Building Your Personal Brand

Building your personal brand is something that has become essential for all professionals young and old in the current global economy. Your “Brand” dictates how others identify and perceive you.

Here are a few tips on building and maintaining your personal brand.

1. Identify your specialty
What are you good at? In order to create an effective brand you need to figure out what sets you apart from the competition. What can you do well that others cannot? What is your area of expertise?  Your specialty may be a result of your educational background, your personality or natural talent.

2. What kind of image would you like to project?

You need to identify how you want others to perceive you. This will depend largely on your specific field of work and expertise. For example if your field is IT you may want others to perceive you as a intelligent, technically sound, punctual and professional. In this field it may not be a disadvantage to be perceived as a “nerd”. If your field is Public Relations for example, being perceived as shy and nerdy may be a disadvantage as this field requires an extroverted and outgoing personality.

3. Be active on Social Media
Social media is a valuable tool to help you build and promote your personal brand. LinkedIn, Twitter, and Facebook are all outlets for expressing yourself and getting your message across. It’s important to be YOU on these social networking sites.  If you are posting a photo of yourself make sure it’s professional, true to your brand, appropriate and authentic. Avoid hiding behind fancy usernames and fake photos, this defeats the purpose of building your own brand.

4. Maintain a polished and up to date CV or Resume
Your CV or Resume showcases your achievements. Make sure you have it up to date and ready to go in case clients or potential employers request for it.  Having a current CV on hand is key to promoting and supporting your personal brand as you can have a hard copy of what you have achieved thus far. As soon as you obtain any new education or training, be sure to add it to your CV. For more information on resumes check out our post Resume Writing Tips

5. Expand your network

Expanding your network of contacts and building new connections is a great way to build your personal brand, as more people will be aware of your expertise. Forming mutually beneficial relationships is key as contacts will have an incentive for staying in touch with you, and you will be in touch with more people. Don’t be shy, seek out the people you need to meet and introduce yourself!

6. Market yourself at networking events

Self marketing is an important component of building your personal brand. Getting your name out in the open is essential to making your brand synonymous with your  field. We recommend attending local networking events where you can make new connections and make others aware of your skills and expertise. Remember not to over promote; attend events to make connections but maintain brand consciousness and let others know what you’re good at and what you do.

7. Seek out feedback

In order to be successful in building your own brand you need to be aware of your strength and weaknesses as a brand. The best way to do this is via peer feedback. Ask friends and mentors to give you feedback on your brand. Remember to seek out constructive criticism from sources you trust; those who have your best interests in mind. We recommend linking up with other professionals who are also in the process of building their own brands and setting up a peer mentor group so you can provide each other with insight, feedback, and support.


Copyright © 2013 by Professional Edge Consulting

10 Do's and Don'ts of Office Attire

1. Clothes that are poorly tailored and ill fitted are not appropriate for business wear.
Poorly tailored clothes make one look frumpy and ill clad for business. One must remember that first impressions count immensely in the business world and poorly tailored and ill fitting clothes will definitely not give out the image one wants to create in the business arena. Boxy blazers and tops as well as tight fitting tops are inappropriate for office wear. A well tailored suit/ blazer with pants or skirt will give out a professional look.

2. Overly revealing Clothing is a definite No. Too little is too much. 
Revealing clothing be it a low cut blouse or a mini skirt is a definite "NO NO" for the office. Skirts with slits that extend above the knee are not suitable.

3. Underwear is not to be worn as outerwear.
Camisoles are to be worn under a blazer and underwear should be "underwear" meaning they should be worn under other clothing and not to be seen. It portrays a ill image when bra straps are exposed or when pants are worn so low that it reveals underwear.

4. Muscle shirts and spandex is not appropriate. Workout gear is not suitable office wear.
Muscle shirts and spandex is  for working out and for the gym. Never for the office. It's very unprofessional to see one in work out gear, working in an office. This is very poor taste for Business Attire.

 5. Immaculately cleaned inexpensive clothing is far better than soiled and crumpled designer wear.
One doesn't have to buy expensive clothing to look well put together. Clean and well fitting clothing is far better than crumpled and soiled expensive clothing. the over all picture is the image you give out. A well groomed person gives a far better image than one in crumpled un-ironed designer wear.

6. Wearing shorts to work is considered wrong.  However, Walking shorts are considered appropriate in certain offices.
Most offices do not encourage shorts to work merely because shorts come in many different lengths. However, some offices do specify walking Shorts. shorts that extend up to the knee are appropriate when worn with a clean well tailored blouse. Shorts and t-shirt however, do not give a professional image.

7. Micro-miniskirts that make it impossible to sit comfortably are definitely not appreciated in the work place. 
As mentioned above, too little is never too good for the office. Minis skirts make it very uncomfortable for office work, not only for the wearer but also for the other employees.

8. Mismatched bright coloured clothing is actually not appropriate.
Its always best to avoid bright clothing in the office. Geometric designs or pastel floral designs are acceptable and make a personality statement. Polka dots in black and white or neutral colours are acceptable.

9. Most businesses have a dress code and it will do one well, to stick to the dress code.
Most offices want their employees to adhere to a dress code in order to avoid uncomfortable situations. It serves well to follow your office dress code and help avoid embarrassment.

10. Use common sense. Anything that indicates to you that it should not be worn, should not be worn.
Common Sense is the best guide to dressing appropriately in the work place. Trust your instincts, if something doesn’t feel right then it probably isn’t!


Copyright © 2013 by Professional Edge Consulting

Wardrobe Essentials for the Busy Business Woman

More women are taking the centre stage these days and are able to juggle family and corporate responsibilities successfully. “Busy” is an understatement for such women. The demands of corporate leadership do not necessarily require women to attire themselves in a masculine manner.  Having a handy list of wardrobe essentials for the woman business executive makes it easier to put together an outfit that is designed for success.

Building a foundation for your wardrobe would eliminate the hassle of making outfit decisions. The foundation pieces in your wardrobe should be the essential pieces that can be taken as a base for any outfit and enhanced by adding other pieces.

The classic “Little Black Dress” tops the list. The LBD is a useful piece of attire that easily transforms from office to cocktail, and business luncheon to business dinner. A blazer or scarf along with accessories of your choice does the transformation quite easily.

“You can wear black at any time, you can wear it at any age, you may wear it on almost any occasion. A ‘little black frock’ is essential to a woman’s wardrobe. I could write a book about black.” – Christian Dior

Apart from the LBD, it is wise for a busy  woman to follow the 4-3-2 rule by Nygard. According to Nygard there are 9 basic pieces that are essential for a very practical wardrobe. These 9 pieces of attire can be selected  based on your personal colour and style choice: 4 Tops, 3 Bottoms and 2 Blazers or Jackets make up the 9 pieces. Nygard claims these 9 pieces will give you 23 outfits. In the 3 Bottoms, I would suggest you include at least one skirt and a pair of black pants. These will definitely go along way.

Carefully chosen classics will make a foundation that can be used to build upon according to your body type and style statement. Accessories, whether it be jewellery or scarves can easily transform an outfit to suit the occasion or suit your style and they are little pieces that make a BIG impact. Use them to your advantage. 


Copyright © 2013 by Professional Edge Consulting

Quick Tips for the Business Traveler

Business travel is not always complementary flights and first class lounges. Most business travelers have to deal with long layovers, jet lag, and delayed flights. Here are few tips we’ve come up especially for business travelers.

1. Stay hydrated
With complementary alcohol on board and in business and first class lounges its tempting to indulge in a few drinks. The best away to stay hydrated is to stick to water. Avoid indulging in alcoholic or carbonated beverages. Don’t rely on caffeine to stay awake either as tea and coffee are both diuretics which will in turn dehydrate you.

2. Pack no iron or wrinkle-resistant clothing

Companies such as The Bay and Banana Republic offer wrinkle resistant clothing. No iron clothing is recommended as you may not always have access to an iron, depending on where your travel takes you. A wrinkle eraser spray is also a good investment.

3. Pack effectively

Pack appropriately for the amount of time you will be away. If it’s just a weekend or 3 days you probably won’t need to take a checked bag and can use a carry-on. If your trip exceeds five days you should opt for checked luggage. Cabin baggage should be packed effectively and consist of : a set of professional attire for the next day (should you luggage be lost), your night clothes, and a set of casual attire. Most people skimp on packing their carry-on and forget to account for lost luggage.

4. Avoid eating a heavy meal on board

Eating a heavy meal on board can leave you feeling bloated, uncomfortable, and nauseous. Although jet lag may be causing you to be excessively hungry, try to limit the amount of airplane food you consume. Eat prior to boarding and bring a snack with you. Food bought at the terminal prior to boarding can usually be brought on board. You can also opt for dry packaged food such as granola bars or crackers. Avoid  heavy meats, pastas, and any foods with creamy sauces or dressings

5. Make room for meds

 Getting sick is the last thing you want on a business trip. We recommend packing Gravol to combat nausea or motion sickness, Imodium for an upset stomach or diarrhea, Tylenol for minor headaches and body aches as a result of flying, and ZzzQuil to help you sleep on the flight and adjust to your new time zone.

6. Bring your adapter

Voltage rates vary across the world so we recommend bringing some adapters to ensure that your laptop and cell phone can be charged at your new location. You may need to do some research before to find out what kind of adapter you need and ensure you have one that will fit correctly in to the wall socket at your destination. Charging your laptop and phone on board is recommended so you will be fully ready for your business meetings when you land.

7. Add a little O2

We discovered a product called Liquid Oxygen by O2 Spa Bar (a gender free formula is available in duty free shops). Adding a few drops to your water while on board will help with fatigue and jet lag. Remember to add it only to water and not any carbonated or alcoholic beverages. You can also place a few drops on your tongue for a more concentrated dosage.

8. Stay in touch

If possible purchase a sim card that will be compatible with your new location. You can do this prior to departure or on arrival. We recommend using a local sim card as roaming rates can be quite expensive. Purchasing a roaming package from your wireless services provider prior to departure is a good idea in case you are unable to locate a local sim or need to get in touch with your office during your journey.


Copyright © 2013 by Professional Edge Consulting

Job Seeker the new Job Title for Recent Grads?

Since the 2008 recession jobs have been a scarcity in North America and many have been left either out of work or looking for work. But where does this leave new graduates? Although the economy took a hit many universities have still boasted of high enrollment numbers in graduate programs. In fact many undergraduates have opted to stay in school and further their education. Even those recently laid off have decided to seek comfort in education looking to increase their knowledge and widen their scope or even seeking to try a second career later on in life.

It seems that now Job Seeker is the new job title for recent graduates. Although Universities are cashing in on the influx of graduate students in post-recession North America, they fail to realize that the market simply cannot handle more job seekers. There are too few jobs available and too many unemployed or underemployed graduates. New grads often have to compete with more experienced job seekers who have been laid off due to recent cuts in the private and public sectors.

Last month Canada's unemployment rate remained steady at 7.2% even as the country added 12,500 new jobs; increases in unemployment rates in the maritime provinces and some prairie provinces resulted in no change in the overall rate. So where is it toughest to find a job in Canada? Newfoundland had the highest unemployment rate across Canada in April coming in at 12.4%, not very inspiring for young job seekers.
 

Being a full time job seeker is tough, but the biggest mistake new graduates make is devoting 8 hours per day or more to online job searches. Although many firms advertise vacancies online, most jobs are found through networking and connections. In order to make connections job seekers need to ditch the computer for some face time and handshakes! This means attending networking and social events. Job seekers should not be ashamed of letting others know that they are indeed looking for work, this is a great way to self-market and expand your database of contacts. That’s not to say that online vacancies should be overlooked, but we suggest spending no more that 2 hours per day applying online and devoting more time to in person interactions.
 

Joining a local Chamber of Commerce or Student/Alumni union is a great way to make new connections. Many Job Seekers feel demoralized by the fact that they don’t have a job and often feel pressured to find or accept just any job just to have a title so to speak. The sooner they embrace Job Seeker as a title the faster they’ll be able to market themselves to their connections and reach potential employers.

Although you make connections don’t oversell yourself. Chances are your new connections will ask you what you do, stating that you are now a professional Job Seeker will pique their interest and prompt them to ask you what kind of work you are looking for. Here’s your window but be careful not to seem too desperate. State what you are looking for and what relevant experience and skills you can bring. Even though joining social and networking groups can cost money you must view this as an investment in yourself and a way to create and maintain your personal brand. It’s all in the way you look at it, you can market yourself as a “recent graduate desperate for money to make ends meet” or a “Professional Job Seeker looking for an opportunity in  . . . “   Which one sounds better? We think the latter. 


Copyright © 2013 by Professional Edge Consulting

5 Things to Remember When Writing Your Resume

With the current unemployment rates in both Canada and the U.S. many young graduates and even seasoned veterans are left pounding the pavement looking for work.  In order to secure a job you not only need connections but a resume to present yourself as well.

Here’s our look at 5 quick resume writing tips:

1. Cut it short – There is a stark difference between a resume and curriculum vitae. One main difference is length.  While a CV can be upwards of 3 pages long and contain details about your professional and academic life, a resume should be 2 pages at its longest and contain some academic qualifications but mostly work experience.

2. Profile it – Include a profile in your resume. A profile should act like a snapshot of your entire resume. Make sure to highlight job specific skills that you have acquired and bold font the skills themselves. Often times hiring managers will not go through your resume and may even rely solely on your profile to give them a quick introduction to you and your work experience.

An example of a phrase used in a profile can be found below:

e.g. Project Management skills acquired through work for a NGO heading projects in Africa

Note how the phrase alludes to work experience and a position listed in the resume.

3. Create a Master Copy – When writing your resume it is always helpful to have a working copy that you can use as reference. This document should contain all your experience in a brief manner. Once you have a working or master copy you can use it as a guide and create a customized resume specific to the particular job you are interested in. This way you can emphasize job specific experience as needed.

4. Edit and re-edit – You can never spend too much time proofreading your resume. In fact spelling and grammatical errors are the most common mistakes job seekers make on a resume. These errors can be costly as hiring managers will notice them, even though they may not spend too much time on your resume. Proofreading can be a cumbersome task to perform alone,  so it’s a good idea to have  a friend, relative or peer look over your resume. A new set of eyes is always welcome as they will notice errors you may have missed. This also gives you a chance to see how reader friendly your resume is and how others perceive it.

5. Nothing but the truth – Often times job seekers feel the need to over embellish their experience or qualifications. This can be risky as one can get carried away. The last thing you want to do is list experience, academic credentials or skills that you do not actually possess. Hiring managers and HR personnel will find out eventually and it will not bode well for you. Of course it’s alright to re-word your experience :

e.g. Canvassing donations can be rephrased as “community outreach and fundraising”

Remember to stay true to your skill set. Sometimes you may not actually have the skills for the job so instead of fibbing on your resume try to look for opportunities that do match the skills and experience you have to offer.


Copyright © 2013 by Professional Edge Consulting

Are you employable?

With the recent onset of the so called recession in North America many job seekers are left with the dismal feeling of a futile job search. Some may believe there are no jobs out there but in reality there are jobs, if you are in fact employable. Here's an inside look at what job agencies and most HR managers consider when evaluating candidate fit and employability.

1. Are you available?
We mentioned this in our previous post : 10 tips for Job Seekers, but availability is a key factor in being employable. HR firms and hiring managers prefer a candidate who is available immediately or unemployed as opposed to someone looking to make a career move or lateral transition. This is due to the notice period, often 2 weeks that must be provided to their current employer. Like most people hiring managers are often impatient and want a candidate to start immediately, or on their terms.They will very seldom hold a position for a desired candidate the market is just too huge.

2. Experience in a related field
Avoid applying for jobs in which you have no relevant experience. Lack of relevant or job specific experience is an  immediate red flag for hiring managers. Don't just apply to any and every job. Read the job description carefully and gauge your level of experience within the given field, if you have the experience then apply. If not, move on to something else. This will save you time and trouble. For example if your field is Communications and there's a vacancy for a accounting clerk, shy away even if you may have taken some accounting courses in university or college. Hiring manages are usually looking for directly rateable experience.

3. Software knowledge
In today's technology driven world knowledge of workplace software in addition to Office, Excel, Outlook is a hot commodity. Hiring managers and HR firms look for candidates with knowledge in specialized software such as SAP, Quickbooks, Simply Accounting, ACPAC, Teraview, Peoplesoft and HRIS to name a few. It's always a good idea to invest in upgrading your knowledge and even consider taking a course in a software programs  that may be of interest or relevance to your career aspirations.

4. Education/Certification

Some positions may ask for specific education or certification that is essential to scoring an interview. For example a position for a Counselor may ask for a Degree in Social Work or Counseling Certification. In this case years working as a free-lance counselor sans a qualification would not garner an interview. Firms that list educational requirements such as degrees or diplomas value such requirements and will most likely eliminate candidates who do not have them. Although experience is valuable sometimes education and certifications are essential in proving you are able to perform a specific task.

5. Salary expectations

Placement agencies often ask candidates about their salary expectations and the biggest mistake candidates make is setting their expectations too high or too low. Expecting a six figure salary with minimal experience but years of education for example is just one scenario in which agencies and hiring managers would be turned-off. It's important to know your worth and not to over or under value yourself. Conduct some market research on the kind of salaries jobs you're interest in would provide and what type salary increases your experience would warrant. Flexibility is another key factor in being employable; what's your salary range and how flexible are you within that range? Are you willing to take a pay cut to get your foot into a firm you've always wanted to work for? Or are you dead set on a figure and not willing to budge? These are all facts agencies take in to consideration when they decide to represent you. In fact flexibility in terms of salary may be the deciding factor between them presenting you or another equally qualified candidate to a potential employer. 



Copyright © 2013 by Professional Edge Consulting