The Exclusive Career Coach

A reminder that I’ve moved to a once-a-month webinar format, held on the third Thursday of the month at 4:00 p.m. Eastern. The topic is different each month, and I jam-pack them full of content. To learn about the next webinar: https://mastercoachwebinars.carrd.com Today, I want to drill down on ways to promote yourself as a SME on LinkedIn. Let’s start with why this is important: 1. If you are job searching, putting content on LI in your area of expertise will show potential employers that you are a thought leader in your field. 2. This can be a great tool for your company – instead of a hard sell on why you should buy a particular product or service, your expertise is much more interesting to others in your field, potential buyers, and potential future employees. You can really differentiate your company from the competition this way. 3. As you become known as a SME, recruiters will increasingly reach out to you. The optimal state is that you never go “in” and “out” of job search mode, but rather you are always having those conversations. I call it ARFO – Always Ready For Opportunity. 4. Your expertise can be repurposed for your employer – they may want to use it on the website, in videos, or social media posts. This is a win/win/win situation. Now that I’ve hopefully persuaded you of the reasons to position yourself as a SME, why LinkedIn? Here are three reasons: 1. It’s the most professional of the SM sites 2. LI is set up to also be your de facto blog 3. People will engage with professional content on LI – it’s one of the main reasons people use LI Finally, let’s get to the meat of this episode – how to promote yourself as a SME on LI. Here are my suggested steps: 1. Decide on your “why” – if you don’t know why you are doing this or your reason isn’t very strong, you’ll likely put it on the back burner when other things in your professional or personal life become more urgent. 2. Create a strategy. How often will you post? What will you post each time? Here’s an example for someone in HR: Mondays – Original content around a basic concept in Human Resources Wednesdays – Share someone else’s article and comment on it Fridays – Create engagement around a question or idea and ask other HR professionals to give input 3. Calendar everything.You’ll need time to create the posts and associated artwork, time to post (I would recommend Hootsuite’s free version). Although you can’t really calendar in time to respond to comments on your posts, you’ll want to keep an eye on this so you keep the conversations going. 4. Periodically shake things up. I do this in my business once a quarter. I look at a) what kind of content I’m putting out on my various channels, and b) what days I’m putting that content out. By shaking things up every three months, I am hopefully doing the same thing grocery stores do when they move product to another part of the store. The shoppers now have to actually look for what they want…and who knows what they might find along the way. Also, you may find that some kinds of posts get far more engagement than others, so either eliminate the less effective or think of a way to tweak it to get more eyes on your content. Here are some specific types of posts you may want to consider: 1. Share expertise around a hot topic in your field 2. Pose thought-provoking questions 3. Share a problem you’ve solved and how you solved it 4. Share what your company is doing to address a problem 5. Post thought-provoking statistics relevant to your field or industry 6. Post relevant quotes from industry leaders 7. Share upcoming trainings, certifications, or other professional development opportunities 8. Align yourself with thought leaders in your field by posting a quote and expanding on it 9. Post about an award your company, a leader in your company, or you have received Are you in the wrong job that chips away at you every day? The CareerSpring coaching program will help you find a job that uses your zone of genius, recognizes your value, and pays you what you’re worth. Schedule a complimentary consult to learn more: https://calendly.com/lesaedwards/zoom-meetings2 #careermanagement #LinkedIntips #careercoach #careercoaching #SME  

Today my guest is Ed Evarts, author of “Driving Your Career.” We talk about ways to take responsibility for your own career success. Ed is a leadership coach, business strategist, and podcaster with Excellius Leadership Development (excellius.com). Reach out to Ed at ed@excellius.com or find him on LinkedIn. Are you in the wrong job that chips away at you every day? The CareerSpring coaching program will help you find a job that uses your zone of genius, recognizes your value, and pays you what you’re worth. Schedule a complimentary consult to learn more: https://calendly.com/lesaedwards/zoom-meetings2#careermanagement #careercoach #careercoaching #careers

I wanted to let you know that I’ve moved to a once-a-month webinar format, held on the third Thursday of the month at 4:00 p.m. Eastern. The topic is different each month, and I jam-pack them full of content.To learn about the next webinar: https://mastercoachwebinars.carrd.comI’m a huge fan of Brené Brown’s work, and I love her concept of FFTs. If you’ve been listening to this podcast for a while, you know that I don’t say anything that wouldn’t be suitable for all audiences, so I’ll start by saying that FFTs stands for “F’ing First Time.”Brené talks about FFTs in the framework of doing something new. Of challenging ourselves…of evolving to the next level in our development as a human.Which got me thinking…what do FFTs look like in the framework of our jobs? When we are given a new task…asked to work in a new way…learn a new skill?Here are her five steps for FFTs; I want to break each down for you:1.    Name it2. Develop perspective3. Adjust expectations4. Build in rest & recovery5. Get in top FFT shape1. Name itLet’s say you have been given a huge new assignment at work with gigantic implications. You feel completely unprepared for this level of responsibility – you have, after all, only managed small teams and small budgets before. For the Name It phase, it is important to name the “newness” of this new responsibility. Your list might look something like this:-There will be 15 people on my team, and I’ve never managed more than 2 people before-This budget is 4X larger than the most I’ve ever managed-There is so much riding on the success of this project-I don’t know why they thought I could do this-I’m afraid I’ll fail and lose my jobThe important thing here is that you are bringing the monsters out into the light. The first step in neutralizing fear is to recognize the source of that fear.2. Develop perspectiveIf you have never done something before, it’s natural to believe you aren’t qualified and may fail. The point in this step is to think through things like:-Worst-case scenario-Taking stock of what you do bring to the table-Recognizing the faith someone has put in you by assigning this task to youIt’s a very useful exercise to think about “what if I do fail and get fired?” Not because you are planning to fail and get fired, but because you’ll see that this worst-case scenario isn’t the end of the world.By taking stock in what you bring to this project, you are hopefully focusing on your strengths rather than what you DON’T have. This should help you reinforce your self-belief.If you don’t believe in yourself at this moment, it can be helpful to “borrow” the faith of the person who has entrusted you with this project. For that matter, who are your cheerleaders – those who believe in you no matter what? Spend time around those people so you can siphon off some of their belief in you.3. Adjust expectations. Is 100% success, with no hiccups, a realistic expectation for this project? Probably not.It is important to find the perfect balance between believing in yourself and being realistic about what you are being asked to do.Perhaps setting a goal to complete the projects within 10% of budget is reasonable. Sure, you’d like perfection – but at what cost? The project might actually be better – and stay on time – by allowing for some errors and mistakes.You may also need to adjust expectations with your boss. If you have realistically assessed the project scope and know you can’t do it without 2 more project members, then ASK for what you need.You will also want to adjust expectations with the other project members. How will success be measured? When should they come to you for help? How will you support them? Make sure everyone involved is reading off the same sheet of music.4. Build in rest & recovery.FFTs wear us out. We’re using new muscles, our brain is working in new ways, we’re interacting with new people, and making new kinds of decisions daily.FFTs require rest & recovery. Depending on the FFT, this could mean daily R&R, time off mid-project, or a vacation afterward.Don’t ignore your needs…this is a marathon, not a sprint. Be kind to yourself. 5. Get into top FFT shape. There are things you can do right before you begin something new, such as reading up on how to do the new task, rearranging your schedule so everything else in your life is under control, asking for help at home or at work, or simply getting a good night’s sleep.Other ways of getting into top FFT shape might take longer and will require you to anticipate your needs. If, for example, you want to start managing projects, what class or certification can you start now to be better prepared?A good way to anticipate your FFT needs is to meet with your boss on another, more senior person in your company. Tell them your professional goals and ask for their input into how you can begin preparing to take on new roles, responsibilities, and leadership now.If you are mid-project and realize you aren’t in top FFT shape, there are strategies to address this as well. For example, if you realize there’s a skill gap in your team, you might choose to read up on that skill, ask others about that skill, or ask your boss for a SME to step in to help with that skill. There will always been unanticipated “hiccups” in FFTs, so your ability to make mid-course corrections will be essential.Are you in the wrong job that chips away at you every day? The CareerSpring coaching program will help you find a job that uses your zone of genius, recognizes your value, and pays you what you’re worth.Schedule a complimentary consult to learn more: https://calendly.com/lesaedwards/zoom-meetings2

Our topic today is 7 Raise Rules for Women Who Want to Make More Money, with Laura Browne. Men and women approach salary issues very differently, and Laura and I dive into these differences and how women can ask for what they want. Laura provides us with some of her best tips for asking for a raise and negotiating a salary and compensation package. Laura Browne helps women to make more money at work. She is the author of 10 books, including her newest, Increase Your Income: 7 Rules for Women Who Want to Make More Money at Work.She is a contributor to Forbes and has been quoted as a business expert in major publications including Cosmopolitan, Family Circle and USA Today.She has trained high-potential female leaders from Fortune 1000 companies to be more successful through WOMEN Unlimited. She also has experience in leadership and management development for global tech companies. Laura is a High-Performance Business Coach with certification from Columbia University.To find out more about her programs and to see a free video on How to Get A Raise at Work, go to https://learn.careertipsforwomen.comFor a list of 15 Common Raise Mistakes and How to Fix Or Avoid them go to https://www.careertipsforwomen.com/You can contact Laura at Laura.browne@CareerTipsForWomen.com Are you in the wrong job that chips away at you every day? The CareerSpring coaching program will help you find a job that uses your zone of genius, recognizes your value, and pays you what you’re worth. Schedule a complimentary consult to learn more: https://calendly.com/lesaedwards/zoom-meetings2#jobsearch #jobsearchcoach #jobsearchcoaching #career #salarynegotiation #careermanagement #careercoach #careercoaching

This week, I want to talk about how to wrap up a job interview and what you’ll want to do after the interview to increase your chances of getting the job.At the close of the interviewHere are the three things you must do at the close of each interview:1. Thank them for their time2.    Re-state your interest in the position, if applicable3.    Determine the next step(s) in the hiring processWithin 24 hours after the interview1. Send thank you emails2.    Send any additional information requested by the interviewer, or that you mentioned during the interview3.    Send any supplemental information that might assist with the hiring decision, such as work samples, document, etc.4.    Connect with the interviewer(s) on LinkedIn if you haven’t alreadyOngoing contactIt can sometimes be weeks, or even months, before a final decision is made. In the meantime, how do you stay in contact with companies you’ve interviewed with and are very interested in?1. Periodically check in with your primary contact – depending on the circumstance, weekly or every other week is appropriate.2.    Send information about the company or the contact when you can – but don’t overdo it.3.    Let them know of any new achievements, credentials, etc.4.    Let them know if you receive another offer so they have the opportunity to counter.The Document & Coaching Package is designed for current job seekers who want world-class marketing documents, a targeted, proactive job search strategy that gets results, and skill-building around how to network, interview, and negotiate compensation. To learn more or to schedule a consult, visit my website at https://theexclusivecareer.com/doccoach or email me at lesa@theexclusivecareer.com. 

Today, my guest is Carson Tate of workingsimply.com, and we’re talking about our work relationships. Carson is an employee engagement expert, and we talk about why relationships at work are so important. She also gives us tips for re-engaging with our coworkers now that many of us are going back in the office. She shares with us the “Platinum Rule” and how that applies to our work relationships and the indicators that our relationships at work are suffering. Carson walks us through SCARF threats – all of which, when triggered, can send us into fight or flight.“According to Gallup, people who have a friend at work are happier, more productive, and more engaged,” says Carson Tate. Carson serves as a consultant, coach, and trainer to executives at Fortune 500 companies including AbbVie, Deloitte, FedEx and Wells Fargo. The author of Work Simply: Embracing the Power of Your Personal Productivity Style (Penguin Portfolio, 2015), her views have been included in top-tier business media including Bloomberg Businessweek, Business Insider, CBS Money Watch, Fast Company, Forbes, Harvard Business Review blog, The New York Times, USA Today, Working Mother and more. Reach out to Carson at workingsimply.com or on connect with her on LinkedIn. Are you in the wrong job that chips away at you every day? The CareerSpring coaching program will help you find a job that uses your zone of genius, recognizes your value, and pays you what you’re worth.Schedule a complimentary consult to learn more: https://calendly.com/lesaedwards/zoom-meetings2

 We’d love to think that everything is back to “normal,” and all our pandemic-related stresses and frustrations are behind us. THIS ISN’T TRUE.Whether we are dealing with returning to work, navigating a return to normal with our significant others or children, or rethinking our career path, many of use are still dealing with COVID-related fatigue. My return guest, Jane Springer, is a life and wellness coach. She and I discuss what we’re seeing with our clients and how we are helping them navigate the world in 2021. Jane is a Certified Life and Wellness Coach focusing on empowering women who are 50+ years of age to move beyond their challenges to live life on their own terms. Jane uses her own experiences with divorce, remarriage, and overcoming chronic fatigue to create strategies that guide women to fulfilling relationships, improved health, increased happiness, and enhanced self-confidence. Check out Jane’s website and take her “Are You a Woman of Faith Ready for Love?” quiz at www.janespringer.com/lovequizIf you’re struggling to return to normal, Jane offers “Feel Better, Look Good, & Gain Confidence in Seven Steps” www.janespringer.com/feelbetterAre you in the wrong job that chips away at you every day? The CareerSpring coaching program will help you find a job that uses your zone of genius, recognizes your value, and pays you what you’re worth. Schedule a complimentary consult to learn more: https://calendly.com/lesaedwards/zoom-meetings2  

Today, my guest is Heather Younger, author of The Art of Caring Leadership. In addition to being a best-selling author, Heather is an international speaker, consultant, and facilitator. She is the CEO and founder of Employee Fanatix, an employee engagement, leadership development, and DEI consulting firm.Heather Younger is the host of the Leadership with Heart podcast, and has been featured in Forbes, Huffpost, and SHRM’s All Things Work Podcast. Check out Heather’s website: www.theartofcaringleadership.comIn this episode, Heather and I talk about the six areas of self-leadership from her book and why it is so important to lead yourself before you can effectively lead others. Are you in the wrong job that chips away at you every day? The CareerSpring coaching program will help you find a job that uses your zone of genius, recognizes your value, and pays you what you’re worth. Schedule a complimentary consult to learn more: https://calendly.com/lesaedwards/zoom-meetings2

In episode #177, I talked about overcoming your fear of networking. Today’s podcast will be strategies that you may not have thought of to either jumpstart your networking, or to take what you are already doing to the next level. Before I dive into the seven strategies, there are three points I want to make for the one millionth time: 1. Networking is how jobs are gotten2. There is the Tommy Gun approach and the Bow-and-Arrow approach – I teach my clients the Bow-and-Arrow approach3. Your goal with any networking is to give at least as much value as you getStrategy #1: LinkedIn (the obvious choice) Set a goal of messaging X# of your contacts in LinkedIn each day Move to a Zoom meeting when appropriate Have a specific ask AND be open to ideas the other person hasStrategy #2: Meetup Find a few groups on Meetup that are active right now, and give them a try Join groups based on hobbies, passions, beliefs, etc. Let the other members know of your job search – in specific terms Meet 1:1 outside of Meetup as appropriate Strategy #3: Rotary, Kiwanis, Chamber meetings, etc. Google “Rotary chapters near me” or “Chamber of Commerce” Attend a few meetings to determine if you would like to join Take advantage of any opportunity to introduce yourself and let them know about your job search Move to 1:1 meetings as appropriateStrategy #4: FB Events tab, Eventbrite Most things are still virtual, but there may be some live events in your area that you would feel safe attending Take advantage of any opportunity to introduce yourself and let them know of your job search Schedule 1:1 meetings as appropriateStrategy #5: Your place of worship Determine your best opportunity for interacting with people – is it prior to the service? In small group meetings? Sunday school? Take advantage of any opportunity to let them know you are job searching Schedule 1:1 meetings as appropriate Strategy #6: Your university alumni association Do your homework to find out what your alma mater offers as a member of the alumni association Get involved in ways that are appropriate and meaningful for you Take advantage of any opportunity to introduce yourself and let the others know of your job search Schedule 1:1 meetings as appropriateStrategy #7: Create your own networking group! Decide how to proceed, based on your network and SM reach Make sure you have the proper technology, i.e. paid Zoom account or external camera Be very clear in your messaging – if this is not your strength, who could help you with this? Be consistent, follow up and follow through – everything you do in this regard will be a reflection of your professionalism and work ethicAre you in the wrong job that chips away at you every day? The CareerSpring coaching program will help you find a job that uses your zone of genius, recognizes your value, and pays you what you’re worth. Schedule a complimentary consult to learn more: https://calendly.com/lesaedwards/zoom-meetings2

My guest today is Jen Ngozi, founder of NetWerk®, a global women in leadership organization and movement on a mission to help everyday women worldwide build the community, confidence, and skills needed to become leaders. Since their launch, Jen has grown NetWerk® from her basement to a global community of instructors, members and over 20,000 NetWerkHERS worldwide.Jen has spoken at events with the United Nations, Vogue and Create & Cultivate. She has been seen in HuffPost, Weight Watchers, Thrive Global, ABC, NBC, Fox News and more.In today’s episode, Jen provides the listeners with invaluable tips to STOP apologizing for everything and how to communicate like a leader.Check out NetWerk at netwerkmovement.comAre you in the wrong job that chips away at you every day? The CareerSpring coaching program will help you find a job that uses your zone of genius, recognizes your value, and pays you what you’re worth.Schedule a complimentary consult to learn more: https://calendly.com/lesaedwards/zoom-meetings2