Now that we’ve discussed what a Sphere of Influence is, let’s talk more about who’s in your sphere of influence. Think locally, nationally and globally. Perhaps there is someone you want to meet who is an author or a conference speaker. Perhaps she is someone in the media, a political figure or a business owner. Think about who might be a good connection, role model or perhaps even a mentor – someone who can help advance your career (or introduce you to others who might advance your career).
As you think about your network of career influencers, analyze your current work environment. Include managers and colleagues who have specific areas of expertise and those who can provide guidance and share information.
Every company has an inside network of influencers who are well positioned within the company. Influencers are easy to spot. They are well respected and usually well liked within the organization. They are movers and shakers, constantly helping to move the organization forward. Others seek out their advice and ask for their suggestions. These are career influencers you should add to your target audience list.
Now think bigger. Who are the influencers in the industry? Attend professional association meetings, industry conferences and business networking events. Meet the members, speakers and those on the boards of directors. Join a committee or the board of directors of an association. The idea is to meet people who are successful in your chosen position or industry. Add them to your target audience list. Find ways to make connections with them to learn about their career paths, obstacles they had to overcome, best practices and key lessons they learned.
The universe is truly amazing. Once you begin identifying these career influencers, you will notice that you begin connecting with all kinds of people who can help advance your career. I really can be supportive and positively influence my career, the universe has connected me with the right people at the right time. I also have many clients who believe they were connected with me in the same way at just the right time.
Please feel free to share in the comments who your career influencers have been throughout your career.
Prefer to listen to the podcast version of this post?
Interviewing is intimidating, nerve wracking, and can make you feel like you’re two heartbeats away from having a heart attack. You only have one shot at making a great first impression so you need to make sure you’re prepared to give the right answers during your next interview.
And that is so much easier when you know what the interviewer really wants to know about you. So here are five key questions going through your interviewer’s mind…
- Can you do the job?
These questions are usually very black and white. Either you have what it takes to be successful in the position or not. Before the interview, be sure to study the job description so that you fully understand the job requirements.
Be prepared to talk about your skills, knowledge, and training that will help you perform the job successfully. The biggest mistake I see job candidates making is talking about their responsibilities, and what they need to focus on are the results and accomplishments they’ve achieved for their previous employers.
- What “extras” do you bring?
For most job openings, a hiring manager knows about 90% of the work that the new employee will be responsible for, but not the remaining 10%. That is because they want to know, What can you (the new employee) ADD to the position?
So before you go into a job interview, think about any additional skills and talents that you can bring to the position.
- Where are you at risk?
Every new employee is a risk to a company. Whether it’s a specific job requirement that you don’t meet, or potentially being overqualified for the position, or a potential health risk, etc. So, spend some time thinking about where you are a risk.
I like to beat the interviewer to the punch by stating where I’m a risk and then reassuring her why it won’t be a problem. For example, if the job requires that you need to know of a specific type of software, then I want you to sign-up for some training before your interview so that you can say that you’ve already registered for some training to learn more about the software.
The point is that you need to be able to discuss the area(s) where you are a risk, and then immediately follow-up with what you’re doing to close the gap.
- Does the interviewer like you? Will you fit in with the corporate culture?
This is an area that you really cannot take personally. Either the culture and the team are a good fit for you, or they aren’t. And believe me, it’s better to know up front during the interview, than to have a pit in your stomach every day as you walk into your new office.
I once interviewed with a Sales VP at a television station. After 1 1/2 hours of interviewing, I really couldn’t tell if he wanted to hire me or not, so I simply asked, “Do you think I would be a good fit with your team?” He told me that he didn’t think so because he allows his team to vent, kick the garbage can and curse like sailors in the office. I appreciated his candor because the reality is that I would not be happy or successful in an environment like that.
During your next interview, be prepared to discuss your professional style and work ethics.
- Will you be able to work out the compensation/benefits package?
Be prepared to talk about a salary range that is acceptable to you. I do not recommend giving an exact salary since the benefits package almost always includes room for negotiating vacation days, stock allowance, bonus payouts, perks, etc. But you should be prepared to give a salary range that you would accept.
Those are 5 questions that your interviewer really wants to know about you! It’s not everything you should do to prepare for an upcoming interview – but it’s a good start!
If you have an upcoming interview I advise you to get professional help and meet with an interview coach! Someone who can continue giving you deeper, smarter interviewing strategies and who can fully prepare you so that you’ll ace your next interview and beat out your competition.
Let’s start by looking at your sphere of influence. Picture three rings – one big, one medium, and one small. The three rings fit inside each other. You are represented by a single dot in the center.
Each ring symbolizes a target audience. The ring closest to you symbolizes the people you connect with on a regular basis and know you fairly well. They can include your manager, co-workers, peers, clients, family, close friends, etc. They are people whom you associate with directly, who could impact your career. Conversely, you can influence their perceptions through your messages and actions.
The medium-sized ring symbolizes others who may have some influence on your career. They are people you know, but may not see you on a regular basis. They could be managers from other departments, senior managers, past employers or clients, externals suppliers, or people whom you’ve met at professional associations, civic organizations, or trade shows.
The big ring symbolizes your wish list – those whom you want to meet and add to your sphere of influence. Is there someone who impressed you, whom you would like to get to know? Write down her name. Is there someone you admire for his knowledge, skills or career success? Expand your mind to think big. I love what Donald Trump said, “If you’re going to be thinking anyway, you might as well think big.”
If you want bigger promotions, better clients, and a richer, more meaningful career, you must work with people who value you and your professional strengths, talents and accomplishments. Otherwise, you will be living in a frustrating world, spending time and energy to accomplish things, yet receiving very little in return.
So what you need to do is put together a strong support system of career influencers. A key step in building a powerful personal brand is to identify those in your professional network who value you. People with an appreciation for your professional strengths and talents can pave the way for you to achieve the career of your dreams. They can help expand and accelerate your career. They can hire you, help you get promoted and recommend you to potential clients or employers.
Identify those managers, clients, peers, colleagues, and potential employers who you feel value your talents and strengths, as well as those you want to value you. These are successful professionals who can give you the strategies, insight, and inspiration to advance your career. They are people who can support you, teach you, inspire you, and influence others.
Prefer to listen to the podcast version of this post?
Should you stay in your current job or should you make a career change?
If you’re struggling with whether or not to leave your current job and try something new, then I have 3 questions for you to ask yourself to help you make that decision.
First, What do you need in your career to feel motivated and fulfilled?
In other words, which of your strengths do you want to be using? Which skills and areas of expertise do you want to be recognized and appreciated for?
Is there a specific industry you want to be in? Is there a specific job role you want to be in? These are things you need to think about and figure out. This is the first step in transitioning into a career that’s meaningful and inspiring.
The second question I want you to ask yourself is, What are the ‘gives and gets’ in your current situation?
Take inventory of what you are giving to your current manager or organization. You need to look at yourself from your manager’s perspective. Consider the fact that your employer probably had many candidates applying for your job and they gave it to you! Are you meeting their expectations? Are you delivering what you promised you would in the job interview? Define the value that you provide to the company. Those are the “gives” of your job.
For example, do you have the right knowledge, experience and skills to perform the job successfully (and these days you really need to exceed expectations to be successful in a job.) Are you providing some kind of unique expertise and viewed as the “go to” person for that knowledge or skill? Are your senior leaders and customers thrilled with your work? Are you training and mentoring team members and peers?
Those are all the “gives” of what you’re giving to the organization.
Next, identify the ‘gets’, which are all the benefits you’re receiving from your current employer. For example, a paycheck, health benefits, a retirement account, the opportunity to create or launch a new product? Training or advanced education, Developing a new skill? Pride from working for a prestigious company or with prestigious clients? Telecommuting? Flexible hours? Those are all great “gets.”
Now look at the mix of gives and gets. Are they in balance, or out of sync? If your gives outweigh what you’re getting in return, then you may want to take your career in a different direction, and this exercise will help you see that.
Now, before you disconnect completely from your situation, I encourage you to ask yourself one more question – Is there anything else you can glean from your current situation before you leave?
Are there any projects that could give you deeper knowledge or help you build a new skill? Are there projects that you want to complete before you leave that could boost your resume, and boost your personal brand? Could you strengthen your leadership skills by volunteering to lead a project? Is there a project you could create that could help you grow and flex your professional muscles?
Also, is there anyone at your work who could teach you about a product, technology, or the industry before you leave?
It’s inevitable that at some point, you’ll want to move into a different job role or a different company. And when that time comes, remember that before you jump ship, you should ask yourself these three questions. They’ll help you make a smart decision about your career.
If you’re stuck – get professional help! You never want your career to be sitting on shelf longer than it has to – it means thousands of dollars every month in missed income that you should be making! So if you’re not getting results, then invest in some professional advice, like –
- A Professional resume writer, or
- An interview coach, or
- A career coach.
These are professionals who can accelerate your career change and help you get into a new job faster!