Business Casual
In today's overly technological society, it seems that everyone has gone digital. Between IM's, iChats, Emails, Twitter, Facebook etc, a person can go weeks without networking with someone face to face.
In honor of January being National Networking Month (www.networkingmonth.org), come out for FREE appetizers, FREE cocktails and PRICELESS face to face networking! There will be give aways, door prizes, and a dynamic keynote address by Ally Marie (www.AllyMarie.com)! Don't miss this great opportunity to connect with business minded female professionals in NYC.
Please click on the link below to register. Admission is FREE! Space is limited so act quickly!
While it is often easier to ramble off the common anecdotes that I've heard along the way, I've really tried to go above and beyond and give them the real deal. Because I was promoted to associate within 3 years of working with the firm and am currently on the fast track to become a VP within the next two years, I feel that I have put together a great formula for promotion that really works! Check out my tips below.
Play to your strengths:
What is it that you do extremely well? Make sure that you are exercising this skill daily. Become known as the expert in this area. For example, if your skill is written communication, be sure that you take extra care when sending emails and are drafting memos to your team very frequently. Make sure you have dotted every ‘I’ and crossed every ‘T’. The goal is to come across as an effective and accurate writer. Be sure to cc your boss on these emails and memos so they can see what you are doing. Not only will your peers begin to look at you as a person who is knowledgeable about the goings on at your company, your boss will begin to build confidence in you as a communicator and may even begin to come to you to lead certain projects s/he may have.
Dress the part:
Have you ever heard the saying, "dress for the job you want, not the job you have"? This is very true! How many CEOs do you know who go to work in jeans and a T-shirt? With the exception of companies like Google who are known for their laid back atmosphere, not very many. Like it or not, your style of dress goes a very long way in connoting authority. It will be much easier for your boss to promote you to a leadership role if they can visualize you as a leader. Why not make it easier for them to do so, by dressing like one? How do the heavy hitters at your job dress? Make sure you are dressing in the same fashion or one step above.
Fake it 'til you make it:
Ok, ok- so you're not really feeling one of your supervisors. It's hard for you to pitch new ideas to him/her and you don't really feel like going the extra mile to strike up conversation. Guess what? You have to get over it. One of the top factors that determine who a boss will promote, that are even higher on the list than quality of work, is quality of relationship. In order to get ahead you will have to be personable. No self-respecting manager wants to promote someone with a bad attitude. Maybe at first you will be faking the funk, but eventually it will feel real. No one is saying to become best friends with a difficult person; however, you owe it to yourself and your career to learn to tolerate the situation.
If you follow these tips along with producing top quality work at your job, I'm sure you'll find that as opportunities arise, you will be first on the list to be promoted. Good luck!
-Alecia D.
Want one on one career coaching? Contact aleciadee@youngblackrich.net for more info!
1. Convenience Stores
2. Cell Phone Plans
3. Soft Drinks
4. Unnecessary Bank Fees
5. Magazines
6. Annual Credit Card Fees
Be Proactive
Spend a couple hours and go over the above categories along with any other regular habits you may have accumulated over the years. The time will be well spent as it could mean hundreds of dollars of recurring annual savings.
Read the full article here! Very eye opening..
1929-1968
Networking is a very important skill to master. It not only enables people to meet others but can also lead to job opportunities, expanded business contacts, new clients, and heightened confidence. However, anyone who’s ever looked for networking events knows how challenging a feat it can be.
As an entrepreneur who relies on networking to expand my contacts and client base, I’ve become an expert in not only finding networking events, but finding effective networking events, and the ones best for me. Below, I will share three tips for identifying the best networking functions for you.
Step One: Determine Why You Want to Network
Know what you seek to gain. Are you looking for new clients? New business partners? Sponsors? Associates in similar industries to form alliances with? Depending on your expectations, you should select events that will help you accomplish your specific goals. Not only is it important to perform research to learn about the event’s hosts, but also try to figure who has been invited. With the popularity of the Internet, it may even be possible to find reviews from past events. Since it is more important to attend quality events, rather than a large quantity of events, it is essential to be diligent in doing research to ensure you’re attending the events where you will be more likely to reach your goals and meet the people you want to meet.
Step Two: Decide Where You Will Network
Just as it’s important to know why you want to network, it’s equally important to know where to network. With the influx of social media channels, in person connecting has become a lost art. However, most experts agree face-to-face networking is, generally, more effective because of the personal connections made.
Consider joining an email newsletter distribution list for businesses or companies you are interested in. From time to time, these newsletters may contain information related to upcoming events that may fit your needs. Also, becoming a member of your respective industry/trade organization is another sure way to stay abreast of what’s going on within your career field. People also tend to forget about the powerful connections of their alumni networks. Does your Alma Mater have an alumni association that meets regularly? Consider attending a meeting and joining. As you begin to get more involved in these intimate, focused groups, it is likely you will become more privy to more inside information and may get invited to a lot more events.
Step Three: Choose an Event that Matches Your Personality
Personality plays a huge role in networking comfort. If you are a bit reserved, or if you are networking for the first time, it may be a good idea to find events that are intimate in size. Or you may want to try an event where networking is facilitated. However, if you’re more outgoing, you may want to attend a huge trade-type event where you’ll have several hours to meet endless numbers of people. Be sure to do your research to determine the format of the event. Also, if you’re not sure what works best for your personality, try varying the type of event you attend to determine what’s most suitable.
Remember, networking is a very personal experience, and different functions will work best for different people. No one is born with a networking gene; networking is an acquired skill. However, with a little research, proper planning, and practice, anyone can be a networking guru in no time and understand which events are best for them!
-Alecia D.
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