1. Think building blocks- skills, talents,strengths that you assemble as you progress your career
2. Ensure employability through continuing education and professional development
3. Think roles rather than just jobs
4. Market yourself and what you have to offer
5. Be resilient - leave your ego behind
6. Stay culturally current
7. Be a compelling communicator
8. Find a mentor or coach
9. Build financial independence
10. Think like an outsider
11. Decide if you want to specialise
12. Don’t beat yourself up if everything does not happen as you expect it.

Duncan Brodie of Goals and Achievements is author of the Career Accelerator Self Coaching Workbook.  For more information click here

Well it was week 3 of the 2009 series of Dragons’ Den and as always there was the usual range of diverse ideas.  So what can we learn from this week’s pitches?

1. When it comes to seeking finance from an investor you need to be able to demonstrate that there is a sufficiently large market to take the product or service to.
2. You need to be able to hold your nerve under intense scrutiny and not panic even though it is tough.
3. You presentation does not always need to be super slick.  It is whether it gets you the result that you desire that counts.
4. Know your boundaries when it comes to a negotiation as it makes decisions easier.
5. Working with an experienced and successful business person can really be the catalyst to success.

What lessons would you add from your observations?  Why not leave a comment with your thoughts.

Many organisations have set up appraisals systems.  Those that are most effective include 360 degree feedback.  So what is 360 degree feedback and how can you start to put it in place?

360 Degree Feedback

The basic concept behind 360 feedback is getting views from those that manage you, those in your peer group and those that you manage.  The idea is to get a rounded picture of your performance from a number of different sources in order to build up a picture of your strengths and development needs.  In a well designed 360 feedback process you will also complete your own self assessment.

When you are first faced with the possibility of 360 feedback it can be daunting.  The reality is very different. You discover:

1. Qualities that you never even noticed in yourself
2. People are delighted to have the opportunity to contribute to your growth
3. You are often your biggest critic and people think much more highly of you than you do
4. Where greatest benefit will be derived from your personal development activities as you will know where to focus your attention
5. You have many more strengths than you have development needs

Setting up 360 Feedback

There are a range of options open to you and one consideration will be financial.  At the most basic level, you can send out an e-mail to people.  Another alternative is to use software of there is a system in your company.  There are also options to use technology even if your company does not have its own computer package.  A Google search will identify some options.

In terms of those that you ask for feedback:

1. Aim for about 10-15 people
2. Have a range of managers, peers and subordinates
3. Choose some people who you anticipate will give you a high rating
4. Choose some people who you will anticipate will give you a low rating
5. Choose some people who you are unclear as to how they will rate you

When carrying out your own self assessment:

1. Don’t forget to recognise your strengths
2. Be honest with yourself
3. See weaknesses as an opportunity for development

Go on give it a try and see the power of 360 degree feedback for yourself.

In the fast moving and every changing world of business, continuing to develop yourself is extremely important.  For many people it is way down the priority order.  Lack of time is often one of the key reasons for not making the investment that we all know we should.  Cost, particularly in financially stretched public sector organisations, is another factor.

Yet in truth, with progress in technology, it is now possible to continually develop yourself without the need to take 3 days out of the office.   This article highlights 10 potential opportunities for developing yourself that are both time efficient and cost effective. 

1. Podcasts

Podcasts are basically short audio clips that you can access, listen to or down load.  Most offer the option to subscribe so that you are notified when a new one is added.  Many are free or low cost.  When I first explored podcasts, I was amazed at the range of topics being covered.  A good starting point is Podcasting News where you can access a directory of podcasts.

2. Google Alerts

Google Alerts are another simple way of accessing articles, announcements, etc about areas that you are interested in.  Imagine for example you were interested in developing your influencing skills.  You could set up a Google Alert “Influencing Skills” specify how regularly you want to receive them and have relevant content sent to your e-mail.

3. Professional Journals and Magazines

You can buy a subscription to your industry magazine on your own or share the cost with a few colleagues interested in the same subject matter.  Many professional magazines now deliver content on-line with links to articles.  Two examples are Accountancy Age and Health Service Journal.

4. Subscribe to Newsletters and E-Zines

Until about 2 years ago, I was not even aware of newsletters and e-zines.  Now I subscribe to a host of them and pick up great tips every day.  No matter what area you are trying to develop, the chances are that there will be a free newsletter or e-zine out there to get access to great content.

5. Teleclasses

A teleclass is essentially training over the phone.  You sign-up and dial into a conference line at the specified time.  The great thing is that they are packed with great content but typically last no longer than 90 minutes.  Most last about 60 minutes.

Even if you cannot attend because of time zone differences, you generally get access to a recording and sometimes a PDF file of what was discussed.

6. Audio Books

More and more of the best self development books are becoming available in audio format.  What this means is that you can be developing yourself when you are stuck in traffic, driving to meetings or sitting relaxing at home.

7. Read a book

Another cost effective way of developing yourself is to buy books on leadership, management, marketing, etc and commit to reading a chapter a day.  This is excellent for increasing your knowledge.  It is also very easy to get new and second hand books through Amazon very cheaply.

8. Go to a seminar or workshop

There are more and more free or low cost seminars out there that you can attend.  If you are a member of a professional body, chances are that they have free events happening at least monthly where you get to network and broaden your knowledge.

9. Go to a conference

Most industries and professions have some sort of conference.  Typically, once a year, they give you the opportunity to keep up to date and learn about leading edge thinking.  While at the higher end of the spectrum cost wise, they do tend to attract high profile speakers.

10.  Get a mentor or coach

A mentor or coach can help you to get into action and start achieving results quicker than you imagined possible.  What makes this different to other forms of development is that it is tailored around your specific needs.

As you can see, developing your self need not be a major commitment in time or money.  What it can do is ensure that you continually strive to reach your true potential.  So what’s stopping you?

You have done the hard work of completing the application form or CV and you find out that you have the interview for a job you are keen to land.  Often when it comes to the interview stage people perform well below their best.  Yes nerves are a factor and everyone has them. 

So how can you excel in interviews?  Here are my 8 top tips.

1. Be prepared.  So often candidates turn up for interviews ill prepared.  They have not found out about the company, its issues and challenges and plans for the future.  Take the time to do this and you will be off to a flying start

2. Think about possible questions that might be asked.  Strange as it may seem, by spending a couple of hours jotting down possible questions and answers you can probably be prepared for about 50% of the questions that are asked.  You might not get the exact question but most likely will get a variation on the theme

3. Listen effectively.  If you are going to give a good answer you need to listen to the question being asked.  Doing so will enable you to give a powerful and structured answer to the question

4. Be succinct.  When you are answering questions, what you are aiming to do is give the interviewer confidence that you know what you are talking about- not to give a verbal thesis.  For example, imagine the interviewer asks you what are the greatest challenges in managing a team?  You could talk for ever. Instead try delegating effectively, keeping people motivated and balancing time spent managing and doing.  If the interviewer wants more they will ask

5. Be honest.  A typical question is what are your weaknesses?  Don’t under any circumstances say you don’t have any.  At the same time don’t shoot yourself in the foot.  Try something like I see weaknesses as opportunities for development.  Some of the areas I am working on right now are….

6. Remember it is a two way process.  Candidates often forget that the interview is as much about them finding out if this is a company and people they could work with as it is the interviewer finding out if you could do the job and fit in

7. Have 2 or 3 good questions to ask them.  Good interviewers will always give candidates the chance to ask questions.  Poorly prepared candidates will ask about pay, holidays, benefits.  Candidates who excel will ask about what it is like to work there, how the company will contribute to their development, future plans for the business and individuals over the next few years

8. Ask for feedback.  Whether you get the job or not ask for feedback on what they liked about you and what was missing.  Good employers will take the time to give feedback

At the end of the day, what makes you stand out are the small but important things.  So pay attention to them and go forth and excel in your next interview.

Last night on Dragons’ Den we saw a range of quite diverse pitches from businesses seeking investment.  So what were the key business lessons from week 2 of the 2009 series?

Lesson 1: Make sure you provide all the vital information

The revelation of the market size by the company that was seeking investment for their corporate team building using drumming changed perceptions.  Especially when they revealed that franchises were being sold for £100k.

Lesson 2: You need to be able to articulate your business and financial model

Too often businesses were pitching ideas where they could not articulate the reasons for the pricing structure or how they were going to make it profitable.

Lesson 3: Understand that a gamble and a calculated risk are different

The professional poker player was a good example.  The Dragons’ made it clear that they are happy to take calculated risks where they have some control but not a complete gamble.

Lesson 4: Show that there is demand

The woman that had created the product that would simplify passing a cable through a cavity wall did this brilliantly.  She already had significant demand from BT and saw the opportunity to take it worldwide.

You can watch Dragon’s Den every Wednesday at 9pm on BBC Two or on the BBCiplayer. 

The first stage in applying for a position is to create a CV or resume.  Sadly people often fail to give this the time and effort it deserves.  Remember, this is your personal marketing document.  It will determine whether you move to the next stage in the recruiting process or are assigned to the recycling bin.  Adopting 5 simple tips can help you to move to the next stage rather than the recycling bin.  What are they?

Tip 1: Change your perspective

Getting yourself into the right frame of mid is essential.  If you see producing your CV as a chore, this is exactly what it will be.  If on the other hand you view it as an opportunity to sell a unique service called you, not only will you be more motivated but will start to be much more creative.

What perspective do you think is going to produce the greatest finished article?

Tip 2: Do a personal audit

Before you start to put pen to paper or fingers to keyboard, take the time to do a personal audit.  The purpose of this personal audit is to discover all of your assets in terms of:

• Skills
• Knowledge
• Experience
• Personal attributes

This will take you a bit of time but will pay dividends in the long run.  In carrying out your personal audit, make sure that you:

• Look at your whole career and not just your current job
• Think about things outside of work where maybe you are in a leadership role or have to be highly organised (parenting is a good example)
• Ask others for their input
• Recognise your achievements

Tip 3: Start with a summary profile

A summary profile is a bit like a 30 second pitch that grabs the attention of the recruiter and wants them to find out more.  Make this the first section on your CV.  In producing your profile, make it as powerful as possible.  Include things like:

• Years of experience
• Industry sector experience if appropriate
• Track record in sorting out problems or turning round poor performance
• Specific knowledge of say mergers and acquisitions, risk management, taxation
• Specific IT skills where relevant

Tip 4: Focus on achievements

Recruiters are not that interested in a list of what you do and how you do it.  They want to know about your achievements and results.  Use a bullet point format and aim for 2-3 key achievements.  They could be for example:

• Saved the company £100,000 in tax
• Increased sales by 20%
• Reduced departmental running costs by 15% while maintaining quality
• Automated a manual process that released x days of resource each month
• Increased client satisfaction scores by 10%

Tip 5: Get feedback

Once you have produced your document, pass it to a few people whose opinion you respect.  Ask them for their feedback on the following questions:

• What overall message does it give?
• What stands out?
• What is missing?

Consider all of the feedback and decide for yourself what changes you want to make to improve the document while still retaining it as your document.

Your CV is your personal marketing document.  Use it to your advantage to get the job you desire and get ahead in your career.

In the Den businesses are seeking investment in their product or service.  So what were the key presentation lessons from the first week of the 2009 series?

1. Make sure that you demonstrate your track record when presenting
2. Don’t take big risks when making a pitch.  Focus on presenting professionally and in a business like way
3. Be willing to respond openly and transparently to questions
4. Focus on building rapport and avoid conflict
5. Be clear about the difference between a concept and a business

Everyone spends a significant amount of their life at work.  To get the most out of your career you need to manage it.  So what are key steps that you need to take to manage your career.

Tip 1: Know what you want to achieve 

When you have a career as opposed to a job, you take a long term view.  Those who achieve most will generally have a very clear vision of what they want to achieve.

What’s your vision?

Tip 2: Set out a plan

Once you have clarity on your vision, the next step is to develop a plan.  Your plan needs to clearly set out:

• Where you currently are

• Where you want to get to

• The steps to move you to where you want to get to

In setting out your plan, think about skills, knowledge, experience, education and personal attributes.

Tip 3: Find a coach or mentor

Most people have 10-15 years to reach their vision so you need support and accountability to make it happen.  A coach or mentor can help you:

• Get clarity on your next move

• Make the right moves that contribute to your overall vision

• Avoid wasting time and effort going down the wrong path

Tip 4: Deliver outstanding performance

If you want to progress and reach the top, you need to build a reputation of being someone who consistently delivers outstanding performance.  One of the ways of delivering outstanding performance is to be clear about what you are measured on and make sure everything you do contributes to success.

Tip 5: Don’t move out of a job because you are disgruntled

Sometimes people move jobs because something short term annoys them.  It might be that they are not feeling valued, that they are not supported or whatever they do it will never be good enough.

If you find yourself in this situation, speak to someone more senior before taking action or to you coach or mentor.

Tip 6: Discuss you career with your boss

Employees are sometimes reluctant to discuss their career with their boss.  They worry that their boss might misinterpret this.  The truth is that the best bosses want to have people around them who are motivated and have a desire to get on.

How could you create a relationship with your boss that allowed you to openly speak about your career?

Tip 7: Avoid job moves that only offer short term advantages

It is easy to be lured in the short term by money.  Keep the focus on your vision and test job opportunities in terms of what you need to progress rather than short term financial gains.

Tip 8: Leave jobs on good terms

You might be working with someone today who pops up at some organisation you want to work with in the future.  This is more common than you think so always leave on good terms.

Tip 9: Speak openly to superiors about internal positions that are of interest to you

Managers often form a completely wrong impression about individual’s career aspirations.  If there is an internal post that would help you closer to your goal, speak to your superior about it.

Tip 10:  Be open to lateral moves

It is easy to think that every job change needs to be a move up the ladder.  Sometimes it might be useful to move at a similar level to get new experience.  For example imagine all of your experience was in subsidiary companies and you wanted some head office experience.  A lateral move might be the best way to do it.

Tip 11: Plan moves in advance

When you have secured a position and have got some clarity about some of the skills and experience you are gaining, start thinking about your next couple of moves.  Why?  The main reason is that it keeps you alert for new opportunities that might be ideal for you as you move towards your vision.

Tip 12: Keep your CV or Resume up to date

Make a habit of regularly updating your CV to capture new experience, skills or attributes that you have developed.

Tip 13: Record achievements and successes

In every interview you will always be asked about achievements and successes.  If you record achievements on a weekly or monthly basis you will have a bank of successes available to draw from when faced with this question.

In addition, you will also have the drive and motivation to do even more.

Tip 14: Don’t stay in a job too long

If you want to reach a senior level, you need to find the right balance.  Move too regularly and your loyalty will be questioned.  Stay too long and your ambition and desire will be questioned.  Three indicators that the time might be right to move on are:

• The excitement has gone from the job

• You are not getting any new experience

• The job is too easy

In my experience moving every 2-4 years is about right, but be aware of industry or sector norms.

If you want a career rather than just a series of jobs, you need to take control.  What’s your first step?

Duncan Brodie of Goals and Achievements Ltd is author of the Career Accelerator Self Coaching Workbook.  For more information click here

If you are a manager you are likely to have to produce reports from time to time.  This might be a report on performance of your function, division, team or project.  Alternatively it might be a case for resources.  So what questions do you need to ask when it comes to preparing a report?

Question 1: Why am I writing the report? 

Seems like an obvious question but one that is often overlooked.  Is you report to inform, provide evidence, get a decision, influence others or something else?  Always start by being clear on the purpose of the report.

Question 2:  What does the recipient want to know?

Step into the shoes of those who are receiving the report.  Ask yourself, if I was sitting in their seat, what would I want to know?  Write down all of the possibilities until you cannot think of any more and then make sure your report answers them.

Question 3: What’s the best way of presenting the report?

Is it best to have a written report, several pages long with an Executive Summary at the start or is it better to have a simple dashboard?  It will depend on the circumstances and the easiest way of finding out is to simply ask those receiving the report what they would prefer and then provide it.

Bottom Line – Reports are often produced with little thought about the purpose or the audience.  You can easily avoid this trap by asking and answering these 3 simple questions.