Millennial Minded

In episode 2 of our How to Land a Job series we analyze the most important piece of paper in your career - the resume. How you come across on your resume can either score you an interview or end the application process.

Should you stick the standard format or go with something more creative? How do you show the impact of your work rather than just listing past experience? What's the one thing you NEED to avoid?

We sit down with our CEO for 15 minutes each week, every week to get practical business advice so we can advance in our careers. In this episode, we learn how to optimize your resume...

Key Takeaways

• Analyze everything on your resume. A single typo can cost you an interview.
• CEO's are looking to see the impact of your work, and not just a list of activities.
• Avoid speaking too much from the first person - it comes off as narcissistic. Remember to stress how well you worked with a team.
• Show cause and effect on your resume. What was the issue? And how did you overcome it?
• Don't use language that comes off as overly intellectual. Recruiters know when you're relying on a thesaurus to express yourself.
• List experiences that help tell a story and craft a narrative about your career.
• Be sure your personality comes out on your resume. Whatever you can do to make your resume stick out in a pile of other resumes (in a non-annoying way), do it.

To kickstart our How to Land a Job series, we explore the first step: leveraging a personal connection. A credible reference or a personal introduction will be key during the application process. It sets you apart from the stack of resumes (your competition). Lucky for you, there's a social network that can show you the overlap between your personal network and the job you want. The key is learning how to use it to your advantage.

We sit down with our CEO for 15 minutes each week, every week to get practical business advice so we can advance in our careers. In this episode, we learn how to leverage your personal connections...

Key Takeaways

• Personal connections are key. Personal connections are key. Should we say it one more time?
• Use LinkedIn to find connections to the industry you want to be a part of.
• Make a robust LinkedIn profile. Join groups, like brands that you respect, and share things you're interested in.
• Your LinkedIn profile picture shouldn't be too casual or too formal… somewhere in between.
• Keep in mind that when someone introduces you to their network, you're responsible for following through. You're representing the person doing you a favor. Don't take it lightly!
• Don't be afraid to reach out to close friends and ask them to introduce you to one of their connections.

Holiday parties are a great opportunity for coworkers to celebrate, bond, and be together as people. Despite what some people think it is NOT an opportunity to let loose and get wasted. A holiday party is a social event, but the code of conduct that's present in the office extends to your work offsite.

What should you wear? Should you go to the party with a drink limit in mind? When should you leave?

We sit down with our CEO for 15 minutes each week, every week to get practical business advice so we can advance in our careers. In this episode, we learn what to do if you're going to a holiday party...

Key Takeaways

• Don't feel like you have to bring a date to the holiday party, in some senses you have more to lose by bringing someone you don't know well (a.k.a. beware the Tinder date…).
• Be sure to mingle with everyone in the room.
• If you have to leave a conversation, say you're going to the bathroom, need another drink, want to say hi to someone else, or bring them along to meet someone new.
• If you feel the need to approach the boss, it doesn't need to be a long, drawn out conversation. A simple "thanks for hosting" and "have a great holiday" will suffice.
• Be aware of your drink limit. You should avoid getting too drunk and sloppy. Be sure to eat something.
• Consider that how you act at a holiday party speaks to how you would handle drinks with a client.
• Always leave the party while you're still having fun.
• In terms of attire, it's always better to be overdressed than super casual. You can't really class up a t-shirt.

Vacation is bliss isn't it? No emails. No coworkers asking for 'one more thing.' But before you sign off, you should make sure you prep your team with everything they need. You'd hate for productivity to come to a grinding halt during your absence, right? Or even worse, imagine your beach day being interrupted by a request to access a Google doc.

Lucky for you, we sit down with our CEO for 15 minutes each week to get practical business advice so we can advance in our careers. In this episode, we learn what to do if you're going on vacation… Key Takeaways

• An "unlimited vacation" policy sounds really good, but be aware that it's not exactly unlimited - there are still restrictions.
• Be sure to take vacation. It's beneficial to disconnect and you may return to work with a new perspective.
• As a leader, you can only take care of other people if you take care of yourself first.
• Not preparing for vacation can cause resentment amongst people on your team
• Download, print, and complete our "I'm Leaving for Vacation" Checklist.

Early in your career, it's difficult to know what industry is right for you. Should you stay in PR? Switch to Marketing? Pursue a law degree?! The options are dizzying and often people end up doing nothing - afraid to make the wrong choice. But we're here to tell you there is no wrong choice.

We sit down with our CEO for 15 minutes each week, every week to get practical business advice so we can advance in our careers. In this episode, we learn what to do if you're confused about what to do with your career...

Key Takeaways:

• There's no bad decision to make because you can always leave.
• Knowing yourself is the key to a good life and finding work that will fulfill you.
• Everybody should read StrengthsFinder by Tom Rath. It helps to identify those innate personality traits that we each have.
• To compliment that, take the Myers Briggs personality test online.

Making sure you're following through on the work you've committed to, is not a sign of an asshole boss. That's just a boss doing their job. But someone who is disrespectful, makes their sloppiness your problem, or doesn't appreciate the work at hand, is an asshole boss. What can you do if you find yourself working for a person who fits that description?

We sit down with our CEO for 15 minutes each week, every week to get practical business advice so we can advance in our careers. In this episode, we learn what to do if your boss is an asshole...

Key Takeaways:

• We define an "asshole boss" as someone who is disrespectful, makes their sloppiness your problem, who won't jump in the deep end with you when they're requiring extra work, doesn't set clear expectations, or appreciate the work at hand.
• Sometimes you have to work with an asshole. Business is run by numbers and profits.
• Make sure your boss's expectations are clear.
• Just showing up isn't working.
• If your boss continues to have bad behavior, leave the company. And if you leave the company tie everything up with a bow.
• And in the words of Lee, "Take the high road as much as you possibly can, even if the air is thin… but don't take shit."

You're in a meeting and a colleague says something offensive. The other people in the room ignore it or laugh it off, but you're offended. Deeply offended. You're taken out of the moment and can no longer focus on the task at hand. What's your next move? And what are the implications of that next move?

We sit down with our CEO for 15 minutes each week, every week to get practical business advice so we can advance in our careers. In this episode, we learn what to do if you're offended by a coworker...

Key Takeaways:

• Be aware that everyone has their own trigger words - try to understand the context behind why it's concerning to them.
• Be aware of the fine line between being too offensive and being too sensitive.
• When possible, address the issue in private.
• Consider taking some time to arrange your thoughts and come to terms with your emotions.
• Pecking order matters - if you're low in the hierarchy consider the repercussions of speaking out.
• Be Aware: once you go political on your social channels, it's hard to go back. And it's interesting to note that while it can lose you business, it can also attract like minded clients.

Despite your best intentions, it's possible that there are a few coworkers who really grind your gears. Offices are an amalgamation of personality types so it's inevitable that there will be friction. But learning how to deal with those awkward moments of conflict take experience.

We sit down with our CEO for 15 minutes each week, every week to get practical business advice so we can advance in our careers. In this episode, we learn what to do if you don't get along with a colleague...

Key Takeaways:

• It's unreasonable to expect that everyone is going to be best friends but it IS reasonable to expect everyone to get along.
• If the coworker who you have a disagreement with has no impact on your career - just ignore them...but keep in mind you never know who will impact your career in the future
• When it comes to resolving conflict, utilize the circle of communication
• Avoid apologizing via email - it's difficult to convey tone of voice and body language
• The more you can talk in person about a conflict, the better
• Don't demand a resolution on the spot - it takes time
• If you can't find a resolution, ask a mediator to step in
• Sometimes having a paper trail is a good thing - it gives you tangible proof of the conflict.
• In terms of remote teams, utilize video conference calls as much as possible

You're in a meeting. Maybe it's a creative brainstorm. And an idea pops into your head. A good one. No, a really good one. Objectively good. But when you say it out loud, the rest of your team gloss over it. This happens a few more times, and suddenly you realize that your opinion doesn't get the attention it deserves.

We sit down with our CEO for 15 minutes each week, every week to get practical business advice so we can advance in our careers. In this episode, we learn what to do if feel like your opinion doesn't count...

Key Takeaways:

• Think about the way you present your ideas. Don't uptalk.
• Consider asking someone else who was in the meeting why they think your idea wasn't well received.
• Think about how you inject yourselves into conversation? Don't use language to undermine your ideas.
• If the women in the room feel like they're not being listened to, they need to amplify each other's ideas.
• If you feel like you're not being listened to, find a mentor at your company that will communicate honestly with you about how you're being perceived in meetings.
• Ultimately, if you're communicating effectively and still not being listened to, it may be time to go and find a new job.

There's a good chance that you follow your co-workers on Instagram. Every post gives you a glimpse into their personal life (what they do on the weekends, who they're with, etc.). Many businesses encourage sharing what makes you tick outside of the 9-5. It creates a fun work culture where people feel fulfilled. But is there a limit to what you should share? Will a picture of a drunk night out make your boss think twice before making you lead on a new project?

What should you be sharing about your personal life? What should you keep to yourself? How much is too much?

We sit down with our CEO for 15 minutes each week, every week to get practical business advice so we can advance in our careers. In this episode, we get to the bottom of what to do if you're unsure how much to share about your personal life...

Key Takeaways:

• If you're a new employee understand that you're joining a pre-existing group - spend some time getting to know the lay of the land
• Your health is personal information - be mindful of what you share
• If you're going through a breakup or divorce and it's possible your performance may drop; consider telling your manager so they understand the context
• Keep your sex life to yourself
• People's opinions of alcohol and recreational drug use vary. Be mindful of what you're sharing.
• Use a critical eye when posting on your social profiles - assume that your employer or potential employer is seeing those posts.