Being a High Powered Professional isn’t about working in an office or wearing a suit every day.  It’s about bringing your “A” game in everything that you do professionally.  It’s about excelling at whatever career you decide to pursue.  It’s been a while since I featured a Mover & Shaker.  So, I’m extremely excited to kick off the series with a woman who took off her business suit and found a way to build a career based on her passion and purpose.

Kavon Ward is a Poetic Activist and President of United Speech Nation, a speech writing and motivational speaking company.  Prior to following her passion, she was accepted to serve as the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation/International Franchise Association Foundations fellow in 2007 and experienced a successful career on Capitol Hill.  Kavon earned a Bachelor of Arts in Communications from SUNY College at Oneonta and a Master of Public Adminstration from CUNY John Jay College of Criminal Justice.  She was the first in her family to attend and finish college.

What’s your typical day like?
There are no typical days for me. Every day is different depending on what performances, writing assignments, and youth program planning I have lined up. I think that’s what I like most about my days; they’re pretty unpredictable and lack routine. It keeps things fresh and exciting for me.  The only routine that I’ve recently added is yoga in my pursuit to become more physically active.

How do you draw inspiration for your poetry?
Most of my inspiration comes from my life experiences and injustices that I’ve confronted and overcome. In fact, the first piece I actually wrote and performed live was “Harlem: Mission to Motivate.” This piece is literally the story of my life from birth until about age 29. It speaks about everything – from the mental, emotional, and physical abuse I endured as a child, to how that abuse motivated me to excel academically; and how excelling academically led to rewarding career opportunities. The poem also speaks to how losing a career I worked so hard for was actually a blessing and ultimately placed me on a path to fulfilling my purpose and my passion. My writing is also inspired by social injustices, specifically as they pertain to children and African Americans.

Describe the moment you knew you had discovered your passion and purpose?
I kind of knew that I had discovered my passion and purpose after people who purchased my CD, “From Policy to Poetry,” reached out to me after listening to it and told me how much my words inspired them and impacted their lives. It was confirmed that poetic activism was my passion and purpose the day I performed my piece, “I am Trayvon Martin,” during the Washington, D.C. Rally for Trayvon Martin.  As I performed the piece, standing before a crowd of thousands, my words commanded their ears.  It was at that point that I realized my purpose. The crowd was silent and just listening.  But, when I reached the part of my poem where I chant “no justice, no peace; no justice, no peace” and heard the audience chanting with me, not only was it memorable, but it moved my spirit and my soul spoke to me. My soul said this is exactly what I am supposed to do and this is what I want to do forever.

What has been your proudest moments and accomplishments?
Wow, this is a difficult question because I’ve accomplished so much.  First, I am proud that I had enough strength and faith to change careers and start all over.  I am also proud of the first CD I created, “From Policy to Poetry,” and some more recent accomplishments, which include winning the Paul Robeson “Here I Stand” award and opening for Common at the Lincoln Theater.  I’ve also performed for Congressman John Lewis, Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton, and Sweet Honey in the Rock at the 2012 Washington, D.C. Humanities Council Gala.  Of course, standing in Freedom Plaza, and performing “I Am Trayvon Martin” at the Washington, D.C. Rally for Trayvon Martin alongside activists like Dick Gregory and Joe Madison was an honorable moment.

It has also been a privilege to partner with the Washington, D.C. Humanities Council for their Soul of the City program, where I taught my spoken word workshop, “Use Your Words.” And most recently, it was an honor to participate in the Presidential Inauguration activities, specifically a day Washington, D.C. Mayor Vincent Gray declared Poetry Extravaganza Day, to honor the life and work of President Barack Obama, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and Whitney Young.

What do you hope to accomplish as a Poetic Activist moving forward?
Some things I hope to accomplish as a poetic activist include performing for President Barack Obama, Maya Angelou, and Oprah Winfrey.  I would love to have the opportunity to perform my work in front of TV One’s “Verses and Flow,” BET’s Black Girls Rock, the Democratic National Convention, and the Essence Music Festival audiences.  I would also like to implement my spoken word curriculum in schools and community-based organizations in underserved communities worldwide, as well as learn sign language so that I am able to communicate with and motivate the deaf community.

Any advice for those trying to find and follow their passion?
I would advise them to let go of their fears and to take risks. I would also tell them to become more comfortable with being uncomfortable because if you’re comfortable then you’re not growing.  I would also urge them not to waste time crying and stressing over losses because the gains are right around the corner waiting for them; they just need to obtain enough strength to pick them up.  Lastly, I would encourage them to keep their faith, know and believe that nothing is in vain, and to welcome and embrace change.

To learn more about Kavon and find out about future performances, you can visit her website – www.kavonward.com. You can also check out her YouTube channel to see her powerful performances!

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By Khalilah Starks

“I’ve been looking for a job for 2 years.”

“I’ve applied to 50 jobs and still no interview.”

I hear this all too often.  And, then after I ask a few questions, it becomes crystal clear why the person hasn’t been successful in landing a job.  It has nothing to do with the employment market being tough.  There are lots of jobs out there and employers struggle to find good talent.

So, if you’re like many of the people who have struggled to find work, here are my top reasons why you’re probably having a hard time:

1. Your Resume Sucks.

Yep, I said it and I’ll say it again.  Your resume sucks.  But, instead of a company calling you to tell you that your resume sucks, they simply don’t call.  And, then you shrug it off, thinking that the lack of phone calls has to do with the economy.  It’s not the economy.  I’ve seen some pretty bad resumes – poorly written, old school type font, grammatical errors, typos, too much white space, not enough white space, etc.  These are applicants that may have been qualified for the position, but failed to market the skills that were required for the job in a professionally written and formatted document.

I’ve got great news though.  There’s an easy fix for this.  You can get a resume professionally written, which I highly recommend.  Or you can take some time to learn the necessary steps to write an outstanding resume yourself.  In addition to being visually appealing, your resume must market the skills and experience that are necessary for the position that you’re seeking and communicate the results and accomplishments that you’ve achieved so that you stand out.  And, don’t forget those industry buzz words and strong action verbs either.

2. You Refuse to Accept That It’s Not Just What You Know, It’s Who You Know.

70-80% of jobs aren’t advertised.  So, while you’re sitting behind that computer and applying to every position that you see on Indeed or CareerBuilder, you’re missing out on tons of positions that you’ll never hear about unless you broaden your network.  While these job search engines are certainly necessary, they should only be a segment of your job search strategy.  Employee referrals receive more attention than applicants who apply to job postings.  So, it’s always recommended that you apply to a position through someone that you know at the company as opposed to blindly applying online.

Gaining access to a larger number of opportunities is all about who you know.  But, until you expand your network, you’ll continue to lose out on great positions that are clinched by those who are in the know.

3. You Focus Too Much On You, Instead of The Company.

I call this the You-Centric approach.  It’s all about you – the skills that YOU think are important, the accomplishments that YOU are most proud of.  And, these are the things that you focus on in the interview.  Newsflash: It’s not about you. The interview is about company’s needs.  And, your task is to show how you’ll meet their needs.  There are lots of reasons why you’re great, but only a few reasons that the company will actually care about.

Companies seek to hire the perfect match – the person whose experience and skills most closely matches the position’s requirements.  The position’s requirements are their needs.  Your job is to determine their needs and prepare a strategy to communicate your ability to fill those needs.

4. You’re All Over The Place.

You’ve applied to ten different positions in different fields with varying skill and experience requirements – all using the same resume.  You’ll pretty much apply to anything figuring that you’re bound to hear something from somebody.  But, then you don’t hear anything or receive the dreaded “thank you, but no thank you email” and you contribute it to a tough economy.  I’m here to tell you that the phone isn’t ringing because of you.  It has nothing to do with the economy and everything to do with your lack of focus.

Like I said before, companies are looking for the perfect match to their position.  So, every resume that you submit must be extremely targeted to the position.  It has to make sense to the recruiter why you’re applying.  If you’re using the same resume to apply to ten different positions, there’s no way that your resume can be a match.

Quick fix: Always review your resume prior to applying to a position to determine if it’s a match with the position.  Does your resume address every requirement that is listed for the position?  Does it include buzz words from the posting?  Please note: it’s not enough to tailor your cover letter.  Often times, the cover letter doesn’t get read unless the resume passes the initial screen.  Recruiters are busy and many won’t waste time reading a cover letter if the resume doesn’t make the 30 second cut.

5. You’re Applying to The Wrong Jobs.

I’ll avoid too much redundancy here.  If you’ve been skimming this post, you’ll want to pay close attention to #3 and #4 on my list.  But again, this has to do with the concept of matching.  If you’re applying to a position that doesn’t match your skills and qualifications, you’re wasting your time.

6. You’ve Accepted That Your Deficiency or Weakness Should Hold You Back.

Your thoughts: I’ve been unemployed for a year, so why would someone want to hire me?  I was fired from my last job, how am I going to explain that?  I don’t have a degree.

You’ve got some issues.  Perhaps, you’ve been rejected a few times.  But, instead of looking at it as a challenge that you can overcome, you become passive in your job search process.  This is absolutely the worst thing that you can do.  You’ve got to get even more active when you have deficiencies.  The truth is we all have some type of deficiency or weakness.  The difference between success and failure is your ability to address your weaknesses head on and prepare responses to the tough questions that you’ll get in order to create a positive outcome.

So what if you’ve been unemployed for year.  You’ve been consulting, volunteering, and building your personal brand during your time off.  So what if you were fired.  You were able to get some great experience, but ultimately you’re excited to pursue a job that will be a better fit and provide you with a different type of experience.  So what if you don’t have a degree.  You have great experience and you plan to pursue your degree because you understand the value of education in addition to practical experience.  Get it?  It all comes down to putting a positive spin on whatever your situation is and focusing on the future.

7. You’re Doing the Same Thing Over and Over Again, Expecting a Different Result.

If you’ve been looking for a job for several months with few leads, you’re doing something wrong.  You owe it to yourself to figure it out.  It’s probably something as simple as a better resume or more polished interviewing skills.  It may be your job search strategy.  Whatever it is, it can be changed.  The key word here is CHANGE.  Do something different.

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Happy New Year! Today is the first official Monday of the year.  For many, it’s the first full week back at work.  No matter how great or horrible 2012 was for you, you have the ability to make 2013 a great year.  So, to help you make it your best year ever, I’m giving you my list of “Must Do’s” for 2013.

1. Get on LinkedIn Now. And, don’t just get on there.  Use it to its fullest capability.  You’re missing out on recruiters who are looking to hire you and great professional connections.  Take some time to learn the ins and outs of the site.  If you desire to take your career to the next level, networking is an absolute must.  Don’t skip over this important networking tool.
2. Get Moving. This is hard.  I know.  But, for those of you who are working in an office where you sit all day, you really need to find a way to move your body.  In addition to a larger waist size, studies have found that people who sit more have an increased risk of diabetes and heart disease.  Walk to your colleague’s office instead of sending an email.  Get up and take a quick stroll through the office.  If you’re confined to your office or cubicle, stand up, march in place, wiggle it out, walk around the desk – just keep it moving! You need to move a few minutes every hour.  And lastly, take the stairs instead of the elevator.
3. Find a Side Hustle. Make it something fun, that you enjoy doing.  This is your second revenue stream.  Wealthy people have lots of revenue streams.  So, think rich in 2013.  Plus, we live in quite uncertain times.  The job that you have today could be gone tomorrow.  That side hustle can actually help you cover your expenses should you experience the unfortunate event of job loss.  And, you never know, that side hustle could become your primary hustle.  We tend to perform well at things that we enjoy.
4. Connect in Real Life. Yes, get from behind that computer.  Technology is great.  It gives us the ability to expand our network and connect with lots of people in a much quicker timeframe.  However, as great as it is, it still has its limitations and should only be a segment of your networking strategy.  Attend some industry events.  Join some organizations and get active.  Volunteer for a cause that is near and dear to your heart.  Then you’ll be on your way to making some meaningful connections.
5. Pay Attention to Your Brand. Whether you know it or not, you have a brand.  It’s how you project yourself to the world. Your wardrobe, how you speak, what you post online – it all builds an image of who you are.  And, this becomes your brand.  Your brand should be the best reflection of you.  Take some time to assess your online presence.  You can start by searching your name on Google.  Take a look at what you’ve posted on social media sites over the past year.  A great brand will open many doors and allow you to skip right through them.
6. Get Social With Your Coworkers. Go to lunch with a group of your coworkers.  Attend that work function that you really don’t feel like attending.  Be social.  Studies show that workers who establish great relationships with coworkers outside of the office tend to be promoted more often.  Performance isn’t just about how well you do your job.  It’s also how well you get along with everyone and how well you are perceived at doing your job.  Perception is reality!
7. Splurge On a Professional Resume. Unless you’ve got a great HR person or recruiter advising you along the way, you should at least have one professional resume written that you can update yourself.  I’ve tossed some pretty terrible resumes in the no pile.  These were applicants that could have been qualified for the job, but didn’t know how to sell their qualifications in a well written, aesthetically pleasing document.  Invest in You!
8. Find and Follow Your Passion. This really should have been first on my list.  Resolve to make 2013 a year of passion.  This is truly the road to career happiness.  Finding your passion can be challenging.  But, with a little patience and self observation, you can do it.
9. Pick Up the January 14^th Issue of Jet magazine. It’s on your newsstands now.  Do this today! Why?  Because, I’m in it!  I’ve provided Jet with some great career advice that you’ll definitely want to check out. 

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By Khalilah Starks

Today, it was announced that Citigroup is cutting 11,000 jobs.  That’s 11,000 people who will be looking for employment.  When the news hit, I started to think about something that I’m extremely passionate about – Marketing Company U!  Wanna know who Company U is?  It’s YOU!!!  YOU are your most valuable product.  So, you should promote the very best of YOU consistently.  Promoting the very best you is all about proactively marketing your skills and talents during the good times and the not so good times in your career.  Losing your job forces you to promote your skills to the world.  But, a wise person markets their skills during the good times as well.

Think about it like this.  Companies never stop marketing their products.  They close deals and continue to prospect for more clients.  They constantly figure out new ways to promote their products.  They continue to market their company to prospective employees, even when there are no available job openings.  From a company standpoint, it’s all about staying in business, growth and being proactive.

But, what do we do?  We market ourselves during the job search process.  And, once we get the job, our focus tends to shift internally and being the best employee that we can be.  We stop sharing and promoting our expertise to the world.  We become quiet, until it’s time to find the next job.

Well, I say that it’s time to grab that bullhorn and start sharing your expertise with the world.  Being quiet isn’t a sound strategy if you want to be at the top of your career game.  If you think about it, your goals shouldn’t be any different from a company’s goals.  Yes, companies constantly market and look for new clients to stay in business.  However, you need to stay in business too!  You never know when that company may decide to eliminate your job or simply decide that you’re no longer valued.  Constantly promoting your value will help you land on your feet quicker if this happens.

Now, I’m not saying that you should always be looking for the next best thing.  Marketing the very best you isn’t always about looking for a job.  It’s positioning yourself for the next best thing when you need it.  If you’re with a great company or have a great boss that is committed to your development, it makes sense to stay.  But, you should always be proactive and marketing your skills so that you can land another great opportunity if things do change.

Here are some things that you can do to start marketing Product U:

1. Get Active on LinkedIn

Notice that I said get active – adding connections to your LinkedIn account isn’t enough.  You’ve got to build some great relationships and increase your presence.

2. Speak on Professional Panels

This is a great opportunity to display your expertise to a wider audience.  And, you never know who you may connect with on the panel.  I’ve made some great professional connections by participating on panels.

3. Create a Professional Website or Blog

Let your work speak for itself.  There’s nothing like having your work on display for people to readily access at any time.  It can instantly build your credibility.

4. Create a Professional Twitter Account

Share great articles, tweet your perspectives and retweet interesting tweets of those that you follow.  This will give you an opportunity to connect with other professionals in your industry while sharing your expertise and accomplishments.

5. Attend Networking Events

People often attend networking sessions when they need to find a job or build their business.  However, you should attend networking events during the good times in your career to establish connections and promote your expertise to people in your industry.  It’ll pay off later.

6. Write a Book

Writing a book about some aspect of your career can instantly propel you to expert status.  Professionals who write books are instantly viewed as authorities on their subject matter.

7. Join Professional Organizations

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, joining professional organizations are an absolute must.  This gives you the opportunity to share your knowledge and accomplishments with local professionals in your industry.

The more you empower yourself, the better you’ll be equipped to rebound quickly from the unexpected loss of a job.  So, I challenge you to think about what you will do to market and demonstrate your skills and accomplishments, even if you love your job and wouldn’t consider leaving.  It’s all about strategically setting yourself up for future success.

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Choosing the Right Career: Lessons From a 10 Year Old

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By Khalilah Starks

Children never cease to amaze me.  If you pay attention, there are lots of lessons that we can learn from them.

Recently, my daughter took up knitting.  From the very beginning, she naturally excelled at knitting.  She even used an advanced knitting technique on her first project which hadn’t even been taught.  It was just natural for her.

She instantly fell in love with knitting and takes her knitting kit everywhere she goes.  She knits while watching her favorite TV programs.  She knits while we’re in the car.  She knits during recess while the other kids are playing.  She knits on the elevator.  If there’s a moment to spare, she pulls out her yarn and starts knitting.  She’s a knitting maniac.   She knitted so much that she started to develop a sore on her finger.  But, even with that, she refused to stop or slow down the pace of her knitting.

So, what lessons can a 10 year old teach us about choosing the right career?

1. We Quickly Excel At Natural Talents.

Natural talents and strengths are those God given talents that we automatically excel at without much training.  Training helps us enhance our natural talents and ability to achieve supreme mastery at an accelerated rate compared to our peers.  When choosing a career, look for careers that utilize and capitalize on your natural strengths.  You’ll excel in your career at a faster pace making your journey to the top that much quicker.

2. We’re Motivated to Work Hard on Things That We Enjoy.

Think back to that hobby that you loved as a kid.  Was it basketball?  Was it dance?  You could probably spend hours upon hours practicing your craft.   And, no one paid you.  Your career should be no different.  Now, of course, you need to be paid.  We all have bills.  But, if you do something that you enjoy and love, you’ll work harder and won’t even realize it.

3. When the Going Gets Tough, It’s Easier to Get Going When You Love What You Do.

Enjoying what you do makes it easier to get through the tough spots.  Obstacles don’t seem like impossible mountains to climb when you’re doing something that you love.  Athlete’s play through their pain because of their love for the game.  You should have the same level of love for your career.  There should be some pain that you’re willing to play through in your own career game.

Now, what does all this mean?

If you’re not in a career that’s utilizing your natural strengths and talents, it’s time to take some action.  It’s possible to find a career that gives you the same level of enjoyment that you felt as a kid practicing that free throw for the hundredth time.  The most fulfilled people have found ways to make a living playing to their strengths while doing something that they love.

So, what are your natural strengths?  What do you naturally excel at?  Are you a whiz with technology?  Are you a gifted conversationalist?  Do you have the ability to convince anybody that you’re right, even if you’re wrong?  We all have those things that we’re great at!  The key is to identify your strengths and start researching careers that will allow you to use those strengths.

Don’t know what your strengths are?  Don’t feel bad.  Sometimes our careers take us so far away from our strengths that we actually forget what we’re good at.  But, here’s the thing.  You’re probably playing to your strengths in your personal life and don’t even realize it.  You just have to take some time to self-reflect and rediscover your strengths.

Start your rediscovery process by asking a few friends for their opinion.  Our friends are able to see things that we often can’t see.  What are the things that people constantly compliment you on?  What are the skills that your managers have always listed as strengths during your performance reviews?  When somebody needs a special favor, what are they asking you to do?  Start asking these questions and you’ll start to get closer to finding that career that makes you feel like a kid again.

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Burst Your Bubble By Expanding Your Network Today!

By Khalilah Starks

Recently, I was inspired to post the following on Facebook:

“We spend too much time in our own little bubble.  Burst that bubble that you’ve created for yourself.  Expansion means new opportunities.  Do something different.  Do things to meet new people.  Break out!”

And, that’s when it hit me.  So many people struggle with the job search process because they fail to burst their own bubble.  So many people fail to learn about life changing career opportunities because their networks are too small, or shall I say their bubble hasn’t been burst.

By human nature, many of us stick to what we know.  We have lunch with the same people.  We go to the same social events that are promoted by the same people.  We find people that we trust and then we stick to them.  We do the same thing over and over again, but get frustrated when everything remains the same.   Well, I’ve got some great news for you.  There’s a whole world out there full of opportunities that are made just for you.  But, you’ve got to do something different.

In this day and age, where 80% of jobs are found through networking, you can’t afford to have a small network.  Your network needs to be wide and deep.  So, what are you going to do to burst your self-imposed bubble?

I’ve got 8 ideas to get you started!  I know, I know, you’re busy.  But, you can do this.  Take action and you’ll start to feel your bubble expand.  And soon, it’ll burst!

1.  Join Organizations.

Pick an organization that’s fun and represents who you are.   That way, you’ll look forward to attending the meetings and connecting with other members.  Additionally, join an organization that is related to your career field.  This is an absolute must because you definitely want to expand your network with others in your field.

2. Get Active.

Okay, you’ve joined the organization.  Kudos to you!  But, you’ve got to actually do something to get to know people.  Of course, attend the meetings. But also, participate on a committee within the organization.  Offer to take the lead on an initiative or work with someone who’s already taking the lead.  Attend the organization’s events and commit to helping make those events a success.

3.  Attend an Alumni Event.

These are great because you get to connect with people from your past, but can also connect with alums that you don’t know and alums that attended during different years.  And, you already have something in common with the people you meet which makes the connection process that much easier.

4.  Volunteer.

Find a special cause or community initiative to attach yourself to.  But, make sure that you choose something that is near and dear to your heart.  That way, you’ll meet others that you’ll instantly connect with because they’ll care about the same thing too.  If you have children, volunteering at their school is a great way to meet and connect with people.

5.  Accept Invitations to Do Different Things.

Part of expanding your network is expanding your experiences.  The next time a friend asks you out to do something that you normally wouldn’t do, go for it. You never know who may be there to connect with!

6.  Invite, Invite, Invite.

As you meet new people, invite them out for lunch.  Schedule a coffee or tea date if you don’t have time for lunch.  The purpose of this is to establish a connection and learn more about them.  You may have common interests that you would have never known about if you didn’t take the time to get to know them.

7.  Pick a New Hobby.

The key here is to choose something that will make you interact with others.  Take a class and you’re guaranteed to meet others.  Choose something physical like Tennis and you’ll kill two birds with one stone – physical fitness and networking!

8.  Ask a Friend for Recommendations.

No need to go it alone here.  Your friends may already belong to some pretty cool networks that they’re more than happy to include you in.  Besides, it’s so much easier when there’s someone there that you know to break the ice.

Today is Monday.  You’ve got all week to think about which idea will work for you and how you’ll implement it.  Choose two or three ideas if you really want to take a sharp stab at bursting your bubble.  You can even think of some ideas that I haven’t mentioned to add to your list.  But, if you do, please do share your ideas by leaving a comment below!  Sharing is caring.

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I’m starting a video series where I’ll be answering questions that you submit on a weekly basis.  In this first video, I answer 4 questions about LinkedIn that I received from my followers:

1. What are these endorsements that I see on LinkedIn?
2. Should I accept invitations to connect from people that I don’t know?
3. How do I approach a complete stranger on LinkedIn?
4. I have lots of connections on LinkedIn, but I don’t’ see the usefulness of LinkedIn. What can I do?

See my answers to these questions and recommendations on how to get the most out of your LinkedIn account in this short YouTube video.

Have a burning career related question that you’d like for me to answer?  Email your question to info@highpoweredprofessional.com and I’ll answer it during one of my upcoming videos!

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Getting LinkedIn!

By Khalilah Starks

Social media can be so much fun. You create your own little world where you connect and share your thoughts, pictures, whereabouts and anything else on your mind with friends and family. It’s your world, your page – Your profile. And, since it’s yours, you can say whatever you like, right? Absolutely! But, saying the wrong thing does come with costs. It can come back to haunt you professionally.

Here are five things you need to know about social media:

1. You Can Be Fired or Disciplined For What You Post Online.

Say the wrong thing and you could get disciplined or even lose your job if your employer finds out about it. Yes, you have freedom of speech. But, that doesn’t mean that your employer can’t take action against you for what you’ve said. Disparaging comments and airing confidential information can land you in hot water. Let’s not forget the California woman who was fired for posting a racist and threatening status about President Obama on Facebook.

Consequences aren’t just reserved for those who make comments about the President. Recently, a person was fired from their job for posting disrespectful statements on Facebook about someone who visited their company. Also, the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) upheld the firing of an employee who was terminated for inappropriate Facebook posts.

2. Much of What You Say Is Protected

Here’s the good news. Much of what you say on the internet is protected. Workers have rights. So, employers have to be cautious before taking any type of adverse action against an employee. If your employer takes some sort of adverse action against you for what you’ve posted, you should seek legal guidance to determine if your rights have been violated.

3. It Doesn’t Matter Whether You Post at Home or at Work

Many people seem to think that what they say online during their personal time or on their personal computer is automatically protected. Wrong! Time and place do not matter. If you post a comment that isn’t legally protected, you can be disciplined or fired regardless of when and what device you used to post the comment.

4. You Can Be Denied Employment Based on What an Employer Finds Online

If you’re currently looking for employment, your social media presence should be super clean. Employers will search Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn to see what they find. If they find inappropriate posts (sex, violence, drugs, etc.), the game is over. Grammatical errors and typos are also the kiss of death.

5. Your Friends Are Not Necessarily Your Friends

Let’s not confuse social media friends with real friends. These are people that you’ve merely invited into your cyber world. Be aware of those that I call “frienemies.” These are the people that pose as friends, but will plot against you if given a chance. These are the people that won’t privately advise you to remove an inappropriate post. Instead, they will use it against you. Just recently, I learned of a case where an employee was fired for an inappropriate Facebook posting which was shared with the employee’s company by a Facebook frienemy. The frienemy didn’t even work for the employee’s company. Even the strictest privacy settings can’t guard against these situations.

The laws continue to evolve around social media and there are lots of unanswered questions about what’s protected and what’s not. What I’m writing today, could and probably will change. So, it’s best to be very careful and think twice about what you post.

My rule of thumb – If I get mortified by the thought of my boss or client seeing my posts, I don’t post it. Even if your employer can’t discipline or fire you for what you’ve posted, they can still find ways to take adverse action against you without even mentioning your social media indiscretions. No promotion, a poor performance rating or a minimal pay increase can be justified in other ways. Not to mention the credibility that you stand to lose, which really is the kiss of professional death. So, think wisely before clicking “Post” or “Tweet”.

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The employment market continues to be a challenge for many people.  One of the things that I’ve observed is employers continued reliance on temporary workers.  Some companies have been a bit reluctant to add permanent employees because of the sheer uncertainty of our economy.  They have more work that needs to be done, but they’re not ready to commit to hiring permanent employees.  The operative word here is “ready” because, at some point, they may be ready to commit to the right person.  There are also lots of companies that use the “try before you buy” strategy when hiring.  So, they always hire temporary workers and convert the best performers to permanent status.

So, what does all this mean?  You should definitely consider temporary or contract jobs as a viable option during your job search.  If you happen to find a great temporary job, here are three tips to help you convert that temporary job into a permanent gig.

1. Over-Deliver

Give them more than what they ask for.  Then you’ll truly be an asset and they’ll think twice about letting you go.  Companies need great problem solvers.   Pay attention to their inefficiencies or struggles and suggest improvements.  Your goal is to show that you not only can do the job, but can add extra value to the company as well.  I’ve seen managers make permanent space for great temporary employees or extend temporary contracts when they weren’t able to create a permanent space.  Companies hate letting talented people walk out the door.

2. Strive for Perfect Attendance

Absenteeism and tardiness issues continue to plague many companies.  Managers hate dealing with employees who chronically come to work late or take off unexpectedly.  It’s a huge disruption to the workflow and a major annoyance to the business.  During your trial run as a temporary employee, you need to show that you are dependable and have great work ethic.  Say goodbye to the prospect of being hired permanently if an employer gets the slightest sense that you could become an attendance issue.

3. Network

Networking never ends.  You should be getting to know as many people in the company as you can.  The more that people know about you and your abilities, the better chance you’ll have of being hired permanently.  Companies look for people who can fit in their culture.  The more you get to know permanent staff and build relationships, the more you’ll fit in with their culture.  Likability can definitely affect your ability to make your temporary place a permanent home.  In the event where you’re not able to convert it to a permanent job, you’ll still walk away with great connections that can assist you in finding your next job.

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It’s the end of the week.  What did you accomplish this week?  Did you get praise from your boss for a job well done?  Did you get praise from a client?  Did you finish a big project?  Did you close a deal?  If you accomplished anything this week, no matter how small, write it down and stash it in your File of Accomplishments.  What?!!  You don’t have a File of Accomplishments?!  Well, you better create one today!  You can’t afford to forget today’s accomplishments because it could help you tomorrow.

Here are the areas where an accurate list of accomplishments can come in great handy:

1. Performance Reviews

Bosses tend to have selective memory around annual performance review time.  If you think about it, a year is a very long time.  And, most aren’t keeping a written log of your accomplishments.  Unfortunately, the only things that tend to get written are performance issues.  Most companies will ask you to do a self assessment as part of the performance review process.  Keeping a log of your accomplishments will make this process easier and ensure that you don’t forget anything.  Additionally, some managers don’t even write their employee’s reviews.  They’ll just take your self-assessment and provide a few tweaks.  And, voilà, there’s your performance review.   So, it’s to your advantage to write the best review with as many accomplishments as you can.

2. Asking for a Raise

Companies don’t give raises to employees just because they ask for them.  You have to be able to convince your employer that your performance warrants an increase in pay.  Your accomplishments will strengthen your argument.  As you prepare for your discussion, you’ll want to have your list of recent accomplishments ready to include in the discussion.  The key word here is “recent” since the best time to ask for a raise is right after a significant accomplishment.

3. Resume Writing

The resume writing process, whether you do it yourself or have it professionally done, can be a lot easier if you have a complete list of your accomplishments.  A great resume effectively communicates all of your relevant skills and accomplishments.  Keeping that active list of accomplishments will ensure that you don’t miss any critical details that will entice employers to invite you in for an interview.

4. Interviewing

The interview is a strategic brag fest.  And, what are you bragging about?  Drumroll please…your accomplishments!  As you prepare for your interview, you’ll want to select the accomplishments that are most relevant to the position that you’re seeking and find a way to insert them in the conversation.  Having that complete list of accomplishments will ensure that you don’t miss anything.

5. Professional Self Esteem

The life as an employee can be tough.  Managers can say terrible things that will send anyone’s professional self esteem into a downward spiral of inadequacy.  And, sometimes you just screw up – mistakes happen.   In these cases, you just need to remind yourself of the value that you bring to the table.  So, collect your accomplishments and review them from time to time, just to feel good about yourself and remain confident during the tough times.

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