Dressing professionally for your interview is very important, but it’s only a portion of how you present yourself. We turned to Jane Guralski editor at bizMe.biz to help you create a playback for your interview and assess the strengths and weaknesses. As you read through Jane’s tips, think about how you responded to these questions and handled these situations. Then you’ll be more prepared for your next interview.

picture from Bio Job Blog

It’s an hour after your interview and you’re still obsessing about what you should have said, what you did say, and what perhaps you never should have said. As we hit rewind and replay the interview, let’s rehash the interview process. Let’s start at the very beginning . . . When we asked my middle daughter what she did in kindergarten, she always began with “first, I hung up my coat . . .” and then we heard her very imaginative play-by-play. And it’s a perfect starting point as we rewind the moments before the interview, the actual interview, and the aftermath of the interview process.

Retrace your steps prior to the interview:

• Shoes buffed or polished? Pants hemmed (no walking on your pants gals!) Heels look like new? No toothpaste stains? Piercings removed from lip, eyebrow, and/or nose?
• Did you arrive 10-15 minutes early so that your reliability and dependability was apparent?
• Resume? Best to bring at least one printed copy along.
• Did you remember to eliminate any coffee or tobacco breath or gum before you entered the building?
• Did you acknowledge the office staff with a friendly greeting and project a positive attitude? Remember your image has already begun so opt for a magazine rather than your phone or Ipod!

picture courtesy of SavvySugar

• • If you waited to meet your interviewer, did you sit patiently and properly—for women, legs crossed at the ankles and for men no slouching!
• When you were addressed did you immediately respond with a smile and an extended hand?
• As you walked to the interview room, did you keep your focus on the interviewer rather than showing visible signs of the darting eye syndrome as if you were “sizing up” the environment?

Your interview:

• Just like in the waiting area, your posture projects an image and you want your image to be one of pure professionalism.
• Did you use your hands when you talked? All the time, some of the time, or did your hands remain clenched together on your lap? Some of the time is the most natural.
• When asked a question, did you rephrase the question and then answer? The interviewer already knew the question, so why not just jump to the answer? Take a short pause of a second or two before answering to collect your thoughts.
• Hopefully you’ve practiced some of your answers from the list you’ve printed off the Internet of the most commonly asked questions. But you have to be able to rationalize why you are being asked those questions . . . the interviewer is always trying to get the “big picture” of you—your overall attitude, your ability to focus, to be a team player, to meet deadlines with proficiency and efficiency, along with sizing up your commitment and loyalty.

Your answers:

• Where do you begin when asked the open-ended question that’s more a command than a question—“tell me about yourself”. When you actually consider this question, it shouldn’t be too tough because you know you best! Before the interview, think about what makes you tick—talk to friends who “get you” and ask them to describe your strengths and weaknesses. Listen to what they say—is that the way you see yourself too? Any areas need improvement, updating, or tweaking? If you haven’t been asked the strengths and weaknesses question perhaps work that in the “tell me about yourself” answer. This is the answer where you need to brag about yourself—talk about a great college class that lead you to this career or how the unfailing attitude of a coach or encouraging teammate influenced your commitment to teamwork and the value of reaching a goal together, discuss how volunteering your time and talent makes you feel rooted in your community, describe how the relationship you have with your grandmother has taught you the importance of family, tradition, support and unconditional love. When you talk about what matters to you, you are allowing the interviewer to see a glimpse of your life—your education and accomplishments are already listed on your resume—not what gives purpose to your day.
• The question about failure or disappointment—we’ve all had some type of failure in our lives. It might be too personal to share but you have to answer the question. Perhaps you missed a deadline in a college class and you disappointed a professor—how do you feel when you look back on that? Maybe you missed an opportunity to get to know people out of your immediate social circle—where might those connections have led you had you been more open? Perhaps you regret not spending more time learning from mom and dad—how to bake or cook or garden . . . this list is exponentially limitless.
• Teamwork—do you see yourself as the leader, the worker, the finisher, the one who inspires, or the arbitrator? All of these are vital to the team concept and where you fall in the line indicates your strengths and perhaps weaknesses. Teamwork is not just for athletics because the reality is it does take a village to accomplish success in just about any field—sales team, medical team, advertising team, the manufacturing line—everyone must work together for a successful outcome. Networking is a team event—without the individual players, the concept of networking wouldn’t work.
• How will this job relate to your interests and experiences? Bingo! This is the answer that should knock your potential candidacy for the position out of the ballpark; this is the slam dunk; the overtime touchdown! You’ve done your homework—you know the mission and the vision of this company; you’ve had an informational interview with someone from the company; you’ve connected on LinkedIn; you know you’re perfectly aligned with what this company stands for, produces or sells. Discuss why you’re the perfect candidate—your integrity, sense of commitment and loyalty, your skill set and organizational abilities, that you can see the big picture while paying attention to the details. Number One priority for this question is to sell yourself but keep a check on your enthusiasm. Too much and you’ll seem like you’re already thinking about the next position above the one you’re interviewing for; too little and you’ll appear as if you’re reluctant to begin a new chapter in your life.
• Behavioral questions—the questions that seek to determine whether you have a certain skill that is required for the position. Be prepared for specific type questions because the overall objective by the interviewer is to find out your performance based on past experiences along with your abilities and knowledge. This type of question could be anything from prioritizing to motivating others to using sound judgment and logic. Example: If the skill is problem solving, your question might be—How did you handle a situation in which you found an error made by your manager or boss? Touchy subject because a) you’re the employee b) finding an error might make you look smarter than your manager or that you were actively looking for an error. In reality though, this situation does happen—students point out errors made by teachers, assistants keep executives on track and project managers may have to remind department supervisors about policy. When responding, rely on your sense of value—honesty, integrity, doing what’s right for the company. Simply state how you noticed the error (detail oriented), relay how you brought it up to your boss (communication skills, ability to be straightforward, your sincerity and positive rapport with management) and sum up how the situation was resolved (what did you learn).

Your questions:

• What do you like about working here?
• What are the opportunities for advancement?
• Describe a typical workweek—is there travel involved? Evening or weekend hours to complete a project? Daily team meetings?
• What is your background and why did you want to work for this company?
• Is there anything else I can answer for you?

Your follow-up:

• Email thank you to the interviewer—be sure you have the correct spelling of his/her name
• Written thank you to the interviewer mailed that afternoon or the next mornin
• Refrain from using twitter or facebook to tell your friends/network whether you thought the interview was a bust or a slam dunk

Although the interview process can be long and frustrating, it also represents a new beginning and the opportunity for new challenges. Learn from every experience, refine your interview skills, and project the best you with your genuineness, sincerity and honesty!

For more tips from Jane and the entire bizMe team, visit bizMe.biz today! Their online magazine is a bizgal’s career coach- guiding and mentoring the young professional as she gains her career savvy, budgets her paycheck, and acquires her lifestyle.

I had the pleasure of volunteering at a college career fair last week and was introduced to inspiring job seekers.  Though what troubled me was the fact that all of the students (both men and women) were told to dress in black business suits.  A Black suit undoubtedly looks professional but if you decide to wear one to your next career or job fair and want try to stand out amongst the crowd-try to spice it up with the use of accessories, a detailed blouse or even your glasses.   The students I remembered the most were wearing a black suit but each had on a unique accent piece that added that extra touch to get them noticed in a sea of black suits.

(Images courtesy of Google Images)

Dress up that black suit of yours even when wearing a white shirt underneath with a necklace or bracelet.  Why not try adding the Mini Oval Beads Necklace  and Mini Oval Beads Bracelet?  Both are sophisticated yet simple enought to pull together an outfit. A scarf in a pop color like this ice blue Digital Print Scarf looks professional, chic, and anything but boring!  It adds just the right touch of personal style to get you noticed!   Remember that the bag you carry to the job fair also makes a lasting impression on a prospective employer.  Even though you may have a polished portfolio that holds your resume, the bag is an important part of your outfit.  A Black canvas beach tote is not appropriate for this type of venue.   A tote bag like this Perforated Front Pocket Tote Bag allows you to interview in style!

Good luck from Workchic.com! 

You just got a call for an interview.  Not only do you have to find something to wear but what do you bring your resume in?  Folding it half into your handbag won’t work so what do you do?  We show you some Workchic suggestions from Ebags on how to present yourself in style and be prepared for your next interview! Don’t stuff your resume into a file folder or notebook.  If you don’t feel like carrying a tote then try one of these portfolio cases.

We love how the  Brown Croc Portfolio-$95.00 can fit all of your paperwork and still look chic.  Want to be daring?  Try the Red Croc Portfolio to instantly make an impact.  Want something more simple?  Try the  Buffalo Portfolio $70.00 and Full Zip Portfolio/Legal Pad Holder- $154.00in Black.

Want to carry your laptop to the interview?  Try the
Leather Zip Top Tote – Style Portfolio $89.99 which also doubles as a laptop bag. We like the versatility of the  Faux Croc Portfolio-$44.99 .  It has a detachable strap so you can use the portfolio in another bag.  It comes in alot of great colors that are perfect for the corporate or college campus!  

Know your interview is going to be more formal?  The Women’s Camel Portfolio-$149.99 and
Slim Portfolio will accent your interview suit.  Going to more of an informal interview?  Carry the Connor Portfolio Briefcase for a fun and fashionable option to a more traditional briefcase. 

Good luck on your interview from Workchic.com!

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By combining fashionable and professional appearance along with business etiquette, women can easily command a presence and gain the attention of their desired audience. This audience can be found in a boardroom, conference hall full of people, or even in one hiring manager’s office. There are many ways to look at the way you present yourself in a working environment. This is why bizMe and Workchic teamed up to bring information to women at all stages of their careers. From the initial interview to changing jobs later in life, women need to know how to showcase their own personal brand!
By drawing on their knowledge of brand awareness they put together a professional series like no other. Each of the following topics will showcase a 360° view of how women are perceived in business, from etiquette to appearance. Topics will include:

- Interviewing Tips
 - What to do once you’ve landed the job
 - Career advancement
 - Reentering the workforce or starting a new career later in life

Careers thrive and grow out of knowledge, preparation, and insight. This series will show women how to launch their careers and grow them while looking and acting like the strong professional women they are.

Professional Dress + Etiquette = Lasting Impression! Sign up for Webinars at http://workchic.com/content/38  or email info@workchic.com. Series begins April 13th.

The Seminars are a great gift for yourself, friend, relative or a new college graduate headed out into the workforce! Don’t Miss out!

These days it is not uncommon for one to think about changing careers.  We asked Ilona Vanderwoude, MRW owner of Career Branches how to transition successfully!

Career changers and renaissance folks alike always ask me: “How do I change paths without having to begin at the bottom all over again?”
Annoyingly, as with most things careers related; it depends.
Clearly, if you want to become a doctor, you’ll have to go to med school and start from scratch. A lawyer: back to law school, my friend.
But in most fields, there isn’t just one ticket to enter. Even though your preferred field asks for a specific educational background, chances are you may be able to bypass that.

Meet Maria

Last week I spoke with Maria, who is also a “renaissance woman,” meaning she loves variety and is one of those people trying to fit a million passions into one lifetime.
She majored in computer science and started her career in technology; coding, programming, etc.
Several years into her first job, her employer facilitated a lunch hour volunteer program through which Maria got to teach career-related workshops to young adults.
It wasn’t long before working with people had become Maria’s main interest.
Maria also volunteered trough Chicago Cares, which connects volunteers to 200+ opportunities in various areas (http://chicagocares.org/about.asp). They offer one-time volunteer opportunities. No weekly or monthly commitment. She joined field trips with seniors, did art activities with children, helped create resumes for homeless adults, tutored in the lab, helped prepare food that was being donated to an event, and helped serve meals at a Salvation’s Army.

Tip: Chicago Cares is a great way to test out non-profit or social services work for anyone living in the Chicago area. Some other cities have similar programs (i.e.: www. NewYorkCares.com).

From Science to Social Services
When the company she worked for folded two years later, she saw it as an opportunity to pursue her new passion.
Her goal: moving into social services – without the ‘right’ academic background. Make that: without a ‘remotely related’ academic background!
Maria was very organized about her transition. She even leveraged her analytical abilities that she used in her technology career (in which, btw, she flourished) to plan the next chapter.
She considered her options, talked to people, and saved up her money.
A few months later, she landed a training position at a for-profit university that specializes in technology. Maria trained homeless and at-risk adults (18 – 60+ yrs old) in soft skills and hard skills needed in the workplace.
Here, she leveraged her technology background and volunteer experience with young adults.
How did she get this job?
Networking without realizing she was doing it! She sort of sheepishly mentioned her plans to a college friend over dinner. His wife happened to know someone who was looking for a trainer.
Within two years, she had become the director of training; she managed the entire career development department and she even created a new workforce center.

Another Change of Direction
After another few years, Maria was getting restless again and shifted to a non-profit function in higher education – working with college students and alumni on career development.
Here are some pointers you can take away from Maria’s story if you want to pull off a similar transition:

Put It Out There
• Share your story, ask for help, and do some soul searching to make sure your desire for change comes from positive motivation to want to do something new, not from wanting to escape something old.It’s important to talk with others about your dreams. Not just to get the mental and moral support, but also because when you do, you’re apt to receive valuable input. People may have ideas you hadn’t thought of, or connections you weren’t aware of – just as in Maria’s example. And, as Barbara Sher says “isolation is a dream killer.” So get it out into the world – even if it seems an unattainable goal to you right now! Others can help you realize your dream.

Use a Phased Approach
• If your new field or position is quite a stretch and you’re sure you can’t enter it directly, do a phased approach – just like Maria did.
Look at your transition as a multi-step plan. First into the area that offers you the easiest entry. Once you’re in; get some experience under your belt, acquire some new skills along the way, and then move on to the area you really want to be in.
Volunteering or doing an internship is often a successful entryway into a new field. This may require a financial step back, so plan ahead, or do this on a part-time basis, if at all possible.

Zigzag Into New Territory
• Not keen on starting all over again? You don’t have to! As Maria put it; renaissance folks should take a “zig-zag” approach to their career. Each time you move on to the next field, you may have to take a small step back, but not all the way to entry level the way someone fresh out of college would. Then you’ll work your way up again, zig-zagging your way through different careers.
How do you do this? By leveraging your experience and skill set and quickly acquiring new abilities. Figuring out how to promote your transferable skills and experience (on your resume, in conversations and interviews) will take some effort. If needed, work with a career coach.
Then there’s this nice side effect of being a renaissance person; you’re probably very passionate about your new professional focus and you’re quick to learn new skills. Don’t underestimate your passion; people notice it and are drawn to it.
More often than not, the combination of transferrable skills, the ability to quickly learn new ones, and noticeable passion for this new field will get you there.

© Copyright 2010 – CareerBranches, Ilona Vanderwoude

Ilona (“rhymes with Fiona”) Vanderwoude is a nationally published resume expert and New York City’s only Master Resume Writer (1 of only 28 worldwide). Her specialty is working with multi-talented professionals who simply can’t pick one passion or career.
As a Career Designer, she guides her clients in crafting unusual life and career plans, helps them fit a million passions into one lifetime, and provides the tactical support to actually make it happen.
Please visit www.CareerBranches.com to claim your 3 free gifts, read her blog at www.blog.CareerBranches.com and follow her on twitter @CareerBranches and www.FaceBook.com/Ilona.Vanderwoude to keep up with the latest discussions and developments.

Last month we had posted an excerpt of an informative article Ilona Vanderwoude wrote for our Workchic panel discussion here.  We thought the article could relate to so many of our readers we had to share it.  Enjoy!

How To Make Your Resume Stand Out In Today’s Competitive Job Market

With the holidays behind us, you may feel extra motivated to dust off your resume and get it in the hands of hiring managers and recruiters.

But how do you do this? How do you stand out in a sea of competition – often equally qualified?

The answer is two-fold:

- By knowing the 3 must-haves to include in your resume
- By using the right job search strategies

Why am I mentioning your job search strategies here?

Because if you use very ineffective job search methods, it doesn’t matter how wonderful your resume is. It simply won’t get noticed.

And because these days, your resume may not have the honor of delivering a company their first impression of you. It may be your online profile(s) doing this.

The good news is, you get to be in the driver’s seat by going after the hidden job market. You definitely don’t want to passively apply to positions you see posted online. This has an average 2% “success” rate. If you’re not sure how to go after the hidden job market, just visit http://Careerbranches.com to download your free report about this.

So you need to know how to craft your resume, but you also need to know how to market it.

Today, with the proliferation of social networking, the job search has undergone some drastic “nip and tuck.”

Social networking is playing an ever-increasing role in the job search.

To be truly successful in today’s competitive job market, you need to use a combination of offline and online networking. The emphasis should be on positioning yourself as an expert in your field vs. asking your network for a job. Social networking is perfect for this!

You do this by commenting on other people’s blogs that are relevant to your field, by having your own blog and web site – yes, a web site! – and by answering questions online, engaging in groups discussions, and posting articles about your expertise.

You also want to identify hiring managers – not HR! – at the companies you’re interested in so you can approach and target them with your messages.

After a while, you’ll be seen as an expert and a resource. Next, and people will approach you and refer you without you having to ask because you’ve created relationships within your network and provided value to others.

It’s crucial to avoid the mistake of asking people in your network for a job. It’s needy and most people don’t have jobs to hand out. This means: end of conversation. It’s perfectly fine to ask for leads for informational interviews though.

With these strategies, you can work the hidden job market more easily as well.

But beware…when profiling yourself online, you need to know your own brand. Otherwise, you won’t stand out.

This leads me to the resume itself.

First of all; there are no hard and fast rules when it comes to resumes as much of the strategy depends on the person and the situation. But we do know there are certain things that always work.

Start by putting yourself in the shoes of a hiring person or recruiter. They see resumes all day long. Therefore, they simply won’t sit there and read your 5-page essay-style resume. Nor will they try to piece things together and figure out how your interesting and diverse background might fit with their organization. You need to make this clear to them.

Typically, they’ll spend about 10 seconds to see what jumps out at them – specifically: who you are, what you do, where your expertise lies, and what you can do for them. In other words: what solution do you bring to their problem?

So here are my 3 must-haves that will help your resume get noticed among your competition:

1 – Your resume needs to be branded.

What do we mean by that?

A personal brand is a differentiated promise of value. It’s about what’s unique about you which has a bottom-line impact for an organization.

When your resume is branded, it clarifies why YOU should be hired over anyone else with the same background, with the same type of responsibilities, and even similar achievements.

Often, it’s about HOW you get results. Employers want to know how you do something differently.

A personal brand is organic and authentic. It’s really about who you are and your core skill set, and then distilled into the one, overriding factor that would make you irresistible to employers. It is also something that you would absolutely love doing.

The challenge is in identifying and leveraging it so people see it even more clearly.

How you can do this: It is not always easy to figure out your personal brand by yourself as you’re too close to the source.

You can get started by asking yourself – and those around you – what it is you consistently do really well, that you love doing, and that is of value to the kind of employer you want to work for.

It could be several things. It could be work-task related, or it could be more of a personality thing. Or both.

Once you find your brand, you want to turn into a branding statement of 1-2 sentences max. This goes in the top third of your resume.

And remember this: Companies will interview you for the money or the bottom-line part of your brand. But they will hire you for the chemistry part. However, without the money part, you don’t get
through the door in the first place.

2 – Your resume needs to be focused.

Trying to keep your options open on your resume almost always backfires.

Again, remember hiring folks take mere seconds to scan your resume.

However, don’t use the hopelessly outdated “objective” as your resume should focus on what you can do for the employer vs. what you want from them.

Objectives typically read something like this: “Challenging position where I can use my skills and experience and have room for growth.”

These are meaningless statements and could apply to anyone from a janitor to a CFO.

So we want to create a clear focus to make it instantly clear who you are and what you do.

How you can do this: If you’re staying in the same field, simply bold your title (or variation thereof) at the top of your resume. “Global Marketing Specialist,” “Senior Finance Director,” “Executive Assistant,” “Health Care Administrator.”

Or: Global Marketing Specialist with 15 years’ experience in consumer industries.

If you want to pursue different types of positions in different industries, make sure to tweak your resume so you have multiple versions.

Just remember that an unfocused resume is an ineffective resume. It may feel counter-intuitive to you if you’re not sure what you want to do or if you want to keep your options open, but focusing your resume is vital.

3 – Show proof of your statements.

In other words: back up your brand and brand statement with specifics.

How you can do this: In your resume’s top section, create a summary of a few lines max – don’t go overboard – and weave in either quantifiable achievements or mention one or two representative successes that show some context (where you did this and with whom).

This part is often called the summary, or profile. It doesn’t matter what you call it, and you certainly don’t need to label it on your resume. People will get what it’s about.

Stay away from flowery fluff such as “goal-oriented people person with track record of building relationships …” This is too vague and makes it look like everyone else’s resume. These statements used to work, but they don’t anymore.

Next, make sure to quantify your achievements throughout your resume when describing your achievements. Provide some context for them by comparing your accomplishments to industry or company averages, or to those of your peers or your predecessor.

This way, your resume does not read like a job description. Instead, it will give readers a very clear picture of what unique things you have done and what sets you apart from John Doe with a similar background.

As a parting thought: Always make sure that everything on your resume is there for a reason and is relevant to your target. Your resume need not be all-inclusive. Anything that’s not relevant distracts from your core message.

There you have it! With these tips, you’ll be well on your way to creating a resume – and a job search strategy – that will get you noticed in any economy, no matter how crowded the market place!

© Copyright 2010 – CareerBranches, Ilona Vanderwoude

Ilona (“rhymes with Fiona”) Vanderwoude is a nationally published resume expert and New York City’s only Master Resume Writer (1 of only 28 worldwide). Her specialty is working with multi-talented professionals who simply can’t pick one passion or career.
As a Career Designer, she guides her clients in crafting unusual life and career plans, helps them fit a million passions into one lifetime, and provides the tactical support to actually make it happen.
Please visit www.CareerBranches.com to claim your 3 free gifts, read her blog at www.blog.CareerBranches.com and follow her on twitter @CareerBranches and www.FaceBook.com/Ilona.Vanderwoude to keep up with the latest discussions and developments.

Can you believe January is over already?  This month we challenged your reinvention into the professional, feminine, and chic career women we know you are. To help you in this mission we started providing career development tips along side the fashion advice you’ve come to expect.

Have you taken the time to reassess your closet, identify key basics, or revamp your resume? If you haven’t, now is a great time to go back and read our articles. They can all be found under the category New Year 2010. Looking for even more Workchic advice? This month we had some amazing contributors that taught us better time management skills, how to eat healthier and stay energized at the office, and even how to ask for a raise. We’ve written a few guest blog posts that may interest you:

At ShopItToMe.com you can learn How to Incorporate the Wild Accessories you love into your Work Wardrobe.

Turn to TheOfficeStylist.com for our tips on Packing for your next Business Trip.

To Make a Lasting Impression with your Interview Attire, check out our post on the Execu|Search blog.

We would love to hear your opinion on what was your favorite reinvention post this month!  Just leave us a comment below.

Don’t forget, you can always connect with us on twitter, facebook, polyvore, and join our group Workchic on LinkedIn. Send us your questions and comments through these networks or email us at info@workchic.com.

Over the last months you have been working to improve your professional image. This includes your personal presentation and the level of work you are executing. Your plan is to continue with self improvement, but you may be starting to wonder how it will pay off. So we turned to J.T. O’Donnell founder of Careerealism.com to answer this important question:

How do I ask for a raise in this economy? When will it ever be appropriate to ask for one?

J.T. had great advice.  She says, “Don’t ask for a raise! Instead, ask for the protocol for earning a raise in this economy. Seek an opportunity to speak to you boss when he/she is in a good mood. ie. end of business day on a Friday. Seek their advice on whether they think getting a raise will be possible with the org in 2010, and what an employee will need to do to earn one. Then, loop back every month or so with an update to your boss on what you’ve done to do what he/she suggested in order to earn that raise. That way, you are gently reminding them that you are making the effort to get that raise. Better still, it gives them the opportunity to give you feedback on your performance so that when the time comes, there’s no choice but to give you the raise!”

We recommend utilizing your outlook calendar to give yourself gentle reminders to follow through on the goals that you will set with your supervisor.   It will also make sure you don’t miss a check point to review your progress along the way.

Thanks J.T. for providing this advice. It’s never an easy topic. Especially with the current economic climate and proliferation of hiring and salary freezes.  JT O’Donnell is the founder of CAREEREALISM.com, a top 10 career perspective site for professionals, ages 18-40.  She has also provided valuable advice to Workchic readers on making your resume stand out, commanding a presence as a young professional, and deciding how to utilize facebook in your career.

Most of us are using facebook at this point. That includes our coworkers, bosses, and even parents.  Not to mention that certain information is now showing up in search engine results. So we wanted to know how to handle it when:

My boss friended me on facebook. What do I do? And what is the right way to use social media with regards to career?

So we turned to our distinguished panel of experts and asked them to share their advice on the topic.

  This is actually a very easy question for me to answer because I use Facebook and other social media sites strictly for business. Therefore, I would welcome my boss as a “friend” on Facebook.

One of the things I coach my clients on is how to keep yourself marketable; how to create visibility and credibiltiy around your personal brand. The way you present yourself on social media is the key to being successful at creating this credibility. The first step is to take the time to develop a professional profile for your social media sites and be cognizant of the image that you want to present. The next step is to ensure that all your communications mirror the image you want to convey.

I think it’s somewhat difficult to use the same social media sites for personal contact as well as business and do it really well. The answer might be to use selected sites for each and not to mix the communications and messages.

Bonnie Marcus, M.Ed., CEC, is a Certified Executive Coach, motivational speaker, and radio show host. Her weekly show, Women Mean Business, airs live on the VoiceAmerica Business channel Tuesdays 2pm Eastern. The show explores how women can thrive in the business world and features advice from experts on the key issues and challenges women face in their careers.

Certified Executive Coach, Motivational Speaker and Radio Show Host
www.womenssuccesscoaching.com

Listen to Women Mean Business Radio
http://www.voiceamerica.com/voiceamerica/vshow.aspx?sid=1612

 Everyone uses social media differently. If your Facebook account showcases your personal life in a way that you don’t want to share with your boss, simply ignore their friend request, BUT, go to them and say, “Hey. I saw you friended me. Thanks for that. However, I hope you don’t mind, but I’m actually moving away from Facebook as a networking tool and trying to build my LinkedIn account instead. So, could we link up there?” This way, they won’t be offended.

JT O’Donnell, founder of CAREEREALISM.com, a top 10 career perspective site for professionals, ages 18-40. Connect on twitter @jtodonnell.

 There is no escaping social media for the simple reason that we’re addicted to the reality of sharing our daily adventures whether we’re twittering our thoughts or catching glimpses of our friends’ weekend through facebook photo albums. Before you upload another photo or write a little something on a wall, remember that social media is personal branding at its finest. That’s you in the picture, that’s your grammar and communication skills in that tweet or poke. If your facebook page represents the ambitious, passionate and professional person you are at work, then there is no reason why you cannot be-friend your boss. If your facebook page shows you and your friends drinking, dancing on the bars, making out with people and wearing “clubbing” clothes, I highly suggest you clean that up. Not only because your boss or co-workers might see that but also what if your clients have access to facebook. My rule of thumb with facebook and other social media outlets is if I meet you in person and then find you on the Internet, you need to reflect the same person. Conversely, if I find you on the Internet first and then meet you in person, your onscreen image should be the same reflection as when we meet in person—in sync!

Amanda is the co-founder of bizMe.biz, an online magazine that is the bizgal’s career coach—guiding and mentoring the young professional as she gains her career savvy, budgets her paycheck, and acquires her lifestyle. It’s like having the honest, real-world advice from a trusted professor and the encouraging support of a best friend all packaged together in articles that reflect a “just like you and me” conversation. Please visit www.bizme.biz or @bizmebizgal on twitter.

 This is a very tough question: For the most part I would not have Accepted an invite from my boss on a social media site such a Facebook. I would simply decline by stating; “I have many people on this site who may say things or post stuff that is not work/business appropriate and I would be embarrassed if it ever caught you off gaurd…”  I would then follow up by inviting them to join me on linkedIn, Plaxo.
Melenee Suarez Burns, Executive Recruiter at a High-End Retailer
To learn more tips from Melenee, check out our previous interview: Notes from an Executive Recruiter

 If your boss sent you a friend request on Facebook, you should probably accept, or else you run the risk of alienating or disrespecting him or her. But that’s when the real fun begins…

Because you are now attached electronically to your boss, you need to be sure that what you write on your wall is positive an professional. You want to avoid being seen as derogatory, condescending, arrogant, hostile, and/or bitter. You also want to avoid cursing, even if you’re just trying to be funny. And, ensure that any picture posted on your Facebook page is professional. Avoid posting pictures of you dressed up like SpongeBob on Halloween drinking a martini.

The good news about receiving an invitation from your boss is that there’s probably a good chance that he or she thinks highly of you, enough to consider having you as a “friend”. And, being connected now means that you’ll be connected when you need a reference for your next job. Just don’t post the fact that you’re looking on your wall!

Abby Kohut , President and Staffing Consultant, Staffing Symphony, LLC
Her websites include www.AbsolutelyAbby.com and www.CareerWakeUpCalls.com
You can also connect with Abby on twitter @Absolutely_Abby and you can also purchase her newly published book 101 JOb Search Secrets.

We want to thank Bonnie, Amanda, J.T., Melenee, and Abby for contributing to this discussion.  We hope it helps you make smart decisions about utilizing your social networks.

Have you ever found yourself being the first one in the office and the last one to leave at night?  If you don’t have three times the workload as everyone else then chances are you might not be managing your time effectively.  We reached out to our friend and Certified Life Coach, Stefanie Ziev, to help us give us some tips on time management. 

6 TIPS TO MASTERFULLY MANAGE YOUR TIME

Oh, time management… the ever-elusive, seemingly unattainable beast we battle every day. Where does that time go? Why does it feel so impossible to get everything done in an efficient, calm and easy manner? And how do you become the grand master of your time?

When it comes to the workday, whether you’re going to an office or working from home as a freelancer, we sometimes think the answer to getting the most done is starting earlier and ending later. The real opportunities for masterful time management, though, lie in the answers to the questions: How are you are spending your time? How much time are you spending? And what’s it costing you?

Here are 6 tips to help you masterfully manage your time:

1. Set an intention – Each day before you leave the office or complete your workday from wherever you are get clear about what you want to focus on the next day. Think about what you want to accomplish, what values you want to embody as you go through your day, and the time in which you want to achieve it. Setting an intention shifts your thoughts to what you want, like efficiency, productivity, and time for you, instead of getting lost in and distracted by the things you don’t want, which becomes a vacuum sucking up valuable time. It’s important that you write your intention in the present tense so you can feel like it’s already happening. Examples include: “I am inspired as I complete a rough draft of one, full chapter of my book by 5 pm or sooner” or “I am peaceful and present as I complete the tasks of my day with ease by 6 pm or sooner” or just simply, “I am happy, grateful and present to the good in my life.”

2. Consciously design your day – Once you have set an intention – which is the overall theme of your day – now you can consciously design the action steps to support that goal. Before you leave work, make a list of the top 4 action steps that will let you reach your intention for the day. The point here is to set yourself up to succeed by bringing your awareness to the table and creating an attainable plan. One or more of those steps may include personal time for you. If you know you don’t normally take a moment for yourself during the day, set one aside. When you have 4 steps you’re consciously committed to taking, look at your calendar for the next day and assign each step to a time slot. If you find 4 steps are too much, find the right number for you. Print or write your next day’s schedule with these action steps in place and also note a concrete beginning and end time of your workday. Leave this front and center on your desk for the next day.

3. Get present – When you come to work the next day, sit down at your desk and before you do anything else, take a deep breath. Become present to how the chair feels under you. Take another deep breath. And as you do, read your intention for the day. Know that this is your time and your opportunity to be the commander in chief of your day. Look at the day’s schedule. If something feels too demanding, put it to the side. Commit to what you know you can and are willing to complete for the day.

4. Set a timer – For each task you’ve committed to taking, set a timer for it. Tell your assistant you are not to be interrupted during that time. Do not answer phone calls. Focus 100% on completing this step. And when the timer goes off…

5. “Put your pencil down” – You remember this, right? The teacher says it and wherever you are, the pencil goes down – mid sentence, mid math problem, mid thought. For some of you, this may feel like someone is cutting your arm off, which I for one can totally appreciate. I invite you to try it, though. Just to have the experience of disconnecting so that you can start to get a sense of freedom. Choose to move forward trusting everything will get done when it’s supposed to.

6. Reward yourself – If your mismanaging your time then you’re probably the one who’s suffering. Most likely, you are sacrificing fun, self-care, time with friends and loved ones, right? And at what expense? Designing a conscious day allows you to carve out time for you. So give yourself one or more daily gifts throughout the day and most importantly, one directly after you end your workday at a reasonable hour. This will help you to consciously shift from work to play as you celebrate the expansive time you now have.

Here’s to you being the master of your time.

For more information about Certified Life Coach, Stefanie Ziev, Ziev Coaching’s services and upcoming events including a magnificent 1-day workshop designed to help you design your time called The Big Boards™: Plan Big 4 Big Plans, being held on Saturday, February 6th in NYC, please visit http://ZievCoaching.com.