I returned a call from a prospective client who did not answer the phone and instead of a professional sounding voicemail message, I was greeting by 30 seconds of Mick Jagger singing “I Can’t Get No Satisfaction” before the proverbial beep. While the lyrics of the song might actually echo the current sentiment of this frustrated job seeker, there is a time and a place for everything and this was not the best use of their professional air time.

First impressions are made instantly whether in-person or by phone. Make sure your voice mail message is clear and articulate and sounds like the consummate professional you want others to believe you are – especially if you are applying for jobs. Nothing turns off a recruiting employer more than an inarticulate message that is barely intelligible. Listen to your message to make sure you can understand yourself and spend the time on multiple recording tries if you must, to get it just right. Speak slowly and channel your inner TV News Announcer.

Likewise, when you actually answer your phone at work or your personal cell, consider how important your greeting is to the listener. If you are at your workplace be sure to announce where that is as well as your name so the caller can identify you quickly. Adding a pleasant “How can I help you?” can be an excellent touch if you are in a service profession and dealing with clients.

Just answering “hello” is not enough and puts the responsibility on the caller to do dig for information. For example – when I am at work at the law school I answer my phone: “Office of Career & Professional Development, this is Caroline – how can I help you?”  It may look like a mouth full in print but it doesn’t take that long to articulate and my callers are put at ease immediately knowing that even if they dialed the wrong number, I am there to help.

Here are some essential phone etiquette tips to help you make a positive professional impression:

• Make sure you speak clearly as you answer the phone and identify yourself.
• Use the caller’s name in your conversation.
• Practice good listening skills.
• Before placing a caller on hold, ask their permission first and thank them.
• Always use a pleasant, congenial and friendly tone.
• Never interrupt the person while he/she is talking to you.
• Don’t multi task while on the phone – they can hear you typing while you check email!
• Do not answer the phone if you are eating or chewing gum. Sounds obvious but do I have stories to tell about this!
• When hanging up the phone, make sure the caller or person called hangs up first.
• Smile when you answer your calls. Even though the caller can’t see it, they’ll hear the smile in your voice.
• Use a “telephone voice” in which you control your volume and speed. Speak clearly.

Lastly, check your voice mail messages at home, at work, and on your cell to make sure that they are current and professional sounding. We live in a phone-centric world so it’s important to practice proper communication with this medium.

Women’s earnings relative to men’s have stagnated at 73.2%. Research tells us that women feel a great deal of apprehension about the idea of negotiating for a raise in a current job or asking for a higher salary with an initial job offer. The fact is – it’s necessary for women to negotiate now more than ever before.

A fabulous book, and a must have resource for all working women is – Women Don’t Ask: Negotiation and the Gender Divide by Linda Babcock and Sara Laschever. The book is an eye opener and a call to action for all women in the workforce. It provides how-to steps to execute your next ask and will empower you with the confidence to make this a regular practice in your professional career.

Babcock and Laschever discuss how when asked to pick metaphors for the process of negotiating, men picked “winning a ballgame” and a “wrestling match,” while women picked “going to the dentist.” They share that women are more pessimistic about how much is available when they do negotiate and so they typically ask for, and get less when they do negotiate—on average, 30 % less than men. Sadly, most adult women say they don’t negotiate at all.

The art of negotiating permeates the female consumer culture as well as the job world. According to Babcock and Laschever, women will pay as much as $1,353 to avoid negotiating the price of a car, which may help explain why 63 percent of Saturn car buyers are women. So why don’t women negotiate? Studies indicate that women have lower expectations and lack the knowledge of their worth in the workplace. Some women reported that they were so happy to be offered the job they wouldn’t dream of negotiating.

Ok ladies, it’s time to get with the program and own your worth. Another study indicated that women who consistently negotiate their salary increases earn at least $1 million more during their career lives than women who don’t.  By not negotiating a first salary, an individual stands to lose more than $500,000 by age 60. Now some of my clients have asked me “Can I still negotiate during these difficult economic times?” My answer is a definitive yes. You owe it to yourself to ask and the Harvard Business Review reports that the recession has not stopped men in the world-of-work from asking for a raise.

While I understand that the fear of asking can seem crippling, I urge you to assert your own needs and desires in your career and your life. Women Don’t Ask will show you how to reframe your interactions and more accurately evaluate the opportunities. By teaching you how to ask for what you want in a way that feels comfortable and authentic as well preserving your long term professional relationships.

Let’s face it, negotiating not only plays a role in our work lives but in our personal relationships and parenting abilities. Life is complex and the structures of organizations are changing rapidly so your ability to negotiate is no longer a luxury but a necessity. Babcock and Laschever draw on research in psychology, sociology, economics, and organizational behavior as well as dozens of interviews with men and women from all walks of life.  Women Don’t Ask is the first book to identify the dramatic difference between men and women in their propensity to negotiate for what they want. It tells women how to ask, and why they should.  

Get the book for yourself and buy an additional copy to pay-it-forward to another woman colleague who needs this tremendous resource. You won’t get a raise if you don’t ask so learn how to negotiate because you are worth it!

Many people set goals at the start of a new year but why wait if you are ready to take control of your future and your career destiny now.  Resolutions are powerful tools and can take your career to the next level but most people get stuck on the follow-through of the goal and it turns into a dust covered wish over time.

If you want action, you need a plan! Goal setting is the best way to turn resolutions into results. It’s time to define your objectives in practical and measurable terms so you can hold yourself accountable and get the results you really want.

First, you need to identify what you want and then you need to develop a road map to get there. Research tells us that when we set measurable goals, we are more likely to achieve them.

The SMART system is a very useful strategy for goal setting. Define your goals to meet the following criteria:

S – Specific

M – Measurable

A – Achievable

R – Realistic

T – Timely

In order to be specific, achievable and realistic, your goals need to be concrete, concise, and attainable. Instead of saying – “I want a new job this year.” You need to specify “I want a higher paying job with more challenges in the marketing industry that allows me to play to my strengths.” Now you are ready to work towards getting something very precise and this focus will help in your job search process.

You must frame your goals in such a way that you can measure your progress. For example, plan to keep a log of the informational interviews you have conducted, network contacts that you have developed, and job applications that you have made in your field. If you can measure it then you can reflect on the progress you have made and ramp it up accordingly if you have not yet achieved the end goal.

Give yourself a reasonable time frame to achieve your goal. It’s unrealistic to suggest that you will land your perfect job in a week. So, break it down into smaller baby steps and focus on adding 5 new network contacts within a month, attending 2 professional development events in the next few weeks, and participating in a job shadow experience before the end of the summer, for example. It’s gratifying to accomplish short term as well as long term goals so break things up into smaller and more easily attainable goals along the way towards your ultimate goal.

Keep notes, a journal, a spreadsheet, or some sort of tracking system to hold yourself accountable so you can track your progress and reward yourself for all of your accomplishments along the way. Check in with yourself regularly or tap into your resource team and ask someone in your circle of trust (a coach, a friend or colleague, etc.) to be your accountability master if you believe that you won’t be strict enough yourself. Having someone check in with you might just be the nudge you need to move forward.

So get out there and set some SMART goals!

One of my favorite new resources is Ivy Sea www.ivysea.com Founder, Jamie S. Walters is a visionary author and culture shift leader helping women to reclaim their feminine Mojo and express is to the world. Jamie takes you beyond business as usual and offers individuals and organizations help in transforming unhelpful perceptions and patterns of inner and outer communication, leading to manifested vision, awakened creativity, smoother relationships, and lasting change.

I recently read an article by Jamie where she discussed how to unearth and nurture an employee’s strengths. Often the job performance reviews focus on weakness without highlighting strengths. She notes how a spotlight on weakness may result in a self fulfilling prophecy, where you build a poor image of an employee and she performs “down to her potential” which breeds mediocrity from someone with star potential.

Jamie and I are kindred spirits on the strengths quest mission. I am committed to helping individuals understand that they are not broken and if they focus on their strengths instead of their weaknesses they will thrive in careers that speak to their passions and provide true satisfaction.

Here are some action steps Jamie details that apply to both the boss and the employee. If you are an enlightened boss you will use these strategies to uncover the strengths of your team members. If you are a frustrated employee, you can deftly suggest these tactics to your boss.

Make time for positive recognition. Take the time to express genuine positive feedback on jobs well done. Be specific and share examples and watch your colleagues walk taller and embrace their inner confidence. According to Jamie, the benefit is two-fold: the employee knows what behaviors are most valued, and you help shift your thinking from “can’t do” to “there is potential here.”

Identify ways to apply existing strengths in new ways. What qualities has your staff member demonstrated and how can you utilize these to fulfill needs in your organization? Don’t be limited by the job title. Your receptionist may be an ideal project manager, so throw traditional responsibility norms out the window, according to Jamie.

Ask your employee what she likes to do. Imagine that – someone asking what you like to do! To avoid the all too common phenomenon of the Peter Principle where every employee rises to his level of incompetence, tap into what your staff member really likes to do. Find out what she believes is her most valuable contribution to the organization and unleash her to do what she believes she does best.

Turn a weakness on its head. Jamie suggests that instead of chastising an employee for her weakness, look to the exact opposite of that task to unearth a possible strength. It’s certainly worth discussing with your colleague and chances are if she is not a good closer, it may be because she is a fine idea generator.

Test-drive a new role. You may have hired an employee for a specific role but in time you realize that she would be utilizing more of her strengths in a difference function for the organization. Consider what Jamie calls a mini internship program, where employees shadow co-workers to learn more about the roles and needs of the company. This test drive could spark new ideas for the boss and the employee and a role-shift could be the best and most expedient way to use existing talent in a new way to meet company goals and develop satisfied employees.

Cheers to Jamie for illustrating very specific ways to uncover our strengths at work!

Everyone seems to be looking for work/life balance but what I have come to learn is that I can do it all, just not all at the same time. Finding more time in life is part strategy and part learning to say no. Laura Stack, author of Find More Time and Leave the Office Earlier shared these practical tips in a Pink Magazine story that are worth repeating.

1. Reduce Waiting Time. If your doctor or hairdresser always runs late – plan ahead. Make good use of this waiting time and get some work done, pay a bill or two or enjoy a quiet moment to catch up on a book you want to read. Be prepared so you are not stuck with only outdated magazines in a waiting room.

2. Limit Your TV Watching. Record your favorite shows and skip the commercials. Plan to watch your favorite shows but avoid mindless TV lounging and use that time to pursue more worthwhile endeavors.

3. Say No to Yourself. If you are not excited about attending a social function, then don’t go – stay home and relax. It’s also ok to change your mind if you would rather spend some time in your garden on a sunny Saturday instead of grocery shopping.

4. Cut Down on Cleaning. Clean a little bit along the way each day instead of a mega cleaning day each week that could take hours. Spray down the shower after each use with a cleanser; change filters in your heating/cooling units to reduce dust and wipe down the kitchen counter after each use.

5. Batch Tasks. When you can, bundle administrative tasks together to be more efficient with your time. Open all our bills in one sitting; place to be filed materials in special place and do this once a week. Pick a regular day or time and handle these tasks all at once.

6. Don’t Put Things Down Just for Now. Temporary places too often become permanent places. Put it away now so you don’t have larger piles to deal with later.

7. Reduce Your Time at the Store. Make a list and stick to it. If you shop online take advantage of free gift wrapping services or gift with purchase options. Put away a stash of hostess gifts you can easily get to when invited out so you don’t have to make a special trip.

8. Hire It Out. If the kid down the street will mow your lawn for $20 and it saves you the time and hassle – go for it! Consider hiring out what you don’t want to do (and can afford) so it will give you more time to do what you want.

9. Change Your Pace. Be strategic about when you shop or do errands. Saturday morning is always crowded. Consider going to the grocery after work. You may be tired but you will shop faster and you will get to sleep later on Saturday with the extra time you earned by going on a weeknight.

10. Focus on Simple Pleasures. When your work day is done, focus on what makes you happy. It doesn’t have to be expensive to be rewarding. A bubble bath or a glass of wine can be satisfying ways to unwind at home. Special occasion extravagances are very nice, but focusing on simple pleasures will give you more for less, more often!

It’s all about finding time to have a life that you can enjoy. So I hope Laura’s tips will help you on your way.

One of the first steps in finding a career that you love it to identify what you are passionate about. Many people have a hard time identifying this so creating a vision board can be a way to help you focus. This treasure map, or creativity collage is simple to construct and can really help you identify what you are most attracted to that could lead to a career.

Start by going through your favorite magazines, online sources, and newspapers and clip/print articles, photos and images that please you. Think broadly and collect clips that reflect where you want to vacation, changes you want to see in your life, and perhaps even images that illustrate who you want to become.

But before you start cutting up your favorite magazines, take some time to sit quietly and set your intention. Ask yourself what you really want and give yourself permission to dream big and use your imagination. The vision board is a creative process so you have to be willing to check your ego at the door let your mind explore.

Take the time to find images that really speak to you and don’t forget to include words or phrases that strike your fancy. As you go through your pile of images, eliminate those that no longer speak to you. Begin to organize your clips into theme piles that you identify. Some examples are: health, career, and relationships but you can create a vision board with any intention you want.

Paste your images on a piece of poster board or card stock and arrange them so they tell your desired story. I often paste a photo of myself in the center to really help me see myself in the vision. You should hang your vision board in a place where you will see it every day so you can reaffirm your goals.

There are many different types of vision boards and each can help you reach a unique goal.

The I Know Exactly What I Want vision board helps you set down very clear pictures of what you desire. Perhaps you want to start a new business, or move to a new home. This vision board will help you manifest a very specific thing.

If you are not as clear about what you want but know you are looking for change, assemble an Opening and Allowing vision board. The images of what you like might seem random at first but with reflection, you will begin to see why these graphics called out to you.  This process is more about learning who you are than setting specific goals and it might just teach you a little bit about yourself and your passions.

The Theme vision board has clear parameters and intentions such as working towards a promotion on the job or a special event on your calendar. Your theme could also be eating in a healthier way or quitting smoking and starting an exercise regimen, for example.

These vision board ideas came from Christine Kane who has written a terrific book The Complete Guide to Vision Boards that will give you some step-by-step instructions and creative ideas to get you started. The vision board is a powerful tool that helps you identify a dream and gives you the inspiration to work towards that satisfying goal. You now have a practical tool to help you discover your passion.

Great leaders are not always great managers and finding a boss that is willing to nurture and grow their staff is becoming very difficult. Supervisors have a responsibility to get their job done first but they also need to take part in shepherding the next generation in the work force and empowering them to grow and develop into the leaders of tomorrow.

I have experienced both kinds of bosses and found it far more rewarding and challenging to work for the manager who pushed me to my limits and gave me assignments that helped me stretch my skill set and develop new competencies when I was learning the ropes. Of course, this took a lot of trust on the part of that boss but I was up for the challenge and proved my worth by going above and beyond. In the end, my boss was also rewarded for the progress of my efforts on the team and we were both happy. Would that all work environments were that functional.

I have also worked with less willing or able managers who felt a junior team member was more of a bother than an asset. These kinds of bosses can be classic micro managers and rarely trust the rookies with tasks to let them earn their wings. My suggestion to these kinds of bosses – let your staff fumble and then hold them accountable! If you give them responsibility, it makes them feel connected and validated at work. Team member buy-in is priceless and can motivate almost anyone if they believe their work is making a difference.

Most people don’t leave bad jobs, they leave bad bosses. So if your boss just doesn’t get it and there is no hope of a change in mindset, you need to stealthily devise your exit strategy. Don’t ever leave a job unless you have another to go to, especially in this economy. But if your boss is not a good manager and there is no system in your organization that will help change that, then you deserve to be in an environment where you can grow as a professional and develop your career.

Even in the most blissful job environment, you should be thinking about your 5 year plan and where you see your career going in the future.  A great boss will help you on your way but alas, not all of them are so enlightened. Years ago, I was fortunate to have such a boss who was always thinking about how we, the junior staffers could make our next move up because he knew we were all in entry level positions. He helped us make the most out of the current positions but talked openly about our next career moves so we were proactive in building our future.

If your boss is not helpful in assessing your strengths and identifying your weaknesses, seek outside assistance from a personal Board of Directors that you assemble outside of work. In reality, we don’t always have the support system in-house that we need but this should not stop you from reaching out to other professionals in the field for mentorship and advice. And, it just might help you get to the next mile marker on your personal career journey.

So if you are not being nurtured in your current work environment, seek it out from other sources and be thinking about next steps that could lead to a more positive and opportunity filled work place.

Many organizations are rewarding and retaining employees with more flexible work hours and the option to work from home. Some professionals work exclusively from their home office and others enjoy the perk every now and then, but unless you have a designated space, the work-from-home situation can be more difficult than not.

Home based workers whether full-time or occasional have the responsibility of being self-motivated and disciplined since they are out of view from co-workers and supervisors.  Whether you are commuting from the stairway or the highway, it’s important to set specific work hours as well as a space in your home that is only for work.

Your office at home should be totally separate from your living space, preferably with a door that closes so you can eliminate all outside noise when talking on the phone. If you don’t have the luxury of a door, consider a folding screen to really set boundaries and differentiate your work space from your living area.

While rolling out of bed in your PJs and starting the work day über casual is ok every now and then, consider dressing for work at home just as you might if you had to commute to the office. We take behavioral cues from our environment as well as our wardrobe. You will speak differently during that important conference call if you are dressed the part than you would if you are lounging in pajamas and slippers.

Many of the women I have interviewed who have started their own businesses enjoy the flexibility of working from home because they can adjust their schedule around the needs of their families. If they drop the kids off at school every weekday, then they begin working in earnest when they arrive back at the house. Try and establish a set schedule so you can be most productive and so your virtual colleagues will know when they can reach you. If you have your own business, you can set the rules but if you work for another organization from your home, you will need to maintain a schedule so colleagues can find you.

Make sure you have a separate land line for your work at home or a cell phone so you don’t mix business with personal calls. Even though your three year old is adorable when she answers the phone, the client on the other end won’t be as amused when trying to reach you.

Your office desk, lighting, computer, and chair are just as important at home. Purchasing an ergonomic office chair and desk are investments in your physical well being and will save your back, neck, and posture in the long run.

Lastly, if you find yourself going stir crazy working alone from home, schedule lunch meetings with colleagues or work a few hours from your local internet café each week. Coming in contact with people might just help you stay focused and energize you to be more productive.

Of all the social media sites, I use LinkedIn most frequently to make professional connections and to inform my network about my career updates and accomplishments. I have joined several groups and participate in discussions, post comments, and develop new relationships through my growing network of career minded individuals.

The beauty of LinkedIn is that it provides a forum for me to cultivate new professional relationships and steward existing members of my community. It also empowers me to showcase my personal brand with my home page profile as well as my participation in discussions or relevant events.

I have found that most people don’t used LinkedIn to its best advantage so I’d like to share 7 ways that you can enhance your LinkedIn usage.

These tips come from Susan Colantuono, Founder of Leading Women and author of No Ceiling, No Walls: What Women Haven’t Been Told About Leadership from Career-Start to the Corporate Boardroom.

1. Open the weekly updates that come your way. This is a great way to see what people in your network are doing and to Nurture Your Network. It’s a simple click away to send someone an email about the promotion or new job they updated, events they posted or even if they’re coming to a city near you.
2. Post a network update…and if you’re on Twitter your update will automatically post to Twitter (for busy women, this is multitasking at its best) – thanks LinkedIn for the partnership.
3. Post an event – if you’re going to or hosting an event, let the world know. It’s a great way to invite people in your network – or to set up a “meet”.
4. Visit your home page – regularly to make updates and keep your information current.
5. Respond to discussions – if you’ve joined a group, take the time to selectively choose discussions to engage in. It’s a good way to build your online professional presence. This is especially important for women who have a reputation of being invisible (and if my observations are correct) initiate and respond to discussions at about 25% the rate of men.
6. Spread the word about a job - I often get emails about job openings. Since I can, I now post them through the Leading Women group. It’s a great way to help a colleague (or yourself) spread the word and increases the candidate pool.
7. Recommend a book – great reads that enhance your professional brand and will help people in your network learn and grow are always welcome.

Nurture your network and enhance your virtual brand with this amazing online tool. And as Susan says – Network ON!

Over the years I have facilitated a myriad of job searches and conducted countless interviews with hundreds of candidates. This summer is no different as I have been involved in multiple searches for a variety of new positions. As the selection for one position in particular draws to a close, I am in shock that out of 12 candidates interviewed, only 2 sent a thank you note.

These particular offenders are experienced professionals but their lack of interview etiquette has left me baffled. One candidate who did send a thank you did so by email, so as to expedite the process, and the gesture clearly set her apart from the pack. The other delivered a hand written note and this set him above and beyond in a very positive light.

In the age of technology where most professionals have access to computers and the latest smart phone devices, it’s rare to get a hand written thank you note. But when I do get one my heart warms to think that the tradition of hand writing a note is not totally extinct. While I understand that time is of the essence and the postal service could take longer to deliver your fabulously hand written note than it takes for you to get the call for the second interview, I truly hope that you will still consider this lost art when thanking your interview team.

A few thoughts to consider: write a separate message to each person with whom you met; show your enthusiasm and interest for the position in your note, and be sure to remind them about why you are a good fit for the position. A poorly written thank you note can be the kiss of death for a position and counteract your good intentions.

Once I received a thank you text on my iPhone from a candidate moments after he left the interview room while I was waiting for the next person to arrive. Needless to say, this left a very bad impression. Take the time to compose a well thought out message. Thanking someone is an art and should not be expressed with a spontaneous text sent minutes after you finish the interview.

Lastly, it’s possible to go overboard by sending a gift instead of a note. I have been the recipient of flowers, chocolate, and even a fruit basket, all sent by candidates wanting to show their appreciation. Sadly, it sent the opposite message – it looked like brown nosing and made me feel like they were trying to buy the job. So keep it simple, send a note and if it’s hand written you might just make the interviewer’s day!