What Are The Next Steps After Getting A Promotion?

It’s exciting, no doubt about it. Your expertise, hard work, and perseverance paid off. You got the big promotion you were working toward. Then, along with exuberance, reality sets in with a bit of nerves for this new challenge. Now you have to deliver.

Even though promotions are exhilarating, they can also leave recipients uneasy about the change. Going from a position you had proven yourself in to a position with some inherent uncertainty will put a knot in the most confident stomachs.

Oftentimes, the easiest kind of promotion is where you’re promoted into a new environment with a new team to work with.That is like a clean slate. Much harder can be the transition within a business unit. Not to mention, the move from peer to boss can definitely be a minefield. Like it or not, we create an identity at work and many of our co-workers identify us with our role. Change our role or give us more responsibility, and people around us sometimes have difficulty adapting. There are also occasions where the person promoted has difficulty adjusting. Let’s take a look at some of the steps the newly promoted can take to ensure a smooth, effective transition.

Listen

Embrace the newness and recognize your stakeholders—those affected by your work and your team’s work. Even if you are working with some of the same people, there is a good chance you have new stakeholders, or new relationships with stakeholders. Meet with them and listen to their feedback. From employees to suppliers to customers to your boss, they will let you know what’s going well and what needs improvement from their perspectives. Note the emphasis on listening. You don’t need to promise the world just because you’re in a new role. You are there to gather their feedback so you can ensure expectations are met. You will learn a lot when you actively listen and these people will notice your engagement.

Plan

Your promotion was a competitive process. Your boss saw something in you to give you this opportunity. There is almost always a learning curve to your new position, but during the transition, put together a plan for yourself and your role going forward.

You bring a skill set, expertise, and a new perspective. These are all ways you can add value. Determine 30-, 90-, and 180-day milestones about what you are going to learn and how you will proceed in making positive contributions. Utilize the SMART principle for goal-setting (Specific, Measurable, Action-oriented, Realistic, Time-based). The promotion is not the high water mark. You have greater things in store.

Communicate

Be as transparent as possible about your goals and expectations. This communication should be the case up and down the chain of command; and you have to actively invite feedback and demonstrate a willingness to listen to it.

Once you have developed your plan and milestones, meet with your supervisor to discuss. If you have not worked closely with this person before, it may be helpful to meet regularly, at least while you get your feet wet. Get to know his or her expectations and communication preferences. See to it that you’re both on the same page strategically and tactically.

The same holds true if you have any employees reporting to you. They should be aware of the direction you want them going, and they should know how you prefer to communicate. Share your goals and plans. Research has shown that we are more successful at working toward goals and implementing new habits when we communicate them to others. We allow people to hold us accountable. In a team environment, there is no other way to move the needle.

Finally, you may be asking, “Why so much emphasis on communication preferences?” Relationships at work function much better when the individuals involved have clear understandings. This becomes even more important in workplaces with flexible schedules and working arrangements, different communication media available, and where teams are distributed and function in a virtual environment. Sending an urgent email to your boss when she only checks email once a day can be useless.

Taking the time to understand these important details can ultimately pave the way for cohesiveness and long-term success.

How To Introduce Yourself When You’re Unemployed

That awkward moment in a conversation when someone says, “What do you do?” can feel almost as painful as the day when you lost your job.

However, it is not necessary to bend your head in dismay and unload your negative job talk on a listener. Instead, there are many ways to handle this question (and avoid feeling down on yourself) at networking events and in everyday conversation.

Here are some helpful ideas and tips to reassure your comfort and confidence when the question is pose to you:

“I am transitioning.”

Advising others that you are “transitioning” into a new career or industry can open a lot of eyes and ears for you. It may also possibly new open doors as well. You never know if that person you are speaking to may know the right person to put you in touch with.

Say it with confidence and show your excitement that you are taking the leap of faith into uncharted career territory.Expand on the career path you are now transitioning into and do not be afraid to ask if the person you are speaking to knows anyone in that field or industry.

“I am a resume writer who specializes in executive resumes.”

Announce your industry or field with confidence and certainty. Let the other person know what you do without feeling the need to advise them of your employer. Start discussing your experience and the type of work you do. Say it with conviction and enthusiasm.

Intrigue your listener. Make him or her want to know more and also ask the listener if he or she knows anyone who may need assistance in that field or industry.

“I recently decided to pursue a longtime goal of mine in forming my own business.”

People are captivated when others follow their goals and dreams. It takes courage to leave a company and to start your own.There are many people who have the desire to be a business owner but are afraid to take the plunge.

Don’t be afraid to share in the lofty goals you have of being a successful business owner and working for yourself. That listener may be able to put you in touch with a business coach or give insight into forming your own business. Perhaps he or she has a relative or a friend who has also recently become a business owner. Or, perhaps he or she is interested in a joint venture.

“I am currently volunteering with a non-profit organization that has a mission or cause close to my heart.”

Volunteer work is an excellent way to build philanthropic connections to other professionals and community members. It is also a creative job gap filler because employers like well-rounded candidates who are givers not just takers.

Giving back to your community through service is a diverse method of highlighting skills you have developed in your career path. It will allow employers and other professionals to see you in a different light. It will also allow you to broaden your skill set and acquire new skills through different events and projects.

Being unemployed does not need to be awkward or disheartening. It can be a great time in your life to rebuild your confidence, recreate your purpose, and can ultimately bring you closer to the next best career move.

Things To Convey At The Job Interview

The job interview – this is where it all really begins! While your resume may have impressed and helped get you through to the job interview stage, now you really have to bring home those points on the resume. Failing to convey the right message at the job interview means it is game over! Don’t expect a call-back from the employer if you fall short of conveying some of the key messages.

1. You’re a go-getter!

Employers desire employees who have a real passion for the work. At the job interview, demonstrate that desire, passion, and excitement for the challenges that lie ahead with the job. Make the interviewer believe you’ll be able to hit the ground running on the job by demonstrating you have the experiences and skills to succeed on the job. Ask what the biggest challenge is and present examples of previous relevant work where you’ve been in a similar situation and what you accomplished and achieved. The research you’ve done ahead of time should also allow you to demonstrate that you are knowledgeable about the company, its business and more.

2. You fit right in!

Fitting right in is not so much about being agreeable, but being likeable. Come off friendly and share your understanding of working in a workplace such as the employer’s. Ask questions during the interview to further understand the type of work environment that exists and then make an effort to demonstrate you have similar experience working in such an environment. Another way to create the feel that you’ll fit right in is by building rapport with those you speak with. The interview should not take on a model of a Q&A session, you want to turn it into a dynamic conversation. Find ways to build rapport that will help show how well you understand the ins and outs of the business and working in a workplace like theirs.

3. You’re a character with great personality!

Hiring managers understand that job candidates may come into a job interview nervous, but those who are able to overcome their nerves and show some personality are more memorable and attractive as a candidate for the job opening. When you present your personality, it’s easier for employers to see how you differentiate from the next candidate. Presented the right way, you can also come off even more likeable. When there’s the opportunity for it, don’t be afraid to add to the conversation your personal quirks or likes. It’s what makes you, you! When there is lack of personality in a character, the individual can come off as boring and dry. It also doesn’t help to show how you differentiate from the next candidate with similar experience and skills.

Find opportunities throughout the job interview to weave into the conversation these three things above. In the end, you’ll come off as a more memorable and desirable candidate for the job!

How To Motivate Your Team During High Stress Situations

It’s easy to motivate your team when there’s no pressure, but it’s an extraordinary challenge to keep them going even when the stress level is through the roof.

It can’t be helped. There will be times when the company demands more from you. You’ll be asked to come up with something brilliant despite a deadline that’s way too close. Suddenly, it’s crunch time and, like it or not, you have to breathe down the necks of your team members to make sure that they deliver.

Here’s how you can ensure that your team members perform well despite the work-related tension…

 1. Trust And Verify But Make An Effort To Make Work Fun

Keep an eye on what every member of your team is doing, but don’t get caught up in micromanaging them. Let them do their work. You don’t have to be in their face all the time.

That said there’s no harm in lightening up. For instance, you can make a game out of beating deadlines. Award a silly prize such as a stuffed animal or a Nerf gun to people who complete their tasks on time.

2. Practice Random Acts Of Kindness

Just because you’re dealing with a stressful situation, doesn’t mean you can take it out on your team. Make sure you let them know how much you appreciate their hard work. Saying “Thank you” goes a long way.

There will also be moments when they need to take a quick break from what they are doing to rest, eat, or simply just breathe. Otherwise their productivity will go down and any work done from that point forward will be rubbish. Allow them to take these quick breaks, as it will recharge them.

As Tony Schwartz, head of the productivity consulting firm The Energy Project, explained “Without any downtime to refresh and recharge, we’re less efficient, make more mistakes, and get less engaged with what we’re doing.” However, if your team has to pull an all-nighter at the office, a late night meal or even their favorite coffee drinks are good treats.

3. Intercept Rumors

When the going gets tough, some tongues start wagging. There will be talk of heads rolling or unfounded assumptions about somebody being demoted. It’s your job to make sure that your team doesn’t start, add, or even listen to these rumors. Be straightforward and reassure your team that you will always keep them clued in.

4. Create Individualized Motivation Plans

Not all your employees will respond the same way to a particular manner of encouragement. Some of them may need tohear you praise their work, while others thrive when you let them do their thing.

Figure out what makes each member of your team tic. This way, you know exactly what to say when you have to “push” them. Be brutally honest to those who prefer a no-nonsense approach but be gentler on those who are more sensitive. You can say, “Can we try it another way? Let’s see if it works better.”

Lead By Example

Going on panic mode will not get the job done. Your team will take their cue from you. They’ll lose their heads if you lose yours. So, no matter what happens, show them that you can stay calm and not transform into a workplace bully even when the pressure is on.

How To Create A 30-60-90-Day Plan That Gets You Hired

30-60-90-day plans solve all of the problems most people have in job interviews—some lack in your background or experience that makes them hesitate to hire you, or just a difficulty standing out among many talented candidates. With a plan, you stand out and prove that you are ready, willing and able to do this job well.

Job seekers who use a 30-60-90-day plan vividly demonstrate for a potential employer that you have critical thinking skills, drive, and dedication to success. They help the hiring manager ‘see’ you being successful in the job, and that puts them solidly in favor of hiring you.

Once you try interviewing with a plan, you’ll never interview without it.

The Outline Of A Great 30-60-90-Day Plan

A 30-60-90-Day Plan is a written set of action steps or goals for each of the first three months you’re on the job. What will you have to do first (and second and third) in order to be successful?

First 30 Days

In the first month, most new employees are learning the ropes—getting up to speed on how to function successfully in this company, in this role. Typically, this includes company-specific training on procedures, reports, systems/ software, vendors/suppliers, products/ services, or customers/ clients. You’ll need to do some research to find this information, because you haven’t worked there before. But making the effort to find out will impress them, and you will be better prepared to answer questions about what you’ve done and haven’t done before. The more specific you can be, the more impressive your plan will be.

Next 30 Days

In the second month, there’s typically less training and more action. You’ve gotten your feet wet, and now it’s time to go a little deeper. Depending on your job this may be learning more detailed information, or it may be solving problems. You will definitely be asking for feedback by now, and adjusting accordingly.

Last 30 Days

Where you may have had some assistance last month, this month you’ll probably be on your own. What will a successful person in your role be doing? Solving problems? Cutting costs? Bringing in new business? Evaluating budgets? Setting up new programs? Whatever this may be, put some thought into it and include it in your plan.

Using Your Plan In The Interview

Lots of job seekers worry about bringing in a less-than-perfect plan. Don’t worry—employers will know that you can’t know everything or have a letter-perfect plan, because you haven’t worked there before. But as you discuss your plan and your ideas, you have a much more substantial interview than someone else who just answered questions. You’re engaging the hiring manager in a back-and-forth, professional conversation. This is incredibly powerful.

What Not To Do

Even though your plan doesn’t have to be perfect, it does need to be substantial. A 1-page plan is a definite no-no. Your plan should be at least three pages (a page for each 30-day section).

Don’t just assume you can grab any old plan off the internet and make it work. A well-done plan that does what it should for you in the interview requires thought.

If You Know You Need More Help

Because it’s difficult to create a plan from scratch on your own, and because you may not have the time if you have an interview soon, I have developed perfect 30-60-90-Day Plan Templates for white-collar professional jobs, for sales jobs, formanagement roles, and for executives. Each template comes with examples and coaching for how to talk about your plan with a potential employer (this is critical).