The ABC's of apologizing

Have you ever put your foot in your mouth--metaphorically speaking--and then try to fix it only to end up with both feet in? That's what happens when one tries to apologize by attempting to justify our actions or deflecting responsibility by placing it somewhere.  An effective apology requires swift and careful thought.

Act quickly.  Do not wait too long to take the first step.  If you are not sure what to say, consult with a trusted mentor, professor or colleague.  Pick someone who can provide a neutral perspective.

Be brief. Get to the point.  "I apologize for X." Or "I would like to apologize for X. My comment/behavior was inappropriate." Period. That is it.  Refrain from explaining why you did it.  This will only take away from the apology.

Cover all your bases.  In order words, have some kind of damage control in place.  Your faux pas is bound to tick people off and some may choose to hold it against you for a long time.  Check in with friends, acquaintances and colleague to gauge who is on your corner.

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To have or not to have a one-page biography

Most career counselors and coaches sing the praises of having a knock out resume. Consider having a bio. A biography that is.  Bios (the preferred term) can be as short as 150 words and as long as one page in length.  The idea is to capture the essence of your professional experience and milestones in one or two paragraphs.

How to get started?

• Learn from others.  Do a search of other people's bios to get ideas.  Bios are mostly used to describe background and expertise of speakers. Organizations use bios to highlight the professional experience of their leadership team. Industry and professional associations are good sources to find examples. Look at those in the line of work of your interest. After reading a few, you will notice a certain type of messaging that tends to emerge.  
• Expand on your elevator pitch.  Using your elevator pitch as a launching pad, you can add more detail to how you describe yourself (e.g. accomplishments, areas of interest, awards). Note that one key difference is that the elevator pitch is communicated in the first person ("I have 10 years of experience in financial services and ...").  Bios are written in third person ("Anna has ten years of professional experience in financial services and ...").  Another difference is that the elevator pitch is used in one on one situations when engaged in conversation.  The bio is used as a written tool in printed and digital channels to introduce someone to an audience.
• Have a template.  Once you have a general idea of what your bio will say--based on your elevator pitch--write a draft of what you would like to share. Start with a summary of your career highlighting industry and functions.  Continue with goals accomplished ("During her tenure as a hospital administrator, Anna facilitated a cross-functional team to address customer concerns.  Customer satisfaction increased 40% as a result of their efforts.").  Having a template will allow you the flexibility to update your bio as you acquire more experience.  

Are you too young to have a bio? Not really.  Anyone who is career minded can benefit from having a biography.  Having a resume is a great first step if you are in the job market.  Having a powerful elevator pitch will help you get noticed in networking situations.  But having a bio will add another dimension to your professional identity.  Give it a shot!

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The art of following up

At a recent workshop about networking, I had to bite my tongue.  Although the tips and techniques shared were effective in emphasizing the importance of building relationships long term, another concern bothered me:  how to follow up with someone after the initial meeting.

Picture this scenario.  You attend a workshop, career fair or a networking session.  The most natural next step is to exchange business cards or to ask for someone's card to stay in touch.  What really happens afterwards? Nothing.  There seems to be a belief that having someone else's card in our possession is enough to reach out to them later when it is needed.  False. This is not the most effective way to follow up with someone we just met.  They may have met many people that day.  So, how do you stand out? By following up right away.  Here is how.

• Send a quick and short note within two days.  Include where you met to give a point of reference. Mention something about discussed during your conversation that will help remember you.  Here is an example:  "Good morning Ms. Smith, it was a real pleasure meeting you at the Careers in STEM workshop at Princeton University last Monday.  As an engineer (here you include your current professional status), your comments about the outlook for job growth in the field of chemical engineering were highly encouraging." 
• Rank the relationship.  Decide whether this contact is someone with long term potential or if you are mostly interested in a more tactical relationship like an informational interview or a resume critique.  Beware: if your main goal is to have her introduce you to a hiring manager, you must be patient and take time to build trust. 
• Find ways to remain top of mind.  A common way to remain on your contact's radar is to send occasional emails with articles or links related to her area of interest.  Other ways to build engagement:  ask for a short meeting for an informational interview, extend an invitation to participate in a future workshop, conference, or send a note during a major holiday.

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Career lessons from the Occupy protests

Whether you are in favor or against the Occupy Wall Street protests, and its subsequent spin offs, one thing is clear to me as a career coach:  Those involved in organizing protests have two types of skills that have allowed the movement to endure and grow.   One is communication skills.  The other is teamwork.

Communication skills allow parties to interact, to send and to receive messages effectively. Occupiers--as they are referred to--have maximized the power of technology to disseminate their message, recruit volunteers and keep the media informed.  This skill also comes in handy when discussing issues with opponents or those eager to learn. Being able to describe their concerns in a clear, concise and engaging manner has helped them gain status as an emerging influencing voice for the American people.

Team work skills are mainly about working effectively with others towards a common goal. Occupiers provide a vivid example of some of the most common tasks handled by teams: Delegating duties, negotiating outcomes, and organizing resources.  The media reports that occupiers have been dutiful at operationalizing the different support systems they need to focus on their protests.  For instance, they have a current list of supplies on hand and have rotation schedules for cooking, cleaning and inventory management.

How do these apply to you and your career?

I am not asking you to join the occupiers.  That is a very personal decision.  What I would like to suggest is for you to reflect on your level of comfort and dexterity. In other words, how are your communications and team work skills?  You might say that you did enough of that already in college.  And I would say back that practice makes perfect.  Do you think that any major sports super star says "I am great already.  I am the best golfer, soccer player, swimmer, etc.  I don't need to practice?" Never!  The key from getting from good to excellent is to keep at it.

One last thing about excelling as a communicator and team player:  It applies to everyone and to every type of career.  These two skills are just as important to the college student studying biology, to the young graduate looking for work in psychology, or to the seasoned professional making deals in international finance.

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