On Being Inadequate

On Being Inadequate Im trying to figure out how to write this without sounding like a loser, but I think that a lot of my readers will relate to this. Just some personal experiences The first network meeting I went to was like the one I went to last night, and each one in-between. I drive to the event with a billion things on my mind (and a little guilt for doing it during family time (as many of these events are after hours, so I miss dinner, etc.). Once I find a parking space I begin to think What am I doing here?? I dont need to be here. Im not going to help anyone, and no one will really be interested in what I do! And this doubt that creeps in makes me feel a little anxious about going into a room full of people that I dont know. I know that Im not there for the *great* catered food, or to talk with people that I may know already and have an established relationship. I have a purpose, and that is to develop some new relationships (I can strengthen the current relationships quickly and then do it in a different setting later). Im working on getting breadth or depth in my network! But initially, as I go through the doors, I feel very inadequate. And I am not lacking in experience, education or even cool stuff to talk about. Im not someone that you would consider shy. But I feel inadequate. I am guessing that Im not the only one that wonders why they are there, or if it is worth their time (before they go in). But Ill tell you this, of the dozens and dozens of events that Ive been to since I got laid off, there were only two that I wont go to again, and those were low-end job fairs. There was a lot of hype around the fairs but the quality of people there was lower than I expected, and I wont be going back. Every other networking event that Ive gone to has been excellent. Not because the organizers have coordinated such a great environment (which helps a ton) but because once I did go through the doors heres the secret I was myself. And I met new, cool people. And that has led to some lunches, and deeper relationships. Last night someone I admire and respect a lot was chatting with someone, and he saw me and said hey, heres my good friend Jason. That is how it happens. Youre there to become good friends with people. And those people will introduce you to their circle of good friends. I guess being nervous is natural, but dont let that deter you from going in and meeting new people. Whether you are a working professional or not, these relationships can contribute to your career, and should contribute to your personal happiness. Next time you are feeling inadequate, remember that you arent the only one, and GO ANYWAY. On Being Inadequate Im trying to figure out how to write this without sounding like a loser, but I think that a lot of my readers will relate to this. Just some personal experiences The first network meeting I went to was like the one I went to last night, and each one in-between. I drive to the event with a billion things on my mind (and a little guilt for doing it during family time (as many of these events are after hours, so I miss dinner, etc.). Once I find a parking space I begin to think What am I doing here?? I dont need to be here. Im not going to help anyone, and no one will really be interested in what I do! And this doubt that creeps in makes me feel a little anxious about going into a room full of people that I dont know. I know that Im not there for the *great* catered food, or to talk with people that I may know already and have an established relationship. I have a purpose, and that is to develop some new relationships (I can strengthen the current relationships quickly and then do it in a different setting later). Im working on getting breadth or depth in my network! But initially, as I go through the doors, I feel very inadequate. And I am not lacking in experience, education or even cool stuff to talk about. Im not someone that you would consider shy. But I feel inadequate. I am guessing that Im not the only one that wonders why they are there, or if it is worth their time (before they go in). But Ill tell you this, of the dozens and dozens of events that Ive been to since I got laid off, there were only two that I wont go to again, and those were low-end job fairs. There was a lot of hype around the fairs but the quality of people there was lower than I expected, and I wont be going back. Every other networking event that Ive gone to has been excellent. Not because the organizers have coordinated such a great environment (which helps a ton) but because once I did go through the doors heres the secret I was myself. And I met new, cool people. And that has led to some lunches, and deeper relationships. Last night someone I admire and respect a lot was chatting with someone, and he saw me and said hey, heres my good friend Jason. That is how it happens. Youre there to become good friends with people. And those people will introduce you to their circle of good friends. I guess being nervous is natural, but dont let that deter you from going in and meeting new people. Whether you are a working professional or not, these relationships can contribute to your career, and should contribute to your personal happiness. Next time you are feeling inadequate, remember that you arent the only one, and GO ANYWAY.

Writers Block Try The Hemingway Solution!

Writers Block Try The Hemingway Solution! Some days,  writers block kicks in and the screen and I have a stare down.  It usually wins, and I take a break until my creative juices start to flow.  Turns out, it might be helpful if some other juices flowed, too.  There could be good reason to add becoming a wine aficionado to your schedule of professional development. When you remember all those times on the dance floor busting out moves you can in no way duplicate, this shouldnt be a surprise.  And if you have any memories, vague or otherwise, of things youd never dare do when sober, theres surely some validity.  Because courage, bottled or other, gets us to try things and engage in levels of creativity we wouldnt attempt in the light of sobriety.  Okay, I admit it, this has its limitations.  But moderation in all things, my parents taught me. Medical Daily and a study   called  â€œUncorking the Muse: Alcohol Intoxication Facilitates Creative Problem Solving” looked at all this in detail.  The results were pretty conclusive.  To quote Medical Daily: Ad men, musicians, and writers all do it. Drinking alcohol and creating things just seems to go together, and theres scientific proof behind it. Further, theres the problem with the stress that accompanies writers block.  You know the stress of feeling you just have to get something written, but nothing is coming out.  And the more you stress, the less seems to come.  Until theres not much more than a blank fuzziness in your brain.  Yes, the more you stress about it the less the liklihood youre going to produce anything.  The Lit Reactor (as in literature) examined the nuts and bolts of stress and creativity and found  high stress and pressure tended to kill creativity. More recently,  The Expert Editor   put all that together in a neatly summarized graphic, which is below.  Since their conclusion includes the importance of editing with mass doses of coffee, Im buying it pretty much completely.  And some more wine! Images: Main

Career Confession Im underpaid.

Career Confession I’m underpaid. Dear world, I am an underpaid employee. I don’t like it. I have to suck it up. Sincerely, Poorest Meghan Yep. I said it. I work way too hard for the teeny paycheck I receive every other week. I have to submit a daily timesheet detailing how many hours I spent working for each of my clients, so I know exactly how many hours I pump out without seeing any pennies in return. The big kicker? It’s life. It sucks and it’s frustrating, but we have to pay our dues (no pun intended). What sucks even more is that I’m probably getting paid the average salary for someone my age and with my level of experience. As a 23-year-old first-jobber, I have learned to accept that I’ll probably always think I’m underpaid and I should be grateful that I have a job with a paycheck all together. Can I afford to go shopping every weekend? No. But I can afford to pay my own bills. Over the past two years of working in the same office, I’ve seen four coworkers at my level come and go. Reasons for leaving included not liking the type of work, wanting to go back to school, etc., but they all claimed to not make enough money. While that may be true, leaving the job entirely seems to be a little bit of a cop-out to me. If you really think you’re underpaid and deserve a salary increase, the first step in fixing the issue is talking to your employer about it â€" not running away. If you’re a problem runner, you’re just adding to the “entitled generation” population.  And you’re killin’ me, man! Here are a few things you can do to ensure you’re in a good position to talk to your employer about a salary increase: Check the market. Glassdoor is a great way to find out what other people in your position are making at other companies. If your salary is not competitive in the market, that’s a big sign. Keep track of your time. If you don’t have to keep track of your time at work, start now. This will help you prove your worth when talking to your employer. Reflect on your work performance. Be sure that when you are counting those hours, you’re putting in 100 percent effort. Slacking off won’t go unnoticed and could be a cause for not getting that raise. Highlight your work. Just like in a review, be prepared to speak about all the successes you’ve had since you started at the company or received your last raise. Know your rights as an employee.  It always pays to  understand employment law. Not just in terms of compensation and benefits but also matters that are way beyond your control. Hopefully your employer has already seen the great effort you put into the job every day and is working on increasing your salary, but we have to remember that they’re also trying to keep track of a lot of other employees. You have to be your biggest cheerleader, or you may slip through the cracks. If you truly deserve a salary increase, you shouldn’t be hesitant to ask for what you deserve.

The Secret to Focusing Your Job Search

The Secret to Focusing Your Job Search When looking for a job you cannot afford to focus on more than one specific area of opportunity. Most of us have a range of things we like to do, and are good at, and â€" often â€" have done. Sadly, that does not help in terms of finding a job. If you go to market with an unfocused strategy you will come across as though you are lacking clarity and focus on what you want to do â€" and hence find it hard to land the role you want. You’ll be going to agencies and employers sending out the message â€" ‘hey look at me, I can do a whole range of work and stuff!’ â€" and you’ll be unlikely to succeed in your job search. Find the ideal position So instead â€" you need to find the one possible position that you will be ideally suited to. You have to work at exploring your capabilities, your connections and networks, and â€" using your creativity â€" design the ideal position for you. Work out what you actually want to do and get clear about why you want it and why you’re right for that job. We help people do this every day and we know that this is the essential first step in securing your next career move. One target So, what one target are you going to concentrate on in terms of your search? In order to find a new job â€" not just any job, but your next career move â€" it is crucial to focus on one target. That’s because if you communicate that you are looking for a particular job, the person you are talking to â€" whether it’s someone in your network, a potential employer or a recruiter â€" can then use their knowledge of the world to assist you. They might offer you strategic advice, or analytical help, or access to their network. Whatever it is, it will be valuable, and is only available if you communicate specific and focused messages to them. Do your research How much do you actually know about your target area of opportunity? Once you know your target area of opportunity, you need to research it and get to understand it deeply. Who are the key players in the industry, sector or company? Is the target area of opportunity growing or shrinking? Who in your existing network can you talk to about what is actually happening now in the target area of opportunity, so that you can position yourself as a person uniquely qualified to offer value to potential employers? What unseen advantage do you have, that this research will enable you to play up so that you become irresistible to your target employer? What value do you bring What value does this opportunity bring you, and you bring it? Once you have established your value to the target employer, everything becomes easier. You can now take an active role in securing a job. Now go for it You can arrange to meet potential employers, and since your communication with them will be clear and compelling, they will recognise you as a person they want to â€" indeed, at times, have to â€" employ. In our experience, once that happens, a job offer and the next step in your career will come naturally. Related: How To Rekindle Your Job Search Fire. Nisa Chitakasem is the founder of Position Ignition â€" a careers company dedicating to taking you to the next step in your career. Nisa is passionate about helping individuals find the right career path for them whether it involves finding a more rewarding career, making a career change, figuring out the right career plan or being creative about career directions. Follow Nisa at  @PosIgnition.  Image: Shutterstock.

Top 4 Traits for Wildly Successful Managers

Top 4 Traits for Wildly Successful Managers If you’re focusing on working your way to the top, it’s important that you know what to do when you get there. Not all managers are created equal, and becoming a good one requires time, patience and a willingness to learn.While your management style may be very different from that of other managers in your firm, there are four traits that all truly remarkable managers share. You’ll need to learn and live them if you want to be one of the best.1. They PraiseevalEven if it’s not within your power to give raises, you can motivate those under you with praise and respect. All good managers do. Most people work hard and want to do a good job, but they also want to be recognized for it.Time and again, businesses watch people reach amazing heights when lifted and appreciated while watching gifted workers wither as their achievements go unrecognized.No matter how many times this drama plays out, however, there are still mangers who refuse to see that achievement and appreciation go ha nd-in-hand. Don’t be one of them.2. They Delegate WellDelegating tasks is about more than simply getting them off your plate by shoving them onto someone else’s. Great managers delegate well, assigning tasks to the employees who are most qualified to perform them.Good managers also make an effort to match employees with jobs they enjoy. This lowers stress levels and makes work more pleasant for everyone.Tasks that no one likes should be divided fairly and equitably so that no one individual feels as though they are being punished or dumped on unfairly. Good delegating skills go a long way toward creating a cohesive team environment.3. They Communicate ClearlyCommunication skills are something that you will learn to work on while earning an online MBA degree. Like all skills, however, it takes practice. Clearly outline your expectations for a project at the outset and keep your instructions short and clear.evalYour team will never accomplish goals they don’t understand. Drop th e flowery speech and corporate buzzwords in favor of practical, actionable guidance.4. They Value Effective over EfficientEfficiency is important, but successful managers know effectiveness is king. In the past, companies have spent millions of dollars studying their workers closely and developing best practices of how they should move and work to be as efficient as possible.Unfortunately, this practice led to micromanagement and unhappy employees who weren’t very effective.Maybe a salesperson writing handwritten thank you notes to prospects isn’t as efficient as sending a form letter, but it’s likely much more effective. Good managers emphasize effectiveness over efficiency and allow their employees to work in the way that best suits them while prioritizing results.evalGreat managers are leaders, cheerleaders and coaches rather than rabid dictators. As is true in so many parts of life, the key to being a good manager is simply to treat others the way you would want to be trea ted. It’s simple advice, but a concept that is oft forgotten and overlooked