HIPAL

03/08/2023

Great advice from HBR (Harvard Business Review) on making the most of any job situation…..

Develop These Soft Skills in Any Job

Even if you’re working in a job that feels temporary, dead-end, or just isn’t the one, you’re not wasting your time. You can use this opportunity to develop some invaluable soft skills that will serve you in any career you might pursue down the road.

-Effective communication. Being able to translate complex ideas for any audience (customers, clients, coworkers) is a critical capability in every field. Think of your job as an opportunity to practice adjusting your communication to each person you interact with.

-Teamwork. Every job, on some level, requires some degree of collaboration. Practice new ways to resolve conflicts, align stakeholders, and partner with colleagues to advance your team’s goals.

-Leading and influencing (even without authority). You’re more than just a cog in a machine. Look for opportunities to voice your opinions and ideas, mentor others, and contribute to your workplace culture.

-Problem solving. Every job has challenges, some more complex than others. Being adept at problem solving—which includes understanding the problem and root cause, then brainstorming solutions and alternatives—shows structured thinking with logic-based reasoning.

This tip is adapted from “5 Essential Soft Skills to Develop in Any Job,” by Marlo Lyons

02/20/2023

Today’s Tip from HBR…..
How to Answer a Question About Salary Expectations

(I’ve read that companies are getting away from this question but just in case…do your research-point #3-BUT be prepared to answer with point #1!)

There are many interview questions that job applicants dread. But one in particular is especially complicated: “What are your salary expectations?” If you go too low, you might end up making less than the company is willing to pay. And if you go too high, you could price yourself out of the job. To avoid giving a specific number, try these strategies:

1. Flip the question around and ask about the company’s budget. For example, you might say something like, “I’m not sure I can accurately price myself at this point, but I’d love to know the budgeted salary range.”

2. Move past the question and reemphasize your qualifications. For example, “I’m still trying to fully understand the role. For now, I’d love to continue talking about my qualifications and why I think I’m a fit for this position.”

3. Offer a salary range. Try saying something like, “I’m looking for a competitive salary that reflects my qualifications and experience. Based on my research and the requirements of the role, I would expect a salary in the range of $X to $Y. Of course, I’m open to discussing the details of the entire compensation package since salary is just one factor.”

This tip is adapted from “How to Answer ‘What Are Your Salary Expectations?’,” by Amy Gallo

01/16/2023

From HBR…..Nail This Difficult (and Common) Interview Question

(I would add, while still being brief, how did you turn the ‘negative’ into a positive!)

“Tell me about a time you failed” is an interview question job seekers dread. How can you be prepared to ace it? Here are some tips.

-Focus on learning. What the interviewer ultimately wants (and they may even state this explicitly) is not so much your story of failure but what you learned from it and how you turned that insight into a productive approach.
-Choose a miscalculation, not a mistake. Don’t draw attention to your character. When did something external not go as planned? When was a strategy ineffective? When did an approach miss the target?
-Look for a we, not a me. A team failing as a group might seem more relatable (and excusable) than an individual failing because there was consensus behind the decision making.
-Describe a low-consequence event, and keep it brief. Make sure the stakes of your story are relatively low, not catastrophic, and that you don’t linger on unnecessary details.
-Be thoughtful about the words you use—and don’t defend yourself. Use words like learned, gleaned, grew, and overcame. Avoid defensive or regretful language.

This tip is adapted from “How to Answer ‘Tell Me About a Time You Failed’ in a Job Interview,” by Joel Schwartzberg

01/07/2023

Don’t Follow Your Passion….from HBR
This tip was originally published on January 1, 2021.

When it comes to career advice, the adage to “follow your passion" isn’t all that useful, and it can be misleading. If you’re looking to find a career that will matter to you, don’t just think about the things that come naturally to you, the things you love to do, or the things you’ve always excelled at. Instead, consider the activities that you return to time and time again—despite the fact that they are hard for you, or maybe even painful. Think of this approach as “following your blisters.” These probably aren't the activities you're the best at (yet)—they’re the ones that challenge you, frustrate you, and attract you all at once. Maybe it’s writing. Maybe it’s data analysis. Maybe it’s managing people. Whatever it is, if you follow your blisters, you’ll never be bored, and you’ll always be learning. And eventually, you’ll earn the calluses of an expert.

This tip is adapted from “What You Should Follow Instead of Your Passion,” by Dan Cable

10/10/2022

From HBR—asking yourself these questions can also help with building your personal brand on LinkedIn

Build Your Personal Brand at Work

You don’t have to be a social media influencer to benefit from a personal brand. Regardless of what you do, developing day-to-day influence, a reputation of expertise, and a unique voice will help you advance in your career. To identify your brand, start by asking yourself three questions:
-Which parts of my identity and perspective make me unique?
-What are my values—the underlying purpose that motivates my work?
-And what skills do I bring to the table?

These three factors comprise how your colleagues and prospective employers perceive you. Next, find initiatives (especially high-exposure ones) and organizational goals that align with your identity, values, and skills and raise your hand to participate. This is a great way to increase your visibility and showcase your brand both internally and publicly. Finally, to reinforce your brand, create and share content with your team to broadcast your passions and perspectives—and to find like-minded coworkers whom you can collaborate with and learn from in the future.

This tip is adapted from “How to Build Your Personal Brand at Work,” by Nahia Orduña

10/03/2022

This tip from HBR touches on some of the points Alex and Rhiannon spoke about last Thursday!

Is That New Job Right for You?

Interviewing for a job is a two-way street: Just as prospective employers need to evaluate you, you need to evaluate them. To investigate what a role would really entail—and how the organization would (or wouldn’t) align with your values, skills, and future goals—follow these steps.

-Research the job description. Look up folks who are (or have been) in the function you’re applying for. What do they list as their experience on LinkedIn? If there is a notable discrepancy between the job description and those people’s experience, make a note to ask about it in the interview.

-Ask insightful questions during your interview. For example: How are mistakes handled? How is success measured? How does the team resolve conflicts and difficult situations? How would my manager support my learning and development? Be specific about your career goals, and ask how this role would help you achieve them.

-Don’t be afraid to discuss salary and benefits. If the job description doesn’t include the position’s salary, ask the HR person facilitating the process about how compensation and benefits are determined. Take care to show that compensation is an important consideration for you—without appearing money-hungry.

-Be informed about the state of the business. You don’t want to join an organization before ensuring that it’s healthy. Is the company growing? Has it been bought recently? If the prospective employer is a large or public company, you should find this information in articles, press releases, and annual reports. If it’s a startup, research its funding and investment.

This tip is adapted from “5 Ways to Figure Out If a Job Is Right for You,” by Roxanne Calder

09/27/2022

Today’s tip from HBR…it’s about work ethic but might help with procrastination too 😆

Build a Stronger Work Ethic

Work ethic refers to a set of principles around work, such as reliability, productivity, autonomy, and ability to collaborate. While work ethic may come naturally to some people, it can also be learned and sharpened. Here’s how.

-Develop self-discipline. This comes down to better understanding your impulses so you can manage them, creating systems to hold yourself accountable, and setting yourself up to have the energy you need to do good work.

-Reset your priorities every day. Spend a few minutes in the morning identifying which items you need to get done. The trick is to find a balance between tasks that are urgent and must be finished today and tasks that are contributing to longer term, but equally important, projects.

-Own your work. Take pride in your to-do list. If something doesn’t make sense to you, don’t wait for direction—ask questions to get clarity. If you have an idea that you think is great, pitch it.

-Be a team player. Collaboration doesn’t just increase the impact of your work and serve your team, it also demonstrates your dependability.

This tip is adapted from “How to Develop a Strong Work Ethic,” by Tutti Taygerly

09/18/2022

Great advice on résumés…and some tips on elevator speeches…..from the Sunday StarTribune.

Treat your résumé as marketing material by ISAAC CHEIFETZ

As an executive recruiter, I spend my time talking to business software executives. It is rare to see a résumé that is not competently written.

And yet, I often suggest a rewrite.

A résumé should be considered marketing collateral, but many end up being a documentation of work history.

Think of your résumé as a series of "elevator speeches."

If you were in an elevator at a conference with a C-level executive in your industry who asked you what you do, you would not describe the granular aspects of your job.

You would tell him or her, concisely, the essence of your role and the business problems you solve.

You would have a 30-second version for a trip to the 20th floor, a 90-second version for the 40th floor, and a five-minute version for the top of a skyscraper.

A person reading a résumé makes a series of decisions as to how much time to give to yours.

The reader will scan the objective for 30 seconds to see if you are a broad fit.

So your objective must clearly and energetically communicate what you do, like a 20-floor elevator speech.

If you pass that test, the reader will give another 90 seconds to scan your last couple of jobs.

You must describe the company and responsibilities, leaving out tactical details that are implicit to your role.

If you pass the second test, the reader will take five minutes to read your résumé thoroughly and think about how you might fit into the organization.

If you are a fit, this will hopefully result in a phone call or interview.
Let's say you are a CFO.

On your résumé, you could go into detail and write "responsible for accounts payable, accounts receivable, accounting, financial planning, etc."

Or you can assume that anyone hiring for a CFO knows the general responsibilities already and say "responsible for all finance and accounting functions. Accomplishments include ..."

Treating a résumé as a marketing document with the substance of your work history embedded in it is much more powerful than elaborately documenting your job history.

Isaac Cheifetz, a Twin Cities executive recruiter, can be reached through catalytic1.com.

08/30/2022

A little interview humor from the Star Tribune today 😆

08/17/2022

The questions in today’s HBR tip, Treat Others as They'd Like to Be Treated, would work great when kicking off a group project, too!

We’ve all heard the so-called Golden Rule: “Treat others as you’d like to be treated.” The problem? Not everyone is just like you. It’s time to adopt a new Golden Rule: “Treat others as they’d like to be treated.” To put this new mindset into practice in the workplace, start by challenging your assumptions about the people you’re working with. Ask yourself, “Are my assumptions based on my own experiences and preferences at work?” Next, ask questions — and really listen. For example, you might ask a new colleague, “How do you prefer to communicate?” Or if you’re starting a new project with someone you’ve never collaborated with, you could ask them, “In what format do you need the information about this project?” If your colleague’s preferences differ from yours, pursue a solution that works for everyone. Look for any common denominator. You might not be able to agree on everything, but try agreeing on just one thing. A small win-win will make both of you feel respected and seen.

This tip is adapted from “It’s Time to Stop Following ‘The Golden Rule,',” by Irina Cozma

08/10/2022

This advice on introducing yourself is a twist on elements of an elevator speech*. From HBR…. Introduce Yourself with Confidence

Many of us dread the self-introduction, whether it’s in an online meeting or at a boardroom table. The secret to introducing yourself with confidence, in any context, is a simple three-step process: Focus on your present, past, and future.
-Present. Start with a present-tense statement to introduce yourself. Your name and job title is a great place to start. If there’s an opportunity to elaborate, you can also share other details such as a current project, your expertise, or your geographical location.
-Past. Add two or three points that will provide relevant details about your background and credibility. Consider your education, past projects, employers, and accomplishments.
-Future. Demonstrate enthusiasm for what’s ahead. If you’re in a job interview, share your eagerness about potential opportunities at the company. Or, if you’re in a meeting, express interest in what the team is setting out to accomplish.

This tip is adapted from “A Simple Way to Introduce Yourself,” by Andrea Wojnicki

*for more on elevator speeches see this piece visit this page:

Learn how to create and deliver a professional elevator pitch that introduces you to other professionals, and review our examples to guide you.