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3 Ways to Use Pinterest To Jump Start Your Job Search

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Pinterest isn’t just one of the hottest new social media platforms, it’s a great tool to assist in your job search.

Company culture is important to consider in a job search, and Pinterest can help you get a sense of that culture. A company’s culture can affect the quality of your work, your motivation and whether you enjoy your time with co-workers.

When you are looking for your dream job, Pinterest can help in your job search in these three ways.

1. Follow a company’s boards

A company’s Pinterest page will feature one of more boards showcasing images that represent the values and interests of the company. Pay attention to whether the company features a bit of humor in its posts on a Pinterest page. Consider whether a company uses creativity in the posts that it’s sharing. From their boards, you can glean the organization’s ‘personality’.

If a company makes an effort to use creativity as opposed to marketing tactics in order to appeal to consumers, then you can bet that company’s culture will value creativity in its employees. The boards can also reveal to you some of the company’s ancillary pursuits. They may be launching a new department related to your particular expertise.

The tool offers a myriad of ways to do your own freelance research. Value this tool, and if there are companies you want to work for, start your search by following their boards.

2. Post your resume on Pinterest

Create a collage of your most important accomplishments. This collage can serve as your resume and is a unique way to show off your talents. While it’s not a traditional resume, it is a great way to showcase and curate your abilities, interests, and achievements. Traditional resumes can actually be lacking in their limited overview of an applicant’s personality.

You can also post unique photos of yourself that depict you receiving awards from past companies or colleges. By using the site in this way, you can gain interest from prospective employers. They will be impressed when they search for your information on Pinterest and see that you are a goal-oriented individual.

3. Gain inspiration in the job search process

By staying focused on the reasons you are pursuing a particular career, you can gain inspiration in the job search process. Their overall content offers inspiration everywhere. It is important to generate feelings of well-being while you pursue the job of your dreams, and it’s got plenty of those.

One of the main reasons this platform has become so popular is that it celebrates the visual aesthetic in a very social way. Job applicants who are looking to illuminate their options should find happiness and ambition in the ability to stay connected with potential employers.

When you are searching for your dream job, Pinterest can be a great way to get the job hunting process rolling. Whether you want to work for a pharmacy or Fortune 500 company, Pinterest is a powerful tool that combines your own interests and your professional pursuits in a socially visual medium.

About the Author: Amanda Green is a online writer who normally writes about personal finance and business. She has been writing online for many different sites and publications over the years. Besides finance and business, Amanda likes to mix in topics like career, education and even some eco-friendly writing from time to time. You can read more from Amanda at paidtwice.com.

Image courtesy of Roxanne Ready.

6 Things You Should Do in the First 30 Days at Your New Job

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Your first few weeks at your new job can be overwhelming.

There’s often an avalanche of introductions, orientation meetings, training sessions, and new hire paperwork and administrative tasks. While these are all important, there are six additional things you should do in your first 30 days to set yourself up for success.

1. Craft your elevator pitch.

You only get one chance to make a first impression. So, before you start introducing yourself to everyone at your new job, figure out what you’re going to say when you meet them.

Prepare succinct responses for anticipated questions about what you were hired to do, what company or school you’re coming from, and what your professional qualifications are. Give the people you meet a reason to continue building a relationship with you.

“This allows you to focus on the relationships you’re trying build as opposed to the tasks right away. It’s about getting to know people and letting them get to know you,” says Evelyn Walter, VP of Human Resources at Inspirato.

2. Understand your role and how you will be evaluated.

The responsibilities of the job you were hired for could change by the time you start work. Reach out to your manager about what may have changed, and make sure you have a clear understanding of your current role, responsibilities, and authority before you take on any projects.

In addition, understand how your performance will be evaluated. Lisa Quast, career development consultant and CEO of Career Woman Inc., advises, “Find out what criteria you will be judged against to determine if you are successful in your job. When it comes time for your performance appraisal, you don’t want any surprises, so don’t be afraid to ask your manager to define the requirements for success in the job.”

3. Learn the business.

Before you can begin to truly contribute to an organization, you need to figure out how the company works. What are the business objectives? What’s the organizational makeup of the company? How does your company do business?

Taking the time to explore the business will help you understand how your work supports departmental and corporate objectives. According to Tracy McCarthy, Senior VP of Human Resources for SilkRoad Technology, that’s the biggest difference between average and exceptional employees.

The exceptional ones are trying to understand before they make decisions or assumptions about what’s going on in the business,” she says.

The people who ask questions and really seek to understand the business and where they fit in end up being the best employees. The employees who wait for all the information to come to them are going to be average at best.”

4. Interview your boss.

According to Quast, the key to being a successful new employee is helping your boss be successful. Find out what keeps your boss up at night and come up with creative ways to alleviate those worries.

Moreover, you need to establish a positive working relationship with your manager. Find out how he or she wants to communicate with you. For example, does your manager want to meet in person every week for project updates, or would he or she prefer to receive updates less frequently by email?

Also, ask your boss about goals and objectives for the team. Determine how you can use your skills to help the team accomplish those goals.

5. Be ambitious, but have restraint.

You might be eager to start contributing right away and fixing everything wrong you see with the organization. That intention is good, but tread lightly. As a new hire, you won’t have the historical context about why a policy or process may or may not need fixing.

As McCarthy notes, “If you come in and try to make a change and don’t understand why, you might be trying to change the wrong thing. Or you might be giving ‘new’ ideas that have already been done. Ask the questions to seek to understand and then you can be more effective.”

Walter adds, “Be willing to make suggestions, but be careful not to come in guns blazing, calling out all the different things that are broken within your department. You want your team to come to the conclusion of ‘what would we have done without you’ without you sending that message.”

6. Be proactive.

One day of orientation and a meet and greet with your team may be the extent of your company’s onboarding program. If so, be proactive with your managers about their training plan and what you need to accomplish in your first three months on the job.

“Be appropriately aggressive about meeting with your manager, discussing your projects, training, and responsibilities, and creating a meaningful 90-day plan,” says Walter. “Then, be proactive about following up at the end of your 30, 60 and 90 days to review and gauge your success.”

All of these things will require extra time and energy on your part, and might extend beyond the first 30 days on the job. But asking the right questions, building the right relationships, and learning the ins and outs of the business will help you earn credibility and give you the opportunity to add value to your organization faster.

Jennifer King is an HR Analyst at Software Advice – a company that compares and reviews HR and employee evaluation software. She reports on trends, technology and best practices in HR.

Image courtesy of Chris.

 

5 Ways to Get Exercise at Your Desk

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It’s a proven medical fact that sitting at a desk for hours at a time will literally drain your life force.

Don’t believe it? Studies conducted in 2011 showed that sitting at a desk for an entire workday can be as dangerous as smoking. The combination of low activity, a lack of exercise, poor posture and even worse circulation act together to dramatically increase the risk of diabetes, cardiovascular disease, obesity and premature death.

That’s right – sitting around for too long can actually kill you.

What You Can Do

To avoid early cubicle obliteration, try these five ways to get exercise at your desk.

1. Use The Ball

 It might look hilarious, but this thing actually works if you’re willing to put in the effort.

Studies are inconclusive regarding its ability to improve posture, but sitting on an exercise ball does encourage people to bounce around, do leg lifts and generally move about more, which helps keep muscles active and burns more calories than just sitting in a chair all day.

2. Do The Ol’ Wooden Leg

Exercising at your desk often involves using your own body weight and what little space you’re afforded.

The “Wooden Leg” exercise is as simple as lifting your leg at the knee and holding it straight out in front of you for 2 seconds, then raising it as high as you can and holding it for another 2 seconds. Slackers stop at 15 reps per leg, but since you’re just sitting there you may as well just do it as much as you can.

3. Desk Clamp

 This one is actually kind of hard core.

You’ll need a little extra desk space (and a sturdy desk), so it’s good if you can scoot your keyboard out of the way. Once you have the room, place your forearms flat on the desk from elbow to wrist then bring your knees up onto the underside of the desk so that you’re “clamped” to it. Hold for as long as possible – and don’t feel bad if it’s not that long.

4. Lift Heavy Things

 Finally, there’s a reason to keep a dictionary on your desk.

The idea is simple: pick up something heavy and repeat. It doesn’t matter what it is, but it does matter how you lift it. Slow and easy is the key. Lifting things slowly will help prevent straining and give you a better workout by focusing muscle use. It doesn’t have to be a book. Anything heavy that is lying on your desk or around the office will do.

5. Try Isometrics

Isometrics is exercise by means of contracting muscles without resistance or creating resistance with the body or an immovable object. In other words, it’s fancy talk for pressing your body against something, or even itself.

Isometric exercises you can do at your desk include abdominal contractions, pressing your palms together and pressing your legs, arms or hands against your desk for short bursts of time. It probably sounds silly, but it works.

Avoid The Risk

Doing anything is better than just sitting there. Use these tips or come up with your own exercises. As long as you’re being active, you’re winning.

James Madeiros is a staff writer for Teacher Certification Degrees, a career resource for individuals interested in becoming a teacher.

Image courtesy of lucidtech. 

3 Surefire Ways to Impress Your Boss & Get a Raise

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Even if you got one just last week, chances are you could use a raise. While more money isn’t always necessary, it sure is nice. And if you can easily impress your boss, why wouldn’t you want to earn a few more dollars for the duties you perform at work?

Chances are, though, that your employer has your position pretty accurately valued. If your salary requirements ever exceed that value, you’d need to be promoted to a new position with more responsibilities, or find a new job. So if those options aren’t appealing at the moment, the best way to earn a raise is to impress your boss. On a regular basis.

How you can you do that, though?

While I’m self-employed now and set my own rates, I learned quite a lot about earning more money while working for a vanity book publisher. In fact, those lessons took me a long way in setting up my current self-employed situation. If you’d like to earn more at your job, and if you want to set a foundation for setting out on your own, here are a few pointers.

Let The Profits Guide You

When I first started at the book publisher, I remember reading a bit about a man named Michael Masterson. He got his start in the publishing industry, editing a newsletter. According to his story, when he wanted to make more money he realized that he’d have to make his boss more money. When he did that successfully, he got a stake in the company. Which was worth over $1 million soon enough.

So if you want to earn more money, you could be like Masterson and arrange to share in the profits you generate.

But an easier way to impress your boss is to just improve the bottom line a bit, not explode it. Take a look at where your company draws its profits. Without taking away from your normal duties, start to come up with ideas that will improve those profit-driving areas.

You can take these ideas to your boss or, if it’s feasible, you can just start working on them. Either way you’ll create an impression. An impression coupled with profits leads you to greater benefits.

Find Areas of Excessive Spending

There are two ways to make more money. The first is by earning more. That is admittedly a great path, because there aren’t many limits on how high you can go. Another way is to cut spending. If you can’t do this from your current position — if you don’t have access to spending information — you can still make differences here and there.

While reading about society’s energy consumption lately, I came across the energy efficiency page at our power company. One fact on there struck me: Buildings account for 40% of the energy consumed in most countries. That seems like an enormous amount. This includes heating, cooling, and electricity. Doesn’t that seem like an opportunity? Even if you can’t access the bills, you can still undertake initiatives to reduce your company’s energy usage.

If you do even simple things, such as encouraging employees to shut down computers after work (rather than putting them to sleep), turning off every unnecessary light, and keeping unnecessary appliances unplugged, you can make a dent in that building cost. Suggest to your boss that your landlord install new insulation, or timed thermostats. All of these initiatives can reduce the building energy cost, which will in turn save the company money.

Yes, increasing your company’s bottom line is what will most impress your boss. There is no substitute for that. If you take initiative and drive profits, you will be rewarded. But there are other things you can do in order to make yourself more valuable. One of the best ways I’ve found is to ease your boss’s anxieties and fears.

Find Out What Keeps Your Boss Up At Night

At the publishing house, my boss was petrified of losing clients. The money he personally made was based on a commission from client payments. If we lost a $200,000 contract after just two $20,000 payments, he lost out on commission for $160,000. He’d constantly threaten the entire staff if something even seemed to be going wrong. Sick of those calls, I found a way to not only get him off my back, but to have him actually appreciate my services.

When a client expressed or gratitude during any of our conversations, I made note. After a few of these conversations, I’d subtly suggest that the client call my boss and express the same feelings. He was the one who signed the client in the first place, so it was an easy suggestion. “You know who would love to hear what you just told me? Larry.” And so the client would pick up the phone and express the same jubilance to my boss. I’m sure he slept easier those nights, which certainly made my job easier — and made him appreciate me more.

We could all use a raise, and now is as good a time as any. But in order to earn a raise, we have to take initiative and help the company in additional ways. By increasing profits, reducing costs, and easing our boss’ troubled mind, we can truly earn our eventual raises. At the same time, we learn valuable lessons for self-employment, in case you ever consider that path.

So, are you ready to take those steps and earn what you are really worth?

Joe Pawlikowski owns and works for a number of startups. He writes about those entrepreneurial issues, plus anything else that interests him, at his personal blog, A New Level.

Image courtesy of 401(K).

Warning: That Dream Job Could Be With a Failing Company

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You’ve discovered your dream job! The position requirements match your strengths perfectly, and there’s potential for leadership down the road. Even better, it’s at a very cool company known for their fun work environment. You’ve done your homework about the position and the company’s daily operations.

But how much background information do you have on the financial health and history of the company?

To help prevent a disappointing disaster once you’re hired, it’s essential to take the time to research a company before sending off your resume.

But where to start? There are many tools available online to help you understand a company’s business strategy and health.

Check the Company Accounts

Before completely falling in love with your dream job, look up company accounts via Duedil. By law, all limited companies have to file their accounts annually. Even though the amount of information varies depending on company’s size, it’s possible to legally find some good stuff. Like profit and loss, balance sheets, shareholders, directors – even details of mortgages held by the business.

Duedil helpfully aggregates and cross checks information using a range of “free, open and paid sources,” and the data is available going back 20 years.

The Money’s Where It’s At

Check that the salary the company offers is consistent with industry standards. Even thought it’s your dream job, working for less than you feel you’re worth is not a great situation to be in. Research the average salary for others in your industry and network with jobseekers as well.

Check the benefits and bonuses – leave and overtime, medical and dental, disability, social security and retirement – and find out whether the benefits increase over time. Fewer benefits may lead to an unhappy work environment.

Scour The Web

There is a lot of information to be found just by doing a thorough web search. Even today, some job seekers stop researching at a basic level. If you do the same, there’s risk that you’ll miss the big picture and end up at a company that’s in trouble.

Visit the company’s website and read their mission statement. Is it something you could get behind? If they have a blog, catch up on a few of their blog posts. Do they have training days? What about corporate social investment initiatives? These are signs of a company that invests in their employees and in the community, too.

Ace the Interview

During interviews, try to display your knowledge of the company and seek to expand it at the same time. Ask your interviewer to describe your typical working day and try to get a feeling for the atmosphere and pace of the work. Steer clear of negative observations you might have made!

Although interviews are high-pressure situations, thorough and informed research can go a long way to helping you make the right decisions. Even if you’re currently employed but unsure of your company’s business strategy, research can help you align your professional goals with your employer’s goals.

As the English historian, Thomas Fuller, once said, “Care and diligence bring luck”!

About the Author: Marc Davidson enjoys writing about a broad range of subjects with a specific interest in online business marketing and freelancing.

Image courtesy of fdecomite. 

5 Ways to Increase Your Energy at Work without Caffeine

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It’s 2 p.m. and you have that mid-afternoon slump, with no energy in sight. It’s too early to go home but too late to head to the office coffeepot for caffeine.

Instead of heading to the office vending machine for an afternoon pick-me-up, here are five ways you can fight your mid-afternoon fatigue without relying on unhealthy stimulants:

Move

Chances are, you’ve been sitting at your desk, staring at your computer screen for a while. Those facts and figures aren’t helping you wake up any more than an insurance seminar would. Stand up and move around. If you can, go for a 10 or 15 minute walk around the parking lot. Too hot out? Try the stairwell. Walking can help get your blood pumping, which pushes more oxygen to your brain. Instant energy boost.

Interact

While you’re up moving around, head over to a co-worker’s cubicle to shoot the breeze for a few minutes. Talk about work if you’re worried you’ll get in trouble for gossiping. That little bit of social interaction can provide just the change you need to get your juices flowing again.

Hydrate

Many people don’t realize the effects of dehydration. If you drink very little water, chances are your fatigue has a little something to do with being dehydrated. Stop by the office water cooler and fill up your coffee cup with clear, refreshing water. The cold liquid will jolt your senses awake and you’ll start to feel more alert as your body gets the sustenance it needs.

Sit up straight

Slumping actually cuts off blood flow to the brain, making you feel less alert. It may feel natural to slump, but a straight posture is better for the circulation. You’ll feel more alert and be able to concentrate better by sitting up as straight as possible.

Get more sleep

Yes, this one is obvious, but if you are getting insufficient sleep, it might be time to reevaluate your sleep patterns. You may argue that you’re fine on five or six hours of sleep, but if you’re feeling sleepy and lethargic at work, that’s all the proof you need that you aren’t getting enough sleep. Try turning off the TV an hour earlier and doing something that makes you sleepy, like reading or listening to classical music. If you have trouble falling asleep earlier, examine your caffeine intake and ask yourself if it might be interfering with your ability to get the sleep you need.

Stephanie Faris writes for Criminal Justice Degree Schools, a career resource for individuals looking for information on getting started on criminal justice careers from cybersecurity to blood spatter analyst.

Image courtesy of Dave C. 

How To Stay Sane In Your Home Office

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For many people, the idea of working from home is a dream come true. And you know what? They’re absolutely right! However, it’s not always as easy as one would think.

For starters, being in your home means you are surrounded with a plethora of distractions. Aside from the usual TV, dog, kids, and other distractions you wouldn’t find in a “regular” corporate office, being isolated and cooped up can make you feel stir crazy!

So how can you work from home and stay sane at the same time? Here are five valuable tips I’ve learned by running my own business (Credit Card Forum) from my home office for 3 years and counting.

Tip #1: Limit your distractions

First and foremost, you should get rid of as many distractions as possible. This means working in a room that has no TV. If your job involves a computer, it’s best to set ground rules for time-wasters like Facebook and news sites… don’t use them during your working hours! The same holds true for texting with friends – you wouldn’t be able to do that at a regular office, so why waste time doing it at your home office?

Tip #2: Have a comfortable chair

This may be the best investment you could make. Years ago when I was working for the man, I remember the cheap computer chair I had to sit in (it was the most entry-level model you could imagine). The surface was so hard, I would constantly have to re-adjust my body throughout the day to prevent my behind from going numb! So the first thing I did when I became self-employed was buy a comfortable chair – what a world of difference! I’m not saying you should go buy a Lazy Boy to sit in, but being comfortable and being productive usually go hand-in-hand.

Tip #3: Stick to a schedule

Without a boss around, you may find it difficult to stick to a schedule. To counter this problem, I’ve found it helpful to stick to a routine. I usually write mine out in advance. For example on Monday I will be writing personal finance news on my blog. On Tuesday I will be updating my airline credit card reviews. Wednesday will be an administrative day for accounting and paying bills. By having a schedule in place which I need to follow, I’m less likely to kick back and procrastinate.

Tip #4: Leave home for your break

It’s no fun to sit at home in front of your computer all day, alone. So what I try and do is schedule quick errands as my mid-day/lunch break. For example I may take off between 1-2 pm to hit up the grocery store, refill prescriptions, grab lunch with a friend, etc. Doing these in the middle of your work day can be a nice break, but just keep an eye on the clock and don’t be gone too long.

Tip #5: Eat healthier and regularly

In the corporate world, you don’t always have the opportunity to eat a healthy lunch. As a result, you may end up feeling lethargic throughout the afternoon. When you work out of your home office there’s no excuse for this to happen – you can prepare whatever food you want. I recommend choosing your at-home meals before the week begins, selecting healthy items which won’t spike your blood sugar or leave you feeling like you just ate a whale. Also, don’t forget to have a healthy snack in the afternoon, to keep you energized for the homestretch of your workday.

Do you ever work out of your home office? Any tips to share?

 

Mike Dolen operates CreditCardForum out of his home office in Los Angeles. It is a website for reviews of credit cards, contributed by forum members as well as himself. His most recent reviews are for the Capital One Journey and Chase Southwest card.

Image courtesy of Maegan Tintari. 

How To Have A Successful Office Romance

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Editor’s Note:  Today’s guest post comes from career blogger Al Turner, the managing editor of Campuses to Careers.

So, you’ve fallen for the guy or gal in the next cubicle over and you’re not sure how to proceed. Well, human resources managers see office romances bloom (and go bust) more times than they can count.

At the beginning of your new inter-office relationship, you may be too blinded by infatuation to see the pitfalls.  Before committing yourself to a new relationship and blurring the lines between your personal and professional lives, consider these possible problems and what actions you’ll take to avoid a major career road block.

Peril 1: He’s Always There

At the beginning of your relationship, you probably won’t mind that your new beau is everywhere.  You’ll see him or her every morning at work and then most evenings after work.  However, we all know that there can always be too much of a good thing.  You may find that a few months into the relationship, your love sickness has turned to you being sick of your new love.

How to deal:  Just like with work, you sometimes need a vacation from your relationship.  Talk to your partner and agree on times when you can pursue your own hobbies or spend time away with family and friends.  Remember that your partner needing some time alone does not mean that he or she doesn’t care about you.  Time apart can actually be healthy for your relationship.  After all, how can you miss someone who never leaves?

Peril 2: Workplace Bias

Say you’re working on a group project with your partner.  What will you do when he or she offers up some not-so-good ideas for an important presentation?  Because of your outside relationship, you may not feel like you can be completely honest with your partner the way you would with another colleague.  These feelings can affect your judgement and the quality of your work, and other colleagues and your boss will be sure to notice.

How to deal:  Make an agreement with your partner to be just colleagues while at work.  This means that while you will still approach your partner in a respectful manner, you will give your honest opinion about their work.  There will always be times when your outside relationship complicates your work relationship, so try not to take things personally if your partner disagrees with you while on the job.

Peril 3: Bringing Relationship Drama to Work

Even the best employees can let their personal issues affect their work.  What do you do if the cause of stress in your personal life is also sitting right next to you at your job?  All couples fight, and one of the greatest perils of dating a co-worker is that the drama from your personal relationship can spill over into your work relationship.  Whether you’re giving each other the silent treatment or getting into a screaming match, your boss and colleagues will have a front-row seat.  Whenever you bring your relationship drama to work, your reputation and even your career can be put at risk.

How to deal:  No matter how bad the fight with your partner is, make a deal with him or her that your personal issues always stay at home.  It may be hard to put hurt feelings aside, but it’s something that you have to do while at work.  If you find your partner is being passive-aggressive or trying to discuss personal problems while you’re working, take him or her outside of the office building to talk about it during a break.  Confronting your partner while still within earshot of others is never a good idea, especially if you think it could get particularly nasty.

Peril 4: Post-Break Up Awkwardness

Not every relationship leads to happily ever after.  You may find that after your office romance fizzles out, only awkwardness remains.  The hard feelings that sometimes accompany a break up can last for a long time.  When these feelings are directed at a colleague, it can make it hard for both of you to do your jobs to the best of your abilities.

How to deal:  Every time you enter into a relationship with someone at work, you have to prepare yourself for the possibility of a break up.  Talk to your partner while you two are still together and lay some ground rules in case the relationship ends.  For example, you could make it a rule that you don’t talk to colleagues about the relationship or its demise.

Deciding to get into a relationship with a co-worker can have its pitfalls, but it can also have its benefits.  Your co-worker turned boyfriend or girlfriend will have a deeper understanding of your life because they know what goes on during your nine to five.  By preparing yourself for common office romance perils, you’ll be able to have a more fulfilling relationship and, if it happens, a less messy break up.

Al Turner is a professional writer and career blogger.  He is also the managing editor of Campuses to Careers, a college and career blog that helps young people make informed decisions about their future and find the best college and career opportunities for them.

Image courtesy of Lorchaos. 

 

Creating a Killer Personal Brand

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Editor’s note: today’s guest post comes from Lisa H. Wright, who regularly blogs at Getting to Zen. 

Back in the day, personal branding was simply called “reputation.”  In business, marketing, and entertainment, having a great reputation was one of your most valuable assets.

And it still is. But a few things have changed since then.

Our Global Marketplace

Today we live in a global market, and for sellers of goods and services, the competition is fierce.  If you hope to achieve any kind of success, you’d better have a firm grasp of what personal branding is and how it can advance your objectives.

So, what exactly is your brand? 

You! That’s right, you!  You have to move away from thinking of yourself as an employee, or even a mere entrepreneur, and begin positioning yourself as a brand.

Of course, your brand may not be as well known as, say, Coca Cola’s, McDonald’s or Martha Stewart’s, but you’re a brand nonetheless.  And just as those brands have successfully seared the images of their products and services into the minds of their targeted consumers, you must work diligently to do the same.

Key Components of Personal Branding

There’s a very good chance that whatever career, market, or niche you work in, there exists healthy competition.  In fact, there may be dozens, hundreds, or even thousands of people offering the exact same thing you are.  Creating and solidifying a great personal brand is crucial to standing out and differentiating yourself from the crowd.

As they say, the cream rises to the top.  What unique, creative, and innovative strategies do you employ to separate your brand from the competition, enticing consumers to choose you over someone else?

Marketing Your Brand

It’s a well-known fact that every successful personal brand aggressively markets itself.  What marketing strategies and techniques do you use to promote your brand? For instance, do you actively mingle at seminars and trade shows involving your product niche?  Do you engage in e-mail or other direct marketing campaigns that trumpet the value of what you’re selling?  Do you have a website, or blog that discusses or showcases the services you provide?

Do you hobnob with potential customers while in attendance at workshops and conventions for your specific industry?  Do you distribute sales letters touting your products?

If you don’t already have a great marketing strategy designed to garner greater visibility for your name and business, make immediate plans to get one.  Simply put, your marketing efforts (or lack of) could make or break you how successful your brand is.

Offering Value

Another major factor in personal branding is the creating of what marketing types call, “a value proposition.”  It asks the question, “What brings value to your brand?” Or, “What’s makes your brand unique, or special?”  For example, do you offer the lowest prices without sacrificing quality?  Are your products made of the highest-grade materials in the industry?

Is the way you deliver customer service above and beyond your competitors?  Does your product hold great appeal to the environmentally conscious consumer?  Do your products and services feature an ironclad satisfaction guarantee of some sort?  Regardless of what advantage your product holds, clearly establishing the value your brand offers is a sure way to gain and maintain a solid foothold in your market.

Being Memorable

It’s important for your brand to be easy to remember.  The obvious reason is when a potential client or customer has a need, your brand will come to mind first.  So, how is your brand memorable?  Does it feature a distinctive logo?  Is your brand associated with a clever catchword or catchphrase?  Have you created a jingle that’s indelibly linked to your brand?  The last time you provided a good or service, did you over-deliver in a distinctly memorable fashion?  For the savvy entrepreneur, the lesson here is simple: When customers remember your brand (in a good way), rest assured they’ll keep coming back.

In short, personal branding is a new way to think of an old concept.  In a wide open, far-reaching global market place, you can’t sit around and hope for business to come knocking at your door; you’ve got to get out there, invite it in and the roll out the red carpet when it does show up.  Personal branding is only a single tool to this end, but is an exceedingly powerful one.  Embracing the importance of personal branding is critical for any success-minded individual, and anyone who wants to stand out in their field.

Do you have any examples of how you’ve embraced personal branding? What kind of results have you experienced?

Lisa H. Wright a mother, blogger, runner and happiness seeker. Her blog, Getting to Zen inspires personal success through action. In addition to blogging, Lisa is a co-author of Overcoming Fear: Sticking it to What’s Holding You Back, a unique program designed to help you get out of your own way and create the life that you want. To read more of Lisa’s articles, visit her blog and don’t forget to download her free goodies while you are there.

Image courtesy of Caveman Chuck Coker. 

 

 

Handy Apps for the Office (That Have Nothing to do with Business)

Guest Author Blog, Guest Articles, Products & Tools 7 Comments

Since the iPhone initially came out, it went from being seen as a toy to becoming a serious business tool. Between it and Android phones, you’ll find a plethora of amazing apps to help you organize and run your business.

But that’s not what this list is about. There are already plenty of resources if you’re seeking those kind of apps.

What we have here is a list of apps that are extremely handy around the office, for all those little things that don’t directly have to do with business. Unless otherwise noted, the apps are available for iPhone and Android.

Ordering Food for the Office

While there’s nothing wrong with calling in a 15-person food order – complete with special (“picky”) instructions – it’s often easier and faster to make that order on your smartphone.

Depending on what’s nearby, you’ll want to check out the smartphone apps for Papa John’s, Chipotle, Five Guys, or any number of restaurants with their own apps. I can’t tell you how nice it is to jump to the beginning of a lo-o-o-ng Chipotle line and have your food ready and paid for.

Also check out Grubhub, which offers the chance to order delivery from nearby restaurants, including small mom-and-pop shops.

Eating Out

Whether you’re entertaining a client, an interviewee, or you just want to take the office out, I’d keep Yelp and Around Me apps handy. Yelp offers a comprehensive database of restaurants with user reviews, searchable by cuisine style, pricing and more. Around Me works more simply: It lists restaurants near you.

Grabbing an Order of Joe

Unfortunately, I have yet to find the “nirvana” app that combines coffee orders and payments. (The Starbucks app only does payments.) However, Coffee Order via me is a clever Android app that’s made specifically for taking down orders. I’ve seen it used on some coworkers’ LG phones to make the whole process much, much easier for everyone. Especially when your co-worker orders a Triple Venti skinny hazelnut 3-pump soy latte with no foam.

Office Tunes

Whether you need ambient sounds for your reception, or want to add a bit of jazz to the office, you’ll lo love Pandora and iHeartRadio. Of course, not everyone likes working to music, so you might want to use these through your earbuds. Both apps offer the chance to create custom radio stations based on the music you already like.

Managing the Softball Team

More than once have I seen co-workers driven to tears by the task of managing the office softball team. Co-workers can be the neediest, most prima donna athletes of all, it turns out. Apps like GameChanger Baseball (iPhone) and GameChanger Scorekeeper (Android) may not eliminate all the stress involved in this unenviable task, but it will help.

Gifts and Birthdays

Karma may have limited use within an office, but I like where it’s going. The app connects to your Facebook account, and gives you options for buying gifts for your Facebook friends. I actually like that the app gives you few options; you won’t wrack your brain over what to get the employee of the month (assuming you two are Facebook friends).

And if you’re big on knowing people’s birthdays (you should be), an app like Birthday Reminder Pro for iPhone or Birthday Manager for Android will help you take down and remember them.

How about you? Do you have experience with any valuable apps that you’d like to recommend?

Ashlee McCullen is a staff writer for ApronAddicts.com, a site about fashionable aprons and kitchen style.

Image courtesy of William Hook.

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