How to Be a Better Communicator in the Workplace

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"> <header style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, helvetica, clean, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17.234001159668px;"><h1 class="h-biggest" style="font-size: 35px; line-height: 1.2; margin: 0px 0px 10px; padding: 0px;"> How to Be a Better Communicator in the Workplace</h1> <h2 class="h-big h-slacker h-light h-normal" style="color: #999999; font-size: 21px; font-weight: normal; line-height: 1.2; margin: 0px 0px 20px; padding: 0px;"> Successfully interacting with others is a key to your professional success.</h2> <img alt="A group of business students discussing a project. " class="img-responsive block-generous" data-size="rectangle652" height="434" src="http://www.usnews.com/dims4/USNEWS/48c2208/2147483647/resize/652x%3E/quality/85/?url=%2Fcmsmedia%2F1a%2Fcb%2F97fae14148488fbc78ec0b4e09fc%2F140828-businessstudents-mba-stock.jpg" style="border: 0px; display: block; height: auto; margin-bottom: 25px; width: 652px;" title="(iStockphoto)" width="652" /><div class="t t-dim" style="color: #666666; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 25px; margin-top: -20px; padding: 0px;"> Gain the respect of your co-workers by being a good listener.</div> <div class="drawer block-generous" style="margin: 0px 0px 25px; padding: 0px;"> <div class="drawer_main bar-sep-overunder t-small" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(221, 221, 221); border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-top-color: rgb(221, 221, 221); border-top-style: solid; border-top-width: 1px; font-size: 12px; line-height: 1.5; margin: 0px; padding: 10px 0px; width: 652px;"> <span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 1.5;">Whether you are an aspiring leader or in a support role, developing your communication skills can impact your success. First, let’s take a look at the complexities of communication. It's more than the words you use. It's how and when you choose to share information. It's your</span><span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 1.5;"> </span><a class="" href="http://money.usnews.com/money/blogs/outside-voices-careers/2013/05/07/6-body-language-tells-that-ruin-your-job-interviews" style="color: #005ea6; font-size: 14px; line-height: 1.5; text-decoration: none;" title="Link: http://money.usnews.com/money/blogs/outside-voices-careers/2013/05/07/6-body-language-tells-that-ruin-your-job-interviews">body language</a><span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 1.5;"> </span><span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 1.5;">and the tone and quality of your voice.</span></div> </div> </header><div class="block skin-editable clearfix" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, helvetica, clean, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 1.5; margin: 0px 0px 15px; padding: 0px;"> <div style="line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 25px; padding: 0px;"> <i>These are things you should consider as you strive to improve your interactions with others:</i> </div> <div style="line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 25px; padding: 0px;"> <b>Know the outcome. </b>Before you begin planning what you will say in an upcoming meeting, consider what you want the outcome of your communication to be. What actions do you want others to take? How will you move people? That's the term used in Daniel Pink’s "To Sell Is Human: The Surprising Truth About Moving Others."<b> </b>Pink contends that we are all in sales today. “Whether we’re employees pitching colleagues on a new idea, entrepreneurs enticing funders to invest or parents and teachers cajoling children to study, we spend our days trying to move others.”</div> <div style="line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 25px; padding: 0px;"> <b>Build a reputation. </b>In the workplace, other people's perceptions of you don't form based on a single encounter. But never forget how valuable a good first impression is! In order to gain respect and be seen as a trusted authority, eager team member or dedicated employee, you will need to <a class="" href="http://money.usnews.com/money/blogs/outside-voices-careers/2013/09/11/how-to-build-a-great-professional-reputation" style="color: #005ea6; text-decoration: none;" title="Link: http://money.usnews.com/money/blogs/outside-voices-careers/2013/09/11/how-to-build-a-great-professional-reputation">build your reputation</a> over time. Every interaction – from how you greet your co-workers in the morning to how you summarize a status update in an email – contributes to how people view you.</div> <div class="ndn_embed ndn_embedding ndn_embedContainer ndn-widget-embed-2" data-config-distributor-id="90080" data-config-site-section="ndn2_usnews" id="ndn-video-player-2" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"> </div> <div style="line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 25px; padding: 0px;"> <b>Avoid flaunting power and intellect. </b>Compelling communicators don’t strong-arm people into paying attention or dazzle listeners by showing off how much they know. Leave your ego at the door when speaking to people. Establish an even playing field, and place yourself at the same level with your listeners. Avoid a condescending tone of voice and terminology your audience will not immediately understand. While you may be the smartest, most knowledgeable person on a particular topic, wait for the invitation to share your expertise.</div> <div style="line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 25px; padding: 0px;"> <b>Be confident. </b>A wimpy response isn’t going to gain the recognition or support you desire. Confidence is queen when it comes to effective communication. Use strong action verbs, avoid filler words, such as "um"’ or "‘ah," look people in the eye and sit or stand up straight when called on to speak.</div> <div style="line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 25px; padding: 0px;"> <b>Show awareness of others. </b>Shoving your great ideas or accomplishments down throats of listeners isn’t going to work. Building relationships is part of the communication process and is key to your success in conveying your message. When you deeply understand how your audience thinks and feels and what is important to them, you can use that information to <a class="" href="http://money.usnews.com/money/careers/articles/2014/01/17/7-steps-to-deliver-your-best-elevator-pitch" style="color: #005ea6; text-decoration: none;" title="Link: http://money.usnews.com/money/careers/articles/2014/01/17/7-steps-to-deliver-your-best-elevator-pitch">craft a message</a> that will resonate with your listeners. Your message should imply concern for others. As the saying goes, "walk a mile in their shoes" to understand what's important to the people you are communicating with.</div> <div style="line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 25px; padding: 0px;"> <b>Consider timing. </b>There is a time and a place for everything. When you are aware of the events or emotional state of those you are communicating with, you can improve the timing of your message. Appropriate timing means you have taken the person and occasion into consideration and know when to share your message.</div> <div style="line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 25px; padding: 0px;"> <b>Master the art of listening. </b>The most adept communicators are experts at listening and reading between the lines. Mastering the art of listening isn’t easy. You will most likely feel tempted to share your own insights, opinions or assumptions while listening to someone. Avoid commentary or interjecting. Instead, ask open ended follow-up questions. This provides evidence that you are hearing and listening to the person. It shows your respect for the person speaking and for the information they are sharing. Practicing good <a class="" href="http://money.usnews.com/money/careers/articles/2014/08/19/7-ways-to-be-a-better-listener-while-interviewing" style="color: #005ea6; text-decoration: none;" title="Link: http://money.usnews.com/money/careers/articles/2014/08/19/7-ways-to-be-a-better-listener-while-interviewing">listening skills</a> will help you gain the respect of those you encounter.</div> <div style="line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 25px; padding: 0px;"> <b>Earn respect and trust. </b>Earning respect and trust from your colleagues, managers and customers doesn’t happen automatically. Your title and role don’t give you any special privileges. If you work hard to exceed expectations and deliver with integrity, you are on your way to establishing the right to be trusted. Consistently repeat these steps to earn the right to be heard.</div> <div style="line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 25px; padding: 0px;"> All these things probably sound familiar. You’ve read them before. What you really want is concrete help in improving your communication. There are thousands of books on the topic of communication. These self-help books can arm you with more insight and tools to improve your understanding of the intricacies of communication, but there is nothing as powerful as practicing what you learn. </div> <div style="line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 25px; padding: 0px;"> <i>Here's how to develop your communication skills:</i></div> <div style="line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 25px; padding: 0px;"> <b>Learn from mentors.</b> Enlist help from managers or leaders you respect. These mentors can provide constructive feedback and real-time coaching.</div> <div style="line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 25px; padding: 0px;"> <b>Watch TED Talks.</b> Learn how to present by watching <a class="" href="http://money.usnews.com/money/blogs/outside-voices-careers/2014/04/01/5-ways-innovative-hr-leaders-find-great-talent" style="color: #005ea6; text-decoration: none;">innovative thinkers</a> featured in TED Talks. In 18 minutes or less, these videos capture presentations of great communicators. Since 2006, TED has been hosting conferences and events centered around science, technology, business, culture, art and design to share – as TED puts it – “Ideas Worth Spreading.”</div> <div style="line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 25px; padding: 0px;"> <b>Join Toastmasters International</b>. Join a Toastmasters club, and build your skills in a “learn-by-doing” meeting. Toastmasters International has been around 90 years helping members improve their communication, public speaking and leadership skills.</div> <div style="line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 25px; padding: 0px;"> <b>Attend a Dale Carnegie program.</b> Go to one of Dale Carnegie’s well-known leadership development programs, which are based on his legendary book, “How to Win Friends & Influence People.” According to the Dale Carnegie Training website, these programs teach you how to: "strengthen interpersonal relationships, manage stress and handle fast-changing workplace conditions." The description continues: "You'll develop more effective communication skills and be better equipped to perform as a persuasive communicator, problem-solver and focused leader. And you'll develop a take-charge attitude initiated with confidence and enthusiasm.”</div> </div> <br /> <a href="http://money.usnews.com/money/blogs/outside-voices-careers/2014/09/03/how-to-be-a-better-communicator-in-the-workplace" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">View the original article here</a></div>

How to Be a Better Communicator in the Workplace

How to Be a Better Communicator in the Workplace Successfully interacting with others is a key to your professional success. Gain the respect of your co-workers by being a good listener. Whether you …

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The 7-Step Interview Playbook

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"> <header style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, helvetica, clean, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17.234001159668px;"><h1 class="h-biggest" style="font-size: 35px; line-height: 1.2; margin: 0px 0px 10px; padding: 0px;"> he 7-Step Interview Playbook</h1> <h2 class="h-big h-slacker h-light h-normal" style="color: #999999; font-size: 21px; font-weight: normal; line-height: 1.2; margin: 0px 0px 20px; padding: 0px;"> Here's what to do before, during and after the interview to come out a winner.</h2> <img alt="Closeup of a businessman adjusting his tie." class="img-responsive block-generous" data-size="rectangle652" height="435" src="http://www.usnews.com/dims4/USNEWS/4403cda/2147483647/resize/652x%3E/quality/85/?url=%2Fcmsmedia%2Fba%2F51%2F110175b04c75b0003b1f432aeca4%2F140219-businessmantie-stock.jpg" style="border: 0px; display: block; height: auto; margin-bottom: 25px; width: 652px;" title="(iStockPhoto)" width="652" /><div class="t t-dim" style="color: #666666; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 25px; margin-top: -20px; padding: 0px;"> You got this. The morning of your interview, mentally prepare by getting in a professional and upbeat mindset.</div> <div class="drawer block-generous" style="margin: 0px 0px 25px; padding: 0px;"> <div class="drawer_main bar-sep-overunder t-small" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(221, 221, 221); border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-top-color: rgb(221, 221, 221); border-top-style: solid; border-top-width: 1px; font-size: 12px; line-height: 1.5; margin: 0px; padding: 10px 0px; width: 652px;"> <span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 1.5;">Whether you’re a recent graduate new to the job search or a veteran desk jockey looking for a career change, getting an interview is only half the battle. Without knowing the basics of what leads to an offer and what tanks one, your time spent enhancing your</span><span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 1.5;"> </span><a href="http://money.usnews.com/money/blogs/outside-voices-careers/2014/03/04/5-steps-to-enhance-your-online-job-search" style="color: #005ea6; font-size: 14px; line-height: 1.5; text-decoration: none;" title="Link: http://money.usnews.com/money/blogs/outside-voices-careers/2014/03/04/5-steps-to-enhance-your-online-job-search">online job search</a><span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 1.5;"> </span><span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 1.5;">and networking may be wasted.</span></div> </div> </header><div class="block skin-editable clearfix" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, helvetica, clean, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 1.5; margin: 0px 0px 15px; padding: 0px;"> <div style="line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 25px; padding: 0px;"> Need a crash course in job interviewing 101? Try these seven steps explain exactly what you need to do before, during and after meeting with a potential employer.</div> <div style="line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 25px; padding: 0px;"> <i>The Week Before Your Interview</i></div> <div style="line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 25px; padding: 0px;"> Getting an offer begins long before you’re seated across the table from the hiring manager.</div> <div class="ndn_embed ndn_embedding ndn_embedContainer ndn-widget-embed-2" data-config-distributor-id="90080" data-config-site-section="ndn2_usnews" id="ndn-video-player-2" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"> </div> <div style="line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 25px; padding: 0px;"> <b>Prepare for tough questions.</b> If you lack conviction when responding to a hard interview question, you may kill your momentum and cause the hiring manager to decide against you. Avoid getting thrown off by anticipating typical toughies and thinking through your responses in advance. One topic that rattles many candidates is being asked to describe failure. “The key to this story is to demonstrate that you have the resilience and insight to utilize failure as an opportunity for learning and personal-professional growth,” says Susan Jewkes Allen, a career counselor.</div> <div style="line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 25px; padding: 0px;"> <b>Understand the players.</b> Social media has raised the bar for job seekers, increasing expectations of <a class="" href="http://money.usnews.com/money/blogs/outside-voices-careers/2014/07/30/3-types-of-recruiters-and-how-to-impress-them" style="color: #005ea6; text-decoration: none;" title="Link: http://money.usnews.com/money/blogs/outside-voices-careers/2014/07/30/3-types-of-recruiters-and-how-to-impress-them">recruiters</a> and hiring managers that you’ve done ample due diligence. Therefore, it’s crucial during the week before your interview to thoroughly research the position, company and your interviewers. Author and consultant Brad Harker suggests seeking answers to the following questions before your interview:</div> <ul style="list-style: none; margin: 0px 0px 25px; padding: 0px;"> <li style="list-style: none; margin: 0px 0px 10px; padding: 0px 0px 0px 0.9em; text-indent: -0.9em;">What does the company do?</li> <li style="list-style: none; margin: 0px 0px 10px; padding: 0px 0px 0px 0.9em; text-indent: -0.9em;"> How has the company performed?</li> <li style="list-style: none; margin: 0px 0px 10px; padding: 0px 0px 0px 0.9em; text-indent: -0.9em;"> Who are the interviewers?</li> <li style="list-style: none; margin: 0px 0px 10px; padding: 0px 0px 0px 0.9em; text-indent: -0.9em;"> What are they looking for?</li> <li style="list-style: none; margin: 0px 0px 10px; padding: 0px 0px 0px 0.9em; text-indent: -0.9em;"> What can you learn about the job?</li> <li style="list-style: none; margin: 0px 0px 10px; padding: 0px 0px 0px 0.9em; text-indent: -0.9em;"> What have you done that is similar?</li> </ul> <div style="line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 25px; padding: 0px;"> Find out everything you can from the job listing, but check other online sources as well, including LinkedIn and the company’s Facebook page.</div> <div style="line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 25px; padding: 0px;"> <i>The Morning of Your Interview</i></div> <div style="line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 25px; padding: 0px;"> How you spend the hours before your interview can set the tone for your performance.</div> <div style="line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 25px; padding: 0px;"> <b>Prepare physically.</b> Interview morning is the time to gather your materials, dress the part and put on your game face. Belinda Plutz, president of Career Mentors Inc., advises packing several clean copies of your résumé, your portfolio, pen and notebook before you head to your meeting. Selecting your<a class="" href="http://money.usnews.com/money/careers/slideshows/10-wardrobe-musts-for-your-next-interview" style="color: #005ea6; text-decoration: none;">interview outfit</a> is also important, because first impressions are powerful. “You must look as if you will fit into the organization. But if they are very casual, you need to dress up and not be too casual,” Plutz says. “Be well-groomed and businesslike.”</div> <div style="line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 25px; padding: 0px;"> <b>Prepare mentally.</b> Don’t wing it when it comes to the attitude you bring to your interview. Take time before you leave the house to regroup mentally and get into a professional mindset. “You should be upbeat, enthusiastic, positive, eager and factual,” Plutz says. “If you believe that you are the ideal person for the job, you have a good chance of convincing the interviewer. An interview is the primary opportunity to sell yourself.”</div> <div style="line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 25px; padding: 0px;"> <i>During Your Interview</i></div> <div style="line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 25px; padding: 0px;"> You’ve done everything right leading up to the interview – now it’s show time. To avoid blowing your moment of truth:</div> <div style="line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 25px; padding: 0px;"> <b>Treat your interview as a conversation.</b> While conventional wisdom dictates that a job interview puts the candidate on the hot seat to be grilled by a potential employer, effective interviews should really be a two-way street. “Try not to just sell yourself, but find out if the position and company you’re applying for are the right fit for you,” says Heidi Baldwin, account supervisor at J Public Relations. “Ask about the culture, what qualities are needed in an ideal candidate, what a typical day in this position would look like and the manager’s expectations.”</div> <div style="line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 25px; padding: 0px;"> <b>Connect with the interviewers.</b> Research has shown that differing too much from your interviewer can backfire when it comes to <a class="" href="http://money.usnews.com/money/blogs/outside-voices-careers/2014/06/04/finding-landing-and-loving-a-hard-to-fill-job" style="color: #005ea6; text-decoration: none;">landing a job</a>. Instead, demonstrating similarity to the hiring team can help create alignment with the decision-makers. If you did your research the week before the interview, this step should be easier. “Quite often, when it comes down between choosing Candidate A or Candidate B, it’s a matter of how well the candidate connected with those interviewing,” says leadership coach and author Keith Wyche. “In the back of their minds, they are all asking the question: How well will this candidate fit within our company’s culture?”</div> <div style="line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 25px; padding: 0px;"> <i>After Your Interview</i><b><br /></b>You think you’ve nailed it – but you’re not done yet.</div> <div style="line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 25px; padding: 0px;"> <b>Send thank-you emails to every interviewer.</b> A well-timed and thoughtfully crafted thank-you message can help seal the deal for a candidate who interviewed well. There’s no need to send thank-you cards via snail mail; emailing thanks is common practice today. Elizabeth Famiglietti, senior vice president of human resources at PAN Communications, emphasizes the importance of sending a personally targeted message to each person who interviewed you.</div> <div style="line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 25px; padding: 0px;"> “Do <i>not</i> send the same email to each person (yes, we share this info)," Famiglietti says. “Show you are a <a class="" href="http://money.usnews.com/money/careers/articles/2014/08/19/7-ways-to-be-a-better-listener-while-interviewing" style="color: #005ea6; text-decoration: none;">good listener</a> and call out at least one thing that was specific to that interview with that person in your thank-you note. Show your enthusiasm for the company and joining the team, and offer to provide any additional info if needed.”</div> <div style="line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 25px; padding: 0px;"> Acing the interview is a job in itself. But approaching the interview process in stages of actions to take before, during and after your meeting can raise you above your competitors and help you win the job you want.</div> </div> <br /> <a href="http://money.usnews.com/money/blogs/outside-voices-careers/2014/08/19/the-7-step-interview-playbook" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">View the original article here</a></div>

The 7-Step Interview Playbook

he 7-Step Interview Playbook Here's what to do before, during and after the interview to come out a winner. You got this. The morning of your interview, mentally prepare by getting in a professional …

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Veterans Do This When Re-Entering the Workforce. We All Need to Try It.

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"> <header style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, helvetica, clean, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17.234001159668px;"><h1 class="h-biggest" style="font-size: 35px; line-height: 1.2; margin: 0px 0px 10px; padding: 0px;"> Veterans Do This When Re-Entering the Workforce. We All Need to Try It.</h1> <h2 class="h-big h-slacker h-light h-normal" style="color: #999999; font-size: 21px; font-weight: normal; line-height: 1.2; margin: 0px 0px 20px; padding: 0px;"> Learn to rebrand yourself. You'd be surprised how many experiences are transferable for a new career.</h2> <img alt="A military woman on the computer" class="img-responsive block-generous" data-size="rectangle652" height="434" src="http://www.usnews.com/dims4/USNEWS/d1d3dc9/2147483647/resize/652x%3E/quality/85/?url=%2Fcmsmedia%2F2e%2F96%2F19ac5ab24913b92808fd8216e5d7%2F140515-militarywoman-stock.jpg" style="border: 0px; display: block; height: auto; margin-bottom: 25px; width: 652px;" title="(iStockphoto)" width="652" /><div class="t t-dim" style="color: #666666; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 25px; margin-top: -20px; padding: 0px;"> It's important to connect the dots from your former skills to the ones you're pursuing currently.</div> <div class="t t-dim" style="color: #666666; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 25px; margin-top: -20px; padding: 0px;"> <span style="color: #222222; line-height: 1.5;"><br /></span></div> <div class="t t-dim" style="color: #666666; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 25px; margin-top: -20px; padding: 0px;"> <span style="color: #222222; line-height: 1.5;">Maybe you’re a stay-at-home mom looking to reboot your career, maybe you’re</span><span style="color: #222222; line-height: 1.5;"> </span><a class="" href="http://money.usnews.com/careers/best-jobs/rankings/the-100-best-jobs" style="color: #005ea6; line-height: 1.5; text-decoration: none;" title="Link: http://money.usnews.com/careers/best-jobs/rankings/the-100-best-jobs">returning to employment</a><span style="color: #222222; line-height: 1.5;"> </span><span style="color: #222222; line-height: 1.5;">after completing your Ph.D. or maybe you’re among the thousands of veterans returning home every year. When it comes to connecting the dots from your former skills and experiences to the ones you’re pursuing currently, there are several ways to build your confidence with a meaningful story to convince prospective employers your background isn’t only relevant, it’s an asset to the potential role and organization.</span></div> </header><div class="block skin-editable clearfix" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, helvetica, clean, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 1.5; margin: 0px 0px 15px; padding: 0px;"> <div style="line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 25px; padding: 0px;"> According to Dorie Clark, author of "Reinventing You: Define Your Brand, Imagine Your Future," the most important step involves creating your narrative so you can explain your past and how it adds value to the new role you’re aiming for. “Your past experiences – whether it’s dismantling explosives for the army or caring for preschoolers – have taught you powerful lessons, from keeping cool under pressure to <a class="" href="http://money.usnews.com/money/blogs/outside-voices-careers/2014/05/27/learning-to-manage-yourself-and-not-your-time" style="color: #005ea6; text-decoration: none;" title="Link: http://money.usnews.com/money/blogs/outside-voices-careers/2014/05/27/learning-to-manage-yourself-and-not-your-time">time management</a>,” she says. </div> <div style="line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 25px; padding: 0px;"> Clark adds that unless you make the connection clear, the hiring manager may be unsure how your past relates to the corporate world. "They’re used to linear paths, so if your experience deviates, you need to create a narrative that shows what you learned and why it’s valuable.”</div> <div style="line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 25px; padding: 0px;"> Just ask Alex Hooper, Army Special Forces veteran and consultant at AKF Partners. He learned to create that narrative by attending the Career Opportunity Redefinition & Exploration (CORE) Leadership Program at Deloitte University. His biggest a-ha moment? Learning what he had to say and why he needed to say it. “For me, the special forces regimen motto is ‘quiet professional’ so any time anyone bragged about themselves, it was off-putting and not part of the culture," Hooper says. "It’s like, do your job and get over yourself.”</div> <div class="ndn_embed" data-config-distributor-id="90080" data-config-site-section="ndn2_usnews" id="ndn-video-player-2" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"> </div> <div style="line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 25px; padding: 0px;"> At first, his most challenging hurdle was getting over that uncomfortable feeling of <a class="" href="http://money.usnews.com/money/careers/slideshows/the-abcs-of-interviewing" style="color: #005ea6; text-decoration: none;" title="Link: http://money.usnews.com/money/careers/slideshows/the-abcs-of-interviewing">talking to a potential employer</a>. Hooper learned to think about what to say, why he was different from others and why he’d be good for this position. Not only that, but he learned why this was so important. “You have to be able to tell your story and appreciate the necessity to tell your story,” he explains.</div> <div style="line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 25px; padding: 0px;"> This point is critical, says Christie Smith, managing principal at Deloitte University Leadership Center for Inclusion. “They have confidence that they have something to say. That’s what companies are looking for in hires – it’s that confidence. That comfort in who you are in your own skin,” she says.</div> <div style="line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 25px; padding: 0px;"> For veterans, that comfort is gained through leveraging resources. For Hooper, it meant applying for and participating in the CORE Leadership Program, experiencing a safe, supportive environment, honing personal branding and his elevator pitch creation and practicing informational interviews and networking. “When you leave our door, it’s easy to have a cup of coffee with you,” Smith says. "That’s certainly something for rebooters to think about – the ease with which to tell their story, which comes from practice."</div> <div style="line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 25px; padding: 0px;"> Whether you’re going from battlefield to boardroom or carpools to conference calls, there’s the issue of translating words to make then relevant. “We even tell them you don’t need to use corporate speak just like you don’t need to use military terminology just be authentic," says Terry Bickham, talent leader, dean of the CORE Leadership Program and U.S. Coast Guard veteran. "They’re extremely specialized, they’re used to taking orders, being given a task to accomplish and achieving that task.” The good news? Bickham says most organizations are <a class="" href="http://money.usnews.com/money/careers/articles/2013/02/21/7-key-skills-you-need-to-get-hired-right-now" style="color: #005ea6; text-decoration: none;" title="Link: http://money.usnews.com/money/careers/articles/2013/02/21/7-key-skills-you-need-to-get-hired-right-now">looking for people</a> who are very adaptable, can innovate, can look at a challenge, figure out how to overcome obstacles and be agile.</div> <div style="line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 25px; padding: 0px;"> Chris Robinette, also a veteran of the Army Special Forces, says this agility is a change in mindset. “You never really had to think about how to get from point A to point B, it’s how do I excel at point B?" he notes. "Here, you have to evaluate, 'well maybe I’m not going to point B, maybe I’m going to point C or D or G, and what do I have to do to communicate that I have the aptitude and skills to do that and what are the mechanisms to build connections to explore those options?'” Outside of a structured, defined environment networking is critical for career navigation. “That’s how you explore ideas and fill gaps with information,” he adds.</div> <div style="line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 25px; padding: 0px;"> Not only is that exploration critical, but the confidence around exploration is key. Smith says: “What is their story? What are the elements of that story, what are the elements of what they’re good at? They have to think about that in the context also of who they are. That’s the equation that we play – who are you, how does that perform/what kind of leader or manager you’ve been [in the armed forces], what are you good at, now how do you package and tell that story?”</div> <div style="line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 25px; padding: 0px;"> <a class="" href="http://money.usnews.com/money/blogs/outside-voices-careers/2012/12/11/if-you-want-a-great-job-tell-a-great-story" style="color: #005ea6; text-decoration: none;" title="Link: http://money.usnews.com/money/blogs/outside-voices-careers/2012/12/11/if-you-want-a-great-job-tell-a-great-story">Telling the story</a> with confidence and conviction is one part, and as for the other? It's connecting with people. “Build your network,” Smith says. “I’m a people collector and I encourage people to just collect as many people as you can, you never know how it’s all going to come together.”</div> <div style="line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 25px; padding: 0px;"> Robinette concurs. “And a number of jobs are never posted – it’s all internal or through that network not so much who you know but we didn’t know you were out there, you didn’t know this job existed but it’s a great marriage once you find each other.”</div> </div> <br /> <a href="http://money.usnews.com/money/blogs/outside-voices-careers/2014/07/03/veterans-do-this-when-re-entering-the-workforce-we-all-need-to-try-it" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">View the original article here</a></div>

Veterans Do This When Re-Entering the Workforce. We All Need to Try It.

Veterans Do This When Re-Entering the Workforce. We All Need to Try It. Learn to rebrand yourself. You'd be surprised how many experiences are transferable for a new career. It's important to connect…

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