Liz Strauss & Tammy Lenski: Tips for Women at Work

Sometimes you meet someone that you really admire. Right away. As soon as the first words out of her mouth. Sometimes there are two someones that you meet at the same time.

That's how I felt last Friday night when I met Liz Strauss & Tammy Lenski at a conference in Chicago. Two intelligent and caring women that really "get it."

A week later, I'm not surprised to find some really great, timely info from the two of them:

Tammy: What advice would you give women about engaging conflict effectively in a corporate setting?

Liz: Someone recently asked me what I wish I knew when I first started working I said this: It doesn’t matter how good you are, if no one wants to work with you. For conflict situations I would add that the second you feel righteous, you are wrong in some very big way. If you can only see the problem and not the other person, you need to find someone who can help you see more.

This is quoted directly from a published interview of Liz Strauss, an educational publisher who is a writer, career coach and strategic planner from Chicago, conducted by Dr. Tammy Lenski, a professional mediator from New Hampshire.

You can read the entire interview right here.

College to Career: Making that Leap

Are you job hunting?

May is the month for many college graduates to enter the "real world." But then again, so is June, July, August, September...and just about any month. Anyone that has ever struggled with a job hunt knows that sometimes it can take months to get that first "real" job in the field you've studied.

For women re-entering the job market, the process can feel really intimating at times... like it's a secret club where everyone knows something that you don't. (They don't!)

To help with your job search and quest to enter (or re-enter) the workforce... here is a 50 page F*R*E*E downloadable e-book of advice called "Give College Grads A Fighting Chance" from real people with real careers. Each page is from a different person with their best advice for getting that first job, what they wished they knew when they were job hunting and much more.

I know many of these people from their self-published websites and I agree with about 99% of what is suggested. If you're job hunting, do yourself a favor. Take ten minutes to download this book and give yourself a dose of "instant mentoring".

Thanks to Drew McClellan at Drew's Marketing Minute for throwing out the question and compiling the responses into this easy-to-read, chock-full-of-great-ideas book. Nice photos too. Take a minute to send Drew a quick comment of thanks for all the work he did on this. Thanks is a powerful word.

More than just a book publisher and a talented individual, Drew is also a marketing expert who knows his stuff. I met him last weekend at a conference in Chicago and found that he is a one of those folks with an abundance mentality who shares himself and his knowledge to help others. He runs a marketing company called McLellan Marketing Group in Des Moines, Iowa. He really understands the concept of paying it forward.

Graduates: Have You Developed Your Personal Branding?

Developing a personal brand will be very important as more and more graduates enter the job market as well as entry level employees begin to look at their next steps in their career. I asked Dan Schawbel to be a guest on Real Women-Real Careers because he specializes in PERSONAL BRANDING.

1. What are the most important 3 things a new graduate should do to establish personal branding?

Graduates already have Personal Brands but require more extensive training on how to create a strong Personal Brand. Here are my 3 tips:

1. Brainstorm all your interests, values, goals, objectives and personality and make sure they are consistent in everything you may do.
2. Research other brands that have already been successful and either reach out for them or analyze what has placed them at the top and try and use it as a resource.
3. Be yourself in anything you may do or achieve and when presenting your core message to your audience. You must use what is in the inside and project it outward, through brand articulation.

2. How does personal branding differ from product branding?

Both Personal Branding and Product Branding are quite similar and mathematically, if you replace the product with the person and form a marketing mix around that person, it will have the same effect. Products are material objects, that are sold through a transaction from interest, being "top of mind" and in the customers evoked set.

A product is a symbol and has special qualities that differentiate it from others in the marketplace (non commodities), just as every Personal is different. The same tactics can be used for both a product and a person because at the end of the day, both need to be sold to the audience.

A product's brand is from the viewpoint of the audience and is based on appearance packaging), personality (overall attitude towards it, how does it make them feel), sophistication (a person's competency) and differentiation (which allows one product to be sold over another).

3. Most people resist being stereotyped. Isn't personal branding stereotyping yourself?

Personal Branding is not about stereotyping, yet one's brand is already stereotyped by it's appearance. The concept concentrates more on personal growth, development and creating a lasting impression with the audience.

It is about focusing on the positive in an individual and mapping it to their audience, which could be a recruiter or someone in their network. Stereotypes happen instantly and individuals can only control their behavior, body motions or attire, but not their skin. Personal Branding hones down on what you can control and that is the major difference.

4. How did you get interested in your career area?

Good question. I actually built my Personal Brand during college, without knowing that it could be considered Personal Branding. I branded myself by diversification and experience, with 8 internships in all marketing functions, 7 leadership positions on campus and straight A's. During interviews I had a great story to tell, from companies such as Reebok, Lycos and LoJack.

By doing this, I positioned myself as an excellent candidate for a full-time position when I graduated and now I work at EMC. Throughout college, my peers always asked me for advice and I started to value the idea of mentoring. I started brainstorming what I enjoyed most out of life, such as helping others, sharing advice and developing my own career.

I stumbled upon the idea of Personal Branding and I knew it was exactly what I had been looking for the whole time. Now I have my own blog on the subject and have written articles for other blogs and major magazines and newspapers.

5. What the interview question that you hate the most and how do you handle it?
My least favorite interview question was from TJX, which was "when was the last time you were in one of our stores." I was truthful, so I told them that I don't shop in stores anymore, but rather use the internet. Of course, they were less interested and I didn't proceed to the next round, but clearly that showed that it wasn't the proper position for me.

6. What's the one interview question you wished they would have asked… and were you able to weave your answer into the interview anyway?

I always wished they asked me how I could be a valuable asset to their company. I say this because my background was so diverse and I know that I could fit into any position in marketing that was open. If I was unable to obtain a spot for the position I was interviewing for, it might have set me up for an interview for a different position within the same company. You just never know!

7. What do you suggest a person does to begin their personal branding?

I call the first stage in Personal Branding, brand discovery. This is where you flush out all your interests, valuable, beliefs, attitudes, goals, objectives and network. The purpose is to have a full understanding of exactly where you are, where you want to be and how to get there. You must have both short-term and long-term goals and they must align for a higher degree of success in the future. Discovery is the most challenging area of Personal Branding because individuals might have no clear path or direction and this is when you would see a Personal Branding expert (such as myself) for further insight and guidance.

8. What are 3 action steps that someone can take to begin to brand themselves?

• As mentioned previously, dedicate and invest your time in brand discovery, as it will make the rest of the Personal Brand lifecycle much more clear and easier to maneuver.
• Create your brand and make sure you have an electronic Personal Brand as well. Your Personal Brand online will be extremely important moving forward as the recruiting process moves to the internet. Vehicles, such as blogs, can help you display your Personal Brand in this area.
• Maintain your brand through constant development opportunities, acquiring new skills and networking with others. Remember that 60% of people get jobs through networking, which means you should use your brand as a tool when networking.

9. What's the biggest "No-no" in personal branding?

Displaying a negative Personal Brand or one that "appears" to be weak. By this I mean that an individual who breaks the law, picks a verbal fight with a co-worker or shows poor team skills. These are examples, where an individual brand is tarnished and it can have a lasting effect. Remember that your brand is always in jeopardy, so be careful with what you do and say to your audience. You will be judged on everything, which also poses an opportunity for you at the same time.

10. What's the one question I should have asked but didn't?

"How do you think Personal Branding will tie into online communities and the web 2.0 craze"?

What a really greatquestion!! I'll follow up next week to find out more! But for those of you who can't wait to find out... I bet you'll find the answer at the Personal Branding Blog

And to you, the readers, what question would you like answered on Real Women -- Real Careers?

Technorati Tags: Marketing, Branding, Personal Branding

Mother's Day Tributes: Empowering Women through Unity

I recently found a website that focuses on empowering women. It allows tributes to be posted that honor and acknowlege women who have inspired and influenced.

This would make a cool Mother's Day Gift for those Moms who have everything!!

Check out the site and create a Tribute at Unitus.

Hat tip to "Know More Media - all business, all the time."

Technorati Tags: Mother's Day, Unitus, Empowering Women

Women's Groups: A key to starting a mentoring relationship!

The best thing young women can do long before they get out of school is to get involved with women's groups (yes, those old ladies.)

Attend a meeting, or better yet, call up a member and ask if she can meet with one or two of their members to talk about their career path- what worked, what didn't.

This could be a great mentoring start, and a great boost for the egos of the women involved who will then take a special interest in this young women.

Jan Bassett

Author's note: I met Jan at the Athena International's Leadership conference in April. Jan, Thanks so much for sharing what you've learned with the next generation! Chris

Words of Encouragement from Victoria

Victoria Bown Copley offers this as words of encouragement to young women starting out there careers:Victoria Bown, published children's book author and 2007 recipient of the Athena International Award - UK, says:

This is my favorite quote, I feel it says so very much and the words have been and still are a great inspiration to me.

Author's note: Victoria Bown lives with her husband Andrew and their blended family of five children. Her children's books about "Sammy The Pony" have character building lessons and provide encouragement to children of all ages.

Transitioning from School to Career - Some Help

I just got back from an awesome conference in Chicago by Athena International. It was dedicated to advancing women's leadership roles. One thing I learned is "giving back" and "paying it forward" can make a big difference in someone's life.

I know first hand what a difference it makes when you've got a helping hand. If you're trying to transition to grow to the next level --from high school to college ,from college to career or from a first job to a bigger role -- having someone point out the steps, give suggestions and encouragement make a BIG DIFFERENCE.

So, to try to help young women with their transitions, I've asked some of the women I met at the conference to share their wisdom, their insights, hints and tips for helping other women along the way.

In the next few weeks I'll be posting suggestions, photos, encouragement and words of wisdom. This could be a great place to find those job hunting tips and even network to find your next job! Keep watching.

I remember how it was when I was trying to figure out what I wanted to be when I grew up.
Chris Brown

Work with a Mentor -- Fast Track Your Career

When asked what was the one thing that really helped make the difference in her career, many successful business women reply, "Having a mentor."

Here's some tips on how to get the most from a mentoring relationship. And remember, you can be a mentor at any age and at any level of achievement. Paying it forward is the right thing to do.



Thanks to www.catalystwomen.org for these tips.

Here's a few tips for those who want to work with a mentor:

Find a mentor:

• Look for role models (who would you like to be in 5 -10 -15 years?)
• Women leaders are not always easy to find. Ask around.
• Consider women you know, your parents know, your teachers/professors. Maybe ask the chamber of commerce, HR department of companies, look into professional organizations.

Figure out what to work on:

• Identify your goals
• Brainstorm stepping stones to get to your goal.
• Don't be afraid to ask questions. Make a list.
  

Pay it Forward:

• Plan to become a mentor yourself.
• Look for someone like you (15 - 10 -5 years younger)
• Share what you learned so far.
• Don't be afraid to learn from them too!

Marketing Tips for Recent College Grads

I posted this the other day at my Branding & Marketing blog, but I think it has a lot of potential benefit to all the college graduates who are job hunting right now:

I was reading Lyn Chamberlain's the Brand Dame today about college graduates and trying to market their skills to a new employer.It reminded me of two really great sites that would be of interest to any college student or graduate who was trying to brand themselves.

One is from Mike Sansone at ConverStations called Brand You with a Blog. Great idea Mike. When I read so much in the press about students being irresponsible with blogs, its great to read something where it shows the power of blogging.

The second is a really neat idea of Drew McClelland at The Marketing Minute where he asked many, many professionals to share job hunting stories, sage advice and professional encouragement with soon to be college grads. It's called Help me give college grads a fighting chance.

Career Day at Goodyear April 28 for Young Women considering Engineering

Goodyear is sponsoring the upcoming Engineering Career Day for young women (grades 6 through 12) on April 28th at its Goodyear Hall facility in Akron: www.goodyear.com/careerday

The program focuses not only on engineering but also on careers that can be launched from an engineering background. Participants will have the opportunity to engage in hands-on activities related to multiple engineering fields and will also have the opportunity to interact with professionals from Goodyear, other industrial companies and local universities to learn more about careers in engineering and the sciences. Several engineering disciplines will be discussed, including polymer, biomedical, aerospace, chemical, civil, materials and mechanical.

This FREE event runs 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday April 28 is open to the public and includes lunch. However, girls must pre-register to attend through the website by Friday, April 6th: Career Day Registration http://www.goodyear.com/careerday/registration.html

Students may be accompanied by one parent during the day’s activities.

Space is limited, so please register early. Last year, the event filled up BEFORE the deadline, so please hurry and pass this message along to any others who may know young women who might like to consider a career in Engineering!

Career Panelists Offer Suggestions

HUDSON (November 5, 2006) -- Sonia Engelman (standing), a Hudson Middle School 7th grader, asks a question of the three panelists about their careers at the recent "Real Women -- Real Careers" program at the Hudson Library. From left, Charity Beall, Certified Public Accountant; Sue Kirkhope, architect and Dr. Elizabeth Muckley, optometrist, offer suggestions for helping girls prepare for their careers.

Next week, three women business owners will speak at the library from 2-3:30 pm about how they got started in their careers. The Women Business Owners session on November 12 will include Terri Cohen, owner of Clever Chef Works, Renee DeLuca Dolan, owner of Contemporary Design Group and Billie Henning, owner of Henning Software.

No reservations are needed and refreshments will be served.

Trying to Select a Major for College? This Career Program May Help You

Hosted at the Hudson Library, the “Real Women – Real Careers” program provides a way for girls and young women to see themselves in future.

A three-part speaker series called “Real Women – Real Careers” program, designed to help high school and middle school girls visualize their future careers, will feature successful women working in variety of careers in a panel discussion. The careers highlighted will be from three types of professions: Helping Others Professions, Business Owners and Professional Services. Each session will be moderated by Christine Brown, owner of Marketing Resources & Results, a Hudson marketing firm.

"Actually seeing a successful woman professional talking about her career provides a tangible connection for teens who are making decisions about their future," explained Chris Brown. "Middle and high school young women may have a tough time picturing themselves in 10 to 15 years, but they must begin to select a major for college right now. I hope that this program will help them to make informed decisions and more easily visualize their future."

The Helping Others career category panel on October 29 features three professional women: Dr. Karen Schen, Dentist; Dr. Lisa Van Nieuwal, Veterinarian and Deb Hoover, Non-Profit Manager.

The second in the series, Professional Services Occupations on November 5, will include Charity Beall, Certified Public Accountant; Sue Kirkhope, Architect and Dr. Elizabeth Muckley, Optometrist.

The Women Business Owners session on November 12 will include Terri Cohen, owner of Clever Chef Works, Renee DeLuca Dolan, owner of Contemporary Design Group and Billie Henning, owner of Henning Software.

The series will be held Sunday afternoons from 2 to 3:30 pm on October 29, November 5 and November 12 at the Hudson Library and Historical Center in the large community meeting room.

Each speaker will share personal accounts about how they selected their career path, what education was required and some of the challenges and opportunities they experienced in the workplace. Cookies and cider will be served.

The Hudson Library and Historical Society is located at 96 Library Street, Hudson Ohio in the First and Main district. Since the building was just opened a year ago, many of the online search maps do not have the correct location. Use this link for directions and a good map to the library:http://www.hudson.lib.oh.us/hudson%20website/Administration/Location/holiday.htm


*Full Disclosure: Northeast Ohio Eye Surgeons is a client of Marketing Resources & Results, many of the women panelists are personal and professional friends of Chris Brown and Chris & her family are patients of Dr. Schen's practice.

Learn about Careers in 3 Sunday Afternoons

Panelists Offer Advice and Insight to Teens Seeking Real World Views into Future Careers

“Real Women – Real Careers” Program Provides Way for Girls to Learn About Careers

HUDSON (August 16, 2006) – A three part speaker series called “Real Women – Real Careers” will be held Sunday afternoons from 2 to 3:30 pm on October 29, November 5 and November 12 at the Hudson Library and Historical Center in the large community meeting room.

The program is designed to help high school and middle school girls visual their future careers and will feature successful women working in variety of careers in a panel discussion. The speakers will share personal accounts about how they selected their career path, what education was required and some of the challenges and opportunities they experienced in the workplace.

The careers highlighted will be from three types of professions: Helping Others Professions, Business Owners and Professional Services. They will include career positions such as Vet, Dentist, Doctor, Optometrist, Retail Store owner, Graphic Design firm, Software Developer, Attorney, Accountant, Architect, and Engineer among others.

The program is organized and sponsored by Marketing Resources & Results, a Hudson marketing firm. Refreshments will be served. For more information, visit www.hudsonlibrary.org.