaders. The biggest shift in my career came when I took a quantum leap out of my comfort zone and started sharing my thoughts in staff meetings.

One day, they were trying to come up with a new approach for the program’s curriculum, and I sat there, mentally poking holes in all of their ideas. After they’d exhausted their options, I finally just let loose with my suggestions.

My input transformed the work we were doing, and my role on the team became more significant overnight.

It can be terrifying to put yourself out there, but the employee who’s still coming up with ideas long after the creativity fountain runs dry is a huge asset to any organization.

Over the course of a few months, Amy started to realize that having a voice in the workforce is like a muscle that grows stronger with frequent use. With each step forward, her self-consciousness loosened its grip and she became confident about seizing opportunities. She felt empowered to step up, regardless of whether it was to run a meeting or fix the copy machine.

The standout employees are the ones who behave like leaders, even when their title is Intern. The irony is that when you’re more focused on the results than the promotion, your title will change faster than you can even imagine.

If you don’t believe me, guess who’s now managing her company’s brand new office in London?

That would be—you guessed it—Amy.

Forbes.com | Arpil 3, 2015 | Ashley Stahl

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