Must-Haves for Thanksgiving

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Thanksgiving blog

What’s on your list of “must-haves” for Thanksgiving? 

Is it turkey or maybe cranberry sauce? How about a pair of “stretchy pants” that allows you to eat as much as you want and still be comfortable?  Big-screen TV to watch your favorite team?

All good choices, I must admit. 

May I suggest a few other things to add to your list?

  • Business cards.
  • A well-rehearsed elevator speech.
  • A couple of success stories to tell, just in case the opportunity arises.
  • A positive attitude about your job, career, or job search. Even if you’re in a slump.

While the holiday is a great day for eating, relaxing and watching football, it can also be a networking opportunity.

Think I’m nuts? 

You never know who’s going to show up for dinner.  Sometimes dad or Aunt Sue or even the next door neighbor who came to watch the game may have connections.

A similar situation happened to me at Halloween.  A neighbor hosted a party in her front yard to give away candy.  Several of us came to participate.  In between Trick-or-Treaters, we were all talking and one person mentioned she was looking for a job.

As luck would have it, I had just learned of a job that fit her credentials.  We exchanged information, the next day I connected her with the hiring manager and she lined up an interview.

Sometimes connections happen when we least expect it. Like holidays with family and strangers.

Bring your business cards to Thanksgiving dinner, along with a thankful attitude for everything you already have.

You never know what might happen.

Fall Back: 4 Things to Do With Your Extra Hour of Time

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I kind of like the “fall-back” part of daylight savings time. Who doesn’t want an extra hour of time to sleep?

There is that pesky problem of it getting dark earlier. As I type, I’ve had to turn on the lights in my office to remind myself that the work day is not over.  It’s hard to stay motivated when the sun starts to dip below the horizon around four o’clock.

Plus we have to reset all of the clocks in the house and cars. Or I guess now they are actually correct, since we forgot to change them when we sprang forward.

The time change reminds me of all sorts of stuff that I should do, such as change the batteries in the smoke detectors, remove the cushions from the outdoor furniture and get the furnace checked before it gets too cold.

As long as we have an extra hour of time on our hands, it might also be a good idea to re-focus on our careers. You know, make sure we have things covered and if not, reset our career clocks so we can move forward in a productive manner.

Here are four things to do with your extra hour of time to help your career:

  • Review Career Goals – Are you achieving your goals and/or is your current job moving you in the right direction? Do you even have career goals? If the answer to any of this is “No”, it’s time to step back and re-evaluate.
  • Resume Review – Make sure your resume is up to date, with current information as well as achievements. Do you like how your resume looks? Could be time for a new format, if it’s been the same for the past ten years. Why not work on that now? You’ve got an extra hour.
  • Wardrobe Check – When was the last time you shopped for career clothing? This is especially important since many of us work in casual offices where jeans are the norm. Do you have current-fashion clothing that is appropriate for networking and/or interviewing? You never know when you might need it and it’s easier to shop without “must-have-it-now” pressure.
  • Reach Out – Make it a priority to stay in touch with those in your network, if you aren’t already doing so. If you are actively connected, take it a step further and actually make those lunch or coffee dates instead of saying “let’s catch up soon”. Attend a local trade or alumni association event to meet new people. And guess what? Your new networking outfit will be perfect for this meeting.

You may want to create your own personalized list; at least this should get you started. Just make the most of that extra hour.

Have You Cracked the Networking Code?

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When I was first starting out, I had no idea what it meant to network.  This is the stuff they talked about in business school yet failed to teach.

Don’t laugh but I honestly thought that networking was akin to sales cold-calling.  Since my only experience meeting new people was during our weekly after-work happy hours, I assumed that networking was similar.

Networking to me meant surveying the bar to find a friendly-looking person, grab my business card and go introduce myself.

We were already dressed in our business professional attire. We had business cards with us. This HAD to be what they were talking about, right?

Yeah, it was awkward.

And I wondered why I never got any dates.  Or made any business connections.

Luckily for me I was already networking; I just didn’t know it.

Every year I sent Christmas cards to a huge list that included relatives, friends from high school, college and business school, as well as friends of my parents that I had known since childhood.  That list expanded to include work colleagues and business associates.

Periodically I would call or email someone I hadn’t seen in a while to say hello; that would lead to lunch or dinner to catch-up in person.

As I worked my way up the corporate ladder and made business connections with suppliers, I kept their names and phone numbers in my Filofax long before we had smart phones.

I employed the same techniques with business colleagues as I did with my friends, periodically emailing or calling them or having lunch with them, even long after I had moved on to other jobs.  And I continued this relationship-building everywhere I worked.

After many years of doing this, a colleague heard me mention that Hubby and I send out hundreds of Christmas cards.  My colleague said, “You are so well-connected!”

That was the first time I ever thought that I might have cracked the networking code.

There it is; the secret of networking.  I’ve laid it out for you.

What; it’s still not clear?  Let me say it a different way:  Communicate with people you know and meet; do this regularly.

Networking, at a basic level, is keeping up with the people you know and meet.  To take it to the next level, you build a relationship with those people through work or friendships or however it is you know them.

The key is staying connected. I’m not gonna lie; it takes work to keep these relationships going.  But that’s what networking is about; building a relationship; one that is strong enough so when you need a favor like, “Will you recommend me for a job?” your network is willing and able to help.

Think you don’t have a network?  I bet you do.

Sit down and start listing all of your close friends and relatives. Then branch out to other friends; your sisters’ friends; your parents’ friends. Then everyone you know at your current job; everyone at your last job and the job before that, and so on.  List as many people as you can remember from college; your classmates, sorority or fraternity pals; friends from any clubs you belonged to, sports teams you played on, etc.  List people you know at your church, any volunteer organizations you work with, etc.

How does your list look now?  Do you have some connections?  I know you do.

And you know what?  Your connections have connections.  That’s how this starts.  Your connections can introduce you to more connections.

Remember to carry business cards with you at all times, even to a funeral (I wrote a post about this; check it out here).  You never know where or when you might meet someone.

Look at you; you’ve just cracked the networking code.  I knew you could do it.

Mentoring: No Salary, No Retirement, Best Job Ever

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your career

Sometimes I think we underestimate our value, especially when it comes to our careers and the concept that sharing our knowledge may help others.  I know I do.

Despite years working at some of the world’s top brands I don’t think of my career as anything special.  Yes, I love my work and am energized when I share my experiences with others, but to me it’s just what I do.

After all, there are tons of people with the same level of education, with great experience who advanced even farther than I have in terms of title.  So what’s the big deal with me? 

I have discovered that my career is nothing to be shy about.  Just ask one of the many university students I mentor.

Each semester I spend time on campus visiting with the students, guest lecturing and participating in panel discussions.  There are many other career veterans who participate in the program and I’m honored to be included.

Suddenly it’s like I’m the popular kid in school.  These students, who are far-brighter than I was at the same age – and are probably smarter than I am right now – treat me with a level of respect reserved for a CEO.  They want to meet with me and they contact me for guidance as they wrestle with career questions, internships and job interviews.

Still, I’m left wondering why the students engage so well with little ‘old me.  I think about this a lot, especially as I drive to and from the campus.  Always wondering if I’m doing enough, and ultimately, if I am helping them at all.

The answer was never as clear as it was when Hubby and I hosted a dinner for current and past mentees at our home.  We started this tradition a few years ago and it’s the highlight of our summer. Many of the students take internships in our city and it’s nice for them to have a break and a home-cooked meal.

That last part may be a stretch; at least it’s a meal in a home. 

We were casual and relaxed as we talked about their internships, or their jobs, for those that had graduated.  As we all listened to each of them share, I asked if there was anything I could help with right now.

Some of them had questions, others were simply happy to know I was available.

Most surprising to me was one of my former mentees saying that is was nice to be included in the group even though she was no longer a student.  She was amazed that she would still be included in these events.

Suddenly I felt myself briefly going into “lecture mode”.   Mentoring doesn’t “end” simply because they have graduated, I told them.  True mentorship continues as long as it works for both parties. 

Then it hit me that maybe this is one of the reasons the students and I connect so well.  Not only am I excited about my career and willing to share my experiences, I am committed to each of these students, not only for the program but beyond.   

I do this because I wish the opportunity to engage with an executive in my field had been available to me when I was in school and just starting out.

Someone to share the ins and outs and ups and downs of career life.  Someone who would be very honest about it; someone who had experience under their belt.  Someone to bounce ideas off of and possibly help me make connections when it came to a job search.

While I’m not going to do the work for them, I will be there to share my knowledge and help them connect the dots. They will ultimately have to make their own career decisions but it’s nice to have another person to consult.

To me, my career is simply what I do.  To these students, it’s a lifetime of achievement and it provides a little insight into something that is unknown to them.

Honestly, I’m still in awe that sharing my career experience can be of benefit to others. And I’m not quite sure how I was fortunate enough to become a mentor.

But I’m sure glad I did.

The Most Difficult Part of Networking Is Leaving The House

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business cards

“Networking group meets at 11:30; see you there!” 

I stared at the email and contemplated my options.  Should I go to the one-hour networking lunch or stay home and concentrate on my to-do list?

The easy choice was to stay in my home office and keep working.

The more difficult choice was to pick myself up, get ready, grab some business cards and go to the lunch meeting.

After all, it was already 10:30 and I was still in my morning-walk-the-dog outfit.  Make-up was questionable. My to-do list for clients was a mile-long.  I wasn’t looking for a job; I had good clients and lots of work to keep me busy.

Besides, this was a new networking group and I really didn’t know anyone.  Okay, I sort of knew the leader of the group.  We both attended the same high school way-back-when and had reconnected on social media.

But was seeing an old friend to have lunch enough incentive to leave the comfort of my home office? Aside from my friend, I wouldn’t know anyone at the meeting.

I tried to convince myself that attending was a good thing; something I had done hundreds of times before at various events.  I knew how to mingle and make small talk.  This would only be an hour of my life.

How hard could it be?

Networking can be one of the most difficult things we do. Even for an outgoing social-butterfly like me.

In fact, if I wasn’t so outgoing and social, I can see how easy it would be to never attend a networking event. Ever.

It’s hard to go to these things alone.  Thoughts that ran through my mind included:

“What will I say?”

“What if they don’t like me?”

“Will I have anything of value to contribute?”

“Maybe it’s a waste of time.”

“Maybe I should wait until another day when I’m better prepared.”

Geez, I can talk my way out of anything.  Like most of us can, I suspect.

And this was coming from someone who is skilled at networking.  Someone who writes about this subject; who coaches others on the finer points of networking; who understands the importance of building and maintaining your network.

Then it hit me. I suddenly realized that if I was having difficulty attending a one-hour networking lunch, imagine how some of my clients must feel?

My energy kicked in as I got dressed in my best business-casual outfit, touched up my make-up, grabbed a stack of business cards and hopped in the car.

Driving towards the meeting, I quickly outlined my goals.  Introduce myself to at least five people.  Come home with at least five business cards.  I rehearsed my thirty-second elevator speech about my business.

You know what?  It wasn’t hard at all.

The group was small and welcomed me.  We each had a chance to introduce ourselves and tell a little about ourselves.  Unlike other networking groups I had attended, everyone here was actually working.

I met my goals. 

As I left, I promised myself I would return for another meeting as well as get out to other groups. The only way to meet people is to leave the house. Duh!

Added bonus: One of the people I met needed my expertise for a job he was bidding and contacted me for help.  Who knows? This could translate into more business for me.

The lesson for all of us is this: No matter where we are in our career, we must continue to network.

Whether you work in an office or from home, get outside of your normal routine and expand your horizons to add names to your digital rolodex. The most difficult part of networking is leaving the house.

Besides, you have to eat lunch anyway.  May as well be productive while doing so.

Career Smacks

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“Smoothie of the day?” said the male voice.  I looked up from my chaise in the shaded cabana, romance novel in one hand.  “Of course!” I replied.   Hubby and I looked at each other and sighed.  Every hour, on the hour, a uniformed cabana host came around the pool offering guests a variety of treats.  They even offered to clean our sunglasses.

Yes, Hubby and I live a luxurious life.

On vacation, that is.

Each summer we spend a week in a luxurious parallel universe, one that allows us to pretend that we are “somebody”; one in which we are waited on hand and foot.

Many wonder why we do this.  We wonder why others don’t do this.

Our philosophy? If we can’t live this way year ‘round, we can certainly live this way for one glorious week.

And really, why not? We work hard. We usually take only one vacation a year.  So it had better be good.

Similar to waiting for Christmas when we were kids, Hubby and I wait for this trip all year. Literally. Less than 48 hours after arriving home and we already start planning for next year.

Arriving at the resort is ecstasy and departing is pure anguish; sometimes downright embarrassing. I “might” have shed a tear or two.  Okay, I openly sobbed as Hubby tried to pry my fingers off of the chaise as the sun disappeared over the horizon our last day.

No matter how long we stay it’s never enough.  Perhaps we need to re-think our at-home relaxation strategy so we are not upset at leaving?

Yet we know that at some point we must return home, back to the “real world”.

This time, we tried to prepare for re-entry.  We talked about a couple weekend trips planned for the fall.

Hubby and I swore on our pool-side smoothies that we would book one of our every-other-year “adventure” vacations.  We even pinky-swore that we would return to our favorite luxury resort for a long weekend this winter.

We departed feeling a bit better and less disappointed about returning home to our responsibilities.

As we deplaned we joked about the “re-entry” time, saying it doesn’t take long to get back to reality.

Folks, it takes exactly twenty-seven minutes.  That’s scientific.  It was the amount of time it took to deplane, get our bags, find our car and realize that we had a dead battery.

Nothing like the sound of “click-click-click” coming from the engine at 9:30 pm in a dark parking garage.

Sigh.

Smack!  That was the sound of reality, hitting us hard.  We tried to put on a brave face.  We tried to laugh at this sudden turn of events.  I tried not to cry.  We both tried
not to sweat in the hot parking garage.

Life is like that.  We plan, we prepare and even with our best intentions we can still get smacked in the face.

Yet this time was different.  Somehow both Hubby and I were able to keep the dead battery incident in perspective.

Instead of crying, I looked at Hubby and we both started to laugh. Seeing the humor, I immediately posted on social media about our “re-entry” debacle.

As luck would have it, a good friend saw my post and came to our rescue with cold water and jumper cables.

Just like that, we were back on track.

Similarly, at some point our career will smack us in the face.  It could be the promotion that got away, or an unexpected department shuffle, or something as serious as a job loss.  We can’t control it.  But we can control how we react to these “career smacks”.

Plan what you can, such as maintaining an up-to-date resume.  If your career does smack you, try to put things in perspective.  Reach out to your contacts for help.  You never know who might be available.

As for Hubby and me, one dead battery was no match for us.  We are already planning another trip.  And next time we’ll have a spare battery in the car, just in case.

Bouncing Back After a Job Loss – The Video

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This week I’m coming to you in person!  Well, sort of.  Recently I had the pleasure of hosting a Google Hangout for The Resume Edge titled, “How to Bounce Back After Losing Your Job”.  Questions came in from viewers and we had a great discussion.

This week I thought you might like to “hear” me instead of “read” me for a change as I discuss bouncing back after a job loss . So grab a coffee, sit back and enjoy!

The link to the video can be accessed here on my site or through this YouTube link, or by searching YouTube with “How to Bounce Back After Losing Your Job”.

Own Your Strengths

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Woman with Shopping Bags

Hi – my name is Tami, and I’m a…a…retailer. 

Yes, I’ve known this for quite some time.  Why haven’t I told you before?  Oh, I don’t know.  It’s one of those things that sometimes just doesn’t sound as good as I’d like it too.

Being a retailer is not an easy career path, and it’s one that I chose to pursue when I was in graduate school.  Retailing has everything: strategy, products, logistics, finance, communications, marketing and sales.  It’s old fashioned, with brick and mortar stores, yet so twenty-first-century with ecommerce and mobile apps.

My favorite part is that it’s fast-paced and constantly changing.  We had a saying at my first retail job out of school: you’re only as good as yesterday’s sales.  It’s a constant tug between “how did we do” and “what is our next big thing”, always striving to be better.  To be a good retailer, you need to be able to move between creative and analytical in a heartbeat.  It’s stressful even in slow periods.  And holidays – or should I say “what holidays”?  They are super busy when everyone else has time off.

And I love it!

For some reason I understand the business model, I like the frenetic pace, I enjoy mixing creativity, strategy and analytics, and above all, I enjoy seeing the results.

So why am I telling you this? 

After the layoff I was afraid to tell people I was a retailer.  Not because I was ashamed but because I wanted to cast a wide net in the job search and didn’t want to be exclusively defined by this title.  Frankly, I was afraid of being viewed as a “one-trick pony” when I knew I had much more to offer.

So what did I do?  I came up with some snazzy words to convey the type of work I did to avoid pigeon-holing myself into one industry.   I played down my past employment and spoke in general terms about my experience.

The result? In doing so I ignored my biggest strength:  I am a retailer and I thrive in that type of environment.

My advice to anyone looking for work is to be truthful about who you are in the work force and what type of work makes you tick.  Own your strengths and be truthful with yourself.

Otherwise you’ll end up miscast in a job that’s not right for you.  The last thing you want is to be a square peg pushed into a round hole.

This doesn’t mean you have to stay in your current industry.  As I discovered, my retail skills were transferrable to other industries and other disciplines.  The important thing is to determine what you excel at and apply those strengths to new opportunities.

The lesson here? It’s OK to be who you are. In fact, you need to own it. Your next employer wants it that way.

Invest In Your Career Future

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Bride Holding Bouquet

Hubby and I just celebrated our wedding anniversary.  It’s been an awesome fifteen years!  Or wait, is it twenty?  No, maybe seventeen.  Let’s see: 2014, minus 1996, equals eighteen.

Stop laughing – it’s hard to remember when you’re as happy as I am!  Gotta admit that was a good save.

Truth be told, it seems like it was just yesterday that I was walking down the aisle.

Hubby and I have a ritual each year on our anniversary: we watch the videos from the big day.

Thank goodness for our friend with the new camera who took the video; it’s one of our most prized possessions. Especially since the whole event is a blur to us; it’s the only way we actually get to see what happened.

That said, I do remember a lot about my wedding day.  Being insanely happy, for one thing.  My niece was adorable at the age of five, always at my side.  My then three-year-old nephew made a mad dash down the aisle after us as we exited the church – awesome.

I remember my friend who helped me get ready.  Later that night I discovered she’d been mischievous too and had dumped a couple pounds of rice in my suitcase.  Nice.  I still owe her for that one.

There were touching moments as well.  I remember Dad handing me a card from his mother – my Italian grandmother – who passed away some years earlier.  On the envelope was her handwriting that said, “For Tami on Her Wedding Day”.  Inside was a card she had picked out, with a fifty-dollar bill.

I bawled.

Dad explained that he had wanted to take that money and invest it; mom said no, leave it alone.  I thanked him and put it away, awed that grandma had planned enough to leave this for me.

Eighteen years later and guess what?  I still have that card, with the same fifty dollar bill.

Sentimental, yes.  But not the wisest move on my part.

If I had taken that fifty dollar bill and invested it, I would probably have around two-hundred dollars now, more than doubling my money.

Honestly, over the years I thought about this many times.  But fifty dollars?  It seemed insignificant, an amount too small to bother with.  I had more important things to worry about and I just forgot, or procrastinated, or both.

I was wrong.  It was not too small.  Investing that seemingly small amount would have been an investment in my future. 

Same is true with our careers.  We think that “little things” aren’t going to make an impact on our jobs.

Why take a class that doesn’t directly impact our current work?  Why spend time and money to attend industry or alumni events when we are so busy?  Why spend time staying in touch with all of those business contacts we’ve made throughout the years, especially if we don’t have business with them today?

Because investing today – even in seemingly insignificant ways – can payoff big-time later on.

Staying in touch with business colleagues is simple networking.  Industry and alumni organizations allow us to actually expand our network while potentially learning something new. Taking a class is never a bad thing; if it’s business-related, it’s a resume builder and could help land our next job.

It’s so easy to get caught up in the day to day things that we forget to take time to plan for the future.  Or maybe we just procrastinate, because that’s easier to do than thinking and strategizing and doing.

The time to invest in your career future is now.  Every little step, no matter how insignificant it may seem, is a positive step.

Even I’m jumping on this bandwagon, taking a class that may help me down the road.  I know it won’t hurt, that’s for sure.

It’s nice that I still have the fifty dollar bill grandma left for me.  Yet I’m sure she would have wanted me to move forward and do something with that money rather than save it in a drawer.

Let’s invest in our future now, while we can, rather than look back and wish we’d done it sooner.   Our future selves will be so happy.

Eleven Things Never To Wear To Work

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Sandals Drying on Clothesline

The sun is shining, trees are beginning to bud and my calendar says March. I don’t know about you, but that screams “spring” to me.  Yet one step outside and I realize looks can be deceiving.  The Polar Vortex has not completely left.

So I here I sit in my cashmere sweater and Ugg boots trying to stay warm when my toes are ready to stretch out in new sandals.

I’m tired of my winter work wardrobe and am ready to dive into spring and summer fashions.  I’m pretty sure my colleagues are tired of my tried-and-true cashmere sweaters as well.  So I peruse the newest catalog with this season’s must-haves.

I really love spring and summer fashions, especially for work.  Usually I’m a pants-gal, although dresses are a great choice for the office: they look good and it’s easy to get ready in the morning.  Just throw on a cute pair of pumps or dressy sandals and some jewelry and you’re ready to go.

Men, depending on the dress code at your office, a collar-less t-shirt in a nice fabric and a sport coat are a good alternative to a coat and tie.  Or even a nice golf shirt if your office is business-casual.

Perhaps it’s because I really like fashion and feel good when I dress well, or maybe it’s my experience as a buyer for Neiman’s, but it really bothers me when I see people wear inappropriate clothing to work.

With all of the great fashions available at affordable prices, there are some things that should never be worn to work.  Ever.  I mean it.

Since I’ve actually witnessed these “dress for success” mistakes, I wanted to share this quick list of “Eleven Things Never to Wear to Work”.   (Why not ten?  Number eleven was too good to leave out.)

Eleven Things Never To Wear to Work

Strapless Dress – No matter how warm it is outside, a strapless dress is for after-hours.  I’m sorry that you love it; it’s not appropriate for the office.  If it’s the only clean item in your closet, at the very least wear a sweater or jacket to cover your shoulders.

Cleavage Crack – Can’t believe we have to address this one yet I keep seeing it so apparently some haven’t gotten the memo. Anything that exposes your cleavage needs to be saved for after work.

Tank Top – It’s fine to wear tanks or cami’s under jackets and sweaters as long as there’s no cleavage crack.  But not as a top without a jacket.   And men – this is a “no” all the time.  No one wants to work next to your hairy arm pits.

Too-Tight Anything – Especially if it’s a blouse – the “girls” should not cause fabric to strain.  As painful as it may be to your psyche, buy a bigger size top for work.

Flip Flops – Rubber flip flops are great – for the beach or pool.  Guys, I know you want to wear sandals and this is one of your only options but it’s not good.  Find a nice casual shoe instead.

Shorts – It should go without saying that one should not wear shorts to work, even if it’s a cute dressy outfit with platform sandals.  Actually, that might be worse, if you want to be taken seriously.

Sky-High Platforms or Stilettos – I’m a shoe addict with a collection Imelda would envy.  But I understand that not all of my shoes are right for the office.  Some are meant for evenings and weekends.   And ladies, if you have trouble walking in your shoes then you really don’t need to wear them to work.  Or anywhere, for that matter.

T-Shirts with Slogans – I love a good concert t-shirt.  Just not at work.

Wrinkled and/or Stained Clothing – Check your outfit before you leave the house.  Has it been cleaned and pressed?  Be sure to check it again after you’ve had your breakfast, before you get in the car.  If you spilled, change.

Frayed Jeans – I love that many offices allow jeans at work.  But I’m pretty sure jeans that are ripped from top to bottom are not the best choice.  Yes, I know we pay big bucks to look that ragged.  Impress your friends after hours instead.

Too Much of Anything – When it comes to dressing for work, think “less is more”. Cologne, make-up, big hair, jewelry – too much ruins the great statement you were trying to make.