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Kay’s Consulting Corner |
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Each month in this section, Kay offers actionable career consulting tips. Strategic Self-Promoting Promoting yourself is like being your own personal agent, or advocate. Let’s face it, if you aren’t looking out for yourself, no one is going to do it for you. Self-promotion has often been called a shameless art, meaning you have to be unapologetic and confident about it. When you promote yourself, just like when ad agencies make a commercial, you have to know your audience. Once you have your method down (taking some hints from the lead article this month), you’ll need to focus on your target. Build a list. Who are the power players in your industry? Make a list of the people whom you admire, or who have clout. Start with your inner circle which includes people like your management chain, or a manager from another department. Then, move your circle wider, looking at top management within your organization; a general manager, vice president, president or CEO. Beyond your work world, look to your industry. The Cincinnati Business Courier is a great place to keep your thumb on the pulse of local business within your area of expertise. Seek out people who consistently contribute or make an impact in your line of work. Create a master list for prospecting. Build a plan. Who on your master list needs to know you? Just like a gift list, we always have top picks. If you identify ten power players, pick the top three targets based on your career advancement goals. If you want a promotion in your company, focus on your inner circle list of people. Time for a move? Channel your efforts toward the business community through digital connections on LinkedIn and Facebook, attending business-related events, or sending an email citing a relevant book or article to draw your top picks into your circle. Build a story. What do they need to know about you? We (should) all have an elevator pitch and updated resume, which is the base from where you will launch your story. Most of your story telling will being online using elements of your resume. Smart digital communications with your prospects are of a give and take design. The ‘give’ is sharing of information such as a book, article citing or reference to a body of work. The ‘take’ is when you seize the same opportunity to share bits and pieces of what your connection needs to know about you. In person connections such as events or workshops are better suited for elevator pitches, where you can share your 90 second version of who you are, what you’ve done, why it’s important, and how you can help someone because of it.
Build a List, Plan and Story Example Sheila sends her new connection an email with a question about something in the article. Building her story, Sheila details how the article topic is similar to something in her work background; a clever way to demonstrate her capabilities as well as experience. Over the next month, Sheila is successful in making three of the five connections digitally, and engages in regular communication with them. Additionally, she has plans to meet one of the power players at an upcoming industry conference.
Continued, systematic work on her self-promotion paid off in six months with a job opening at one of her target companies. LinkedIn alerted her to the open position, and she was able to obtain an interview through the connection made at the industry conference. Sheila’s diligent work with her connections increased her confidence, helping her to really nail the interview and land a position at her target company and reach her goal of advancing her career and moving to something bigger. Like anything else, it’s not an overnight fix, but concerted effort toward small goals helped Sheila reach her objective.
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Client Case Study – Tasha Johnson |
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My relationship with Kay goes back to 2008 when I began taking her leadership workshops. At one point I was attending workshops and being coaching simultaneously, which reinforced what I was learning in the series being attended. The experience has been about professional accountability. In my role as Executive Director in a non-profit, there is a high level of autonomy. To have someone push me to think about seeing relationships and roles with a new perspective has given me great clarity. Coaching has clarified and shifted my relationship with my board; there is now a more defining balance between leading and being led. As a result of coaching:
Though I have had two mentors before, this was my first professional coaching experience, and they are two very different things. Coaching has pushed and moved me to do things I would not have done otherwise. Ongoing debriefing on what went well and what was challenging is essential; everyone needs someone like that in their career. Anyone that is considering coaching should “Just Do It!” It’s an opportunity to be your best self. If you are in it for the long haul, you owe it to yourself to invest in yourself to reach your goals.
Tasha Johnson, Executive Director, Dayton Christian Center |
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High-Heeled Success® supports Dress for Success through donations of clothing, time and money. We offer complimentary seats at every workshop for women participating in the Dress for Success program. |
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Contact Info: Website: https://www.highheeledsuccess.com Email: kay@highheeledsuccess.com Phone: (513) 561-4288 ©Copyright 2015. Kay Fittes. All Rights Reserved. |
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