Throughout the day, we all make conscious decisions as to how to appear more confident and professional within the workplace. We carefully choose what we’re going to wear; we make sure to appear polished when we walk through those doors at the beginning of the day. However, there is one area of our professional lives that can often end up on autopilot, and the mistakes that creep in discount our confidence and credibility: our words.
Continue ReadingFor many, the task of “making an ask” invokes unpleasant feelings. Whether we’re negotiating a salary, fundraising, selling a product, or asking for a big favor, we often sell ourselves short simply because we don’t know how to execute “the ask.” Our overly-courteous inclinations tend to overtake the situation, and we walk away wishing we could have acted more boldly.
Continue ReadingOur workdays all tend to include some less-than-pleasant aspects, but nothing seems to garner a collective groan quite like a conference call. Modern technology has made it easy to talk to dozens of people across the globe simultaneously. However, no one ever claimed it was enjoyable.
Continue ReadingMonday through Friday we spend more time with our professional colleagues than our own families. Therefore, it is imperative to our personal well being that our workplace be a positive and fulfilling environment.
Continue ReadingIf there is one thing our Southern mamas taught us, it’s the importance of manners. More than likely, somewhere between “yes ma’am,” “no ma’am,” “please,” and “thank you,” the art of the thank you note was also drilled into our brains.
Continue ReadingThough it may not feel like it outside, summer will soon be coming to an end. With this shift comes an uptick in our to-do lists. Inevitably community clubs, boards of directors, church groups, and school committees will start planning their fall schedules and reaching out to go-getters like you asking for help.
Continue ReadingLet's face it, people – social media is here to stay! Gone are the days of sitting at your desktop hyperventilating at the sound of a new AOL instant message notification from sportzdude503. A few of us dinosaurs remember pre-Facebook civilization, long before the days of Snapchat and Instagram. Others have never experienced a day without these social media platforms present in their lives.
Continue ReadingThese days, social media seems to invade every corner of our lives. No matter your privacy settings, your personal social media pages can have serious effects on your professional reputation. These platforms give coworkers, clients, and potential employers an up close and personal look into your private life, but don’t delete your Facebook page just yet. If you simply consider a few things when engaging in social media, you’ll be fine.
Continue ReadingWhen discussing career advice and professional growth, we often hear the term “your personal brand”. To some, the phrase can come across as corny or self-serving. It does seem quite bold to think that just like corporations such as Apple or Starbucks, you as an individual also have a brand. Is a personal brand a real thing, or is this just some trendy jargon used by bloggers and social media enthusiasts? The last thing any of us needs is another area of our professional lives to worry about.
Continue ReadingEmails serve as the predominate form of communication between modern professionals and the rest of the world. Our business relationships depend on the effectiveness of our emails, and just like everything else we put out into the world, our email style contributes to our own personal brand.
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