3 Things I Love About JibberJobber

3 Things I Love About JibberJobber Weve had some really cool upgrades lately, and I wanted to share 3 things I do my own relationship management in JibberJobber that I really appreciate: Adding new contacts just by using their Twitter handle. Sometimes I find myself adding a new contact manually, and then remember that I know them because of Twitter.  Alas, you dont have to use Twitter to make use of this cool feature the neat thing is we pull in stuff from their Twitter profile, including their picture (!), location, bio, URL, and some stats from Twitter.  It takes about 4 seconds to enter all of that if you have the persons Twitter handle so cool! (how?  click here) Adding images of contacts from a URL. I just announced this last week, but man its so cool.  In fact, its been on my development wish list for over 2 years!  I LOVE how it takes about 30 seconds, from start to finish, to put someones picture on their profile.  Oh, if Im already on their detail page it takes about 8 seconds!  So cool! (how?  click here) Create log entries via email.  This is another relatively new feature, but I find myself using it multiple times each day.  When I write an email that I want to log, I first make sure the contact is in my JibberJobber database, and that their email addy is the one Im sending to, and then I put my ultra-secret JJ email addy in the BCC and the log entry is automatically created.  SO USEFUL. (how?  click here) Love it thanks to the users who share their ideas, and thanks to my dev team who makes all the magic work! Viva la relationship management! 3 Things I Love About JibberJobber Weve had some really cool upgrades lately, and I wanted to share 3 things I do my own relationship management in JibberJobber that I really appreciate: Adding new contacts just by using their Twitter handle. Sometimes I find myself adding a new contact manually, and then remember that I know them because of Twitter.  Alas, you dont have to use Twitter to make use of this cool feature the neat thing is we pull in stuff from their Twitter profile, including their picture (!), location, bio, URL, and some stats from Twitter.  It takes about 4 seconds to enter all of that if you have the persons Twitter handle so cool! (how?  click here) Adding images of contacts from a URL. I just announced this last week, but man its so cool.  In fact, its been on my development wish list for over 2 years!  I LOVE how it takes about 30 seconds, from start to finish, to put someones picture on their profile.  Oh, if Im already on their detail page it takes about 8 seconds!  So cool! (how?  click here) Create log entries via email.  This is another relatively new feature, but I find myself using it multiple times each day.  When I write an email that I want to log, I first make sure the contact is in my JibberJobber database, and that their email addy is the one Im sending to, and then I put my ultra-secret JJ email addy in the BCC and the log entry is automatically created.  SO USEFUL. (how?  click here) Love it thanks to the users who share their ideas, and thanks to my dev team who makes all the magic work! Viva la relationship management! 3 Things I Love About JibberJobber Weve had some really cool upgrades lately, and I wanted to share 3 things I do my own relationship management in JibberJobber that I really appreciate: Adding new contacts just by using their Twitter handle. Sometimes I find myself adding a new contact manually, and then remember that I know them because of Twitter.  Alas, you dont have to use Twitter to make use of this cool feature the neat thing is we pull in stuff from their Twitter profile, including their picture (!), location, bio, URL, and some stats from Twitter.  It takes about 4 seconds to enter all of that if you have the persons Twitter handle so cool! (how?  click here) Adding images of contacts from a URL. I just announced this last week, but man its so cool.  In fact, its been on my development wish list for over 2 years!  I LOVE how it takes about 30 seconds, from start to finish, to put someones picture on their profile.  Oh, if Im already on their detail page it takes about 8 seconds!  So cool! (how?  click here) Create log entries via email.  This is another relatively new feature, but I find myself using it multiple times each day.  When I write an email that I want to log, I first make sure the contact is in my JibberJobber database, and that their email addy is the one Im sending to, and then I put my ultra-secret JJ email addy in the BCC and the log entry is automatically created.  SO USEFUL. (how?  click here) Love it thanks to the users who share their ideas, and thanks to my dev team who makes all the magic work! Viva la relationship management! 3 Things I Love About JibberJobber Weve had some really cool upgrades lately, and I wanted to share 3 things I do my own relationship management in JibberJobber that I really appreciate: Adding new contacts just by using their Twitter handle. Sometimes I find myself adding a new contact manually, and then remember that I know them because of Twitter.  Alas, you dont have to use Twitter to make use of this cool feature the neat thing is we pull in stuff from their Twitter profile, including their picture (!), location, bio, URL, and some stats from Twitter.  It takes about 4 seconds to enter all of that if you have the persons Twitter handle so cool! (how?  click here) Adding images of contacts from a URL. I just announced this last week, but man its so cool.  In fact, its been on my development wish list for over 2 years!  I LOVE how it takes about 30 seconds, from start to finish, to put someones picture on their profile.  Oh, if Im already on their detail page it takes about 8 seconds!  So cool! (how?  click here) Create log entries via email.  This is another relatively new feature, but I find myself using it multiple times each day.  When I write an email that I want to log, I first make sure the contact is in my JibberJobber database, and that their email addy is the one Im sending to, and then I put my ultra-secret JJ email addy in the BCC and the log entry is automatically created.  SO USEFUL. (how?  click here) Love it thanks to the users who share their ideas, and thanks to my dev team who makes all the magic work! Viva la relationship management!

A setback Its just a chance to show resilience

A setback It’s just a chance to show resilience We all suffer setbacks throughout our lives and often our future success is determined by how we respond to the disappointment. Can you bounce back, having learnt lessons, or will you sink? I asked Warwick alumna, Lisa Bove, a leadership development specialist providing executive coaching and consulting to global organisations and multi-cultural teams, for her tips. When things go wrong Lisa suggests that you keep hold of the fact that a setback is just one event in your life, don’t lose your sense of proportion. Lisa and I agree that you do need to spend time thinking about how your actions contributed to the outcome. You might need to let the dust settle a bit on your emotions before you feel ready to be objective. Your contribution to what happened could be positive, negative, or a mixture of both and taking responsibility for it will help you move forward. Take the time to process what happened: depending on your personality type you might want to talk this through with others or work it out on your own. Don’t allow yourself to just pack it away and ignore it. What have you learnt? Can you get feedback from others on what might have gone wrong? Have the courage to seek it, you want to maximise your learning from any setback. If feedback isn’t available, try to work out what went wrong. Lisa likes to adopt a forensic, scientific approach: she seeks to gather information from different perspectives before evaluating it as a whole. I think thats a great idea. Once you have a theory can you test it? What could you do differently? Think about the responses of those that were present, can you glean anything from that. What if an interview didn’t lead to a job offer? How did interviewers react to your answers? Were there some responses which they obviously liked? What distinguished those answers from others which seemed to go less well? When we get upset about setbacks it’s because we care. It’s good to remind yourself of why it was important in the first place, remembering why it mattered helps you to press ahead with reviewing what happened more productively. Stay focused on what you really want and don’t allow yourself to be deflected from going after what is really important to you. Be tough with yourself, be fair with yourself and then be kind to yourself. You can’t change the past, only the present and your future. Try asking yourself what action you took, what you could, or should have, done differently and then identify what you can do to ensure that the same situation doesnt arise again. When you ‘bounce back’, where do you bounce to? “Don’t bounce back to where you were, now you’re wiser, take that to move forward to a different place and a new equilibrium. All learning creates change.” It sounds obvious when Lisa says this but do we always move on after a setback? I see lots of students disappointed because job applications haven’t gone according to plan, all too often they just carry on making more and more applications repeating the same errors and continuing to meet with disappointment. They have bounced back to where they started and have not moved forward. Have you really bounced back? Sometimes we can be really good at looking as if we have recovered from a setback when actually we haven’t dealt with our disappointment at all. On other occasions we might be staggered at the speed of someone else’s bounce back. If a team has been impacted and some members recover more quickly than others, those who recover quickly can look as if they lack empathy. Good managers make sure that teams work together as a group analysing what happened and establishing how they are going to move forward together. What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger! Of course this is a cliché but Lisa is convinced there is truth in this. Those who have dealt effectively with disappointment build confidence in their ability to cope with similar situations in the future and are often very good at helping others to move forward. This can make for a very effective mentoring relationship, and sharing your concerns and disappointments with a mentor can be another way of helping you to move forwards Don’t forget that Careers can also help you if your setback is about your job hopes. We can also give you insights into what might have gone wrong.

10 Tips to Step Up Your Presentations

10 Tips to Step Up Your Presentations There can be a lot of pressure in todays world of business, especially for a young professional trying to prove their worth. However, there are just as many ways to go above and beyond expectations, impress colleagues and build confidence in your professional self. One of those ways is giving stellar presentations. When youre assigned a presentation, your boss is trusting you to influence the entire team for the better. As a presenter, your goal is to get needed information to your audience. As a young professional, your goal is to show that, until your presentation is over, youre the authority figure in the room â€" and rightly so. The next 10 tips will teach you how to create that impression. Become a Subject-Matter Expert Nothing builds more speaker confidence than feeling as though youre the most knowledgeable person in the room about the topic of discussion. But dont just seem like the most knowledgeable. Make it true. For example, say your boss asks you to present the companys budget report for this quarter. Are you simply going to walk into the room and throw out the latest numbers? Not if you want to be trusted as the subject-matter expert. Instead, look into the companys history to determine whether these numbers are promising or discouraging: Calculate the projected numbers for next quarter. Theorize as to what could make these numbers even better. Spend some time anticipating what questions may arise during your presentation Do more research to prepare for answering those questions fully and accurately. This is what a subject-matter expert does, and this is the type of presenter your colleagues feel they can rely on. Act Like a Subject-Matter Expert Now, you may have already done all you can to make yourself a subject-matter expert for this presentation, but theres a difference between being an expert and acting like an expert. If, despite all your preparation, youre still nervous when the time comes to present, take comfort in the fact that your jitters just mean youre human. If necessary, give yourself a little pre-presentation pep talk. In this talk, remind yourself that You know what youre talking about. Youre a subject-matter expert, after all. Your audience is interested in what you have to say. Their work is connected to your findings. Your audience â€" theyre just people. Whether bosses, colleagues, strangers or friends, theyre just as human as you. Instead of sputtering at them as though theyre unforgiving, merciless overlords, talk to them like the regular people they are. Pick the Right Attire There are countless websites to help you learn how to dress the part for a presentation. If youre nervous about your wardrobe, look to the internet for helpful hints. Simply put, though, you want to choose an outfit that looks highly professional for your company â€" even nicer than what you generally wear on non-presentation days. You want to limit anything too flashy or distracting. And you want to choose clothes that make you feel confident. Create Effective Visual Aids Once youve done your research, you of course need to put your actual presentation together. Youll need notes for yourself and visual aids for your audience. Your visual aid needs will depend upon your presentation needs. You may decide to incorporate a PowerPoint or Prezi, handouts, infographics, photographs or any number of other visual aids. Always start by considering which visual aids are right for your presentation. In addition, its wise to know what makes a visual aid effective and what makes one ineffective. Here are some of the basic rules: Effective Visual aids that serve a clear, relevant purpose PowerPoints/Prezis that highlight key points Infographics that are clear, simple and concise Infographics that are relevant Ineffective Flashy, distracting or pointless visual aids Wordy or unnecessary PowerPoints/Prezis Cluttered or complex infographics Irrelevant infographics As infographics go, its sometimes tempting to throw one in just for flare. However, its always much better to choose or create infographics that perfectly demonstrate your point. Whenever you cant find a perfect preexisting infographic for your presentation, dont be afraid to try out some free infographic creation tools to make your own. Incorporate Triggers As the table above shows, overly complicated or wordy visual aids are distracting to audiences. When given the option, they tend to focus more on the flashy images or long-winded PowerPoint slides than on you, the presenter. Thats why its important to design your notes and visual aids with triggers instead. This means rather than writing yourself an eight-page speech and reciting it word-for-word, you instead treat your notes and presentations key phrases and images as triggers that remind you what to say. Having simple triggers rather than paragraphs to refer to keeps your presentation more fluid and conversational. In addition, the triggers on your visual aids will pique your audiences interest, and theyll have to listen to you in order to learn what those triggers mean. Practice in a Way That Works for You Once youve gathered your data, put together your visual aids and chosen your wardrobe, its time to get very familiar with your material. A lot of people will tell you to practice in a mirror, read your notes aloud or rehearse your lines to a friend. These strategies ensure you really know your stuff and will be less likely to stumble over the material during the presentation. Others will tell you not to over-rehearse for fear that youll sound more robotic than conversational when you present. If you share this fear, you may prefer to spend more time reading your notes silently than out loud, but its still wise to do at least a couple of timed vocal run-throughs before the big day. When in doubt, always over-rehearse. Its better to lose an ounce of conversational style than to be in any way unprepared. Vocalize the Plan for Questions and Comments As you delve into your presentation, its okay to clue your audience in on how you feel about being interrupted. Letting them know at the start will put you and them on the same page about how this presentation is going to flow. If youre the type of presenter who likes to get your audience involved, feel free to tell them they can interrupt to ask questions or make comments at any point. If, on the other hand, youre the type of presenter who prefers to get through all their material without interruption, politely tell your audience youve made time for questions and discussion at the end of the presentation. You might also advise them to write down their thoughts so they dont forget. Stay on Track Practicing at home is never quite the same as presenting in the office. At home, theres little to no pressure, no one is staring at you â€" unless youve invited a friend or a pet to watch â€" and you can take breaks whenever you want. In the office, youve got the opposite â€" pressure, audience and a strict schedule. But fear not. There are a number of tricks to keep you on track, should you have a moment of panic. Some of these tricks include: Referring to, but not staring at, the triggers youve planted in your notes and visual aids Repeating your last point to help remind you of what comes next Taking a drink of water while you consult your notes Plainly admitting to your audience that youre having a momentarily lapse and need a moment Perhaps this last trick makes you cringe to imagine, and yes, ideally you wont have to use it. But remember, your audience is human, too. Its better to appeal to them in a human way than to act as though staring at them blankly was part of your plan. End With a Call to Action The worst thing you can do to your audience is throw information at them and then leave them asking themselves, Okay, but what am I supposed to do with this knowledge? Sometimes you may feel the answer to this question is obvious, and you may be right. Still, its always better to give your audience clear instruction on what you think needs to happen next and what part they play in that plan. Not only does this ensure your entire team is on the same page, but it also drives home the idea that you were well-prepared for this presentation from start to finish and you were right to be trusted as the authority figure on the material. Encourage Post-Presentation Discussion Whether or not you allowed your audience to interrupt with questions throughout the presentation, there should always be some post-presentation discussion. Rather than waiting to see if anyone will speak up, though, go ahead and provide a few encouraging words. By declaring it discussion time, youre not only showing your audience that you value their input, but youre also maintaining your position as a prepared and trustworthy authority figure. Present Like a Rock Star Whether youre brand new to a company or simply trying to show your worth, presenting like a rock star is a great way to stand out. Dont stop there, though. Take that rock star mentality and apply it with confidence to all aspects of your work. Image credits Professionals    Questions

How to Stop Overscheduling Yourself

How to Stop Overscheduling Yourself Between work and social obligations, many people quickly become dismayed after looking at their calendars on a given day. Although there are many gadgets that make it easier for us to keep track of everything, some may argue those “helpful” tools actually encourage us to pack more and more into our schedules. Does it feel like you’ve reached the breaking point? If so, take comfort in knowing that you’re not alone. Many people start overscheduling themselves without even realizing it’s happening, but before they do something about it, the damage has already been done. Keep reading to learn some actionable strategies that’ll allow you to keep your schedule much more manageable without burning bridges or feeling like you’re socially deprived. Be Realistic About How Long It Takes You to Handle Responsibilities Many people start to feel their stress levels rise after not being practical about how long it actually takes to get essential tasks accomplished. For example, on a good day, you may be able to get to the office within about 20 minutes. However, if you take into account the fact you usually get caught up in traffic, it may be more realistic to figure you actually spend about a half hour commuting in each direction. On the other hand, maybe you take care of things that have greatly differing time commitments depending on the specifics of the task. Perhaps you always help your middle schooler with homework, but you know there are some days where he can get most of it done in study hall. In an instance like that, it can be almost impossible to predict how much of your time will be taken up by acting as a homework helper. That means determining the amount of your schedule that’s left over for other activities is also difficult. When in doubt, always give yourself more time than you believe will be necessary to finish a task fully without feeling rushed or stressed. Being generous with your calculations provides a cushion so you can better cope with unexpected obstacles. Don’t Make Promises You Can’t Keep In addition to being honest with yourself about scheduling, do the same when making commitments to others. There is no harm in being straightforward with the people in your life. It’s all right to explain it may be tough to guarantee you can be somewhere at a certain time, especially when things don’t go as expected. For instance, say you had made plans to meet a friend for dinner, but a meeting lasted longer than you thought it would. It’s most likely acceptable to let that friend know what happened as soon as possible and propose moving the dinner to another evening. Ideally, you might also contact that person beforehand and let them know you will be in a meeting directly before the dinner. That way, it’s not a shock to anyone if your schedule doesn’t make it feasible to attend dinner after that meeting. Ask for Support If you have spent most of your life trying to do as many things as possible in the course of a day, it’s important to realize you won’t be able to make lasting changes overnight â€" even with the best of intentions. However, you will have a much greater chance of success if people in your life understand you are trying to make scheduling improvements, and they provide support and encouragement. When discussing this with friends and colleagues, it’s crucial to be as open as you can about how unmanageable your schedule has become. For example, you might want to reveal how an overly packed schedule has caused you to lose sight of what’s important in life and that you do not want to continue down that road. It’s often said the first step in making an improvement is admitting you have a problem. Perhaps that’s true, but you also make a lot of progress by admitting it’s not realistic to make big life changes without a support system. Embrace Your Solitude It’s essential to leave time in your schedule for taking care of yourself. In many cases, the problem of overscheduling occurs because people are so eager to make others happy. When our hearts are in the right place, it sometimes takes quite a while to realize just how overextended we are. Initially, you may feel guilty or even resentful if you specifically keep your schedule more open for the sole purpose of making sure your physical, emotional and spiritual needs are met. However, the better your state of being is, the more available you can make yourself to others. Take time to understand what really makes you feel at peace when you are alone. Perhaps you might: Soak in a bathtub full of bubbles Go to the gym and put in a strenuous workout to the sound of your favorite tunes. Curl up on the couch with a book and soft pillow. Make a cup of herbal tea and write in a journal. Strum a guitar or play your piano. Once you know how to get recharged and refreshed without having to be in the company of others, you’ll have accomplished something great in the quest toward making your schedule manageable. Come up With Polite Ways to Decline Availability We’ve already talked about how many people overschedule themselves because they are so concerned with pleasing others. However, problems can also result when people become resistant to the idea of simply saying they aren’t available. Many people will say they can do something just because they are ill-equipped to admit they cannot take another obligation. Fear can also be a factor in taking on too much. People get preoccupied with the possible negative responses they could receive. If that sounds familiar, make a list of ways you can let others know you’re not available to do something. You can practice saying them to yourself in the mirror if you think that will make the dialogue sound more natural. As long as you are truthful about the reasons why your schedule is already full, you shouldn’t feel too worried about letting other people down. Remember, everyone has the same number of hours to work with in a day. The difference is this: Some of us have great self-awareness about our capabilities, while others of us are still anxiously trying to convince ourselves we can take on just one more thing. Making your schedule more manageable is an ongoing process. Treat every step of progress as a victory, and be kind to yourself while adjusting to the new lifestyle you’re pursuing.

Your Email Signature Another Personal Branding Tool - Executive Career Brandâ„¢

Your Email Signature Another Personal Branding Tool I estimate that more than half of the emails I receive from executive job seekers have only one line in their email signatures . . . their name. Sometimes their signature is the default they use in doing business through their employers, which may not be appropriate to use in their job search. When communicating with potential employers via email,  your email cover letters need to include a potent, branded email signature. When creating your email signature, assume that the email recipient will know nothing about you, but will want to know about you and be directed to more information about your brand story. Once youve started a series of email communications with someone, back and forth, dont bog down the flow by including your email signature in each response, beyond the first one. Your email signature is another opportunity to position yourself as a good-fit candidate. It should include a brief description of what you do and who you do it for (that is, your target employers). Below your name, include your professional title (and/or areas of expertise relevant to your target), such as COO â€" Global Business Operations Leader â€" Biotechnology or CIO â€" Turnaround Management Executive â€" Healthcare You can also include a tagline to succinctly differentiate your ROI value and generate chemistry. An easy solution for the professional title is to use the branded professional headline from your profile, if you’ve already created one. If youre not on (you really should be!) or havent created a keyword-rich headline, check out my post, How to Make Your Profile Professional Headline SEO-Friendly. To give you an idea, heres what appears directly below my name in my email signature: C-level Executive Personal Branding Job Search Strategist â€" Executive Resume, Biography, Profile, Google+ Profile, Online Presence, Career Brand Communications Your unique ROI value proposition differentiated, strategically positioned, helping you Land Your Next Great Gig. Below that I note a few credentials, then list my social  media links â€" blogsite, , Google+, Twitter â€" and close with my contact info. Configure your email account with an automatic signature for outgoing messages, using the suggestions below. You can always delete the signature before sending an email, if need be. Here are some tips on optimizing your email signature: Use your full name, not a nickname. Even if you know the recipient well, as part of the hiring process, your email may be forwarded to someone else who will have no idea who Bobby is. Give them the best phone number to reach you anytime. Don’t confuse them with several numbers. Your cell phone is probably best, to avoid having someone at work, or someone you’d rather not, intercept the call. Use your personal email address, not your work email. For that matter, don’t use your work computer either, for job search or any personal business. If you’re doing job search research or emailing using the company network â€" even if you use your personal Gmail account â€" your employer can track your activity. Include a link to your personal blog or website About page, if you have one, leading your email recipient to your whole brand picture. Include a link to your profile and Google+ Profile. Either of these can stand in as your executive brand hub, if you don’t have a website. Include links to your Twitter,