Using The 2022 PMI Talent Triangle To Drive Project Success

Using The 2022 PMI Talent Triangle To Drive Project Success

Like most professions in the post-pandemic world, project management has undergone yet another conceptual transformation while also redefining how the projects of the future will be managed with the release of the 2022 PMI Talent Triangle.

Keeping up with these new trends will be crucial for a project manager’s success while also sounding a warning bell for companies who wish to attract top talent to manage their increasingly complex projects in a hyper-competitive landscape.

What’s New: The 2022 PMI Talent Triangle

Project management concept

Let’s face it: managing projects has never been an easy task and many of us have oftentimes felt frustrated with the limited roles yet high levels of responsibilities placed on project managers. The American comedian, Rodney Dangerfield, so eloquently coined the expression, “I can’t get no respect!” and I am quite sure that many PMs can identify very well with this statement in our misunderstood profession.

Since the advent of the project management profession in the late 1960s, the general expectation has been that project managers are everything to everyone on a project, even though the role was often considered a purely operational one (basically managing the “schedule”), with the relevant activities starting once the project award was received from the customer.

Despite this limited official level of official responsibility, the very success of the project always rested on the PM’s shoulders, hence a significant source of frustration and misalignment.

In May 2022, the Project Management Institute (PMI) finally confirmed what many of us had been preaching since the late 1990s in their release of the updated PMI Talent Triangle:

Project Managers are, in fact, business owners who need to adapt ways of working and strong business acumen to manage their projects in our increasingly complex, changing world.

This is definitely a game-changing initiative, but also a much-needed one to set companies up for better success on their customer-facing and also internal projects. It also now forces PMs to develop crisper, more well-rounded skills to be able to achieve these lofty aspirations.

PMI Talent Triangle Update | PMI

Applying The 2022 PMI Talent Triangle: Ways Of Working

Project manager attends a team meeting

The previous traditional and agile schools of thought have now evolved into a very extensive toolbox that allows PMs more flexibility when managing their projects.

It also now creates the expectation that project managers must “master as many ways of working as they can—so they can apply the right technique at the right time, delivering winning results.”

This is both exciting and challenging to apply in larger companies that must possess (or develop) a greater degree of organizational ambidexterity to survive in the long term.

Among these new tools are design thinking, transformation, data modeling, and performance management, just to name a few. These tools complement the PMBoK (Project Management Body of Knowledge) and now offer an incredibly diverse array of techniques that PMs can use to manage their projects.

Too many choices? Information overload?

So how can PMs determine the best working method for each project when there is so little time between the commercial phase and project award? For me, this is one of the primary reasons that project managers MUST be engaged even prior to the bid preparation so as to analyze the full scope and strategic importance of each project.

In this way, the work breakdown structure, or WBS (i.e., the nucleus of the project), can be customized to cover only what needs to be bid and executed. This also allows for better identification and alignment of organizational assets to be used on the project.

This is why strategic meetings with the key decision-makers and stakeholders must be held as early as possible, even at the prospect identification phase. The adept PM will develop a questionnaire to steer the conversation and arrive at the “best way” to structure both the commercial proposal and execution plan.

Applying The 2022 PMI Talent Triangle: Power Skills

Project management concept

As I have mentioned in previous articles, communication is THE most important skill for a project manager and this new pillar emphasizes an increasingly collaborative approach to leadership, to foster innovation, empathy, and ownership.

In this way, The PM empowers their team with the aim of more effective stakeholder management, now at all levels of the project, to drive change and meet project goals.

By using techniques such as neuroscience, business psychology, emotional intelligence, and brainstorming sessions, PMs of the future will be able to develop a more empathetic, humanistic approach to understanding the challenges of managing their projects as well as the needs of the ever-wider range of stakeholders to be managed.

Let’s not forget that projects are still managed by people, so understanding the human psyche, cultural differences, intergenerational preferences, and historical perspectives are major inputs that affect team performance.

We also cannot ignore global trends such as diversity and inclusion, climate change, and other geopolitical events which shape our behaviors, policies, and actions. They also challenge the PM to be an extremely adaptable, active listener.

These techniques should be on every PM’s mind while conducting meetings, planning work, and interfacing with stakeholders. I find this to be very powerful in fostering creative, innovative approaches to solving problems, one of the project manager’s main functions.

As an example, I promote a cultural minute at the onset of select meetings to give team members an opportunity to share specific topics of interest. These can then be woven into the main topic of the meeting, or even specific parts of the project to enhance team engagement.

Finally, I believe this increased interpersonal skillset is quite effective in driving coaching, mentoring, and training across the project management spectrum for we all know the current challenges of retaining and attracting top talent!

Applying The 2022 PMI Talent Triangle: Business Acumen

Project management software on a laptop

From a purely operational focus to a new business owner mentality, PMs now need to understand the “macro and micro influences in their organization and industry and have the function-specific or domain-specific knowledge to make good decisions.”

I particularly love this pillar of the new PMI Talent Triangle because it really elevates the standing of the PM within an organization, while challenging the functional managers to up their games to support the key projects and initiatives of the company.

It does challenge the PM to now do their homework so that they really understand:

  • The business context of the project (organizational goals, strategy)
  • The key market drivers (regulatory, currency, geopolitical)
  • The competitive landscape (important during execution as well)
  • What success looks like (sustainability, corporate image)
  • Potential gaps to execute the work (CAPEX, OPEX, skills)

Instead of only being involved after project award, this now means early involvement of the PM during the commercial, pre-award phases of the project in order to develop better relationships with customers (and other key stakeholders), while evaluating project requirements to ensure that the project team will be able to actually execute what is being promised.

The value that a project manager brings to an organization can truly be leveraged as organizations are now seeing just how much influence a PM has throughout the project.

For example, during the execution of a project, the adept PM who applies business development or customer service techniques can gauge not only the level of customer satisfaction at any given point in time (rather than only at the end) but can also find out about competitors’ performance, opportunities to upsell by becoming aware of new project scope, other customer projects, as well as a whole host of opportunities that could arise, including innovation to respond to future trends/needs.

It also better prepares the PM during management of change (MOC) or variation order negotiations as they will have a much clearer understanding of how the original scope of the project was negotiated, thus providing important insight as to customer psychology, main decision-makers, etc. This then leads to a more consistent customer experience not to mention more sales!

Conclusion

I for one am extremely motivated by the release of the 2022 PMI Talent Triangle as I feel like it has finally given project managers validation in our mission to show just how much value we bring to an organization. It also keeps us relevant by responding to megatrends while providing us with a very complete toolbox to adapt our project management techniques so that we do not overkill or underkill our projects. It does challenge us to redefine what it means to be a project manager while also giving us that ever-so-important seat at the executive table.

4 Fastest-Growing Marketing Job Titles & What It Means For The Workforce

4 Fastest-Growing Marketing Job Titles & What It Means For The Workforce

Check out the 2023 LinkedIn’s Jobs on the Rise list revealing the 25 fastest-growing job titles over the past five years that just came out. Four trending marketing job titles on this list provide insights into where the workforce is headed.

4 Fastest-Growing Marketing Job Titles

Marketing professional talks during a work meeting

Growth Marketing Manager

A growth marketing manager is responsible for identifying, developing, and implementing strategies to increase a company’s growth. It’s a vital role because of its ability to drive sustainable and profitable growth for a company.

Content Designer

A content designer (also known as a content strategist) is responsible for creating, planning, and producing digital content that meets the needs of a target audience and supports the organization’s goals. It plays a vital role in developing and delivering high-quality digital content that helps to build trust, engagement, and conversion with the target audience.

Online Campaign Manager

The online campaign manager is responsible for planning, executing, and managing online marketing campaigns that promote a company’s products or services, ultimately acquiring new customers. It is vital in developing and implementing effective campaigns that drive visibility, lead generation, and sales.

Customer Marketing Manager

A customer marketing manager is responsible for developing and implementing marketing strategies and campaigns that target existing customers that drive customer retention, loyalty, and repeat sales. Companies are now more focused on customer retention and engagement in a digital world, which is a significant driver for a customer marketing manager role.

What The Top 2023 Marketing Positions Tell Us About The Future Of Work Trends

Professional looking ahead to future career/job success concept

As a 20-year brand marketing veteran, here are a few reasons why these four marketing positions are spot on for future work trends:

  • Personalization: With the increasing use of artificial intelligence and machine learning, the ability to personalize online campaigns is becoming more critical. These roles create and execute campaigns tailored to the needs and preferences of different customer segments, which can help increase engagement and conversion rates.
  • Data-driven Decision-making: These roles use data and analytics to measure the performance of online marketing campaigns and make data-driven decisions to improve performance. The ability to continuously test and optimize campaigns is critical for staying ahead of the curve in the fast-paced digital landscape.
  • Integrated Marketing: These roles work closely with other teams to understand customer behavior and trends, identify opportunities for customer retention, loyalty, and upsell, make sure campaigns are seamlessly integrated with other marketing efforts, and make data-driven decisions.
  • Continuous Learning: It’s critical to stay up-to-date with online trends and best practices to ensure that the company’s efforts are effective and efficient. As the digital landscape is constantly evolving, the ability to learn and adapt is a key aspect of these roles.

Pursuing a trending marketing job title can open up more career advancement opportunities and be more financially rewarding. It can also increase the chances of finding a job that is a good fit for you and that you enjoy.

How To Motivate Disengaged Teachers

How To Motivate Disengaged Teachers

During the pandemic, it was understandable that the focus for almost everybody, including educators, was on the health and well-being of friends and family. Post-pandemic, however, I’m noticing a troubling trend: some educators are still suffering from an ambition deficit when it comes to teaching.

Just the other day, for example, one teacher told me that they called out of work because the previous day there was a field trip and their feet still hurt. In professional trainings I have facilitated lately, I also have had teachers leave early because they felt “too tired” to go on. Teachers told me they were leaving; they didn’t ask. We are definitely in what Robert Glazer calls an “Ambition Recession.”

To be fair, there are many valid reasons why some teachers are apathetic and/or leaving the profession. I previously wrote about some of these reasons in my Work It Daily article “3 Reasons for the Big Quit in Teaching.” Yet, if we are to help students to grow and achieve, we need to get teachers back on the school improvement bus. However, this is not just the responsibility of individual teachers. What might school and district administrators do to motivate teachers to make a positive change?

Recently, I had the chance to listen to an episode of the New Yorker Radio Hour; the theme for that episode was change. During that episode, dance choreographer Akram Khan suggested that there are four—in my opinion, interrelated—reasons why people change. While he may have been talking about re-envisioning the ballet “Giselle” for the modern stage, I believe his thoughts are relevant to those in education who are charged with motivating teachers to participate, more fully, within the teaching profession.

Teachers Will Change When They Must

Teacher helps a student

The grass is not always greener on the other side. Now that many educators have moved out of teaching roles and have taken opportunities in the private sector (particularly in EdTech), we may see a boomerang effect. There is a certain amount of financial stability as a teacher. A teacher may not be making as much money as they would like but it is a constant. In contrast, when one moves into the private sector, financial compensation can ebb and flow erratically particularly when the threat of recession looms like grey clouds on the horizon. Teachers, like anyone, might then be happy to have a job and do more to maintain it.

Teachers Will Change When They See Enough To Be Inspired

Teacher smiles at her students

Traditionally, many teachers have been isolated within the four walls of their classrooms. Most still need to find adult coverage of their classrooms to take even a short bathroom break. How then might school leaders make internal exemplars of good teaching and learning more visible across the faculty? New Beginnings Charter School, in Brooklyn, NY, for instance, produces a weekly digital staff instructional newsletter that features classroom videos of their teachers using best instructional practices. They and ITAVA, in Queens, NY, engage in lesson study and open up model classrooms for teacher intervisitation. Lesson study is not the only way to coalesce teachers around a common goal; there are many additional ways to make teacher teams impactful.

The key here is that administrators need to plan deeply; they need to develop schedules that release teachers from the chains of their classrooms so that teachers can visit other classrooms and/or participate on ongoing teacher teams. Inspiration also requires triangulation of teacher development supports. For example, instructional coaches might consider referencing support materials/exemplars of best practice, provided in digital newsletters, during ongoing coaching feedback conversations. Help teachers become aware of where they can go for resources to improve their teaching craft and have multiple pathways for teachers to get there.

Teachers Will Change When They Learn Enough To Want It

Teacher educates her students on technology

When I worked with the Cristo Rey School Network, we were interested in learning how best to develop internal tutoring programs that would well serve students and prevent their exit due to poor academic performance. One of the most powerful tools we had in replicating a quality tutoring program, across the network, was the ability to draw upon the expertise of one of our schools that already had such a program in place. Providing a space for all our school leaders, and teachers involved in the tutoring of our students, to engage in problem of practice protocols proved pivotal for the replication of this one school’s tutoring model across multiple school sites. As our school leaders and teachers learned more about what already was working in-house, the enthusiasm to replicate said practices was infectious.

Networked learning can be internal—as in the case of Cristo Rey above—and/or external. The Canopy Project, a joint project between Transcend Education and CRPE, has, for example, over 200 member/school organizations interested in building transformative education environments focused on equity. It aims to do this by collaborating, not competing, on the development of best school design. How might school leaders include more teachers within internal and/or external networks of practice? The models for learning networks are out there.

Teachers Will Change When They Receive Enough To Be Able

Teacher educates his students on a new concept

Asked another way, are administrators and/or instructional coaches giving enough so that teachers develop efficacy? I’ve written elsewhere on how we might say that student learning is at the core of our work as educators but, in reality, this is not evident when we, as managers of learning, make time for everything but instructional observation and teacher coaching. Therefore, administrators would do well in developing a standing weekly schedule for themselves that prioritizes both informal classroom observations and feedback/coaching sessions with each teacher on staff. Move operational tasks to when instructional time is over for the day. Paul Bambrick-Santoyo discusses this, in great detail, in his book Leverage Leadership.

Kim Marshall further suggests that administrators, during mini observations, not write notes. Rather, later in the day, administrators might use a one-page staff list to record the day, date, and most relevant points from each visit. Later still, they can add a checkmark when feedback has been given to the observed teacher. Further, share anonymous instructional data, across classrooms, with teaching staff. Help teachers to understand why certain instructional priorities exist and solicit teacher participation in responding to the data.

If you would like additional ideas on how to impact student lives without sacrificing your own, and have a life teaching, check out my quick hack teaching courses here. You can also reach me on LinkedIn.

How To Answer “What Are You Passionate About?” (Examples)

How To Answer “What Are You Passionate About?” (Examples)

“What are you passionate about” is a common interview question that seems straightforward. However, answering it can be trickier than you’d think! This resource goes over how to answer this question and make a great impression in the process. Table of contents The Reason Interviewers Ask This Question How to Answer “What Are You Passionate […]

The post How To Answer “What Are You Passionate About?” (Examples) appeared first on Career Sherpa.

How To Take Advantage Of Online Career Skills Courses

How To Take Advantage Of Online Career Skills Courses

There are a host of online courses available to help people level up in their careers or learn new skills entirely. But, to fully take advantage of online courses, you need to have your priorities in order and know exactly what you want to accomplish.

Some courses are offered for free, but there are also many that cost money. As you review available online courses and determine the ones worth taking, you may have to consider both finances and time constraints. Consider these four categories when choosing online courses:

Seeking Online Courses For Career Growth

Young businesswoman takes an online course to learn new career skills

Online courses that can help professionals do their job better are among the most valuable courses that you could take.

It’s easy to work in a role for a long time, but not grow in it. You can’t let that happen! If your career isn’t growing, it’s dying.

In order to make yourself an indispensable employee, it’s important to keep up with industry trends and constantly take inventory of the skills you need to do your job exceptionally well. Some companies will even pay for their employees to take courses or certification programs if the employee can prove it will help them do their job better and ultimately benefit the company.

As far as choosing the right online courses, it helps to write out the specific areas where you’re looking to upskill, and then research which courses check off the most boxes. LinkedIn Learning has a diverse course selection and the website Coursera has an extensive library of courses.

Beyond doing your job better and making yourself an indispensable employee, there’s a certain sense of satisfaction that comes with always trying to get better.

Gaining Skills To Make A Career Change

Young professional takes an online course on her laptop in hopes of changing careers

Breaking into a new industry as a result of a career change or layoff is never easy. One of the first major steps a person has to do is an assessment of professional skills. This is where professionals determine what skills they have that are transferable to the new industry, and what skills they’re lacking.

For example, a journalist looking to make a transition into marketing has important communication and writing skills that will transfer well into the industry, but would probably benefit greatly from a course or certification program in online marketing.

Just because a professional completes a course or certification doesn’t mean they’re qualified for the new industry. But, it may put them in a better position to secure a job interview, and it at least shows potential employers a willingness to learn.

If you were laid off and are unsure about your next career move, Work It Daily has free career quizzes that could point you in the right direction.

Gaining Extra Skills To Be A More Well-Rounded Professional

Man wearing headphones takes online career courses on his laptop at work

Taking courses to gain extra skill sets or to pursue an additional passion is a very advantageous position for professionals.

We all have interests beyond our careers, and sometimes our careers turn us on to additional interests. For example, a doctor with a passion for graphic design may take courses about how to develop a freelance business on the side.

Others may take courses to help transition into a new position at their workplace or climb the ladder at the company.

One of the best steps any professional can do is to get ahead of the curve and anticipate skills that they may need in the future. Taking this type of initiative will not only impress your employer but may also help you learn more about yourself as a professional to either excel at your current career or chart a new career course.

Taking Courses For Personal Enjoyment

Man and woman use laptop together to take online career courses

Not every online course that you take has to be career-related. Sometimes it’s good to just take a course for fun or personal satisfaction. The number of courses available online runs the gamut. You can learn a new language, sit in on online lectures from university professors, discover basic life hacks, and hear from prominent people about their success stories.

Expanding your knowledge base can make you a more well-rounded and happier person. This translates well into all aspects of your life.

Online career courses are only a piece of the puzzle. The path to true career growth is putting together a plan for success, and Work It Daily can help!

We’d love it if you signed up for Work It Daily’s Event Subscription! Get your career questions answered in our next live event!

This article was originally published at an earlier date.

Is Your Lack Of Confidence Holding Your Job Search Back?

Is Your Lack Of Confidence Holding Your Job Search Back?

Are you feeling defeated because you’ve done all you could do to attain a job, but have yet to land one? Examine your internal dialogue. Yes, put down the resume, halt the job search, and join me in this deep-dive exercise of exploring your thoughts…

What are your beliefs about your candidacy? What “vibe” are you transmitting during your phone interview, exuding through your body language, projecting with your attire selection, and reinforcing via your resume and cover letter?

If your lack of confidence is holding you back in your job search, try to think about the following:

Others can sense your lack of self-confidence.

Lack of confidence can be “smelled” a mile away. Negativity, cynicism, and a “poor-me” attitude is not attractive at all—no matter how you try to mask it.

While it may seem too simple and bordering on just “self-help” talk, the beliefs we hold about ourselves are fundamental in our success. The concept of reversing negative internal narrative seems simple; however, actually changing what you are thinking, feeling, and exuding is not—but it can absolutely be accomplished!

We guarantee that if you have lost the job offer, perhaps even during a second interview, the person who got hired sold their qualifications with more confidence, was more persuasiveness in promoting their value, and closed the deal (job) by assertively reassuring the employer that they were the best choice!

So, what are possible reasons for your hard-to-detect negative self-talk?

The following could fuel consistent negative beliefs about your value, your opportunities, and your expectations:

1. Shame In Losing Your Job

Woman staring out a window doesn't feel confident in her job search

No need to be ashamed. It happens to everyone at least once. We cannot control what happens in the world and often we cannot control events in our lives. Nevertheless, we CAN control our reaction to what happens to us and we can DECIDE to take action.

2. Internalizing Past Failures

Frustrated man loses confidence after experiencing failure

“Success builds character, failure reveals it.” —Dave Checkett

Enough said?

Well, just in case: judging yourself for past failures builds a false self-image and can impact your self-confidence. Understand that failure is a part of trying and that, while owning up to your failures nurtures intellectual and emotional growth, defining yourself by your failures does not.

3. Desperation

Woman on laptop lacks confidence in her job search

Understandably, if you have been out of work for a very long time, creditors are calling you, and your funds are now very limited, you can easily find yourself in a desperate-feeling place. Yet, we encourage you to adopt a new attitude.

Employers need you. So, while you are applying for jobs online, keep this in mind. Think about the value you bring as you write your resume and disruptive cover letter. You are a business-of-one. What service do you provide for an employer that makes you stand out from the competition? How will you make or save the company money?

By making this change to your mindset during your job search, you’ll come off as confident, not desperate.

4. Habit

Frustrated man on laptop doesn't feel confident in his job search

This is probably the number one reason we all do a little self-berating. We experience disappointment, become frustrated and angry, and sometimes need to justify what has occurred.

Make a conscious choice to be kind to yourself, coach yourself, and pay attention to what you could be saying to yourself—because negative beliefs can make their way onto the visible aspects of your job search.

Break the habit of talking negatively about yourself, and you’ll be surprised by how quickly your confidence recovers.

Begin Today To Change The Direction Of Your Thoughts And Job Search

No matter what strategic job search plan or interview strategy you have in place, if you cannot convince your prospective employer to hire you, your self-marketing tools are pointless.

You cannot sell what you do not believe in and you cannot energize others to believe in you when YOU lack that type of enthusiasm in your own services/skills. Confidence is—and has always been—the key to job search success.

Plus, it feels good to recognize how amazing you really are!

So, begin to take notice. Write down all the reasons why you believe your job search is not fruitful, what your weaknesses are, and why you think you are NOT the best candidate, and then eradicate that thinking. Replace it with positive self-talk and substantiate it with achievements. Ironically, exploring your negative dialogue and reversing it can lead you to discover your UVP (unique value proposition). This is what will get you hired.

Need more help with your job search?

We’d love it if you signed up for Work It Daily’s Event Subscription! Get your career questions answered in our next live event!

This article was originally published at an earlier date.

23 Tough Interview Questions & How To Answer Them

23 Tough Interview Questions & How To Answer Them

Knowing how to answer tough interview questions is a valuable skill for any job-seeker. And while they might seem intimidating at first, they’re quite easy to deal with if you’re prepared. Check out this list of hard questions you’ll likely get asked in your next job interview, and how you should approach your answers. 1. […]

The post 23 Tough Interview Questions & How To Answer Them appeared first on Career Sherpa.

4 Mistakes Job Seekers Make With Their LinkedIn Headline

4 Mistakes Job Seekers Make With Their LinkedIn Headline

Being on LinkedIn is a must today. Not only can you find recent and relevant job openings, but it also opens up the opportunity for employers and recruiters to find you, for you to do research on the company and specific individuals within the organization, and for you to build your professional network.

Most of LinkedIn’s revenues come from recruiters who use it as a major source for finding talent and you want to make sure you come up in their searches. You also want to make sure that your LinkedIn profile is compelling and gets people to want to contact you.

Your LinkedIn headline is the first thing people will see about you when they search for certain skills, job titles, and keywords inside the platform. Here are some mistakes to avoid making in your LinkedIn headline, and a few tips to improve it:

1. Letting It Default To Your Current Job Title & Company

Man on laptop fixes his LinkedIn headline mistakes

When you don’t manually change your LinkedIn headline, it’ll default to your current job title and employer name. While it’s alright to leave it like that, especially if you have a self-explanatory job title and work with an employer that is recognized, you can get better results when you take the time to customize it.

Write a LinkedIn headline that’s relevant to your target audience and includes a few keywords (hard skills). The difference is a LinkedIn headline that reads: “Sales & Marketing Executive | Data Analysis | Social Media | Advertising” instead of “Sales and Marketing at XYZ Company.”

The revised LinkedIn headline does a better job of informing others of what this person does, who they do it for, and what their expertise is.

2. Not Presenting Your Selling Point

Woman on laptop changes her LinkedIn headline

Your LinkedIn headline needs selling points or a value proposition that makes you stand out.

What is it that separates you from someone else who may hold similar skills and experience? Which hard skills or transferable skills will make you a great candidate for the job you’re applying for? That’s what you need to think about.

3. Not Peppering Your LinkedIn Headline With Keywords

Man on laptop edits his LinkedIn headline

If you want your LinkedIn profile to show up in search results, it has to have the relevant keywords recruiters and hiring managers are searching for. Determine what those keywords are and make sure they’re in your LinkedIn headline. Be sure to include the skills needed for the position you want to get, not the one you’re currently in.

Let’s say a recruiter is searching for talent to fill a sales position at a pharmaceutical company that sells cancer drugs. If your LinkedIn headline only reads “Sales Professional,” you’ll probably show up much lower in the search results than someone with a LinkedIn headline that hits on some of the keywords.

An example of a good LinkedIn headline might be:

Sales Executive | Pharmaceutical Sales | Sales Management | Lead Generation

4. Not Being Memorable

Woman brainstorms what to write in her LinkedIn headline

A LinkedIn headline displaying your skills and expertise will entice others to want to know more about you. Work your brainpower to come up with something powerful and unique.

Write a LinkedIn headline so powerful it’ll make recruiters stop scrolling and write down your name!

A major battle job seekers have on LinkedIn is getting others to look at their profiles. But with a customized LinkedIn headline that speaks to the audience you want to reach, you’ll get results.

The LinkedIn headline may only allow 220 characters, but it’s your best chance to stand out to recruiters and get them to view your profile!

Need more help with your LinkedIn profile?

Sign up for our FREE Resume & LinkedIn Bootcamp today to learn how to update your resume and LinkedIn profile the way recruiters want!

14 Practices That Are Roasting Your Consumer Experience

14 Practices That Are Roasting Your Consumer Experience

According to the American Customer Satisfaction Index’s (ACSI) last report Q3 2022, customer satisfaction rates have declined by 5% since 2018. The report also calls out GDP’s decline.

As an accomplished consumer, whether for my business or a new piece for my wardrobe, my own consumer experience index rates 6/10 interactions conclude by walking away from a supplier, retailer, or service provider service request without a satisfactory resolution or positive experience.

My latest service experience required reaching out on (4) separate occasions, each with a different agent, and spending 5 ½ hours with a major tech giant that I’ll never get back, trying to fix an issue with my commercial-grade laptop that appeared out of nowhere. Needless to say, it was a HUGE infringement on my day.

When is the last time you felt ENTRAPPED, dealing personally or professionally with a time-sucking unavoidable glitch or necessary transaction that crashed into your busy life?

You didn’t go looking for it, may have avoided it a time or two, but now it’s SCREAMING your name and demanding action.

Most of us are good sports to make a call or hop on a chat so we can resolve and issue to check a box and get on to the next task. But as the norm for modern consumer experiences has deteriorated into dreaded, time-consuming interactions that elevate our blood pressure, it’s time to speak up for all of my comrades in commerce.

Join me as we:

  • Consider how modern buyer expectations have changed
  • Talk about the all-too-common practices that are driving us away from sellers
  • Focus on the fix so sellers can turn themselves into consumer experience heroes

Modern Consumer Experience Report Card

failing grade, report card concept

After years of indifferent customer service, entitled seller attitudes, and low employee appreciation, the pandemic’s events brought a turning consumer tide in every area of our culture. Workers voted by resigning from undesirable workplaces, enterprise buyers refused spammy sales efforts, and consumers purchased from the retailer with the most seamless and personalized experience.

As modern consumers now demand seamless service across a dozen different communication channels, the stakes are high for inconsistency, limited channels, and a consumer journey filled with undo hassle.

Here are many of the all-too-common experiences that are driving off us consumers and our loyalty.

14 Service & Support Practices To Change NOW To Save Your Consumer Experience

Businessman holding bomb

  1. Setting and neglecting. When is the last time your organization audited your consumer journey with a fine-toothed comb to deliver a smooth end-to-end consumer experience?
  2. Eliminating inbound phone support and replacing it with time-consuming, unintuitive alternatives with a low one-call resolution.
  3. Support interactions that truncate prior to a resolution when navigations don’t render correctly on a device.
  4. Misdirecting callers to agents without needed systems visibility or training to address the complaint.
  5. Repeated agent-to-agent transfers that require callers to re-authorize their identity and re-explain the issue from the beginning when the IVR does not track the conversation, caller’s purpose for the call, complaint, or intention.
  6. Chat sessions that do not audibly alert the caller of agent responses and prematurely terminate the session between responses, requiring the caller to restart a new session and start over.
  7. Agents intentionally terminating calls without cause and without notice.
  8. IVR systems that disconnect for no reason after long wait times.
  9. Call transfers that terminate.
  10. Auto callbacks that leave callers on lengthy holds before an agent joins the call.
  11. IVR systems without an option for a callback vs. holding with no notification of estimated wait times.
  12. Offering chat or email support in lieu of phone support without 24/7 service.
  13. Operating with an overall service and support vibe that communicates that customers have nothing to do but obtain service from your organization, however long it takes.
  14. Operating with an overall service and support vibe that communicates that customers are “lucky” to receive service from your organization.

Inspiration For Service Excellence From Consumer Experience Heroes

Kids dressed as superheroes

While there are plenty of consumer experience foibles to name, let’s take inspiration from the principles that drive the service excellence of a few consumer experience heroes:

Trader Joe’s – Empowering employees to bend the rules to deliver amazing service.

Ritz-Carlton – Inspiring staff to build strong emotional engagement with their guests and empowering them to deliver exceptional service.

Nordstrom – Creating a culture where going above and beyond to take care of customers is expected, encouraged, and praised above all else.

Chick-fil-A – Commitment to be kind to employees and provide heartfelt hospitality to customers with a mindset that: “Every life has a story, and often our customers and our employees, need a little grace and a little space when you deal with them because they are either experiencing a problem, just finished having a problem, or are about to have one.”

What If Your Culture Is On The Wrong Side Of Service Excellence?

Person cleaning

Here’s a high-brow, corporate, three-step process for sellers to produce experience excellence:

  1. Create policies and systems that put customers first every day
  2. Hire empathetic, problem-solving employees
  3. Empower your team members with continual training and tools

But if you sellers really want to get in tune with buyer expectations and the triggers that cause them to hit the eject button, you are going to need to get your hands dirty.

How?

Whether you sell (B2C) business-to-consumer or (B2B) business-to-business, eat your own dog food by auditing your process and consider paying other people to do the same to tell you what’s wrong with it. Make periodic walkthroughs of your end-to-end buyer journey a thing to proactively spot and resolve points of friction until you deliver experience excellence.

If you sell to end consumers, how seamless is your process using a website or mobile app, on different devices, making purchases that require password changes, updates to a cart, changing addresses or credit cards, and applying coupons? Make inquiries prior to, during, and after the sale. And don’t neglect the last mile that preserves goodwill with your consumers. Complete returns with each of the shipping options, including through third-party partners to ensure a hassle-free process.

If you sell to businesses, give up old-school spammy sales and marketing tactics that modern buyers resist. Instead, get crystal clear about your (ICP) ideal customer profile, develop insightful content to educate your prospects and build credibility, distribute it in peer networks where they natively hang out, and engage with them there to collect critical insights about what they care about (pay dirt) to guide your sales and marketing efforts. Turn your website into an un-gated library where prospects can binge on your content anonymously to turn into high-intent buyers, then pursue you for a conversation by submitting a web form once they:

  • Detect that they have a problem
  • Recognize you and your product as a potentially viable solution
  • Have readied themselves internally to engage your team as an initiative

Tedious? Yes, but this is how to deliver excellence in the buyer journey that gains and retains loyal consumers.

For additional insights or help with building, modernizing, or navigating your SaaS buyer journey or consumer experience, please reach me on LinkedIn or at [email protected].

The TikTokification Of Recruiting: What Job Seekers Need To Know

The TikTokification Of Recruiting: What Job Seekers Need To Know

You know how the TikTok algorithm shows you stuff and you start to think, “Oh, it’s fate,” but in reality, it’s the algorithm figuring you out and showing you what you need to see? Well, I predict that’s how you’re going to get your next job.

Using TikTok In Your Job Search

@j.t.odonnell Welcome to the tiktokification side of recruiting! Glad to see your here!♥️ #tiktokification #recruiting #jobs #career #employer #recruiter #jobsearch #jobtips #joblife #2023 #careerhelp #jobtok #careertok #careeradvice #jobforme #job #career ♬ original sound – J.T. O’Donnell

If you don’t already know, my name is J.T. O’Donnell. I’m the founder and CEO of Work It Daily. My company works with employers, helping them create content that magically shows up in your feed so that you find them on TikTok.

Here’s how it works…

  1. You see an employer’s content on TikTok.
  2. The content catches your eye. Maybe you feel connected to its products, mission, or company culture.
  3. You Google the company’s name to learn more about it.
  4. After researching the company, you realize you might like to work there.
  5. You check out the company’s careers page.
  6. You end up choosing the company as an employer, applying for a job you think you’re qualified for.

Why is this job search strategy important? Because we are no longer job seekers.

We are job shoppers. We will not work just anywhere. And smart employers are figuring that out and understand that the TikTokification of recruiting is here.

If you want to start learning about great companies to work for, and you want them to magically show up in your feed and be part of the algorithm, follow me on TikTok. I’ll make sure it happens.

Need more help with your job search?

I’d love it if you signed up for Work It Daily’s Event Subscription! I look forward to answering all of your career questions in our next live event!

Termination: How to Recover from an Unexpected or Traumatic Job Loss

Termination: How to Recover from an Unexpected or Traumatic Job Loss

You might feel one have skills and knuckle down at your job. Might be you maintain the same placement within your company with regard to several years. Your superior might still terminate you will suddenly, though. Perhaps most people did something the leader didn’t like, or might be you did nothing inappropriate. Either way, termination can easily shock you. You should come […]

The article Termination: How to Recuperate from an Unexpected or perhaps Traumatic Job Loss appeared first about Jobacle. com .

“What Does Teamwork Mean To You?” Tips & Example Answers

“What Does Teamwork Mean To You?” Tips & Example Answers

What does teamwork mean to you?” is a powerful question that interviewers love to ask. It provides an excellent opportunity for them to see how you might fit in with their company structure and culture. So naturally, coming up with a strong answer is important. This guide will teach you how to explain what teamwork […]

The post “What Does Teamwork Mean To You?” Tips & Example Answers appeared first on Career Sherpa.