Do you dress for success? Is your wardrobe complete with the clothing and accessory items that you need to look professional? Is it at least proper for your current position and adequate for the position that you are trying to attain? There are many coaching resources available for wardrobe, fashion, and overall appearance. I would suggest that you be very attentive to successful people and make note of how they look. Try to look appropriately professional all the time.
Don’t take the easy way out and default to what is comfortable or cool. Dress appropriately to the success level that you hope to achieve. Dress to command the kind of respect that you want. If you are striving for increased professionalism, your wardrobe will help.
You can certainly develop your own style as long as it is designed for your own growth and advancement. The best advice that I have learned is from self-help expert, Shauna Schuh. She tells us that the way we look is a gift to others, not ourselves. She advises us to use color and dress appropriately in every case. People recognize how you look and you want them to remember you for your outstanding appearance. Again, don’t just default to what others are wearing or what feels comfortable for you. Remember that your clothing is a huge part of your appearance. People will judge you on your appearance whether that is appropriate and correct or not. This is something that you can control. So do so.
Dressing up can be difficult at times because the default can often be to wear what is convenient. How often do we see people in public with sweats or non-matching clothes, or hair or makeup that is out of order? What can one gain from that? Nothing. On the other hand, a little effort to improve your appearance at all times at least has the potential at all times to help you. Fix yourself up the best that you can in order to make a good impression on others and to extend that gift of your best self to others.
Tuesday, September 21, 2010
Sunday, September 5, 2010
Giving It Your Best
When you do find a career track that you can love, even if not with the particular company at the time, put all of your effort into building that career. Build it from the day that you start until the day that it ends. Never coast or wind down, ever. Always work to be the best that you can be at what you are doing in preparation for the next step. Always be ready for a new opportunity by working on yourself all the time. Most of all, NEVER GIVE UP.
Look for seminars and courses at local community colleges that might enhance your career track. Get training in not only what you do but in the peripheral jobs to yours. In other words, if you are involved in a production job and your department is closely involved with billing and other accounting practices, take an Accounting course. If marketing is part of your job but you were not formally schooled in it in college, take a marketing course. The appreciation of the other functions of your company will only enhance your value to the company and improve your career. Many times, companies will pay for advanced education courses as they relate to the job. You will certainly gain the recognition of your managers if they become aware that you are working on skills that will help you on the job.
Going deeper, work on skills that make you a better you. How do you speak? How broad is your vocabulary? Do you have adequate computer skills that enable you to fully participate in the cyber explosion that is taking place today? There is no good excuse for most people not to have the basic skills they need to use communication tools like e-mail very effectively. Furthermore, a command of the internet and all that it offers is essential for most professions today. It is easy to get the training you need to pave the way for career improvements as it relates to that thing known as your computer.
If you think that computer skills are important today, they are, and they will be even more important tomorrow. Even if the standard personal computer is not the exact device that you will be using in the future, something like it will be. The skills you learn today and tomorrow will lead to the skills that you need the day after. If you are not proficient on the skills and understanding that is needed to effectively use your computer today, you will only be left further behind as digital communication and digital work continue to develop.
Look for seminars and courses at local community colleges that might enhance your career track. Get training in not only what you do but in the peripheral jobs to yours. In other words, if you are involved in a production job and your department is closely involved with billing and other accounting practices, take an Accounting course. If marketing is part of your job but you were not formally schooled in it in college, take a marketing course. The appreciation of the other functions of your company will only enhance your value to the company and improve your career. Many times, companies will pay for advanced education courses as they relate to the job. You will certainly gain the recognition of your managers if they become aware that you are working on skills that will help you on the job.
Going deeper, work on skills that make you a better you. How do you speak? How broad is your vocabulary? Do you have adequate computer skills that enable you to fully participate in the cyber explosion that is taking place today? There is no good excuse for most people not to have the basic skills they need to use communication tools like e-mail very effectively. Furthermore, a command of the internet and all that it offers is essential for most professions today. It is easy to get the training you need to pave the way for career improvements as it relates to that thing known as your computer.
If you think that computer skills are important today, they are, and they will be even more important tomorrow. Even if the standard personal computer is not the exact device that you will be using in the future, something like it will be. The skills you learn today and tomorrow will lead to the skills that you need the day after. If you are not proficient on the skills and understanding that is needed to effectively use your computer today, you will only be left further behind as digital communication and digital work continue to develop.
Tuesday, August 31, 2010
Put It Into Practice
Put into practice what you learn. Don’t be afraid to put the ideas that you learn in your reading and studying into practice on the job. Make sure that you have the clearance of your manager or company before taking unilateral action but don’t shy away from trying an idea that can help your company. Even if you feel that your overall company might be somewhat backwards, perhaps your department or division or team might benefit from your new found ideas. Again, act in accordance with your manager. Even though you are not the CEO or president or even executive vice president, you can create a pocket of greatness in your own group.
Author Jim Collins in his book Good to Great, tells us that greatness can exist within a company that may not be great. If your responsibility is for a division or smaller group, make it your goal that greatness will be the norm for your group. You can be a Level 1 Leader even if you only manage a small group or division. Strive to make it great using teamwork and leadership.
Wherever you work and whatever you do, be the best at it. Come in a little early every day and stay a little late. Be attentive to all that affects your job and how it might help you to advance in your career. Always strive to be the best you your field. Get advice from others whom you perceive to be the best in your field and copy what they do that brings them success. Don’t be satisfied to just have a job and draw a paycheck. Anyone can do that but this is not for you. If you are unhappy with your job or career, get started on fixing that. You should find a career that you can love.
Author Jim Collins in his book Good to Great, tells us that greatness can exist within a company that may not be great. If your responsibility is for a division or smaller group, make it your goal that greatness will be the norm for your group. You can be a Level 1 Leader even if you only manage a small group or division. Strive to make it great using teamwork and leadership.
Wherever you work and whatever you do, be the best at it. Come in a little early every day and stay a little late. Be attentive to all that affects your job and how it might help you to advance in your career. Always strive to be the best you your field. Get advice from others whom you perceive to be the best in your field and copy what they do that brings them success. Don’t be satisfied to just have a job and draw a paycheck. Anyone can do that but this is not for you. If you are unhappy with your job or career, get started on fixing that. You should find a career that you can love.
Wednesday, August 25, 2010
Help Your Career - 7 - Working on Yourself
Next, after you have defined your goals and listed the ways that you are going to achieve them, go to work. Start by reading at least a half hour every single day in your field. If you do this, as Brian Tracy recommends, you will read more books than anyone else in your field and have an advantage over everyone else in the gaining of knowledge as it relates to your field.
It is not easy to commit yourself to obtaining and reading helpful materials every single day. It is very easy to put off your reading for many reasons. Consider reading like exercise for the mind, daily calisthenics. Set aside at least one half hour every day to read and get new ideas to improve your mind and improve your life.
Have a good mix in your reading selections. Get financial advice from books, get tips and advice on your particular career from reading, and read about how you can improve your personal skills. There are many good books and CDs at the top bookstores as well as the public libraries. Be selective but also be open-minded about your selections. When you find a good author, look for more of his or her works especially if you feel a particular connection with that author.
Use your driving time to educate yourself. Obtain useful, informational CDs or podcasts that you can use in your car while driving to and from work as well as any other journeys. Make your car a University on Wheels as referred to by Zig Ziglar. Use that otherwise mental downtime to learn and grow. It has been estimated that one year of audio learning could be the equivalent of a college degree. Wouldn’t that be great?
It is not easy to commit yourself to obtaining and reading helpful materials every single day. It is very easy to put off your reading for many reasons. Consider reading like exercise for the mind, daily calisthenics. Set aside at least one half hour every day to read and get new ideas to improve your mind and improve your life.
Have a good mix in your reading selections. Get financial advice from books, get tips and advice on your particular career from reading, and read about how you can improve your personal skills. There are many good books and CDs at the top bookstores as well as the public libraries. Be selective but also be open-minded about your selections. When you find a good author, look for more of his or her works especially if you feel a particular connection with that author.
Use your driving time to educate yourself. Obtain useful, informational CDs or podcasts that you can use in your car while driving to and from work as well as any other journeys. Make your car a University on Wheels as referred to by Zig Ziglar. Use that otherwise mental downtime to learn and grow. It has been estimated that one year of audio learning could be the equivalent of a college degree. Wouldn’t that be great?
Monday, August 23, 2010
Help Your Career - 6 - Working on Yourself
How do you work on yourself? My favorite self-help author and expert is Brian Tracy. I have read several of his books, listened to many of his audio programs, and attended two of his seminars. This is how I work on myself but I would like to share some of Brian’s ideas with you. I encourage you to read and listen to as much of his work as you can.
Brian has taught me that it is imperative to set goals for you. People who write out their goals and revisit and rewrite them often, will have a very clear understanding of where they are headed so that they can plan on how to get there. Writing out 10 goals for your career today and then reviewing and redoing these on a monthly or weekly basis, will keep you focused on what you are trying to do with your career. You goals will function like a roadmap for your life.
Be specific and clear and write in the positive present tense. For example, if your goal is to earn $100,000 per year, write I earn or I will earn $100,000 this year in my current occupation. If the goal is outrageous, don’t go there, but be realistic. If that is your first goal, then write out how you plan to earn that $100,000 this year. Do the same for your position, location, level of authority, and all aspects of your career.
For each goal, list at least three ways that you will accomplish that goal. Have a plan on how to get where you want to go. List three ways that will lead you to success, and then started putting those plans into action. Make each action step realistic and achievable and work on them regularly.
Brian has taught me that it is imperative to set goals for you. People who write out their goals and revisit and rewrite them often, will have a very clear understanding of where they are headed so that they can plan on how to get there. Writing out 10 goals for your career today and then reviewing and redoing these on a monthly or weekly basis, will keep you focused on what you are trying to do with your career. You goals will function like a roadmap for your life.
Be specific and clear and write in the positive present tense. For example, if your goal is to earn $100,000 per year, write I earn or I will earn $100,000 this year in my current occupation. If the goal is outrageous, don’t go there, but be realistic. If that is your first goal, then write out how you plan to earn that $100,000 this year. Do the same for your position, location, level of authority, and all aspects of your career.
For each goal, list at least three ways that you will accomplish that goal. Have a plan on how to get where you want to go. List three ways that will lead you to success, and then started putting those plans into action. Make each action step realistic and achievable and work on them regularly.
Just Imagine
Just imagine how wonderful life would be if everyone you encountered respected and cared about you. In return, you would care and respect everyone you crossed paths with every day.
There would be no crime, no wars, no rage, but just peace.
There would be no crime, no wars, no rage, but just peace.
Sunday, August 8, 2010
Continuous Learning
I know that I have posted about this before. With each passing year, it becomes more obvious to me that I don't know as much as I think that I know.
We cannot depend on only what we have learned up to this point in our lives to get us through the next year, next month, or next hour. Continuous learning must be pursued in many forms. First and foremost, we must learn from our daily experiences. Every time we do something different or do the same things differently, we learn.
It is important to be open minded and take the lessons learned each day, record them in some way, and even share them. When I did this, that happened. When I reversed things this happened. That is the simplest form or learning.
A more proactive approach is also necessary. Reading newspapers, listening to audio programs in your car, and selectively viewing educational-valued TV programs are also important forms of learning and growing.
We cannot depend on only what we have learned up to this point in our lives to get us through the next year, next month, or next hour. Continuous learning must be pursued in many forms. First and foremost, we must learn from our daily experiences. Every time we do something different or do the same things differently, we learn.
It is important to be open minded and take the lessons learned each day, record them in some way, and even share them. When I did this, that happened. When I reversed things this happened. That is the simplest form or learning.
A more proactive approach is also necessary. Reading newspapers, listening to audio programs in your car, and selectively viewing educational-valued TV programs are also important forms of learning and growing.
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