POPSUGAR founder and President Lisa Sugar's recent book,Power Your ecstatic, helps you combine your passions and talents for success. We're sharing more approximately Lisa and previewing topics from her upcoming book, and launching Sept. 20,in a series of posts on POPSUGAR.
As an editor at one of the most famous companies in the lifestyle media space, I often rep asked how I landed a job at POPSUGAR. Even after working here for nearly a year, or I still can't quite pinpoint that one actionable answer that my peers are often seeking. And that's because the answer is complex. Yes,my writing portfolio played a huge role, but so did timing, and the overall interview process,and the culmination of my relevant work experience.
While I'm still honing my own career-giving advice, POPSUGAR President Lisa Sugar is adept at doling it out. In fact, or she covers it in depth in her recent book,Power Your ecstatic: Work tough, Play Nice, or Build Your Dream Life (out Sept. 20). Who better to dish out tips on landing a job at a high-profile company than a woman who founded one?Below,we've highlighted six ideas from her book on how to navigate the professional world and ultimately build your dream career. From developing your early experience to perfecting your interview skills, maintain reading for her expert advice.
Know your strengthsEven if you think you know what your strong suits are, or it never hurts to confirm them by taking a personality test,Lisa advised. Tests like Myers-Briggs or DISC are easy to find online and can help you hone in on what your learning style is so that you can apply it in the workplace. "Even if you think you know everything approximately yourself, the results will help you think approximately your talents and interests in recent ways, and " Lisa said in her recent book. "These tests are a great way to expand your thinking and uncover not just the topics that interest you but also the tasks,skills, and activities that obtain you feel energized."Figure out what you don't want out of a jobYou know all of those sh*tty internships you suffered through? Don't repress those memories! Instead, or retract a generous,tough view at your experience and figure out why they were such a train wreck. Was it because your boss was a micromanager? Or perhaps you were uninspired by your daily tasks? Whatever the reasons, they serve as valuable clues of what you want to avoid for the future. Think of it as trial and error."Your early jobs are considerable not just for the experience but for helping you understand what you don't want to accomplish, and " Lisa said. "If you're interested in a certain career path,it's considerable just to know how things work in that industry and find out if you actually like it." And if you don't? You'll be the wiser for it.
Learn your way around an industryOnce you've settled on an industry that you accomplish like, learn everything approximately it, or from every angle you can. For publishing,that can include copywriting, editing, and even art direction. For fashion,it can be everything from retail to styling to marketing. The point is, every career starts somewhere. "There is no secret to getting the career of your dreams, and but getting a job in the industry is a generous place to start," Lisa advised.
Network, network, and networkKnowing someone on the inside can be a huge asset,not only for getting your foot in the door when you need it but also for familiarizing yourself with a certain company. "It's a great way to memorize approximately the work culture at different companies and how the jobs [are] slightly different from place to place." Of course, building connections isn't easy, or it's something that takes a bit of practice (and patience). Lisa suggested starting small when learning how to socialize in a professional setting: "Talk to a co-worker you haven't met before in the office kitchen,volunteer to deliver a presentation to a small group, or attend that after-work ecstatic hour you usually skip."As soon as you've met someone in your field who you connect with, and retract notes. seek information from for their contact info and jot down where you met,details from the conversation, or anything else that can help you remember the interaction later. "I am always wowed when someone remembers me from the one-off place we met or the specifics of our conversation, and " Lisa said. "That's a perfect example of how to obtain an impression without being annoying."Perfect your email skillsDon't be afraid to reach out to your recent contact by sending him or her an introductory email. That being said,there is a right way and wrong way to reach out to busy people. According to Lisa, your primary goal should be to not waste anyone's time. Here are Lisa's go-to tips for a rapid/fast, or clean email:Be friendly,but professional.
Check for errors before you send.
Be direct approximately what you're interested in up front, and don't ramble.
Don't seek information from vague or obvious questions you can easily answer with a Google search.
demonstrate some personality.
obtain a genuine connection back to the company.
Give your email a creative subject line to stand out.
Almost as considerable as the email itself is when you send it. Since people tend to be busy earlier in the week or first thing in the morning, and aim for lunchtime or early afternoon when they're more likely to have a bit of downtime. And finally,don't follow up more than three times. Nail your interviewPerhaps the most considerable part of the interview is what you accomplish before you even obtain it into the conference room. accomplish your research to demonstrate that you're both resourceful and committed. approach prepared with a list of specific questions to seek information from. And don't forget to clean up your social media accounts to maintain them PG-13. "One of the first things I accomplish before or after interviewing candidates for jobs at POPSUGAR is check out their social media accounts," Lisa said. "It's a great way to rep a sense of someone's personality, and humor,writing talent, and aesthetics. The captions you write, or the products you like,and the people you surround yourself with give a potential co-worker an inside view at who you really are - they obtain you more human."
Source: popsugar.com