Career Cohort

✨ Note: This is the last episode of the season—and 2023. I look forward to reconnecting on March 4, 2024! ✨ 𝙀𝙫𝙚𝙧𝙮𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙧𝙚𝙖𝙡𝙡𝙮 𝙬𝙖𝙣𝙩 𝙞𝙨 𝙟𝙪𝙨𝙩 𝙤𝙣 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙤𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙧 𝙨𝙞𝙙𝙚 𝙤𝙛 𝙪𝙣𝙘𝙤𝙢𝙛𝙤𝙧𝙩𝙖𝙗𝙡𝙚.—Heather Vickery I had so much fun chatting with Heather Vickery, author of 📖 𝙁*𝙘𝙠 𝙁𝙚𝙖𝙧𝙡𝙚𝙨𝙨: 𝙈𝙖𝙠𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝘽𝙧𝙖𝙫𝙚 𝙇𝙚𝙖𝙥 📖 Having fear isn’t the issue, says Heather. After all, fear is what protects us from real danger. But if we can break down our fears and question which ones serve us (or don’t 👀), we can learn to push through and reach our goals. It’s all about taking 𝙞𝙣𝙩𝙚𝙣𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣𝙖𝙡 risk. In this episode, Heather explains her BRAVE framework and how to use it as a trusty roadmap to reach our big, scary goals. BRAVE stands for: 𝗕oundaries 𝗥eassessment, reframing, resilience, 𝗔ction and accountability 𝗩ulnerability …which all lead to…🥁… 𝗘xpansion and empowerment (our results)! Rarely do amazing things happen to us due entirely to luck. It’s more about how we (bravely!) show up in the world so we can create the thing that we want. My conversation with Heather reminded me of my favorite quote from Seneca: 𝙇𝙪𝙘𝙠 𝙞𝙨 𝙬𝙝𝙚𝙣 𝙥𝙧𝙚𝙥𝙖𝙧𝙖𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣 𝙢𝙚𝙚𝙩𝙨 𝙤𝙥𝙥𝙤𝙧𝙩𝙪𝙣𝙞𝙩𝙮. So grab your cup of coffee or tea…or your walking shoes…and hear what Heather has to say about embracing fear and stepping out with bravery. RESOURCES Website: vickeryandco.com⁠⁠ LinkedIn: ⁠⁠linkedin.com/in/heather-vickery⁠⁠ IG: heather_vickeryandco⁠⁠ Book order: ⁠⁠F*ck Fearless: Making the Brave Leap⁠⁠ By the way, if you’d like to get tips like this more frequently, I spend a lot of time on LinkedIn. Please do connect with me. You can find me at ⁠⁠⁠www.linkedin.com/in/emilysfwong⁠⁠⁠. Please let me know if you heard me on this podcast, and let me know if there’s a topic you’d like me to cover. You can also sign up for my monthly newsletter if you go to my website, ⁠⁠⁠www.wordsofdistinction.net⁠⁠⁠.

Do you want to enhance your resume to increase your chances of getting hired? A field-tested tactic I use with my clients to achieve this goal is using job descriptions as a guide.

By understanding the specific skills and experience that employers are looking for, you can tailor your resume to better match their needs and improve your chances of landing an interview.

In this episode, I'll explain how you can:

• Tailor your resume to your target role by searching for 1-3 job descriptions and analyzing the skills and qualifications they're looking for.
• Identify key skills in job descriptions to highlight on your resume.
• Craft your resume in a way that aligns with the job descriptions to stand out, while avoiding simple word packing.
• Include specific examples of how you've demonstrated the skills and qualifications required in the job descriptions in your resume.

By the way, if you’d like to get tips like this more frequently, I spend a lot of time on LinkedIn. Please do connect with me. You can find me at ⁠⁠www.linkedin.com/in/emilysfwong⁠⁠. Please let me know if you heard me on this podcast, and let me know if there’s a topic you’d like me to cover.

You can also sign up for my monthly newsletter if you go to my website, ⁠⁠www.wordsofdistinction.net⁠⁠.

Did you know that many of us used strategies early in our career that may stifle our rise to the C-Suite?

Despite our best efforts to excel in our roles, a seat at the leadership table may seem beyond our reach, leaving us feeling undervalued and stuck in our current position.

My guest, Ellen Connelly Taaffe—author of ⁠The Mirrored Door: Break Through the Hidden Barrier that Locks Successful Women in Place⁠—has figured out what’s holding us back (hint: mostly, it's ourselves).

She also has good news: we CAN push through those self-imposed barriers.

Listen in to learn how we can pivot away from the following 5 early-career strategies and propel ourselves toward advancement within our organization:

1. Preparing to perfection
2. Eagerly pleasing
3. Fitting the mold
4. Pedal to the metal
5. Performing patiently

ABOUT ELLEN CONNELLY TAAFFE

Ellen Connelly Taaffe is a Clinical Associate Professor at the Kellogg School of Management, where she teaches Personal Leadership Insights and is the Director of Women’s Leadership Program.

She spent 25 years with Fortune 500 companies holding the top brand management post at divisions of PepsiCo, Royal Caribbean, and Whirlpool Corporation.

Ellen serves as an independent Board Director for two public and one private company, runs a leadership advisory consulting, speaking, and coaching business, and is a TEDx speaker. She shares her insights on leadership, careers, and advancing women and inclusion through her writing and speaking in media like Harvard Business Review, Forbes, Business Insider, and Kellogg Insight.

RESOURCES

Official site: ⁠ellentaaffe.com⁠

LinkedIn: ⁠linkedin.com/in/ellentaaffe⁠

Twitter: ⁠twitter.com/ellenctaaffe⁠

Book order: ⁠The Mirrored Door: Break Through the Hidden Barrier that Locks Successful Women in Place⁠

By the way, if you’d like to get tips like this more frequently, I spend a lot of time on LinkedIn. Please do connect with me. You can find me at ⁠⁠www.linkedin.com/in/emilysfwong⁠⁠. Please let me know if you heard me on this podcast, and let me know if there’s a topic you’d like me to cover.

You can also sign up for my monthly newsletter if you go to my website, ⁠⁠www.wordsofdistinction.net⁠⁠.

The first order of business in overcoming interview-related anxiety is 🥁:

💡 Remember that you’re also interviewing THEM! Yes, you’re the candidate, but fit is as important for you as it is for them. You deserve the opportunity to gather your own intel to make a decision.

💡 Write down 10 success stories to share.

💡 Curate a list of possible (interviewer) questions.

💡Record your answers on Zoom or Yoodli.

💡 If the interview will be remote, this is a great opportunity to check how you should clean up your background, and check your eye level to see if you’re looking through the camera.

Anne Janzer is the author of 8 books on the craft of writing. The latest, The Writer's Voice, is perfect for those of us who want to level up our craft, even if our main content is business email.

She's an expert at the art of developing a unique voice that resonates with readers and strengthens our connection with them. As a marketer, she's consulted with more than 100 tech companies, so believe me when I tell you she understands voice.

With her extensive knowledge and future-focused approach, Anne continues to serve as a trusted guide for aspiring writers so we can quickly adapt our writing to the evolving landscape of technology and reader preferences.

Through her engaging and relatable style, Anne demystifies the concept of voice, shedding light on its true essence and its impact on our writing.

Listen in to our conversation about the importance of honing our writer's voice and the transformative power it can have in how we connect with others.

In this episode:

• Discover the power of developing your unique writing voice, unlocking a world of creative expression, and captivating storytelling.
• Gain useful insights into the art of sentence structure to create writing that flows seamlessly.
• Craft clear and concise content that captivates readers and keeps them engaged.

RESOURCES

To continue getting guidance on writing, join Anne's writing list @ AnneJanzer.com. I guarantee she walks her talk about getting to the point quickly and adding value for her readers.

Did I mention that she gives away a free book on writing once a month via a raffle? I know this is true because I've been a lucky recipient 😊.

If you're interested in ordering Anne's book 📖The Writer's Voice📖 you'll find it on Amazon and bookshop.org, as well as at retailers and other indie bookstores.

By the way, if you’d like to get tips like this more frequently, I spend a lot of time on LinkedIn. Please do connect with me. You can find me at ⁠www.linkedin.com/in/emilysfwong⁠. Please let me know if you heard me on this podcast, and let me know if there’s a topic you’d like me to cover.

You can also sign up for my monthly newsletter if you go to my website, ⁠www.wordsofdistinction.net⁠.

Listen to this short episode for 10 quick ways to modernize your resume.

If you know your way around your software, it should take you just 15 minutes.

If you're visual, you can see how I put these tips into practice at

www.wordsofdistinction.net/samples

By the way, if you’d like to get tips like this more frequently, I spend a lot of time on LinkedIn. Please do connect with me. You can find me at ⁠www.linkedin.com/in/emilysfwong⁠. Please let me know if you heard me on this podcast, and let me know if there’s a topic you’d like me to cover.

You can also sign up for my monthly newsletter if you go to my website, ⁠www.wordsofdistinction.net⁠.

Discover the secrets to writing with confidence and strategy in the workplace. Join Erin Lebacqz as she uncovers the challenges of strategic writing and how to balance clarity and emotional intelligence.

The truth about language choices may leave you questioning your own communication skills. And that's OK. We should constantly be evaluating and refining how we can communicate, so we can get better at it.

Let's remember: Practice makes progress...

Since the pandemic and resulting hybrid workplace, we're using writing to not only inform others—but to connect with them.

By using some strategy and emotional intelligence, we can transform writing into a leadership tool. Leaders can impact team culture by writing to empower others, manage team dynamics, and create belonging.

Now's the best time to think about how we can meet our readers where they are and customize our message to meet the needs of *specific* consumers of our content.

ABOUT ERIN

Erin Lebacqz helps you write with clarity, confidence, and strategy. Her book, YouTube channel, and High-Value Writing classroom curriculum present practical strategies in an engaged setting. Erin has been teaching writing for 25 years, in the business, academic, and public sectors. She has a MA in Professional Writing, a BA in International Relations, and various teaching certifications.

RESOURCES

Erin's High-Value Writing program and book can also help folks understand the power of both words and reader interpretation.

Learn more about Erin and see what she can offer:

www.highvaluewriting.com/services www.youtube.com/channelwww.amazon.com/High-Value-Writing-Real-Strategies-Real-World By the way, if you’d like to get tips like this more frequently, I spend a lot of time on LinkedIn. Please do connect with me. You can find me at ⁠www.linkedin.com/in/emilysfwong⁠. Please let me know if you heard me on this podcast, and let me know if there’s a topic you’d like me to cover.

You can also sign up for my monthly newsletter if you go to my website, ⁠www.wordsofdistinction.net⁠.

If you’re considering a side gig—either as insurance in an unpredictable job market or as a creative outlet for your passion project—video can be an easy entry point to set yourself up as an authority on your topic.

Just remember: The journey toward entrepreneurship is not a one-time feat. It's a continuous process of learning, growing, and honing your skills.

The idea is to embrace every opportunity—yep, that includes “mistakes”— as stepping stones for our growth.

One of my favorite things about my guest, Tanya (sounds like “CAN-ya”) Smith, is that she prefers live streaming vs. recordings for the simple reason that she can let little “mistakes” slide, making her the perfect coach to tell you it’s ok to not get hung up on what really doesn’t matter. And by the way, those little hiccups make you HUMAN, which makes you more likely to connect with your audience.

Tanya shares her own journey of how she evolved from a beginner in video marketing to an expert, with a continuous learning mindset. Her story is an inspiration for all of us who are testing new ways to show up in the world.

A FEW NUGGETS FROM TANYA

💡 Don’t try to serve everyone. Narrow your focus and find your niche market.

💡 You don’t need a lot of fancy or expensive gear. When starting out, make the most of your existing resources.

💡 Strive for consistency to strengthen your craft.

💡 If you have fun with video and see it less as another chore or duty, you'll find the time for it, to build it, and to let it grow.

ABOUT TANYA

Tanya Smith, an on-camera video strategist and coach, empowers women-owned service businesses to cultivate a captivating conversational brand through live-stream marketing. With over a decade of experience, Tanya has emerged as a distinguished leader and sought-after expert, sharing insights about content marketing for national organizations and events. On her weekly show, Stream Like a Boss TV, Tanya offers strategies and invaluable tools to elevate your on-camera presence.

RESOURCES

To catch Tanya in action, visit streamlikeaboss.TV, or tune in live to her broadcasts on Facebook Live, LinkedIn, and YouTube.

You can also find Tanya here: getnoticedwithvideo.com

By the way, if you’d like to get tips like this more frequently, I spend a lot of time on LinkedIn. Please do connect with me. You can find me at ⁠www.linkedin.com/in/emilysfwong⁠. Please let me know if you heard me on this podcast, and let me know if there’s a topic you’d like me to cover.

You can also sign up for my monthly newsletter if you go to my website, ⁠www.wordsofdistinction.net⁠.

Have a wonderful day!

If you worry about leaving money on the table when negotiating job offers, or you’re feeling overwhelmed by all the different types of employer equity grants, or you aren’t sure which are the best options for YOU, then you’re not alone! 

Many job seekers struggle to navigate the complexities of equity compensation, often realizing too late that they missed opportunities to maximize their earning potential. 

Despite their best efforts, they find themselves settling for less than they deserve or failing to effectively communicate their worth to potential employers. In this episode, we’ll explore common mistakes and offer strategies to help you avoid these pitfalls and secure the equity compensation you deserve.

Listen in as Richard:

• Provides a quick primer on different types of equity compensation.

• Equips us with a strong foundation for negotiating equity compensation.

• Shares valuable tips on when to exercise stock options for maximum benefit, including tax considerations.

• Coaches us on how to manage the hurdles of sales restrictions and company stock trading blackout periods.

• Explains why negotiating exit packages and severance benefits on the front end is so important for senior leaders.

Richard Archer is a financial planner who helps high-achieving professionals make smart, intentional, and strategic choices with their money. He believes you can make responsible financial decisions for tomorrow, without ignoring what your soul needs today. Save and invest wisely, while simultaneously planning for a trip across the globe. And practice mindful spending like mapping out a responsible plan to purchase your dream car or home. His #1 goal for you—and all the clients he works with—is to change your relationship with money from a place of fear to one of freedom.

RESOURCES

For more great advice and articles on equity compensation and negotiation, visit Richard's website: www.archerim.com

Richard and his team also share a TON of helpful and actionable content on LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/richarcher/

By the way, if you’d like to get tips like this more frequently, I spend a lot of time on LinkedIn. Please do connect with me. You can find me at ⁠www.linkedin.com/in/emilysfwong⁠. When you do connect, please let me know that you heard me on this podcast, and let me know if there’s a topic you’d like to cover. 

You can also sign up for my monthly newsletter if you go to my website, ⁠www.wordsofdistinction.net⁠.

Have a wonderful day!

Increase your chances of landing an interview with my 6 tips to cut the fluff. Write a concise and clear resume that wins over busy recruiters.

In this episode, you'll:

• Learn how to replace and eliminate superfluous language to strengthen your resume.
• Grasp the importance of abbreviating and condensing language for a concise resume.
• Gain a better understanding of when and how to use acronyms on your resume.

RESOURCES

If you’d like to get tips like this more frequently, I spend a lot of time on LinkedIn. Please do connect with me. You can find me at ⁠⁠www.linkedin.com/in/emilysfwong⁠⁠. When you do connect, please let me know that you heard me on this podcast, and let me know if there’s a topic you’d like to cover. 

You can also sign up for my monthly newsletter if you go to my website, ⁠⁠www.wordsofdistinction.net⁠⁠.

In this episode, I referenced The Difference Between Scope & Achievement on Your Resume (Season 7, Episode 2). I explained how to distinguish those details on your resume, which ties into today's topic. You can find the episode on your favorite podcast platform.

Have a wonderful day!