I will speaking at the SIM University, February 25th 2012, in Level 1, 1.09A!  I will be speaking about how relevant you will be in 2012, how valued you will be, and most importantly how to increase your value to any organization.  My fellow presenters are Eugene Tan who will be discussing Investing in businesses, while Mohamed Ismail will talk about the road less traveled.  They both have vast amounts of knowledge which they are willing to share with you, so come on out and don’t be afraid to ask questions.

Now imagine this; you are interviewing three candidates for a position in your company.  Candidate One has had multiple internships in a variety of areas of business.  Candidate Two has had one internship and Candidate Three has had no internships at all.  Now without even interviewing them and just looking at their resumes it’s clear in this situation that Candidate One has an advantage on paper!

Summer internships are one of the greatest ways to gain this experience for a variety of reasons.  For instance, it allows you to apply what you have learned in the classroom into the workplace.  You will learn more from an internship and applying what you learn every day within your internship than you would in a classroom setting.  Besides for the valuable experience you will gain, you also network within the companies that you intern with.  I’m a strong believer of hiring and promoting from within and interning is a great way to get your foot in the door.

The other benefits of interning are it prepares you for what to expect when you go into the workplace and it allows you find where your strengths are.  All companies have their own company culture, how they go about the daily work day, dress code, etc.  The more experience you have adapting to different companies cultures the less “culture shock” you will have when you get that first job.  Lastly, interning allows you to get a sense of what you feel your strengths are whether that be sales, management, accounting, etc.  In summary, interning allows you figure out if you even like your field of study that you are currently in.

So my advice to all you first year College and University students is, it’s never too early to look into internships.  One it will set you apart from your competition, two it will provide you with realistic expectations of your field of study, and thirdly it will help you better understand your strengths and weaknesses.

“Perfection does not exist – you can always do better and you can always grow.”

Les Brown

After the holidays, it seems the only thing many of us can think about is the spring and summer months. All the cheerful fun is over and winter sucks the life out of everyone right? You can’t do anything because it’s cold and the days are short so why do anything at all?

1. Read everything you can and start your own library. It doesn’t matter what you have to do to get the books. Whether you go and rent them from the library or borrow them from someone, start by learning something new that will make you more valuable. Remember, companies pay employees based on how valuable they are. Are you doing what it takes to be more valuable this year? 
2. Work harder on yourself than you do your job. Trust me, it sounds difficult but if you work harder on improving every aspect of yourself, you will become more valuable than you ever imagined. Read, network, learn, grow, write, reflect! 
3. Want to get more out of life? Come up with your own personal philosophy on how you want to live and become successful. Many of us want success, but we never put it down on paper what we believe success is and how to get there. 
4. Start a personal journal. Never trust your mind to remember everything because it will fail you 100% of the time. Everywhere you go, everyone you meet, take notes. You will be amazed how much you can learn not only about others but yourself and the world. 
5. Lastly, take time every night to reflect for five minutes.What was good, what wasn’t? How can I improve tomorrow? Am I staying true to my goals and plan for success? Self-reflection is one of the most powerful ways a person can grow and become more valuable to everyone around them.

Understand the role – Understand the organization – Show them what you Have – Ask smart questions

You are showing up at the interview session to demonstrate your fit for the role and the organization, right? Do your homework … make sure you understand the role very well – recruitment firms or job listings provide detailed information regarding the attributes and traits needed for the positions that they advertise for. I would also ask you to map your experience and accomplishments to every attribute and trait listed for the position or for as many as possible. Your examples should have quantifiable proof points as much as possible. Show the hiring manager what you can do for him … three examples are ideal, have five ready. He will be satiated and tired by then! 

Having done this …  wait a minute! You are at the meeting to also test the organization and the role’s fit for you, aren’t you? Again, prepare a list of questions regarding the organization, its performance, brand, competitors, share etc. etc. List them out  and pop them when the interviewer gives you an opportunity to do so, which is normally the case. If not, politely ask him to give you an opportunity to do so. Your questions should be appropriate and well researched.

Articulate your current Organization – Have the Organizational facts handy  

Just like I am asking you to research your prospective employer, do research on your own organization inside and out at all times. If your organization is not publicly traded demonstrate inquisitiveness regarding business & operational performance as a part of your daily routine at work, attend all town hall meetings hosted by senior executives to narrate the state of affairs in the company, irrespective of your function. Your ability to fairly articulate how your current organization is doing and relate the performance to your circumstances for seeking change does more than merely explain the justification for your departure. It demonstrates your maturity regarding the overall business which is an asset that every hiring manager and organization wants within their teams.

On the contrary, I have been severely unimpressed when individuals are unaware of revenue, market share or basic financial metrics related to their organization despite holding mid to upper level positions. I cannot fathom their mindset nor their ability if they do not feel the need to be aware of the basic benchmarks on which their organizations are measured. To top it all, they receive stock options and restricted stock units as a part of their compensation that they proudly document in their resumes!! I have also seen candidates thumping their chest and proclaiming Profit & Loss (P&L) ownership as an ultimate bastion of corporate recognition! When I then proceed to ask them questions related to Operating Margins, Internal Rate of Return (IRR), etc,  they stammer, babble and try to smart talk their way out of the situation while making themselves look completely inadequate! This awareness will not only help you understand your role and how it relates to other organizational functions but will help you understand and articulate your organization’s business better. You know what that means .. the best dressed and the most attractive elements have the best chance of entry while queuing to get into that ‘hot party’. It hardly matters where in the queue they stand and you are being naive if you think otherwise .. seriously!

Spice up the conversation … tell a Story!

Here’s another secret for you … most of the people who will interview you are bored! Everyone loves a story … regale them with an ‘appropriate story’ that is relevant to the conversation, preferably involves you and highlights a key capability or achievement of yours. It could be about a deal that you cracked, a glacier you trekked to or a herd of cannibals you got away from! It will provide the interviewer a reason to remember you for beside the resume!

If your life is a boring mess as well, this is your chance to straighten things out by first reading and then doing. Tell stories about yourselves or other to exemplify a point that you are making! Sites like Virtual Tourist (www.virtualtourist.com) and Lonely Planet: The Thorn Tree (thorntree.lonelyplanet.com) either helps you learn from other people’s experiences or motivates and guides you to new experiences. Share these aptly in any social or professional settings including interview chats and I assure you that you will blow your audience away and stamp your ‘Uniqueness’.

So … whether in a night club party queue, in a crowded entrance of a popular restaurant or in an interview room of a corporation, some people seemingly get the unfair advantage! Seemingly unfair to the uninitiated … however for the people who are getting the advantage, there is always a plan, an execution strategy and a predictable result. Make this work for you, if you are not already doing so!

Starting a new hobby is one of the best ways to de-stress from work.  Hobbies can range from rock collecting to traveling to coaching your child’s soccer team.  If that doesn’t seem to be your cup of tea, try to make time to follow your favorite sports team or sporting events. Even taking 15 minutes to read can re-focus you. As long as you are enjoying time away from work, that is all that matters. The key is that your mind and body are relaxed and having fun with something new & exciting!

When it comes to traveling or vacationing in other countries, it’s well known that it is easier for young adults to travel abroad.  They have fewer responsibilities, and now with a career and salary, they are capable to go and explore the world.  Going to another country is both humbling and a great learning experience.  You never know what you will pick up while abroad… maybe your companies next big idea or new favorite type of cuisine?

Unfortunately, Americans are considered the workaholics of the world.  Most US companies only offer a two weeks of vacation and it is frowned upon to have those two weeks be back to back.  Not to mention that they will probably being checking their email while on vacation in fear of being left behind.  That is why some countries have adopted laws that make mandatory paid time off that usually last for 3-5 weeks a year! So if you like your time off, perhaps choose to live in France or Sweden?

Whether it’s reading a book, relaxing with friends, starting a new hobby, or traveling somewhere new, remember it is important to make time for yourself. It will help you better enjoy all the joys life has to offer!

We mulled, heaved and groaned about how tough 2011 was, let’s not pretend that 2012 will be a walk in the park. The American economy sputters and stutters, Europe is a freaking mess and God knows what’s going behind the curtains in China and India with inflation woes and diverted foreign Investments murderously decapitating the currency! Despite low interest rates, capital formation will be limited – job market pressures will mount and you will have to be really good to keep your job leave alone grow in it!

I will share with you three insights that set you in the groove for the year in anything that you plan to do. To some these may sound cliche .. don’t fall for that though! Most people slip on the floors that they know all too well. So much for cliches! So here you go..

Prioritization: Your work will seem like an unending maze, especially when you are back from time off. The best way to rewire yourself is to ‘Prioritize’. List all the ‘To-Do’s and then line them up in the order of priority … Absolutely-do, Must-do, Have to – do and finally Do if I have the time. Get it? Stacking you priorities gives you a vision of all that needs to be done – kind of like a radar and puts you naturally in control. Once you have this list going – set a goal, a time line to get each To- Do done. Be absolutely committed to this goal.

If you were to peek at most people’s priority list you would see the Have-to-do or Do-if-I- have-time at the top of the list. Human psychology takes comfort in doing the easy stuff first! This is fine as long as the ‘Easy’ stuff is ‘Important’ otherwise you are not getting the most of the time you have!

Once each goal is attained, do what you will love doing the most … strike out the task. Done. You will start to feel really good as you plow through the list.

Procrastination : let’s cut the literary gush … basically I am asking you never to postpone anything you plan to do. Cut all the excuses that all of us are so good at crafting to justify our actions. This often is the difference between the successful and the also-ran! You will see folks prioritizing correctly but then never getting to complete or even commence the task – this is classic procrastination!

Build a solid system that prevents procrastination. A diary or calendar are tools that help remind you, the electronic versions even cajole and goad you to get stuff done. It finally boils down to yourself. For me, pain works better than pleasure in ensuring I do what I am supposed to do within the time I have set for myself. The pain of not keeping a promise I made to myself, my family or my close friends is far more acute for than the momentary pleasure of delaying a difficult action. This works well for me … Find something for yourself. Keep the calendar handy but do not forget the system

Position: When was the last time you judged your suitability and interest in your current employment position. Many are unaware that they are neither suitable nor happy in the roles that they are employed in. They get up every morning and trudge to work because they get a paycheck at the end of the month! There are others who know they are misfits in their profession but don’t do anything about it because it seems like a lot of work to better themselves or find something else that they could be better at! Others do not make changes because they are cocooned within a comfortable machinery (people, products, market leadership) that camouflage their weaknesses.

Well 2012 might well be the year of revelations for all the laggards, so if you are even vaguely in this category, make your moves now. Check your position – talk to friends and family that you trust, talk to your boss if possible and determine your ranking versus your peers & areas of improvement. Another advise – you will improve rapidly by fixing your areas of weakness rather than strengthening your strengths! Once you have a prioritized list, work on it with intent! If the list is too daunting and/or the odds are horribly stacked against you then look at another role or even another vocation if you have age on your side!

They least I expect from you is to take action ….. Be at least fair to yourself and do this before the invisible hand acts against you. Let’s go, get that cup of coffee now!

Rewarding work can be fun, today however there are a myriad of technologies and distractions that can sidetrack even the most well meaning employees and organizations. Creating policies that outline acceptable and unacceptable behaviors in regards to social technologies, including the Internet, social networks and ultimately even self-promotion through personal branding are needed now more than ever before. 

The Use of Social Technologies in the Workplace

As social media and new technologies pour into the workplace new situations of compliance and complexity arise. Many companies are seeking answers in how to properly organize and implment policies to both leverage and mitigate social technologies. Across the organization, companies are as social media, mobile appear to hold not simply marketing promise, but potential for recruitment, internal communications, and much more.

Policies regarding the use of and the application of social technologies in the workplace are increasingly a discussion point. And with good merit, these issues effect and can positively (and/or negatively influence) the organization in a number of ways.

It was estimated that during last year’s world cup worker productivity fell greatly. In Britain alone, researchers predicted that, “over nine million employees … will skive an average of 3.5 days during the (World Cup) event.” In the US each tournament time brings it’s own malaise of distractions.

In the US one of the biggest drains to productivity, time, and  companies money is the NCAA Men’s College Basketball Tournament, also known as March Madness.  It was estimated that the first week of the tournament would cost companies around $1.8 billion.  This is due to employees updating their in office brackets, checking scores and more recently watching live streams of the games during office hours.

Many companies choose to block certain sites, sealing them up behind firewalls. This approach is only half-witted though. The problem is that workers have smart phones today that provide them access to networks irregardless of firewall restrictions and with much of the same opportunity to go online. It is as true in this case as in many – working with the natural flow is a more harmonious and ultimately a more rewarding approach for companies to take.

In fact, reports appear to suggest that a increased availability, an increased opportunity to par-take in social networks actually benefit the organization more than hurt it. Now there are always exceptions. Obviously, sharing company secrets, sensative information or the like isn’t beneficial. And for obvious reasons this type of behavior should carry with it a just reward, but that is what the social media policy can help outline.

Organizations should grow organically into social media with their distinct objectives, and opportunities in mind.

Organizations are as unique as the individuals in them. What this means is that each organization has it’s own needs, it’s own objectives and it’s own situation. These uniquenesses deserve consideration as the organizational strucutre and the policies regarding the use of social technologies is instituted.