Career Corner: Some Advice

It has been a minute since I’ve provided any sort of career advice!

Something I’ve been working on in my own career journey lately is making myself a differentiator. What that means is what can you do to make yourself stand out at work so that when it is time for raises, promotions, and bonuses - you are at the forefront of management’s mind?

Here’s what I’m doing.

Master your role

First and foremost you need to be a master of your role. This should be your number one priority at all times. You cannot expect to be rewarded for anything until you know how to excel at what you’re paid to do. Additionally, any networking you’ve done, any side projects, none of those matter if you are only mediocre at the job. Be the best at what your roles and responsibilities are before anything else. That is your brand.

Next Level

Once you’re completely mastered your current role, look to what the next step responsibilities are and start mastering those. For example, if a promotion for you means managing others, start to be a leader on your team. Support others, provide growth opportunities, share feedback. Become someone that is a resource for the rest of the team. Be seen as a leader among your peers.

Learn Learn Learn

Never stop learning. If your company provides growth training or opportunities to attend conferences, take them. I work in tech. I am constantly having to reeducate myself on our technologies and solutions as well as teach myself about the ever changing new tech in the world. Never ever get comfortable in thinking that you are an expert. There is always something more to learn.

Differentiate

Figure out an area that your company or team is lacking and provide solutions for growth. Showcase the skills you have that can fill this void. I am passionate about hospitality and creating one of a kind experiences. I work at a company with endless resources to accomplish this. So I’ve challenged myself to go the extra mile and provide next level experiences for our customers.

Network

Always be networking. But effectively. It’s about who you know, but it’s also about the relationships that are authentic. And back to number one, the best networking you can do is be great at your job. You will get noticed when your brand is associated with excellence. It’s also about making meaningful connections. Don’t always look for the highest ranking person in the room, they truly rarely have time for you (rightfully so). Get to know people in the room that can provide a mutually beneficial relationship and that can teach you something. Be respectful of their time. Be authentic. Don’t be someone who only reaches out because they need something. Networking shouldn’t be a forced fake interaction. It should be real and make sense for two people.

It seems simple, but that’s a lot of things to put in place. Put the work in. Be a good person. Go above and beyond. Be authentic. And when it’s your time, give back to the next generation.

Good luck out there sequins!

OOO

I am currently on the tail end of a two week vacation in Europe. I’m OOO, truly, madly, deeply, OOO. I’m not checking emails, I’m not answering pings, I am logged off and logged into my best me.

My entire adult life I have worked to this point.

I’d vacationed before but never had the balance nor support of my organization to truly log off. Sure, last year I was transitioning roles so there was literally no work for me to do - but had I not been in that weird limbo, I’d have been expected to be somewhat logged on.

But I’m on day 14 of being totally, completely, blissfully OOO.

I’ve traveled all over three countries, eaten all of the food, had all of the wine, and spent time being fully present in the culture I’ve immersed myself in.

And it has me thinking.

Why wait to disappear to Europe to go OOO?

Truly, if my company is providing a supportive environment - and it is - why shouldn’t I log off more?

So I’m going to.

Upon my return, I’m going to make a conscious effort to log off and go OOO whenever possible. Friday at 5, don’t call, don’t write, I’m turning work off.

Work is all consuming when you let it. The truth is, most of us aren’t saving lives. We have the ability to set a standard and say no, I’m taking this time to be fully present in my life and what that entails right now. Do so.

Stop complaining about it and do it. If your current career path doesn’t allow for that, grind until it does. Find the right fit for you because it does exist.

Work is amazing and I’m really thankful that I feel what I do does impact the world, but at the end of this whole life cycle, I want to be able to remember the moments I was OOO. I want to remember eating, drinking, laughing, smiling with the people who are most important to me.

I was to be so wrapped up in my OOO experience that on my death bed, I can physically sense every amazing experience I’ve been lucky enough to have.

What do you want to remember?

Career Corner: Playing Nice

We all know the worst part about working is often the people. When you’re working in an office you’ve got to interact with so many different types of people in a day and its exhausting. But you’re at work, so you can’t tell Susan in accounting to go fuck herself. You’ve got to play nice.

As kids we were taught basic skills like keep your hands to yourself. Be nice. Really working as an adult is the same thing. You can’t touch anyone and you’ve got to find a way to not be an asshole. It’s just harder as an adult. The days are longer. Carol in sales is so annoying. Jim in marketing? Nobody cares about your frat lifestyle at 35 bro.

I wish this was the blog where I tell you, who cares, be a jerk, tell everyone off, it’s fine! Your career won’t suffer, it’s a big bold move! It’s not. You unfortunately have to play the game. You’ve got to play nice.

Here’s how we are going to get through this together:

1.       Accept it

You have to stop making excuses or justifying any bad behavior. Accept that being an adult in the workplace means playing nice. There’s no way around it. Even if you work from home, you’ve got to put on the nice voice on the phone. Just know the rules and understand there’s no way out.

2.       Treat Everyone with Respect

The basic rule is that everyone deserves respect. Whether you like it or not, you can’t be disrespectful. If someone is being blatantly disrespectful to you, have that conversation with the appropriate parties, but you can’t be an ass because someone else is. There’s a decorum and you’ve got to show respect

3.       Have the Conversation

If someone isn’t being nice to you, talk to them. Or talk to HR. Stop the problem before it starts. Don’t allow it to fester and don’t allow it to create some dramatic situation. Don’t gossip about it. Nip it in the bud. And if it’s truly just ridiculous, let it go. Some people are petty. Wish them well and move on.

4.       Check In

Give yourself a review. I think sometimes we get so caught up in our own work so we forget to check in and see if we are in fact being a nice person to work with. Not everyone has to like you but they shouldn’t feel disrespected by you or that you’re cruel. Always make time to check in with the people around you – especially during stressful times.

5.       Be Realistic

Look sometimes you’re going to snap. Sometimes you’re going to make that rude sarcastic comment. It happens. Be humble. Apologize when you need to. And let it go when its just not that big of a deal. Nobody is perfect. Aim to be kind but with the knowledge that sometimes you’re grumpy.

I’m the queen of the sarcastic dry humor. I like to poke fun at people. 98% of the time I’m sugar and sweet, but that 2% spice, that’s some extra shit that almost negates the 98% that was an angel. So realistically, this piece was probably for me. I get the struggles it takes to be nice sometimes. Especially when people are idiots. However, and this is critical, in the 3 million jobs I’ve had – I have learned that when you are nice, it makes the whole experience a lot better.

And if you’re still rolling your eyes, think of how small the world is. Especially the job industry. Chances are, somebody knows somebody. So, if you’re an asshole, eventually someone somewhere is going to remember that. And they’re going to say something. And it’s going to keep you from getting hired somewhere. I’ve seen it happen so many times. The world is a hell of a lot smaller than you think!

What have we learned today? Play nice. It’s good karma. It’s important for your career. And it’s incredible for your mental health and happiness at the office.

Career Corner: Personal Training

In every career you should exhibit a bit of personal training (AKA always be learning).  Not every company mandates that you participate in consistent career training and not every company even has resources available for you to take advantage of.  However, this doesn't mean you just stop learning, growing, and staying current.  The moment you stop your personal training is the moment you start becoming irrelevant.

Research

Most of our industries are constantly evolving.  There are new procedures, data, new players - a wealth of "new" to keep up with.  It's on you to stay up to date on what's happening in your world and be able to incorporate it into your everyday skill set and knowledge.  How?

• Subscribe to a journal relevant to what you do
• Google: seriously, google your industry and read what pops up in the news
• Check out which companies are winning awards and look at what they're doing

Network

Continue to grow and expand your network within and outside of your industry.  Talk to your clients and colleagues and get their input.  Engage with your circle by asking for feedback as well as to ask what they're doing to stay current.  

Attend a Conference/Training

Many companies will pay for part or all of your attendance at a conference relevant to your career.  Create a presentation and show your supervisor why you want to attendance a conference/training and provide clear cost implications.  Offer to provide a recap to share with the team when you return.  Make your experience something that benefits the company as a whole.  If your company doesn't support this kind of training, invest in it on your own and then get a new job with a company that does value continued education.

Take Advantage of What your Company Does Offer

Even if it's just online training, take advantage of what is free and available at your company.  Even if it's not industry relevant and just career focused (i.e. management skills, writing, etc.) make sure you're taking as much training as you can.  Attend in person workshops and brainstorm sessions wherever possible as well.  

Constant growth and training requires a lot of effort on your part.  It's above and beyond the normal everyday grind but it's absolutely critical to maintaining relevance and skills to make you the best employee and candidate in the game!

Get out there and grow sequins! 

Career Corner, Part 324856

Can we celebrate the fact that I remembered I was going to call these pieces on business "Career Corner?".  Today, on this episode of Career Corner, we are going to talk about email etiquette.  Something I've noticed lately is a lack of effective communication when it comes to emailing and it's due to:

Poor spelling and grammar

Inappropriately informal writing

Aggressive verbiage

Poor Spelling and Grammar

Nothing makes me cringe faster than seeing misspelled words or improperly formatted sentences.  This is the most basic effort you can show when composing an email.  Your computer even helps you with the spelling.  When I read an email with more than one spelling or grammar mistake, my respect for that person's work ethic drastically declines.  If the person is young, I can already tell they're not committed to hard work.  If they're older and more experienced, I question if they value how they engage with those around them.  Do a spell check, review your formatting - if you don't have time to do this basic task, you're not setting yourself up for success.

Inappropriately Informal Writing

I'm not a formal person.  Not at work, not in my personal life.  But I take the way I represent myself very seriously.  Know your audience, understand how you're writing your email.  Don't add a bunch of emojis to your signature, do not use slang, when in doubt, go more formal.  It's ok to incorporate your personality into the way that you write at work, especially between same ranking colleagues, but if you're young or informal in general - if you write too informal, you're going to be seen as young and immature.  There's also something to be said for not trying too hard and going way too formal.  Don't bust out the thesaurus in an attempt to sound smart if these aren't words you're using in your everyday life.  Understand the company culture, the person you're writing to, and how you want to represent yourself before you hit send.

Aggressive Verbiage

I've been victim of this before and I'm especially cognizant of it now.  I've gone too formal and come off extremely aggressive.  Do not use the "per my previous email."  Don't utilize language that feels like it's pointing fingers.  I'm a big proponent of picking up the phone in situations like these and summarizing in a follow up email to diffuse any unnecessary tension.  The point is, when you're angry or you're trying to get a point across and you're really in a passionate moment, slow down.  That's when you should be especially aware of how you're writing your email in order to avoid any ruffled feathers for no reason.  

The art of the email is very difficult in a world that is growing more informal by the day. Millennial tech companies are encouraging the relaxed lifestyle and way of engaging.  Be mindful and aware that while it's perfectly acceptable to forego the suit and tie way of life, don't let your guard down so much that your communication becomes sloppy.  Review everything before you send it.  When in doubt, ask for advice on how to manage a difficult email. 

Often times we spend about 80% of our business relationships in the digital space.  So who you are in email, is who people see you as in a professional setting.  Emails are in fact a huge part of your brand.  Do you want that image to be of someone who is sloppy and difficult to communicate with or do you rightfully want to be seen as a team player who cares about the details?

Career Corner: Episode 3482, Work Stress

I have decided to call my career/business related posts: Career Corner!  I will most likely forget I have decided this by the time I write the next blog, but for today, career corner it is!

On today's episode of career corner, we talk about work stress.  I don't care what your career is, how much you love your company/boss/job - there will always be work stress and it will always feel like the most unbearable thing that ever existed.  

Some careers and industries are more stressful than others and some people handle stress better than others, but the common denominator is that we will all go through it.

So how do you manage work stress?  As someone who works in one of the top 5 most stressful industries in the world, I like to think I am partially qualified to speak on this all too common topic.  

Take a Breath

When work stress hits the first thing you need to do is take a breath and step outside the situation.  Take 30 seconds to take a breath, digest, and gain perspective.  If you don't take a moment to pull back from the situation - the stress just builds and you're not able to get an overview of what's happening.  That's how you lose your shit and get fired.

Problem Solve

When you've taken your breath and inventory of the cause of the stress, start problem solving.  I tell my staff to never be afraid to bring me stressful situations but do make sure you've come up with a few solutions before you bring me the problem.  When you have even one potential solution, you're able to calm your nerves and see that nothing is impossible.

Reflect

Why is this stress happening?  Did you cause the stress?  Is the stress warranted?  Did someone else cause the stress?  Figuring out where it came from and why (or if its even necessary stress) is how you can potentially prevent future stress as well as manage it moving forward.

In the moment - these three steps will help you to effectively and professionally manage a really stressful situation.  But how do you manage everyday stress and set yourself up for future incidents?

Find a Distraction

Take a walk.  Grab coffee.  Call a friend.  Whatever you're able to do that gives you immediate joy, do it.  Make sure you're setting up your workspace to maximize your center.  Eat healthy.  Drink your water.  Bring photos that make you smile.  Surround yourself with distractions that lift you up and keep you in a generally good head space.  

Communicate

If you're in a situation where others are the cause of your stress, communicate with them.  Often times, people aren't aware of their actions and having a respectful conversation with the right people can develop relationships that promote teamwork and teach others how to properly do their part to make work life less stressful.

Step Away from Work

Leave work at work.  I know, I'm terrible at this.  But bein able to shut off work when you leave will hugely affect your headspace.  Don't read emails.  Turn off the work cell.  Go to the gym.  Cook meals.  Enjoy time with your friends and family.  Do the things that enrich who you are outside of the 9-5 and you will make a huge difference in who you are at work.  Do not let your work stress consume your entire world.

Be Self Aware

Are you the cause of your work stress?  Are you making things stressful that don't need to be?  Are you perhaps in an industry that really isn't the best fit for you?  Do a self check in and determine if you can do anything to mitigate work stress.  Sometimes we create stress for ourselves that simply doesn't exist.  And sometimes we work in jobs that aren't the right fit.  Take responsibility and do the work to help ease the stress in your professional life.

 I wish I could tell you that I've been able to completely manage my work stress, overcome, and lead some Zen work life - but I'm human.  I have days that I am completely overwhelmed, threaten to leave, and consider moving to Europe.  I quickly remember that I am not a billionaire, need to pay bills to give my dog a better life, utilize the tools in my arsenal, and reset my mind to fight back against the stress. 

The Perfect Job

As young, naive, fresh to the working world Ashley entered adulthood and the future of her career, she dreamed of the perfect job.  Determined, armed with a multitude of skills - she vowed never to settle when it came to the dream career.  And that same grit, passion, and stubborn refusal to accept anything less than the best exists within my soul today.  But there's one big difference - current Ashley understands that while the perfect job does not exist, the dream still does.

I hate to break hearts here - but there is truly no job that you will be happy in 100% of the time.  You will not end each day thinking- WOW I really loved every single thing that happened today.  Not all tasks will be enjoyable.  But that does not mean you are not in your perfect job.

Understanding that the dream job can be the dream job with bad days is the most important tool you can ever have as you go on your journey as a business person.  

For the first four jobs I had in the real world - I lacked understanding for this fact.  Certainly there were deal breakers that were not normal parts of any job.  But there were also may times I could have taken a step back and gained perspective in my situation.  And by doing so, I could have avoided a lot of drama, unhappiness, and just taken these pieces of my journey as learning experiences for my future.  

If I could give any new to the working world human one single piece of advice, it would be to have perspective.  

Know your deal breakers, make sure they're reasonable and by all means never compromise those deal breakers.  Without principle, without knowing your value - you have nothing.

But also realize that anything that does not fit in your box of deal breakers belongs in your box of "this isn't fun but life isn't always fun."  That's where you store the crappy things nobody enjoys doing but that are vital to the growth of who you are in your career.  Those are the critical must get done for this company to function pieces that you don't want to do but that don't take away from the amazing job you have.  

There is just no perfect job.  But there is a perfect job for you.  Just like relationships, not every moment is glitter and rainbows, but at the end of the day, it's your person regardless.  Think of your job this way.  Sometimes your boss sucks.  Sometimes you have to spend hours on spreadsheets that are the worst.  some days your coworkers are the least helpful people in the world.  But when you think about leaving your job or your company, you can't bear to consider it.  THAT is your perfect job.

Focus less on perfect and more on your level of happiness.  Do you feel inspired?  Challenged?  Do the people around you feel like your teammates? Do you feel happy most days?  If you can confidently say that the majority of your days you love your job, that is the perfect job for you right now.  If you cannot claim to feel joy most of the time, either change your perspective or change your job.  

To add another layer of depth - understand that the perfect job for you can change throughout your life.  What works for you at 22, can change at 26.  The hunt for the dream is not limited to a timeline.  There isn't a rule book to follow.  As you grow, mature, and your skills and your lifestyle change - so may your career path.  That's OK.

As someone who has had the most nontraditional career journey, who has broken every rule - I know that at the end of the day I have to lie with the results.  Why would I ever allow anyone else to dictate what my path to get there looks like?

Career Advice: Part 284, Titles

I hear a lot of people these days talking a lot about titles.  Whether they want to be a Director, a VP, Manager, President of the Universe - a lot of time is spent by a lot of people trying to be crowned with a certain title.  I've got some news for you - what you are called matters a lot less than what you do.

Between most companies, titles are often disproportionate.  They don't easily interchange.  A Director in one agency may simply be an account executive with a different organization.  As you're building out your career path, focus less on what people call you and more on what you are called upon to do.

The best way to set yourself up for success in your future career journey is to look to gain responsibility.  You can do this by:

• Managing staff
• Being given a larger work load
• Managing more accounts
• Achieving higher thresholds in your numbers
• Hitting larger goals

Whatever you're doing now, look to add a level of responsibility and expectations to your role.  Set higher goals.  Increase your management skills.  Develop your accounts and relationships.  

Think of it this way: the more you do, the more value you provide to your company and your specific role, the more likely you are to get promoted.  But if you're always looking at what you're called, that doesn't necessarily define what you can do.  How many of us know someone with a fancy title yet you're always wondering what they do?  Ever had a supervisor who sticks a lot of their work load onto you?  

You should also think about it in relation to interviewing and growing into the next phase of your career.  A company doesn't care if you're the Associate Director of Shiny Things if you don't have the skills to do the role you're applying for.  Nobody cares if you're a hot shot in name if you cant produce results.  Always be growing, learning, and adding skills to your resume - not collecting titles.

Career goals should never be defined by what you're called.  They should be defined by what you're doing to better yourself, maintain strong passions for what you do, and what you're contributing to the goal of the organization.  As you're building your resume and paving your path to greateness, focus less on what you want to be called and more on what you want to do.

Career Confidence

Today we continue our lessons in being a boss babe (or boss bro).  It took me a really long time to develop confidence in who I am in my career.  From years of really bad environments I let myself become unsure of who I was at work and what I brought to the table.  Because of that, I lost out on a lot of opportunities to get what I deserve at the office.

Career confidence is knowing your value, your strengths and weaknesses, and what you deserve to be paid and where you rank in an organization.  It's a highly critical life skill and without it, you're not going to get your dues. 

Sure, you could naively believe if you work hard you wont have to say anything, those raises and promotions will just show up at your door via the tooth fairy.  Grow up Peter Pan, unless you're asking for the maximum you deserve, you're getting the minimum to keep you happy.

The truth is, those who take time to know their best and worst attributes and who are able to have open conversations wit their superiors are the ones who get the most in a career. 

Here's how:

Be Brutally Aware

You should be painfully aware of your best and worst skills.  Going into a review should never bring surprises.  You should know your faults and areas of improvement before it's even brought up to you.  But do not always dwell on these faults, you need to pat yourself on the back for your strengths and celebrate that you have them.  And you should be with a company that recognizes these great strengths as well.

Be Prepared

You should always have examples of where you've done things well and where you've messed up or can improve.  Have solutions prepared, have questions prepared for your supervisor on how to best contribute to the team, and take notes.  After every project you should be getting feedback from colleagues in order to show you're committed to improvement and growth.  The best business people are extremely self aware, business is business - take the emotions out of it.

 

Be Willing to Have the Conversation

You need to be the one to set a meeting to have the conversation about what you deserve.  Whether you're asking for a raise or a promotion, you need to be comfortable initiating the talk.  And you need to practice what you're going to discuss and how you're going to present yourself.  Have notes and examples ready.  Come in completely overprepared and most of all, end this meeting truly listening.

 

Be Willing to Accept the Consequences

If you get what you're asking for, awesome.  Get out there and show your appreciation by being really good at your job.  If you don't get what you want, be clear on why and then decide how to react to that.  If the feedback seems unreasonable, consider moving jobs.  If the feedback makes sense, ask for next steps regarding how to get what you want. 

Having conversations around money and titles is never comfortable or easy.  But if you settle and do not fight for your value, you won't ever get it.  Work hard, be painfully aware, and never ever forget to take your career confidence everywhere you go.

Professionalism

In the workplace, you are bound to come across people that are hard to work with.  People you may not like at all.  But part of growing up, excelling in your career, is learning to avoid the drama, and be the bigger person.

Whether you're 22 or 42 - the best skill you can have as a professional is professionalism.  The ability to separate yourself from those who succumb to the immaturity and the drama, that's such a skill in the world. 

Throughout my years as a boss babe, I've certainly fallen into the trap of letting the drama get to me and participating in the madness.  But as I've grown and advanced, I'm developed a bit of an artistry towards handling these less than ideal situations.

Let's talk how to develop and maintain that kind of mentality. 

Mind your own business.

First and foremost, work is not a social community.  It's important to have good working relationships and even to maintain strong friendships with a select few of your coworkers, but work is a business.  Your number one purpose is to do what you were hired to do, develop your skills, and contribute to the success of your company.  That's it.  When drama is happening around you, when you hear the gossip, the immature behavior, do not engage.  Mind your own business.

Learn the art of the brush off.

Chances are, at some point, someone is going to try to pull you into the spectacle.  Learn to artfully comment on the situation without taking sides and make it clear you're uninterested in involving yourself.  Don't get sucked in.  Remind yourself that your number one role is to spend your time doing your job.  I you're constantly finding yourself approached by the office drama queen (or king) - be slow to respond, continue emailing, be uninterested.  The art of the brush off is being able to get the point across that you're not interested in joining the circus without having to blatantly say "go away you're the worst."

The rule of words.

I have a rule that I live by at work.  I don't say anything to anyone that I wouldn't want to be said to someone else.  I own every single thing I say about someone and to someone because I've been careful about how I speak to other people and about other people.  I've put my foot in my mouth in the past and had to own up to things I should not have ever said.  And that's not a good feeling nor a good professional look.  Think before you speak, keep personal feelings out of it, and remember that business is not the place to regret what you say.

Keep your goals in mind.

The person who gets promoted, who excels in the work place - is the person who does not engage in the theatrics of petty behavior.  In 2017, company culture is a priority and if you're catty, gossiping, and constantly speaking about others in a negative way - you're not promoting a positive culture.  No matter how good you are at your job, if you create a disruption in the company culture, you will be fired.  Your value is not greater than the good of the company.  Constantly put your professional goals at the forefront.  Your competition is yourself.  Develop your plan with your manager and focus on that plan.  Leave everyone else out of it.

Find your zen.

It's not always easy to bush off the drama.  Sometimes it's difficult to deal with and harder to ignore.  It's stressful, it's unpleasant, and unfortunately - it happens.  When it does - find your zen.  Take a walk, listen to music, text a friend.  Do whatever you have to do to disengage from the situation and refocus back to your goals.  We all slip up, we all succumb to the pressure sometimes - but being able to step back and get out of it before any real damage occurs is what separates the amaturs and the professionals.

Professionalism is so important to a successful career.  As a manager, if you're not displaying a high level of professionalism and working to better your skills in this area, I'm not going to invest myself in you.  You are not the future of the organization and quit frankly, you're not going anywhere in life until you grasp this.  Professionalism takes a lot of self reflection and commitment to growth.  You will never stop developing this talent.  22 or 42, it's your greatest asset and you should consistently be looking to take it to the next level.  Don't ever let yourself forget that work is a business, it's not a social setting and it's not high school.  Save the shenanigans for your personal life because the professional world doesn't care.