3 Ways to Become the Go-to Person in Your Industry

3 Ways to Become the Go-to Person in Your Industry In traditional branding, the goal is to position your product in the premium segment. When you achieve this you can increase the price of the product and the demand will stay constant. In personal branding, you can do the same thing â€" you can become a  go-to person. Who is a  go-to person? An expert is someone that knows their stuff better than anyone else in their field. When you start a job, you are likely to look up to your seniors and ask them for advice. One of these senior colleagues will be an expert, the person that basically has the best subject matter knowledge and can tell the others how to do things. An expert is not necessarily a people manager, oftentimes they prefer hone their own skills than managing others. Whenever you see traditional titles like professor, chief architect, field marshal or anything else pompous you can expect the person to be an expert. Nowadays, you get the ‘new’ titles such as ninja or guru to denote an expert. Thought leader is another popular label used liberally across the Internet. Some would argue that you can only earn your expert status from your customers and peers, never by simply saying that you are one. Why should you want to become an expert? It may sound a bit dull but there are a number of advantages to being an expert. Two of these stand out with clear benefits. The fist one is that everyone wants to work with or buy from the person who has the reputation, credibility and knowledge of an expert. This means there is an increase in demand but not in supply; the person only has so much time to do their work. The first benefit of being an expert is that with more demand, you can choose which customers to take on as opposed to engaging with everyone. The second clear benefit of being an expert is one of classic economics. I just mentioned that demand goes up but the supply stays the same; this means the supplier can set a higher price for their product or service. Again, instead of catering for the masses and competing on price like everyone else, the expert can choose who to work with and request a higher fee. How you can become an expert in your field: There are probably as many ways to becoming one as there are experts out there. Some of these ways keep being mentioned and to me they are the top three. The three activities you have to be doing to become an expert are: listening, communicating and creating. 1. Listening Listening is the first one, by this I mean picking up information from all corners of your industry. Read blogs, magazines, books, go to seminars and workshops, watch and listen to the right programmes on TV and radio. When you listen and take onboard all that information, you will by default be improving your skills and getting closer to being the expert every day. Information is power as the old saying goes. 2. Communicating Communicating is all about being out there and talking to the people that matter in your industry. Whether it’s a client meeting, a networking event or you are commenting on a blog â€" it’s all interaction with your target audience. When you are engaging with the community, you will notice exactly what problems they are looking to solve â€" allowing you to adjust your service offering accordingly. 3. Creating Creating finally is where you produce content that secures you that expert status. Choose your channel wisely here according to what fits your audience. You could for instance write blog posts, newspaper articles, record podcast or produce video content. If you are really serious about becoming an expert, try your hand at writing a book. Whatever you choose to do, the results of your creative output will lead to further promotion of your personal brand and increased interest from customers. The experts advice Chris Brogan says that as a rule of thumb, you should listen 50% of your time, communicating and creating each 25% of the time. He produces quality blog content every day that ensures he stays at the top of his game. As a result of his blogging, he provides consulting services to major blue-chip companies, charging top dollar  as an expert. Bottom line It may sound a bit odd but becoming an expert has many benefits to it. If you are into personal branding, blogging, social media and networking you will have seen that some people enjoy a lot of attention and can exert a great deal of influence. If you are serious about your business or career, becoming the expert is the way forward. Do you create content of some sort in order to be an expert? Related post: 5 Kick-Ass Reasons to Boost Your Personal Brand Today.

3 Funky Ideas for Partitioning your Open-plan Office

3 Funky Ideas for Partitioning your Open-plan Office Love it or loathe it, the open-plan office has dominated our work space for decades. Open-plan as an office concept really took off in the 1960s. With its innovation came claims that it improved communication between staff and fostered a sense of community. But, if the truth be known, a weighty influence for open-plan layout was the ability for companies to increase the surface area of a work space at low cost. The open-plan movement There’s been oodles of research done on the subject and we’ve come a long way from the oppressive classroom-without-a-teacher style of open-plan that evolved as far back as the 1920s. The socially democratic Bürolandschaft concept evolved in Germany in the late 1950s. It favoured an ‘office landscape’ (a literal translation) with clustered work zones based on intensive studies of communication lines. Managers were mixed with the workers, and aesthetically pleasing plants found their way into the office environment on a grand scale like never before. Since then we’ve had partitions in all their forms, most notably the boxy American cubicles seen in many US movies. While there has been much criticism of the open-plan concept and how it’s divided up, for purely financial reasons we have to accept that it’s here to stay. Partitioning for the Z generation The evolution of our workforce is bringing renewed creativity to office design. Start-up hubs and innovative companies are forging the way. They’re at the cutting edge of the emerging flexible workforce. They realise the benefits of creating multi-faceted work spaces, combining open-plan desk space with communal platforms and areas workers can go to if they need quiet and privacy. Cubicles are disappearing along with the rat’s nests of cables. Rigidity is out and bang on trend are fluid work spaces and breakout areas. Lounge areas and community tables are encouraging staff to brainstorm, problem solve and engage like never before. Google are renowned for their funky and innovative work spaces. Designed with employee creativity and productivity in mind, Google engages wholeheartedly with a broad understanding of getting the best out of people. It’s the essence of their success. And it’s not a ‘one-size-fits-all’ approach that businesses need to grasp. It’s about understanding the nature of your workforce and actively engaging in creating a space that supports creative and organic growth for your type of business. We’ve taken a look at the current office design trends and reviewed three funky ideas for organising space in the workplace. Office Pods Office pods aren’t just popping up in back gardens as handy work spaces or man caves. Whether for breakaway quiet areas or collaborative work spaces, office pods are becoming the norm in the most innovative offices and start-up hubs. It’s the new, smart way to divide office space.   Rooms within rooms have always been a part of the open-plan office. Franklin Hart, Jr. leering out over his secretary pool in the 1980s film Nine to Five is enough to send a chill down anyone’s back. Fear not, modernity has arrived. The new pods are sleek, funky and represent a refreshing and creative working environment for all. They’re not just a haven for the boss. The revamped idea of rooms within rooms has a whole new meaning and represents inclusivity, rather than exclusivity. Pods offer increased acoustics for meetings, training and phone calls, as well as quiet spaces for complete focus. They come in all shapes and sizes, and can be as minimalist or as colourful as you like. What’s more, they’re portable, so you can shake-up the office design anytime you like. Plant Based Solutions Plant based solutions for dividing up the office have been around for decades. Not only do plants provide screening, there have been numerous studies over the years researching how office plants impact on employee well-being. So what’s new? With the ideal of well-being firmly entrenched in office design, plants in the office are here to stay. Given the amount of time we spend at work, it’s not surprising to hear the current trends in office design include bringing lifestyle amenities to the office. Lounges, outdoor spaces and games areas are morphing work spaces into home. What’s new is how we are incorporating and utilising planting in the new office designs. Current trends include living walls, plant portraits, succulents and hanging plants, along with repetitive planting. Old favourites like the kentia palm are no longer confined to reception areas. Rows of palms stand proudly in place of the drab partitioning of old and are a nod to this summer’s trending tropical and botanical design prints. Acoustic Panels Acoustic panels have evolved in response to the challenge of noise in open-plan offices. Texture and geometric patterns are turning functional partitioning into works of art, and they’re not just being used in conventional ways. Acoustic panelling is being added to walls and hanging from ceilings, and even furniture is doubling up in both partitioning and sound absorption. So, there you have it, on trend partitioning in a nutshell. Good luck with your next office revamp! BIO: Dakota Murphey: BA (hons) Marketing graduate, social media consultant and rented-office-worker. For parts of the information in this article, indoor plants â€" an office plant service specialist â€" were consulted. View their entire office plant range here.

Things You Can Do To Add Value To Yourself

Things You Can Do To Add Value To Yourself Whether you’re on the job hunt or trying to work your way up to a higher position in the country that you love, you’ve likely taken a look at your resume to try and see how you can improve. The good thing is that it is easier to do this than ever, with many tools designed to make you more valuable as a potential employee. The potential pitfall here is that not all these avenues are obvious. Here are some mindset and practical tips you can use to start making yourself a more appealing candidate today. Consider Yourself As A Product That Needs Upgrades This may sound a bit odd, but using some of the same thoughts that the major companies use may be a benefit to you. After all, just like a product, you have features, benefits, assets and liabilities. The ways that you differ from others in this area are the foundations of your own personal brand. If you are just starting out in the professional world, like a fresh college grad, it may benefit for you to lay things out. Set up a chart and figure out what specific areas are strengths and others are area improvements. This will be an important start to some of the steps we are going to discuss next. Become A Student Again Perhaps the biggest thing you can do to start your path to improvement is to drop the idea that you know all you need to do. Many of the best influencers in various fields try to constantly keep learning. Use the same mindset. After all, who knows when a new method or piece of tech will change the way you do your job? In addition, adding new skills keeps you a current and valuable property in the job marketplace. Don’t be afraid to think that your field precludes you from improving. For example, botox certification for nurses is a way for nurses to be able to work in a whole different set of medical fields. With botox and other cosmetic procedures being more popular and accessible, this means more jobs that the nurse can apply to. If you are looking to apply to a hospitality or similar customer-friendly position, consider learning another language. This allows you to serve a whole new set of potential customers better than the next person applying for a job. Apply this same focus to your field of choice when it comes to seeking out training opportunities. What do people need from this field? How can I do it better than the next person? How do I get to that point? Revisit the chart we discussed earlier to see what potential areas you can stand to grow in. At this point, it’s time to start seeking out the opportunities to learn. Many may instantly think this means going back to school. And yes, this is certainly a valuable choice to make. However, time and financial concerns may not make this viable. If this is the case, seek out online courses, e-books, seminars, and groups relevant to what are you trying to learn. We live in a time where more and more people are putting their expertise out there to share. A little bit of investment now may make a big payoff later. Expand Your Network Educating yourself by learning from the best has a bit of a double-sided value. Not only are you picking up valuable skills, but you are working your way into the network of an expert in your field. The “not what you know, but who you know” cliché is something we hear a lot when talking about networking. But this is more than just nepotism at work. A wide and diverse network of professionals means that you have someone who you can lean on when you have a question outside your network. This means another person you can collaborate with on bigger projects that benefit you both. And yes, this may mean a foot in the door at the company of your dreams. However, what you need to realize is that successful networking is more than just dropping a Linkedin request to anyone you see. Just like we’ve been talking about, there are strategies you want to use while building your network. As a start, you may base it off a shared product you use, like the education we mentioned earlier. Say for example, you finish an e-book by someone you admire. Take the time to contact them and share how the book helped you. You now have an chance to exchange info with a proven influencer. Sometimes, you’re better served networking towards your industry directly. While there are several events dedicated strictly for networking, the best thing you can do hear is attend a tradeshow. With so many people gathered, you can see firsthand how networking plays out. The professional community is full of relationships, so get ready to introduce yourself and share your status and goals in the industry. Not every contact will blossom into something, but that’s not the point. You never know who may be able to help you down the line. A good network means that you can be prepared for anything.

Personal Branding and Your Job Search - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career

Personal Branding and Your Job Search - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career In the Executive Marketing courses I teach at UCLA I emphasize the importance of personal branding in todays market environment. Personal branding is even more important in todays job search. Many workers have spent years building professional reputations and acquiring attributes that make them a unique executive candidate. And the workers who can articulate that in their personal brand will be taking their best asset with them in their job search. Be bold and move forward If you find yourself in job-search mode during this recession, youve got to be bold and move forward with force, especially if your competition is moving slowly. Many are still in shock that they need to be back on the market. Take advantage of this and know that even in tough economic times, there are opportunities. Successful job seekers whove honed a strong personal brand can quickly communicate to key decision makers the immediate value and benefit theyll bring to their company. Personal brand statement It starts with your personal brand statement. This is a strong core statement that differentiates you from others and helps you gain a competitive advantage in the interviewing process. You’ll then include it as part of your executive and LinkedIn profile; use it as your 30-60 second elevator pitch; and communicate it to others at networking events. Traditional: “Hi, my name is Carla Smith and I am a Retail Executive with 12â€"plus years experience with multiâ€"million dollar, global retail companies.” Personal Brand Statement: “Hi, I’m Carla Smith. As an experienced Retail Operations Executive, I have engaged cuttingâ€"edge technologies that helped global retail companies achieve aggressive revenue growth and improve operating cost objectives. Some of the top companies I have worked with include ABC Stores, NewCo Retailing, and Auction Corporation, and online auction site.” [Note from Dan Schawbel: My approach differs slightly from Beverlys.   I typically recommend your personal brand statement to be about five words, that states your expertise and who you serve.   For example: Im the best brain surgeon in Boston.   While my recommendation focuses more on positioning, Beverlys is more of a quick pitch to your audience.   Both are very effective means of getting your message accross.] Brand focused resume It’s not enough to explain how you’ve conducted business development by cold calling and implementing account management techniques. This sounds like a boring job description that, quite frankly, most any sales rep could do. A resume needs to be filled with unique accomplishments, examples of impacting the bottom line. Your personal branding statement should become your professional / executive profile. Consider putting it directly under your name. Carla Smith An experienced Retail Operations Executive, who engages cuttingâ€"edge technologies to helped global retail companies achieve aggressive revenue growth and improve operating cost objectives. And remember, the industry you’ve been in is laying off â€" that’s why youre looking for a new position. You need to know that as a business leader, your skills and unique value needs to transcend any particular industry. Your ability to extract maximum value from project teams and build cross- organizational cohesion will apply in multiple industry sectors. Brand your email signature Your email signature should contain your personal brand statement as well. Example: Carla Smith Senior Retail Executive Linking Cutting-Edge Technologies with Retail Operations to Grow Revenues, Cut Costs, Achieve Profit Objectives Linked in profile link Make sure your personal brand statement works for you. It should be strong, clear, and descriptive of the value you offer. Author: Beverly Macy is Managing Partner at YM Partners LLC in Beverly Hills. She also teaches a social media class at UCLA and is organizer of the Gravity Summit event at UCLA February 25, 2009.

Heart Of A Traveler 3 Careers That Let You Do Just That

Heart Of A Traveler 3 Careers That Let You Do Just That There are very few things more awe-inspiring or that serve to open your mind more than traveling. If you’re the kind of person who just loves seeing new places and meeting new people, it’s entirely possible to obtain a career that requires you to travel to the kind of places you love to visit.To name three careers that let you travel to exotic places:1. International SalesevalevalWith the economy growing increasingly globalized, more and more companies are reaching overseas and expanding into new markets. Even purely domestic businesses are expanding their markets to other parts of the country due to new technologies making it possible.Going into international sales or working in a company’s international division is a solid way to be a part of the business world while being able to travel extensively. Even domestic businesses need sales and marketing people to travel around the country to meet with prospective clients and participate in trade shows.2. Travel WriterTravel write rs are likely what most people first think of when “travel” and “career” are brought up together. By traveling the world and visiting both popular and off-the-beaten-path destinations, you’ll be able to experience many parts of the world and tell others about your experiences there through writing.You can be employed by a travel company or publication, or even self-employed if you are able to generate enough of an audience with your writing to have a stable income.Travel writers, like other types of writers, usually write in a niche that interests them or they’re experienced in and need to be able to display a professional portfolio to attract potential employers and clients.3. Teaching English As A Second Language If you have the heart of a traveler, these are all solid career choices, though this list is by no means exhaustive. If you want to travel, there are many careers out there that will allow you to do just that.If you’re unsure which career exactly you might w ant to do, pick one that interests you the most. The best part is you can always switch later on when you spend more time in the industry and discover other career options available to you.Explore these careers and more if you’re interested in having traveling listed in your job description.

3 Confidence Boosters to Grasp Your Career Dreams - Hire Imaging

3 Confidence Boosters to Grasp Your Career Dreams - Hire Imaging Ever wonder why some people get hired and promoted sooner than othersâ€"or just seem to have things fall into place? While hard work, talent and a bit of good timing (or luck) may play a part, what else gives these folks that upper hand? The confidence connection Experts point to confidence as a key ingredient in giving successful people an edge in reaching their goals. Confident people are more likely to look for opportunities and ask for what they feel they deserve. If you’re not feeling that kind of self-esteem, here are three waysâ€"all from clients’ real-life storiesthat might help! ·             Trust your compliments Mary habitually dismissed or downplayed compliments she received. “It’s just my job,” she’d say when coworkers praised her efficiency or knack for saving costs. Through our coaching conversations, Mary began to see that each time she belittled the praise given to her, she deprived herself of a feel-good lift. Worse, in the short-term, she sent a subliminal message to the people that they shouldn’t compliment her. In fact, she noticed that one colleague who had been the most vocal with admiration, had stopped praising her. What turned it around for Mary? She simply started answering compliments with a simple “Thank you”â€"period. No arguing or forcing a return compliment. “Just saying ‘thank you’ has made me feel more competent and deservingâ€"just happier,” Mary shared.   She allowed herself to believe others’ verbal applause! ·             Focus on focus Sarah felt she was hardwired to handle several tasks at a time; and proud of the fact that she could watch her toddler, conduct business on her iPhone and prep dinner all at the same time. But Sarah also had stomach pains; and she woke in the wee hours of the morning. Through some soul searching, Sarah realized that her determination to multitask all the time was a major stressor in her life. The realization wasn’t immediate. She had to look hard and honestly, journal and rethink. She realized that more often than not, no one task had her full attention. She often had to repeat several steps to finish a task or project. In a nutshell, she was less efficient, more frustrated, and less confident. Sarah challenged herself to go slow with focus on one thing at a time. She delegated specific times to check emails and return calls. She carved out time with her toddler without other distractions. She had a dedicated workspace and wore earplugs when figuring out family finances or doing business paperwork. She developed a new mantra that boosted her efficiency and overall confidence, “Two tasks half done are inept compared to one task completed!” ·             Have faith in your intuition In his career (and life) decisions, Dennis tended to weigh all his optionsâ€"over and over. The back-and-forth was unsettling. It took a lot of his energy without any comparable benefit. According to a University College of London study, people tend to do better who don’t think too hard; but instead go with their gut. It turns out that your subconscious brain needs almost no time to process all of your experiences that relate to a particular circumstance (Dennis agonized over which job offer to take, or whether to tweak his resume just once more) â€" and come up with a smart course of action. Dragging out the process seldom leads to better results. We coached around his narrowing his options down to two, setting a time limit of ten minutes to weigh the pros and cons, and then letting his instinct be the tiebreaker! After several months of doing this, Dennis said he felt more confident with decision-making and in general. ·             Bonus tip: Close your eyes Experts say that if you can visualize yourself succeeding at a tough challenge (asking for a raise; giving a presentation), you’re more likely to accomplish the goals in real life. Opportunities don’t just pop out for some and not others. I would argue that neither does confidence. It can be sharpened, recognized and savored! Photo:   Daniel Pink

What Is PowerPoint Presentation And How It Can Help You

What Is PowerPoint Presentation And How It Can Help YouNo matter what level of education you have, the PowerPoint presentation is the one most highly suggested by recruiters. Resume and cover letter writing PowerPoint provides a powerful, versatile platform to convey the perfect message in the shortest time possible. The PowerPoint presentation is easily customized to suit your specific needs.Resumes and cover letters are often required to be submitted to hundreds of organizations that will review them. Most of the companies expect that these documents are submitted by the college student who plans to apply for a job. This puts the applicant in a vulnerable position, as there is little they can do if the recruiter never receives the application.It is important to present yourself well in a professional presentation. Your resume and cover letter writing PowerPoint presentation will be an effective tool to introduce you as an employee with valuable skill sets. A well-crafted PowerPoint presentation will spell out your strength and the potential you have for advancement.Your resume and cover letter presentation should include a brief explanation of the job you wish to apply for. This will go a long way in preparing for potential employers to understand what you are looking for. Your document should also include your educational background as well as your professional references.Resume and cover letter writing PowerPoint should be easy to read and it should give recruiters an idea of how you are qualified for the job. In addition, it should be able to provide details about your qualifications and experience. It should be easy to analyze and present. No recruiter wants to spend their time reviewing too many applications.Resume and cover letter writing PowerPoint documents can be used to present information about yourself as well as your ability to perform specific duties. They can be used to present the basic facts that you have learned about the job. This can be ve ry useful when recruiting staff who do not have all the necessary information at their fingertips.Resume and cover letter writing PowerPoint presentations are usually made available in the form of templates. These templates can be downloaded free of charge from several websites. However, they are designed to give specific instructions and information.They will help you to describe your specific skills which you think may be very important. They will contain sections such as section headings, bullet points, and subheadings. These help to create a professional outline that makes the information easy to read and learn.