Increasingly, job applicants are looking online for jobs and searching Internet forums in order to find a career. Hiring managers are using the Internet for their own recruiting purposes. Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn are all being utilized for business growth and career development simultaneously. 

As of 2009, the Internet economy had created 1.2 million new jobs over the course of the preceding decade. We can expect that number to double or even triple by the time this decade ends. But what are some of the skills you will need in order to flourish online? Once you get that interview, what will your portfolio tell employers about your ability to adapt in the newest job environment?

Here are 5 skills and tactics you can use to posture yourself for an Internet job:

Content management systems

The ability to be able to navigate a CMS is an extremely valuable skill that many businesses look for in a job applicant. In addition to demonstrating basic web and computer-savviness, a great many companies now fuel their webpages with CMS services like WordPress, Drupal, and Joomla, which can transform ordinary blogs into complex online magazines.

There are a multitude of reasons why CMSs are so revered: Their plugins can assist with social media integration, e-commerce, SEO, and a wide variety of other necessary web applications. Even if you won’t be responsible for producing the actual content on a site, knowing how to use a CMS to manage online material and optimize it for the web may land you a job.

In particular, familiarize yourself with the incredible diversity of plugins, extensions, and widgets that can be used to modify blogs and websites.

SEO

Ask any online marketer or Internet entrepreneur what the most important strategies are in order to make a company grow and they will inevitably cite search engine optimization near the top of that list. SEO is a major growth sector on the Internet and an undeniably powerful asset to possess.

This is probably one of the more complex skills on this list, as search engine algorithms are continually changing and SEO tactics are in a near constant state of flux. Even a working familiarity with SEO should earn you some brownie points in most employer’s eyes.

And don’t even think about applying for a job with an Internet marketing company if you don’t have some experience with SEO.

Social media optimization

Social media would at first seem like a fairly trivial skill to list on a resume, but increasingly it’s viewed as an important part of brand awareness, reputation management, and even SEO. The rise of social networks as dominant forces in our society underscores the importance of understanding what they can be used for. Facebook and Twitter aren’t just for messaging friends and family anymore—they are comprehensive ways for businesses to reach out to consumers, create brands, and generate more traffic.

Newer popular sites like Instagram, Pinterest and location-based sites like Foursquare present even more options for social media-friendly businesses. Knowing your social networks is looking better and better on resumes. Even better is a demonstrable track record of helping clients improve their online presence by creating media-rich social media profiles.

Graphic design

Digital graphic design is always sought after as an online skill. Even if it’s just for putting together a newsletter or showing off a logo watermark on a business document, a familiarity with graphic design and online aesthetics will go a long way toward landing you a job in today’s job market and preparing you for the job market of tomorrow.

Even a well designed resume can create a lasting impression in an employer’s mind. If in addition you can list proficiency in photo editing software like Adobe Photoshop or even video editing software like Final Cut Pro, hiring managers will begin to think of you as tech-savvy. It will also increase the number of jobs you are capable of handling.

Many people go back to school in order to earn degrees in graphic design. Increasingly, web developers are expected to be familiar with web design as well as distributed network applications.

Podcasts

Podcasts are increasingly thought of us as important tools for businesses in order to reach more people and target niche markets. Many major blogs now have corresponding podcasts that help them to widen their sphere of influence. A job applicant with a portfolio of podcast experience is likely to rise higher on the list of candidates an employer looks at for an Internet job.

Fortunately, podcasts are inexpensive to produce and don’t require a great amount of gear. Podcasts suggest Internet literacy and technological proficiency and in today’s age those are highly regarded characteristics.

The more of these skills you possess the more likely you are to get hired by an online company or a company that is developing an online division. Many companies want Jacks and Jills of all trades—in other words, they want employees who can take on a number of different tasks and switch between them on an ongoing basis.

An Internet company may charge its Social Media Director, for instance, with updating content on WordPress, optimizing it for the web using SEO, and sending out relevant social media posts. This same person may be in charge of creating a podcast for the company and then designing the header for the page on which the podcast is featured.

All in a day’s work! Goes to show you the importance of having a variety of online skills and continually honing and refining them.

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There are many unique ways to get employers to notice you. But getting noticed is just one piece of the puzzle. You need to keep their attention in order to potentially be handed that coveted job offer. Some ways to get their attention won’t change – like having an awesome resume – however, let’s look at three creative resume ideas you could try in addition:

1. Infographic resume.

Infographic images have a visual appeal that traditional text only resumes do not have. They quickly grab an employer’s attention through color and design. For a hiring manager who is looking through resumes, it would likely pop off the page in a sea of words. An infographic is simply a graphic visual representation of information and your skills. So when you consider a resume as an advertisement, it makes sense that a resume could also be an infographic. Using the graphical respresentation, you can show your credentials and creative skills in a fun way!

2. Industry-related resume format.

Much like the infographic resume, you can show this visually, or built into the aesthetics of the wording. For instance, perhaps you are trying to get a writing position and you write your entire resume as if it is a blog. Think about what is unique about your field, is there a font or template that might stand out? If you need some inspiration have a stab at an idea map resume! While what worked for one person, might not be what works best for you, think about your field and your resume and how you can align them.

3. Video resume.

What better way to get through the non-verbal communication barrier that a piece of paper relies on. Making a video resume allows you to be in front of a possible employer earlier in the hiring process, and gives them the ability to assess whether or not your personality may be a good fit for their company.

There are many ways you can be unique when creating a video resume, and all you need is a computer with a webcam, no high tech recording equipment! You should keep your video to a minute and try to have lighting and surroundings that will be most advantageous.

These are some great tools to use to give yourself an edge in getting noticed so that you will get that first call for an interview. Be sure to get noticed, then keep their attention by standing out in your interview.

How do you think outside the box when it comes to jobs? How will you utilize your creativity to land that next job?

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This not only shows potential employers that you understand digital media, it also offers you another opportunity to differentiate yourself from other jobseekers. At a time when the overall economic climate is less favorable this is even more important than ever.

Why have an online profile?

Consider your own website as an online extension of your job application. Here you can include lots more information about your experience, skills and interests, that you wouldn’t be able to fit into a standard application form or résumé.

If your dream job involves online media (e.g. marketing, design, project management), having your own online profile can also help convince potential employers of your capabilities in this environment.

But even if online media are not really your thing, or if you’re worried about the technical aspects, there are a number of website builders that can help you create a professional-looking website in no time at all, and without the need to know anything about HTML, PHP or JavaScript.

What to include?

Even though I would recommend keeping this kind of website relatively short and succinct, it still allows you to include more detailed information about projects you have been involved in than is possible in your application form and covering letter.

And, of course, unlike your original application letter or email, the online profile also offers opportunities to make use of other media, such as videos or audio clips, and include links to relevant content elsewhere on the Internet.

As an architect, for example, you can include plans and visualizations of buildings you designed, if you’re a journalist you can add video or audio files of interviews you conducted, and as a marketer you could include visuals (pictures, banners, links, pdfs) of campaigns you have been involved in. Even university projects or your degree thesis can offer useful and relevant information for potential employers.

You could also record a video message for your future employer and embed it on your site. But make sure you know what you’re doing. However easy it may be to create videos using your webcam, they can look a little basic and unprofessional – which is not the impression you want to give here. Check out these tips on how to create a professional looking video résumé.

If you like, you can even include links to your social media profiles or give information about your hobbies and personal interests. This gives a more rounded picture of you as a person and may well work in your favor if your interests are a good match for the kind of company you are hoping to work for.

A few things to bear in mind

Personal content can be password-protected if you prefer, which is easy to set up with most website builders or content management systems (CMS). But make sure your future employer can easily access the information you want them to see. Don’t put obstacles in their way – they are busy people!

Most importantly though, do bear in mind that your potential new employer will only check out your online profile if you have managed to arouse sufficient interest in yourself. So, your initial written application (electronic or otherwise) has to be powerful and convincing enough to pique their curiosity.

Here are a few things to be aware of so you don’t undermine the value of your online profile:

• Your personal website does not replace your covering letter or email and CV!
• Offer additional information – don’t simply repeat what you’ve already written in your application documents.
• Do make sure your online profile looks professional, especially in terms of design and visuals, but also makes you stand out from the crowd.
• If you’re using different versions to match different applications, make sure this is not obvious.
• Use your own domain name. Domain names are cheap and easy to get, so there’s really no need to use a generic URL like firstnamelastname.blogspot.com. It just looks unprofessional.
• And be aware that if you place your full résumé on your public online profile the information may end up on Google and will therefore be accessible to anyone in the world.

If you wanted to take things a step further you could even start a blog and develop a name for yourself as an expert in your field.

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I didn’t have much of anything to compare the experience to, but I sensed early on that there was some serious conflict brewing between the ladies I worked with. There was constant talking behind each other’s backs and harsh criticism was commonplace. Those who weren’t passive aggressive were just downright nasty.

But being the youngest in the bunch, I didn’t think it was my place to speak up and I feared that certain individuals would turn on me if I simply excused myself from the conflict.

The group dynamic became increasingly uncomfortable, and eventually I left the job in the hopes that a more peaceful work environment existed elsewhere.

Now a few years in to my working life, I am far better equipped to express my thoughts and opinions. But even more importantly, I know how to avoid workplace conflict from the outset so these uncomfortable situations don’t sprout into something more serious.

Here are a few tips to help you stop the office drama before it begins.

Tip #1 – Set your intention early on

When starting a new job it can be easy to get swept up in the office politics simply because it’s a way to feel connected to your new coworkers. But these interactions might be the very reason why your job becomes unbearable later on, so it’s best to avoid them from day one.

Set your intention to steer any negative exchanges onto a more positive path and limit your coworker relationships to those who are also interested in creating a harmonious work environment.

Like attracts like, so be the person you would want to interact with.

Tip #2 – Don’t entertain certain conversations

People like a sympathetic listener, especially when it comes to sharing grievances about someone else.

Let it be known early on that you aren’t someone who will revel in negativity and trash talking simply for the sake of letting someone else feel better. Not only is that detrimental to your wellbeing, but it allows the other person to continue festering in what’s bothering them.

There’s no need to be rude, just become an expert at changing the subject or making jokes (when appropriate). Once they realize you won’t be giving them what they’re searching for, they will find someone else to fill the sympathizer role. That’s a guarantee.

Tip #3 – Make your own judgements

Once a group reaches a consensus about someone, it is often passed through the ranks, eventually trickling down to those who weren’t even around when the first judgements were made.

Instead of going along with the things people tell you about someone and interacting with them a certain way as a result, try to come to your own conclusions. If you remain open, you may be able to see a side of that person that others weren’t able to.

Tip #4 – Help facilitate positive interactions

Avoiding office conflict doesn’t have to mean excluding yourself from social interaction. If your coworkers seem to be constantly battling each other, think of a way to turn the tide.

Everyone wants to feel like they are seen, heard and appreciated. Ask your coworkers about things outside of work that you know they enjoy. Let them know you are paying attention to who they are and what’s important to them.

Once you do that, that person is more likely to pay it forward to the next person they come across. It’s a small seed, but it can grow into something much more substantial.

Tip #5 – Cut out the complaining

While you may not be physically participating in the conflict, you might be adding to your negative perception of it if you spend a great deal of time talking about it on your time off.

When I would share my frustration and anger over the situation I was witnessing with my coworkers, I noticed that I became more and more upset. Talking about it over and over again increased the emotional charge that the conflict carried for me, which in turn, helped in attracting more of it into my experience.

Your time outside of work is precious — don’t spend it talking about the conflict you don’t wish to be apart of.

Tip #6 – Meet all disagreements head on

The few times when I’ve worked in an environment where the majority of my coworkers handled conflict in a very passive aggressive fashion, I tended to follow suit. It’s what a lot of us do — we go with the flow.

When disagreements arise, try to find the source and attack the problem head on. Don’t spend time sharing what is irking you with others, that is what can get you into trouble. Find the source of your upset and calmly address the problem.

Even our friends that mean well can magnify conflict by validating the feeling we have that we were wronged. Once we receive that validation, it can be hard to believe that the other person may not have had any ill intent.

What steps have you taken to avoid inner office conflict?

Photo by David Castillo Dominici.

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Everything we do throughout our career involves selling. In this case, it’s not about selling a product or a service; it’s about selling yourself to get hired, to be promoted, or even to get that raise.

Today, companies aren’t looking for the most experienced candidate or the one with the perfect skill sets. They’re looking for the candidate that fit best with their culture, the candidate who’s confident, is prepared, and asks good questions to truly understand what the company needs.

And that’s the foundation to any great sales process, regardless of what it is you plan to sell.

“If you ever want to get a job, get promoted or even get a raise, you have to know how to sell,” said Greta Schulz, founder and CEO of Schulz Sales Consulting. “No one is ever going to remember your achievements, nor will they often volunteer a raise or promotion, without you asking for it and selling them on it.”

Know how you’ll be a good fit

A good sales person won’t go into any prospect meeting without knowing the company, the decision maker, what they need, and how their product or service is going to help. The same goes for your career. You should never go into any situation without knowing first what the position entails, what the company needs, and how, not why, you’re the best fit.

Knowing the company’s culture is critical if you’re going to be show that you’ll be a good fit. Late last year, Bullhorn released a study on Workplace DNA that analyzed the factors that people think about when viewing culture. When you determine the culture, show that you’re capable of working in that culture with each and every question that you answer.

When preparing for this, consider these questions that you may get asked and know how to answer to them:

• What are the company’s core values?
• How will you further their mission statement?
• How will your character be vital to the company’s performance?

Don’t just talk about yourself

It’s not enough to give your 30 second elevator speech on how you’re a self-starter, a hard worker, and extremely dedicated to the job. Your competition will be saying the exact same thing, and companies have heard it all before.

Your ideas are what people haven’t heard before. Whether you’re trying to get your foot in the door, asking for a raise or vying for that big promotion, come prepared with two ideas that you would implement. Show how these ideas would benefit the company.

Don’t forget your case studies

Sales people thrive on case studies to help support the claims they’ve made about their product or service. They give prospective clients a glimpse into how their business could improve with whatever it is they’re selling.

You should do the exact same thing. Since you’ve done the due diligence to know the company, relate how things you’ve done in the past are similar to what you could or will be doing. These could be things you’ve done in college, at internships, previous jobs or even within the same company if you’re moving positions.

Never think you’re under qualified

Sales people are known to take chances. They don’t pass up an opportunity because it’s something they’ve never done before. They figure out how to they can parlay their existing skill set into the new venture.

When I was graduating college, I applied for a lot of jobs. I was 21 years old, about to be off my parents’ payroll, and was desperate to do anything for anyone. If it even remotely fit my qualifications, you can better believe they got an application from me. The worst thing that could happen is they say no — or just never email back in the first place. Which they did.

Of course, there’s a catch here: You can’t apply to be an organic chemist if you never got past Math for Liberal Arts and Science Majors in college, but you’re likely not interested in that anyway.

The point is to not sell yourself short. Yes, experience in the field that you plan to go into is critical, but being a smart person is even more imperative. Every company has their way of doing things, and they will train you on how to do those things.

What are some other things you can do to show that you’re the right person for the job, promotion or raise? 

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You may be sure that you deserve that perfect raise, but how do you approach your employer? What do you say, and how do you say it?

The ground rules for asking for a raise are basically the same as those for negotiating any deal. Here are some tried-and-true tips:

Start with no.

Never begin by tell your employer what you want. Instead, start by inviting him to say no. Tell him that you are comfortable with a no answer and you want him to be comfortable to say no. This puts him at ease and shows him you’re not needy.

Identify any problems standing in your way.

Has the company just laid off employees? Is there new management in the wings? Before you go into the meeting, have a clear idea of what might keep your boss from giving you a raise. State each problem clearly and ask your boss how these problems might be solved.

Do your critical research.

How do companies decide what to pay? They hire consulting firms and look at pay surveys or they compare notes within the industry. Research what people in your position are paid by using the web and other resources to dig out the normal pay range. The more information you have, the better you will be prepared.

Control your emotions.

Before and during your meeting, turn your mind into a blank slate. Have no expectations or fears. Above all, overcome all neediness, the number-one deal-killer. If you start to feel any kind of emotions during the negotiation, drop a pen or take a drink of water briefly until you regain emotional neutrality.

Use the “Columbo Effect.”

Let your employer feel “more okay” than you. This is called the “Columbo Effect.” Do not dress to impress, name drop, or get on a grandstand. Let him be completely at ease with you, and perhaps even feel a bit superior.

Let him do most of the talking.

Talk as little as possible. Ask questions instead so you can find out your employer’s position, issues, concerns, needs, and objectives. Take notes.

Get him spilling the beans.

Begin your questions with an interrogative — who, what, when, where, how, or why — because these invite exposition rather than one-word answers.

Forget about the end result.

Do not think about, hope for, or plan for getting the raise. Focus instead on what you can control: your behavior and activity during the negotiation.

Have a valid M&P.

A valid mission and purpose is one that’s set in your employers’ world, business, needs, requirements, hopes, fears, and plans.

An example of a good M&P might be: “I want to be a uniquely valuable asset to the company, add more value to my department through extra skill development, expand our customer base through a new initiative I’d like to try, and work on new ways to benefit the company.”

Notice that your M&P wasn’t “to make more money.” Because every decision you make along the way in your discussion with your boss has to fulfill your M&P, stating it this way will handle any contingency that comes up during the negotiation, and will not fail to lead to a good outcome for you.

Develop your employer’s vision.

There is a clear and only one reason your employer will pay you what you request: Doing so will benefit him and the company. Once you are in the negotiation you must help him develop a vision of you that allows him to see what you can do for the company. You do this by spending all of your time in his world understanding the challenges he anticipates, the problems he sees, and the solutions he requires.

Present yourself as the solution.

Pay close attention to the challenges and responsibilities he points out to you and be sure to present different experiences of your handling them in your career. The key is to tie your abilities and your experiences to the solution of his vision. Don’t be afraid to give specific examples of challenges you faced and the solutions you provided. Special assignments that fit the employer’s vision should be explained and discussed. The more examples you can provide, the better.

Never threaten.

Never appear to threaten or posture with another offer or a take-it-or-leave-it stance. Continue to negotiate with no neediness. Use that calm slow voice. State problems clearly and don’t be afraid to ask for what you want to solve those problems. The more effective you appear at discussing the problem as you see it, the better. Just ask in a want mode, not the need mode.

Do not try to be friends.

Your employer does not have to be your friend. You are not seeking friendship; you are seeking an agreement. What you want is respect and a fair agreement that accomplishes your mission and purpose.

Staying calm, being well informed, showing genuine curiosity and interest in the company’s challenges and salient issues, and not being needy are all qualities that any employer wants to see. You are a motivated, talented employee who has the company’s best interests in mind. If you can deliver these messages in the meeting, any employer would want to hold on to you and reward you with a raise.

How would you go about asking for a raise? We’d love to hear from you!

Photo by WillVision Photography.

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I knew that my experience was not a rare one. For every worker comes a stretch of time when they feel less motivated, less productive, and less capable of walking into the office every day and handling their workload.

Sometimes this happens in the let-down period following a big project or the first few months on a job; sometimes it is simply a product or outside factors or the natural rhythms of working life; and sometimes it derives from concrete influences, such as the removal of a contract incentive or the attainment of a senior position in the firm.

Whatever the reason, it is not OK to doubt your capabilities when an unproductive stretch comes around. It is important, however, to take concerted efforts to snap out of your slump. Otherwise, your lack of motivation and productivity could turn into a negative pressure, which in turn could make you feel more stressed and no more accomplished.

On that note, here are a few tips and strategies for dealing with those dog days of work:

Switch Up the Routine

The degree to which you switch up the routine should depend in part upon the flexibility you have with your job. If you have a high amount of flexibility, you can switch things up by working from home, working odd hours, trying a different project, or taking a new approach.

Such major moves may not be an option if you have less flexibility, but even then you can change up the little things in your routine: pack a different lunch, bring a water softener instead of a water bottle, or tackle your daily tasks in a reverse order.

Create Personal Incentives

Studies show that employees are generally more motivated when they are properly incentivized. If your company does not give you the right incentives – or if these incentives are not enough – you can always give yourself personal goals, targets, and rewards.

The goals may reflect productivity objectives on a daily, weekly, monthly, or yearly level, while the rewards, meanwhile, can range from small treats (go out for lunch on Friday if the week has been productive) to larger luxuries (a vacation as a year-end bonus for you and your spouse).

Mix Exercise and Work

People who exercise regularly are much more relaxed and less stressed than their peers, traits which help make them more capable of exhibiting healthy time management strategies. They have a daily commitment that extends beyond their workplace.

For these reasons, incorporating exercise into your daily work routine can help switch up that routine (see tip #1 above), provide you with goals and make you more motivated overall (tip #2), and generally help you relax during the day. The best way to do this is by running or biking to work, or by making time to exercise during a lunch break.

Take a Break

Sometimes a period of stagnation simply needs that you need a brief break during which you can take a step back, refresh, and regain the momentum that you lost. This break doesn’t need to be a week-long tropical vacation; instead, take a personal day on a Friday and drive somewhere nearby for the weekend. There’s a good chance that you’ll return to work on Monday energized and ready to go.

Consider How Your Approach Has Changed

If you were once motivated and productive than you are at present, take a moment to consider what happened to cause that change. Was it something that you did or that you can correct? Trying to replicate your past approach can often prove fruitful when trying to correct the current one.

Talk About It

All too often, our feelings of inadequacy on the workplace turn into self-imposed pressures and frustrations that only furthers a cycle of stagnation.

In many cases this can be avoided by sharing your concerns with another person, ideally someone who works with you and can understand your pressures. Tell them about your lack of motivation and use them as a support when you need some encouraging words in the future.

Change the Pace

Some people don’t want to switch their routine, add incentives, take a break, or talk about their productivity problems. My final piece of advice is a more straightforward one aimed at this crowd. By working longer, more relaxed days, or by going into the office on the weekends, your change of pace may certainly translate into more time on the job – but this temporary measure can help you remove pressure and snap out of your work funk.

In other words, just do it — finish what’s bothering you.

These are few of the ways to help you overcome a period of stagnancy in your work life. While these periods are normal and common occurrences, it is still important to address them when they arise – for both your short-term sanity and your long-term productivity and in order to keep motivated.

Photo by Joost J. Bakker IJmuiden.

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Whether you’re working with department members, cross-team or with clients, being a good go-to person can make you indispensable (and powerful) to them and your company.

How to Be an Awesome Go To Person

Here are a few steps to keep you motivated and moving:

1. Take notes.

Take some quick notes on questions you have before you discuss project requirements to outline all the information you’ll need before you start. After your questions are answered, taking an extra ten minutes to create a project timeline will ensure you know how to keep things moving along. When you have project timeline in hand, you can immediately contact other colleagues involved to let them know when you’ll be looking for their final input.

2. Listen first.

When you’re trying to be helpful, it’s easy to jump to conclusions or try to present an instant solution. Hear out your colleagues first to avoid missing important details or causing offense. Then use your trusty project notes to keep all of the project information at your fingertips.

3. Ask questions.

If you still need more information after you’re given the full rundown, don’t hesitate to push for more details with definitive questions. Taking an extra five minutes of their time to pin down specific project requirements or expectations can help you avoid last minute emails and phone calls when you need more questions answered.

If you get vague responses, counter them with more specific questions to avoid having to do the guesswork. If your colleague can’t provide all the details find out who you can reach out to who can. Remember, even when it seems tedious to your team members, being thorough will help you keep the project on target.

4. Be organized.

You never know when you’ll need to reference an email or forward it on if a project is revisited or questions come up. Keep your inbox in order with separate folders for different departments or projects, making them simple to locate later. For example, when you submit help desk tickets to your IT department, have an IT folder where you can quickly filter your requests.

For internal department emails, try creating a variety of directories under a department folder to sort by project type. Filter your messages out of your inbox throughout the day to avoid losing important information. Managing your inbox with relevant folders can also prevent you from getting derailed at the growing amount of messages every time you open your email.

Scan any print documents to PDF so they’re easily accessible on your computer to send at a moment’s notice. Papers are easy to lose and harder to share. If you don’t have capability to scan-to-file, arrange documents by project in binders.

Use dividers to separate out past, present and working files so they’re simple to locate. Then recycle any papers you don’t need so they’re not taking up valuable space in your office or work station.

5. Stay on deadline.

That extra hour or two at the office can make the difference for your colleagues and your career. Also, make sure you’re managing your day-to-day schedule in order of department priorities.

6. Don’t be afraid to admit when you’re wrong.

It shows you’re accountable. Address the issue, make sure you know the best practice moving forward and move on.

Don’t over apologize. It’s good to give a genuine apology when warranted. “I apologize” lets colleagues know that you do. An “I’m so sorry” or three of them can make your mistake look more significant than it really was.

Don’t let a little slip derail you either. Remember that everyone at your company, even your manager or CEO makes mistakes occasionally. The important take-away isn’t what went wrong, but what you can do better in the future.

7. Be confident.

It sounds cliché, but even if your work is flawless, your manager won’t believe it unless you believe in yourself. Keep your body language relaxed and professional with your shoulders back and your head up. Make direct eye contact, and while you want to keep conversation articulate and professional, your voice should hold the same calm tone you use with family and friends.

Acting insecure or stressed out makes even the best workers look unreliable. It can also make you a prime target for workplace bullying.

8. Don’t get overwhelmed.

When you’re tight on deadline and short on patience, ask yourself “What is the absolute, worst possible outcome and what would I do if it happened?” Then ask yourself how you’re going to prevent the absolute worst from happening by getting upset.

You’ll soon know that stressing out doesn’t help.

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Are you the go to person of your office? Tell us your story below!

Photo by Jimmy Benson.

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But first. . .

Who loves models? I do, but don’t get me wrong. . . this is not about fashion models.

With models, you can picture a scenario of life that’s usually hard to describe or imagine. A model may be simply a representation of, say, a job experience so you can reference to, compare to, and validate against. It helps you find out whether a scenario is right or wrong.

I model that as “three rides and a fall” which basically is about taking three different rides (the first three stages you would go through), and close with a falling ride as a final stage. The three rides are:

1) a learning ride,

2) an excelling ride, and

3) a mentoring ride.

The fall is just a fall, but I would picture it as a ride that’s downwards.

What I describe here – in my opinion – is what you should seek in a job experience that you are currently enjoying, or looking forward to as a new responsibility.  It would also be what you would expect to experience in a job to make the most out of it and make it joyful. Here you go, the model and its rides in a bit of detail.

1. Learning

This is what’s usually expected of a typical human when he or she gets assigned a new responsibility. You need to learn, and you need to learn almost everything: the environment, the work, the strategies, the tactics, the people, and the business overall.  Nothing outstanding is expected of you except delivering what you’re asked for. Usually, you don’t get stretched or asked for high performance. It usually is about delivering the bare minimum, and most people perform the same in this ride of learning.

It’s a loss to skip this ride, even if you have super knowledge and expertise.  Not only because it is joyful, but also because you might miss learning from others, the least!  I personally enjoy this ride the most, and believe everyone should experience it to its extremes whenever possible.

2. Excelling

What do you expect of someone who spends quality time learning? Of course, quality delivery! That’s what I call excelling at your job and delivering your best. This is a ride when you apply the best you have learned, and seek perfection and quality. You can call it turnover time, since you get the chance to give back to your organization for giving you the opportunity to learn.

This is a time of a partial return on investment they made on you. Why do I consider partial only? Because, you still can do more, and that’s going to be on your next ride.

3. Mentoring

Yes, mentoring!  Being a role model puts a responsibility on you to teach, to seek out others giving them a hand on their own rides.  This is a stage when you become on top of what you’re doing – remember that this comes after excelling in your job – and that you are ready to mentor others.

This is a stage that’s hugely missed by most people tempting to seek out the next big challenge.  You cannot imagine how enjoyable this stage is to you, to your colleagues, and to your organization. It’s when you hit an outstanding return on investment in terms of knowledge capital. I would allow myself to go extreme and call it selfishness not to mentor when you become a role model.

4. The Fall – New Beginnings

It’s no harm at all to fall after three successful rides, right? You fall because you become saturated of the things you have been doing so far. You either get bored of what you’re doing, or become the old blood that needs to be donated. The latter is a rare case, hopefully!

This is a time when you need to look for a change and seek your next challenge either internally or preferably externally beyond the boundaries of your current organization.

This is Just a Model – Life isn’t perfect!

It’s important to understand that models are abstract and life cannot simply match them.  They represent things in its perfect form, and usually reality drifts away from them.  This doesn’t mean models are not correct, it just means that you’ll experience variations of a model and you can keep it as a reference or a guide.

Another factor to consider is the blending of these rides with each other. You could be learning and excelling at the same time. You could also be excelling and mentoring at the same time, and that’s logical as well. You could be mentoring, learning, and bored (falling) all together!

In my opinion, what counts is what gets felt and experienced the most – the peaks – and the order of those peaks. While you’re learning and excelling at the same time, one of them would be dominating or peaking, and that signifies which ride you’re on.

It’s also important knowing that four years is a typical timespan for this “model of job experience”. It can be experienced in less or more number of years. Try your best to fit them on the number of years you see suitable for your current job.

My Own Experience of the “Three rides and a fall”

I must admit a number of facts before sharing my experience here:

1. I didn’t recognize the “three rides and a fall” model until recently.
2. I didn’t experience the model fully throughout my career. In fact, it was applicable only to two jobs I have occupied out of six jobs I was blessed with.
3. The two jobs in which I have identified this pattern were the most enjoyable ones amongst them all!

The first job I have experienced the “three rides and a fall” was my first being a systems engineer. I went through learning, excelling, and mentoring in that job.  I must say that I didn’t feel the fall ride, since I hopped on my next challenge immediately after that.

The second experience with the “three rides and a fall” was my recent 4-year job as a technology specialist. I went through learning, excelling, mentoring, and falling.  It was of course a great blend throughout those four years, and was very joyful.

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How about your job experience? Do you think the three rides and a fall model applies to you?

Photo by sillygwailo.

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How to Unleash the Leader Within You

Although you’ll still have to follow your boss’s orders, it might help to find ways to exhibit your own leadership skills.

Actively participate in meetings

Meetings are often held on a regular basis to discuss the progress (or lack thereof) of the company. If you’ve surreptitiously rolled your eyes during these meetings, try actively participating to facilitate change in your department or company. Offer suggestions about which tactics work and which don’t, and listen to the suggestions of others. Listening to your coworkers and using their input can be valuable, and it can make those meetings worthwhile to you.

Communicate openly and often

Chances are that you don’t always see eye to eye with your boss—and that means communication is critical to a productive and cordial working relationship. For example: your team is working on a project and one of your team members has excellent marketing skills. You could suggest that she’d be a great fit for the marketing portion of the project. Make sure to give examples of the skills she’d bring to the project.

Keep track of e-mails and other messages you receive from your boss and your team members, and take your own notes during meetings. Try to avoid coming across as challenging your boss’s authority, and make sure to phrase your ideas tactfully. Focus on how your ideas can benefit the project as a whole, instead of simply concentrating on offering a better idea than your boss.

Aim high

Although you may tactfully approach every suggestion you make to your boss, you still might not get the results you want—perhaps because your boss feels threatened. For this reason, you should always attempt to aim high when making suggestions.

Keep your avenues of communication open with your boss, but stay in contact with other leaders in your organization when you’re involved with solving a major company issue. Make sure you do your research, and always take a professional approach to every meeting and project. You might not be promoted on the spot, but your dedication, effort and ideas will certainly not go unnoticed.

Look for new opportunities

Of course, not every idea you have will be accepted, and you might still come up against resistance from your superior. If you find that you’re not getting opportunities to use your leadership skills, consider looking for new opportunities to sharpen your skills.

Since you’re probably already busy with your work load and other obligations, looking into online degree programs can be a good solution for balancing work life and your desire to work on your own professional development. Earning an online degree could allow you to prove that you are an effective leader and give you the extra credentials you need to find other opportunities where your abilities will be recognized and appreciated.

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Finding the right way to exhibit your leadership skills may take some trial and error, and there’s no guarantee that your efforts to present yourself as an effective leader will result in a promotion or a title change right away. But with diligence, thoughtfulness and a desire to improve your company, your efforts to improve yourself and your company can yield benefits for you.

How do you bring out the effective leader within you?

Photo by Hamed Saber.

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