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Job Hunting Advice

How Leaders Run Successful Meetings: 10 Tips and Tricks

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As a business leader, what is one tip/trick for running a successful meeting?

To help you adopt the best approach in running meetings successfully, we asked CEOs and business leaders this question for their best insights. From allowing your team to contribute in advance to using friendly communication during meetings, there are several tips that are useful for any business leader seeking to conduct successful meetings.

Here are 10 tips these leaders follow to run successful meetings:

  • Allow Your Team to Contribute in Advance
  • Pep Things Up With a Brainstorming Session
  • Create and Share a Clear Agenda for the Meeting
  • Pay Attention to Who You Ask to Attend
  • Engage Everyone
  • Kick-Off With Dialogue that Supports Team Trust
  • Leave Smartphones at the Door
  • Send Out a Meeting Announcement Early
  • Leave Room in Your Schedule for Questions
  • Use Friendly Communication During the Meeting

Allow Your Team to Contribute in Advance

To have a successful, collaborative meeting, offer your entire team the opportunity to suggest topics or ask questions beforehand. This can be done simply on a project-management task or even on a Google sheet. Start by stating the main purpose of the meeting, and then encourage your employees to add sub-topics and put forth any questions or comments they may have. This will keep everyone engaged by feeling they’ve actually contributed to the meeting, rather than just be an “attendee.”

Shaun Price, MitoQ

Pep Things Up With a Brainstorming Session

A successful meeting requires every participant to contribute to the outcome, and one way to get the adrenaline flowing is to have a brainstorming session where everyone in the meeting can share their viewpoints. In addition to adding to the energy in the room, this move will also give team members the chance to present their ideas without feeling conscious about how they’ll play out in the long run. After all, brainstorming is all about coming up with ideas, no matter how vague, so that every thought and notion can be explored.

Riley Beam, Douglas R. Beam, P.A.

Create and Share a Clear Agenda for the Meeting

Prepare and send out a clear agenda before the meeting starts. This will help the meeting stay on track and ensure that all of the topics that need to be discussed are covered. It is also helpful to provide a brief overview of each topic before the meeting starts so everyone is on the same page. Having discipline around creating an agenda for each meeting may sound like a lot of work, but that’s actually a very good thing, since it leads to fewer, but much higher quality meetings. One thing that employees commonly complain a lot about is too many unnecessary meetings and too much time wasted. So by having a laser focus on the topics that are truly relevant for the meeting, you’ll be able to get to the core of the matter much faster, and everyone will appreciate that.

Matthew Ramirez, Paraphrase Tool

Pay Attention to Who You Ask to Attend

Many business leaders spend a lot of time on setting up their meeting agenda, but give little thought to who should be in attendance, yet by making it exclusive you will have a greater likelihood of it being successful. The people in attendance can have a dramatic impact on a meeting in everything from its focus to meaningful engagement, and making it a catch-all in terms of who is requested to be there can water down the presentation’s effectiveness. Making sure those who are asked to attend have relevant knowledge, have responsibilities related to the topic, will be involved in agenda implementation, and can contribute points that add to the presentation, is as critical to the meeting’s effectiveness as any material or discussion points. By spending as much time evaluating who you want to be at the meeting as you do setting up your presentation, you will better ensure the engagement of those in attendance and its overall success.

Adelle Archer, Eterneva

Engage Everyone

Find a way to engage everybody at the meeting. No one wants to spend time at a meeting just to keep a chair warm, and if they sit there the whole time without saying a word, you haven’t done your job in leading the meeting. Everyone should have something to offer, or they shouldn’t be there. Make sure to touch base with each participant and see what they have to contribute. They’ll feel engaged and appreciated, and you won’t be leaving any valuable input on the table.

Marcus Hutsen, Patriot Coolers

Kick-Off With Dialogue that Supports Team Trust

Kick it off with an opportunity for people to share what is going well and areas they wish to take the initiative to improve to support team trust. This is the most critical element for teams to achieve their goals, so it’s important to cultivate trust in each interaction and meeting. Behaviors that erode trust include micromanaging, failure to share information, gossip, comparison of colleagues, and toxic productivity. Instead, allow your team to thrive by embodying a culture of learning, growth, and collaboration so people feel it’s okay to fail, share progress with others, and cheer on teammates’ success. When trust-building is a priority in meetings, all stakeholders can raise issues and ideas without fear of retaliation.

Tommy Chang, Homelister

Leave Smartphones at the Door

Require everyone to leave their smartphones at the door. Smartphones are supposed to be a convenient productivity tool, but I’ve noticed that they ultimately get in the way of collaboration and creativity more than they help it. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve referred to my phone to aid in work, but then became sidetracked by a text or voice message, or a juicy piece of news. Meetings should only last about 30 minutes anyway: People should be able to live without their phones for that long.

Asker Ahmed, iProcess

Send Out a Meeting Announcement Early

Give early notice. One important but often overlooked key to running a successful meeting takes place before it even begins. If you want to be a good host, you need to announce the meeting with plenty of advanced notice. Sending out a timely announcement and reminders about your agenda helps ensure that your attendees can be there and sets a good tone for the rest of your meeting.

Rachel Reid, Subtl Beauty

Leave Room in Your Schedule for Questions

Don’t forget to leave time for clarifications. When you’re outlining a meeting agenda, there’s internal pressure to ensure you have enough material and that you’re not leaving out anything relevant. But it’s also important to build time into that schedule for questions. Most meetings are not so clear that no one needs clarification in any area. If you fill your agenda to the brim, you risk running over and delaying people getting to their next commitment. It’s better in the long run to have that gap built in.

Vimla Black Gupta, Ourself

Use Friendly Communication During the Meeting

Meetings are typically serious affairs, especially if objectives and agendas are closely followed. To maintain a good environment and promote a sense of collaboration and relationship building, allot a few minutes at the start and end of each meeting for some small talk, questions, and other chit-chats. A serious topic can be made more entertaining and interactive by using humor. Always be kind in your communication, encourage laughter or pleasant contact, and remember that meetings are still social gatherings. Keep meetings on schedule, but provide time for personal interaction.

Shad Elia, New England Home Buyers

13 Stories: The Best Career Advice I’ve Ever Received

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What is the best career advice you’ve been given?

To help you learn from the career advice of others to make you successful, we asked CEOs and business leaders this question for their best guidance. From being proactive in seizing growth opportunities to working to learn rather than to earn, there are several pieces of career advice that you could make your own to help you chart your course for a successful career.

Here are 13 pieces of career advice these leaders have received that help them the most:

  • Be Proactive in Seizing Career Growth Opportunities
  • Don’t Settle
  • Honor Your Instincts
  • Get a Mentor
  • Seek Happiness Instead of Money
  • No Job is Too Small
  • Trust Your Instincts
  • Focus on Living Your Dream and Not Someone Else’s
  • Network to Help You Advance
  • Learn How to Set Boundaries Right From the Get-Go
  • Set Aside Time for Yourself to Avoid Burnout
  • Be 15 Minutes Early for All Appointments
  • Work to Learn Rather Than to Earn

Be Proactive in Seizing Career Growth Opportunities

I entered the workforce over a decade ago with the concept that if I worked hard enough and exceeded my employer’s expectations, they would automatically reward me with raises and offer promotions. My then manager cleared this sad misconception during my very first year at that job. Upon asking why I wasn’t considered for a better-paying position at a larger branch of the organization, he responded by saying, “your career is your responsibility. Learn to advocate for yourself when you know there’s an opportunity; if there is no opportunity, create one.”

I believe his words led me to where I am now, heading my own well-established recruiting firm. So many people become successful due to stellar career management skills, even with otherwise average job skills. Offering to work on an important project or asking for a raise or promotion when you deserve one will lead to faster professional growth than waiting for an opportunity to knock at your door.

Anjela Mangrum, Mangrum Career Solutions

Don’t Settle

Don’t settle. That’s the best career advice I’ve ever been given, and it’s something that I try to live by every day. When you’re looking for a job, don’t just take the first offer that comes your way. Make sure that it’s a job that you’re passionate about and that you can see yourself doing for the long haul. Don’t settle for a position just because it pays well or because it’s easy. Challenges and obstacles are what make life interesting and worthwhile. If you can find a job that offers both of those things, then you’ve found something special. So, don’t settle – keep searching until you find the perfect fit.

Antreas Koutis, Financer

Honor Your Instincts

While advice can be helpful, you should also honor your own instincts. Be honest with yourself about what you want to do career-wise, and try not to worry too much about doing what people expect you to do or what they think you should do. This idea may sound simple, but it is a pain point for many people who feel parental or societal pressure to pursue careers in traditional fields such as law or healthcare.

Drew Sherman, RPM

Get a Mentor

Once you have been working in the field for some time and have started seeing some success, it is important to get a mentor. A mentor will help you take your career to the next level by sharing their own expertise and knowledge with you. They will also provide guidance on how you can progress further in your field and what new challenges you should take up. Having a mentor is an invaluable asset, so if you can find one, make sure to make the most of their mentorship!

Danielle Bedford, Coople

Seek Happiness Instead of Money

Entry level workers should focus on what they want to be doing. This is the start of everything, and it’s important that you enjoy the work you’re doing. We’re so driven by money, but sometimes that negatively impacts our health and we end up in a job we hate. Take your young working days to determine what you like and what you don’t like, and work on improving your skills. Your older self will be grateful you chased happiness instead of money.

Jodi Neuhauser, Ovaterra

No Job is Too Small

Right after college, I wanted to go to New York to start my career in television. But Barbara Walters told me I should ‘go local’ by working at smaller market television stations nearer my hometown and work my way up. So, I started as an assistant, getting coffee, logging tapes, and running audio. Then I worked my way up to writer, producer, and anchor. I’m so glad I took Barbara’s advice because it allowed me to make mistakes and learn from them without worrying that my career would be over before it even began. Starting small also helped me figure out what I like doing regarding news broadcasting and what I don’t like–which, I always tell my kids, is just as important because figuring out precisely what you want to do takes time.

Maria Shriver, MOSH

Trust Your Instincts

Although intuition and gut feeling are mostly subjective and hard to describe, each person knows what it’s like to trust their instincts. Having all the information and facts is undoubtedly a crucial part of decision-making, but it’s the indescribable quality of your instincts that will ultimately take you to the right place. If you start feeling into your intuition early in your career, you’re more likely to be able to count on it for the bigger decisions later on.

Igal Rubinshtein, Home Essentials Direct

Focus on Living Your Dream and Not Someone Else’s

Focus on living your dream and not someone else’s. That is the most profound piece of advice someone has ever handed down to me as a business leader in my community. It’s so common to be consumed by someone else’s success on social media or within your friendship circle or family. Instead, the principal objective is to focus on your business’s ups and downs, be present with the teachings of the hardships and celebrate your wins. You must halt all comparisons and enjoy the voyage and the place it’s taking you because someone else’s highlights are not your reality.

Anamika Goyal, Cottage

Network to Help You Advance

The best piece of advice I’ve ever received regarding my professional life was to always place a strong emphasis on networking in order to remain relevant (both technically and relationship-wise). Through our networks, we will be able to learn about new advances in our sectors and environments, new ways of thinking, and new opportunities that will help us advance in our careers. Our networks, which can include coaches, mentors, sponsors, stakeholders, and peers, are an essential component of our reputation and skill-building, as well as our overall well-being, and they serve as a foundation for each stage of our professional path.

Josh Tyler, Tell Me Best

Learn How to Set Boundaries Right From the Get-Go

There was a time when hustle and grind were in the spotlight and having little to no boundaries was encouraged. But given how unsustainable this practice is, it didn’t last long and most leaders picked up on this shift. However, traces of this culture still remain and that is why it’s crucial to have healthy boundaries and maintain a work-life balance. Although it can feel uncomfortable at first, you will soon realize the importance of boundaries for your mental well-being and the longevity of your career.

Benoit Lacroix, Portmoni

Set Aside Time for Yourself to Avoid Burnout

Make sure to take breaks. A mentor once told me about the importance of setting aside time for relaxation. As an entrepreneur, my work can feel deeply personal and all-consuming. But never putting aside time for yourself can cause major burnout, which can be detrimental to your career. Putting aside my job for a little while each day to do something I enjoy helps me stay sharp and focused when it’s time to get back to work.

Rachel Reid, Subtl Beauty

Be 15 Minutes Early for All Appointments

The best career advice I have ever gotten is to be 15 minutes early. In other words, you should make it a habit to be 15 minutes early for all your appointments in a professional setting. Keeping in mind the slogan “15 minutes early or you’re late” helps me leave the house more quickly since I have, how should we put it, an unjustifiably optimistic perception of the amount of time it takes to get from point A to point B. That slogan has helped me be on time for meetings and activities at work. You will undoubtedly come into contact with several pieces of career advice as your career progresses. Consider career guidance like you would feedback. You can read some suggestions and find out what you already do well and what you should work on improving.

Akber Zaidi, WeLoans

Work to Learn Rather Than to Earn

The best advice I’ve been given was by Robert Kiyosaki in Rich Dad Poor Dad. The advice is to ask – “are you working to earn, or working to learn?” Society teaches us to chase the big paycheque. Everyone’s rushing to earn the biggest number they can, mostly so they can feel better when comparing their salary or net worth to others their age. Chasing a bigger salary can often lead to working stressful jobs, with bad management and a poor path upwards. 

Instead, working to learn is much more fun, and often leads to a higher level of financial success further down the line. By pursuing opportunities to expand your skillset you’ll naturally become much more valuable. Instead of going down one path, you can end up combining several different skill sets and be uniquely valuable in a specific niche. This can lead to some incredibly unique and exciting opportunities. Which are far more fulfilling than rushing down a traditional route, not to mention often more lucrative in the end too.

Craig Galloway, Tech Detective

How to Answer “What Can You Bring to The Company?” In a Job Interview

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As an interviewer, what is one way a candidate should respond to your interview question “What can you bring to the company?”

To help candidates respond to the interview question “What can you bring to the company?”, we asked recruiters and hiring managers this question for their best tips. From showing that you’ve done your research to providing examples of professional success, there are several responses that hiring professionals look for when asking  “What can you bring to the company?” in an interview.


Here are 13 tips for responding to “What can you bring to the company?” in an interview:

  • Show that You Have Done Your Research
  • Bring A New Perspective
  • Focus On Controllable Inputs
  • Be Yourself
  • Focus On Who You Are as a Team Player
  • Talk About Why You Love This Career Path
  • Show Your Coachability
  • Highlight Your Experiences That Uniquely Fit The Role
  • Show Preparation and Insight
  • Bring Diversity, New Knowledge, and Good Environment
  • Show a Passion to Improve Lives
  • Center Your Response Around the Company’s Objectives
  • Provide Specific Instances of Your Professional Success

Show that You Have Done Your Research

From my experience in HR, when interviewers ask candidates what they can bring to the company, they ate looking for more than just a list of skills and qualifications. In my experience, this question gives you the opportunity to show that you’ve done your research. For example, you might say something like, “I’ve read about your company’s commitment to sustainability, and I’m passionate about working for a company that is making a positive impact on the environment. I know I can contribute to your efforts by…” By indicating that you’re familiar with the company’s mission and values, you show that you’re a good fit for the team and leave an impression on the interviewer.

Antreas Koutis, Financer

Bring A New Perspective

While you may be tempted to take the same old route and talk about the strengths and expertise you bring to the table so that it aligns with the job description, it doesn’t help you stand out from the crowd. If you really want to leave a mark, talk about your unique and fresh perspective and how that can pave the way for new innovations and strategies. The fact that you can see things in a new light and offer suggestions on the way things already work makes you an asset to any organization that’s committed to growing and evolving.

Harry Morton, Lower Street

Focus On Controllable Inputs

A candidate can respond by saying they will bring a relentless drive to discover the key levers of success for the business and then apply them to grow the company. In isolating the controllable inputs that lead to success, the candidate can focus on what they can do to improve performance, demonstrate alignment with the company’s vision, and add value.

Matthew Ramirez, Paraphrase Tool

Be Yourself

The candidate should try to come up with something unique. If they give an answer that they believe the interviewer wants to hear, this will be obvious. The candidate should ultimately be honest about their strengths and how they can utilize these strengths to benefit the company. For example, even if the candidate is an introvert, they may be very organized. So, they can say that they can offer their keen attention to detail and organization to keep the company running smoothly. Being yourself when answering this question is essential.

Drew Sherman, RPM

Focus On Who You Are as a Team Player

Focus on who you are as a team player. The hiring manager wants to determine if you’re a good cultural fit along with your skill level. Are you always willing to help others complete projects on a tight deadline? Share an example of how you’ve done that in the past and how you intend to do it for the company. Not only will they be able to determine your work ethic, but who you are as a colleague as well.

Natália Sadowski, Nourishing Biologicals

Talk About Why You Love This Career Path

Talk about your dedication and goals. When I ask “What can you bring to the company?” during an interview, I’m always compelled by the candidates who respond with their personal connection to the role. For example, if they tell me a story about the first time they realized they wanted to be in fashion, and how our company plays a part in realizing their dreams – I want that person on our team. By sharing their goals and love for the job during the interview, I can see how they’ll be dedicated to the company and add great energy to the team.

Karim Hachem, Sunshine79

Show Your Coachability

When you start a new role with a new company, you will not know everything. However you need to be open, willing to listen and learn from others. You always need to have the ability to be coachable. Coachable employees are excited learners and they are willing to learn how to improve their performance. They are open to new perspectives and ideas from their peers. Coachability means employees have a level of self-awareness and the desire to achieve new heights within the organization.

TK Morgan, Tuesday At 1030

Highlight Your Experiences That Uniquely Fit The Role

When asked this question, the candidates more likely to get hired all answer with a similar structure. They highlight their work experience and then explain what makes them uniquely fit for the job.

Chances are, at this stage in the interview, the resume has already been discussed, so the highlighting of experience should be brief. The key is the explanation as to why they’d be the perfect candidate for the role. This explanation usually has the candidate mention skills and proficiencies, but always mention soft skills and how they’d fit into the company.

The candidates who do research into the company will mention how the company culture is a perfect fit for them as they’d be able to thrive in that environment. If a candidate is able to do all of that confidently and convincingly, they usually end up on the shortlist and are invited to a final interview, granted that they’re the type of person the company wants.

Iohan Chan, Clark Staff

Show Preparation and Insight

I regularly am active in the hiring process of our company whether it’s hiring for our lab, office, or marketing department. The one thing that always impresses me is when interviewees should that they took the time to research your company or position that they applied for.

I had over 40 college students apply for an internship in our marketing department and the ones that stood out right away were the ones that came with suggestions or a plan for the position. When asked “What can you bring to the company” they had real suggestions or knowledge of the company in discussing the answer. It’s clear to distinguish between those who are just pulling answers out of thin air versus those who looked at our website and social media channels and give real input. I had one interviewee show me a video that she prepared for an ad for us and discussed optimizing our TikTok channel. I was very impressed and she got the position. Give real suggestions!

Seth Newman, SportingSmiles

Bring Diversity, New Knowledge, and Good Environment

It’s never easy to answer some questions when we need to go to job interviews.
I already did a lot of job interviews and one of the questions that is always present is “What can you bring to the company?” Most of them answer this question with the same responses. They are fast learners, or they want to bring organization to the company.
The best way to answer this question is by saying that the person will bring diversity in working methods, new knowledge as a fresh mind and improve the great environment in the company. Bringing diversity is always a good idea, because companies are always improving and learning new things to be on the top. A person who can answer this question with this answer will be a great hire for the company.

Stanislav Baciu, BuzzLogic

Show a Passion to Improve Lives

While every company requires a candidate to be passionate about their jobs and careers, some companies require candidates to be passionate about the impact their roles create too. In the health and wellness industry, individual drive and dedication are the cornerstones of each position. Even if their positions are relegated to behind-the-scenes, without individual passion, no employee can contribute the extra effort that our company needs to impact lives. So the first thing we need from our candidates is a genuine passion to change and improve lives.

David Northup, InShapeMD

Center Your Response Around the Company’s Objectives

The answer should center around the company’s objectives and long-term goals. The interviewee should have researched the company through its website, projects, undertakings, etc. For example, if the company looks for team players, you can say that you will bring a sense of unity and oneness amongst the people working under you. If the company is research-oriented, you promise on focusing on getting government grants and good projects for the company. The answer should integrate your own as well as the company’s objectives.

Chris Heerdegen, OnDemand Painters Midwest

Provide Specific Instances of Your Professional Success

Answering this question, candidates generally need to relate how their skills, experience, and personal qualities will be an asset to the company, and a good fit for the organization’s values and goals. It is also important to be specific when responding to this question, and to avoid using generalities. In essence, a candidate should bring up actual instances where they’ve exhibited these desirable qualities in their professional life, without having to be prompted by the interviewer for these specifics.

This is a sure-fire way for the candidate to demonstrate to the interviewer that they know the dance. They can additionally show that they value the interviewer’s time; by relating the information straight away in the desired format. Practical demonstrations of skills and values, and relating the results of these real-life case studies, are always going to be more useful than just stating that you possess the desirable attributes, and hoping for belief from the interviewer.

Alex Ugarte, London Office Space

9 Tips to Help You Move into a New Career

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What is one tip you have for someone looking to launch into a new career?

To help you launch into a new career, we asked career coaches and successful entrepreneurs this question for their best insights. From finding your transferable skills to talking to those who know you, there are several tips that may help you break into a new profession.

Here are nine tips to help you move into a new career:

  • Find Your Transferable Skills
  • Don’t “Fake it Until You Make it”
  • Turn “What I’ve Done” Into “What I can do for You”
  • Start Building Your Network Early
  • Write Down Your Then, Now, and Next
  • Research, Listen, and Network
  • Upskill to Prepare to Launch a New Career
  • Ask for Help
  • Talk to Those Who Know You

Find Your Transferable Skills

It doesn’t matter if you are going from a pastry chef to an astronaut, every job, every volunteer experience, every class taken, has provided you with a skill that you can bring to another sector of your life. Find those skills from your past experiences and highlight them on your resume and cover letter. If you are having trouble finding these transferable skills, try reviewing job posts you are interested in and see what skills are listed on the job posting that you have. A lot of the time a little creativity is all you need.

Bryor Mosley, Southern New Hampshire University

Don’t “Fake it Until You Make it”

One strategy that a lot of people employ when wading into a totally new area is to fake it until they make it. In other words, they pretend to know a lot more about the industry and role than they do in reality. In my opinion, this is a terrible technique for breaking into a new vertical and gaining the trust of new team members. It is a much smarter play to own your lack of expertise and show some humility, while at the same time expressing your passion to learn and gain experience.

People, especially managers, will respect you more for being humble and genuine than feigning expertise. Most people are smart enough to be able to see right through a phony. Plus, when you try the “fake it till you make it” approach, it just takes one tough question or misstatement to expose you. Don’t run the risk – just own your inexperience and be cool about it.

John Ross, Test Prep Insight

Turn “What I’ve Done” Into “What I can do for You”

A good starting point is your resume. Rewrite it as a skills-based document instead of a chronological listing of your previous experience. Consider a personal website where you introduce yourself with a YouTube video. Create short video case studies highlighting your problem-solving prowess that will help you succeed in your new profession.

Your goal is to reinforce the fact you have the skills to succeed in a new career and previous job titles aren’t significant. Finally, mentally prepare yourself to be looked at like you’re applying for your first “real” job because that’s how many prospective employers will see you.

Joshua Chin, Chronos

Start Building Your Network Early

Having a professional network in your new industry before you make the transition will give you access to more opportunities when you’re ready to make the switch, and your resume is likely to get more serious consideration from hiring managers if you’re referred or recommended by someone connected to the company. This is often a big hurdle for those switching careers since they don’t have experience in the industry, which can make it a challenge to compete with applicants who are already established in the field. You can kill two birds with one stone by attending workshops, conferences, trade fairs, or certification courses that help you gain the skills and knowledge you’ll need in the new industry while making connections with other professionals.

Archie Payne, Caltek Staffing

Write Down Your Then, Now, and Next

The space in time when you are on the brink of launching into a new career is incredibly special. It is a pivotal point where you have this rare view of where you’ve been, where you are now and can see a wide view of what could be next. You have both the benefit of hindsight (to learn from), the benefit of aversion (to understand what isn’t working), and the benefit of motivation (to understand what drives you and what you really value).
This window is temporary, and it’s unlikely that you’ll remember it all when you make a decision and are 1 year into your new career. 

So, write it all down. Write down answers to why you did what you’ve done already, what worked, what didn’t, and what you learned. Write down how you feel right now, what sensations arise for you when you think of change, and what feels important to do differently. Write down what you want to take with you for your next chapter and what outcomes you’d love to achieve. Take stock, and enjoy reflecting on your journey in a year!

Hannah Ray, TAKE Coaching Amsterdam

Research, Listen, and Network

Launching into a new career is an exciting endeavor! Some folks are prone to jumping headfirst into unknown territory while others refrain from making impulsive decisions. Know ‘why’ you’re desiring to pursue a new career. Map out questions you have pertaining to this transition and the type of work you expect to be performing in the future. Conduct your own research. Do not blindly rely upon third-party resources from people to companies painting a picture of your desired career. 

Engage actively in this learning process by engaging in online and offline forums, network with people in those respective career paths, talk to headhunters representing roles in that respective career sector, weigh the pros & cons of this career choice, connect with institutions (academic & professional) that can share more information; etc.  Remember we live in a world where the majority of the population is in “sales mode”. It’s important that you exercise sensible judgment when making this important decision.

Sasha Laghonh, Sasha Talks

Upskill to Prepare to Launch a New Career

Upskilling offers a significant advantage in the modern labor market. Launching a new career is hard. The barrier to entry is often difficult to overcome and this is especially true for individuals who have spent a considerable amount of time in a career they would like to leave behind. These individuals could have plenty of experience but it may not be relevant to another industry.

Employers are mostly considered by this fact. Individuals should want to obtain new skills before they enter a new career for a better chance of success. Getting more formal education can be expensive, but other methods are available. Bootcamps are available for a variety of information economy skill sets such as marketing, coding, sales and graphic design. Upskilling presents a significant advantage for individuals who are looking to enter a new career.

Sean Doherty, Box Genie

Ask for Help

There’s going to be a lot to learn as you begin your journey into a new career. Don’t be afraid to ask for help from a manager, coworker, or anyone else. Reach out to other professionals in your desired career on LinkedIn and other business networking platforms—be sure to briefly explain why you’re looking to make a transition and ask well thought out questions—it shows that you are proactive, resourceful, and an effective communicator.

Dan Gray, Kotn Supply

Talk to Those Who Know You

With many companies making layoffs right now, the time is perfect to launch into a new career. Daunting, scary, and something you’ve always wanted to do. The best ideas during times of RIF and redundancy have come out of layoffs. Explore what you are passionate about and where your knowledge is or what you want to learn about. Engage with that space. Contribute and learn. Ask questions and network. 

Talk to those who know you well. Family, friends, and colleagues from past and present. Ask them what your strengths are, and what you are great at. Don’t ask what they think about you – just what they feel your strongest self is. Know what you ‘want to be famous for’.  Follow it with energy and passion. The rest will follow.

Duncan Evemy, DE Talent Consulting

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12 Creative Ways To Stand Out On LinkedIn

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What is your best tip for a creative way to stand out on LinkedIn?

To help you stand out on LinkedIn, we asked CEOs and social media managers this question for their best ideas. From correlating your banner picture to your profile picture to being your unique self, there are several creative tactics you can try to help you stand out on LinkedIn. 

Here are 12 creative ways to stand out on LinkedIn:

  • Correlate Your Banner Picture To Your Profile Picture
  • Complete The Summary Section
  • Keep Work History and Role Descriptions Easy To Follow
  • Ask for Recommendations
  • Promote Others’ Content
  • Add Industry Terminology
  • Post Regularly in The Feed To Boost Visibility
  • Tell a Unique Story in Your Bio
  • Use Visuals
  • Be Creative With a Concise and Commanding Headline
  • Create a Personal URL
  • Be Your Unique Self

Correlate Your Banner Picture To Your Profile Picture

Many people understand the importance of having a professional profile picture, however, when one clicks on their profile their banner picture generally does not correlate to the profile picture. This is often a missed opportunity to really get your LinkedIn profile recognized. Make sure the Banner Picture matches in terms of color schemes with your profile picture, to provide a unified overall feel. This really makes you stand out from the crowd.

Mogale Modisane, Power Tools Blog

Complete The Summary Section

I have noticed that many people skip the summary area, but it’s a terrific place for you to tell your own story, so don’t use it to simply list work responsibilities. Your summary should be brief and to the point, describing your previous experiences and present job responsibilities. Highlight specific accomplishments that you are proud of that indicate your abilities or progress toward your goals. It’s best to think of it as your elevator pitch. You just have 30 seconds to get your main points across. You may also show off your personality more on LinkedIn, so don’t be concerned about it being too official.

Gerrid Smith, Joy Organics

Keep Work History and Role Descriptions Easy To Follow

A strong resume is one that shows the strength of one’s career, such as how long you’ve stayed at companies, your list of duties for each job, etc. LinkedIn should work like a strong resume and a strong social media profile, showing strength of a resume in a clear format. Recruiters and potential bosses want to be able to look through at a glance and know who you are and how effective you’ll be. A messy profile suggests a messy work ethic, so keep it clean, and be concise when describing your roles to make them easy to follow.

Brett Estep, Insured Nomads

Ask for Recommendations

Ask your connections for recommendations to strengthen your profile. These recommendations from colleagues allow hiring managers to understand who you are as a worker, and your team members can vouch for you. It helps them determine if the skills and experience is a good fit for any open positions, and they’ll be eager to reach out and get in contact after seeing the messages. Team members can highlight your leadership or communication skills, for example. Not only does this strengthen your profile, but also leaders recruiters to your page and move forward with next steps.

Sara Adam Slywka, Nestig

Promote Others’ Content

Share your connections’ content while including a thoughtful response in the post to acknowledge what others are putting out into the world. Shifting the focus from ‘me’ to ‘we’ helps to open others up to more meaningful conversations; most people want to feel seen so tipping the proverbial hat publicly often has a greater impact than if solely sharing about oneself on Linkedin. Posts from your network about achievements, new roles, articles, interviews, and the like are simple examples of what is already being shown in your feed that you can easily reflect on and share, tagging the original poster or connections you feel the content may benefit. Social media is made for fostering connection, so taking the opportunity to spotlight others’ work and commentary helps validate their unique take while naturally allowing you to stand out as a supportive, engaged connection.

Tommy Chang, Homelister

Add Industry Terminology

Add industry terminology to your intro. According to LinkedIn data, listing industry information leads to up to 9% more profile views and can help you get discovered up to 38% more in recruiter searches. Making the best out of your LinkedIn is much easier when you know who you are trying to attract. Know your industry and know what types of jobs you want to attract. That way you can craft your header and about me section with Keywords that match your industry.

John Cheng, Baotris

Post Regularly in The Feed To Boost Visibility

Posting engaging content in the feed is a great way to gain exposure for your business or personal LinkedIn. If your posts are truly interesting, your connections will like and comment, which will increase the chances of your content being viewed by more users. Even if it just means sharing progress about a current or future project, every little bit helps.

Gerald Lombardo, The Word Counter

Tell a Unique Story in Your Bio

You really stand out from the crowd if you take advantage of your bio section and have fun with it. Tell a story that sets you apart from the others, that gives you a unique point of view of the work or of life, that shares your sense of humor or creativity. Your resume is already listed on LinkedIn, so make your bio be the place where your personality and uniqueness shine

Staci Brinkman, Sips by

Use Visuals

Why not use visuals? Honestly, when I’m drawn to a LinkedIn page it’s because there are compelling visuals. When someone adds photos to their work experience or summary section they’re creating a more in-depth and unique introduction for themselves. They automatically stand out with visual components because it adds another aspect to their profile. And, as a potential employer, I’m able to see how they might be a good fit for our team both energetically and skillset-wise. Take advantage of the visual component of LinkedIn to stand out, and don’t underestimate how powerful it is to combine images with the written word.

Tony Staehelin, Benable

Be Creative With a Concise and Commanding Headline

Take advantage of the headline. The headline’s right below the headshot and it’s the perfect way to draw in a potential employer. It’s what I immediately look at. To me, a headline is your chance to be creative, concise, and commanding. It tells me if you’d be a good member of our team, what your personality is like, and what skills you have – all in one little sentence. Don’t be afraid to use your headline to show off and attract attention, its whole point is to intrigue someone to read further… so have fun with it!

Karim Hachem, Sunshine79

Create a Personal URL

Create a personal URL! A lot of people don’t think about it when they are editing their profile, but your URL is the first thing a recruiter sees on your LinkedIn when you attach it to your CV. A personal URL with your name on it instead of a series of random letters and numbers is a quick and easy way to seem more professional. It also tells people you care about details. A personal URL is easier to share, recognize and find. If you are in a creative industry you can even add some flare to it. It’s really easy and it has a ton of advantages.

Soji James, 1AND1 Life

Be Your Unique Self

Be yourself. It’s easier said than done. How can we stand out if everyone is trying to stand out? Aren’t we all the same? The straightforward answer is: Nope. You are unique. There hasn’t been anyone quite like you and there won’t ever be anyone quite like you, so use it for your advantage. Have you ever asked yourself, “How can I be successful even though [fill in the blank]?” Even though I’m a woman, even though I’m younger than others, or even though I am queer? I’ll treat you to a little secret. 

Let’s flip this question and replace your “even though” with a juicy “because”: “How can I be successful because [fill in the blank]?” Because I’m not a native English speaker, because I am Asian, or because I’m new to this industry? All of a sudden your story becomes your superpower and your authenticity becomes the fuel of your brand.
Find your “even-thoughs”. Flip them to a juicy “because”. Watch your personal brand unfold, as unique and powerful as you are.

Manuel Schlothauer, HeyManuel.com

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