Author Archives: danaleavy

Where to Start, When Starting Your Business

Posted on May 10, 2012 by danaleavy| Leave a comment

Part of the reason I enjoy working with other creatives starting up their businesses is because I’ve been through that whirlwind of information overload and to-do lists running off the page, with no end point in sight. You could fill up a 300-page journal with pending tasks to conquer, look into, or give further thought to when it comes to starting up a business. And let’s face it – if you’re working another job that monopolizes your time, effort and focus each day, it’s incredibly difficult to get everything in properly prioritized order, and decide where to start.

For this reason, the starting point of my consulting program and the LGIG startup plan are built around focusing on those first key steps. It’s all about smart planning and understanding the transition process as you start your business and essentially bring it into the world. So if you’re finding yourself stuck in your chair with big ideas, and little traction, these 4 exercises will get you building some major momentum in moving your business forward.

Create a Vision for Your Business Using the 5Ws
You have to know where you’re going before you can build an effective plan of action to get there and start taking steps toward that end goal. Many people come to me with a couple of ideas for their business or product verticals, without much of an understanding of how they all will mesh together under one brand. And this is absolutely normal. Your products and services are often the first things you find yourself marinating on when you’re thinking about starting a business, and maybe even the inspiration for starting the business in the first place. “I want to start a business where I can use my creative background to offer art classes to kids in Brooklyn,” for example.

The first thing you really want to do when you’re trying to get your business idea off the ground is to clarify what you actually want the business to look like. This is called your vision, and it’s centered around the 5W’s – “Who”, “What”, “Where”, “Why” and “When”. Answering these questions and really thinking about it will open up those ideas and help you get a better sense of what you want out of your business, and how you envision it taking form.

  • WHO do you want to serve (your core customers)?
  • WHAT do you want to offer to them (your products or services)?
  • WHERE do you want to offer these (geographical reach, physical or online presence, etc.)?
  • WHY is it important to you to engage with this audience (your value proposition)?
  • WHEN do you want to start doing so?

Keep in mind as you’re going through this exercise that your business will continue to evolve and even change in its first few years, and the vision you created earlier on is likely to shift in any of the areas above as you learn more about your customers, what you can offer, and the market demands. You may have multiple answers for each of those questions, and that’s fine, as you will continue to narrow it down as your determine your niche. For right now, simply use this as a rough blueprint from which you can start building your brand.

Start Working on Your Financial Strategy
Part of figuring out what that transition will look like for you in “Phase 2″ is knowing your financial situation inside and out, so that you can effectively plan out how you will juggle the financial responsibilities of being self-employed. Use a budgeting tool to map our your hypothetical budget for getting your business started based on:

  • Your estimated monthly personal expenses (rent, utilities, loans, credit cards, health insurance, transportation, spending money, etc.)
  • Your estimated one-time startup costs (business licenses and registration, website design, new computer, supplies, etc.)
  • Your estimated monthly business expenses (rent, supplies or materials, subscriptions, advertising costs, transportation, etc.)

It’s hard to know exactly what your business expenses will be, but make an educated guess (and don’t shy away from overestimating). Once you have an idea of how much money you will need each month to run your business and uphold your basic living expenses, you can determine what kind of income you will need to have on hand, or have coming in steadily to support you through the startup period. And keep in mind that on average it takes a business anywhere from 12-36 months to start turning a profit; so unless you’re absolutely certain that your business will be an instant profit machine (not likely), make sure you have a reliable alternative income source to fall back on.

Know What You Want that Transition to Look Like
Creative ideas aren’t much good without the physical action to bring them to life. You figured out the 5Ws of your vision, and now it’s about determining the “HOW”. If you’re working in another career or job while starting your business on the side, it’s inevitable that you will eventually hit what I refer to as the “tipping point”, where your business simply can’t grow any further without dedicating more time and energy to running and nurturing it; chances are, you only have so much time in your week that you can dedicate to the business without it impeding upon your “day job”. Clients will require your attention during the day, meetings will need to be held, and emails will start to pile up. So what is the reality for you when you hit that plateau point?

This is essentially about figuring what what the next phase is for you, whether it’s saving up enough money to leave your job and dedicate all of your time to working on and in your business, taking on a new job that offers more flexibility for your schedule, or perhaps taking on a part-time job that provides a steady income, but leaves you several full days per week to focus solely on your business. Whatever your financial or professional situation, this is phase 2 of the process, and it’s an exciting stepping stone toward your end goal of building a sustainable, creative venture!

Determine Your Timeline for Launch
Once you have a solid grasp on the financial responsibilities of launching your business, and how that will shape your next move into “Phase 2″, you can determine a reasonable timeline for transitioning into your business part or full time. If you’re chomping at the bit to leave your job and start channeling your creative energy into your own venture, it’s a huge motivator simply to have an end date in sight.

Mark it on a calendar, or put it on a piece of paper and keep it with you in your planner or above your desk at home, somewhere where you can reference it visually and remind yourself on a daily basis that all the hard work and planning you’re doing is bringing you one step closer to that bigger, better, more creatively fulfilling end goal!

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RELATED LINKS
Exit Strategy Financial Budget Worksheet – 12-Month Financial Planning for a Successful Career Transition
Let’s Get It Goin’!   StartUp Program – Launch Your Business Full Time in 12-18 Months
From Employee to Entrepreneur  E-BOOK - Everything You Need to Know to Start Your Business

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When, & How, Does it Make Sense to Invest in Your Career?

Posted on May 2, 2012 by danaleavy| Leave a comment

Photo by Mckibillo on Flickr

I’ve been eyeing this Illustration Portfolio program at NYC’s School of Visual Arts for a few weeks now. The more experiences I take to go out there and educate myself on both new areas and subjects I love, be it illustration, painting, marketing or web development, the more I want to keep learning and doing it. It’s true – knowledge is addictive, and NYC is like a gigantic melting pot for continuing education opportunities. I love it!

I was sitting in the coffee shop finishing up some work on an infographic resume for a client when my inner voice went off and told me, “I love doing this stuff so much – designing, layout, creating this great end product. I want to keep doing more of this!” And then I remembered the SVA course I had bookmarked, and made a not-so-impulsive decision to just sign up for it.

Now even though I went to art school at BU, I’m of the school of thought that creativity and artistic talent are something you develop within, and true talent can’t necessarily be taught. That’s the big difference between “artistic talent” and “artistic technique” – technique is taught, talent is inherent and developed on a personal level (often through learning).  But I’m sure there’s plenty to be learned here outside of how to draw, and I’m open to seeing what that is.  Anyway… I love the idea that the course focuses on both on the hands-on aspect as well as the business aspect of understanding the industry. Something to satiate both sides of my brain!

Regardless, several minutes after hitting “Submit”, I started to feel a small pang of buyer’s remorse. Even though it’s clearly a business and professional development-type investment, I still felt a sense of guilt in effortlessly shelling out $400. This, also after eating, drinking and sight-seeing my way across Europe for a week and a half. But it’s an investment…right? Right. But investments are often things of which we don’t see the immediate payoff, the return on that cash lump, the manifested benefit of our efforts, time and money, and that makes it difficult sometimes to see the upfront value.

A lot of people struggle with this when it comes to our businesses and our careers. Without a tangible result or benefit staring us in the face, it’s often difficult for us to justify investing in ourselves. Plenty of people struggle with the idea of whether or not to go back to to school, earn additional degrees or certifications, move to a new city (and ask our families to follow suit) to pursue a stellar job opportunity, even upgrade our wardrobe considerably so we can walk into that interview looking like a million and a half bucks.

Clearly when it comes to investing in our careers, it’s a personal matter that weighs the obvious financial concerns, our fears and hesitations up against our confidence in ourselves that the investment will produce a return – financially, professionally or otherwise. So when we’re talking about a job market where it takes more than an impressive degree or well-tailored suit to get your foot in the door, where does it make sense to invest in ourselves?

Invest In: Education and Training
Certain fields require advanced degrees, training and certifications, so it’s a no-brainer that your money is well spent on education if it’s a basic requirement for your career, or if you’re changing careers into a field in which this is the standard. Additionally, if you’re trying to make a transition into another department, say from print production to interactive media, perhaps it’s in your best interest to go out there and get some additional hands-on training from a professional or organization who can provide guided instruction and point you in the right direction. For career changers, this can be invaluable. What’s not valuable? Going back to school for a Masters or advanced degree as a plan B, because you can’t find a job or simply don’t like the one you have. There should be a vision and an end goal that clearly depicts why you’re going back to school or attaining that additional training, and how it’s going to directly benefit you in your career, whether it’s your current one, or a career you plan to transition into.

Invest In: Looking the Part (And Knowing What That Is)
When I was a recruiter for Digital People, 99% of my candidates walked into my office in jeans. Did I mention they all worked in the creative industry? Obviously this tactic wouldn’t go over quite as well if you’re walking into an interview at Deloitte. And were the roles reversed, it’s not likely that you would be taken seriously if you walked into Super Funky Digital Design Shop in a suit and tie. Why? Because that’s not the culture of the organization to whom you’re trying to appeal, and part of being the right candidate is knowing what the company culture is and looking the part.

And once you know what the part is, step it up two notches for the interview. If it’s business casual, wear a dress shirt, slacks and tie, and invest in a quality jacket you can carry in on your arm. If the office looks like the F train to Brooklyn, invest in a pair of clean, well-fitting jeans and maybe a funky, but professional button down shirt or blazer. Remember – no matter how good your resume is, if you look like crap when you walk in the door, that’s the message you’re sending about the quality of your personal brand.

Invest In: You… In the Future
One investment opportunity that all-too-often gets overlooked and under-prioritized is investing in yourself by contributing to an IRA, 401K or similar savings fund. Often times as part of your compensation package employers offer a 401K match up to a certain percentage point. This means if you contribute, say, 2% of your pre-tax earnings from each paycheck into your 401K, your employer will match that and put the same amount of money into your account, right along with your own personal investment. Essentially, free money! And putting that money into an account before your paycheck is taxed reduces the gross amount of income on which you will pay taxes. But even if your employer doesn’t have a match program, or you’re unemployed or work for yourself, you should absolutely have an investment fund setup if you’re 25 or older so you can start saving for the future you. And perhaps mini-you’s. Check out options offered by your bank, ING Direct or carriers like Principle or Charles Schwab.

Invest In: You… In the Present
It’s not all about the interview process, or what you’re doing from 9 to 5. It’s completely acceptable, and I would argue completely necessary, to invest in your own personal growth and well-being. It’s no secret that Americans are the worst when it comes to honoring our own mental and physical health and actually taking our personal, vacation and sick days. Guess what? If you’re sitting at your desk hacking and causing your coworkers to conjure up images of that nasty little green guy from the Mucinex commercial… they don’t want you there. Healthy workers are more productive workers, and productive workers have a higher rate of job satisfaction, make more money, and excel faster in their careers.

Your Paid Time Off (or PTO) is given to you as part of your compensation package for a reason – because you’re entitled to it, and it’s already been allocated and factored into your salary. Not taking time off when you need it isn’t being diligent and committed – it’s being irresponsible and leaving money on the table. And while you’re at it, join a gym.

You’ve heard the saying, “You have to spend money to make money”, and especially in business it’s true. But it’s not so much about throwing money at educational institutions, banks or the cashier at H&M. It’s about understanding that smart investing in yourself and your career is about having a clear vision around what you want the future return on that investment to be, whether it’s advancement in your current career, breaking into a new career, building financial security or growing your business to a point of sustainability. Weigh your options, create a plan of action, and know what you can reasonably expect to invest, and what you can afford to invest in that opportunity.

And sure, sometimes we have to go out there and simply risk it, invest in something that may or may not pan out the way we planned, and sometimes the return on that investment never happens. But one thing that is important is to not let the fear of money get in the way of potential opportunity, and making smart, strategic decisions when it comes to managing and driving our careers.

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RELATED LINKS
Exit Strategy Financial Budget Worksheet – 12-Month Financial Planning for a Successful Career Transition
One on One Career Consulting – Strategy & Accountability to Get You Where You Want to Go
The Personal Brand Portfolio – Your Creative Cure for the Common Resume

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Tools of the Trade: Which Networks Work Best for Promoting Your Brand?

Posted on April 11, 2012 by danaleavy| Leave a comment

As a small business owner, a career gal, and a former recruiter, I’ve sampled the full gamut of networking, branding and promotional tools that are available out there to job seekers and small businesses. One of the most common complaints I hear from people is that there’s such a wealth of information and resources available to us that’s it’s overwhelming and difficult to get a grip on the appropriate tools for promoting and positioning your brand as a job seeker or as a small business.

To avoid freezing up when it comes to optimizing your digital brand presence on the Inter-web, let’s take a look at some of the tried-and-true resources out there most commonly being used by careerists and small business folks, what works, what doesn’t work, and where will you get the most bang for your virtual buck?

Even if you’re not paying for a specific service, which is often the case with your basic social media vehicles, it does come down to spending your time and efforts wisely, and schooling yourself on the tools and resources that are going to provide the most value. So what’s the deal with…

LINKEDIN
The professional standard for career-based networking, LinkedIn is one tool I believe everyone should be using, regardless of your industry, skill level or expertise. Why? Because with millions of members, LinkedIn boasts one of the most diverse and hearty networks of potential connections at your fingertips. Its interface has improved a lot since its launch in 2003, and it’s easy to use, fairly customizable, and an overall great tool for promoting your brand in the digital space, and it’s flexible and non-formal enough that you won’t be pigeon-holing yourself into one type of job or limiting your reach to only a specific customer profile.

Pros: Widely-adapted, fairly customizable, one of the most robust networking databases out there, companies actively use it for recruiting and finding candidates
Cons: Customization can be limited, and you need to be good with your words to really make your profile stand out. Also, company pages haven’t quite caught up in popularity yet, and their advertising program is so-so.
Good For: Job Seekers, Career Changers, Small Businesses where you are the face of your brand

FACEBOOK
Facebook remains a hub for individuals who want to use it for its core purpose: a “social” network. But brands are also making it their go-to space to engage with potential and existing customers, and providing valuable information and resources. While there are a number of career-based networks and tools that have a Facebook presence (Career Builder, Brazen Careerist, etc.), it still teeters on that edge of being a bit too informal to really be considered a strong tool for job seekers. Good for networking? Perhaps. Better for sharing photos of last weekend’s camping trip? Bingo.

Pros: Wide-reach, easy to connect with people, most brands now have a Facebook presence, good source of up-to-the-minute events and industry trends, targeted advertising for brands
Cons: Still very informal, not widely accepted as a professional tool, little analytics exist around conversion of Facebook fans to paying customers for brands
Good For: Small business brands who want to generate a following, job seekers who want to follow companies of interest & stay relevant on industry trends

TWITTER
Twitter has a range of pros and cons from a marketing perspective when it comes to both job seekers and small business brands. Similarly to Facebook, the analytics behind the effectiveness of Twitter as a marketing tool are still few. But it can be a great tool for building your online reputation as a subject matter “expert” in your field, in addition to building your network. If you have an industry-related blog, Twitter is a great space to share and promote your posts with like-minded followers. Most companies have a Twitter presence of some sort, and will often advertise job openings to loyal followers. But be wary, what you put out there, stays out there, so be smart about the mix of professional and pleasure. My suggestion? If you plan to use Twitter as a career or branding tool, have a separate account for your personal updates.

Pros: Wide-reach, easy to connect and communicate with otherwise unreachable people and companies, good vehicle for building your reputation and thought leadership, access to company-specific job postings
Cons: Yet to be proven effective as a marketing tool, fairly informal as a medium, often a barrage of crap to sift through before you find something of value, easy to be perceived as overly spammy, more of a popularity contest than a credibility builder
Good For: Small business brands promoting products and services, job seekers promoting industry relevant content and personal blogs, job seekers to hear about company-specific job opportunities

PINTEREST
It was announced this week that Pinterest actually surpassed uber-network LinkedIn in terms of membership, testing the idea of how visuals are effective in networking. The barely 5 year old network boasts more pins than existing LinkedIn groups, and perhaps that’s due to the ease at which users can navigate and use Pinterest’s platform. What happens on Pinterest is that people see a visual of a cool tool or resource, and repin it to their entire network. And for job seekers, it can be a great tool again for thought leadership and placing yourself at the forefront of industry trends, with the ability repin interesting articles, images, products and services, and follow the boards of companies and brands that interest you. And brands can get in on the fun too, as they post attractive images of their products and services to their followers and potential customers.

Pros: Wide-reach, uses a combination of visual imagery and verbal descriptions, user-friendly interface that promotes sharing and connecting, little commitment and upkeep required, good for creating a visual face for a brand, easy to follow companies of interest and share industry-relevant content
Cons: Yet to be proven as an effective marketing tool, companies don’t actively recruit off Pinterest, people are often more interested in the pictures being pinned than the person pinning them, lack of communication for real relationship building
Good For: Small business brands promoting products that have a visual component, creative-based businesses/freelancers/artistic professionals who want to share their portfolio, job seekers who follow companies of interest, anyone looking to connect with other thought leaders and share relevant industry content

There are so many networks and resources out there to help you create and shape your digital brand presence, whether you’re looking for a job, or looking for potential customers. And we’ll continue to take a deeper look at some of the other ones gaining traction in future posts. While you can analyze the pros and cons of each, the effectiveness of such tools for your personal or business gain really comes down to understanding who your target audience is, where they “hang out”, and what the best means of communication are to reach and engage with them.

Some other great resources to check out:

YouTern.com
Friendly, insightful professional community for interns, job seekers and career changers of all levels and industries with loads of career advice and resources.

Behance.com
Widely used as a feature-rich portfolio site for creative professionals, Behance is quickly becoming a professional network in its own right.

Meetup.com
Whether your interest is networking with other entrepreneurs, making a name for yourself in the tech industry, or fly fishing, there’s a wealth of networking groups and opportunities for everyone.

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RELATED LINKS
WHAM! BAM! Personal Brand Portfolio: The Cure for the Painfully Common Resume
Branding Summary Statement Worksheet – Create a Killer Brand for Your Resume or Business
Get Found on LinkedIn – Optimize Your Profile & Stand Out from the Crowd

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What’s Your Story, Morning Glory? Building the Story Behind Your Personal Brand

Posted on March 28, 2012 by danaleavy| 1 Comment
Telling Your Personal Brand Story - Aspyre SolutionsIllustration by Renato Cifarelli on Flickr

 

Something to keep in mind as a job seeker putting yourself and your qualifications out there to prospective employers is that you’re essentially marketing the “story” of your career. This is what we refer to when we talk about your “personal brand” – who are you, what you’ve done, what makes you unique and why that’s of value to your audience. A good personal brand that clearly communicates your value and credibility is what makes you stand out above the rest of your like-credentialed colleagues in a saturated job market.

Last night I attended a Meetup organized by the good folks of BeSocialChange, a NY-based organization that helps people influence the type of social change they want to see by sharing stories that inspire and bring people together to take action. One of the speakers on the panel defined storytelling as “an experience, watching something happen to someone.” A good story invokes a visualization that allows the listener to feel like they’re actually seeing and experiencing what’s going on in the narrative. Whether it’s a non-profit telling an inspiring story of someone’s personal struggle and how the work they did changed that person’s life, or it’s a brand trying to connect with and engage with customers, the idea was about sharing information and stories in a way that empowers the audience to feel important about themselves.

One of my own takeaways from the event was how this idea of telling a story to better engage an audience can be applied to your own personal brand as a jobseeker. There’s a big difference between talking about what a person does, and what inspired them to pursue the type of work that they do, to a point where they’re successful at it. It’s about knowing what the bigger narrative is (what you do), and then breaking that into the smaller stories behind it that help illustrate the inspiration. So how can you use this to your own benefit as a job seeker?

Understand the Bigger Narrative Behind Your Brand
The bigger narrative is the overall story behind your personal brand- who are you, and what do you do? “I’m Dana Leavy, a small business and career consultant who lives in Brooklyn, New York and helps aspiring entrepreneurs and creative professionals make sense of their professional vision and bring it to life. I help people build creative companies, and build creative careers.” That’s the essence of my brand, what I do, how I’m connected to it, and what tangible qualities I have to offer you as my audience. But it’s important that you be able to relate on both an intellectual and emotional level to what I do in a way that makes you essentially want to hire me.

That connection comes from telling the smaller stories behind your brand that your audience can relate to, place themselves in and empathize with. Don’t confuse this with sympathy- you’re not going to want to hire me simply because you feel bad for me and want to help me be successful (though I’d love it). Anyone can feel sympathetic to a cause, but empathy is about relating to that cause or message in a way that makes you want to engage with the person or persons who are delivering it. This is why I hate when job seekers go into interviews and spew out things like “I would REALLY love to work with your company…” They don’t care, because sympathy has zero to do with the hiring process. But illustrating your ability to effectively work through challenges, embrace change, and grow as a professional… now that has WOW factor.

Break it Down into Relevant Smaller Stories that Evoke Empathy
So now you know what my personal brand as a business and career consultant is about. Great. Here’s the problem with only relying on the bigger narrative – there are plenty of small business and career consultants out there who might have a similar narrative, leaving you wondering, “Well why work with Dana then?” And that’s where you need to break down the bigger brand narrative into the smaller stories behind it that allow your audience to relate to your brand, to you (since you are the brand) and what you do.

My work with Aspyre Solutions is all about helping people like you write your own story, to break out of shitty careers, jobs and situations that don’t resonate with who you are creatively, and that don’t fulfill you. It’s about honoring your creative vision, getting off your butt and letting go of complacent excuses, and recognizing that simple, effective planning and creative thinking can build amazing things, from creative companies to creative careers. But it’s also about taking what I’ve learned from my own experiences and challenges as an artist and an aspiring entrepreneur wanting to desperately break out of the 9 to 5 to pursue my dreams, that allows me to really understand, motivate and guide you through your own transition.

In 2009 I moved back to New York City after 10 years in Boston. I had a good career managing a recruiting agency, a great circle of friends and colleagues that kept me busy and fulfilled, and a pretty interesting dating life (to say the least). I was thriving as much as any 26 year old could be in the big city. But by my last year and a half there I had hit a big wall. I was bored with recruiting after 6 years, I was smack in the middle of a crap economy with no idea what I wanted to do next, and even though I was out at open mic nights playing my music and selling my artwork to friends and family, I still felt like creatively I had outgrown my environment and had nowhere to grow. The wall kept getting bigger, and as much as I tried to either ignore the wall or break through it, I only came out more bruised and frustrated at the end of the day. Nothing was changing.

I had always wanted to end up in New York, but my friends and my job were in Boston, I didn’t have the money to move, and even though my family was in New York and I had practically grown up there, uprooting my life to start over was so so intimidating. It seemed impossible in my mind. And another 6 months went by, and still nothing was changing except for the wall which was consistently getting bigger.

Finally in May 2009 I decided I had had enough, and out of both desperation and conviction I made the move. I was dating a guy in New York, and figured I at least had him as a solid base to support me emotionally while I spent the next few months adjusting to my new life. I could become friends with his friends, and build my life around him, and things would just fall into place, right?

Two months later, we broke up, and I was on my own, single, with all my friends up in Boston, and trying to settle into a new job. Everything I had feared had come true. I considered moving back to Boston, back to my comfort zone, to my friends, even to my old job. And it was then, in the midst of that ridiculous (but understandable) train of thought that I realized “@#$% that! This is about me! I’m here, and I came here for me, not for him, and not for anyone else. And whether he’s here or not, it’s time to start writing my own story.” What did I learn? Sometimes it takes letting go everything you thought you needed…. to get what you actually want.

Now…

Don’t Be Afraid to Write Your Own Story. In Fact, You Have no Choice
This is how I got here, and I’m sure my story bears some similarities to many of yours that might instill a sense of trust because you can relate to me as a human being. But keep in mind that even a great story is of little benefit unless it conveys something of value to the audience. Perhaps it invokes a feeling of “wow, it’s good to know I’m not alone”, or it instills a sense of confidence that hiring you is a good move because you’re smart, resourceful and not afraid to put your ideas out there. In this case, you’re shooting for some variation of the latter.

It’s kind of like having a tattoo in the sense.  I can tell from common sense that that’s a tiger on your arm, the same way I can tell from your resume that you’re a graphic designer.  But give me some context around it, tell me the story behind the tiger, or behind the designer – what inspired you to go that direction?  What does it represent about you that’s unique to you?

Obviously you’re not going to walk into an interview and start telling your life story. But you can create a compelling story around your career that shapes your personal brand by really conveying the message of why you’re a valuable asset to a company. And while this is a great tool for any job seeker, it can be especially effective if you’re someone who is changing careers and trying to make a case for breaking into a new field. Talking about your prior experiences, challenges and lessons learned, and how that’s relevant to the role you’re applying for, can help you get over that hurdle of not having hands-on experience.

Simple Steps to Create and Refine Your Own Brand Story
So how do you go about putting together your story? You might know what your story is all about, but the important piece here that really makes it an effective tool is in how you communicate it in a way that will be relevant and interesting to your target audience. If you want to create a really great personal brand, try crafting your story with the following elements in mind:

  • Talk about what drove or inspired you to become involved in your field. Did you have any mentors, or people that you looked up to, or perhaps an event that really inspired you to do this type of work? What was it that really pushed you over the edge and inspired you to take action?
  • What do you think are the most beneficial tools, skills and resources that you picked up along the way?
  • What challenges did you encounter along the way, and more importantly, how did you work through those challenges to grow and learn?
  • How have you used the lessons you’ve learned by tackling those challenges to get you to this point of knowing you’d like to work for this company, or be in this role?
  • What aspects of your professional journey do you consider particularly unique and why?
  • How will your past experiences make you successful in this particular role, and contribute to the goals of the organization?

Remember how storytelling is about making your audience feel better about themselves for engaging with you? As a job seeker it’s all about instilling confidence in your prospective hiring manager that hiring you is a good decision and will provide return on their investment. That sense of confidence comes from having a clear sense of how you will adapt to the new role, get the job done, and be successful doing that. Create a compelling, interesting and relevant visual story around your past successes, and you’ve got all the makings of a successful and attractive personal brand!

So share your story below!

RELATED LINKS
WHAM! BAM! Personal Brand Portfolio: The Cure for the Painfully Common Resume
Branding Summary Statement Worksheet – Create a Killer Brand for Your Resume or Business
Build Your Best Resume – Resume Writing & Personal Branding for the Modern Job Seeker

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Behind the Scenes in HR: What’s Taking So Long to Hear Back?

Posted on March 14, 2012 by danaleavy| 9 Comments

I spent almost a decade in recruiting. So naturally, one of the biggest questions I get from friends, family, colleagues and clients is often, “I haven’t heard back after my interview/resume. Do you think that’s a bad sign?” In the modern technology age, we’re trained to set this unrealistic expectation that the information we seek should be made available to us immediately. But when it comes to HR and hiring, it’s a whole other ballgame, and unfortunately the lack of response and feedback after submitting a resume or attending an interview often leaves candidates in the dark, wondering “What did I do wrong?” Potentially nothing!
I’ve had this secret “members-only” view into the fickle world of HR for some time now. What really catches their eye? Why do they take so damn long to hire someone when they know they’re in love with a certain candidate? Why did they essentially tell me I was their top choice… and then hire someone else?

To avoid some of the unnecessary stress that comes with job searching, it’s important to understand how HR works, and in doing so, as a candidate you’ll have a better scale of what the potential norm is when it comes to dealing with a lengthy hiring process. Hiring is a costly investment for a company, and they want to make sure they’re making the right decision so as to see plenty of return on that investment. After all, it costs 3 times as much to hire a new employee than it does to retain an existing one, and they don’t want the wrong candidate being fired or jumping ship after 1 month on the job.

Join me as I walk you through the glorious inner workings of the HR department, from their perspective, in a hypothetical hiring situation starting from day one – TODAY!

Wednesday, March 14: I have a stack of resumes. It’s my responsibility to phone interview these candidates who were referred or recommended to me internally before the job opening is even advertised or public knowledge. This includes internal referrals from other employees, internal employees who might be considered for a promotion, and candidates who may have come in previously to interview for another role, and even though there wasn’t a place for them at the time, somebody kept them on the radar for “future opportunities”. And here’s the future opportunity. I might really like someone from this group of “premier” candidates, but they won’t necessarily hire them right away.

[2 days pass…]

Friday, March 16: I set up in-person interviews for next week with the early bird candidates who seemed to have good potential based on my phone conversation with them. Of course, there’s always that one person pressing their luck and asking to be interviewed the following week because they’re “out of town until Monday”. Fine…

[5 days pass...]

Wednesday, March 21: I put the job description out to the general public via the company website, social media channels, and perhaps even a few job boards. I’m in the middle of interviewing my early bird candidates and still will be until early next week. My only concern is gathering a bunch of resumes from outside candidates. I start sorting through the 1000s of resumes that come in within the first 4 hours of posting. This is absolutely 100% a reality, so as the candidate, don’t wonder so much why your resume got lost in the shuffle. Eventually they will see it. Hang in there #438!

It’s important to note that at this stage, due to the volume of resumes that often come in after initially posting a job opening, recruiters are scanning through your resume at the speed of light, because I have 1000 other people to look at before week’s end, not to mention the other positions I’m currently trying to coordinate interviews for and fill. With this in mind, make sure your branding message is clear as water, and metaphorically smacks me right in the face so that I can’t miss it. In other words, don’t send a 4 page resume and expect me to read through the whole thing. Have a killer summary statement that opens up your resume, draws my interest, and compels me to keep scanning because you sound, at least initially, like a good fit. And repeat this information in the body of your email. Make sure your resume is optimized for readability, i.e. not too much information crammed on the page, sections are neatly defined, and each section speaks uniformly to your overall branding message.

[2 days pass…]

Friday, March 23: File away the resumes that have strong potential, and eventually once you get through the plethora of submissions, email the candidates with the most potential to see what their deal is, and when they’re available to do a phone interview. And as the candidate, you better clear your schedule. Chances are the director, manager, or whomever is responsible for making the hiring decision on you only gave me 2 or 3 time slots that they’re available to review candidates within the next two weeks.

[3 days pass…]

Monday, March 26: I start conducting initial phone interviews to pre-qualify candidates with strong potential, and who might be worthwhile putting in front of my boss, the hiring decision maker. Only the cream of the crop will be called in first, and if they’re not available, then I move on to the second-choice picks. This process usually takes several weeks. I’ve seen it take several months. As the candidate, don’t get discouraged if you’re still waiting on an invite to come in to interview; it could be on its way.

[1.5 weeks pass…]

Wednesday, April 4: I setup the first round of in-person interviews, which is typically with either myself, someone who works under the hiring decision maker, or both. The second, and hopefully final round, will be with the decision maker themselves. I interview anywhere between 3 to 10 people. Once again, this is likely to take several weeks. And no doubt, some key player is out on vacation, so feedback will have to wait another week and a half until Johnny Junior Manager gets back from his engagement trip to Aruba. After all, we can’t proceed without the feedback and opinions of everyone on the team who will interface with this new hire.

[3 weeks pass…]

Friday, April 27: Once I’ve completed the first-round interviews, and I have 2-3 candidates whom I feel are a sure shot, I setup a second or final interview with the hiring decision maker. Hopefully one of these candidates will end up being hired. Otherwise, I have to go back to the drawing board and see if there’s anyone else I liked whom I can pass through to the next round. Sometimes I have to start from scratch, since it’s typically been several weeks at this point, and many of my potential candidates have disappeared into the arms of another job opportunity.

[2 weeks pass…]

Friday, May 11: In an ideal world, one of my first choice picks who moved on to round 2 of interviews impressed the hiring decision maker enough that she wants to extend an offer. But we’ll finagle a bit about the salary first. Because even though the candidate was upfront that she wants $60,000, and everyone involved in the hiring process was already aware of this, the decision maker decides she doesn’t want to go over $55,000. But she’s willing to offer a tiered bonus plan structure in place of that last $5000. Now I have to go back to the candidate and convey that, Congratulations! We want to hire you. BUT…

Hopefully they’re cool with it. Especially if they’re leaving another job.

[1 week passes...]

Friday, May 18: After a week of going back and forth about the bonus structure, a deal is finally struck, and an offer letter goes out with all the details of the job offer.

[2 weeks pass…]

Friday, June 1: Welcome aboard, new hire!

So what can we deduct from this typical example (and of course, this is from my own experience and every company and situation will be different)? If you were in that initial early bird “premier” group of referred candidates, you just endured 2 months and 3 days between the time you submitted your resume, and the time they came back with an offer letter. And if you were like the other 99% of candidates and submitted your application in response to the initial job posting from day one, you endured just about 2 months from application to offer. The bad news? This is incredibly frustrating, and often the norm. The good news? This is the norm. So stop worrying that you haven’t heard back yet.

RELATED LINKS
Build Your Best Resume – Resume Writing & Personal Branding for the Modern Job Seeker
Branding Summary Statement Worksheet – Create a Killer Brand for Your Resume or Business
7 Steps to a Stellar Resume – Tips to Get Your Noticed, & Get You Hired

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How to Afford to Work for Yourself: Tips for Your First 12 Months

Posted on March 8, 2012 by danaleavy| Leave a comment

Through research and through experience working with young aspiring entrepreneurs and small business owners, I constantly find that the one of the biggest barriers to entry for starting a business is often the financial aspect, whether it’s how to save/get the money to start up, determining how much you need to do so, or what to expect when it comes to properly managing and planning it.

While more and more resources, programs and potential fundraising options are opening up to encourage the rise of small businesses, it’s still difficult to access the type of funding needed for many of us to comfortably get through the 12-36 months startup cycle that most businesses face before reaching a point of sustainability. And unless you’re the next tech giant to-be with a goal of growing into uber-scalability, don’t expect VCs or outside investors to look in your direction.

Who needs ‘em anyway? Because for many of us whose goals are simply to create a sustainable business that resonates with who we are on a personal, professional and creative level, it’s not about growth so much as it’s about finding a way to manage ourselves and our business venture financially during the career transition leap from employee to entrepreneur. So what are some strategies for managing your money as an entrepreneurial newbie, and financing your first year as a new business?

Understand Your Entrepreneurial Objectives
Think about the vision you have for your business and the goals associated with it. Is your goal to transition into your business full time in the next 12-18 months, and grow it into your primary income source? Or is your business more of “side gig” or freelance venture, meant to serve as an additional income source, perhaps to save for something else or maybe increase your earning potential alongside whatever else you’re doing as a primary career? Those are two very different intentions.

With that career goal in mind, set a goal for how much money you need to save to comfortably transition into that next phase of your business, and determine a timeline for when you plan to have that sitting in the bank. Saving for 12 months of expenses may not be a reality for many young urban-dwellers with high costs of living. So perhaps your goal is to save enough to solidly get through the first 3 months, and have another income source securely in place to supplement that, be it a part-time job, consulting or freelance work. Whatever you goal is, know that figure inside and out, and have a solid game plan around how you plan to reach it. How do you determine what that figure is or should be based on?

Create An Annual Salary Figure For Yourself
While you might not be receiving a regular paycheck the same way you would working full time for someone else, as an entrepreneur it’s still critical to know what that earning figure is that you need to attain to be able to get by. The same way that you would negotiate a salary package based upon what you know you need to satisfy your basic cost of living, you need to factor in all of your appropriate expenses to know what kind of income you need to generate. And many people start their business as a side gig, working a part time or full time job to save up a cushion, or have an income source while their business is getting off the ground. However you generate your income while you’re growing your business in the beginning, know what that total figure is for the first 12 months, based on 1) your monthly personal expenses, 2) your estimated monthly business-related expenses, and 3) your estimated upfront/one-time startup costs.

Personal Monthly Expenses: $3000
Business Monthly Expenses: $500
—————————————-
=
Total Monthly Expenses: $3500 / $42,000 Annually
+
One Time Start-Up Costs: $1200
—————————————-
=
Minimum “Salary” To Get Through the First 12 Months: $43,200

Do yourself a favor and don’t shoot for the minimum either. This is your minimum estimated salary figure, and it doesn’t necessarily take into account unforeseen expenses, or even opportunities that might come up. Don’t forget about income taxes either; when you work for yourself or as an independent contractor, you may be subject to pay additional “self-employment tax”, meaning that you have to pay additional taxes to cover Medicare and Social Security, which are normally paid for by your employer or deducted automatically from your paycheck when you work for someone else. A good rule of thumb as an independent is to stash away 30% of your earnings for taxes. At the end of the day, challenges and also opportunities will present themselves, and keeping that in the back of your mind as you plan your budget will position you well to be able to handle them just fine as they arise. Plus, everyone needs a little vacation now & then!

When it Comes to Finances, Make it Business… Not Personal
Open a separate bank account for your business, and perhaps a credit card in the business name. This will help you establish credit for the business, and also keep track of business-related expenses that you plan to deduct at tax time. Keeping records of these expenses is incredibly important, and can save you a lot of money in the long run! In addition, having a bank account in the business name will allow you to manage payments from clients, pay vendors who work with you, and track that income accordingly. Most banks will not allow you to deposit or cash a check made out to the company name into your own personal account. At least not without a fight…

Know Your Tipping Point
It can be a smart idea to start up your business on the side while you’re still working full time or part time in another job or career. It gives you time to save up money toward your goal, so that you’re not starting your business from a place of desperation, and sacrificing the quality of your work simply to pay the bills. One thing you will want to do in this situation is know exactly how much time you have each week to devote to your side business, and be able to commit to that. If you are working for someone else from 9am to 5pm, what hours can you guarantee that you’ll be available to speak with prospects and customers? If you get a new project or assignment, how quickly will you be able to turn it around? If a client needs to include you in a meeting at 10am, will you be able to be available?

It’s a bit of a juggling act at first, and every side entrepreneur experiences this challenge. But do keep in mind that you will eventually reach a point where the business can’t possibly grow any more because you can’t accommodate any additional workload without dedicating more time and effort. And perhaps that will be the pivotal moment when you consider whether or not you want to make the leap to being a full time entrepreneur. Have an idea of what your options will be when you reach that point, and start putting together an exit strategy if you plan to make that eventual transition out.

Money shouldn’t be scary, and it doesn’t have to be intimidating either! A successful business requires a solid financial foundation right from the start. You don’t have to be making tons of money to train yourself how to manage your money effectively. A little knowledge, creative strategy and effective planning is all you need to determine what you need to finance your first year in business, where that revenue will come from, and how you will manage that revenue once it comes in. The good business practices that you establish early on will go a long way in creating success and abundance for the future!

PS – Need a good, no-BS budgeting tool to get you started?  Check this out.

RELATED LINKS
Let’s Get It Goin’!   StartUp Program – Launch Your Business Full Time in 12-18 Months
From Employee to Entrepreneur  E-BOOK - Everything You Need to Know to Start Your Business

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Kicking off a Week of Creative Soul Searching (& Interning With Myself)

Posted on March 5, 2012 by danaleavy| Leave a comment

Today I kick off my week-long creative design & illustration intensive, aptly named “Creative Week!” (Not the most creative of monickers I realize, but hey I’m an illustrator…not a copywriter). Anyhow, as I’ve divulged in recent ramblings, part of what I love about doing what I do as far as working with aspiring creative entrepreneurs and other creative professionals, is talking a little bit of good ol’ shop. As a freelance illustrator in addition to my consulting work, I essentially draw for [part of] a living. I like being able to relate to my audience & my clients on that level.

And that’s ridiculously exciting to me, because it brings me back to the 5th grade in Miss Spinola’s class in New Jersey, where I drew my first piece of pure awesomeness, foreshadowing the wealth of sketchbook awesomeness to come. It was a full-color pencil drawing of Captain America (who I don’t even like, so I don’t know why I chose him) on a piece of yellow notebook paper, the kind where the lines were a centimeter apart and you practiced you cursive writing on it. Anyway, I thought drawing superheros clearly equated to being awesome, and little Rob would finally notice me after having a crush on him since the third grade and want me to draw something for him (omg! omg!). That didn’t happen. But I still thought I was awesome for awhile, until college anyway, where the Ninja Turtle thing ya, know… wasn’t really cool anymore. Wah, wah…

Now it’s about clients, and not little Rob. I guess it never ends, trying to impress someone. But I’m in a good place to do it, I think. I’m in Brooklyn, which I consider the center of the creative universe, the epicenter of freelance lifestyle. Everyone is going to think I’m a hipster now. Just kidding. Regardless, I know for a fact that Captain America sketch still resides in some buried folder in my folks’ house in north Jersey, and I fully intend to find it next time I go home, because I want to hang it up in my office studio.

So this week is essentially my much needed reconnect with my creative self, a self-inflicted “internship” of sorts, to refine my style, rebuild my portfolio, and see how I fare doing nothing but drawing and digitizing for 5 days straight. Of course, I will still be tending to the necessary obligations of running my business and available to answer the call of duty for all current clients – make no mistake there. But I am excited to dive right in and get my hands dirty, with paint, ink, pencil, pen and whatever other medium opens itself up to me this week.

I’ll be keeping my updates here on the blog for anyone who’s interested in the outcomes of my creative journey. Why am I putting this out there for the world to see? Because I’m trying to convey a message, and maybe even set a prime example, that no matter what field of work you’re in, it’s important to honor who you are creatively and personally in your work. And if you can’t do in within the confies and boundaries of your “day job”, then make it a priority to set aside time for yourself to break out of that mold and honor those talents that are important to you. Who knows – maybe it opens a door for you to launch a cool and unexpected side gig!

Until tomorrow…happy creating, and God speed!
Oh, and please don’t tell Rob about my embarrassingly huge crush…

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NYC Social Media Week 2012 Highlights

Posted on February 20, 2012 by danaleavy| Leave a comment

Last week I was honored to be part of a panel of personal branding and fashion experts during Social Media Week in New York City, with Parsons the New School for Design. Joined by Aliza Licht of DKNY, fashion and media guru Susan Tabak, and talented fashion designer & Parsons alum David Ferron, we talked about innovations in social media, best practices for social media as a vehicle for promoting your personal brand, and how all this new media ties into the fashion and creative industries. It was a great chat – check it out below.

Parsons has launched the careers of illustrious designers who are synonymous with American fashion: Claire McCardell, Adrian, and Norman Norell; established industry figures Donna Karan, Marc Jacobs, Tom Ford, and Narciso Rodriguez; and, from the new generation of global designers, Proenza Schouler, Behnaz Sarafpour, Doo Ri, Vena Cava, and Ohne Titel. Follow them on Twitter for their regular #560chat.

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4 Ways to [Definitely] Stand Out in the Crowd

Posted on February 15, 2012 by danaleavy| 2 Comments

Whether you’re a small business trying to gain marketshare and clientele, a freelancer fighting the good battle for your next creative gig, or a jobseeker putting yourself out there to snag that next job, one of the challenges remains: “How do I stand out from my competition?”

There’s a lot of competition out there in my industry as a small business and career consultant. The ones who seem to do the best and have a revolving door of clientele are those who have built a unique brand image that really resonates with who they are, the customers they cater to, and effectively communicates the value of what they have to offer. “Why would you want to work with me?” is the question that the best brands answer loudly and clearly in their messaging, and no doubt that message is positively received and then acted upon by their audience.

I also see a lot of people trying to be overly creative and cheeky, and simply approaching branding all wrong.

I see job seekers presenting professional copywriting portfolios chock full of work sprinkled with curse words in an attempt to be “edgy”. I see consultants projecting their website and marketing copy in the same tone and manner to which they probably speak to their friends after 2 or 3 cocktails, in an attempt to sound more “personable, and cheeky”. And just as bad are those whose personal and business brands lack any creativity or distinction at all. These are the small businesses who focus on pricing and features more than personal benefits, or the job seekers who treat their resume as little more than a chronological listing of events. That’s not a professional branding tool, that’s a TV Guide. And even that’s antiquated at this point.

So whether you’re a small business, an independent freelancer, or a jobseeker, allow me to share 4 steps you can, and should, take in your marketing approach to ensure that you not only stand out above the crowd, but making a positive and lasting impression.

Stand Out Above the Rest: Create a Killer Brand with a Big Voice
It’s not enough to simply create your “personal brand” – who you are, what you do, what you’re looking for, what your skills are, etc.. You can have a stellar brand that puts any and every professional in your field to shame, but it won’t do jack for you if the messaging behind that brand isn’t coming through in your communication. That goes for your resume, your website, your marketing materials, and anything else that has to do with marketing you or your business on a professional level.

Whenever I’ve worked with a client on their resume for instance, I wrap up our consultation with what I think is one of the most important questions they can answer: “What do you want prospective employers to know about you as a candidate?” And this is really where your brand takes shape. If someone attempts to answer this question with some hum-drum response along the lines of “I want them to know I’m a hard worker, I get things done…” I quickly reroute them back to an understanding of what creating a brand is all about: the unique qualities that differentiate you from others in your field with similar backgrounds or service offerings. Let’s try this again:

“What would you like prospective employers to know about you?”
“I’d like them to know that while my hands-on experience is on the production end, I’m constantly pulling from my experience as a fine artist, bringing creative ideas and concepts to the table, which helps me establish a great dynamic with any creative team I work with.”

“What would you like prospective customers to know about you?”
“Customer service and retention is of utmost importance to me. I value my customers above all else, and will always work with them to ensure that their shopping experience with me is positive and rewarding, and that they’re receiving value and quality every time.”

BAM! Sign me up to your newsletter, STAT!

Stand Out Above the Rest: Avoid Trying to Be Overly Creative
While constructing an avant grade resume chock full of flashy imagery, puns and oh yea, it’s written on post-it notes, might seem like a good way to get yourself noticed, it’s not necessarily a good way to get a job. “Creative” does not translate to “better”, and not everyone will appreciate your alternative approach, especially the HR folks who want to know in plain writing what you’ve done in your career to justify them passing your resume along to the head honcho for review.

Businesses have a little bit more flexibility when it comes to being creative with your branding, but it’s still important to keep the creative efforts in line with your brand’s image and personality. If you sell software solutions to Fortune 500s, don’t take your design cues from your favorite indie band’s branding. And when it comes to job searching or seeking out contract work, use your creativity sparingly and appropriately. No matter what industry you’re in, some of the standards of professional job searching still apply. If you’re going to create an interesting personal branding package to help you stand out from the crowd, balance out the essentials (resume, portfolio, cover letter) with pieces that your target audience will actually find relevant and interesting (a white paper you wrote, links to guest blogs you wrote on industry topics, press mentions, etc.). Try to learn as much as you can about the culture of the organization, and then appeal to that in your marketing approach.

Stand Out Above the Rest: Provide Value Above All Else
Let me attack this one from the small business angle first. As I mentioned, I see far too many consultants, coaches and other types trying to communicate to their target customers in an overly impersonal, cheeky and TMI type of way. While it IS important to demonstrate how your brand, whether it’s you as an individual or a 100-person company, understands and relates to your target customer on a personal level, you’re trying to gain clients, not friends. Give them insight into who you are without undermining your value and credibility. Prospective customers don’t care about what your dog did that day, the antics you and your friends were up to last weekend, or anything else that blurs the line between being personable yet credible, and just overly personal. Share information that your potential customers care about – how you’ve made a career transition yourself, what that was like for you, how you managed starting up a business alongside a full time job, how you struggled initially with pricing out your work without feeling guilty, what prompted you to start your shop. Those are the things your customers are really interested in, and while they’re far more business focused, they’re still completely relevant to them on a personal level, and they’ll appreciate working with someone who understands the experience of being in their shoes.

Providing value to your target audience is just as important as a job seeker. You have a product, service or skill that you are trying to market, and to a specific audience, be that human resources, the Creative Director or your next freelance client. Don’t hand Johnny Hiring Manager a resume full of one-line bullet points that lacks a summary statement, and just gives a static overview of past jobs that you’ve held. The way to bring value as a job seeker is by instilling confidence in your prospective employer that they’re going to receive a return on their investment of hiring you. This means it will be an easy transition bringing you on board, not having to hold your hand and essentially teach you how to do your job. It also means feeling confident that you truly value the role and the organization and won’t jump ship in 6 months for something that pays better, putting them back into candidate search mode. And it means clearly demonstrating to them where you’ve used your top skills to bring tangible results to other organizations in the past, so that they understand fully what you’re bringing to the table for them. “What’s in it for us by hiring you?” That’s what they want to know, and how you convey your value.

And don’t think for a second that underpricing yourself translates to value either, for exactly the same reasons you wouldn’t necessarily jump to invest in the cheapest laptop. Be the MacBook of the bunch, perhaps the more expensive option, but no secrets around what you’re capable of providing. Value is just as much about charging what you’re worth, as your’e being paid not just for the hours you work, but for the years of experience and expertise that you’re bringing to the table.

Stand Out Above the Rest: Knock ‘Em Over the Head With Great Customer Service
You would be surprised how many businesses have no systems in place for ensuring top-quality customer service. This includes everything from having standard procedures for dealing with customer dissatisfaction, providing refunds and guarantees, and even programs or perks for recognizing your top customers. I live in New York City, and while we put a high expectation out there on quality based on the cost of living and purchasing here, we surprisingly put less expectation around customer service. And it’s not because we’re rude (we are). But we’ve created an “every person for themselves” type of culture where we’ve slowly diminished the value of interpersonal relationships, put a stigma on small talk among strangers, and trained ourselves not to look one another in the eye, less we want to be considered an oddball with obviously bad intentions. And it’s not just New York City!

But that’s good news, because when we don’t expect great customer service and then we receive it, we’re positively surprised, and propelled to do business with that organization or merchant again. It creates a positive customer experience that we want to replicate. I go to plenty of places in Brooklyn that are far more expensive than some of the bigger chain stores or restaurants, but I continue to patronize them loyally because I appreciate their small business mentality, and the fact that I receive excellent customer service. I would rather pay more money to recreate that positive customer experience than risk giving my money to someone who doesn’t appreciate my patronage. Excellent customer service is key, it’s what my entire business foundation is built upon, one of the top reasons I’ve been successful in previous career paths like recruiting, and something you must pay attention to both as a business and an individual.

Same goes for job seekers- there is a very clear level of tact, or “customer service”, that you must adhere to as a job seeker. If you have a great interview and the person tells you to follow up with them early next week, don’t eagerly call or email the following morning, other than to send a thank you note. And always send a thank you note after an interview, or even a networking lunch or meeting. Letting someone know you appreciate their time and acknowledge the effort they put in to help you will prompt them to want to continue building a relationship with you.

Another tip to keep in mind is to adhere as closely as possible to the job description when submitting your resume and cover letter. Nothing irritates a recruiter or HR professional more than when a candidate submits an application denoting that they “have all the necessary qualifications for the job,” only to find out they have very few. Or even worse – they have many, but didn’t make much effort to tailor their resume over cover letter to the job. Always reference the job title to which you’re applying (companies have multiple openings), and introduce yourself with a brief highlights of your background that compel your reader to want to continue on and read your resume. Never submit a blank email with an attachment, or a one-line introduction that simply states that you’re applying for their opening. Newsflash: they already know that!

I love talking about the idea of personal branding because the most important principles are the same whether you’re an individual job seeker, an independent contractor or freelancer, or a budding small business. Your brand is essentially your product in a way, the entity that you’re marketing to your target audience, whether that’s prospective employers, buyers, or clients. Remember that it’s about communicating what makes you unique in your craft, what differentiates you from others in your same field or area of expertise who have similar backgrounds, comparable pricing, or identical products and services. Think about what your brand represents to your target market, how you can communicate that most effectively, whether the information you put out there is providing real value to your audience, and finally, how to do it tactfully and respectfully so that they’re not only pleasantly surprised, but curious about the experience they’ll have working with you.

RELATED LINKS
Build Your Best Resume – Resume Writing & Personal Branding for the Modern Job Seeker
Branding Summary Statement Worksheet – Create a Killer Brand for Your Resume or Business
Brand Rx – Get a Thorough Analysis of Your Current Brand Identity & Presence

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The Intersection of Creative Expression & Career Momentum

Posted on February 8, 2012 by danaleavy| Leave a comment
This post originally appeared in the January blog edition of Tangerine-Watson’s THRIVE newsletter.

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One of the challenges of being a creative, whether it’s by trade or by interest, is striking a balance that both satisfies the needs of your career, and satiates your creative appetite.

I admire anyone whose day-to-day career responsibilities cross into creative territory- advertising, marketing, design, technology to name a few. Yet having worked with creatives and ad folks for nearly ten years, I understand the challenges that often come with doing work that focuses around someone else’s creative vision. It’s not exactly what every decorated art school grad had in mind.

Even as a designer, illustrator, art director or anyone else who potentially spends their day creating, designing, writing or strategizing, there still often exists that need to balance the work you do for your client or organization with the need to express your own creativity through satisfying channels.

And many creative professionals do balance this successfully, running freelance ventures that allow them to choose the clients they work with and the projects they take on, or perhaps working for firms whose portfolio of work and clientele they truly admire and identify with. But you don’t have to be a career creative to seek out and put value on creative expression. In the modern careerscape of 2012, the truth is that everyone struggles to carve out a creative niche, both in their work and personal endeavors.

It’s certainly a challenge I’ve waded through as an entrepreneur, and counsel my
budding entrepreneurial clients on. Nothing teaches you to prioritize your time, energy and output quite like working for yourself. In the beginning, whether you’re a consultant, a freelancer, or striving to be the next big tech startup, it’s easy to dive head-first into your work and toss all of your other previously important interests to the side in the name of potential success. “They’ll still be there later,” we tell ourselves.

This is where we entrepreneurs fall guilty of the 80-hour workweek cliche – your business is your baby and if you truly believe in your idea, you will go to extraordinary lengths to assure its healthy development and success. You justify work as your new creative outlet, whether that’s true or not, and suddenly your brushes, journal or Wacom tablet are off collecting dust.

And make no mistake that overworked professionals of any industry are just as guilty of such habits as are the tireless entrepreneurs. The problem with this scenario is that anyone who values creativity at the core thrives on the ability to express themselves, to create good work and to feel challenged, and practices that ignore those needs are simply not sustainable. Because when we ignore our values in any form, whether it’s by taking a job that doesn’t resonate with who we are, doing work we’re not proud of, or letting our passions fall by the wayside, we are placing ourselves in an unsustainable situation. Sustainability by definition is the ability to endure, in a career, in an environment, in business or in life, and in any of those areas where we lack sustainability, potential for burnout is abundant.

As an artist and entrepreneur, I have learned that you simply have to prioritize creativity in the same way that you prioritize anything else in your life – making money, paying bills, fostering your relationships and your career. I’m lucky in that I’ve learned to make creativity a part of my business, in the form of designing new products and services, coming up with fresh marketing ideas, and managing my visual identity and web presence. My New Year’s resolution is to carve out more time to take on freelance illustration projects. While I can be creative in my business, there’s still a large void when I don’t make it a point to honor my inner fine artist, a character that’s defined me for nearly 30 years.

The role that creativity plays in each of our lives and in our work will certainly be
different for everyone, and as a result the niche that we carve out to satisfy that creative drive will take on its own unique look.

With that in mind, it’s not just about what we do creatively outside of the job. If you are someone who places creativity as a core value, it’s important to consider how those values are also being honored as you’re moving through your career. You don’t have to be a designer or writer to satisfy your creative appetite on the job. But do think about the opportunities and aspects of your work that might allow you to really flex your right brain, to problem solve, to come up with innovative solutions and generate fresh ideas. It’s no surprise that creativity is billed as one of the top in-demand business skills that companies value in candidates and employees.

Studies suggest that when we feel creatively engaged at work, our overall job satisfaction often higher.  At the end of the day, who wouldn’t want someone with that kind of work ethic and pride on their team, and who wouldn’t want to work for a team that encourages that kind of healthy and fulfilling environment?

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