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April 27, 2012 

BEE ON THE SCENE: Malton Moms Workshops & How She Hustles Brunch

As this week comes to an end, I’m reflecting on just how busy and eventful the past few weeks have been. I was honoured to attend a few awesome events, and I wanted to let you all know about them!

First up: my very first speaking engagement! A couple of weeks ago, I was happily surprised to get an email in my inbox inviting me to speak at the Malton Moms group in the Mississauga area. Malton Moms is a networking and support group for mothers in the Malton region, but in reality, they’re so much more than that. Malton Moms provides an environment for mothers to be educated, entertained, supported, and heard. For their Creative Cafe’s “Telling Your Story” edition of special meetings, I was invited to speak about how to “tell your story” with blogging.

With Crystal and Nadine from Malton Moms

For the last two Wednesdays, I spent my evenings in Mississauga with the group and talked, laughed, and learned. For the first session, I covered topics to help the ladies start and maintain their own blogs. It was easy to drive my points home by sharing my own personal experiences, and the ladies were receptive and interactive, which was awesome! For my second session, we focused on the Malton Moms blog, and I helped the group come up with a game plan for updating and revamping their site. This was especially great – the Malton Moms group is doing so many amazing things that it only makes sense for their web presence to mirror all of that awesomeness. Are you in the Malton area and looking for a group of mothers to connect with? You definitely need to get in touch with Malton Moms – check their Facebook page to stay updated! I had a great time, and was humbled and honoured to be invited to speak to their group. I was also inspired – there were a TON of sexy mommies up in there! Go ‘head, ladies!

What comes to mind when you think of spending an afternoon with 100 women you don’t know? For an introvert like me, that’s a nerve-wracking experience, but it’s one I encountered this past Sunday – and I loved it. I was lucky enough to attend the 3rd Annual How She Hustles Brunch at the Courtyard Marriot in downtown Toronto, and I had an amazing time! Hosted by Emily Mills and her team, the brunch was an opportunity to mix, mingle, and make real connections with women excelling in their main hustles and side hustles. This was different from other networking events because it was intimate enough to allow us the opportunity to chat with nearly every woman there. Everyone seemed positive, kind, and genuine in wanting to share their skills and learn about others – no pretentious posing or nonchalant business card tossing here! I was also impressed with the How She Hustles team’s usage of social media – Emily and her team used Twitter and Facebook so effectively, and created a way for women not in attendance to still feel like a part of the event. Awesome gift bags, dope giveaways, the opportunity to meet Twitter-friends in real life, and the chance to connect with other beautiful and inspiring women – this event was a major win all around! Connect with How She Hustles on Facebook, Twitter, and Youtube to stay up to date with future events, because I know I’ll never miss another one!

Big thanks to the homie Ajua Dee for snapping so many great pics!

And the events don’t stop! May is my birthday month, and I have a few cool events planned to celebrate! Like the Facebook page and follow me on Twitter for more details! If you were at the Malton Moms workshops or at the How She Hustles brunch, say hello! I’d love to keep in touch!

January 11, 2012 

Career Moves: Mastering The Art Of The Internal Promotion

Are you bored in your current position at work? Do you like your company, but see yourself doing more? Do you have dreams of promotions, pay raises, and corner offices?  It’s one thing to go after a brand new job in a brand new company, but do you know about the art of the internal promotion?

At the time I left my old company, the Director of HR confirmed that I had set a record for most promotions (beep beep! Oh, sorry. That’s just me tooting my own horn), with a total of 4. In 5 years, I worked my way up from an entry-level position to an executive role working closely with the Untouchables (our VPs/CEO) and our clients. It wasn’t easy, but I’ll let you know how I did it:

  1. Dress for the job you want, not the one you have. When I was prepping to apply for a position higher ranked than my current one, I started making small wardrobe changes. Sure, we could get away with jeans every day, but I started mixing in nice dress pants. When I did wear jeans, I threw on a blazer and boots instead of a T-shirt and Crocs like my cubicle mates. Superficial, but you want the higher-ups to be able to look at you and see their new hire. If they have to waste time squinting their eyes and picturing what you could look like? They’re on to the next.
  2. Let your intentions be known. When I found out that there was an opening for my dream position, I went right to the man who would be my boss and let him know I was interested. I asked him for information on the position and what type of person he was looking for to see if I’d be a good fit. After I actually did win the position, he told me that he was impressed by my approach – a lot of people applied for the job, but I was the only one who came to him to let him personally know that I wanted it.
  3. Repent your corporate sins. This is one that you should be cognizant of at ALL times, because certain things can come back to haunt you. Take an honest look back at your history at your company. Do you have constant friction with other coworkers/your boss? Do you bring home life problems to work? Are you liked? Are you trusted? Be aware of anything that has happened that may work against you. Set plans in motion to show change, or for serious, distinct events, be prepared to discuss or show how you’ve grown.
  4. Shhhhhhhhhhh! I’ve personally had better luck with promotions when I don’t tell any coworkers that I’m going for the position. I’ve seen other coworkers put all their cards out on the table, but then jealousy, one-upping, and general badmindedness commences. I’ve always been able to get more information when no one knows I’m their competition. Sneaky? Maybe. But do what you gotta do! Don’t show your cards until you absolutely have to. If any nosy coworkers ask if you’re going for the job, put that poker face to good use.
  5. Don’t slack off because you know the company. When I was going for my executive role, I knew that I would be up against internal and external candidates. At first, I thought I was golden since I was the most senior internal applicant (which I thought put me above the other internals), and I had a concrete knowledge of our confusing company (which I thought put me above the externals). Once I realized that some of these externals had been working in the position for almost as long as I’ve been alive, I changed my cocky tune. Stay on top of your game, because you truly don’t know what talents others bring to the table. Choosing you might be a comfortable move for the company (less training needed, you already fit the corporate culture), but they may be in the mood to take a risk and hire some fresh blood. Don’t slack off.
  6. Go hard or go home. Continuing from my last point, make sure you go all the way with whatever is asked of you in the interview process. I’ve had higher-ups say “Bee, we know you. Don’t kill yourself preparing that assignment, because it’s just protocol and we know you’re capable. Just focus on the interview itself.”  That would have made my life easier, but I didn’t want there to be any question that I was the person for the job. Example: One interview process required candidates to come up with a 20 minute PowerPoint presentation on any topic, and present it to a panel of executives. I created and memorized a presentation on Gender Identity Disorder and the coverage of gender reassignment surgery in Canada, including how that could affect our business if we took on more provincial clients. My internal competitor did a PowerPoint presentation which consisted of pictures of them and their family. At Disney Land. At Christmas. At home. Why? Because they listened to that person who said not to try too hard since “we know you.” Who was the front-runner after that round, and got the promotion? Yours truly (beep beep)!
  7. Treat an internal interview like an external one. This one goes back to not slacking off. From beginning to ending of the interview process, conduct yourself as if you don’t know ANY of the people involved. Arrive on time, dress properly, answer questions clearly and concisely, and send a follow-up thank you note. Pay particular attention to the questions asked. No matter how basic they seem, answer them just as you would in any other interview. Never say, “…you know what I mean!” in your interview – as far as you’re concerned, they do NOT know. Your interview is the time to prove it to them, even if you’ve worked with your interviewers for 10 years.
  8. If at first you don’t succeed… You may not get every promotion you go for. If you’re unsuccessful, make sure to find out why. Use this as a teachable moment and learn what you can improve upon in order to be successful the next time you throw your hat in the ring. This is the biggest pro for internal promotions – very rarely in external interviews do you get the opportunity to ask why you weren’t chosen. Put your pride aside and find out what skills you need to get to where you want to be.

There are so many nuances to internal interviewing and promotion, but I think I’ve covered the basics here (at least from my experience). Do you have any internal promotion/interviewing tips? Do you need any help or advice? If so, hit up the comments section!

 

December 15, 2011 

Namaste: Do You Want To “Yoga While You Work”?

I’m definitely feeling that end-of-year crunch. Finding meaningful Xmas gifts for family and friends without pandering to the commercialism of the season; being inundated with work functions (how many holiday parties, baking days, potlucks, and Kris Kringle events can we do in one week?); and putting the finishing touches on my final term paper have me exhausted. I often have to remember to literally stop for a moment and just breathe…otherwise, I might just lose it.

Are you feeling like me? Do you wish you just had a moment to press pause on life and do something for yourself? Well, I may have just the thing…

Thanks to Twitter, I’ve been acquainted with some cool people like Georgette Dunn (@RdySetFlow) :

“Georgette Dunn is a 200-Hour Certified Power Vinyasa Yoga Teacher, Personal Trainer and Health & Wellness lover. Her appreciation for yoga began in 2005 and since then it has transformed her life and allowed her to be more at home in her body and at peace in her mind.

With her intimate knowledge of anatomy and physiology, Georgette feels privileged to be able to empower students with practices that are educational while still engaging and accessible. Through purpose-driven classes, she aims to provide students with the tools to pursue a strengthening, confident practice where asanas (poses), pranayama (breathing), and meditation interact collectively to rejuvenate the body and mind.”

Even better? She’s a homegrown Torontonian doing big things!

On December 19th at noon, she’ll be hosting a FREE webinar entitled “Yoga While You Work”  - a 30 minute yoga session that you can do in the privacy of your home or office! I’ll definitely be shutting my door and getting my stretch on. As per the program description, these will be exercises that you can do right at your desk! That means no worries of being in your downward dog when Bob from Marketing busts in to ask you to for your year-end report.

How do you get in on this good stuff? Head here and click on the “Register” tab. From there, you can log in, or create a free account with Association Intelligence, an awesome webinar platform. My homegirl Ro wrote about another webinar we did recently with AI – go here to read her post. Once you’ve registered, you’ll get an email reminder for the session, with all the instructions you need to launch the webinar on the 19th at noon. It’s a simple process, but will yield some great results!

Will you be joining Georgette and I on Monday? What tips do you have for finding time for wellness at work? If you’re chained to a desk in front of a computer all day, what do you do to relieve that tension?

November 18, 2011 

Career Moves: Take Advantage Of The Perks And The Paycheque

Good news, y’all: In light of this dismal economic and employment situation we’re living in, I’ve got a full-time, permanent job. As of the end of this week, I’m moving from “contract” to “permanent” at my new company! This definitely speaks to the fact that it is POSSIBLE to get a (new) job these days, and it’s sometimes good to take risks. I was extremely wary of taking on a “contract” position, because I’ve only known contracts to end, then you’re @ss out, on the job hunt again. Looks like things worked out in my favour, so I’ll be toasting to that this weekend.

Anyways, this post isn’t about that. It’s about the fact that a lot of companies give their employees access to perks that we do not take advantage of, as I have been learning lately. Seeing the amount of times these things are passed up drives me crazy!

For instance, take vacation and sick days. Now, I’m sure every company doles theirs out differently, but if they’re given to you, USE THEM as needed! I’ve had some staff that seem to think they’ll get brownie points if they come to work sick, and think I’ll give them a cookie for working overtime and never taking a vacation. I’m a huge proponent of work-life balance, so I will not be handing out gold stars for people who slave at work, day in and day out. I like people who work smart, as well as hard. The best thing you can do to avoid burnout, illness (both contracting and spreading), and low morale is to take time off when you’re sick, and use your vacation time to take a break. Obviously, I’m not a fan of people who abuse the system either, but if you’re given those days, use them.

Thinking about going back to school part-time? Does your desired course have anything to do with your work or your field? Does your company offer tuition reimbursement or TAP (tuition assistance programs)? If so, why aren’t you up in your boss’ office, trying to get that course for free (or at a good discount)? A lot of people do not take advantage of this gem – granted, it may not be offered by your own company, but a lot do and keep it in the fine print of the policy handbook. The key is to come up with a great proposal. Explain the course and its relevancy to your work. Express your desire to further develop your skill set, which will improve how you do your job. Perhaps you can even show how your colleagues will benefit – would you be willing to do a lunch & learn presentation on what you’ve learned? If you present your argument properly, you can save yourself a lot of money.

Speaking of saving money – check with your HR department or social teams to see if your company offers any discounts in the community. Deals on gym memberships, movie tickets, CAA or Costco memberships, museum or theatre admissions and more could be right under your nose. Depending on the connections your company has, you may even get free tickets to sporting events and special events! So, if one of these deals comes your way, don’t pass it up.

Does your company offer any extras that you’ve taken advantage of? If you don’t use your given sick and vacation days, why not? Have you ever had your company pay for or reimburse you for educational courses or workshops? Share your secrets!

October 25, 2011 

The Question “Hey, Is Your Job Hiring?” Could Ruin Your Friendship/Career

(source)

I started “working” at 16 – my first non-babysitting job was as a part-time holiday sales associate at a clothing store called Bootlegger. It started then, and continues to this very day. “It” being the inevitable moment when a friend asks for a hookup. Back then, the hookup was usually access to my employee discount, but as I’ve gotten older, it’s become access to the job itself.

As the economy declines, more and more people are looking for a way in to a job or career. With more focus being placed on networking and the meme of “it’s not WHAT you know, it’s WHO you know,” it’s only natural that networking will begin in your very circle. So, what happens when a friend inquires about a job at your place of employment, and you know deep down that it wouldn’t be a good fit?

In a previous life, I was a corporate trainer for a medical tourism company. We had a referral incentive, where if you referred someone to the company who made it past their 3 month probation, you would receive a bonus on your paycheque. A young woman took advantage of this incentive, and our company ended up hiring a family friend of hers. I’m honestly not sure how this woman made it through the interview process, but I can tell you she didn’t make it through her probationary period. Swearing in the office, lying to her boss, refusing to do work, and not showing up for her shift were just a few of antics she pulled before getting axed. But through it all, who was it that suffered the most? The employee who referred her.

Why did she suffer? For one, she was continually caught in the middle between her friend and her job. Her friend would loudly bitch and complain about their boss, expecting her to cosign, and getting upset when she wouldn’t. When her friend didn’t show up for work on time, the boss would question her about the friends’ whereabouts. And as this woman got more and more ridiculous, all of the executives looked at her thinking, “Why would she refer this woman? And what kind of people does she associate herself with???” Whether it was fair or not, she was judged based off of the fact that she was the one to bring this woman into our company…and she felt the effects (personal and career-wise) of that decision long after her friend was escorted out of the building upon termination.

We all want to help our friends. No one likes to see a friend struggle, but should your homie come to you looking for job help, please be smart about it. If it goes all wrong, not only will your friend likely be humiliated and back out on their ass looking for a new job, but your work reputation may be affected in a way that you might never recover from. If your friend wouldn’t be a good fit for your company (or vice versa), explain why. If your friend is dead set on working there, a good option might be to try to groom them and help them to develop the skills that they’ll need to be successful. At the very least, always use whatever career skills you have (resume writing, mock interviewing, etc.) to help your homegirl/boy get where they want to be job-wise.

For the times when I’ve actually gone ahead and referred friends, I’ve made sure that as few people as possible know our connection. Too many assumptions get made if too many people are aware, so I choose to limit that as much as I can. I also let my friend know that at work, at least for the beginning phase, we’re coworkers, not friends. Acting too familiar in the workplace leads to the impression that neither one of you will be able to work efficiently together. All in all, remember that your friend is a reflection of you. If your referral becomes one of your company’s top performers, that’s a major win for you. However, if your referral acts anything like the woman I mentioned above, your decision-making skills will be questioned, to say the least.

There’s doing someone a favour, and then there’s helping someone to better themselves. Hooking a friend up with a job with no proper research or discussion is doing them a favour. Helping your friend to know what they’re getting into, preparing them for the environment, or just being honest if something wouldn’t be right for them is helping them to be and do better. Which one would you prefer?

What do y’all think? Have you ever referred a friend to your job? Did it turn out well, or did you end up regretting it?

September 29, 2011 

My Mouth’s Tellin’ You No, But My Body, My Booodddddy’s Tellin’ You Yessss: A Lesson in Body Language

Body language is a hell of a thing.

You could be telling me that you’re a boss like Jacqueline Broyer in Boomerang or that you’re the next Barack Obama, but if you’re out here walking around like Shy Ronnie…

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…I’m less than inclined to believe you.

Let me reiterate: body language is a hell of a thing. You may be saying one thing verbally, but your body language will basically defecate all over your words if you aren’t confident or sincere. People are very perceptive to physical cues, and your body language may be giving the wrong message, or portraying the message that you’re trying to conceal.

This past Monday, I went to a Community Election Forum hosted by a number of organizations (Black Health Alliance, the Jamaican Canadian Association, First Fridays, and Operation Vote Canada). While it was an eye-opening experience for someone who has only recently become interested in Canadian politics, it was also a clear study in what to do and what NOT to do in public speaking.

Public speaking is a major fear for most people. And while the average Joe or Jane might not be regularly speaking in front of a crowd of thousands, there are lessons to be learned. These lessons can be applied to a number of situations: job interviews, board meetings, networking events, and any other instance where you are speaking in front of people, be it 1 or 1000.

If you find yourself in a public speaking situation:

DO NOT:

…tightly cross your arms across your body. A clear sign of defensive resistance, or some false sense of security when you have NO CLUE what you’re talking about. Even worse if you cross your arms over your genitals. You might as well say, “please don’t respect me, I’m insignificant.”

…have convulsive ankles. What does this mean? When you see someone (usually with legs crossed), swinging and twisting their ankle at a psychotically rapid pace. If your feet are in view, it is extremely distracting and shines a neon light on your nervousness.

…pull a Tommy Strawn. Who is Tommy Strawn? Remember the TV sitcom Martin? Tommy was the tall, bald brother who had no job. Anytime Tommy was faced with a question he either didn’t know the answer to, or was quickly formulating a lie for, he would scratch his ear, head or neck and say “Errrr, uhhh…” Now, even without the verbal cue – if you take time out to scratch yourself before answering if your political party will promise to lower taxes, I’ll take whatever comes out of your mouth next with a grain of salt. See below from 5:30-6:40 for reference:

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All of this to say, “we don’t believe you – you need more people.”

Now, here’s what you should DO:

…have your hands open and visible. How are you a grown somebody, answering tough questions from your audience of community supporters, and have your hands under the table and between your legs like a child hiding candy? Keeping your hands open and in clear sight is a sign of trust. Anything less is uncivilized.

…directly face the person/people you’re speaking to. Keeping your body aligned with the person(s) you’re speaking with means you’re engaged, interested, and above all, sincere. Twisting your body away, or even worse, walking away from someone while talking to them is a slap in the face. You could be asking me how my sick grandmother is doing…but if you’re half-facing me for no good reason or walking away? I’m going to assume you practiced some obeah on her to make her sick in the first place. I. Don’t. Trust. You.

…maintain good posture. It’s a simple concept, but needs some attention. Whether sitting or standing, make sure that you have strong posture – no slouching or leaning. Having your back straight and shoulders down and back shows confidence and power. One of the MPP hopefuls maintained the best posture while handling a rebuttal, and it made all the difference in the strength of delivery of their message. Use this to your advantage!

Be more Joan. Be less Lynn.

When I reviewed my notes from the Community Election Forum, I realized that I had just as many notes on body language as I did on what the candidates actually had to say. It just goes to show that while most people are concerned about what is coming out of their mouths, they also need to be cognizant of what their hands, feet, and shoulders are saying too.

Bonus: Even though this is more of a verbal tick than a body language issue, it is vital to note: please do not venture into public speaking or politics if you have not learned how to remove “umm” and “like” from your speech. Drives me INSANE.

No soul searching questions here – but does body language play a major part in how YOU accept someone’s verbal message? Do you pick up on cues, or do you find that you don’t even notice? Maybe it’s just me…

September 16, 2011 

The Lost, Feared, & Misguided Art of Networking

Photo: Under30Ceo.com

Whether for a corporate or social purpose, networking was never my favourite thing. As a true introvert, the thought of milling about and starting random convos with complete strangers was sweat-inducing. In social settings, it was easier for me to play it cool in a corner with a drink, hang with my friends, and not worry about having to reach out to anyone else. However, when it came to corporate networking events,fun and familiarity were non-existent, so I had no choice but to do the damn(ed) thing.

When I held an Account Management position for an international company, I learned that networking and “schmoozing” (yes, corporate people DO use that term) were vital parts of the game. Because I was so comfortable speaking with my various colleagues, my bosses figured I’d be a natural at networking events.

Not to mention, it was probably a fun social experiment to throw a 6ft tall, twenty-something Black female into the pool of midlife-crisis-afflicted White men and see what happened…another post for another day.

Back to networking. Definitely not natural for me, but I’ve learned it’s much easier than it seems.

At conferences, I’d overhear people going about it ALL WRONG. “So, how about this weather, eh?” or “Say, did you catch that Jays game last night?” were not my ideas of sincere conversation starters. One of the keys to successful networking is to be (or do a damn good job of pretending to be) sincere.  People gravitate more to those who come across as genuine, so don’t fall into the trap of kicking off with a mundane opening.

So, what DO you say to get the conversation flowing? I learned that there is one phrase, guaranteed to get your networking off to a great start:

Your name. That’s it.

A simple, “Hi! My name is ________. How are you?” with a smile will force people to respond. From there, build upon what you have in common: your presence at said conference, party, or event. Chat about the food, the keynote speaker, the venue, the traffic you faced on the way over, whatever. You’re both in the same spot for a reason, so build upon that. Then, if you’re at a more corporate event, or just looking for a way to plug your business, you’ve already established some common ground. This is a much smoother approach than the assault by business card: running up on someone with your card in hand, ready to relay the contents of your resume before you exchange names. An immediate turn-off.

In order to steer the conversation into business-land without feeling fake or forced, there is another magical question that has never failed me:

“So, what do you do?”

The funny thing is that when I’ve asked that in corporate settings, I’m almost always met with the reply: “What – like, for work?” The devil on my left shoulder says “Yes, you idiot. What else are we here at this travel insurance conference for?” but the angel on my right says, “You know, there might be more to this person than just work.” So I let the angel cook, and I usually reply “Sure – work or anything else!” I always get interesting responses. People will always tell me what their employment angle is, but usually throw in a fun tidbit like “…and I play the tuba in a jazz band with my buddies” or “…but my FIRST love is ice fishing!” This just gives you more to build on and adds a more personal touch to the connection.

By this point, you’ve exchanged names. You’ve established some commonalities by chatting about the shared space you’re in. You’ve inquired about their work life, while giving them a chance to feel like a human, not a cubicle troll, and you’ve hopefully gotten the chance to share a thing or two about yourself as well. You’ve maintained sincerity, you’ve been a good listener, and you’ve hopefully attributed something to the person to help you remember their name. But PLEASE. Don’t do this nonsense of using the person’s name in every damn sentence as a memory tool. You sound like a dumbass, and it makes the other person uncomfortable. BE HONEST. If you’re bad at remembering names, own up to it. Do your best to remember – take their card, and write a quick word or two on the back (not in front of them) to help you remember who was who. That’s what works for me, anyways.

As I’ve detailed here, the best networking results come to me when I keep things SIMPLE and SINCERE. You’re a stranger – you don’t need to do a ton of conversational acrobats to blow people away in the first meeting. Also, remember that this is a skill that takes time to build, especially if you’re not fully comfortable in new surroundings with new people. Practice makes perfect, so have your business cards ready, make sure nothing is in your teeth, and get to it!