Hi Girls,

My goal for 2012 is to create a community of young professional women via MsCareerGirl.com who can help each other professionally and have a bit of fun together too!  Check out these events, then share with friends! Hope to see you there!

-Nicole 

Today!

Connect, Inspire, Grow event featuring Jairek Robbins

I am crazy for Connect, Inspire, Grow events because they are not your average networking event.  Events like tonight’s at the Dana Hotel tonight focus on personal development and inspiring guests and rather than just exchanging business cards.  I’ll be serving as a social media panelist addressing Twitter.  But more importantly Jairek Robbins – the world famous Tony Robbins’ son- will be giving an interactive presentation on how to make 2012 your best year yet! A photographer will be doing complimentary professional head shots too!  For more info or to register, click here! 

Tomorrow (Wednesday Feb 1)

This week’s #MCGConnect Twitter Chat giveaway: Two Career or Small Business Coaching Sessions with me!

Our third #MCGConnect Twitter chat is tomorrow (Wednesday 2/1) at 8pm CST.  If you haven’t joined us for a chat before, you should!  Every 10 minutes we release a new question around the topics of: pop culture, career, fashion, food & family and relationships!  It’s a great way to meet great people and grow your following.  We give away prizes during each chat!  This time we’re giving away two career or small business coaching sessions with me.  Think of it as free therapy, market research for your business or honest unbiased feedback on your next career move. Hope to see you tomorrow night!

Wedding Proposal Contest- over $10k in prizes! Share with the men in your life!

My very own wedding planner, Jenee Allan, is doing fantastic things here in Chicagoland and I cannot believe I’ve had the honor of being able to work with her.  She’s debuting a new wedding proposal service (for men who are looking to get engaged) and is doing a huge giveaway to kick it off!  Not only will she plan the perfect engagement event/wedding proposal, but the winner of this contest will also receive the following from Chicago’s most coveted wedding vendors:

One night stay at Sax Hotel, Dinner for Two, Flowers, Limo Service, Proposal and Love Story Video, Hair/Makeup/Facial & Massage for the new bride-to-be, Custom Stationary, Chocolates & Sweets, Linens, Spray Tan

Please share the contest page on your Facebook page to spread the word! THANKS!

Next Week

Young Professional Women of Chicago Happy Hour

Chicago ladies are you part of our Meetup group yet? The Young Professional Women of Chicago Meetup page will post fun professional, social and community events in Chicago including all Ms. Career Girl Connect events.  Join us next Wednesday (2/8) at Standard Bar & Grill in Wicker Park for a casual Happy Hour. I hope to meet some of you in person there!

March

Ms. Career Girl Connect: Health & Wellness Edition

Thursday March 15th will be our 4th Ms. Career Girl Connect event!  As usual we’ll have complimentary champagne, appetizers, gift bags (for the first 50 women to arrive) and an expert panel discussion.  Since most of us want to get fit and loose a few pounds this year, we’ve brought on a holistic health coach, registered dietitian, body image coach and personal trainer to answer all your questions and make sure your new years resolutions are on track!  Please submit any (confidential) questions you have for the panelists to me via email (nicole@mscareergirl.com)!  Register here – ticket prices go up the longer you wait.

I’m very excited to have a guest post by Chloe Esposito of UnderitAll.com today. Thanks for sharing your story so honestly Chloe! I know there are many other women who’ve experienced the same thing. -Nicole

They say the way to success is to climb on the shoulders of those who have already been there.

So when I took a secretarial position at one of the largest media companies in the world, I thought it would be a great place to start. In fact, directing calls, coordinating and assisting executive meetings and learning to ease stress in times of last-minute needs and malfunctions became quite rewarding; rewarding until the vulnerability and hospital nature of my position made me a prime target for men trying to pick up women on the job.

After four years of college I didn’t think my most essential skill  would be defending my secretarial territory in a corporate jungle filled with overly aggressive and powerful men.

My naivety to the outstanding issue that surfaces in most work environments ended one afternoon when helping an executive set up a meeting. I noticed the executive’s middle-aged guest giving me ‘the stare down.’ It wasn’t long before the meeting was out and the same older man was at my desk asking if I was married. Shocked and embarrassed, since he had no shame in asking me in front of the entire office, I told him no, which later lead to a long and painful rant of how well he would treat me and how I should find out by getting drinks and dinner with him.

I had no idea what to do as the entire office stared at me. I remember sinking lower and lower into my chair trying to think of what to say next. However, the only thing I could come up with was a timid, “No, thank-you,” which obviously didn’t stand a chance with a professional negotiator.

I found out, however, that I did the right thing. I was told, “I’ve seen it happen before- young professional turns down older executive, squashes his ego, older executive seeks revenge, young professional gets fired.” If I wanted to keep my job, I would have to stay clear of harming any egos, and get back to work.

However, after many more instances, I became fed up. I finally threw in the towel when I saw a well-established journalist/anchor get off the elevator in a panic. A man who worked in the building had followed her into the elevator, assaulted her and then ran off when the elevator opened.

I didn’t care whom the man was. I called security, they reviewed the tapes, and within that same day, the man was fired.

No matter what anyone says, sexual harassment and discrimination should never be tolerated. The most disappointing part, however, is that most don’t speak up about it, and the ones that do, such as in the recent Herman Cain sexual assault allegations, often have alternative agendas…

However, what about those that are looking for justice?

According to a report, 17.3% of women and 4.8% of men in a sample group had quit their job because of sexual harassment and 7.1% of the women had missed work for the same reason. In another study, 96% of victims reported emotional stress manifested in nervousness, fear, anger or sleeplessness and 63% developed physical reactions such as headaches, nausea and weight loss. The most mind-boggling part is that employees who used confrontation to cope with the harassment tended to experience worse job outcomes than others did. [1]

Recent confessions from Megan Fox, Gwynth Paltrow, Charlize Theron and Lisa Rinna have proven just this by stating how famous directors and producers have asked them for sexual favors in exchange for fame. Megan Fox told GQ last year how devastated she was by the number of Hollywood directors who have tried to sleep with her since becoming famous, along with Gwyneth Paltrow, who told Elle Magazine she had worked very hard on a deal, only to discover that ‘the people’ wanted it to be completed in the bedroom. Lastly, Lisa Rinna lost an important role in a TV series after refusing to have sex with the producer.

Don’t get me wrong, the proximity and time spent with co-workers at the workplace can in fact lead to healthy and happy relationships. A recent sample even showed that 25% of men 35% of women found love at the workplace and accepted it as normal.1 The issue at hand here, however, is recognizing that underneath socially acceptable behavior in the workplace lays a solid truth: sexual harassment does in fact exist and people need to know how to recognize, act and responsibly handle threatening and uncomfortable situations that effect their careers.

Below are the 6 facts every professional should know about sexual harassment in the workplace:

1. Sexual harassment violates the law when you submit to sexual demands to keep your job or when behavior creates an intimidating, hostile and offensive working environment. If you find yourself in any of these situations you have the right to file a complaint because it is violating Title VII of the Civil Rights Act.
2. Act immediately and speak directly to the person at the time harassment occurs. Make it extremely clear that you are not interested and do not like to be touched while talking. Perhaps the actor was not intentional? Either way, if it bothered you speak up.
3. If it persists keep a diary of what is happening with dates, times and places. Another option is to keep your phone with a recorder near by to record any ongoing instances. Record as much evidence as you can, for it can help you if the person does not stop.
4. Don’t be afraid to talk about it. After a few instances I encountered I talked to my boss about what I was experiencing. It turned out she was used to dealing with the issue long before I took the position. We collaborated on what I should do and say if someone approached me again. She also told her boss about the situation incase it happened again. It felt really great knowing the company had my back and was willing to take action if it happened again.
5. Retaliation is illegal so if you are transferred to a lower-paying job, passed over for promotion or let go; you can report this to an enforcement agency such as The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC).
6. If you’re a boss, business or company owner don’t risk ignoring complaints because you can land in serious legal and financial trouble. According to Foxnews.com, even though most sexual harassment charges don’t reach a jury trial and almost 60% of sexual harassment charges are determined to have “no reasonable cause,” victims were still awarded more than $121 million in 2009. In addition, if the case were to go to trial, victims could obtain an average of $275,000. So don’t push it under the rug!

Whether you have experienced, witnessed or heard a story like mine, it is my hope that we can all be prepared on how to take action immediately if this common, yet buttoned up, workplace predicament happens to you.

• Have you experienced sexual harassment in the workplace? 
• How did you handle it?
• Were you satisfied or upset with how the situation was taken care of?

Wanting to start your own business feels a lot like a bug bite. It itches and you scratch at it all day long. When it bites — some bite back. Others simply spread ointment over it and call it a day. I tip my hat to women in business — the ones that say, “screw the ointment, I’ve got to scratch this thing.”

Last night I had the chance to sit through a Junior League of Dallas speaking engagement, “How to start a business?” featuring several local female entrepreneur who shared some interesting stories.  Here are several insights that I learned while listening to women that apparently said no to the ointment.

On Discovery – Discovering your talent is rarely a choice.

Discovery is often born out of the shadows. Many of the female entrepreneurs that spoke last night  (and that I’ve read about) had no idea that they were onto something or how valuable their talents were. Their entrepreneurial talents were simply disguised as “things that they do”.  As one panelist put it “ You kind of figure out along the way what works best for you.”

The birthplace of entrepreneurial talents can reveal itself within one of several categories. Some of the ones we heard about last night were:

▪ Crafts and hobbies
Interior designers, florists and bestsellers tell us time and time again that they’re simply doing something they love. I know it’s corny — but I’m actually starting to believe it. Many of the women out there pursuing their dreams and profiting from it are doing it well because they love it.

▪ Survival techniques
One woman spoke of her desperate need to flip her house once she’d divorced. She’d done it so well that she realized she could actually make a living off of it. I’m constantly amazed by the amount of women who didn’t have an opportunity fall out of the sky and into their laps — but instead were hit over the head with a challenge. The skills that these women needed to survive then morph into profit bearing tactics —  and they never look back. Brilliant.

▪ Obsessions
Healthy eaters, fashionistas, bloggers and filmmakers. They’ve all got one thing in common. They can’t escape their passion. These women are normally not only outstanding female entrepreneurs — but they’re often on a roll with a huge niche following, plenty to share with their communities and endless personal fulfillment.

▪ Lifelong Skills
This could apply to just about anyone — but I point it out for women in particular because it’s often the precursor to entrepreneurial efforts in male dominated fields.

Whether this further supports the idea that current the lack of women in these fields can be attributed to the educational system is another post entirely — regardless, a lot of the reading and listening that I’ve done reveals that women excelling (and starting women owned businesses) in male dominated fields were raised with an early introduction to it.

On Execution- What pushes the female entrepreneur to act?

Each of the female speakers last night that had started their own businesses had heavy external influences. It isn’t just about the desire to make money (although indeed it’s one of the end goals)— but they’re also seeking a certain lifestyle, trying to survive, or looking for more fulfillment. Three incentives I pulled from the panel last night?

▪ Financial Hardship
The female entrepreneur is often born out of necessity.

▪ Unfulfilling work environment
She is also born out of frustration.

▪ Perfect Partnerships
Whether it be the spouse, best friend or a perfect stranger— finding another talent that complements their own is a big incentive for women.

On Achievement – When do women say to themselves, “job well done!”?

How these women gauge their own success is probably the most valuable takeaway. Because the fear of failure is the greatest barrier to any sort of entrepreneurship, benchmarks  — whether too high, low or just right — are pivotal to any businesses survival.

The majority of last night’s panel was pretty clear about what they considered success — positive publicity. Whether it was news story coverage, winning a competition, magazine cover spots, or a radio station shout-out, recognition from the community as an established brand and business was a key indicator of having reached a certain level of success.

What I’ll leave you with.

Many of us will avoid scratching bug bites. It hurts, it may leave scars and half the time the pain heavily outweighs the relief. But what many of us have to realize (despite what we may have been taught) —  is that the relief is more than worth it, the scars will heal, and your skin grows tougher. There’s nothing “unpretty” about it. So — to the women who scratch their bug bites, let’s rejoice in your relief and celebrate your accomplishments so that more of us will follow your lead!

Do you feel the entrepreneurial bug bite?  Are you scratching it or sticking it out in corporate america?  

WHY do you think you feel the entrepreneurial itch?

Before reading today’s post be sure to read part 1, “Before the Barre: My Pre- Barre Bee Fit Experience.”

I ended my last post with, “confidence is a funny thing, not enough and you think you’re a fool; too much and you are the darn fool.”  When it comes to my experience at Barre Bee Fit, emphasis is on the latter part of that quote.  In my last post, I made a sarcastic reference to “feeling the burn from 2 pounds.” Well, sure enough that is exactly what happened.

In my first class, there were 2 pound weights involved and I felt the burn alright. Thighs shaking, face drained with sweat and heart rate high, I made it through the first class. I also remember thinking to myself, “shouldn’t this be called G.I. Jane studio?” because I certainly felt like I had just undergone military training.

My second class was just as great and by great, I mean my thighs were shaking again. In fact, at the time of writing this post, I have attended five classes and each time I leave feeling like I have been put through the physical wringer. What does an average military training, oh, excuse me, Barre Bee Fit class consist of? Well, there is no average Barre Bee Fit class. For starters, it really isn’t anything like military training; it is far too sophisticated and glamorous for that.  Their classes of 45 minutes to an hour are a mixture of strength training, circuit workouts, dance poses and stretches.

You work every single muscle in your body, even those tiny muscles that you don’t pay attention to when you do cardio or lift weights. What’s great about their classes too is that each class is different each week, so you really target different muscles as well as target muscles from different angles.  Yes, you will hear the instructor repeat things like, “poke it, poke it” but don’t be fooled.  That poke takes a lot of effort! Notwithstanding my military training jokes, the classes are great for any one at any exercise level but the fitness instructor will push you to work at your best so no matter what, you will feel “the burn.” I also love the music at Barre Bee Fit, which changes in each class and if you’re worried about any guys watching you while you “poke it,” the classes are targeted for women.

So, what did I learn from my Barre Bee fit experience? That I should probably have never quit dance! Other than that, to always try something new for your body. A lot of us go to the gym or run and do the same thing for our bodies over and over. But just like our brains, our bodies need to be learning new things. At Barre Bee Fit, this is something they are clearly on top of. If you need any extra motivation, below is a picture I came across that typifies my experience at Barre Bee Fit and what we should all experience when we work out. The truth is in seeing how far we can push our bodies, we often see what our minds are made of too.

Cheers,

Kovie

A big welcome to Melody Kiella!  This is Melody’s first guest post on MsCareerGirl.com!

Recently I made a job change that required me to reevaluate my career goals, step out of my comfort zone, and resign from my first professional position. I had been working as an in-house attorney for a small Atlanta-based company for a little over a year when I started to feel antsy, and in mid-September my eyes began to wander.

My wandering eyes had nothing to do with the people I was working with or my working environment.  It simply had to do with the fact that I wasn’t being challenged enough and I wasn’t growing at the rate that I wanted to be growing at. During my down time I started looking into potential job openings. Since I work in the legal field I wasn’t too positive that anything would happen, but in mid-November I got an email from a young lady indicating that her law firm wanted to interview me.

I went on the interview with no expectations and no plans. Part of me didn’t want to get my hopes up, and the other part of me knew that I had nothing to lose. I had a job and an incoming paycheck so there was no added pressure on me to nail the interview and please everyone I talked with. For the first time in my career I was able to actually enjoy the interview process and not stress out about what I said or didn’t say.

When the lunch interview was done I knew that everything had gone well. I had no doubt that I would be called back for another interview, and I was. The second interview was a little more intense because I met with about seven attorneys at the firm for a three hour period, but three days later I got the call that I was being offered the job. The second I got off the phone with the law firm I called my husband and we both cheered together. It was a great opportunity for me professionally and for us financially.

It wasn’t until the following morning that it hit me that I would have to tell my boss, whom I greatly admired and enjoyed working for, that I was leaving to go work somewhere else. I knew that he was going to be completely caught off guard and shocked, and I wasn’t looking forward to answering his why questions. Why are you leaving? Why didn’t you tell me you were unhappy?

The week leading up to “the talk” I asked a lot of people for their advice. Many of them told me that quitting was not a big deal; quitting was simply part of business. One of my friends told me that employers know when they hire young professionals that the chances are high that they will leave when a new opportunity arises. While I knew that all of this was true, it didn’t make going into my boss’s office any easier. I ultimately decided that breaking the bad news was best to do on a Friday. My husband convinced me that Friday would be the best day because it would allow my boss time to collect his thoughts over the weekend.

The week leading up to the Friday of “the talk” I wasn’t really that nervous, but when Friday morning arrived I could feel the nerves expanding in my stomach the closer I got to the office. When I arrived at the office I typed out an official resignation letter emphasizing how much I enjoyed working at the company and even typed out exactly what I wanted to say when I walked down to his office. I found that going over what I was going to say a few times in my head made my nervousness dwindle ever so slightly.

When my boss came in around 9 I walked down to his office with my shoulders pushed back and my head held high. I quietly knocked on the door and asked if he had a minute to speak. I sat down and tried to gather myself, but the moment I saw his happy, smiling face sitting across from me all of my preparedness went out the window. I took a deep breath and got right down to the facts. I was resigning. I was putting in my two weeks. I had a great opportunity that I couldn’t turn down. I was not leaving because I didn’t enjoy working for the company. Please don’t take this personally.

I am not going to go into details about what happened exactly (because that is between my boss and I), but it was not easy to tell someone that you enjoyed working for that you were resigning. In fact, I got teary eyed when I broke the news to him. Something about the shocked look that slowly crept onto his face and the close, personal bond that we had established throughout my tenure with the company made it impossible for me to keep my emotions inside. Looking back I wish I had refrained from letting those few tears come to the surface, but what could I do? I am human after all.

After the meeting was over I felt as if a weight had been lifted off of my shoulders. While I was sad about leaving my position and the people with whom I had grown close with, I was excited to have my first resignation under my belt (and hopefully my last) and have a new opportunity to learn and grow from.

As I know from personal experience, putting in your two week notice can be extremely nerve racking and difficult. While you are bound to be nervous before you walk into your boss’s office, remember that at the end of the day business is business no matter how much you like working for a particular employer. Your boss knows that resigning and moving on is a part of life. I am sure they have resigned from positions before and understand that sometimes an opportunity is too good to turn down. The most important part about giving your two weeks notice is to be respectful and to allow your boss enough time to find someone to replace you.

I am a firm believer that when it comes to your career and your life you need to take all of the opportunities that come your way. You never want to look back and wish you had done something different. So, if you are blessed with a new career opportunity but are scared of letting your boss or current company down, just make the decision that is best for you and never look back.

Have you ever had to leave a job you enjoyed?  How did you deliver the news?  What was your boss’s reaction?  

What tips do you have for others who want to resign with grace?

What resolutions should you be making in the new year?

When the calendar flipped to 2012, it ushered in a new year of potential and possibilities. As a job seeker looking to take the next step in your career, now is the time to make a resolution to turn the new year into a successful one.

As the world leader in workforce solutions, we know what it takes for professionals to succeed. So to help you, we’ve put together a list of recommended resolutions that can help you land your next great job.

Reassess your Career

Did you love your previous position? Did you want more out of your day-to-day? Is part of the reason things didn’t work out because you needed a more positive work environment?

Now is a good time to ask yourself these questions and determine whether or not you want to continue in the same line of work. John P. Strelecky, author of The Why Cafe, suggests that being unemployed is the ideal time to evaluate what you want to do with your career. According to Strelecky, 45% of Americans aren’t happy in their jobs, and if you are currently out of work, you are in the perfect position to explore a variety of options.

If you’re looking for a career change, try taking classes, volunteering or working on a contract or temporary basis to get the experience employers want to see. You’ll learn more about the industry and improve your chances of securing employment at the same time.

Refresh Your Online Profiles

Today, employers turn to social networks when evaluating candidates like you. That means Facebook isn’t just for friending old high school buddies. LinkedIn, Twitter, Google Plus and other online networking sites can also be great platforms to present and market yourself. Of course, you also need to check your privacy preferences to make sure the information you post can only be seen by appropriate audiences. You wouldn’t want a recruiter stumbling upon photos from your wild weekend getaway.

Your LinkedIn profile is especially important, as it is the most popular professional networking site. Click here for a list of recommendations to help you get the most out of your LinkedIn profile.

No matter what service you use, be sure to keep your information up to date to increase visibility and catch the eye of recruiters or potential employers.

Revamp your network

Building up a network of professional contacts – and potential references – could help you in your job search. After all, “who you know” is often just as important as “what you know.”

So how can you build a solid network? You can start by reaching out to former colleagues, bosses and associates immediately. Solidifying these relationships can take time and effort, and you don’t want to miss out on potential opportunities or potential references.

You should also be selective when it comes to building your network; don’t contact people in the hopes of getting a recommendation for a position if you have no prior history with them. Instead, start a conversation on a blog or social networking site, comment on statuses, offer advice where appropriate, and position yourself as a resource. Remember that maintaining your network is a continuous endeavor and remaining in contact with your colleagues will be a vital part of your success.

Rewrite your Resume

Without a doubt, your resume and your cover letter are two of the most important pieces of content in your job search. They are the first things recruiters and hiring managers see and a poorly written or unprofessional looking resume can cost you a job even if you are a great match. That’s why it is so important to make sure yours is up to date and appeals to prospective employers.

According to US News, there are a few steps you can take make a good first impression with your resume. First, tailor your resume to the job. Create unique resumes for each individual opportunity in order to highlight the skills that are specific to the position. Furthermore, be sure to read the application carefully and follow all the instructions. This simple step can provide you with a leg up on other candidates who are applying to jobs without taking the small details into consideration.

Lastly, keep your resume simple. Leave out any irrelevant information, personal information, and photos, etc. You want your resume to be easy to read for the employer. If it takes too much time or effort to review your application, a potential employer will likely move on to the next candidate.

Revitalize your marketable skills

The Government of Alberta detailed the three critical skills that employers are looking for:

• Transferable skills, such as computer and technology aptitude, are very flexible and useful in a variety of jobs and industries.
• Time management skills and the ability to effectively manage your workload and schedule are also paramount.
• Work-specific skills, the ones you will use every day in your chosen career path, should be continually refined. In addition to taking professional development courses, temporary positions can help you gain real world experience and bolster your skill set to appeal to future employers.

As an Adecco associate, you’ll have free access to our online skills training programs.  We offer access to thousands of courses across professional fields that will enable you to brush up on your skills- or learn new ones.

You have the power to make 2012 a truly awesome year. Take the time to enact these resolutions in order to enhance your job search and land your dream job.

But remember, these tips are just the start when it comes to putting your dream job within reach. For more tips and career advice, visit Adecco Staffing Services or contact your local Adecco office today.

And now for a Contest!

Adecco USA will be running a “New Year, New You” contest starting January 15, 2012. Check out the Adecco Facebook page for more details, and find out how you could win daily prizes throughout January 2012!

One grand prize winner will  receive an interview suit and laptop- stayed tuned, and you could be on the path to career success!

Ms. Career Girl Contest

Now that you have these great New Year’s resolutions, which one are you going to stick with? Do you have another resolution that would be great for women in the workforce? Leave a comment here and the best idea will win a $50 visa gift card!  The winner will be announced on our Facebook page on Friday January 13th at 5pm CST.

Answer me honestly – when is the last time you purposely celebrated a success in your life? 

Please say it wasn’t your High School graduation or your wedding!

I’m talking doing something great but often overlooked such as finishing a huge creative project, winning new business, achieving your goal weight or getting a new job.

Did you celebrate and take the time to give yourself a pat on the back or did you move on to the next thing without even taking a rest?

Worse still – did you beat yourself up that you could have done better?

A telling sign is that you find it difficult to take compliments. I once finished a HUGE client job (for the United Nations no less) under incredibly tight deadlines and long hours but took absolutely no pleasure in its completion. In fact, I never even looked at it again, just in case I found the spelling mistakes I was sure I had made.

I’m not alone. In fact, many women and clients I speak to have the same problem. A complete inability to celebrate ourselves and our achievements.

What’s the deal with that?

A Client Story

Amy from Dublin is an increasingly accomplished actor and playwright. She recently had a sell out one-woman show and she finished the first draft of her new play.

What did she do to celebrate? Nothing – she just went on to the next thing without a beat.

I asked her what she’d do to celebrate when she’s an award winning actress, living in different countries around the world and earning millions from acting.

She said she’d open a bottle of expensive champagne and go out with friends to a fancy restaurant.

I asked her what she could do now to really anchor that experience for the future, so she decided to open a bottle of sparkling wine and invite some friends over to celebrate. Her future self will thank her for sparking off this success ritual.

You see, if Amy doesn’t start celebrating her successes now, she may never take the time because she’ll always just move on to the next thing, no matter how big she gets.

 Why is it so important?

Congratulating yourself for a job well done cements those good feelings firmly into the present. Success breeds success and the more “proof” you have that you are successful, the easier it will be to attract further good fortune. 

Besides – it just feels good!

 Shoes!

My dear mother always reminds me that I shouldn’t give advice if I’m not willing to do myself, so we were out shopping and I got a message that I just got a new coaching client. We were looking at shoes and I decided to buy these brown strappy ones as a celebration reward. I think I’m going to make it a habit so I have my eyes on these other sparkly ones too.

Rewards of shoes or clothes are a great motivator, especially if you know the exact shoes you want. Go and pine over them in a shop, take a photo to put on your dream board and when you achieve what you set out to do – GO AND BUY THEM! Oh, and don’t forget to wear them often and congratulate yourself again and again.

How would you like to celebrate?

So shoes and champagne might not do it for you. You need to find a reward that will completely motivate you.

If money is tight and you can’t celebrate in quite the style you’re willing to become accustomed to, where can you start? Buy a bottle of cheap champagne and as your successes grow, so can the quality of the bubbly!

Here are some other great ideas:

• Celebrate afternoon tea at a fancy hotel
• Get new professional photos taken
• Visit a personal shopper for a makeover
• Go to the movies by yourself
• Enjoy a single beautifully iced cupcake
• Get a piece of your jewellery engraved with a beautiful affirmation
• Get a professional blow dry
• Buy some flowers for yourself
• Relax with a massage or a facial
• Hike to the top of a mountain and fist pump the air when you get there
• Get yourself some personalised stationery
• Buy a special new pen and a beautiful crisp notebook
• Have a pampering day at a spa
• Invite friends around for dinner to help you celebrate
• Wear your best underwear

….. lastly, put your hand on your heart and affirm “I’m on my way”.

Every time?

Yes, every time you achieve something fabulous, you should celebrate.

It’s very VERY important. You don’t have to go crazy every time. Afterall, if I bought a pair of expensive shoes every time I got a new client, I wouldn’t make much profit and I’d have a LOT of shoes. (Actually that doesn’t sound too bad!).

Decide in advance how much of your income, salary, bonus or client payment is going to be solely to be spent on yourself. I think 10% is a nice even sum. This money cannot be spent on mundane things like such underwear (unless it’s gorgeous), personal care products that you’d buy anyway or something for your children, partner or friends.

That money is dedicated to pleasure and celebration. 10% isn’t too much to spend on yourself is it?

Get excited every time you achieve something. Make a story out of your success and others will recognise you too. You deserve it.

What’s the last thing you celebrated? What did you do?

If you’ve ever dreamed of building an international career, you must read Stacie Berdan’s Go Global! Launching an International Career Here or Abroad. I found myself nodding and smiling throughout this concise, convenient eBook.

Stacie draws from her own experience to give practical, step-by-step advice. She worked for a top global public relations firm in Hong Kong for many years, during which she gained the skills and experience to skip several levels on the corporate ladder. This is her second book about international careers. Her first book, Get Ahead By Going Abroad: A Woman’s Guide to Fast-Track Career Success, was published in 2007.

(And GoGlobal is only five bucks! That’s the price of one cocktail in a college bar! Consider it a cocktail with Stacie Berdan and her network of international professionals.)

Some of my favorite tidbits from GoGlobal!: 

• You can launch an international career at home. You don’t have to move to another country, since the modern world of work is packed with international connections.
• Take an honest look at your own personality, to make sure you’re ready for the cross-cultural challenges of working in an international environment. To build your global mindset, study foreign languages, read foreign news, and watch movies from other countries.
• Avoid taking on debt. Debt limits your career options, at home or overseas. There are many ways to gain global experience without going into debt.
• As you prepare to apply for international jobs, begin by defining your global brand. From this you can craft an elevator pitch, cover letter, resume and online presence. I particularly like Stacie’s sequential, non-intimidating process, and suggestion to begin a resume with a Qualifications section that describes your value proposition and 4-5 memorable bullet points.
• Dismal events can lead to career opportunities. Uprisings in the Middle East led to  new opportunities for communications firms like Twitter. The tsunami in Japan created new opportunities for construction firms. Both good news and bad news influence the international job market.

The book is packed with links to YouTube videos, personal anecdotes from about a dozen internationally-minded folks ranging from students to top executives, and invitations to email Stacie Berdan directly.

The book’s final chapter, “Navigating the Pathways to China,” is by Rebecca Weiner, who has 27 years of experience as a “Zhongguotong” (China hand.) Rebecca describes China’s bifurcated job market, which has plenty of entry-level opportunities to teach English and gain experience as a young professional, and plenty of jobs for experienced managers (some of which include drivers and villas, the “full expat package”) but fewer choices for mid-level professionals.

Rebecca encourages anyone who aspires to work in China to:

• work hard and be ready to learn, adjust, and reflect
• differentiate yourself by emphasizing your creativity and innovation (these are obsessions of modern Chinese corporate culture, and they are not at all emphasized in the Chinese educational system)
• meet other expats, but don’t exclusively hang out with them
• and more!

I especially recommend this book because it outlines many of the steps I have taken in my own career.

I majored in Latin American Studies at the University of California, Berkeley. As part of my degree, I studied abroad in Chile for a full year. This program gave me the opportunity to intern with a microfinance non-profit and volunteer in a shantytown library. All my classes were 100% in Spanish.

When I graduated in 2006, I decided to move to China to teach English at a university in Jiaxing, a “small town” of a million people near Shanghai. This has been by far the most random decision of my life. Within three months, with no specialized training, I transformed myself from a student of Latin America to a teacher in China. I enjoyed leading debates and skits in the classroom, and I think I learned more from my students than they did from me. Over the next four years, I worked in a wide range of industries in Shanghai and Beijing — advertising, consulting, corporate social responsibility, marketing, and more — all while learning Chinese.

In mid-2011 I was ready to revisit my interest in Latin America, and I found a wonderful opportunity. I moved to Chile in July of 2011 to join a solar energy startup and participate in Start-Up Chile, an entrepreneurship program sponsored by the Chilean government. Alongside this solar energy project, I have recently launched my own China-Chile-California consultancy, Tricontinental Advisors.

I mention all of this to show you that it IS possible to build an international career. It all starts with developing a global mindset, learning foreign languages, and figuring out how you, with your unique skills and interests, can best contribute to the global marketplace.

And the best place to begin is by reading Stacie Berdan’s GoGlobal! Launching an International Career Here or Abroad. Download it today!

Dear Nicole,

I graduated college about 6 months ago with a marketing degree and have had a really tough time finding a full-time job.  I was offered a sales job a few days ago but I am reluctant to take it.  My mentor always told me that once you get into sales, you are no longer seen as a marketing person but a sales person and that it can easily change your whole career path.

I don’t want to be ungrateful or too picky, but ultimately my goal is to build my marketing skill set and add value to client projects (not to be a sales person).  What would you do?

Thanks

Kristina

Hi Kristina,

Thanks for your email!  I’m sure many people are in a similar situation and appreciate you asking this question.  In fact, I was in a similar situation about 6 years ago.

I graduated with a Finance degree and was offered a job in sales during my senior year of college. I was so thrilled to get a job offer so early but was concerned with the exact same thing: would my professional skill set grow if I took a job in sales? Would I be in sales forever?  Am I cut out for a job in sales?

Ultimately, I ended up taking the sales job and –believe it or not- having that sales job on my resume ended up helping me at interviews and in different work situations many times.

Regardless of what you do, knowing how to sell, overcome objections, handle rejection and close deals is a crucial for almost any profession- even marketing.  I only stayed at my 1^st job for about 7 months before I took an opportunity in Commercial Banking (a job that really did develop my finance skill set and where I stayed for almost 3 years).

For me, sales was sort of like “business boot camp” for the real world: sales jobs teach you how to organize your time, set goals, figure out the “numbers game” of life, deal with the highs and lows of business, think like an entrepreneur and most importantly you learn how to get comfortable being uncomfortable.  Every cold call I made and every one-on-one client meeting I had was scary, but it got easier with time.

As you move up the ranks in your career, you’ll need to manage client expectations, close deals, get more clients and handle many ups and downs. For me, a job in sales was a great way to prepare for all of this.  Today I’m self-employed as a marketing consultant who must sell work in order to make a living and I’m so grateful for the excellent sales training and experience I had almost 6 years ago.

Ultimately this decision is up to you, but don’t discount the value of starting your career in sales.  If I were you, I’d take the job knowing that it won’t be perfect, and it may not be forever, but it will teach you something you needed to learn.  I’d also be sure to keep a blog or do some pro-bono marketing consulting on the side so you can keep your resume fresh in case you do decide to pursue other marketing opportunities.

Good luck Kristina!

Nicole

• What advice do YOU have for Kristina?
• How do you feel about starting a career in sales?
• Are you in sales? Have you ever worked in sales?  What advice would you give to someone starting out in sales?