Saturday, November 30, 2019

The Real Story Behind My Overnight Career Success

The Real Story Behind My Overnight Career SuccessThe Real Story Behind My Overnight Career SuccessMy career trajectory in the past 12 months has gotten a little nuts (in the best possible way). Over a year ago, I applied for a Teen Vogue gig I saw online.A lot of you people reading this may or may not know, but Teen Vogue has kind of exploded since December 2016, and lots of people from all demographics and generations are reading it now.The question I get asked constantly is how I ended up in such an enviable position. I think a lot of people believe that by recreating my steps, theyll somehow end up in the exact same distribution policy or that theres some secret sauce involved in the whole thing.However, I can assure you that theres not really anything wowza about this sauce.Here are the three biggest things you can take away from my story1. I Got LuckyThis section is the shortest because, quite frankly, its the most boring.A little over a year ago, I saw a job listing for a freel ance writer position for the site, I applied, and I got it. My editor later told me that shed been inundated with applications and picked two at random. Guess which lucky lady was one of those two?My mother says that sometimes God gives you a free one. This was just that.2. I Worked Incredibly HardWomen have a tendency to downplay their accomplishments, so I wont downplay mine here Once I got the job at Teen Vogue, I worked my ass off.I take virtually every assignment, and if I dont, theres usually a very good reason why. I write at superhuman speeds, Im reliable, and I learn quickly. I wrote almost 500 articles in my first year- you dont get to that point by just sitting around.Personally, I also feel like I caught a second lucky break within the lucky break, because although I was technically hired as a tech writer for the site, I wrote all kinds of lifestyle and news coverage, including politics. Once again, I happened to be in the right place at the right time in November when T rump was elected president Id covered politics for the site previously, and this was a time when there was a need for people who could write on the topic. I then worked really hard once the opportunity presented itself.My experience has been a confirmation of the fact that lucky breaks are great, but the easy ride ends there. Ive had to earn my stripes every day and at every other publication Ive written for and/or write for now.Again, I apologize for the lack of secret sauce here. I wish I had something flashier to say.3. I Worked Incredibly Hard Long Before Teen VogueWhile there were elements of luck into getting the position, followed by pure grit as I ran with the opportunity, Teen Vogue certainly wasnt my first time putting pen to paper (er, cursor to Microsoft Word). (If you want to hear more about my writing experiences, you can check out my longer Medium post on that as well as my LinkedIn.) Heres the long story short I wrote over 1,000 pieces of published content during my four years of college about virtually every topic under the sun. I built several successful blogs during that time and learned about editorial strategy, social media distribution, email marketing, headline writing, networking within the industry, and so much more.Am I an expert at any of those things? Of course not. But all of these experiences made me much more confident in my abilities, so that when an opportunity like Teen Vogue came along (and then subsequently took off into the stratosphere while I just happened to be clinging onto the spaceship for dear life by a single pinky finger), I was prepared to go along with it.The bottom line is this Whether you believe in the 10,000-hour rule or not, I put in my 10,000 hours. Every opportunity prepares you for what comes next, and I can say without a doubt that I wouldnt have been able to handle whats happened from writing for Teen Vogue if not for the blood (yes, I once cut my finger on my laptop), sweat, and tears that came from th e years before that.Great opportunities require sacrifice, and they hardly line up perfectly with whats going on in your life. So when they present themselves, dive in, forgo some sleep, and do as much as you can (without burning out). This article was originally published on Medium. It has been republished here with permission.

Monday, November 25, 2019

What to Include on a Career Networking Business Card

What to Include on a Career Networking Business CardWhat to Include on a Career Networking Business CardWhether you are attending ajob fair, acareer networking event, or meeting a contact one-on-one, its a good idea to have a career focused geschftlicher umgang card, so its easy for people you meet to follow up with you. Keep business cards on hand even if youre not attending a job search-focused event.Networking can happen anywhereYou might meet helpful contacts during parties, on trips, or at other social events. Before you leave an event or end a conversation, hand out your business card and express your wish to keep in touch. This will often prompt people to reciprocate by sharing their own business card, too. Having a business card available helps you appear professional and prepared. Plus, unlike a resume, its easy to carry business cards around at all times. Read on to find out more about what information to have on your business card, as well as where to get them. What to Include on Your Business Card Todays job seekers have the opportunity to present more than just the basic contact information traditionally included with business cards. A business card provided by your employer will include your name, job title, employer, phone number, and email address. For your own personal business card, you can leave off your job title and employer. Instead, of a job title, include a broad description of your work, such as writer, accountant, marketing professional, planer, etc. If you use a two-sided card, you will be able to include additional information and avoid cluttering the front of the card. Be koranvers to Include Links Incorporating the address of yourLinkedIn Profileprovides the opportunity to showcase accomplishments and recommendations. A link to a business-orientedpersonal websitecan also convey professional information. For many career fields, a link to a portfolio site can be an effective way to showcase designs, writing, or other projects whi ch will prove to prospective employers that you have the right stuff for your target job. Whichever link you choose to include on your business card, make sure its short and easy to type into a browser. Consider Adding a Tag Line Some job seekers include a tagline on the second side of their card like A technology consultant with a cutting-edge grasp of networking strategies and a proven record of completing projects on time and within budget. Others will use the back side of the card to list three to five key skills or knowledge assets which they offer to employers. Think of your tagline or top skills as being like your elevator speech. You want to share a quick look at your skills and background, and help people remember you once theyre back in the office after an event. Design Tips for Business Cards Its a good idea to use a template or hire a professional designer for your business card. Most sites that print business cards have templates available. Here are a few design gui delines to keep in mind Leave Plenty of White Space There is a lot of information you can include, but its important not to clutter your card. Leave plenty of white space, so its easy to read. Think about what information will present your candidacy most effectively before you start designing a business card. Consider a Headshot While its generally not recommended to include a photo on your resume, it is appropriate to include your photo on your business card. The decision is up to you, but note that including a photo may help people recall your conversation later on (faces can be easier to remember than names). Just be sure to use a professional image the photo you use for your LinkedIn profile is a great option. Keep the Design Clean and Simple Opt for a standard font, and avoid using several fonts on your business card. Use a reasonable, readable font size - too small, and people will have difficulty reading your business card. QR Codes on Business Cards You can also include a Q R code which can be scanned by a smartphone and is linked to a website URL so the viewer can get more information. Where to Get Business Cards There are plenty of low-cost, even free, options for getting business cards printed. Some of the most popular online options for low-cost business cards are Moo, Zazzle, Overnight Prints, and Vistaprint. Most companies offer templates, which help steer you through the process and ensure that you wind up with a readable, well-designed option. You can also use Canvas free business card maker to design your own card. Google free business cards for a list of companies that will give you free cards, but be aware there may be a fee for shipping and for add-ons. You can also find free templates online. Another option is retail stores like Staples where you can get help with the design as well as printing.

Thursday, November 21, 2019

Refresh Your Career in Time for Spring

Refresh Yur Career in Time for SpringRefresh Your Career in Time for SpringRefresh Your Career in Time for SpringSpring for some better career habits.March is the time when many New Years resolutions have gone flat. So maybe your shiny January routine of going to the gym 4 times a week did not stick, or your healthy-eating resolve crumbled in the face of February sleet. No matter spring is here, and you can use the blue skies and the warmer days as the ultimate inspiration to refresh yourself professionally with some work organization and spring cleaningA spring re-boot is a great way to assess where you are, breathe a new life into a stagnant job search, and chart your course towards making this a great year for your professional growth. Here are five Spring steps to get you inspired and moving in the right directionGive yourself a wertzuwachs review.Your manager may sit down with you once a year to go over your professional goals and deliver feedback, which is often followed by th e raise or promotion conversation. Why not do it for yourself? You might even take yourself out for a nice lunch while you are at itWhere do you start? Consider using the same format as your manager would, especially if you have the benefit of well-defined goals and metrics that you are being measured against. If your job does not offer a clear set of expectations and benchmarks, you can develop your own based on your job description and industry norms. Decide on what matters most, then grade yourself on a sliding scale. At this point in the process, it is best to be a tough judge of your own performance. Identify what you did well, what could have been done better, and what needs to change going forward.Pro tip for those who are unemployed and in active job search mode you might complete the same exercise to assess your networking and interviewing efforts. After all, looking for a job is your job now and you will benefit from a periodic re-boot and evaluation. Whats working? On wh at hard tasks might you be procrastinating? By taking an honest hard look at your efforts and results, you might just get the job search process out of a rut. Re-assess your salary.Most professionals do a formal or an informal assessment of salary levels for comparable positions when they are considering several job offers. Websites like PayScale, Jobstar and Salary.com offer a great starting point to research typical salaries for your job in your geographic location. Unfortunately, few people use these resources once they are employed. I recommend turning this into an annual exercise and looking for trends as opposed to zooming in one any one number.What you do with the information you find will depend on the results of your search and your personal situation. If you learn that you are being underpaid compared to similar positions in your area, you might begin by taking an honest look at your contributions and performance over the past year or so. Are you a superstar performer with no raise for a year or more? Consider if your company is in a dire financial situation, and assess whether you are still getting the right opportunities and prospects to grow or if this is the time to jump ship.Freshen up your resume.Another common mistake? Dusting off the resume right before you need it for an interview That is a recipe for last-minute hassle and regrets as you realize you have forgotten to add a brand-new skill or experience that would highlight your readiness for the next opportunity.The good news is that keeping your resume up to date does not require much time. By reviewing it once or twice a year, you can be sure to update your list of responsibilities, accomplishments and awards while they are fresh in your mind. After your resume is supplemented with current information, be sure to do the same to your LinkedIn profile. Take stock of your network.Speaking of virtual and real-life networks, Spring is a great time to reconnect with decision-makers, former col leagues and industry contacts. Most professionals dont think of reaching out to their connections unless they have a specific question or request, because they feel they need a reason to say hello. There is nothing wrong in wanting to be respectful of busy professionals time.However, remember that a friendly touch-point just because can be effective and welcome. Consider sending a quick email to share personal or professional news, a handwritten note to thank them for something they did for you in the past, or a book that reminded you of them. Small thoughtful gestures can do a lot to generate goodwillPrune down your to-do list for greater focus.Many professionals use to-do lists for work organization, but few do it effectively. Case in point if your list has had the exact same tasks pushed back day after day as you never seem to find the time or the motivation to address them, your list needs some pruning. Look at those perpetual back burner tasks critically. Do they matter? If so, must you be the one to do them? Ideally, you want to remove them from your list for good, delegate them, or get them done once and for all.You might also try creating a side by side comparison of your annual goals and your daily to-do list. If the two bear only a vague resemblance to each other, you need to re-focus your daily priorities in order to have any chance of accomplishing the big-picture goals that matter. You may want to involve your manager in this process to ensure that you have his or her buy-in.Professional spring cleaning for a stronger year.As you take a good look at your performance, resume and daily priorities, remember that no career is ever advanced in solitude You need a change of scene and some fresh airinspiration and motivation are sure to follow. Seek out professional associations, alumni networking events, conferences and other opportunities outside your office. By mingling with other professionals and exposing yourself to new ideas, you have a better cha nce of giving your career an energy boost.Need help with your resume? Take advantage of our free critique today