How an MBA Changed My Career Path - Classy Career Girl

How an MBA Changed My Career Path In 2010, I decided to start all over and get my MBA. I intentionally decided to pursue my graduate degree in the evenings with no idea what the outcome would be, except that I knew I wanted a career change. Getting an MBA changed my career path and that’s why I am excited today to partner with Strayer University to share my experience getting the resources necessary to succeed in the evolving market. Why I Decided to Get an MBA I wanted to learn about different industries.   I was working at Booz Allen Hamilton as a consultant and my main client was the military. My original goal was to get the experience to continue to be a consultant but to transition to doing consulting at a different company and in a different industry. I knew I had a great foundation for a consulting career at Booz Allen Hamilton but I wanted to take my career to a new level and really unlock the opportunities. I wanted a network that only having a well-respected MBA would allow me to have. So I attended the Rady School of Management at the University of California, San Diego. The Benefits of an MBA More than anything, an MBA gave me the confidence to believe in myself that I could start a business. I had no intention of becoming an entrepreneur when I started my MBA, but, by the time I had graduated, I knew I could turn my blog into a business. My classmates were some of the best people I have ever met and I know that I can count on them for anything that I need while growing a business. It’s also great to have a network of professional women from my class who, like me, are also managing careers and now kids, too! It’s great having the support of other working moms and being able to swap advice and stories about how to get through the chaos and still have fun together! Taking that next step in your career, changing career paths altogether or keeping up with workplace demands requires time, work and money.  Strayer University  wants to make it easier and more affordable for adult students to learn and elevate their career on a timeline that works for them. Importantly, Strayer also wants to do this with a curriculum and approach that maximizes the student’s likelihood of success. How my MBA Helps Me Today as a CEO The classes took in my MBA program still inform and guide me in running a company. The greatest lesson I learned is to be open to seeing new opportunities, new industries and new business models. I learned how to be innovative and creative which helped me start and grow a company. My MBA taught me how to transform my big ideas to reality and critically think about what I need to do to make those ideas a success. I learned to think through different scenarios, become a much better speaker and be able to work with so many different types of people during group projects. This has helped me work with any type of client I come across in my current role. How My MBA Encouraged Me to Start a Business We had a team project in our marketing class where a real company came in and our team had to figure out how to market the company’s baby clothes. My job on our team was to figure out how to market the clothes online. This meant that I got to research blogs for women online as my homework. After seeing so many other women earning a living online through blogging, I immediately knew that I wanted to do the same thing. I went home after our team project was done and started a blog the next day. I have been blogging consistently now for eight years and eventually was able to turn it into a thriving business model and quit my job. My Advice For Someone Considering an MBA Don’t wait until the end to start networking. Pay as much (if not more) attention to the relationships you are building with your classmates than your studies. (Am I allowed to say that? ?? Your network with your classmates will be one of the best networks you have after you graduate.  Reach out to the alumni. Do informational interviews ALL THE TIME. Meet someone for coffee every week. Make networking a top priority. Alumni are happy to help you and give back to the community so just reach out. You’ll never know if you don’t ask. What an MBA means to me: Being equipped to make a positive impact in the world. To provide Strayer students with the resources needed to be successful in an evolving market, Strayer built upon its experiences with Fortune 1000 companies to create programs that teach the skills that are in demand by employers. Such partnerships led Strayer to establish the Digital Entrepreneurship MBA with Cheddar, providing a digital-first approach to the MBA. Through Strayer’s partnership with Cheddar, students have a cutting-edge MBA delivered to their mobile device and computer that allows them to watch lectures, connect with other students via forum posts through Facebook and engage with case studies and assignments on a wide range of topics. Not only do students cultivate hard skills like data analytics, they also refine their leadership capabilities, entrepreneurial instincts, marketing savvy, and understanding of basic financial principles. This sets students up for unlimited success â€" preparing today’s business leaders to succeed as digital entrepreneurs. This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Strayer University. The opinions and text are all mine.

25 Communication Skills Every Manager Needs CareerMetis.com

25 Communication Skills Every Manager Needs Source â€" DepositPhotos.comThe aphorism “it’s not what you say, it’s how you say it” lays the foundation for effective communication. Needless to say that this is something managers should follow to supervise and manage their teams efficiently. Having excellent communication skills is the cornerstone of effective leadership.When you communicate openly and efficiently with your team, it helps to clear out misunderstandings and encourages a peaceful work environment. Efficient and seamless communication with your team will also enable you to get tasks done quickly and professionally.On that note, let’s shed some light on a number of ways managers should maintain communication with his team.1) Learn the basics of nonverbal communicationevalNonverbal communication is the most crucial for any accomplished manager to learn. This means that the majority of what you say is conveyed not so much in words, but rather through physical cues.To communicate confidently and clearly, you m ust maintain proper posture. Try not to slouch, or fold your arms or make yourself appear smaller than you are. Rather fill up the space you are given, consistently maintain eye contact and Business communicators should consider taking an extemporaneous style of speaking, like lawyers.5) Adopt modern resources to boost your communicationEmail and chat are great, up to a point. However, if going back and forth on the computer seems too complicated, you can consider bringing it face-to-face instead. It will probably simplify the task at hand, and prevent miscommunications, like perceived reluctance or sarcasm.6) You must exude seriousness and confidenceYou have to be confident and serious to ensure that your words are not taken for granted. If your team members notice a lack of seriousness or a hint of uncertainty, they are likely to treat the information you are conveying with disregard or disdain.7) Don’t shy away from repeatingOne rather usual communication mistake is what’s kn own as the “check-off-the-box” mentality. People perceive communication as a one-time thing. They say things like, “I already conveyed that” or “I sent out an e-mail”.evalSounds relatable, right? When you repeat the same message to the employees, they’re more likely to take note, believe it, and most importantly, act on it.8) Initiate dialogue and check for understandingEach time you communicate, there’s a scope to find out if your audience or employees get what you’re saying. You have to ensure the message is really heard and understood. Creating opportunities for dialogue and questions into your communication helps you measure in real-time how well employees receive your messages.9) Be concise with what you conveyConcise communication always helps to win over your employees. It works even in the technological context. As screens turn smaller, it’s important that we say more in fewer words. So, master the ability to stay focused to communicate the information ac ross different mediums.10) Seek honest feedbackGetting honest feedback from peers and members of your team is vital to becoming a better communicator. If you frequently solicit feedback, others will assist you in discovering areas that need improvement which you might have otherwise overlooked.11) Set the contextEvery employee comes into the workplace with his or her own context, a mixture of culture, memories, upbringing, and experiences. Part of the role of a manager is to create a shared vision for the entire team. Make sure employees understand the big picture and how they fit in.Constantly communicate the “why” behind the business plan: why the plan is important, the role your team plays and the critical role individual employees play”, suggests Nick Mason, an assignment help expert.12)Take note of the other person’s style of communicationMaybe some members of your team rarely use Slack, while others prefer responding to emails instantly. How do your teammates and emplo yees communicate on projects best? Do they prefer Slack, email, or chats? You can always ask them about their preferences.13)Carry out monthly or weekly one-on-one sessionsSometimes, all it takes to maintain seamless communication is setting a proper time to do so. Your employees might want to share their recent concerns, challenges, or even triumphs. By conducting a one-on-one interaction, you’ll know more about what’s going on in the office and also have a clear idea of how to alleviate the issues.14)Explain clearly why you’re asking your employees to do somethingThis one might sound silly, but at times, you need to explain why you need the employees to carry out a task. Without being condescending, you can share the importance of a task you assigned and frame it in an informative and positive way. By doing so, you’re providing vital information and the scope to ask questions they may have hesitated to convey otherwise.15)Make people’s role in a project clear from the be ginningevalCommunication in the workplace is ineffective when people don’t understand their roles. This is related to maintaining the transparency of the workflow. So, you need to determine the key stakeholders in the project. Let employees know from the start who gives the approval, and what channels the project needs to go through for completion.16)Never make assumptions in hasteOne of the most common hindrances to quality communication in the workplace is missed signals and quick assumptions. If your employee is falling short in an area, don’t quickly assume that they don’t have the ability to perform the task. Rather you should present a non-confrontational setting to delve into where the problems lie.17)Maintain a receptive workplace atmosphereTo communicate effectively with your team, you must maintain a receptive workplace environment. Always ensure that the environment isn’t too tense. When you communicate in an overly intense way, the message you are trying to conve y might not be retained or well understood.18)Simple words are always more impactfulThe fact is you can’t expect everybody to be on the same page when it comes to vocabulary. Hence, to appropriately communicate with your team members, use words that are simple to understand. When ambiguous words or phrases are used, your message can be misunderstood and/, or you’ll have to waste your precious time by explaining yourself.19)Consider recording crucial presentations for posterityIt can take a great deal of time and energy to maintain communication effectively. In cases where you may have to deliver the same presentation on multiple occasions, consider recording it and sharing it in the future.evalThere are many platforms, which allow speakers to record themselves delivering a presentation. In fact, you can also edit the video to make it more engaging and helpful.20) Maintain consistency with your follow-upsIt’s not easy to regularly monitor when work gets hectic, but it’s one o f the most pertinent ways to establish smooth workplace communication. One of the most harrowing experiences as an employee is finishing a project and then finding out your manager wanted something completely different. Prevent that by being open to questions from the beginning.21) Being humorous helps communicate betterUsing friendly jokes when interacting with your team members will allow you to pass your message in a relaxed way. This form of communication has been proven incredibly beneficial in case of tense situations. However, try not to overdo it.22)The right tone of voice mattersOne word may convey a different meaning when said in a different tone. So, you have to ensure that you use the appropriate tone of voice to convey your particular message to your team. This way, you won’t be misunderstood, or discouraged and demotivated by members of your team.23) Listen carefullyCommunication isn’t only about getting your own message across. It’s a two-way street. If you’re not paying heed to what the other individual is saying, it becomes difficult to end up on the same page.Ask questions to provide clarification, and extend your full attention to the conversation. Also, you must avoid thinking of fitting response before the other individual is done talking.24) Ensure that internal knowledge and documents readily availableNew employees can have a hard time learning the ropes of an organization and how it truly operates. Since most businesses work from a particular set of internal knowledge, there’s already a built-in training program at your disposal.Making internal knowledge readily accessible via documentation is another excellent way to keep effective communication flowing.25)Be thoughtful while offering complimentsIf you convey to an employee that they have done a great job, the compliment won’t be effective as you think. In fact, they may end up thinking, “But what was great about the task? How will I do it again if I don’t know?” So y ou need to be specific with your compliments.For instance, you can tell them, “You did a good job elaborating on how leads are converted into customers in that presentation. The visuals really helped the audience decipher the process.”In conclusion.As a manager, you must always remember that trying to maintain effective workplace communication is a time-consuming process. That’s why it’s best to employ the aforementioned practice tips. If you implement them successfully, you’re bound to witness positive results.

Recap of my Women at Work Discussion on SIRIUSXM from Sexism to Work Life Balance

Recap of my Women at Work Discussion on SIRIUSXM from Sexism to Work Life Balance Today 40% of women are the main family breadwinners.   How does this dynamic play out in the modern workplace? That was the topic I was a happy to explore as a guest on SiriusXMStars The Perri Peltz show.   Also on the show, Maureen Sherry, former Wall Street Managing Director (the youngest to make that level at Bear Stearns) and author of Opening Belle, a fictional take on a woman working in a mans world and the the high price she pays to earn an exorbitant income. Opening Belle has been optioned for a movie and Reese Witherspoon is slated to star.Heres a brief summary of our conversation.   I encourage you to weigh in with your thoughts in the comments belowSexism in the Workplace There are places where sexism is still going on.   Maureen shared some of her experiences in her recently written New York Times Op-Ed piece.   Too often these stories go untold but stories like Opening Belle are shining a much needed light.   Thankfully, my experience in management consulting and working at Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia (MSO) were quite different.   Harassment was not rampant in fact, at MSO it was my job to make sure employees were trained in harassment awareness.   And when there were any incidents that even came close to harassing situations, in my experience, those were dealt with immediately and with positive results.Bottomline: You dont have to work where you feel harassed no matter what your industry.   If you dont like something, go to HR and try to change it.   If it falls on deaf ears, consider getting the advice of an employment attorney.   If youd prefer to just move, do so and take your skills, talents and contribution elsewhere because companies do exist that will value you man or woman.   Listen to my podcast about Conscious Capitalism to learn about them.Work Life BalanceThe conversation also highlighted that women often avoid certain careers out of fear that they cant do the job and have a family. Case in point, Perri mentioned that lots of women graduate from law school but very few are judges.Is leaving the only choice to have work and a family?   As described on her Amazon authors page, Maureen retired as a managing director after twelve years. She used her extra time to ply her four young children with fantastic stories on a more regular basis and became adept at all things action-figured, sugary, mysterious and pink.   My husband and I run our own businesses so we can both continue our careers while raising our son.   Its not always easy to manage our time and schedules but we love being the boss.Even in corporate, my experience is that you get more control as you move up the ladder, not less.   To be the boss means that you have people to delegate to and you decide when and how work gets done.   Being the boss is not to be avoided if you want work life fit.   I learned that valuable lesson from Bonnie Fuller and her book The Joys of Much Too Much.   If you really want to be a judge but settle for another path because you think it will bring you better balance, think again.   Doing the job you enjoy is the path to having the work and the life you want.Gender in WorkplaceA caller asked if the old adage holds true: Women work hard.   Men work smart.   Maureen has seen that people whether men or women have different styles of working and being effective.   From my perspective, I have seen men do a better job of focusing on relationships and talking about the work theyre getting done while women tend to feel that getting the work done well is enough.Bottomline: Perception is reality and part of doing the job well is talking about how youre doing the job well.   Make sure you have solid relationships with those who affect your career progression, salary, opportunities and communicate to them early and often about the good youre doing.   One more point that we made on the show, Im more productive now that Im a Mom.   Perri and Maureen seconded this.   I know of two different employers who told me they only hire working Moms.   Moms have a sense of urgency and that makes them more efficient.You Can Have It All Man or Woman: Heres How In the greatest country in the world, our expectations of enjoying work are woefully low.   We have lower and lower job satisfaction scores as a result.   Its time each and every one of us raised our standards and started to expect that we can have careers that work for our lives and lifestyles. Heres howGet clear on the ideal career for you.   If a career or job isnt a fit and you have to act like someone youre not, either change it or change jobs.   One of my clients in financial services felt she had to put on armor to succeed/survive.   I supported her in Soul Search, Research and Job Search so shes now in a much better role and organization where she can more fully be herself.Dont avoid office politics.   I often hear my executive coaching clients lamenting that they want to move on to somewhere where they dont have to deal with politics.   What I try to explain to them is that the best career move they can make is to be able to deal with any and all types of personalities/politics/situations.   In that vein, I support them in raising awareness of their communication style and conflict style.   These two areas are at the core of being successful in dealing with others especially those we find difficult.Become your best boss ever.   Dream of starting your own business?   I just published a podcast on the subject where I share what Ive learned as an entrepreneur.   Listen and get started.     Its never too late.   Read about these five inspiring female entrepreneurs who started after 50.Maya Angelou said it well “You can only become truly accomplished at something you love. Don’t make money your goal. Instead pursue the things you love doing and then do them so well that people can’t take their eyes off of you.” Always follow your dreams thats my message.   Id so appreciate hearing your take and perspective.   Wei gh in with your comments.

Writing a Resume Profile Section

Writing a Resume Profile SectionBefore going into details on the different aspects of writing a resume, let's first see what a resume is. A resume is basically a brief introduction to a person's employment history. With so many resumes, it would not be hard to confuse which are the most important sections of your resume.When preparing a resume, it is essential to go into more details about the accomplishments and experiences that make up your resume. The resume should have a discussion of your skills and qualities as well as those of your achievements. Your experience and training must also be given a mention.One of the first questions that you will want to ask yourself when looking for a job is 'what kind of resume am I going to write?' If you don't have one, then you need to start from scratch. In choosing the right template for you, it is important to pick one that will make your resume look professional. Though hiring managers may look at the resume style, it is equally important to put emphasis on the content of the resume.Most employers find it easier to look at your resume if you provide a clear and concise description of the work that you have done. If you're still in school, you can describe the internship you were doing, or provide examples of your projects. Details like these help to show that you are serious about the position that you have applied for. Having a separate section in your resume to describe the accomplishments and connections that you have acquired would show that you are serious about your career. Don't forget to include your contact details too.Having a job application includes different points and you have to list them out clearly. Be sure to list your position, job duties, job title, company, other job references and a brief description of your previous jobs. You also have to list down any volunteer work you have done. This should be done even if you haven't worked for the organization previously.It is an important thing to consid er when writing a resume. The last thing you want to do is to leave out any information that would help your application to stand out.On the other hand, when making a resume, it is vital to give emphasis on your job qualifications. You will need to note down how your previous job developed your skills and interests, and this could be put in your profile section. Don't forget to include a simple job history as well.

Create Your Own Resume on the Internet

Create Your Own Resume on the InternetIf you have an Internet connection, you may have noticed that many websites such as Reddit have a resume builder that can help you make your own online resume. This can be a very convenient and fun way for you to try out the job application process. You will not need to spend time on assembling an online resume in order to get an interview or to get a job. If you do not have a copy of a current resume to work with, you can create one right on the Internet.The Internet is a great place to start your resume construction process. If you are not quite sure where to begin, start by clicking on the Facebook website which has a forum area. In this forum you will be able to ask questions and get answers from other people who are doing the same thing as you. You can join the LinkedIn group and see if any of your friends are also trying to get hired. Many recruiters will post their personal information there so be sure to check it out.Once you have found a couple of companies you would like to apply to, you will want to start creating your resume. You will need to decide whether to use the free template offered by each company or to build your own. You will want to follow the instructions given to you on the resume builder. Most of the time you will have to create at least three separate pages.Once you have created your resume in the LinkedIn group, you can go back and make corrections. If you are using the free template, just click on 'Edit' and go to the third page of instructions to correct mistakes or problems that you have found. If you are building your own resume, make sure to include all of the information you received when you applied for the job.You can also include any letters or cover letters you have received from future employers. This will provide you with more information about yourself and you should make sure to add them to your resume. You can even include a note stating what kind of job you were hoping to have obt ained.Finally, when you finish filling out your resume, it is important to check to make sure that it is properly formatted. Many Internet users will automatically format the resume for you and this can lead to problems later on. The more information you have in your resume, the easier it will be for you to understand it.If you have a copy of your resume, start a thread in the Reddit forum and add your own comments. You will get ideas from others and you will also be able to network with other job seekers.

Top Guide of Writing Law School Resume

Top Guide of Writing Law School Resume You may easily depend on us to find essay help as we have a tendency to assist and guide the students with the assistance of our professional experts. On the flip side, functional resumes are ordinarily used by fresh graduates or those who have less experience but want to grab the work vacancy. Do not be concerned if you don't have any legal experience yet. You're able to then note your most relevant expert experience. The Good, the Bad and Writing Law School Resume It's simple to offer general advice about ways to make your law school resume the best it can be. For instance, the standard objective section in the majority of other resumes aren't necessary in law school resumes. Be sure your online presence won't disqualify you from obtaining a place at the law school that you dream about. What you would like is to develop into a law student. If that's the case, make sure your descriptions reflect that information. For some it might b e tough to condense a resume down to a single page. Even then you're unable to discover the informative and accurate details. The information that you share on your resume ought to be truthful. Other schools allow it to be optional. Work aspirants will need to be on the lookout for a resume template rather than a curriculum vitae template. If you're not certain which one to stick to, check the school website to see whether it provides any particular guidelines. Law school resumes aren't the exact same as a resume that you would utilize to submit an application for work. Resume is a sort of document employed by individuals that are seeking for employment. Emphasize what you've actually accomplished and why you're unique as an applicant. Applicants wish to include only the info that an admissions committee member has to know. The applicant managed to mention important qualifications in just a few sentences. Why Almost Everything You've Learned About Writing Law School Res ume Is Wrong Resume objectives are occasionally thought to be the old schooltype of resume. Attempting to compose a graduate level research paper at the last minute is near impossible if you desire a great grade. Developing your resume is important. Your goal in constructing your resume is to make an effective marketing and advertising tool. The Foolproof Writing Law School Resume Strategy Then you likely could end up excluding some important locations and such as others that are not that required. The resume summary will function as their sales pitch. When it's there at all, it must be consolidated dramatically. The Downside Risk of Writing Law School Resume Bear in mind that the honors category is reserved for the activities which you were chosen to take part in through some kind of selection practice. Furthermore, it supplies you with a design of the resume which can be utilized to make your own. No matter your degree of work practical experience, your resume structu re is critical to making your application stick out. Get the feedback and support you should succeed.

3 Resume Tips To Avoid Appearing Overqualified - Work It Daily

3 Resume Tips To Avoid Appearing Overqualified - Work It Daily Even when you have the education and professional background to qualify for the job, don’t count on it as a sure win that you will be asked to come in for an interview. In fact, your qualifications may hinder your chances. It’s very common in today’s market for employers to dismiss a job applicant’s application and resume because they are “overqualified.” Yes, you read correctly. It’s not a matter of being under qualified, but overqualified. The fact is today’s market has an abundant supply of highly qualified candidates but not enough jobs to go around for everyone. More candidates are resorting to applying for positions where the level of expertise required on the job is below their previous position’s requirements. Many candidates today are also choosing to change careers, starting at an entry level, where there may be more job opportunities. The challenge for today’s job applicants is not simply competing with so many other applicants but finding a fine balance of information to place on their resume without coming off overqualified. Employers are mostly concerned that, if you take a lesser position, you will leave once your find a position that is more commensurate with your skills. How To Avoid Appearing Overqualified On Your Resume Here are a few tips to help guide you in preparing your resume for the next job opportunity and avoid coming off overqualified and ruining your chances at the opportunity. 1. Only Include Relevant Work Experience Focus on what the employer is looking for and show them you can do it. If some of your management experience is not a part of their job description, then don’t mention it. This tip is especially critical for applicants moving from one career to another. For instance, if you had your own mortgage or construction firm and are now just looking for a sales job, just speak to your experience driving sales. You can also change your title from Owner (no one searches for Owners) to Sales Manager. Consider having a Career Highlights section before your professional experience that showcases your very impressive sales results before they read about your career chronology. 2. Only Highlight Necessary Degrees Many of today’s positions require candidates to have a bachelor’s or master’s degree. If you continued to pursue education to obtain other degrees, earning you the title of Ph.D., M.D. or others, don’t be so quick to include that information on your resume. You have to ask if it is at all relevant to the job you are applying for. It’s great if you moved on to obtain your Ph.D. in neuroscience, but if the employer’s business and the job is focused on finance and accounting for toy manufacturing/distribution, your additional education will be of little relevance and may sway an employer to reconsider whether you are relevant for the position. 3. Explain Why You're The Right Candidate Work your cover letter to give a sufficient explanation as to why you want the job and how your experience, skills and talent make you the right fit. The last thing an employer wants is a new hire who took the job because he couldn’t get anything better and is just settling. Give the employer confidence that you are challenged by the opportunity and will be there a year from now. If there is the chance your resume comes off as overqualified, in addition to working the tips above, make sure to provide sufficient explanation in your cover letter. Many people are focusing more on quality of life and are willing to give up the stress and long hours of management positions, so don’t be afraid to state that. The employer needs to know that you are not simply taking the job because you can’t find anything better. They also need to be assured you aren’t going to be quick to run off to another job as soon as the market improves or another opportunity opens up that is more in line with your level of experience from your previous position. Your resume is a marketing tool to help get your foot in the door for an interview. Placing too much information or irrelevant information will only give the employer more reason to dismiss you. Carefully review the job posting and do your research to really understand what skills and talents are desired for the position so that you present your resume and qualifications in the best light. Not everything you’ve accomplished, regardless of how significant it is, is appropriate to include in your resume. Think to yourself about whether what you’ve presented is too much information and not enough relevance. Employers review resumes to find a reason to reject a candidate. Photo Credit: Shutterstock Have you joined our career growth club?Join Us Today!