by Angela Copeland | Dec 21, 2016 | Advice, Media
No matter what your personal religious, political, or social views are, it seems fair to say, we can all agree on one thing. 2016 has been a tough year for everyone. Friends and families were pulled apart by different political leanings. Workers went through difficult corporate layoffs and restructurings. Violence and death were reported on daily in the news. It’s been rough – very rough.
In fact, after rounds of Facebook frustrations, many people are opting to take a break from social media just to regroup. Others are refocusing on eating healthy, and taking care of themselves. They’re using the holidays to prepare for a better, more positive 2017.
This is one of those times I feel extra thankful for fresh starts. And, what a better way to begin again than to start with a few New Year’s resolutions. Rather than focus on things outside of your control, it’s time to reflect on what is inside of your sphere of influence. As you can guess, I recommend your career be placed at the very top of your list.
It’s one thing that has a very direct, very immediate impact on your daily life. It can impact your financial wellbeing, your personal stress, and the general fulfillment you feel.
Take inventory on what’s working in your career, and what you’d like to change. Do you want to land a promotion? Would you like to make more money, work in a different industry, or living in a different city? Are you looking for a workplace with a better work-life balance? Would you prefer to use your strengths in a different way?
There’s no right answer when it comes to deciding what’s important in your career, and in your life. The most important thing is to be in touch with what’s important to you. From there, you can set goals.
But, don’t fool yourself. Career transformation is a process. It rarely happens overnight, and it’s certainly not easy. First, prioritize your goals by selecting which are the most important. Then, break down the goals you have identified into steps. Perhaps one goal is to update your LinkedIn profile. One step might be to take a new photo. Another might be to add your latest job title, and accomplishments.
Breaking your goals down into bite size pieces make them more attainable. Attaching those goals to dates will help to hold you accountable.
But, whatever path you choose to pursue, start strong. Companies really do begin hiring again in January, so don’t put off the change you want to make. Put failure out of your mind. Acknowledge that the effort is the most important part of the entire process.
And, don’t be afraid to ask for help. Moving up in your career is a rarely an effort achieved alone. It takes a great company, managers, mentors, friends, confidants, coaches, and family members.
I’m certain that with a little effort, and a little teamwork, together, we can work to make 2017 a brighter all the way around.
Angela Copeland is CEO and founder of Copeland Coaching and can be reached at CopelandCoaching.com or on Twitter at @CopelandCoach.
by Angela Copeland | Dec 15, 2016 | Breaking The Rules & Getting The Job, Event, Media
You’re invited to my book signing of
Breaking The Rules & Getting The Job
Let’s start 2017 off right! I’m excited to announce that you can now get your PRINT copy of Breaking The Rules & Getting The Job! Please join me for my book signing on Thursday, January 12th at the Booksellers at Laurelwood.
Thank you to everyone for all your help and support along the way! I can’t wait to see you in person at the book signing. Please RSVP on Facebook below.
Sincerely,
Angela Copeland
- What: Book signing for Breaking The Rules & Getting The Job
- When: Thursday, January 12th, 2017 at 6:30 PM CST
- Where: The Booksellers at Laurelwood (previously known as Davis Kidd Booksellers)
- Address: 387 Perkins Ext, Memphis, Tennessee 38117
by Angela Copeland | Dec 14, 2016 | Advice, Career Corner Column, Media
One of the first things every job seeker considers is what city to live in next. A list of questions come up when evaluating options. “Are there many jobs available in my current city? Am I near my family and friends? Would I rather be on the coast, or near the mountains?”
Very often, I hear from job seekers who have always dreamed of living in a large city, such as Los Angeles, New York, or San Francisco. These are all beautiful locations. They’re full of jobs in hot industries. They have no shortage of culture, food, or interesting people. In many ways, they can be a dream come true.
But, I’d like to argue that there’s also quite a lot to be said for a small to mid-sized city. Originally from Oklahoma City, my career has given me the opportunity to live in a number of cities, including Albany, Detroit, Pittsburgh, Memphis, and Los Angeles. All of this moving has given me a unique perspective on where to live.
First, there’s a rumor that companies in larger cities pay higher salaries. While this may be true to some degree, consider this. In a market like Los Angeles, there may be hundreds or thousands of people who are qualified for a particular specialized job. Those candidates are competing against one another for that job. And, because of this, the company may be able to pay a bit less. However, in a smaller city, specialized workers are harder to find. The company is forced to pay a competitive wage in order to lure in a unique skillset. In fact, they may even pay more than the typical market rate.
In addition to the financial benefits, smaller cities have other career perks. It’s not uncommon to be promoted to a higher position of management within a company at a younger age. For example, I’ve observed people work their way up to a director title five to ten years faster in a smaller market. It’s often easier to be a big fish when you’re in a small pond.
And, in small cities, it’s also easier to network. There are fewer layers between you and the top business executives. This is helpful when it comes to expanding your network, getting an interview, and landing a job. You’re less constrained by the online application process when you have a list of in person connections at your fingertips. You may even know the hiring manager.
Don’t get me wrong – I really do love big cities. But, I’ve never felt more at home than I do in a small one. Career wise, I’ve have had my crack at more opportunities than I would have, and have climbed the corporate ladder faster. I’ve been able to maintain a low cost of living, and in turn, a higher quality of life. So, as much as I enjoy the bustle of a big place, I’d much rather visit on vacation (using a little of the money I’ve saved on rent).
Angela Copeland is CEO and founder of Copeland Coaching and can be reached at CopelandCoaching.com or on Twitter at @CopelandCoach.
by Angela Copeland | Dec 7, 2016 | Advice, Career Corner Column, Media, Performance Review
Do you wish you were making more money? Do you feel frustrated that you haven’t received the promotion you’ve been waiting for? Well, now’s the time to make a case for yourself. It’s almost time for your annual employee performance evaluation.
One of the biggest mistakes we all make at work is that we don’t take our performance reviews seriously enough. They’re just another item to check off the list by a certain due date. With everything else we have to do, we rush through the online review process. We feel that we have too much going on to waste time on this silly annual administrative task.
But, it’s this same silly task that is used to guide your future salary. It helps your manager to decide whether or not to give you the promotion you’ve been dreaming of. So, it is worth saying that a performance evaluation deserves as much time, if not more, than any other project on your desk.
Once you’ve decided to prioritize your review, what should you know?
The first thing is, start early. When you put time into your review, the amount of detail required is heavy. You want to be sure you have time to put everything together.
When you complete your online self-review, don’t give yourself lower ratings that you deserve in an effort to be humble. Your scores should accurately reflect your work. If you’ve done an outstanding job, say so. Don’t expect your boss to convince you that your work was better than your own rating.
On each area where you rate yourself, provide more than just a rating. Write a justification that includes specific examples of your work. Ideally, these examples should tie back to your goals for the year. They should be specific and if possible, quantifiable. Show without a doubt that you have met and exceeded each goal.
Once you’ve completed the online self-review, try putting the same information into another format. Online self-reviews are often text heavy and not a great way to represent yourself. A PowerPoint presentation can be a great solution. Create different sections that are tied to your online review, but add in pictures, graphs, and other screen shots to better demonstrate your accomplishments.
When it’s time to review your performance evaluation with your boss, be on time, and be prepared. Dress in what you might wear if you were giving an important presentation on behalf of someone else. But, this time, that someone is you.
Doing a self-review can be difficult. It’s tedious. It’s detail oriented. It requires you to remember everything you’ve done in the past year. Despite all of these things, a solid performance review is worth it. If you follow the steps recommend, there’s a good chance you’ll be the only person on your team who put in this much work. And, that hard work will be in your boss’ mind when they decide who to promote and give a bigger raise to in the New Year.
Angela Copeland is CEO and founder of Copeland Coaching and can be reached at CopelandCoaching.com or on Twitter at @CopelandCoach.
by Angela Copeland | Nov 23, 2016 | Advice, Career Corner Column, Media
Can we agree that the interview process can be stressful? It can be exhausting. You spend weeks, sometimes months, going through many rounds of interviews, tests, and background checks. You do all this in secret, slipping out of work and trying not to spill the beans to coworkers and friends. Your current job stress may be growing, and you cannot wait for the process to be over.
Most often, when a job offer comes, it’s delivered by a human resources representative or the hiring manager. They call you on the phone and offer a few quick stats, including starting salary and vacation days. Then, they ask if you accept, and what date you can start.
Often, your first instinct is to accept right away. You want to keep the hiring manager happy, and to ensure your future at the company. You definitely don’t want to rock the boat.
Unfortunately, this approach can have pitfalls. For example, your hiring manager may not end up being your actual manager. This sounds unlikely, but I once had my own hiring manager announce his departure on my second day. If we had not agreed to our terms in writing, there’s a chance I might have had to renegotiate with the new manager.
When you receive a job offer, the best approach is to thank the company and express your gratitude and excitement. Then, you should thoughtfully ask if they are able to send you the details of the offer in an email or official letter. Tell the recruiter you have a personal policy that you must sleep on the decision overnight.
When you receive the offer in email, review it closely. First, ensure that all the details explained on the phone are outlined as expected. If something is left out, or is different than your understanding, ask clarifying questions.
Sleeping on an offer also gives you a chance to discuss it with your family. And, it can give you an opportunity to decide if you want to negotiate the offer up. There are two key things that candidates are concerned with: salary and vacation. To ask for more of either, follow up with the company. Express your gratitude and excitement again. Then, ask if they would be willing to adjust their offer.
Select your requests carefully. A good negotiation is one where both parties walk away feeling as if they have won. Neither should feel like they were taken advantage of. But, don’t avoid asking for what you need. As long as you communicate in a professional manner, the company should respect your request. The worst case scenario is that the company will not increase the offer – not that they will resend it.
And, note – if a company cannot increase your salary, many corporations have flexibility around vacation (even if they have a standard vacation policy).
But, again, get everything in writing – no matter what you agree to. It will ensure there are no misunderstandings and help to solidify your future success within the organization.
Angela Copeland is CEO and founder of Copeland Coaching and can be reached at CopelandCoaching.com or on Twitter at @CopelandCoach.
by Angela Copeland | Nov 16, 2016 | Advice, Career Corner Column, Media
I received a question that’s important for job seekers to consider: “Should I work with an external recruiter, and if so, how does it work?” If you’ve never tried it, enlisting the help of a placement firm can appear to be a confusing proposal. It can be tough to know where to find a recruiter, how to begin, and what to expect.
The good news is, working with an external recruiter (aka a “headhunter”) is not hard to do. First, you should know how they work. Typically, headhunters are paid a commission if they are able to help place a job seeker in a job. The hiring company pays this commission and they are only paid when and if a placement is made. Think of a recruiter as a matchmaker, or a salesperson, of sorts. They help source candidates that fit well within the companies they work for.
Arranging a meeting with a headhunter isn’t hard. You can find local recruiters online. Then, you can reach out to them by phone or email to request a meeting. Most placement firms are open to meeting with new candidates because it allows them to keep the pulse on the available talent in the job market. They will keep your resume and personal details in their database.
Along with your resume, you must typically disclose all your salary information right up front. This is a bit different than applying directly to a company, where you can often skirt the salary issue until the end of the interview process. In addition, you may also be asked to take exams in order to demonstrate your competency in certain subjects.
Keep in mind – headhunters meet with many candidates every day. You need to work closely with them in order for the process to be effective. It rarely works to sit back and hope the recruiter will show up with the perfect job completely on their own. Keep them up to date on your employment status, what kind of job you’re looking for, and of any changes that occur. If you stop reaching out, they’ll assume you found a job.
Although there are many positives to working with a headhunter, there are also pitfalls to consider. We often feel that because a placement firm makes a commission, they work for us, the job seeker. Although they are there to help, they ultimately must keep their client happy – the hiring manager. Additionally, they will only be paid a commission if they make a placement. If you’ve ever sold a house, you know that there are times when a real estate agent would be happy to sell a house at a lower than ideal price, in order to ensure a commission.
Placement firms can be helpful, but like other parts of the job search, they’re a tool rather than a complete solution. To maximize success, continue looking on your own. You’re your own best advocate, and after all, you’re searching on behalf of just one job seeker: you.
Angela Copeland is CEO and founder of Copeland Coaching and can be reached at CopelandCoaching.com or on Twitter at @CopelandCoach.
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