A business or personal card is your ticket to effective follow-up when networking. Learn why everybody should take advantage of this essential career tool.

If you are a first-time job seeker or a career changer, now is the time to do your homework so you are ready for new career opportunities that come your way. Here are some best practices to get you jump started.

Self assessment – get quiet with yourself and really consider what you value, what interests you, how your personality plays a role in your career choice, and what skills energize you enough to call them strengths.

Tell your story – be ready to talk about what you do well and don’t focus on job titles and descriptions until you know what tasks engage you. Think about when time flies and it doesn’t feel like work. These are the tasks you will want to spend most of your time pursuing at work.

Develop your brand – since hiring is starting to creep back, you need to define your special sauce and why you will be a value-add to an organization because competition is still fierce. Market your unique combination of passions and talents and if you need a jump start, query people in your circle of trust and ask them what makes you special. Ultimately you are in control of your personal brand but gathering input from others can be a great point of departure.

Know your territory – before you start sending out numerous resumes (never a wise strategy) investigate the job market in your field and talk to people in the know. Pursue informational interviews, job shadows, and build your professional community with people of influence. The more people who know you and what you do well the better your chances of being informed about new opportunities.

The federal government reported that the economy grew by 216,000 jobs last month with factories, retailers, education, health care, professional and financial services sectors seeing the largest increase. The new-job season has official begun so make sure you are ready for these new opportunities and invest in the time to prepare to be at your very best.

Jake Poinier wrote a terrific article in Speaker Magazine and shared his 6 Rules of Reinvention for professional speakers – although his wisdom is applicable in all career sectors. I appreciate his advice and good humor and I know you will learn from it as well.

1.       Reinvent yourself before it becomes necessary. If you wait until your career is gasping for air, you will play catch-up amid a field of cutting-edge experts.

2.      Regularly ask yourself – Am I still relevant? The career game has changed in all industries and you can’t make it by being mediocre. Today, you must offer a quantifiable return-on-investment (ROI) as well as original thoughts and answers to distinguish yourself.

3.      Never chase the hot topics or trends just to be “in”. Fads don’t build a long-term career, but tapping into your deepest passion does. If you try to be an expert in a field you don’t care about, you will come off as inauthentic and contrived and this will undermine your success.

4.      Understand the impact of the reality TV trend. Be real – don’t be perfect and use your honest emotions to give from your heart in your career endeavors. Authenticity is essential.

5.      Don’t force the reinvention of your career brand. Take the time to self reflect and do this with input from others you trust. Seek the wisdom of your personal Board of Directors to help guide you with your branding and identify your value-add.

6.      There are some traits you shouldn’t reinvent. Don’t reinvent your fundamental talents – there is no need. This is your special sauce and distinguishes you in the marketplace. Keep building on your bank of knowledge and exploit your best skills. You can build on that broad foundation no matter what you next career move might be.

It’s a given that employers will Google you if you are in the pipeline for a job with their organization. They are doing their due diligence to learn as much about you as possible before they extend an interview. Even if your resume and experience is stellar, their opinion of you may change if they find inappropriate references about you online.

Your mission is to beat them to the punch and clean up your web act. Facebook is the proverbial culprit since most people use this site for social connections. The reality is that Facebook is fair game so the party photos you showcase will make an impression on all who view your profile. You have control over what you post and you should check regularly to weed out content that others may post that could adversely affect you. Blocking content for non-friends is also a way to control what is visible to the general public.

Your professional image is your brand and you want to make sure that what comes up online is consistent with what you are presenting in your application materials. I have been on many search committees and the web research is part of the regular screening process for all candidates.

Web content can also work in your favor so use this resource wisely and update your profiles on LinkedIn and various other networking sites to showcase yourself at your best. Keeping all of this information current is your responsibility and also makes you recruit-able by employers trolling for talent. Take the time to make Googling yourself work to your advantage.

A Nurse in the Kitchen

Always comfortable in her own skin when working with patients, Sable experienced a variety of settings in the medical field from bedside nursing to intensive care, and outpatient clinics. But, she developed a love for oncology care working with cancer patients. With 15+ years under her belt as an oncology nurse, Sable understood the immense struggle of those fighting cancer and the nutritional challenges they uniquely face. Proper nutrition is paramount during cancer treatment but many patients suffer from loss of appetite and taste preventing them from receiving the nourishment they need. Sable feels strongly that patients should be able to thrive while continuing with their daily lives during cancer treatment and recovery. Championing the cause in 2006, she stepped into her kitchen and began baking up a solution, and Sable’s Foods was born.

Knowing that cancer patients needed food that met specific nutritional requirements as well as flavors and textures that would be appealing and easily digestible, Sable started experimenting in her kitchen. She also wanted something portable so patients could maintain a sense of normalcy and an active lifestyle while in treatment. Sable developed the first iterations of a nutritional bar that was baked like a brownie and bursting with flavor and nutritional empowerment – Sable’s slogan and branding platform.

The Proof is in the Pudding…or the Nutritional Bar

Sable introduced her bars to her patients to get constructive feedback and the ultimate taste test. They gave very helpful suggestions about flavor and content. For example, she discovered that consuming granola and whole nuts, like in a traditional health bar, caused digestive problems in her patients. She was on a quest to develop the balance of flavor, texture, and nutrition that would make her bars unique and beneficial for her patients.

It was time to call in the experts and Sable consulted with nutritional and oncology specialists as well as an executive chef and food product consultant to develop the ultimate version of the bars that are now on the market. The bars are widely sought after by cancer patients and athletes, as well as others in search of nutritional empowerment.

The journey doesn’t end with Sable’s great tasting and nutritionally sound bars. She is dedicated to keeping the ultimate goal of curing cancer in sight. To that end, a portion of her profits from product sales are donated to non-profit organizations actively pursuing solutions to cancer care issues, including prevention, diagnosis, treatment, and symptom management. In her words, “A bite of every bar is donated to cancer research.”

A Labor of Love and Experience

It may sound like Sable just waltzed into her kitchen and created her empowerment bars over night channeling her inner Betty Crocker, but the reality is that it was a long and intense journey from conception to product development and eventually, sales. The business officially launched in 2009 as Sable worked 80+ hours a week as a consultant to pay the bills in order to bring Sable’s Foods to life during the evening and weekend hours.

In addition to being a Registered Nurse, Sable also earned her MBA so she would have a full understanding of the business world. She founded the Edwards-Hunt Group, LLC to facilitate basic and clinical research by implementing contemporary solutions for today’s translational medicine challenges. She provides multi-level consulting services to the non-profit arena, commercial bio-repositories, and technology companies. This is a fabulous illustration of how she tapped into her transferable skills and maintained an active consulting practice while growing her new business.

Sable admits that the empowerment bar business idea was a leap of faith. She is a linear thinker, a cerebral person, and she found it difficult to work with the artists and product consultant experts she sought out to develop her website, marketing materials, and company brand.  But she believes that “Every time a door closes, a window opens.” And she believes that Sable’s Foods was meant to be.

Her Patients are the Inspiration

She advises others interested in starting a new business to “Write a business plan and let someone else challenge your assumptions.” It’s a brutal test but an important part of building your brand and a viable product or service. Sable learned early on to check her ego at the door and believes that she tapped into her woman’s sense of survival to make her business and consulting firm happen. She has no fear and realized that if she doesn’t work, she doesn’t get paid.

Sable has a favorite mug that says: “What would you attempt to do if you knew you could not fail?” This has become a mantra and helped her forge ahead with unbridled energy and enthusiasm. Ultimately, Sable is still inspired by her patients and created Sable’s Foods to help others. She is proud to nurture herself and her loved ones with her nutrition bars and is responding to increased patient demand to develop new flavors and additional products.

Sable’s Advice and Action Steps

• Have the guts and confidence to take a risk.
• Interview people in-the-know in your particular line of work and tap into their expertise.
• Define what you don’t know and then find experts that do!

Mantra “Why not!” Sable

Resources

Sable’s Foods www.sablesfoods.com

Savor the Success www.savorthesuccess.com

Edwards Hunt Group, LLC www.edwardshunt.com

Pam designs custom pieces that act as windows in time and reflect old world craftsmanship, dedication, and attention to detail. Venetian Décor does not promote the trapping and killing of animals but works exclusively with vintage fur coats to ensure that these historic resources are refashioned into useful and appreciated products.

According to Pam:

“Our mission is to imbue a little corner of your life with some old world magic and elegance by re-purposing vintage items and giving them a modern twist. My love of beautiful vintage fur coats and French furniture inspired me to create this line of products for you to enjoy for many years to come.”

A Little Bit of History Preserved

Her signature pieces are beautiful one-of-a-kind furnishings and throws made from vintage fur coats and buttons just like great-grandmother owned.  “We are based in the Coast Mountains of British Columbia, where the pioneer spirit of early fur trappers and adventurers still whispers through the spruce and fir at night, and the hopes of gold-seekers echo down the wild rivers.” For Pamela, working with re-purposed fur coats and vintage rhinestone buttons and jewelry is a chance to imagine a moment in time in a world of horse-drawn buggies and mink capes to bring a touch of old world elegance into the busy modern world.

Pam came up with the prototypes for Venetian Décor in her home studio, an 800 square foot space where she also sells her creations. She uses Italian made and imported French furniture as well as antique French furniture for her pieces. The soft Italian made leathers, natural silk fabrics and ribbons, plus natural down cushions and wool are the ultimate in eco friendly materials.

Creating the Buzz

Her first big break came from an Interior Design Show in Vancouver, BC where she showcased her wares. A writer profiled her business and featured a two page article in the Vancouver Sun newspaper with photos, and the official buzz began. The writer tackled the animal rights issue and deftly wrote that re-purposed fur means that no animals have died today. It also means that no faux fur, with its own environmental issues including pollution and petroleum based synthetics are being manufactured for these artistic creations.

Pam has her own philosophy about using vintage fur:

“I truly believe that I have found a final resting place for these animals. It’s a way to say that we appreciate you and respect you.

Whether you believe in Pam’s vintage fur credo or not, kudos are due to this mompreneur that has created a viable business she is passionate about. Venetian Décor has was featured in a high profile article in the Beverly Hills Times magazine. Pam hopes this will introduce her brand to celebrity clientele that could really put her on the map. The Venetian Décor signature style is a blending of shabby-chic, eco-chic, French, Boho and refined but relaxed glamour styles blended together for a one-of-a kind design.

The Challenges of a Working Mother

Inspired by her own creative mother who was a ceramics artist, Pam feels a great sense of accomplishment with her new business venture. She still loves being a mother but finds this new work fulfilling and it gives her a sense of purpose so she can now put herself first. Her husband and family have been very supportive and enthusiastic and her daughters even lend a hand with her pieces.

With a new beginning in her 40’s when her kids are about to leave the nest, Pam is ready to succeed in her new business but admits there are challenges. She is a one woman show and shared that her responsibilities as a wife and mother don’t change with her new business so now she has two full-time jobs!

Without financial backing or business loans available to her, Pam used her savings to purchase the start up materials including reproduction furniture from Italy. She reinvests her profit into the business and keeps her overhead low by working from her home studio. Her husband is a professional in the building industry so he has been helpful as a resource for some basic business fundamentals but Pam has been on her own to learn the trade of the interior design industry. She advises other budding entrepreneurs to do their research about trademark, company name and logo first, and then focus on your product.

Waste Not, Want Not

Inspired by shabby chic queen, Rachel Ashwell, Pam is building her brand on the historic preservation of vintage furs as a way to honor the history of each piece with a new life. Re-purposing has become vogue in the art, interior design, and fashion world so Pam is capitalizing on the “waste not, want not” approach. Since vintage fur can last up to 100 years, her creations make sustainable sense, economically, environmentally, and socially.

Pam was featured on the Canadian TV show Urban Rush and she was recently approached by a jewelry designer to sell her pieces in their store. These baubles are a favorite of celebrities, Tori Spelling and Anne Heche so Pam hopes that they might also consider buying one of her pieces. If you have an heirloom fur coat that you want re-purposed, consider commissioning Pam to make you a custom piece that will live on for years to come.

While Pam is living a new dream with her own business, she is also establishing a practice of re-purposing and recycling items to create new furnishings. This business woman with a conscience feels like a butterfly that has just begun to spread her new wings

Pam’s Advice and Action Steps:

• Don’t overwhelm yourself with a new business, take baby steps and preserve your inner peace.
• Follow your heart and do something you are passionate about.
• Be sure you have a good resource team (family, mentors, etc.) to back you up.
• Go for it because you have nothing to lose by trying.
• Do your homework in setting up your trademark, company name and logo.

Favorite Quote: “You will never know if you don’t try.” Pam Beattie

Resources:

Venetian Décor http://www.venetiandecor.ca/

Fur Council www.furcouncil.com

• An Entrepreneurial Mindset. The ability to problem solve, create opportunities, think outside the box, market remarkably, and manage your own projects.
• Leadership and Vision. Individuals who possess a strong sense of vision and the courage to lead with influence are rewarded on many levels.
• Collaboration. Successful professionals value working with others, creating projects that are greater than themselves. Consider joining forces with the not so obvious constituents in your circle of contacts: community members, educators, business leaders, neighbors, etc.
• A Strong Brand. A brand is much more than your name or logo. It is the sum total of how others perceive what you do. What distinguishes you from the pack and how will potential clients or colleagues know that?
• Risk Taking. Most people are terrified of failure, playing it too safe and buying into the myth that anything less than perfection reflects poorly on them. An overly safe approach often results with a failure of the largest order – professional goals. If you crave success, be willing to fail and learn from it.
• Internet Mastery. The web offers unprecedented opportunities: social networking, blogging, podcasting, news releases, viral sensations, etc. It’s simply not enough to do these things – you must do so strategically for the greatest impact.
• Financial Literacy. Prospering financially doesn’t simply mean raking in piles of cash. Success requires a deep understanding of how money works – earning, spending, and saving.
• Research Skills. The most successful professionals do not reinvent the wheel. They take advantage of pre-existing resources. They establish relationships with mentors, embrace creative modeling, and devour resource materials in their field.
• An Understanding and Interest in the World. Only those who are engaged in the challenges, values, and realities of their communities are able to create products and provide services that fill gaps and resonate with others. Successful professionals are relevant.

When you play the career game with these rules in mind you will be well prepared for success.

Breath Mint Maven

Working as in-house counsel for an event an interior design company, Jacqui found herself longing to be her own boss, to take charge of her own career destiny and start her own company. Her idea was unique, an all-natural breath freshener that would really eliminate your garlic laden lunch breath and not simply mask it temporarily like so many other products on the market.

Jacqui enjoyed a similar breath mint product she found in Australia (and could never find state side) and used that as a point of departure for her new and improved breathalicious concoction. To distinguish herself and her mint, she was on a mission to make her product, fun, cute, and trendy. And so, eatwhatever breath fresheners were born.

Her vegan, gluten-free, sugar-free product is filled with organic oils. Jacqui’s two steps to kissable breath regimen is very simple. First, you swallow a vegan gel cap which freshens your breath from the inside, filled with organic parsley and peppermint oil. Step two – suck on one of the little white mints for a bit of instant freshness. Bring on the garlic, onions, and all your favorite stinky foods since this product really eliminates odors for hours. The spine of her packaged mints reads: Suck and Swallow – a glimpse of the sexy marketing that helped identify her brand.

Learn the Ropes

So how does a first time entrepreneur make her breath-of-fresh-air product a reality? Jacqui started going to trade shows looking for vegan gel caps to fill with her organic essential oils. Learning the ropes was tough since she didn’t have the vocabulary to describe what she wanted and feared that people would find her crazy and inexperienced. She mustered her courage to ask questions and eventually found a company that would do a small run of her recipe so she could test the market and see if her product filled a niche.

Financially it’s been tough. After investing her own money to make this dream a reality, Jacqui is at a point where she is looking for investors to take her business to the next level. But, Jacqui and her husband, Dean Bialek are the quintessential cosmopolitan, intellectual dream team. Both lawyers with a creative and international edge, they share a passion for food, wine, the arts and fashion that serves them well into their new business venture.

Being in Control

While Jacqui admits that she was terrible with numbers, taxes, and financial statements she had to learn enough to be a well informed consumer when she hired an accountant to help with these tasks. “You must be in control with distributors, brokers and the business people who will help you with all aspects of your business so you are not taken advantage of.”

Jacqui also shared that the food industry is still very male driven so as a woman entrepreneur she has to be on her toes to get the attention of her male counterparts and to keep it! Self motivation is also a must for this breath freshener queen. She loves having control over her own schedule but also knows the realities of having to do it all yourself, at least in the early stages of the business. If the mail has to be taken to the post office, Jacqui does it since she is the staff, the CEO and Co-Founder.

Fake it Till You Make It!

Clearly some of the transferable skills from her legal career and performing arts background have helped her run the business, but Jacqui says she learns a lot just by doing. From the law she learned how to read the fine print and knows why it is crucial for her business. She suggests that you do your homework on potential business contacts before you meet them because as an attorney, she knows how expensive litigation is and warns to avoid it at all costs.

As a former performing artist, Jacqui knows the importance of exuding confidence in front of her audience. She says that eloquence and professionalism are essential and her private tip is “Fake it until you make it – they’ll never know!” In the beginning, she devoured a myriad of books and magazines on entrepreneurship and relied on friends in the beverage and packaging industry to learn the ropes from the inside out. Learning the lingo was essential to be recognized and respected by the professionals in the industry with whom she would be working with to market and distribute eatwhatever.

The Value of a Strong Brand

Each day brings valuable lessons and Jacqui says that it is always a learning experience. She now realizes the importance of making her branding message clear, clean, and strong. While she originally loved the idea of the sexy factor with a kissable breath product, she now understands that in certain markets the sex appeal needs to be toned down to a flirt factor. She continues to tinker with packaging and now realizes the importance of investing money in PR during a product’s launch.

At the end of the day eatwhatever is about confidence. Everyone needs fresh breath. Whether we are kissing a loved one or interviewing for a new position, fresh breath empowers you with the confidence to feel good about yourself. Jacqui never leaves home without packs of her amazing product.  A walking and talking billboard for her product, her samples are sure to make a believer out of you.

I can now add my name to her list of positive testimonials. The product is fantastic – it really works and for a breath freshener to empower us with that kind of self confidence is a beautiful thing!

Jacqui’s Advice and Action Steps:

• Really take the time to think through your ideas and plan your strategy.
• Be realistic about how much time (24/7) is takes to launch a new business.
• Avoid negativity and develop a thick skin; everyone has an opinion – sift through those you really want to consider.
• Trust yourself – you are your best asset.
• Great things happen through networking.

Quote: “Failure is not an option!” Jacqui Rosshandler

Resources:

eatwhatever  www.eat-whatever.com

Savor the Success www.savorthesuccess.com

Ladies Who Launch  http://www.ladieswholaunch.com

Transition Solutionz has a theory. They believe that being in career transition is not a “lesser state of being”.  In fact, they love the term “on sabbatical”. This show is for those that are unemployed, under-employed, self-employed and needing encouragement and those that may still be employed but looking for a change. It is time to reinvent yourself, to toot your own horn and to learn to focus on what you love and how to leave your legacy. Truly, the money will follow. I applaud Transition Solutionz for their empowered approach to career transition!