Melissa Anzman's Blog, page 7

3 Things to Never Tell Your Boss

Like most people, you want everyone to like you – including your boss. Maybe you’re still in the fairy-tale stage of your career and thinking that your boss is your friend, or perhaps you have entered reality and know that your boss is, well – just your boss. It’s easy for the line to be blurred, especially if you have an awesome boss – but there are still boundaries not to cross to protect your career. Remember: information is ammunition.

Never Tell Your Boss…
1. “I’m looking for another job.”

I know you want to jump up and down and tell me that your boss is just as miserable as you and that they are supportive of the search, but this topic should always remain off limits.

Case in point – I used to work at a company where they encouraged you to tell them when you were ready to move on so they could help you transition and leave on good terms. They announced this at an all-employee meeting, with a very young (in their careers) audience. Someone took them up on it and let them know that she was ready to transition into a new career. Instead of “working with her” to help her transition, they fired her on the spot and walked her out of the building.

Lesson – this knowledge is ammunition. And I have seen it more than the case in point above. I have seen vice president’s fired without notice because their boss got word that they were looking around. This is a HUGE no-no. If you are looking for a job, do it stealthy or don’t do it at all.

2. “I’m having a rough time at home.”

I know, you just gasped. Work is… work, not an outlet for you to fall apart about your personal life. (Sorry to be so brash). There are things that happen to us in our personal lives that will spill over and effect our work-life. But do the absolute best you can to go into any details with your boss – and hold it together.

Case in point – I saw an employee who had been a true superstar in the eyes of the leadership team, lose her standing because she was struggling with being a new mom and transitioning back into the workforce. She told her manager about the trouble she was having and her uncertainty with being able to work full-time, etc. From that MOMENT on, when her name was brought up for promotions or fun projects, she was deemed as not being committed to the company – two years after the fact.

Lesson – your personal life needs to stay as personal as possible. If you are struggling, take some time off, talk to a professional, take advantage of employee assistance programs. But do not lean on your boss’ shoulder for support – it can negatively impact your career for years to follow.

3. “That  project/task/request is below or above my pay grade.”

It happens more than we care to admit – getting assigned tasks that seem utterly ridiculous or well beyond the scope of your role. But saying those words (which people really do!), will kill your career in its tracks.

Case in point – I worked with an employee who took on a project that was “above his pay grade.” He loved working on the project, but he mentioned those words in an update to his boss. The result – he was immediately taken off the project and squeezed out of any other “fun projects” that were out of his daily responsibilities. He was then looked at as a clock-puncher, unambitious, and a complainer – none of which you want uttered to describe you.

Lesson – if you are asked to do something “below” you, just freaking do it. Or find a way to delegate it without being petty. The amount of time it will usually take you to complete the task is less than the lasting impact of complaining. If the task is too big, figure out a way to ask for guidance/assistance or additional support, instead of passing it off as something you aren’t qualified to work on. A small distinction, but critical in the way you are perceived.

Look for more things to avoid talking to your boss about in the upcoming weeks. I’d love to hear things you wish YOU never told your boss – please share in the comments below.

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Waiting for Perfect Alignment

Our fears present themselves in many different ways – procrastination, frustration, anger, excuses, and so on. The easiest way to prolong anything is waiting for perfect alignment. You know, “I can’t do X because Y isn’t in place yet.”

When I was working in the corporate world, it usually looked like:

I can’t apply for that job because I don’t match the job posting 100%.
I’m not ready for a promotion because I haven’t been at the company long enough.
I’m not a leader because I don’t have any experience with people management.

As a solopreneur, my alignment excuses have presented in many ways, recently:

I can’t launch my new design because it’s not perfect yet.
I am not ready to write a new book because the first two weren’t best sellers.
I can’t pursue an exciting opportunity because it does not match my current trajectory.

The funny thing is, I’ve found that we’re all waiting for perfect alignment before we take risks of any kind. Whether we’re using perfection as a comparison tool or as a procrastination method, it’s holding all of us back.

Stop Waiting for Perfection

I wish I had a guaranteed method to walk you through to start bursting through your perfection and alignment ideals, but honestly, it’s hard work – and not a one-size-fits-all solution. But here’s what I know for sure:

You are missing out on opportunities while you are waiting on the sidelines.
The impact of “failure” or imperfection, is never as bad as you make it out to be.
Perfect alignment will never come.

You are missing out on opportunities while you are waiting on the sidelines.

Good piece of advice there, no? A few years ago I was having lunch with one of my friends and we were talking about going out on our own and why some people make it “big” while others don’t. “Because they actually put themselves out there to try.”

That conversation and our eventual landing place, has never stopped bouncing around in my mind. Sure there are people out there who may be more qualified, or better equipped, or more experienced, or…. (enter any excuse here). But they are doing it while you just continue to ponder all of the things that can go wrong.

There is never going to be a job description that matches your skills 100%. You are never going to be hired for a job you don’t apply to. Your niche market is not going to be completely untapped. Your website isn’t going to be perfect – ever. But if you don’t apply, or pick a market, or publish the site – you won’t be any closer to your goals.

The impact of “failure” or imperfection, is never as bad as you make it out to be.

We’ve all failed – some more than others. And guess what – we’ve lived to tell the story. Sure it isn’t always easy or kind to our egos, but it’s a big part of learning. “Failure” teaches us what not to do again and forces us how to try again.

If you don’t get the job offer – it’s not failure, but a good indication that you weren’t a good fit with the company (or vice versa). And how awesome is it to know that before you spend your time and energy onboarding?

Perfect alignment will never come.

I used to wait for perfection – for a sign of complete alignment. For completing steps 1 – 4 so then step 5 can be PERFECT. I hate to tell you this, but it has never happened. I spent YEARS thinking and pondering and doing the what-if treadmill.

And I missed out on doing while waiting for alignment. I denied myself the joy of writing because I was waiting for a “sign” that people would want to read what I wrote. I didn’t travel because I was waiting for the perfect mate to travel with.

Stop waiting for everything to align perfectly. It’s NEVER going to happen. Perfection or the idea of perfection, does not allow you to pursue. To create. To explore. To achieve. To be you.

Start doing – take little steps if the big ones seem overwhelming. Stop saying one day and start going after the things you want, even if things aren’t “lined up.”

What are you stalling on? How does perfection alignment present itself in your life? 

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Practical Tactical Thursday – 9 Must-Ask Interview Questions for Cultural Fit

The interview process is for both parties to determine if the role and the company are a match made in heaven. While the position and the hiring manager are critically important for your short-term happiness at a company, jiving with the company’s culture will be able to comfort you on the annoying days… not to mention, provide you with more options in the long-term.

9 Must-Ask Questions to Determine Cultural Fit

1. How long have you been at the company? Longevity isn’t as important as an indicator these days as it has been in the past, but it will provide you with the person’s own knowledge about the company culture. If they have only been there one year or less, chances are they are still figuring out the good, the bad, and the ugly for themselves. So their input may not be as valuable as someone who is in the 3 – 5+ years range.

2. Why is this position open? Understanding why there is a vacancy is critically important for any role you are applying for. It will tell you if the company is in a growing phase, if they promote internally, if they lost a good employee, and so on. Ask, and look for any signs of evasion or stumbling when they answer – this is a red flag.

3. What is your current employee turnover rate? This one is best asked to an HR professional, although they may not be able to tell you. Either way, dig until you get this answered. Look for anything above 10-15% to be a huge flashing sign to step away from the opportunity. I have worked somewhere that the turnover rate within a year was close to 60% – um, what does that tell you? No one likes working there, which means you likely wouldn’t either.

4. What does your benefit plan include – not just medical, but other benefits as well? Companies who truly care about their employees, invest in their employees. Plain and simple. If their medical plans seem outrageous, that means they aren’t contributing as much as they can. If they don’t have supplemental benefits – think: 401k, optional life insurance “options,” employee assistance programs; they are doing the bare minimum.

5. What is your time off policy, and how do employees use it? I tricked you – that’s two questions rolled into one. But we have all been at companies that give you time off, maybe even with generous plans, but expect you to stay connected or worse, don’t allow you to take your days. Ask for this before you accept an offer – there is nothing more telling than a company understanding that employees need some time to decompress.

6. What are the “office hours?” Most companies do not insist on a strict 9 am – 5pm schedule, but you never know. If you need some flexibility in your hours, or have enjoyed those sorts of freedoms in the past, transitioning back into a strict “punch-in and punch-out” environment, will be difficult. (Side note – this could also be a sign of ridiculous levels of micro-management. Beware).

7. How many of your employees telecommute or have flex-schedules? Whether or not you want some flexibility, the company’s perspective on this is very telling. Not only will it set clear expectations in the beginning, but can also tell you how progressive they are; potential long-term scalability questions/concerns; and their desire to accommodate YOU, the employee.

8. What type of employee events and networks do you have? Nothing earth shattering here, but the amount of time and energy they commit to investing in fun and/or meaningful activities for their employees, is a clear indication of if they put their money where their mouth is.

9. Would you say the company values… (insert a value that’s important to you)? Some examples include: collaboration, innovation, independent thought, autonomy, cross-department teams, and so on. This is a great way to frame-up the items that you care about and would want to see from your future employer. Ask for specifics and examples – and be weary if they refer to their “core values” or “their mission” as a response. Those things are fine and dandy, but don’t tend to present themselves to the everyday work environment/worker-bees.

What questions have you asked to determine if the company matches your needs? 

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Working Reputation Attacked!

These days, your online reputation is all of you have. You can post your life activities in 30 different online locations; show everyone what you are eating at any given moment; instantly tell people who you are dating (or whose heart you just broke). You can share everything about yourself online. Sure there are different applicable outlets do share specific items – Facebook for general status’, Twitter for passing thought, Pinterest for pictures, and LinkedIn for work-related stuff.

But once it’s online, it’s there. In 10 or 20 years (heck, maybe even five years), oversharing will become the norm and there will be a new medium for us to “manage” to ensure potential employers can find the best possible representation of us. I am scared for those currently in college – they overshared too soon.

When Your Reputation is Under Attack

A few months back a blog/cartoon that I follow, The Oatmeal, posted a lengthy cartoon in response to an online reputation attack. Now this is an extreme example (follow the link for the gory details – it’s worth the read), but the premise is the same.

Most of us do not have an online forum of captivated readers in the millions to help us defend an attack – whether it’s true or false. What is one to do when your reputation is attacked or questioned? Trust me, your future employer will find out.

What’s considered an attack? Anything that could jeopardize your ability to be hired. Some examples include discussing poor performance, false employment information/details, questionable practices, reasons not to hire you, and so on.

There is a difference if the attack contains true or “real” information… versus if it’s libelous. (Not a lawyer, just saying that there is probably a huge difference here in presentation and how to “combat” it). Regardless, you need to minimize the impact as quickly and efficiently as possible.

Combat Begins Now

Reach out to the person who has attacked you. This may not be the easiest thing you have ever done, but sometimes you just ticked a person off and they want to vent about it. Yes, you will need to take several deep breaths and be sure to remain calm at all times during the conversation (or email), but start by asking them what the deal is and if there is a way to solve it. It may not be feasible or ideal for many situations, but people tend to feel guilty when they are held responsible for their actions.

Google yourself. Early and often – rinse and repeat. Monitor the results that pop-up and report anything that is untrue. If it’s really bad, hire an online reputation company to help you clean up your online results.

You need to address it. I hate that I’m recommending spending time and energy on this, but you have to respond to it in a calm and professional manner. Even if you simply post on your FB wall a sentence or two, it’s better than staying silent. Your silence will not stop the speculation. Well, not much will stop the speculation, but addressing the issue will at least provide people with a counterpoint with your perspective.

Get your story together. Your future employers are going to find the dirt, so prepare now for the question and how you will address it. Most likely it will not come up until you have passed through the initial phone screen, but be prepared regardless. While honesty is usually the best policy, make sure you practice your response so it doesn’t sound like “spin” and so you get your point across without stumbling.

Build up your expertise again. The upside to the online world is that you have various ways to build your expertise status again. Start rebuilding and inserting your expertise everywhere possible. Comment on blogs, participate in LinkedIn groups, start engaging in conversations with experts on Twitter, and so on.

You are a small fish in a big pond. You are. I promise, otherwise you would be able to combat the negativity with an online blog posting that is read by millions of people. See? Your issues are really insignificant to most of the world. Don’t forget that – the world won’t end. Start combatting it, but don’t lose perspective about its significant.

Keep plugging forward. Nuff said.

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On LAC: Does Your Resume Say You Want to Be Friends?

It’s supposed to be Practical Tactical Thursday. But, but, but… my first post is up over on Life After College today. And it is filled with Practical Tactical deets – so I wouldn’t want to overwhelm all of you. Ok, in reality I’m just so freaking excited to see my big dream, as a reality and want you to head over there to see it too (and subscribe to Jenny’s goodies too!).

Does Your Resume Say You Want to Be Friends?

Like it or not, recruiters are the gatekeepers to helping you get your foot in the door at any company. But recruiters remain these mystical creatures – often referred to as evil, idiots, and other unkind words that I refuse to repeat.

It’s not an easy job – part sales, part judge and jury, and part developing the pipeline of talent. But more than anything, recruiters are people too. I know, you forgot that for a minute when they rejected your resume. Understanding how we (gasp – did I just identify myself with the “recruiting team?”) see you through your resume, will help you get through the gate.

Read more over on Life After College!

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Work Persona – Perception vs. Reality

Who you are and what you do, are not nearly as relevant or important in the workforce as we think they are. In fact, would your work colleagues (not your friends at work) or boss, be able to describe the real you? Do they know what your top values are? How you spend your free time? What your relationships are like outside of work? What you are interested in or passionate about?

All of those things are your reality. They are pieces that fit together to make who you are, how you make decisions, what motivates and drives you, and so on. They are also the things that make you vulnerable – which we don’t typically value in a corporate work environment.

Work Persona for One, Please.

Instead, we are taught to create “work personas” – and I admit, I am constantly talking to my clients about this. Our work persona is a safe outward version of who we are – one that makes our bosses and colleagues feel comfortable working with us.

To some, that means not rocking the boat. Becoming a “yes man.” Removing all interactions that go beyond surface-level. Going to work, to simply “get work done.” Play nice in the sandbox even if you think everyone around you is a moron.

Your work persona is part of your reality, but not nearly the complete story.

Reality Doesn’t Matter… at Work

I was told the same phrase over and over again by one manager: “It’s not reality that matters, but it’s their perception of you that needs to change.”

And each time I heard it, it was like a stab through the heart. What I delivered, the time and energy and effort I put into the company, my clients’ satisfaction levels (extremely high by the way) – didn’t matter. The things I gave up so that the company could thrive – not important. The various ways I helped others to make their own lives easier – insignificant. All that mattered was what one person THOUGHT they knew about me… from a rumor, from one interaction, from their own insecurities or jealousies, from the story they created about who I am.

Regardless of what I did or how I worked to shape their perception of me, help them see who I was in reality… it didn’t make a difference. My work reality was the perception that others had of me (some good, some bad).

Perception Bridge Theory:

It doesn’t matter what you are doing or how you are delivering. Your boss’s perception of your skills is on one side of the bridge, and your reality of your skills is on the other. What you think, doesn’t matter. You have to find a way to meet his perception and your reality in the middle – or you will continue to be seen as an underperformer, even if that’s not a perception based in reality.

Facts seldom matter in a large corporate environment, the perception of who you are (aka – your reputation), outweighs who you really are.

And here is the crutch of the importance of your work persona. “Appropriateness” aside, that is its own story – what is the value or importance of fully disclosing who you are to an environment that not only does not value it, but can also turn it into a liability?

I know, that sounds cynical and perhaps a bit paranoid. But here’s the truth. It does not matter who you really are when you show up at work. What matters is who they think you are. Sadly, you can influence their story through their actions, but people will create their own story of who you are to help them relate and/or cope.

And that’s a good thing for you. Because while you can continue to try and influence others’ opinions of you and shape their perceptions, their criticisms are not applicable to who you are as a person.

Stop letting others’ perceptions of you at work, impact your value and worth at home. You get to create your reality – don’t get stuck in others’ perception of you. While it’s important to influence that at work, it carries little to no value in your “real life.” Who are not what your boss thinks of you – you are you.

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Get Promoted Mastermind – Launch

It’s your time, really – 2013 is YOUR year. To dream big, and accomplish even bigger. It’s time to stop standing on the sidelines, punching a clock, being… mediocre. It’s time to figure out why you haven’t gotten your “well-deserved” promotion yet, and actually GET PROMOTED.

Every single day someone asks me how they can make more money. How they can get more out of their job. How they can continue to propel their career forward.

Get Promoted Mastermind Launch

It’s time to stop asking questions and start achieving people! So I have created a comprehensive program, to uncover the reasons why you aren’t getting as much out of your job as you can, help you navigate the Human Resources web of roadblocks, and convince your boss that you are ready for the next step.

GET PROMOTED (mastermind) is a three month workshop for 5 ambitious people who are ready to take control of their work destiny, earn more money, and get promoted in 2013.

Ready? Apply here.

How it Works:

You will have me by your side cheering you on, providing direct feedback, and guiding you on this adventure. You will also be part of a group of people just like you – ambitious, hard-working, and focused professionals working towards achieving their next promotion.

Individualized Coaching

You will have two one-on-one coaching calls with me each month during our three month journey where will focus on your progress, challenges, and everything else in-between, to get you promoted!

The Group

In addition to your one-on-one coaching calls, you will be participating in group calls twice per month. One call will be content-focused on a specific topic for the month, and one call will be a group discussion and accountability check-in. Sharing your experiences and celebrating successes. The group will have a private forum for you to support each other along the way, or to simply connect and expand your network.

The Goodies

Unlimited email coaching with me. In addition to your one-on-one coaching calls, you will have unlimited email access to me in case anything comes up in the interim. Need to ask a quick question for a last minute meeting with your boss? Have to write a performance review and need some specific guidance? You will have unlimited access to me via email for all three months during your journey.
Your performance reviews, unraveled. I will unravel the hidden messages in two previous performance reviews to help you uncover your “real” strengths, areas of opportunity, and needed areas of focus to get ahead. No fluff. Real insight into what has been holding you back so we can create an individualized plan to move you forward.
Workbook of exercises to keep you accountable (and repeat for your next promotion). Through the course you will have a workbook guiding your way to keep you on track, ensure success, and have a guide to help you get promoted again.
Script for asking for a promotion with your manager. We’re not talking about a general “say this, then that” script, but an individualized script for you to approach your own manager and get results. Your script will leverage various personality tools and HR insights, to be impactful and specific to your direct manager.

Want more deets?

NOW is your time. How would your life be different at the end of 2013 if you kicked your career into high gear, now?

Ready? Apply here.

Do you have a friend who was passed over for a promotion? Share this post with them to help them stop losing out on money and get promoted.

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Life After College – Joined the Blogateers!

Lots of new things shaking here at Loosen Your White Collar – two BIG announcements this week, to officially kick-off 2013 with a bang!

I have officially joined the “Three Blogateers” and will be a monthly contributor over at  Life After College  founded by one of my favorite people in the world, the amazing Jenny Blake. The third person in our Blogateer family is Paul Angone – the founder over at All Groan Up.

It’s an honor to be among their company and working alongside them both. (Don’t pinch me because I definitely do NOT want to wake up from this one!). I’ll still be writing over here and linking to my LAC posts when they are up – so now you just get even more of me. Excited, no?

Please head over to Life After College and get to know a little bit more about me and Paul through our introductions. You’ll see a video (Jenny convinced me, which you know is rare!) about what I will be doing over at LAC, hear more about why I love HR, and how I came up with the name for this website. Oh, and I may share one of my most embarrassing moments EVER with you too.

Big announcement part two coming on Friday. It’s another Big Hairy Scary Goal of mine, so stay tuned. Hint: it’s about your career.

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Leadership – How to Lead as an Individual Contributor

Throughout the talent management process and general discussions about “should we promote Sarah,” the question of leadership always comes up. It can seem somewhat futile when you are in an individual contributor role (aka – not managing other people), but your overall leadership skills and capabilities can shine even brighter when you are not managing people.

Let me reframe it for you – you know the manager you have who seems awful as a people leader? He doesn’t understand how to talk to others, get work done, or play well in the sandbox? At some point he showed talent or potential as a leader. He knew how to stand in front of the pack and get others to work with him, not against him. He stepped up to the plate, mentored others, and had a knowledge base relevant to the needs of the business. That’s how he got to where he is – before you throw in all of the politics and paperwork that comes with being responsible for others’ careers, he exuded leadership qualities.

Being a Leader without Managing People

Leadership has been defined thousands of different ways – there’s an entire business book section about the topic. In fact, even the dictionary’s definition of: “a person who guides or directs a group,” doesn’t seem sufficient. But for Human Resources professionals, the potential of leadership is one of the most important determining factors in identifying talent.

Having people follow you, is only a small part of what leadership means in the workplace. In fact, I know many amazing leaders who loathe being a people manager – they are two separate muscles for most people. Leadership is about you – how you conduct yourself, how you view yourself, how others perceive you, and the value you deliver to the business. Not just results, but the softer skills too.

You can lead through mentoring others; by taking risks; by being an individual; through stepping “outside of the box.” There is not one path to leadership, but it’s a choice you make as an employee – to be a leader, or be content following – and both options are ok, depending upon who you are and where you are, in your career.

But if you want to be seen as a leader, here are the qualities and questions HR uses to help your manager determine if you are a LEADER.

Do you show the aptitude to set the vision and strategy? Are you solutions-oriented when problems arise? Are you able to see the 30,000 foot view of where the business is going and how to help your team get there?
Do you have a backbone? Or better yet, are you able to put your personal feelings and opinions aside to make difficult decisions that impact the business (or your colleagues)? Can you act on behalf of what’s best for the business, not best for you?
Are you inspiring others? Not, are you managing others, but are you someone that your colleagues feel inspired by or want to achieve next to you? Do you have their respect? Do you motivate them to deliver? Do people want to be on your team/associated with you?
Do you share your knowledge and talent with others? Being a superstar is one thing, but are you open and collaborative with your skills? Do you make an effort to bring others up to your knowledge-level and share best practices with them to make their lives easier?
Are you knowledgeable about the business itself – outside of your department, do you truly understand what’s going on and how the business works? Can you determine how your actions impact customers, sales, another department, and your team?
Are you a communicator? Do you get back to people in a timely manner? Do you share updates and make sure key stakeholders are involved with what’s going on?
Do you deliver results? When you complete something, is it top-notch quality, on-time, and relevant? Are you a driver? Do you push others to achieve their own results, or are you a bottleneck or an excuse machine?

These qualities sound surface-level, and many leadership “gurus” would be concerned that these are “the questions” that you need to satisfy. But, it takes many years to create these skills and exude them as competencies. Leadership takes practice, falling short of expectations, navigating around roadblocks, building relationships, taking risks, and being the person you would want to follow. Not an easy task – but one you should start working on, even if you don’t lead a flock of employees.

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What Do I DO on LinkedIn?

LinkedIn is a great resource for all working professionals – whether you are seeking a new job, looking to get promoted, or are simply expanding your network. But as soon as you complete your profile, the next question I always get is… “But what do I actually do on LinkedIn?”

Social media is not a science, regardless of how many people want you to pay them to teach you how to apply it as such. There are pieces of the puzzle that help you get the most of out social media, but it’s never a one-size-fits-all.

Ways to Use LinkedIn to Get A Job

If you are looking for a job, you want your profile to be very professional looking, accurate and up to date. I have reviewed several best practices, so ensure that those basics are taken care of. In addition, your profile needs to be keyword rich. In other words, use descriptor words that explain your experience and would attract potential job hunters. Some people get lazy and put a list of key skills in their summary, but I would advise adding your core strengths there and work in the rest of the keywords throughout the description of your experience. LinkedIn allows paid subscribers and recruiters to do a keyword search to find potential candidates – the strongest place it pulls from is your headline and current job title, then followed by the rest of your profile. So focus accordingly.

Now that your keywords are inputted, you need to be interacting on LinkedIn. It’s not supposed to be as all-consuming as a personal social media site, but you do have to interact to build stronger networks and establish yourself as a subject matter expert. The easiest way to do this is to join some groups that are meaningful to you. Do not join a group just to add a badge or expand your reach in theory – you need to start posting, adding updates, asking questions, and become a part of the group’s community. Don’t be spammy… simply use the groups as they are meant to be used – as a place for like-minded people to connect and interact and share best practices. I can’t tell you the number of offline friends and colleagues I have made through online LinkedIn groups because they asked a question, I knew the answer… and vice versa. It’s a powerful tool to get your name and personal brand out there while also showing your expertise. And as a side bonus, many groups have their own job boards that are not found on LinkedIn – so it could be another resource to find your next job.

Share and like updates… I know it doesn’t feel as organic as it does on Facebook, but people post updates and share ideas, new roles, articles that pop-up in your news summary. If you found it valuable, or if you think your network will find it valuable, then share and like away! It will put your name on your contacts radar (in a good way), and it will also help share information to interested people. LinkedIn can be so much more than just a place to “add work-related connections,” and if you are a part of the community and exchanging thoughts and ideas, you will make an even bigger impact.

Expand your network, but do it purposely. I know people who are scared to network on LinkedIn because they don’t feel as though they can invite a cold contact… and others who feel exactly the opposite way and “collect people.” You don’t want to be on either end of the spectrum. Instead, you should seek out connections that make sense to your career and where you are headed. If that’s an HR contact at a company that you would love to work at, then ask to connect. Be sure to add a personalized message to the invite – why you want to connect, or something else along those lines. People are used to strangers asking to connect with them – it’s not as awkward as a cold call, promise. But make it as personal as possible so that the person reads your invite request and remembers who you are. Having a network that you can leverage when you need to, is more important than being in the 500+ club of insignificant peeps.

LinkedIn can be used for many other uses… more to come on that.

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