Beyond just a memorable logo, good branding increases the value of a company, provides employees with direction and motivation, and makes acquiring new customers easier. A brand represents the sum of people’s perception of a company’s customer service, reputation, advertising, and logo.

A personal brand is, in many ways, similar to a corporate brand. It is who you are, what you stand for, the values you embrace, and how you express those values. So, as you can tell, having a personal, professional brand is just as important as having a company or corporate brand. Keep in mind that your professional brand must also be memorable. 

A lot goes into the making of a memorable professional brand. If you do not define your professional brand, others will. You can strengthen your professional brand by making sure you create a good reputation, networking, making your voice heard in meetings, and attending conferences. Beyond this, your professional brand must be able to make a good impression when you are not present, especially when you are looking to make a career transition.

These are documents you’ll need throughout your career. Tools you need to help you get to the next position. It’s how you show up on paper and online—the first impression. Whether you are looking to grow into the next position, moving companies, or make a complete transition, your professional branding tools must represent you as a professional. Think about what makes you competitive and how you want others to remember you.

There are three simple steps you should take to making sure that you are building a professional and memorable brand.

Step 1: Resume & Cover Letter: Recruiters spend an average of six seconds reviewing an individual resume. Make them count!

➡️ Resume: Think of how you can seperate yourself from the competition. Recruiters and hiring managers spend an average of 6 seconds browsing at a resume which means you must make them count. Focus on highlighting your accomplishments and write the resume for the job you want. One page if you are just getting started. Two pages for professionals with ten years of experience and three pages for C-Level executives are acceptable.

➡️ Cover Letter: No, this is not old fashioned. Even if they do not require it send it. Even if it’s a fast application online – send a cover letter. PDF your document to include your cover letter and send it as one document. A cover letter is where you tell the recruiter or hiring manager why you’re the person for the job. You compare their requirements with your skills and accomplishments. Show them you’ve done your research and tell them why joining their team would be an excellent fit for both. Keep it to one page.

Step 2: LinkedIn Profile: 95% of recruiters use LinkedIn to find top-notch candidates. Make your LinkedIn profile match your stellar resume and land the interview you want!

➡️ Let’s face it…we live in a digital age. LinkedIn is the professional site where recruiters and hiring managers go to learn more about you. Make sure you are present and control what others see online. Don’t make them have to Google you. LinkedIn is an extension of your resume. Make sure it aligns and make sure you utilize the space to tell them more about you. Get recommendations from others in your network, have a great headshot, and get creative with your cover photo, have it be relevant so that you can stand out. All of this is important and makes a difference. 

Step 3: Interview Preparation: Overcome your fears, refine your pitch, and tackle even the hardest interview questions. Communicate what makes you stand out from the competition and gain the confidence you need to relax at that important interview.

➡️Be prepared…be prepared…be ready. You can have a great resume, but if you do not back it up with a great interview, then it’s useless. Practice your introductions. Practice the questions that are difficult for you. Anticipate what’s going to be asked and get yourself prepared. Preparation includes having questions ready for you to ask the recruiter. Remember that the interview is for both parties. They are interviewing you as much as you should be interviewing them to make sure it’s going to be a great fit. Must I mention that you should look prepared too? What does that mean? Professional at all times. Pull out the jacket or suit even if the company is known to be casual. There is no such thing as being overdressed. Ladies, keep it classy and stay away from low cuts or too tight.

Once you have these tools in place, do not forget to keep them updated. I cannot tell you how many outdated LinkedIn profiles I come across. Imagine how many outdated resumes there are. Is your’s one of them? There is nothing worse than having to rush to update these tools when you are trying to put your name in for a position. Take charge of your career. You don’t have to wait. Be prepared at all times by keeping these tools updated so that you are ready at all times.

Need help with your tools or have a quick question you would like answered? Schedule a complimentary consultation: https://calendly.com/vimariroman/free-consultation

Leading companies are adding new talent to support a digital operating model. To develop sharp insights using digital tools, procurement teams will need data science and analytics expertise.

Leading companies are adding new talent to support a digital operating model. To develop sharp insights using digital tools, procurement teams will need data science and analytics expertise.

In the last few years, I’ve chosen a word of the year. This word has become my theme and guides my actions throughout the year. I’ve come to recognize how much I’ve grown since I’ve incorporated this practice and I now teach my clients to do the same.

If you read my last post “New Year, Same You – Tips to Making 2019 an Extraordinary Year!” then you already know that I am not a big fan of making new year resolutions that will not stick. Instead, I focus on growing. I reflect on my life and my career and where I want to go and then I create goals to help me achieve that growth. Part of this practice is choosing one word that will help me grow during that year.

I typically start this reflection in December because not only is it the end of the year but it’s also my birthday month and what a better time to reflect to set goals for my new year. Last year in 2018 my word came to me during my November 2018 trip to NYC. Why you may ask? It all started because in being in my most mindful state during my trip and living like a New Yorker for a little over a week I had a sudden feeling of hope that I knew I didn’t want to let go off. Then suddenly I started to see the word everywhere. I even came across an Instagram post that broke down HOPE as the acronym for “Help Other People Evolve” and I took that as confirmation that HOPE needed to be my word for the year because that is indeed my mission. In choosing this word in only 18 days I’ve discovered that I’ve been waking up feeling even more positive and looking forward to the day. I decided to do some research and according to The Daily Meditation, Hope helps with the following:

• Hope helps you control your emotions
• Boosts your immune system
• Improves general health
• Reduces stress
• Improves respiration
• Hope is essential for creating self-worth
• Reduces anxiety
• Improves social relationships
• Motivates positive action that leads to real-life success.
• Hope motivates positive actions that will lead to positive results
• Hope helps strengthen the immune system
• Hope improves social relationships (you’ll get more friend being an optimist)
• Hope makes you happy
• Hope broadens and builds your mind

Getting this additional information totally confirmed that I’ve chosen the right word and I cannot wait to see what HOPE brings me in 2019.

Here are some tips on how to choose your word for the year:

1. Reflect: Take a moment to reflect on where you are, how you feel and where you want to be and how you want to feel. Are there patterns you want to break? Is there something missing in your life that you would like to have more off? For example, a few years ago I realized that I needed to become more compassionate towards others. Especially knowing that I was going to transition into becoming a full-time coach. I needed to be compassionate and so, I made compassion my word for that year. Last year I decided that I wanted to feel joyful at all times and to let go of things that did not bring me joy therefore I chose JOY as my word. Choose a word that reflects where you are now and how you want to be or feel the rest of this year and stick with it.
2. Visualize: Visualize your word. Write it down and look at it. Look it up in the dictionary. See what comes up for you.
3. USE it: Utilize it in a sentence and see how you feel. Use it to describe yourself and see if it fits. You will know immediately if that’s your word.

Now that you know how easy it can be to choose a word and some of the benefits it’s time to choose one. What will your word be for 2019?

#wordfortheyear #goals #words #motivation #hope #choice #tips #coachingtips

Share this with your friends on Social Media or Via Email and help them make 2019 extraordinary.  Follow me on Instagram and Facebook @BeProductiveCoaching

About the author: Vimari Roman is a Career & Leadership Coach who helps individuals achieve their peak potential and live a fulfilled life by utilizing their natural gifts and talents (also known as strengths). 

January New Year – New Client Special 50% off – One on One Coaching Three Month Package – Twelve (12) 30 min sessions for only $480 

Call or Email to reserve the discount: 786-340-3174 [email protected]

The first Monday of 2019 has come and gone, the first full week of 2019 has officially started and the anticipation of the New Year has sort of faded. You are back to work, kids are back at school and you sort of feel like the same person you were on Dec 31st. Well, that’s because you are the same person and that’s totally okay.

So many of us get anxious as the New Year approaches and our minds go crazy with anticipation of what we will accomplish, what resolutions we will make and how we can become brand new, then January 1st comes along and boom we are still the same person. What happened? We then get slowly into the New Year but we put off the diet, the going to the gym, the goal, the calls because Jan 1st falls in the middle of the week and we can start everything on Monday but Monday rolls around and… New Year and you are the same you. Does this sound familiar?

If this sounds familiar then that’s because perhaps you have not made the internal changes that need to be made. Change needs to come from within. Quality of life comes from our own feelings and emotions. You can make 2019 an extraordinary year by the way you show up.

Cultivate how you want to feel by creating deliberate habits and incorporating the following internal changes:

* Be Kind – to yourself and others

* Let Go – of all the pressure and negativity, be stressfree

* Be Present – slow down, be still, be mindful

* Be Respectful – of yourself and others

* Don’t Judge – yourself or others and look at yourself and others with dignity and love

* Keep Your Word – to yourself and others. Don’t break promises that you make, especially to yourself.

* Be Grateful – it’s the little things. Where focus goes energy flows. Focus on what you are grateful for.

Create these habits by using the 21/90 rule: It takes 21 days to break or make a habit and if you do it for 90 days then it becomes a way of life.

Once you commit to making the internal changes then you can start to reflect on the previous year, your life and the goals you want to set for the year.

Here’s how you can make 2019 an extraordinary year without the anxiety of the New Year resolutions:

* Get Clear: Do a self-assessment of where you are in every area of your life.

* Create a Vision: Who do you want to be? What kind of person do you want to become? On Dec 31, 2019, what do you want to look back to and be proud of?

* Set Goals: Set Goals that support the person you want to be in the next 12 months so that you can have an extraordinary 2019. Be ambitious about your goals and take command of your life by making them happen.

New Year Goal Setting

In the last several years I’ve broken up my life into twelve (12) areas and I’ve written a minimum of three (3) new year goals for each of those areas.

As we enter in 2019, I invite you to do the same. Following I share the twelve (12) areas (in no particular order). If you feel there is an area that I left out, go ahead and insert that area into your goals for the new year. If you would like me to email you the free New Year Goal Setting worksheet email me at [email protected]

Here are some tips for getting ready to set your new year goals:

• Get yourself into a relaxed state of mind (meditate or pray and take some deep breaths)
• Sage or light up a candle or incent (this is a good way to cleanse the room that you are going to be sitting in and bring in good energy)
• Grab your favorite pen or pencil and write your goals on a piece of paper or in your journal.
• Dream: Be open and do not limit yourself.

Start by writing the following statement at the top of the page:

“I accept these things into my life now or something better for my highest good and for the highest good of all concerned.”

1. ATTITUDE: MENTAL/EMOTIONAL – EXAMPLE: Do not judge, Let go and let God, Be Fearless, Be Joyful, Have more focus, etc.
2. RELATIONSHIPS: SIGNIFICANT OTHER/FAMILY/FRIENDS – EXAMPLE: Date nights, Talk to my dad once a week, Spend time with my mom.
3. SPIRITUAL – EXAMPLE: Pray daily, meditate, etc.
4. PHYSICAL/HEALTH – EXAMPLE: Detox, exercise three times a week, etc.
5. CAREER – EXAMPLE: Change jobs, go for promotion, etc
6. EDUCATION/LEARNING – EXAMPLE: Get a certification, finish a degree, etc.
7. FINANCIAL – EXAMPLE: Refinance house, pay off debts, etc.
8. PLEASURE – EXAMPLE: Girls night out once per month, bowling weekly, etc.
9. SERVICE/MISSION – EXAMPLE: Volunteer, Donate, etc.
10. CREATIVITY – EXAMPLE: Take guitar lessons, draw, journal, etc.
11. TRAVEL/ADVENTURE – EXAMPLE: France, Skydive, etc.
12. GENERAL – EXAMPLE: anything else you may want to set a goal for or that you want to pay extra focus to like your romantic relationship or a big project.

Once you write out your goals:

• Put them away in a safe place where you can access them monthly and take a look to see how they are coming along.
• Choose one day out of the next 12 months that you will view your goals and evaluate your progress.

You can also:

• Create a vision board that supports these goals. Not sure how to do this? I am a powerful manifestor and I can show you how. Join my free upcoming online workshop or join in person for just $25. Contact me to learn more: [email protected]
• If you are an overachiever then you can write your goals using the Rapid Planning Method (RPM) – this will break down each goal on how you are going to achieve it. I teach this method to my coaching clients and you too can learn it. Contact me to learn more:[email protected]

Now get going and get started in making your 2019 an extraordinary year!

Want to learn more about how I can help you make 2019 extraordinary? Book a complimentary 30 min. discovery coaching call by visiting my booking calendar and choosing a time that works best for you: https://calendly.com/vimariroman

Know someone who needs to make 2019 extraordinary? Share with your friends on social media, via email or LinkedIn.

January New Year – New Client Special 50% off – One on One Coaching – Three Month Package – Twelve (12) 30 min sessions for only $480 Reserve Here or call 786-340-3174

Leading companies are adding new talent to support a digital operating model. To develop sharp insights using digital tools, procurement teams will need data science and analytics expertise.

I received a call yesterday from a new prospective client who found me on Craigslist….yes, Craigslist. It turns out that as I was exploring ways of getting new clients earlier this year and I happen to be selling something old on Craigslist when the thought came to me to place a $5 AD focusing on my Resume Writing and Interview Coaching services.

Why you may ask?

Well, I realized that not everyone understands what “Coaching” is and how it can benefit them but everyone does need a resume (not to mention most resumes are horrific – but I’ll leave that for another post), and I figured there could be a chance that people may look for this service on Craigslist. It turns out that I was right.

After a few minutes of speaking to my new prospective client yesterday, he asked how much it would be for me to write his resume and although my pricing is clearly noted on the AD, I gave him the quote. He immediately responded that my quote was higher than what he had hoped to “spend” but that he would have to end up spending it because he was in desperate need of a resume as he needed to apply for a new position the next day. I explained that he was not “spending” he was “investing” and I agreed that I could certainly meet his deadline and would not charge extra for that.

When I asked if he already had an existing resume that he can send me he confessed that he recently spent $60 on someone with an HR background to do his resume but when he looked at it the day before and printed it he realized what a crappy job that person had done (why he didn’t go back to get his money or revise it is another story). Before I could speak the words he took them right out of my mouth and said: “I guess you get what you pay for”. I could not help smile and reply “exactly”. I went on explaining that is the exact reason why the AD he read on Craigslist says “Don’t forget…you get what you pay for!”

Turns out my new client’s resume is actually costing him and upward of $259 because he didn’t want to invest in the first place. Why an upward? Because time is money. The time he spent going on Craigslist to find a new service provider, the time that he took to call me, the time he took to speak to me, the time he took to email me his current resume and then the time he took to answer my questions all have value. The question is…how much is his time worth? How much is YOUR time worth?

So, the next time you are thinking of making an investment in yourself think about this: “You get what you pay for!”

Interested in having me look at your resume or considering coaching? Book a complimentary 30 min. discovery coaching call by visiting my booking calendar and choosing a time that works best for you: https://calendly.com/vimariroman

Welcome to a brand new month. A brand new quarter. A new beginning. The ability to start something new or depending on your perspective the opportunity to finish the year strong. 

I ❤ October. The weather is nice, the mood of the holidays is fast approaching and the end of the year is only 3 months away. 

But like you, I remember the days of entering Q4 and feeling the anxiety of my 2018 goals and wanting to finish the year strong. 

As we enter the first week of October this is the perfect time to pull out your journals or notebooks and look back on the goals you set for yourself in December or January.

Here are 5 tips to finish 2018 strong:

1 – Review your year:

• Write down your biggest success and shortlist actions you can replicate next year. 
• Do the same for your biggest failure. Write down what you have learned and preventive actions. 

2 – Review your goals:

• Reevaluate where you are as of today.
• Take a look at how far you’ve come.
• Establish what you can do in the next three months to accomplish those goals.

3 – Review your relationships:

• Both professional and personal.
• How are they doing?
• Are there any that may need some work?
• Are there any decisions that need to be made?

4 – Review your health:

• How are you feeling?
• Is it time to get back on track with your exercise routine?
• Do you need to eat better as we get ready to welcome the holiday season?
• Are there any pending doctor appointments you need to confirm?

5 – De-Clutter Mentally and Environmentally:

• Check items off your to-do list. The shorter the list the more you will enjoy the holidays.
• Get all the “must do” items or things you have been procrastinating out of the way.
• Delegate whatever you can.
• Donate items you do not use.
• Tidy up your desk and your emails.

The idea is to do whatever you can to feel good about ending your year strong and starting the New Year journey with as little baggage as possible. Think and plan S.M.A.R.T. 

Need a little accountability? Book a complimentary 30 min. discovery coaching call by visiting my booking calendar and choosing a time that works best for you: https://calendly.com/vimariroman

Find these tips useful?

Share with your friends on social media, via email or LinkedIn.

In the last two years, I’ve been actively assisting clients in many different industries in updating their resumes. During this time I’ve noticed a trend that I am hoping to help with. Nine (9) out of ten (10) resumes that I review are missing the 3 key elements that make a resume: Strengths, Skills, and Achievements

As a courtesy, I just reviewed a past colleagues resume in order to provide feedback and once again, their resume was missing these three key elements. Hence what has prompted this post.

These elements are what will help you stand out from your competitors. Think of your resume as your brochure; your marketing tool. It must tell the story of who you are and your background but most importantly it must start with the “Why?“.

• Why should your potential employer stop to read your resume out of the stack of 100?
• Why are you the best candidate?
• Why should they call you in for an interview?

To determine the “Why”, think your professional experience as it is relevant to the job that you will be applying for and ask yourself the following questions for each of the past positions you will be listing on your resume:

• What has made me stand out at work?
• What have I brought to the table?
• What do my bosses recognize and mention that I am doing well during my annual reviews?
• What do I love to do?
• What are my natural strengths and talents? What comes naturally?
• What strong skills do I have that my colleagues do not have or that are stronger than theirs?
• What am I proud of?
• How have I made a difference at my job?
• If I am gone, how would I be remembered?
• How have I contributed to the success of the business?
• What schooling or training do I have?
• What are some of the skills I’ve learned through my hands on experience?

After you ask yourself these questions you should have a list of top skills, strengths and accomplishments that you can incorporate into the body of your resume.

Now you may ask yourself, what is the difference and why are these three key elements so important? I’ll tell you why!

Strengths: Strengths are tasks or actions that you can do well and make you stand out from your colleagues. These include talents, knowledge, and skills. People use these traits and abilities in their daily lives to complete work, relate with others, and to achieve goals. Everybody has their own set of strengths. By discovering what your strengths are you learn how to use your natural talents every day so you can thrive in life and at work. Instead of wasting time trying to fix your weaknesses, learn how to develop and apply your strengths for success. To help you identify your strengths ask yourself the following:

1. How do you absorb, think about and analyze information and situations?
2. How do you make things happen?
3. How do you influence others? How do you build and nurture strong relationships?

For example your strengths may look like this: Strategic, Focus, Communication, Development

Skills: Key skills are work-related skills that you need to do a job. Most often, you can find key skills in job descriptions. Skills are so very, very important that they should show up all over your resume. Not just in the resume skills section. There are soft skills and hard skills. When you’re deciding what resume skills to add, technical and other expert-level know-how should definitely get first dibs.

Certain soft skills, like those that signal leadership, negotiation, and communication skills, are great to add to your resume in moderation and where appropriate. But be selective. You want to be avoid being overly fluffy. Employers are looking for concrete skills. If they’re filling an engineering position, they don’t care how ‘outgoing’ you are.

The Difference Between Hard Skills and Soft Skills

What Are Hard Skills? Hard skills are teachable abilities or skill sets that are easy to quantify. Typically, you’ll learn hard skills in the classroom, through books or other training materials, or on the job.

Here’s a list of typical hard skills to include on a resume:

• Proficiency in a foreign language
• A degree or certificate
• Machine operation
• Computer programming
• Accounting
• SEO/SEM Marketing
• Bookeping
• Planning / Event Planning
• Project Management
• Data Analysis

What Are Soft Skills? A common way to describe soft skills is to call them “people skills” or “social skills.” Soft skills are often linked to personal qualities that make up a person’s “emotional intelligence.”

Examples of soft skills include:

• Communication
• Ability to Work Under Pressure
• Decision Making
• Time Management
• Self-motivation 
• Conflict Resolution
• Leadership
• Adaptability 
• Teamwork
• Creativity
• Relationship Building

Achievements: This is the area that most miss. Remember when a resume mainly listed responsibilities? That’s a thing of the past. Responsibilities are job descriptions pure and simple. Today, employers want to know what you actually achieved—delivered based on key organizational goals. Achievements is what you brought to the table. How you made a difference in the organization.

What qualifies as resume achievements? Think about sales performance, increased team efficiencies, new policies, procedures, and systems … stuff like this.

They want to know how you performed—the results of your efforts, not just a description of your job functions.

For example: Replace such statements as “managed marketing department” with “optimized department by building a marketing team that focused on media needs and captured 15% more market share.”

Stand out and get the attention, promotion, salary, and recognition you deserve by not ignoring these 3 key elements and I promise you will have a resume that will be worth more than 3 seconds.

If you rather have someone help you and want to learn how I can be of assistance schedule a call on my calendar at a time that is convenient for you: https://calendly.com/vimariroman

www.beproductivecoaching.com

“Move out of your comfort zone. You can only grow if you are willing to feel awkward and uncomfortable when you try something new.” Brian Tracy

♡

This year has been the year that I have decided to push my boundaries. I am purposely stepping out of my comfort zone weekly in order to continue growing. Stepping out of your comfort zone is not always easy. But once you do, I promise that the feeling will be amazing.

♡

We have reached July 2nd – the first Monday of the mid-year point. This is a good time to look at the last six months, evaluate your goals, do some shifting if you need to and step out of your comfort zone.

Here are 12 ways you can push yourself out of your comfort zone daily:

1. Take the first stepAll you need to do is to take the first step. It will be difficult. The first day at the gym is the worst. The opening line of your story takes the longest time….etc. But as you gain momentum, it is easier to keep moving.

2. Put yourself in a new environment

Begin with some small changes that do not present any real threat, such as eating at a different restaurant in a different part of town, or attending an art exhibit. The idea is to place yourself in new areas where you control the interaction.

3. Don’t pick the safe choice

Every time you’re making a choice, one choice is the safe/comfortable choice, and one choice is the risky/uncomfortable choice. The risky/uncomfortable choice is the one that will teach you the most and make you grow the most, so that’s the one you should choose.

4. Take a different route home

If you drive or walk a different route, you will see different things. In a small way, that increases your view of the world. That is just an easy way to start. After that, you can make more drastic changes. Eventually, you will feel comfortable thinking out of the box. 

5. Make a snap decisionIt doesn’t have to be a life-or-death decision. Anything from choosing a restaurant to shopping. Just make a choice that’s unusual for your routine without overthinking it.

If that still sounds daunting, flip a coin. Yes, I am serious! Flip a coin over the decision and stick to it. I do it all the time and end up glad that I did (mostly).

Eliminating the need for mulling over a decision greatly boosts the process of stepping out of our comfort zones. Plus, snap decisions instill a feeling of self-trust. So, like Nike ‘just do it.’

6. Consider other points of view

Surround yourself with very smart people who are a little bit arrogant and disagree with you on many things. Make sure to debate ideas with them, in a civil way, which will cause you to re-examine your beliefs.

7. Say “yes” more often

Say yes even when you don’t think you’re ready. … If you are working, say yes to new projects, new assignments, new roles — even when you have not done it before. It opens up huge opportunities in your career. Who knows — you might find yourself enjoying something you never got the chance to explore earlier.

8. Volunteer

Preferably, make it a learning experience. Pick something you’re very unfamiliar with and soak up everything you can while also making yourself useful.

9. Do what you’re afraid of 

New mindset. It goes like this: Does this scare me? Then I have to do it. That’s how you conquer fear. It never goes away, you just learn how to ride that energy.

10. Create challenges to push yourself in areas you want to improve

Decide on a few challenges (and their triggers) for yourself designed to push you outside of your comfort zone in areas you want to develop.

• Next time you see a handsome boy or girl (trigger) you have to go and talk to him/her (challenge).

• Next time you go buy a cup of coffee (trigger) ask for a 10% discount (challenge).

• Next time you find yourself making eye contact with a stranger (trigger) keep it until they look away (challenge).

• Next time someone asks you how you are (trigger) respond by saying you are great/fantastic instead of just ‘good’ (challenge).

Just focus on these triggers and don’t make any excuses. It’ll become a habit after a while.

11. Allow others to decide for you

I make all the travel plans for my husband and I. If he was in charge we wouldn’t go anywhere. So, catch hold of friends who are more outgoing than you. Let them make the plans, and just go with it.

12. Remember that tomorrow is a new day

It helps to remember that what doesn’t kill you generally really does make you stronger — you will survive, you will heal, you will learn something, you will have a better chance of emerging unscathed next time.

♡

My challenge to you today is to put some of these into practice this next couple of weeks to step out of your comfort zone then email me at [email protected] and let me know how it goes.

Know someone that could step out of their comfort zone? Share with them via Facebook, Email or Twitter.