The Exclusive Career Coach Lesa Edwards

Gaps in employment. I want to start with the big picture, then drill down to some specifics. If it was several years ago, or more recently for only a few months, it probably isn’t the problem you think it is.  You can eli...

SO…you’ve landed a new position at a new company. How can you make your transition as smooth as possible? Here are 15 strategies:  Exit GracefullyYou don’t want your reputation to be tarnished in the final weeks with your old employer. Finish up any projects you need to, create whatever you need to help your successor in the role, say your goodbyes, and leave gracefully.  Announce on Social MediaBe cognizant of your previous and new employer when you decide the best timing to announce your new job on LinkedIn and elsewhere. Be kind and gracious to your former employer NO MATTER WHAT, and express your excitement about your new position. Nothing even remotely negative is appropriate here.  Take Care of BusinessYou may have paperwork to fill out for your new employer, questions you need answers to, and logistical information around start date and location.  Do Your HomeworkLearn as much as you can about the company and its culture, the department you’ll be working in, the people you’ll be working with, and the role you’ll be stepping into. Review the company’s website, LI profiles of key individuals, and any materials the company has provided you. Get Clear on ExpectationsMeet 1:1 with your manager so you can get on the same page as to expectations for your role, goals, responsibilities, and performance metrics. You should have access to your manager for frequent meetings during your first 90 days or so to ensure you’re staying on track.  Build RelationshipsBe intentional about getting to know your coworkers and others within the organization. If there are company events, by all means attend and get to know people. (It would be a good idea to find a mentor who can help you navigate so-called “optional” social events…are they REALLY optional?)  Limit “This is How We Did it…”You have a grace period of no more than a month to use the phrase “At my old company, we did it this way..” or any of its cousins. You can still introduce new ways of doing things – just don’t attribute your ideas to your previous employer.  Listen and LearnEven if you are highly experienced in your role, you’ll have much to learn in THIS role. Listen and observe, paying close attention to how things are done. Ask lots of questions and seek guidance from experienced colleagues.  Keep Lines of Communication OpenUpdate your manager and team members on your progress, as for feedback, and seek clarification when needed. This is particularly important if you are working remotely. Seek FeedbackActively solicit feedback from your supervisor and colleagues to help you identify areas for improvement. Don’t wait for formal performance reviews to seek feedback. Be Kind to YourselfDuring this introductory period, you’ll be learning a lot of new information – and likely making a few mistakes or missteps. Don’t beat yourself up – understand that mistakes are bound to happen in a new role and show yourself some grace and kindness. Manage Your TimeAs you adjust to your new role, be sure to prioritize tasks, set realistic deadlines, and establish a work routine that works for you.  Stay Positive and FlexibleMaintain a positive attitude and stay flexible as you navigate the challenges of your new role. Approach each day with a willingness to learn and grow. Seek SupportThere are resources to help you succeed no matter what your role is or what challenge you are facing. Reach out to your manager, HR, or a mentor within the organization for help.

I want to talk with you today about what SHOULD and SHOULDN’T be on your resume in 2024. Like many of the topics I bring to the podcast, this one comes from resumes I’ve seen lately with very old-school information.  What Should Be Included-Branding statement & Summary (which I covered in episode #314 last week). -Professional Experience section, written in reverse chronological order and going back 15-20 years. -You can include internships in this section if you are a recent college graduate, but will generally be removed once you have full-time, post-graduate experience. -Remember: a 2-3-line paragraph for your job duties, followed by up to six bulleted achievements that each start with an action verb and lead with results. -Education section, also written in reverse chronological order but generally without dates -GPA is good for recent college graduates but should be removed as your college education gets further in your past. -Include relevant coursework only if you are a recent graduate. -Certifications and Credentials that are relevant and current (non-relevant certifications can confuse the reader as to your true career goal). They should be spelled out and abbreviated, preferably with the granting body listed. -Volunteer experience, provided it is recent or current and relevant, without any controversial element to it. -Foreign languages, with your level of proficiency in each – where this should go will depend on how important it is to your candidacy.  Let’s Talk About the Order of These Sections Think of this as an inverted pyramid – the most important, relevant, and weighty information goes first.  -Branding and Summary always goes at the top above the fold. -For experienced candidates, Experience will be next. If you are right out of college, you may think your Education carries more weight – and it might.  -From there, it’s your decision as to whether your Education, Credentials, and Volunteer Experience is more important for your candidacy – and this may change depending on the requirements of the job you are applying for.   What Should NOT Be Included -An objective, which tells the reader what YOU want rather than what you can do for them. -“References provided upon request” or the actual reference list. -Hobbies, unless they are DIRECTLY related.  -A picture. -Other personal information, such as marital status or children info. -You have the option of leaving off any position on your resume, so long as you include that position on a job application. You may leave yourself with a gap in employment, so weigh that against your reason for not wanting to include the position. Especially if it was very short-term, the gap in employment may hardly be noticeable.   A Note About a Separate Skills SectionApplicant tracking systems (ATS) score resumes higher when skills are integrated into positions where you demonstrated that skill. While you can have a Skills section – I sometimes find this necessary – you can also try to incorporate as many of them as possible into your Experience section.   Are you in the wrong job that chips away at you every day? The document and coaching programs offered by Exclusive Career Coaching will help you find a job that uses your zone of genius, recognizes your value, and pays you what you’re worth.  If you’re ready to take your job search to the next level by working with a highly experienced professional with a track record of client success,

I want to talk with you today about how to approach your resume summary. I will also be talking a lot about personal branding in this section.  If you are new to this concept, the resume summary goes “above the fold” on page 1 of your ...

Over the years, a number of people have reached out to me with concerns about their resume – in some cases, resumes I wrote for them.  They went to a website that offered a free resume critique and got back harsh criticism that worried...

Today’s topic is how to become a thought leader on LinkedIn. This is something I work with many of my mid- and upper-level clients on and I wanted to share some of that work with you in this episode.  Let’s start with the obvious: If you want to become a thought leader on LinkedIn, you need a complete, professional, and optimized profile. If this is something you want help with, reach out for a consult and I can give you the specifics of what I can do for you and the associated investment.   Why do I want to become a thought leader on LinkedIn?If you want to become a thought leader, LI is the place to do it. There are numerous reasons to make this a goal, including: -Increased visibility for your personal brand-To move up within your current organization-To increase awareness for potential employers -Increased visibility for your company and/or industry -Increased visibility for your profession -To showcase your side business   What should I be doing? Let’s start with some basics. These are the things I do every time I sit down at my computer for LI:  -Respond to your messages -Respond to connection requests -Begin cultivating relationships with those you’ve already connected with -Engage with posts/birthdays/anniversaries/new jobs in the Notifications section (5-word minimum)  Now that we’ve covered the bare minimum, let’s take things to the next level: -Original content (think of LI as your blog) -Sharing others’ content, with a question that will elicit engagement -Content in the Featured section of your profile – these can be videos, posts, newsletters, articles, links) -Join groups appropriate for your job function and/or industry and participate -If you are also trying to grow your audience, set a weekly goal for how many connection requests you will send out and who you want to connect with. Then CULTIVATE – don’t try to sell right away.  -Once you begin contributing, you may be asked to be a contributor to collaborative articles on LinkedIn. A lot of people have found me through these contributions. Here’s how it happens: “LinkedIn identifies members who are likely to be experts in a certain topic based on their work experience, skills proficiency, and prior engagement on the platform. They must also meet high trust and quality standards by adhering to LinkedIn’s User Agreement and Professional Community Policies, and their contributions must remain relevant, original, and additive.”  How much time will this take? The biggest pushback I get from clients is “this will take too much time.” I’m going to break this down into bite-sized chunks, all of which can be managed much like a buffet – take what you want and leave the rest. It’s not all-or-nothing here.  -Make this a priority, or it won’t happen-Calendar in time, along with the specific deliverables you want to achieve -I spend 15 minutes, twice a week, on the basics:           -Messages           -Requests           -Initial greetings           -Notifications -It was recently recommended to me that I might try spending 1 hour a day commenting on posts – this would be on LI as well as my other platforms. I don’t have that much time, but I plan to expand what I’m currently doing now.