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!

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?

"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!!!

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.

Energy

I've said this before and can't repeat it enough. You spend time eating right and working out. You read food labels. You may buy organic products or be part of the green movement. Then why do you offset this by filling your mind with such negative energy that you receive from what you read, watch, listen to, and even your friends and family?

Please don't think you can simply rid yourself of crappy energy so easily. You cannot turn off your subconscious. Where do you think "bad attitudes" orginate from? Negative energy!!!

What are you feeding your brain?

Do we read anymore?

The answer is, kind of. We have become a "skimming" society, as we are constantly bombarded with information. Some good, much useless.

That means your message must be compelling and compact. If you don't catch their attention in the first few sentences, or the first 30 seconds, "bye, bye".

You also have to ask yourself that if "they" (your customer, boss, employee) only read the first few sentences/paragraphs, would that be enough for them to at least walk away with a good understanding of your message?

Bottom Line...Less is more and don't bury the message.

Breathing

How often do you take a full breath in and a full breath out? Never or very rarely? That's a problem.

Close your eyes and take 10 slow deep breaths in (nose) and out (mouth) and I dare you to tell me that you don't feel calmer and more focused. Now try taking 20.

In this crazy world where we rarely "shut off", you must find the time to refocus your energy. At first you may get very anxious and the quiet time may be very unwelcome. But coming from a person who can't sit still and now does this almost every day for 10-15 minutes, you'll be shocked by the fantastic ideas, thoughts, and emotions that emerge from "quiet time".

Bottom Line: This doesn't have to be a painful exercise. Even doing it for 20 seconds before meeting a client will allow you to better focus on the tasks at hand.

Something is better than nothing

Can't believe I just told someone in my office that I have no time to blog - big event tomm.
Wow - that's a bunch of crap. I cannot stress enough that even when you feel like you have no time, there is always a few minutes to squeeze something in that's critical to your progress.

If you planned to make 10 phone calls, making 2 is better than making 0. Got it?

Blogs, Blogs, Blogs

What are you feeding your brain? I sure hope it's a regular dose of my blog. Want some other suggestions.....click on the link below.

http://adage.com/power150/

How's your focus?

As the temperature outside rises, are you having trouble focusing on the tasks in front of you? Taking 2 hour lunches outside? Leaving work early for happy hour?

Now, more then ever, you need to take out those goals for 2008. Revisit and revise them if necessary. Blow them up and put them at your desk or tape them to your medicine cabinet. Shrink them down and carry them in your wallet. Constantly remind yourself why you're doing what you're doing. If this is not enough, then the goals you orginally set were not motivating enough.

How are you rewarding yourself when you reach your goals? How about booking a vacation you really can't afford unless you meet your financial goals. If that's not motivating enough, go teach english in another country. If that's not rewarding enough, seek help or attend an EBL event.

Bottom line...enjoy the beautiful weather, but stay focused!!!

Walk Away

Knowing when to "walk away" is one of the most valuable things you can master.

Walking away from a customer who is wasting your time...
Walking away from a confrontational situation that will only escalate with your involvement...
Walking away when you're exhausted to rejuvinate and come back even stronger...

Got it?

Past, Present, Future

A big reason people never fulfill their potential is because they live in the past or the future. I know you've heard this before, and I'm not here to lecture you. But the fact remains, I work with sales people and entrepreneurs everyday, and this is one of the biggest factors in limiting their success.

"What could I have done?" Learn from the past but don't let it be the anchor that "sinks" you. There is still "time" to accomplish things in life. Reflection is good, obsession is not. Learn and move on.

"What should we do?" Look too far forward and you will miss the great things that happen every day. Also, you will spend way too much time in "planning" mode versus "doing" mode. Put a plan together for the future, and then get all of the little things that need to be done today, to make those BIG things happen tomorrow.

You have choices

How you handle each situation. Condition yourself to have a positive mental outlook, and attitude, and I guarantee that your customer will follow suit.

Remember, you just don't become what you think about all day long, but also who you associate with. Be miserable and half-empty and those are the customers you will attract. Doesn't make for a very fun transaction, does it?

Valentine's Day Special

We are only as good as the people we surround ourselves with. This includes our loved ones and friends.

Positive energy, support and encouragement, and lots of hugs and kisses go a long way in motivating us to succeed and fulfill our potential. Thus, make sure they (whomever "they" may be - spouse, friend, roommate, mom, etc.) know that you need their love.

This is the most "hokey" you will ever see me get. Sorry, but the hug my 3 year old gave me today did wonders for my energy levels.

Preparation and Focus

Do you prepare the same way for each call, presentation, or meeting? Why don't you? Too busy or just take it for granted?

Does Tiger Woods not go to the range before each round? Did Michael Jordan not warm-up, physically and mentally before each game? Every athlete goes through a pre-game ritual. They attempt to clear their mind and focus on the task at hand. They know, oftentimes the hard way, that outside distractions will negatively affect their productivity.

Do you have a pre-game ritual - every time? I bet not. Frankly, no matter how good you think you may be or how many times you have done a particular task, unless you FOCUS and eliminate all mental distractions, you will never live up to your potential - day in and day out.

Consistency is king and perparation and focus are what fuels it!!!

Who cares what they think!!!

We often seek out advice from others to be sure that our decisions, ideas and choices make sense. Oftentimes, their opinions have great influence.

Here's the problem...if they don't understand how your target audience thinks and acts, their opinion doesn't matter. How dare you limit yourself based upon someone's advice and input, who may be very bright and have tons of "experience and knowledge", but is clueless about the market you are trying to reach.

"General" business sense only goes so far. It's kind of like "mass marketing" - an archaic way of thinking compared to "target marketing". Why do you think companies spend so much money on focus group research? Because they want direct feedback from the people they hope to buy their product/service.

Wouldn't you be better off getting feedback from the people using your product or service? Who cares what other's think!!!