Thirtysomething Advice: It’s Never Too Early to Get Experience

High School and College students, this post is for you. Everyone else, please forward this to the young people in your life, and feel free to add other points in the comments.

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“How do I get work experience if no one will hire me?” is a common question from recent graduates. Here’s my answer. Don’t wait until you are looking for your first “real” job to get experience. Start early. Here are a few things you can do to grow your resume:

Offer to be an intern/apprentice. There are many small businesses that need an extra hand. Why not contact one and offer your time a few hours a week?

There are great advantages to this. For starters, you’ll likely get to do real work, not just get coffee and pick up the dry cleaning. Secondly, you’ll have a higher likelihood of being exposed to different departments (sales, accounting, marketing, etc.). And lastly, you’ll be able to answer that dreaded question, “Do you have work experience?” in the affirmative.

Let family and friends know you are looking for opportunities. Give them an idea of your interests and let them know how much time you have to offer.  Then create a fact sheet listing your contact information, extracurricular activities, volunteer experience and business skills (i.e. type 65 words a minute).

Look for summer programs. Many companies and universities have training programs specifically designed for students and recent graduates. You can find these by doing online searches, visiting your public library and/or contacting your guidance counselor/advisor.

If you are a recent grad, I would encourage you to follow this advice as well. Yes, you may have to get a “regular day job” to cover your expenses until you get that first career position, but it’s worth it.

 

Towanda Long aka The Café Lady

Joys of Living

One great joy of blogging is finding other bloggers that inspire me. Today I’m sharing this joy with you. Here’s a blog posting that eloquently explains my life mantra, “Never Mediocrity, Only Excellence.”

Enjoy and let me know what you think. 

http://www.successful-blog.com/1/do-you-talk-yourself-out-of-living/

Happy Thursday!

Towanda Long aka The Cafe Lady

Sending Emails that Get Read

Email is an important part of communicating with colleagues and clients. Unfortunately, many people send emails that never get read, end up in the trash folder or clog company servers. Here are a few things that you can do to prevent being an “email nuisance.” 

Use a descriptive subject line. In the sea of emails received everyday why not be different and TELL the recipient what you need. Cryptic subjects don’t work; as a matter of fact it really just annoys us (ummm, I mean busy professionals…).

So, instead of saying “For Your Review” try “ABC report needs your approval by 12/13”. Trust me, the recipient will thank you and your chances of being “accidentally” deleted will be drastically reduced.  

Keep the subject short. I know this may seem contrary to the above, but it’s not. It is possible to let the recipient know what you want without having them read a book. Use only the necessary information in the subject line and use the text of the email for supporting details.  

I am amazed when I get an email that forces me to scroll to the end of my screen just to read the subject line. If the sender can’t reduce the information in the subject, what happens when I open the email? Also, remember that you can use the body of the email. There is no reason to put the entire message in the subject. 

Avoid long-winded text, too much information and unnecessary references. Use concise wording that is reader-friendly. If possible, use lists and bullet points. Bullets make it easier for people to digest information and you’re more apt to get responses if your recipients don’t have to search for the questions.

Towanda Long aka The Cafe Lady

National Boss Day Tips and Gift Ideas

National Boss Day is October 16^th, and many professionals are not sure what’s considered an appropriate gift.  

Here are some general guidelines to consider when buying a gift for your boss: 

Do not try to wow your boss with an expensive gift. This is one instance where bigger is not better. After all, you’re buying a gift for someone that makes more money than you.

In addition to that, you do not want to be seen as kissing up or brown-nosing your superior. This is NOT the day to upset your colleagues. 

Gifts should be nice, small and most importantly, professional. Stay away from personal items (I remember one boss getting spa products from someone of the opposite sex. Needless to say that was a bit uncomfortable!). 

Choose a gift that fits your boss’s lifestyle. For instance, don’t buy candy for someone that’s counting calories or golf paraphernalia for a football fanatic. 

Here are some suggestions for appropriate gifts: 

Greeting Cards (e-card or individual paper card). Hallmark has a great selection of cards, but you can also find nice cards at your local Wal-Mart, Target, etc.

If you prefer an e-card check out www.hallmark.com or www.123greetings.com. 

Consumable products. These are a favorite because it solves the problem of storage and almost everyone enjoys a good snack in the office.

Harry and David (www.harryanddavid.com) has a great selection of snack baskets. Also, it is very hard to go wrong with Godiva chocolate (www.godiva.com) for the chocoholic, or gourmet popcorn from The Popcorn Factory www.thepopcornfactory.com.  

Other good choices are executive books (this link is to a Top 10 List you may find useful: http://www.amazon.com/Business-Books-List-strategy+business-magazine/lm/R1GK06HREX6MVI), and sports paraphernalia such as mugs and caps.

If your boss is a golfer, check out the engraved golf markers at gifts.com http://www.gifts.com/search/product/Engraved-Golf-Markers?ideaID=8709&prodID=120487 . 

Remember, National Boss Day is to show your boss that you appreciate his/her hard work, encouragement, support and guidance. Really, that’s it. 

Towanda Long aka The Café Lady

    

Advice from a Thirtysomething: Part 1

Whether you’re turning thirty or “been there done that”, it’s safe to say that entering the world of a thirtysomething is a time for reflection. We think about where we are in life, where we thought we would be and society expectations.  

Here’s some advice for those embarking on their 30^th birthday, those newly inducted, and those that have been in “thirtyhood” for a while. 

Don’t beat yourself up. VERY, and I do mean very, few people have accomplished their list of things to do before reaching 30.  

First of all, life happens. Being laid off, choosing the wrong companies, and personal relationships that don’t work are natural learning experiences. Secondly, at the age of 18, do you REALLY know what you want to be when you grow up? Ummm, probably not. 

Life experiences are priceless. Being book smart is great. But trust me, life experiences are the best lessons you will ever receive. So, instead of looking at what you did not accomplish, look at what you’ve learned – about yourself and about life.

Look not only at your experiences, but those of your friends. These lessons, if you let them, will help you live a fulfilling life into your thirties and beyond. 

Enjoy every stage of your life. I know this one sounds like the politically correct answer, but it’s true. Whether it’s the freedom of being single or the awesome feeling you get from seeing your baby for the first time, there is beauty in each phase of our life.

Don’t work so hard towards a future goal that you miss the beauty in living right now.   

Towanda Long aka The Café Lady

Keep the Personal Connection in Marketing

Mention marketing to a professional or business owner and the topic usually goes to print ads, online messaging, networking and/or branding. Few consider the importance of maintaining personal connections.  

Unfortunately this oversight can cause the lost of clients and a positive reputation. Here are a few pointers for avoiding the “impersonal pitfall”:  

Don’t over automate. In this age of technology, it is very tempting to automate everything from your phone system and billing to greeting cards and company announcements.  I will admit, automation does have its place. After all, it would be extremely time-consuming to do all of your paperwork by hand.

But, clients do like personal contact. So, instead of sending out cards with preprinted signatures, why not take the time to personally sign the card and include a personal note.  

If you find it difficult to do this during the end of year holiday season, try sending birthday cards. Better yet, split your list so that some clients get “Happy Spring!” cards, while others get Thanksgiving cards (feel free to choose your own holidays). 

As a side note: PLEASE make sure that your automated systems work properly. Few things are worse than a client getting harassed by your automated billing system because of a glitch (Trust me, as of today I have received 8 copies of a bill I paid months ago. Needless to say, I won’t be using that service again!).

Stay involved. Avoid falling into the “bait and switch” syndrome. A major complaint from clients is that the prospect/proposal team members are not available once the project begins.  If your prospecting team is full of people that will not be actively involved in the engagement, reconsider your team. Let your clients meet their main contacts from the beginning. First of all, chemistry plays a large role in a project being successful, and clients are not only buying your service/product, but your team.  Secondly, switching team members once an engagement begins says that the client is not worth executives’ time, just that of your junior staff. This is a surefire way to get a poor referral. 

Remain flexible. It’s easy to have a rigid set of rules that apply to every client and situation.

Unfortunately this easy route is also a business killer. Remember that clients like to feel special and that you value their viewpoint. So, evaluate situations individually before making a decision.

Not only will your clients appreciate your flexibility, but you’ll be seen as a problem solver unafraid to make the possible choices.

Towanda Long aka The Café Lady

Networking Tips (It’s Not as Hard as You Think)

Networking is seen as a necessary evil for many professionals. Mention the word and they picture a room full of salespeople handing off business cards and touting their services before moving on to the next person.  

Here are some networking tips to make your ventures both enjoyable and productive.  

Start with interest groups. Instead of attending large “business card exchanges”, join a group of people that have interests similar to yours.  

What are your hobbies? Are you a parent? Does a certain nonprofit organization appeal to you? Choose your interest group accordingly and you benefit in two ways. First of all, you go in knowing you have something in common with the members. This is a perfect icebreaker. Secondly, you build relationships with a person, not a title. And the best networkers know that trusting relationships are essential.    

Measure your success by conversations. When attending events, don’t think of success as speaking to everyone and passing out a lot of business cards.

Instead, think of the productive conversations that you had.  Did you get a good feel for each person? Did you learn something about them outside of their job? Did they conversation flow well and did the other person enjoy speaking with you? Or, did it feel like you were “working them?”  

Whether 2 or 20, productive, sincere conversations are the ones that are best for follow-up, your ultimate goal.   

Follow-up. Bluntly put, if you don’t follow-up you have wasted your time. After meeting a new contact send a quick note with your contact information and let them know you enjoyed meeting them. If you promised information, send it as soon as possible.  

If you joined an interest group, there may not be immediate follow-up, but make sure you stay involved. And, when you do have an assignment or project, do it as well as you would any paid gig.  

Remember, networking has long-term benefits. If you are looking for immediate gains, try direct marketing. 

Towanda Long aka The Café Lady