by Angela Copeland | Jun 5, 2015 | Advice, Media
My latest Memphis Daily News column is out, “The Importance of LinkedIn.”
There’s a question I hear at least once a week, “Should I have a LinkedIn account?” Job seekers often wonder if LinkedIn is a waste of their time, if anyone will ever see their profile, and if they need a photo. Absolutely, without a doubt, my answer is always yes.
Yes, recruiters really do use LinkedIn. Yes, you can use LinkedIn to stay connected to colleagues. Yes, your LinkedIn profile will show up when someone searches for your name on Google. And, yes, you need a photo.
To read my entire article, and learn how you can make LinkedIn work for you, visit the Memphis Daily News website here.
by Angela Copeland | Jun 2, 2015 | Advice, Podcast
Episode 54 of the Copeland Coaching Podcast is now live! This week we talk with Molly Lavik, Founder of Mentor InSight in Los Angeles, CA.
Molly is also a mentor, author, and professor. While spending thousands of hours teaching MBA classes and advising corporate leaders over the past twenty years, Molly developed a deep understanding of the challenges we all face in achieving our goals. This led her to create a new medium known as Mentorographies: autobiographies with an explicitly educational purpose. Through her company, Mentor InSight, she interviewed hundreds of superachievers to share the lessons of their accomplishments. She then put those lessons to use to help anyone with big dreams attain what she likes to call “superachievement” or “Going Supernova.”
Listen and learn more! You can play the podcast here, or download it for free on Apple Podcasts. If you enjoy the program, subscribe today to the Copeland Coaching Podcast on Apple Podcasts or Stitcher to ensure you don’t miss an episode!
To learn more about Molly, visit the Mentor InSight website at http://www.mentorinsight.net.
by Angela Copeland | Jun 1, 2015 | Advice, Newsletter
One issue I face often in my coaching practice is the MBA — Master of Business Administration. Some clients wonder if they should get one. Others wonder why their MBA isn’t worth more.
Typically, if you’re going back to school for a MBA, it’s for one of a handful of reasons:
- You want to transition your career into a new field (from engineering to marketing, for example)
- You want to learn the skills necessary for management
- You want to use it to work your way up the ladder
It’s typically not just because you want to learn for the sake of learning. MBA candidates are looking for value.
So, how do you decide if you should go back?
Recently, I’ve encountered a number of MBA grads who have been very disappointed with their degrees.
Why? Because their employers don’t take them seriously. They spent lots of time and money earning them, and nobody cares. They didn’t get a raise. Future employers don’t acknowledge their new degrees. It’s like they never went back.
How could this be? Are MBAs just not worth anything anymore?
I believe they are still worth something. But, you need to make your decisions carefully. There have been many for profit institutions in the news lately for questionable practices. When you select a school, first look to be sure yours has positive press.
Then, ask the school for their “post graduation report.” Most schools publish how much their graduates are making, and which companies they’re working for. Compare the average starting salary to how much you’re making now. Is it considerably more? If not, you may want to look at a different school.
Think hard before picking an online program. Taking classes from the comfort of your home can be attractive. But, don’t be fooled. A big part of what you get from your MBA is:
- Learning from in person class discussions with your classmates
- A solid network that you can reach out to in the future
MBA school is not just about what you can learn from books. And, employers know that.
If you do an online only MBA, make sure it’s a very reputable one. Otherwise, you may find yourself in the camp with the folks who find their MBA to be worthless.
It’s also important to consider the total ROI for a MBA program. For example, when I went to Pepperdine, I quit my full-time job and moved to LA. I didn’t work during my 15-month program. To cover my personal expenses and tuition, I saved money in advance and took out student loans.
It was important for me to look at whether forgoing my salary for over a year and taking on student loan debt made financial sense. For me, it did. Upon graduation, my market value had doubled. Talk about a quick ROI.
To calculate the potential return of the program you’re considering, you can look online for a MBA school ROI calculator. Here’s one that Forbes has on their website.
A MBA can completely change the path of your career in a positive way. But, it can also be a total bust. Before you enroll in a program, do your homework to ensure that the program you select really will meet your goals, and reasons for going back.
I hope these tips have helped you. Visit CopelandCoaching.com to find more tips to improve your job search. If I can be of assistance to you, don’t hesitate to reach out to me here.
Also, be sure to subscribe to my Copeland Coaching Podcast on Apple Podcasts and Stitcher where I discuss career advice every Tuesday! If you’ve already heard the podcast and enjoy it, please consider leaving a review in Apple Podcasts or Stitcher.
Happy hunting!
Angela Copeland
@CopelandCoach
by Angela Copeland | May 29, 2015 | Advice, Media
My latest Memphis Daily News column is out, “Talent Takes the Wheel.”
As the economy continues to improve, employers are beginning to think of what they can do to attract and retain the best talent. In fact, I was just asked for tips on this very topic by a local employer.
Indeed.com recently released an interesting new study, “The Talent Driven Economy: Emerging Interests of Today’s Job Seeker.” The study notes that when the recession was at its worst in 2009, there was only one job available for every 6.2 unemployed job seekers. Those looking for a job were just happy to have one. Today, there’s one job available for every 1.7 unemployed job seekers.
This is great news, both for the unemployed and for the employed who have been waiting to move on to a new job for a few years.
Indeed’s report focuses on the interests of today’s job seekers, including the types of job searches that are growing and other influencing factors.
To learn about all the findings of the Indeed study and what it might mean for your job search, read my entire Memphis Daily News column here.
by Angela Copeland | May 26, 2015 | Advice, Podcast
Episode 52 of the Copeland Coaching Podcast is now live! This marks our one year anniversary of the podcast, and of sharing great career and interview tips with you.
This week we talk with Juliana Schroeder, Ph.D. Candidate at the University of Chicago, Booth School of Business in Chicago, IL.
Juliana shares findings from her study, “The Sound of Intellect” including factors that can positively impact your job interviews — and increase your chances of being hired.
Listen and learn more! You can play the podcast here, or download it for free on Apple Podcasts. If you enjoy the program, subscribe today to the Copeland Coaching Podcast on Apple Podcasts or Stitcher to ensure you don’t miss an episode!
To learn more about Juliana’s work, visit her website at http://home.uchicago.edu/~jrschroeder.
by Angela Copeland | May 22, 2015 | Advice, Media
My latest Memphis Daily News column is out, “Death to Reply-All.”
In the past two decades, the way we communicate has completely changed. Twenty years ago, email was somewhat of a novelty. Today, it’s a necessity.
It’s often more important you have access to your email than your office, or even your phone. Along with changes in our methods have come updates to the etiquette we use to communicate. When it comes to email, it’s important to pay attention to the unspoken rules to effectively get your message across.
A personal pet peeve is the reply-all. Reply-all allows you to send an email to an entire group after you receive a message addressed to a large number of people. The problem is, many people use it ineffectively.
Use reply-all to convey an important message to the entire group. Avoid using reply-all to say things like “Thanks,” or “Me too,” or “I can’t make that event, but have fun.” Just because no one speaks up doesn’t mean they haven’t noticed or are not at least a little annoyed. The worst part about reply-all is it’s like a virus. After one person does it, everyone else jumps on board.
There are many more e-mail practices to keep in mind. To learn all of them, read my entire Memphis Daily News column here.
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