Can you describe yourelf

In terms of how well you communicate with others or the type of leadership qualities you possess and how you've put them to good use? Can you clearly articulate what it's like to work with you in a team environment and how wonderfully adaptable you are?

Communication, Leadership, Adaptability and Teamwork are things that are going to "turn-on" potential employers. It's your job to have a compelling, specific (specific = credible), and relatable story that exemplifies one or two of these traits. It can be a personal or professional situation you draw from, but just make sure it's memorable.

So if you say that you easily adapt to new environments, it better be followed with, "for example..."

CUNY Big Apple Job Fair

Last week, I spoke at the CUNY Big Apple Job fair. Packs of students flooded the Javits center. I challenged students to stand out breathe life into their resumes:

http://media.www.brooklynexcelsior.com/media/storage/paper901/news/2009/03/23/News/Students.Flood.Job.Fair.During.Rough.Recession-3679537.shtml

Dress for Success, Part 1

Lately, I have received many questions about what the appropriate dress is for interviews and networking events. As there is a lot of this information all over the web, let me start with a few tips for the guys that may not be so obvious:

1. Shave properly. The scruffy look is "cool" hanging out on a Saturday night, but not in an interview. If you have facial hair, like a goatee, make sure it's trimmed properly. Also, pay close attention to hair coming from your nose, ears, or growing on the back of your neck (my biggest pet peeve). It's not a good look.
2. Clothes should fit properly. Suit jackets should not hang off your shoulder. Shirt collars should fit snugly against your neck (you will not sufficate) and shirt sleeves should end at your wrists. Most importantly, the shirt should be professionally pressed! Ties should be no longer than the middle of your belt buckle. Pants should sit on your waist and not your hips. They should not bunch up at your shoes, like your jeans, but neatly touch the heal on the back of your shoes (the tailor may consider this a "medium break"). And last but not least, how about a shoe shine!
3. Low on funds? There are a ton of used clothing outlets where you can pick up fashionable, top quality brands for pennies on the dollar. I have seen designer dress shirts and suits, that look new, selling for $5 and $50 respectively. Throw in a few extra dollars for dry cleaning and don't tell me you cannot afford to look the part. Quick Tip - drop by the used clothing store located near an upper middle class area to find some amazing deals.

Hope these tips help and always, dress the part!

Use Twitter to get a Job

Twitter has been getting a lot of attention lately as one of the fastest growing social media networks.  Millions already log on and "tweet" their experiences and thoughts.  Micro-blogging (Tweets are limited to 140 characters) is turning out to be a great way to network within your industry and to learn a lot of insider information from people with your interests.

Lot's of articles on How To Get a Job Using Twitter, but bottom line is - you need to stay current in this rapidly changing job market.  Twitter is filled with people with your interests and in your career field, so learn the tools, connect with as many people as you can, and start the learning.

A great place to start is by adding EBL on Twitter.  We update daily with links and tips for your job search and professional growth.  

Also, for the visual thinkers, some cool Twitter visualizers.

Can you launch an entrepreneurship from your dorm?

Inc. magazine recently published an article about successful young adult entrepreneurs..VERY young. The article profiles students 14-24 years old with not only unique products and services, but also creative, out-of-the-box networking and branding tactics.

Vote for your favorite here: http://www.inc.com/college

Focus revisited

I recently met a wonderfully bright senior at an institution in Manhattan while conducting a workshop on presentation skills. During the breakout session, his peers were blown away by his confidence and the ease at which he presented his strengths and interests. Clearly they were envious.
At the end of the event I brought up some of the best presenters, as judged by their peers, so the entire audience could benefit. This gentleman was a unanimous choice by his group. Much to my surprise, his presentation, specifically crafted for a potential interview, would have never landed him the position.
He was surely eloquent and confident. However, he was all over the place and made it clear that his passions were many. Entrepreneurial spirit is wonderful, but a scary thing for a potential employer. Please don't forget that someone hiring you is looking for a commitment - someone they can hopefully grow with. They are already concerned with the figures that state a typical 20 something will have 5 jobs by the age of thirty. Please don't add to their concerns with your lack of focus.

Staying positive and being PROACTIVE

I was doing a seminar at The New York Public Library yesterday in conjunction with Vault.com and was upset to see how many people are not proactively seeking employment. No matter what you think, people are hiring. Even those firms that are actively laying off people will always make room for the "right" individual. As someone mentioned to me in passing, we just had two rounds of layoffs but I still have the green light to bring in really good candidates.

These companies are not posting jobs on-line or in the paper. Nor are they showing up at career fairs. It's your job to seek them out. Do your research. Decide if your credentials and more importantly, your personality strengths will WOW them. Find the person that can make the hiring decision. Better yet, find the person you will directly report to (may be the same person) and make it loud and clear how they will clearly BENEFIT by hiring you. How they would be CRAZY not to. What's in it for them.

So stop complaining and go find a great opportunity for yourself. Someone is being hired right now......why not you?

"People Skills Beget Success” "

--The Meridian, December 2008

Click the link above to see the full article.

Informational Interviews

Quick Tip...

If you're not sure where to locate the best people to reach out to, a good place to start is industry specific trade magazines. Pay close attention to the, "people on the move" section. You will not only find a great person to contact, but a little background info as well. Most of these publications are on file at the library. Have fun!

Informational Interviews

One of the more underutilized methods of networking is the informational interview. People love talking about themselves and sharing information about their job and industry. Take advantage of this to gain valuable insight and build your database. It may not lead to instant gratification, but if you plant enough seeds and water them properly, opportunities will present themselves when you least expect it.

Begin by targeting a specific company you would like to work for and the relevant department. Obtain the contact information of the department head - ie: VP, Marketing. Obtaining their contact info and getting them on the phone or via e-mail is all about being creative. See a future post if needed.

You simply want 15 minutes of their time (which will lead to an hour if you're truly personable and passionate about this field) to gain a better understanding of their job/industry and any advice they may have. Before you meet or speak, do whatever you can to obtain information about them and/or their company to assist with your "small talk".

Your goal - Keep the focus on them. Ask open ended questions to keep them talking. Take lots of notes. Send a hand written thank you. E-mail them asking if they don't mind hanging onto your resume should they know of any career opportunities. Stay in contact.

Articulation

You have a 3.8 GPA. You have tons of extracurricular activities. You are qualified for the position in question. But, you don't get the job.

Do you think the person interviewing you had a very clear picture of what you bring to the table? Maybe you pointed out that you had a good sense of humor, had a great work ethic, or were extremely hungry to learn. Frankly, responses like these are way too vague. They must be expanded upon so the interviewer has a clear picture of what type of asset you will be to the organization. It's not about you!!!!

I want you to write down the 2 things that make you special. These two things should be memorable and give the interviewer a big reason to hire you. What's in it for them?

The 2 examples below should give you an idea of where I am hoping you go with this. Your responses should obviously be tailored to the position at hand.

Examples:

1) "I am very friendly, thus I'm comfortable working with people. It doesn't take me long to warm up and I really believe that more can be accomplished working together. I also have no problem asking for help or giving assistance."

2) "I've really developed some great multi-tasking skills here at school. Thus, juggling a few projects at once and meeting deadlines will not overwhelm me. Frankly, I welcome it. I feel more productive in a faster paced environment."

Any Questions? Send me an e-mail at eric@ericbarronlive.com.

"I’m not your typical…trainer. This is entertaining and relevant” "

--Brokers Weekly, October 2008

Click the link above to see the full article.

Dress for success: Do's for women

"It is much more important to wear things that fit versus the brand name,” said Eric Barron, president of Eric Barron Live. “Baggy is great for a sweatshirt on the weekend, but not for professional attire. "

--Entry Level Examiner

Click the link above to see the full article.

"Barron, a well-known sales coach, took the stage at the Gotham Comedy Club to teach brokers how to be effective communicators by first understanding their own communication style and then adapting this when dealing with clients and co-workers."

--Broker's Weekly October 2008

Click the link above to see the full article.

You're never stuck!

Our lives have become chaotic. Most of us wish we got more sleep and had more time to spend with family. Stress related illness is through the roof as is the need for anti depressant and anxiety drugs. The financial markets are crashing. Why bother getting out of bed in the morning?

In times like these, it's critical that you find time to reconnect with yourself and prioritize what's really important to you. You have to find a way to do something you love. You have more options then you think!!!

A friend thought she was "stuck". She was miserable at her job but it paid well. She couldn't afford to take a pay cut nor did she have the savings or risk tolerance to follow her dream of opening a coffee shop. I urged her to find some other way that would allow her to slowly move in this direction, and we did.

She would set out to become an expert in this field. She spoke to dozens of owners, suppliers, and hundreds of customers. The information she compiled was incredible. Albeit, it took almost a year, as she still had a full-time gig.

The results? She opened up a marketing and consulting firm that strictly worked with small businness owners, with an obvious specialty in independently owned coffee houses. After 2 years, her self-employed income has surpassed her salaried income and she now has complete freedom to follow her dream if she chooses.

You're never stuck!

Staying Focused

It's never about how you start, but how you finish. If you've had a great year so far, I highly recommend not coasting into the holidays, content with your success for 2008.

You may be thinking....geez Eric, when is enough? Frankly, I am more concerned with keeping the momentum you've already built - keeping you sharp. Look at the many sports teams that have "coasted" into the playoffs, resting their best players. Most of these teams have made early exits!!!

Consistency and Momentum are king. Don't let complacency sabatoge the business you've worked so hard to build!!!

Handling Adversity

If I had to pick the single most important aspect to overall success it would be how someone rebounds from adversity.

Everyone faces small and large doses of it throughout their lives. Few realize how much their professional and personal success is determined by the growth opportunities that arise from these situations.

Angry, upset, frustrated or distraught? Professional roadblock or personal tragedy? Speed bump or giant hurdle?

Tip...Take the time you need to evaluate what just transpired. Reflect!!! This means you should not bury yourself in another project immediately. Share your thoughts and feelings with someone else. Take some mental notes and most importantly...move forward stronger then you were before!!!

Creating Structure

For some, a little structure is all that's needed to increase productivity. Some tips:

• Write down everything you would like to get done for the week.
• Seperate the "must get done" from the "would be nice to get done".
• Time-block the "must get done" into your calendar.
• Prioritize the "would be nice" in order of importance, and time-block as many as you can.

Be flexible and leave enough free time in your schedule. Things typically take longer than you plan, and unexpected tasks will arise.

Make sure you leave time to think, plan, and review. Yes, this should be time-blocked as well. You cannot run a business being "reactionary" all day long.

This is a good first step to creating some structure in your work week. More to come.

Eric Barron Live Featured in Broker's Weekly

"...Networking is a lifestyle; it's a commitment to build a relationship with others. You have to present your brand as a value to benefit people...."

--Broker's Weekly August 2008

Click the link above to see the full article.

Attention Management

Many skills can be taught...

The right attitude cannot...

Thus, please don't become overly enamored with someone's resume and so-called credentials. The right attitude is tough to measure, yet such a critical component of the hiring process.

Tip...If you love the candidate, make sure to take them out of the office setting for a second meeting. In addition, bring someone else along that embodies the heart and soul of your company for a second opinion.