by Angela Copeland | May 18, 2015 | Advice, Newsletter, Personal Brand
One of the questions I’m asked over and over again is, “What should I wear?” What should I wear to an interview? What should I wear to work? When should I dress up or down?
The answer to this question can be tricky. When I started my career in engineering, I wore a golf shirt, khaki pants, and steel-toed boots. As a project manager, I wore business casual most days. As a member of corporate management, I often wore a suit.
In a way, what you wear to work is as much a costume as anything else. It’s what you put on to be taken seriously each day. It’s what allows you to fit into your environment.
On one hand, you want to be yourself. On the other, your number one goal at work isn’t to make friends. It’s to get things done.
And, unfortunately, people judge you for what you wear. So, what should you wear?
When it comes to interviews, a good rule of thumb is to find someone on the inside to quietly ask in advance. If you’re interviewing at a corporation or traditional business, a suit is often the correct choice. Stick with neutral colors in your suit, your shoes, and your makeup.
But, if you’re interviewing at an advertising agency or a start-up, the full suit look could really turn folks off. Consider something slightly less formal, and with creative accents. Add a little more color than you would at a corporation to show creativity is part of your brand.
When it comes to day to day wear, it’s often best to take hints from those around you. In a creative environment, you will want your style to look more up to date. Similar to when you were interviewing, you’ll want to add in more color, more creativity, and more of your personal brand.
But, if you work at a corporate, beware. It may seem fun to stand out initiatlly. You may be known as the one with the interesting hair, crazy shoes, or big tattoos. But, it’s likely in a corporate environment that’s all you’ll ever be. That person with the unusual look. It’s less likely you’ll be considered for promotions or management roles if you don’t fit into the corporate culture.
It’s sad, but true.
Now, I’m not trying to tell you not to be yourself. If you have no career aspirations of moving up, by all means, wear what you feel the most at home in.
But, if you plan to move ahead, you need to consider your wardrobe carefully. Selecting the wrong “personal brand” for your environment can sideline you in a way you never expect, and may never know for sure. It’s rare that someone will be truly honest with you if your style is causing you to be overlooked.
Again, I’m not encouraging you to not be yourself. But, consider your environment and think of your goals. Remember you’re at work to make a living, not to make friends. Friends are a great bonus, but you also need to stay focused on your goals. And, sometimes, especially in corporate, part of reaching that goal is being able to fit in along the way.
If you do have a strong personal identity that clashes with your work, remember that you can always wear your favorite clothes at home, outside of the office.
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 15, 2015 | Advice, Media
My latest Memphis Daily News column is out, “The Power of Grit.”
This NBA basketball season has been an exciting one for the Memphis Grizzlies. If nothing else, Mike Conley’s recent injury and subsequent return to the game has demonstrated that the Grizzlies, and the city of Memphis, have some serious grit.
Grit is defined as having perseverance and passion for long-term goals. A gritty person is able to stay the course in the face of adversity and setbacks, often not requiring much outside positive encouragement. They find the strength from within.
The concepts behind grit have been around for years. But, in 2013, educator and researcher Angela Lee Duckworth got the world talking when she introduced the idea of grit during a moving TED Talk. She became interested in grit when as a teacher, she noticed that it was often not her most intelligent students who were doing the best in her class. It was the grittiest.
In fact, when it comes to careers, much of our success also is determined by how gritty we are. To learn where grit comes from, and how to become grittier, read my entire column here.
Go Grizzlies!
by Angela Copeland | May 12, 2015 | Advice, Podcast
Episode 51 of the Copeland Coaching Podcast is now live!
This week we talk with Roy Kaufmann, Director of Public Relations at Lewis and Clark College in Portland, OR.
Roy shares how he got started in public relations, what it was like to be a speech writer for the Governor of Oregon, and how you can be a better public speaker.
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 the Lewis and Clark College, visit their website at www.lclark.edu.
by Angela Copeland | May 11, 2015 | Advice, Newsletter
Congratulations to all the newly minted graduates out there! Whether you have completed your undergraduate degree, or another degree, you should be proud! School takes a tremendous amount of time, energy, and money.
Now that you’re starting a new chapter, the next question is — What are the best (and worst) jobs?
I had the opportunity to speak with Marybeth Conley and Alex Coleman this week on Live @ 9 about just this topic!
WalletHub.com recently released a report of the best and worst jobs. Essentially, they assessed over 100 different types of entry-level jobs. The jobs were rated on key metrics including: average starting salary, number of job openings, unemployment rate, projected job growth, income growth potential, fatal injuries, and long work hours.
Overall, jobs that are rated highly include different types of engineering, law, and analyst positions. Many of the jobs were focused around the STEM fields — science, technology, engineering, and math.
Computer related jobs were also rated very highly. Unfortunately, the study found that approximately 17% of those jobs will be cut by 2022. This is likely due to efficiencies being created, along with the outsourcing of tech jobs to other countries.
The jobs rated lower on Wallet Hub’s report were more labor intensive, with longer hours, and a higher risk for physical injury. Included on the list were sheet metal mechanic, welder, and floor assembler.
Although money isn’t everything — it’s surprising just how much jobs can vary in salary. For example, a tax attorney makes 6 TIMES that of a teaching assistant. And, a drilling engineer makes 5 TIMES more than a bank teller.
In fact, most universities publish what’s called a “post graduation report.” They list by major how much their average graduates are making in their first year after graduation.
The University of Memphis reports that some of their top paying majors are engineering, computer science, and nursing. Christian Brothers University reports a few of their top majors are finance and engineering.
But, you may wonder — what does “top paying major” really mean? Well, many of the engineering students at the University of Memphis are reporting starting salaries above $50,000. On the other hand, philosophy majors have starting salaries just over $17,000.
This is a huge gap! And, for a degree that costs roughly the same amount of money in student loans to earn.
Check other schools too. You’d be surprised at how much starting salaries between schools can vary for the very same majors. For example, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in Troy, NY reports that their average computer science major’s first job out of college pays over $85,000. Chemical engineers from RPI are starting out above $75,000, and business majors are starting above $59,000.
The purpose of checking multiple schools is to understand the projected return on investment for each program. In the end, you want to find the school with the highest value. Ideally, you want to find the program with the lowest tuition offering the highest starting salary.
If you’ve already graduated with a particular degree (and most of us have!), it may be too late to switch careers to one of these highly specialized jobs like engineering or law. But, if you’re still deciding, if you’re considering going back to school, or if you have children who are deciding, this can be useful information. It makes your decision more about facts and results, and less about a random choice.
To watch my interview on WREG Live @ 9 about the best and worst jobs for graduates, click here.
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 8, 2015 | Advice, Media, Salary
Thank you to Marybeth Conley and Alex Coleman for inviting me back to Live @ 9 on Wreg News Channel 3 to talk jobs.
Here’s a graduation gift for the class of 2015.
Jobs!
College grads can look forward to the best employment outlook since before the recession.
Wallet Hub recently came out with its report on the best and worst entry-level jobs.
Watch my interview for hints and tips on the best jobs for those just starting their careers.
by Angela Copeland | May 8, 2015 | Advice, Media
My latest Memphis Daily News column is out, “What to Do After a Big Raise.”
As today’s professionals are learning, the fastest way to get a big raise is to switch jobs. Often, staying at the same job will put an additional 2 to 3 percent in your pocket each year. That’s not enough to keep up with the rising costs of rent, food or much of anything.
Picture this. You’ve been working for years to get a promotion. Finally, you land it! You get much more money, an impressive title, a better office and maybe even more vacation. It’s an incredibly exciting time in your life. What should you do now?
This is a tough question that comes up every day and deserves a closer look. Because of the difficulty involved in earning more money, we often feel entitled to do something with it – something fun, something big.
A few very common choices are: buy a new car, move to a bigger house in a nicer neighborhood, schedule a lavish vacation or purchase gifts for your loved ones. After all, you’ve earned it. It’s your money. You deserve it, right?
Technically, the answer is yes. But, you may want to think again. Read my entire Memphis Daily News column here for finance-saving alternatives.
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