The Exclusive Career Coach By cover art

The Exclusive Career Coach

By: Lesa Edwards
Listen for free

  • Summary

  • The Exclusive Career Coach is presented by Lesa Edwards, CEO of Exclusive Career Coaching. This weekly podcast covers all things career management including job search strategies, interviewing tips, networking tools, maximizing LinkedIn, salary negotiations, and managing your mindset around your career.
    Copyright 2024 The Exclusive Career Coach
    Show more Show less
Episodes
  • 318: How to Make the Right Decision When Changing Employers

    318: How to Make the Right Decision When Changing Employers
    May 1 2024
    Today, we’re talking about how to increase your chance of choosing an employer who is a good fit for you. I’m dividing this discussion into two parts: How to determine what qualities or characteristics are most important to you and what you can do to assess an employer. What are you looking for?There are no right or wrong answers here – what IS important is that you separate out your “non-negotiables” from your “gee – wouldn’t it be nice’s.” What am I talking about? When I was applying for positions all over the U.S. back in 1999, I had spent the previous decade working in a literal fallout shelter. We were in the bottom level of the student union in a cement block structure with no windows. So – one of my “gee – wouldn’t it be nice” things was an office with windows. In other words, not essential, like ice cream for an ice cream sundae. More like the whipped cream or the cherry. What WAS a non-negotiable was campus support for the Career Center. I had worked too long with very little budget and practically no staff – coupled with a campus environment that didn’t appreciate or utilize the career center. Here are some things that might be important to you: -A particular industry -A product or service you like, have utilized, respect -A certain aspect in their mission statement/vision statement -Whether it is a for-profit or nonprofit organization -Revenues -Number of employees -Some aspect of the organization’s culture -Geographic location of the company/where you would work -Commute distance -If hybrid, the % of each -Amount of travel required -The company’s reputation -The company’s position in their industry -The company’s phase – startup, etc. -A certain quality of your direct supervisor -The number – and possibly level – of the people you would supervise -Your budget and staffing relative to what you are expected to accomplish -Salary / bonus potential -Benefits -PTO -The expectation for the actual workday/work week – what about weekends, evenings, etc.? How many hours every week? -4-day workweek -Opportunity for advancement -Access/opportunity for training and professional development This is not intended to be an exhaustive list. Next, identify no more than 4-5 non-negotiables. You may even want to weigh them if one or two are far more important to you than the others. The idea here is to avoid “shiny object syndrome.” You are swayed by things that aren’t on your list while forgetting about one or more of your non-negotiables. How do you assess these things? The answer, of course, depends on WHICH things you’ve selected as your non-negotiables. To research something qualitative about the company, you can’t depend on the company’s website. Rather, try Glassdoor.com, news releases about the company, and talking to current/former employees. To research something quantitative about the company, I recommend accessing Data Axle at your local library, Wikipedia, or the company’s website. If they are publicly traded, you can get information from Standard & Poor’s, Dun & Bradstreet, and the EDGAR database from sec.gov. Some of the information most important to you may not be available until you apply for a specific position (such as a quality in your direct supervisor) but knowing that it is a non-negotiable keeps it on your radar screen as you go through the interview process. Next, let’s talk about touchpoints throughout the hiring process where you can gather the information you need. -Pay attention to how you are treated, and the attitude of those you come in contact with, throughout the process. Are they upbeat and friendly? Do you receive prompt responses to your questions/requests? Do they stay in regular contact and keep you apprised of what’s going on with the search? -How are your interactions with the team you would be working with? Do they include you or are they standoffish – and how does that feel? (Trust your gut on this one.) -Ask questions during the interview process about opportunities for advancement, training and professional development, compensation and benefits, and expectations for the role. Pay attention to whether you receive direct and honest answers or feel they may be hedging. You can also ask about company culture – you want to hear pretty much the same thing from everyone you ask. -Consider any red flags that come up throughout the process and do your due diligence on those areas. This is especially important if you aren’t unhappy where you are – you certainly don’t want to leave that situation for a difficult one. Ultimately, finding the right employer involves a combination of self-knowledge, research, self-reflection, and your intuition. Trust your instincts and carefully consider how well the employer aligns with your values, goals, and preferences so you can make an informed decision. Are you in the wrong job that chips away ...
    Show more Show less
    26 mins
  • 317: Addressing Gaps in Employment in Resumes, LinkedIn, Job Interviews

    317: Addressing Gaps in Employment in Resumes, LinkedIn, Job Interviews
    Apr 24 2024
    Gaps in employment. I want to start with the big picture, then drill down to some specifics. If it was several years ago, or more recently for only a few months, it probably isn’t the problem you think it is. You can eliminate or minimize the appearance of an employment gap on your resume and LinkedIn, but you can’t do this on an application. You CAN cover the employment gap with consulting work or other self-employment – but only if it is legitimate. Be prepared to answer questions about how you spent that gap and what you learned during that time. On Your ResumeI had a client who took an intentional sabbatical to travel the world – and she had measurable achievements from her travels. We included that on her resume. I’ve got a client right now who spent 1 year building an Amazon business. This wasn’t on-brand for him — but does show his entrepreneurial spirit and ability to build a business from the ground up by himself. We included this on his resume. Other clients have left their employer months before their actual end date due to accrued PTO or other reasons – we use the latest end date on the resume and LI profile. After all, they are still an employee of that company all that time, even though they no long show up every day. You can take months of employment off your resume, but keep in mind that you will need to include them when you upload your resume to an ATS. I’ve started including months of employment on all resumes so my clients don’t have to have a separate “dates of employment” document they must refer to. Sometimes, a gap in employment makes for a natural cut-off with older jobs. Why include a position from 17 years ago when it will show a two-year gap while you were having children? Clients often ask me about consulting work or other gap entrepreneurial ventures – my question to them is, did you do something that was substantive during that time? I don’t ask them about whether they were paid or not, because that’s not what is important. LinkedInLinkedIn has a feature where you can “add a career break” as if you were adding a new job. If you choose to use this feature, it’s important that you provide some narrative – what did you do? Learn? Experience? How did you grow? If appropriate, why did you have a career break, e.g. was it intentional or were you part of a layoff that affected 75% of your company’s workforce? I personally wouldn’t use this feature if I was simply job searching, although there may be situations where this makes sense. In the InterviewHere are some ways to address your gap in employment: -In your answer to the “tell me about yourself” question: You may choose to include something like this: “As you can see from my resume, I took an intentional sabbatical for six months last year to fulfill a lifelong goal of writing a book. It’s called BLANK and was published in February of this year by PUBLISHING COMPANY. “ “In 2020, I was part of a massive layoff at ABC that affected more than half the total workforce. Rather than immediately attempting to find my next role, I opted to lean on my savings so I could improve my physical health after working 100-hour weeks for months at a time as we were trying to save the company. I did SOME SPECIFICS, and I’m proud to say I improved my health based on all available metrics.” -If you are directly asked about a gap in employment, be prepared with an answer similar to the one above. Here are some things to consider as you prepare your answer: -Don’t sound defensive -Don’t embellish -No need to tell them you weren’t paid for consulting work unless they ask -Be sure to tell them how the experience helped you grow professionally or personally When it becomes a problemAs the saying goes, “Once is an accident, twice is a coincidence, three times is a pattern.” If you’ve had multiple gaps in employment, I strongly recommend working with someone like me on a) how to position this in your marketing materials (one size DOES NOT fit all), and b) how to talk about this in the interview. The bottom lineEveryone has something they believe makes them a less-than-ideal candidate. If that something for you is a gap in employment, it isn’t a bigger deal than someone else’s something, which could be age, lack of education, or multiple terminations. The important thing is to come up with a strategy to address, both on paper and in the interview, in a way that neutralizes it – or if possible – turns it into a positive. Are you in the wrong job that chips away at you every day? The document and coaching programs offered by Exclusive Career Coaching will help you find a job that uses your zone of genius, recognizes your value, and pays you what you’re worth. If you’re ready to take your job search to the next level by working with a highly experienced professional with a track...
    Show more Show less
    14 mins
  • 316: How to Transition Smoothly into a New Job

    316: How to Transition Smoothly into a New Job
    Apr 17 2024

    SO…you’ve landed a new position at a new company. How can you make your transition as smooth as possible? Here are 15 strategies:

    Exit Gracefully

    You don’t want your reputation to be tarnished in the final weeks with your old employer. Finish up any projects you need to, create whatever you need to help your successor in the role, say your goodbyes, and leave gracefully.

    Announce on Social Media

    Be cognizant of your previous and new employer when you decide the best timing to announce your new job on LinkedIn and elsewhere. Be kind and gracious to your former employer NO MATTER WHAT, and express your excitement about your new position. Nothing even remotely negative is appropriate here.

    Take Care of Business

    You may have paperwork to fill out for your new employer, questions you need answers to, and logistical information around start date and location.

    Do Your Homework

    Learn as much as you can about the company and its culture, the department you’ll be working in, the people you’ll be working with, and the role you’ll be stepping into. Review the company’s website, LI profiles of key individuals, and any materials the company has provided you.

    Get Clear on Expectations

    Meet 1:1 with your manager so you can get on the same page as to expectations for your role, goals, responsibilities, and performance metrics. You should have access to your manager for frequent meetings during your first 90 days or so to ensure you’re staying on track.

    Build Relationships

    Be intentional about getting to know your coworkers and others within the organization. If there are company events, by all means attend and get to know people. (It would be a good idea to find a mentor who can help you navigate so-called “optional” social events…are they REALLY optional?)

    Limit “This is How We Did it…”

    You have a grace period of no more than a month to use the phrase “At my old company, we did it this way..” or any of its cousins. You can still introduce new ways of doing things – just don’t attribute your ideas to your previous employer.

    Listen and Learn

    Even if you are highly experienced in your role, you’ll have much to learn in THIS role. Listen and observe, paying close attention to how things are done. Ask lots of questions and seek guidance from experienced colleagues.

    Keep Lines of Communication Open

    Update your manager and team members on your progress, as for feedback, and seek clarification when needed. This is particularly important if you are working remotely.

    Seek Feedback

    Actively solicit feedback from your supervisor and colleagues to help you identify areas for improvement. Don’t wait for formal performance reviews to seek feedback.

    Be Kind to Yourself

    During this introductory period, you’ll be learning a lot of new information – and likely making a few mistakes or missteps. Don’t beat yourself up – understand that mistakes are bound to happen in a new role and show yourself some grace and kindness.

    Manage Your Time

    As you adjust to your new role, be sure to prioritize tasks, set realistic deadlines, and establish a work routine that works for you.

    Stay Positive and Flexible

    Maintain a positive attitude and stay flexible as you navigate the challenges of your new role. Approach each day with a willingness to learn and grow.

    Seek Support

    There are resources to help you succeed no matter what your role is or what challenge you are facing. Reach out to your manager, HR, or a mentor within the organization for help.

    Take Care of Yourself

    It is really important to prioritize self-care during this transition period. Get plenty of rest, eat healthy, exercise regularly, and make time for activities that help you relax and recharge. Don’t forget your friends and family during this time period – remember, this is a marathon, not a sprint. Act accordingly.

    If you are a high-achieving professional with the goal of landing in the C-suite, the Highly Promotable coaching program may be just the ticket! This 1:1 program is targeted to strategically leverage one of your strengths to become a signature strength — and move the needle on one of your developmental areas so it becomes a strength.

    This is a four-figure investment in your professional future! If this sounds like just what you need, schedule a complimentary introductory call to determine if you are a fit for Highly Promotable:

    https://calendly.com/lesaedwards/highly-promotable-introductory-call
    Show more Show less
    13 mins
Career Success Economics
Show more Show less

What listeners say about The Exclusive Career Coach

Average customer ratings

Reviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.

Audible.com reviews

Amazon reviews
No Reviews are Available