3 Ways to Win at Writing College Application Essays

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woman-731894_1920One of the most tedious jobs in the world must be reading all of the college entrance essays to determine who’s “in” and who’s “out” for the incoming class.

The words, “Boring” and “Tedious” come to mind.  I imagine the committee (hopefully there’s more than one person who has to read these things) sits around drinking wine and eating snacks, occasionally sharing tidbits of each essay to lighten the mood.

“This candidate says, “I want to attend to carry on my family’s legacy of attending State U’”. 

Oh please, give us a REAL reason; something we haven’t heard.

“How about this for an opener: ‘I’m going to tell you a little about myself.’”

Really? That’s the best he could do?

More wine, please.

I’ll admit that writing essays for college entrance remains a bit foreign to me, since all I had to do when applying was complete a short application form and send it in along with my SAT/ACT scores and high school transcript.  Sure, I included extra-curricular activities and every honor I could think of, but that was it.

Now applying – and gaining acceptance – to college is a competition that not only includes stellar grades and proof that you were involved outside of the classroom, but also answering at least one of the Common Core essay questions. Not to mention other essays required of some universities.

These entrance essays stump so many.  First, students have trouble deciding on a topic. Panic sets in, with deadlines approaching and parents hounding. In many cases, the first drafts turn into mini-boring-biographies without much inspiration.  Or worse, laundry lists of credentials that appear to have been written hastily while parents stood guard, holding their car keys hostage until all the essays were complete.

Teenagers nervously trying to figure out how to write an essay that may propel them into the college of their choice.  Busy parents who may or may not have time and/or writing skills to help.

These essays, while at first glance seem scary, can be completed successfully.

Here are three ways to win at writing a college entrance essay:

  1. Answer the Question. Make sure you answer the question. Sounds simple, yet it is the easiest mistake to make and the number one issue I find with clients’ essays.  What is the “real” question being asked? Be sure the story you have crafted provides a clear answer to the question.  Don’t tell them what you want to say; provide the information they want to hear.
  2. Provide New Information.  Your essay should do more than simply recap information that can be found on your college application. The essay is an opportunity to showcase why you would be a great addition to the university.  The question is simply opening the dialogue for you to show the reader the “real” you; something deeper about yourself that cannot be understood from the college application. Think of it as sharing something meaningful about yourself with a friend.  Find something new to share about yourself in your essay – as it relates to the question, of course. 
  3. Engage the Reader. Imagine reading thousands of essays, most of which start out with a boring opening line, “I’m going to tell you about myself”.  Yawn.   Grabbing the readers’ attention and keeping them engaged is a good way to make sure your essay is remembered.  Like any good book, engage your reader with details that help immerse the person in the story, as if they were right there with you.

Three things: Answer the question. Provide new information. Engage the reader. 

Now you’re on your way to writing a solid college application essay.

6 Things NOT to Expect from Your First Job

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startup-594090_1920Most of us have high expectations of our first job out of college. We create a vision of where this first job will take us, even creating timelines for achieving success.

Others share our visions of grandeur, with high-fives from friends and huge sighs of relief from parents who can finally claim they are now fiscally responsible for one less person.

It’s great to have a career vision and strategy; the problem is that often our expectations for our first job are unrealistic. We fail to think of what NOT to expect from our first job.

Not sure where this comes from; it may be a combination of information gathered from college career centers, professors, other students, social media, and even parents.  Add a bit of imagination, some hope and desires and you’ve got a recipe for disappointment.

Some will be quick to blame Millennials, as clearly they feel “entitled” and obviously are to blame for any misunderstanding of the work world. Not so fast; I’m pretty sure most of us were at least a tad bit disappointed by the ugly truth that was our first job.

If there’s blame to be placed, it’s on the rest of us who have gone before – including parents – for not setting the record straight.

This is for anyone who is about to graduate, or who has recently joined the workforce.

6 Things NOT to expect from your first job

  1. A Huge Salary. This is all relative. Many starting salaries today seem exorbitant to us career veterans who had to eat Ramen noodles with our starting salaries.  Yet I know better than to argue with a recent grad. The point is this is your first job; you have little to no skills yet that command a large salary.  Work hard, make yourself invaluable and the salary will follow.
  2. Quick Promotion. Somewhere it became popular to promise candidates a quick rise to the top, or at least the next level. Reality Check: The only thing you are promised at hiring is the job you are being hired for. Period. After that, the clock starts ticking again and you have to prove yourself to a company full of people that don’t know you.
  3. Praise for a Job Well Done. Parents of Millennials have done kids no favors here, encouraging them in all endeavors even if they performed terribly. It’s nice to be told “Good Job” at work, but it’s rare. It’s your job to do a good job; that’s why you were hired.  So don’t expect any special recognition for it.
  4. Control of your time. Others are counting on you at work, which means you are not able to come and go as you please 100% of the time.  Be considerate; arrive on time to morning meetings; stay late if necessary; possibly work weekends despite the fact that your friends are out on the town. Even your vacation needs to be taken with the consideration of your boss and teammates in mind. Someone has to be available in case of a crisis, right?
  5. Doing the Work vs. Reinventing the Wheel. Armed with a freshly minted degree, it may be difficult to understand why the company isn’t anxious to have you completely revamp the way it does business. Sometimes it’s best to listen and learn first, then once you’ve got a real understanding of how it works, make a suggestion based on experience.
  6. Your career will be defined by this job. Who came up with this? While your career will be influenced by EVERY job you have, you are not defined by your first job. If that were true, I would be an engineer, despite the fact that I’ve had a successful career in marketing and PR, and am now a Certified Professional Career Coach.  Don’t put this pressure on yourself. Accept your first job; work hard at it; learn from it – the good and the bad – and apply those learnings to your next opportunity.

It’s okay to have high expectations. Just try to avoid unrealistic expectations that may lead to disappointment.

Dig in to your first job. Learn from it. Grow.

 

4 Do’s for Successful Networking ….And 1 Don’t

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talk-1034161_1920It’s no secret that networking, that tangible-intangible social bonding experience, is the key to success when it comes to finding a job.

It seems logical then, the more people in your network, the better chance for success.  Professionals of all ages seem to compare networking prowess to their social media victories, counting the number of people as a sign of success.

Whether you are a novice networker or a networker savant, it may come as a surprise to hear this:

Networking is not a numbers game. Networking is all about building relationships.

I cannot stress this enough.  It’s about the relationship you build with each person in your network.

At the end of the day, does the person feel strongly enough about you – in a positive manner – to put their reputation on the line and recommend you for a job?

Whoa! Think about that for a minute, and ask yourself, “Who would I stake my reputation on and recommend for a job?” It’s a daunting thought.

This brings me to the actual networking itself.  Here are 4 “Do’s” and 1 “Don’t” for Successful Networking:

  1. DO Find Common Ground. This is your conversation goal when trying to build a relationship with a new person.  It can be as simple as you both have common interest in the group meeting you are attending at that very moment.  Or perhaps you both went to the same school, work in the same industry or enjoy cheering for the same sports team.  Find something in common to talk about.
  2. DO share your experience. Once you’ve found common ground and have established a bit of a relationship, it’s okay to tell your new acquaintance what you do professionally. Just don’t ask about a job lead right away. Save that for a follow-up down the road.
  3. DO Exchange business cards. DO NOT say, “I’ll remember your name and find you on LinkedIn”. Not gonna happen.  Take the information immediately, for two reasons:  First, you need to call this new contact by name, while you are talking to them. Having a business card helps you do that.  Two, you can write information about her/him on the card afterwards, such as “went to school with Dan” or some other reminder.
  4. DO Follow up. Immediately after the networking event, send each person a note saying it was nice to meet them, adding “Let me know if I can help you in the future”.  Networking is not all about you, you know.  IMPORTANT: Periodically follow up with people in your network, if for no other reason than to say Hi.  It keeps you top of mind and is one more step in building the relationship.

DON’T talk about anything controversial. For your own sake, I beg of you!  This includes politics, religion, sexist remarks; topics that may make others cringe, etc.

The problem with controversial topics is they tend to put others on the defensive. They rarely make friends of strangers, unless you are lucky enough to find someone who shares your views.  It’s a fifty-fifty risk that’s not worth taking when you are trying to score as many new friends as possible in pursuit of employment.

I know this “Don’t” may ruffle some feathers.  Some of you may want to dig in your heels, saying, “These are my beliefs and if someone doesn’t like them, too bad”.   I’m not asking that you give up your beliefs; simply know your audience first and understand the goal you are trying to achieve.

Recently I attended a networking event and was visiting with a gentleman afterward. Not sure how the discussion even began, yet suddenly I felt as if I were under attack on some very personal beliefs brought up by this individual. Others even backed away. His attitude and behavior came across as angry and argumentative; it also didn’t help that his appearance was disheveled and he needed a haircut.

I’m sure he thought he was standing up for his beliefs. Eventually I removed myself from the conversation but for me he blew it with his hot-headed tirade. I will not recommend him going forward.

Remember the end goal: to build a long-term positive relationship with individuals. The next time they need to hire someone with your skills – or hear of a job opening in your field – you want them to think of you.

 

3 Ways to Answer the Question, “Tell Me About Yourself “

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restaurant-690975_1280“Tell me about yourself”

It’s the one question every job candidate can expect during a job interview. You’d think candidates would slam-dunk the answer.

Based on my own experience as a hiring manager and as a job seeker, I think candidates fail miserably.

Instead of grabbing the attention of the hiring manager with our unique story, we settle in comfortably and drone on with a chronological list of our employment history, education and accomplishments.

The same information we just handed to them in the form of our resume.

It’s like a blind date gone horribly wrong. We’ve got one chance to impress our dream guy/gal with a fun tale that will leave them asking for second date, and we waste time telling them details of how long it took us to pick out an outfit.

Definitely not the story a prospective date wants to hear.

Hiring managers don’t want to hear boring stories either. They can read the details from your resume. This is your chance to tell them who you are in a way that has them saying, “Wow – what a smart go-getter. And fun! I want to have this person on my team.”

I remember back in college, each time we’d meet someone new there was a standard list of questions to ask each other. It was almost a ritual and included:

  • Where are you from?
  • What’s your major?
  • Do you live in a dorm or apartment? Where?

My friends and I would get bored with this tried and true interview, which is so similar to the “Tell me About Yourself” question we now experience when interviewing for a job. We wanted so badly to ask a series of new questions. During one of our happy hours we developed these gems:

  • Are those your shoes?
  • Does your mother know you’re here?
  • Does your hair always look like that?

While fear of hurting someone’s feelings prevented us from using these questions, our intent was simply to get some interesting feedback instead of the same old information that everyone provided.

You have a chance to break away from old habits! Take yourself to happy hour, or find a quiet spot to think about your unique story. If you hit a road block, ask a trusted friend or two to help out.

To get you started, here are three ways to answer the question, “Tell me about yourself”:

  • Sell yourself with only 3 words, and tell why those 3 words are important for you
  • Share 3 pivotal career moments that will contribute to your success at this job
  • Explain why your colleagues would recommend you for this job

I think you get the idea. Find a unique angle that tells who you are and why you would be a great asset to the hiring manager.

Smile, be confident and shine as you grab the hiring manager’s attention.

Just refrain from asking if his mom knows where he is.

Resumes Are Weird; You Must Network to Find a Job

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job-interview-156130_1280
When it comes to picking a movie, who do you trust more: your friend or an online movie critic you’ve never met?

If you picked movie critic, perhaps you need new friends. Just sayin’.

In most cases, we trust the opinions of our friends over strangers.

Our friends know us and we know them.  We have grown to value their opinion. They have our best interests at heart and would tell us the truth.

We believe them when they tell us we would enjoy the film.

The same principle is true when it comes to hiring new employees.  We believe our friends and trusted colleagues know us well enough to suggest good candidates for job openings.

This is one reason networking is crucial to your job search.   You must use your network to provide personal recommendations when it comes to securing a job.  

This video by Domics Animation is a clever demonstration of why networking is so important.  He’s right: hiring managers tend to hire someone based on the recommendation of a trusted friend or colleague over hiring a stranger.

The creator is clearly not a fan of resumes, stating “Resumes are weird”, although I believe a good resume is necessary since most of the time we all have to apply for jobs via the company’s website.  May as well make it the best it can be.

And I disagree with the author that young people don’t have networks to help them find their first job.  Even kids in high school have classmates, teachers, and friends of their parents to tap into to help find a job.

Remember: Even with a recommendation you still need to bring you’re A-Game to the interview and to the job itself.  With privilege comes great responsibility; you need to prove your worth.

The important point is to build your network and use that network when searching for a job.

Take a look!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aZ4NdEtc29o

Win at Work by Knowing How to Act: the Academy Award Winning Performance

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mothers-day-649304_1280We all know actions speak louder than words, right?  How about acting?

What if I told you the key to winning at work is in knowing how to act?

I’m not talking about everyday politeness, keeping your work-space neat, and replacing the paper in the copier. This is deeper and requires us to develop a skill that we can use during the toughest times.

I’m talking about an Academy Award-Winning Performance.

Some people excel at this; others have to work really hard; others fail miserably. Successful business people learn the skill of the Academy Award Winning Performance and use it to their advantage.

I must confess that it took me awhile to understand this concept, and then to use it. Most of the time I get it right although sometimes my performance falls short.

When do you need to be ready with an Academy Award Winning Performance? Some examples include:

  • Putting on a brave face when your coworker receives the promotion you’ve been working towards.
  • Continuing to work hard, despite losing coworkers and friends during a layoff.
  • Maintaining professional composure when your boss or another exec unleashes a tirade about your work.

These are just a few; there are many, many more.

Some people have told me that attitude or such a performance doesn’t matter so they will let their emotions and reactions “just happen”.  That’s one way of doing it, although I would caution anyone who wants to do this as an emotional outburst could come back to haunt you.

One of my clients faced the daunting prospect of being the sole survivor in his department after a layoff. Not only was he sole survivor, as a result he had a new boss and a new position within the company. He was emotionally drained and frustrated, to say the least.

I counseled him to put on an Academy Award Winning Performance, knowing he was looking for his next opportunity outside of the organization. He decided to embrace his new role and, rather than simply doing the assignment his new boss gave him, he went above and beyond, providing her with a new strategy and tactics for execution.

She was thrilled and he received a promotion as a result. All due to his Academy Award Winning Performance.

At the end of the day, he found another opportunity outside of the company that better suited his skills. Yet the real lesson here is by embracing the role of team player, he secured a promotion. Who knows what would have happened had he simply sunk into his negativity?

He also created good will with his new boss which may benefit him in the future. It’s all about networking, you know.

Think about how the occasional Academy Award Winning Performance may help you at work.

Remember: the very best actors are not the ones who win an Oscar. They are the nominees left sitting in the audience, cameras trained on their faces as they smile happily for the winner when deep down inside they must be crying, screaming and cursing at their misfortune.

But they can’t show it. They are on live TV, with the world watching them. Literally.

That’s what it’s like to be a winner at work.

Career Lessons Learned From My Refridgerator

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FridgeOur refrigerator turned in its resignation last night.

Without even giving a two week notice, it suddenly decided it had had enough of working for us and decided to quit.  No resignation letter, no nothing. He simply stopped working.

By the time we discovered the fridge had decided to terminate his employment, we had water everywhere since he also failed to notify the ice-maker to stop going through the motions. His team was engaged, even though the fridge had mentally and physically checked out.

Clearly this was not the way to leave a job. He served us well for almost sixteen years; still, we may have reservations about recommending him or his brand to a friend.

As an employer, I wonder how I missed the distress signals.

Occasionally I heard some squeaks and grinds coming from the refrigerator; I thought he was simply doing his job. Yesterday I seem to remember a loud noise emanating from the kitchen, one that scared the dog. Yet I brushed it off; considering it was garbage day with trucks going down the alley, or maybe it was the crews working on the house next door.

In hindsight Hubby or I should have taken time with the refrigerator, to see what was going on in his world, checking the temperature to see if the ice was, indeed, icy.

I might have been able to predict that things were not as rosy as I thought they were, and maybe would have been better prepared for this seemingly sudden turn of events.

Instead, I’m left cleaning out the refrigerator, trying to salvage what I can of the lukewarm food.

As an employee, don’t be like our refrigerator.  When you are ready to leave your job – for whatever reason – it’s always best to do so on good terms.

  • Give notice; two weeks if possible.
  • Maintain a positive attitude.
  • Help your team and boss with a plan to transition work.

As an employer, it’s important to be in tune with your employees rather than assume they are happy.

  • Talk to them regularly and really listen to what they are saying.
  • Don’t wait until they resign to start paying attention.
  • You may not be able to solve all of the problems – nor should you, necessarily – but what you hear will speak volumes about what is going on among the staff.

Bosses should be prepared for, not be surprised by, resignations. And employees should do their best to make a smooth transition for those left behind.

It’s in everyone’s best interest.

3 Concepts Millennials and Boomers Must Understand In Order to Work Together

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team-866663_1920Is it possible for Millennials and Boomers to work effectively together? The media would have us believe the two groups are like oil and water, impossible to coexist in harmony.

A self-described “Millennial in a Boomer Suit”, I know it’s not only possible but it can be truly rewarding for both groups.

We are actually not that different. My goals, attitudes and ambitions when I was fresh out of college were pretty much the same as today’s graduates. It’s just that I didn’t have the ability to share my thoughts and dreams on social media.

For these two groups to form a successful team, here are 3 Concepts Millennials and Boomers Must Understand in Order to Work Together

1. Respect for Knowledge Goes Both Ways
Boomers have experience that can only come from years on the job in the real world. Millennials bring an understanding of new technology and fresh ways of thinking. Both groups need to embrace the other’s knowledge. Combined, they are a powerful force.

Boomers, it’s okay to admit that you are not up to speed on every new social media platform. Ask the Millennials for a quick tutorial; they love to show their skills and contribute to the team.

Millennials, remember that tried and true ideas may still be the best way to go – experience does count for something. Listen and learn first before pooh-poohing established programs. Your colleagues will then be more receptive to enhancing existing methods with new techniques.

2. Understand the Similarities and Embrace the Differences
Common misconception among Boomers is that Millennials are 8 to 5’ers; not willing to work the long hours that Boomers are accustomed to.

Actually, Millennials are more than willing to do what it takes to get the job done. The difference is that they don’t put boundaries or limits on “work” vs. “personal” time. They are used to having technology at their fingertips and are comfortable taking a break from their personal time to complete a work assignment “after hours” if it means they can attend a fitness class first.

Boomers may need to relax the expectation of staying late at the office unless there is a deadline; Millennials need to communicate openly with their managers about their commitment to completing work in a timely manner.

3. We’re All In it to Win It
At the end of the day, Millennials and Boomers want the same thing: to do a good job, a feeling of satisfaction and to advance in their careers. Possibly more money, of course, and recognition. The point is, neither group wants to fail. Both are “In it to win it”.

Winning takes team work. There should be no “Us young people” vs. “Us mature people”. This serves no purpose except to bring morale down.

I’ve learned a great deal throughout my career from both older colleagues and younger ones. Each brings different set of skills and knowledge, yet critical to my own development. Without learning from all different levels, I would not be where I am today.

Respect Knowledge. Understand the Similarities. Embrace the differences.

The result? We all win.

4 Ways to Lose the Perfect Internship

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HIre meInternships have almost become a rite of passage, especially for those in graduate programs. While coaching students as they prepare to interview, on more than one occasion I have been pulled into discussions about which internship would be the “best”.

Honestly, almost any internship is a good one. The goal is to get experience, especially for students who have yet to get their first full-time, after-graduation job.

Sometimes students become their own worst enemy, over analyzing opportunities or just plain freaking out over details that will not make a difference when they look back in one year.

In the meantime, the perfect internship is going to someone else.

Don’t let this happen to you! I’ve identified Four Ways to Lose the Perfect Internship:

  1. Focus on your dream company and job titles. Too many times I see students only target large, well-known brands for an internship. What’s wrong with this? First, competition is fierce since most students will target the same companies, lessening your chance of earning one of very few spots. Second, since the goal is to gain experience, a smaller company may provide more opportunity to actually get your hands dirty; to learn and interact with all levels of the organization.  Don’t lose a great opportunity with a smaller company by focusing only on your dream company. Big brands are fine, yet there are plenty of smaller companies that will provide an internship that’s just as good, if not better.
  2. Worry more about having a job offer at graduation. A common theme I hear is, “I want an internship at XYZ Company because I want to work for them when I graduate”.  The assumption is an internship automatically leads to a job offer at graduation. Oh, I wish it were that easy! While it may happen, it’s not always the case. Despite your best efforts, the company will compare you to other interns and may decide you are not the best fit for full-time employment. Or they may want to make you an offer but for financial reasons simply cannot extend one at the time.  Once I had a student who received an offer at the end of her internship, only to be on pins and needles when the company later considered rescinding the offer due to a financial crisis. So much for “best laid plans”.  If you focus your energy on what “might” happen after the internship, you could miss a great opportunity NOW. Remember, an internship is not a guarantee of full-time employment. Even if you don’t intern with the company, you can still interview for full-time work at graduation.
  3. Focus on pay. I get it; you need to eat during the internship. That said, your focus should be on what you will be doing vs. how much you will make. If it were me, I’d want an understanding of the projects and tasks I would be working on throughout the program. Will I be part of meetings? How will this internship let me use my skills and/or teach me how to be a valuable member of the team? At the end of the program, you should be able to add at least one or two achievements to your resume. The worst thing that could happen is you spend a summer with a nice paycheck yet have learned nothing. That’s a waste of time.
  4. Believe you will be “stuck” at the company or in the industry. Actually, an internship is the opposite of being “stuck”. Think of an internship as a two-month opportunity to “try it before you buy it”. In other words, you do not have to accept an offer of full-time employment, just like the company is under no obligation to make you an offer. What an awesome deal!   Think about what this means: there are NO mistakes with an internship! If you would rather work in a different industry at graduation, it’s your prerogative. Take the internship, learn as much as you can – including what you don’t like – and move forward.

Remember, the goal of an internship is to get experience in your field to build your resume. It’s a two-month opportunity to grab as much learning as you can from a company, with no strings attached.

Still, this process causes anxiety for many students who worry about making the right choice, wondering if their career will be ruined by an error in judgment.

Unless it’s an error of epic, Biblical proportions, it’s doubtful your entire career will be ruined by your internship.

Pick one, learn as much as you can, and start your career. It’s that simple.

The Trick to Achieving Success: Have a Plan

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success board-1097118_1920

 

 

 

 

 

January is almost over; time to review your first month’s progress for the New Year.

Did you achieve your goals?

If this question makes you uncomfortable, I’ll take it that you either

  1. Didn’t achieve your goals for the month, or
  2. Didn’t set any goals to begin with.

Worst case, you did not develop a plan for the year at all.

Let’s have a moment of silence for anyone without a plan.

The trick to achieving success is to have a plan.

This includes setting goals. The plan does not have to be an elaborate PowerPoint presentation with schematics set to music. What it does need are realistic, achievable, goals with action items and a time table for results.

Some people refer to these as SMART goals. Whatever you need to make it work, just do it.

Recently Hubby and I met with our mortgage lender who works independently without the comfort of a large firm backing him up. He’s smart, easy to work with, explains the details in a way that we understand, and watches out for our best interests. And he’s successful.

In his office I noticed a small grease board with “2016” written at the top. Below was the number of new mortgages he was going to close; the number of new clients he wanted to engage; and personal goals that included vacations and flying lessons. This small board hung on a wall facing his desk so he had to see it every time he looked up.

It’s a daily reminder of what he needs to do in order to be successful in 2016.

His board made me realize I was behind in my planning and had failed to set my goals for the year. Usually I write them on my own grease board and place it in a prominent location. This year, they are still in my head, swimming around with all sorts of to-do lists and other distractions.

Successful people are not successful because it just happens; they are successful because they plan the work and work the plan.

We’ve got a few days left in this first month, people, to get this year started on the right foot.

  • Write down your goals for the rest of the year.
  • Include dates for completion.
  • Review your plan each month.
  • Adjust accordingly.

Most importantly: place your goals where you can see them every day.

Now, GO! We have work to do.