9 Words I'm Sick of Using

The more that I speak, coach, train, and write, the more I realize that I rely on a just a handful of words for the majority of my communication. While there’s nothing inherently wrong with any of these words, and it’s not as if I’m saying them to the same people over and over again each day, over the last few weeks I’ve been finding my creativity stymied. And I suspect it may by my eagerness to go to my comfort words both in my oral and written communication that’s locking me up.

So last night, while having a few friends over for a couple’s fondue party, I gave myself the challenge to use words I don’t typically have reason to say when appropriate to the topic being discussed. While I discovered that sometimes using a familiar word or phrase is necessary (I got a lot of puzzled looks when I said octogenarian when older adult would have sufficed), I’m nevertheless going to try my darndest NOT to use the following 9 words through the end of the workweek (except for in my Future Proof Your Potential Group Coaching Tele-class. I can’t talk about authentic pitching without saying at least half of these) and see what I learn.

1. Authenticity
2. Branding
3. Possibilities
4. Discover (Yes, I said this above. I’m starting my experiment once this posts.)
5. Networking
6. Millennial(s)
7. Integrity
8. Aha (I know this isn’t a word, but trust me, it deserves a place on this list!)
9. Payoff

Do you ever find that you are recycling the same words and phrases in your communication?

Is it solely out of routine? Professional necessity? Or might there be some unchecked employer/client/people pleasing in effect?

Please share your insights!

Why Michelle Obama is Good for Millennial/Gen Y Women

1. She lives in integrity.
A person who lives in integrity consistently shapes her beliefs, thoughts, feelings, and actions from her core values. Michelle Obama is the quintessential integrity-driven leader. She has been able to be Mother-in-Chief while still championing the causes she cares about most- education, health and wellness, military families, and education, among others.

2. She has exploded the definition of sexy.
Michelle Obama dances effortlessly between J. Crew, Isabel Toledo, Narciso Rodriguez, and Jason Wu. Her arms have earned her respect throughout the world. But the First Lady hasn’t just buffed up her physique. She’s also flexed many a cognitive muscle. She graduated cum laude from Princeton and magna cum laude from Harvard Law School. But her ultimate sex appeal has come from fusing her commitment to social justice with the ability to command a six-figure salary. Sexy is finding your calling, letting it catalyze a career, and bringing home the bread. And knowing that while you don’t need to apologize for staying out of the kitchen if you can best provide value elsewhere, you can still whip up a mean apple cobbler and shrimp linguine if/when you get the urge.

3. She Has Re-envisioned Work-Life Balance
Michelle Obama understands that while a woman can “have it all,” she can’t have it all at the same time. When asked in Time’s June 1st “The Meaning of Michelle” why she would sacrifice her career for her husband, the First Lady pushed back by saying, “I’m 45 years old. When this is over and my kids are grown… I’ll still be in the prime of my professional life, as far as I see it… That’s a whole lot of good years of doing a whole bunch of things…that fit into my particular line of work.” She understands that her current situation is a rarity, a blessing, and possible only because of the team she has assembled from her mother to her chief of staff. Michelle Obama has sought to extend some of the work-life balance she has cultivated for herself to working parents by advocating for their flextime, sick leave, and on-site child care.

4. She Understands that Real Women Live in the Underutilized Space Between Castrating Bitch and Kewpie Doll
Michelle Obama can get angry. Racism, abuses of power, and childhood poverty are just a smattering of the injustices that get her goat. Michelle Obama can also come across as a love-struck schoolgirl when canoodling with the President. Or one of the gals when lunching and laughing with her staff. But more often than not, she comes across as living somewhere between the poles of the good girl/bad girl dichotomy that so many public women get restricted and defined by. Her authenticity to show up to each day exactly as she feels shows young women that it is not only okay but also vital to surrender to the range of emotions that comprise the human experience. And to resist playing into another’s first impression or stereotype. Find Brand You and live her at 150%.

5. She Gets That Real Privilege Begins with Education
While Michelle Obama often touts herself as the product of the Chicago Public Schools, she is aware that the opportunity for a similar education is not available to many lower income and working class families of color today. During her February 2, 2009 address to the Department of Education staff she said, “I am committed, as well as my husband, to ensuring that more kids like us and kids around this country, regardless of their race, their income, their status, the property values in their neighborhoods, get access to an outstanding education.” The First Lady understands that it’s millennials, who will be the largest generation at work by 2012, who “Will close the gap between the world as it is and the world as it should be.” And she is determined to ensure that whether young people come into the world with a pewter or platinum spoon that they have an opportunity to get the education necessary to have a voice in this process.

6. She Listens as Effectively as She Speaks
The First Lady is incomparable at showing up to any audience and sharing her message in whatever way she needs to so that her audience can really listen and take action afterwards. However, she also is a masterful listener. I love to watch her nonverbal cues when others are speaking. She absorbs what they are saying with her whole body. I always get the sense that she not only hears the language that is being spoken but also what the person is not saying but nevertheless is thinking and feeling. This is one of the most important ingredients to effective leadership, and Michelle Obama models beautifully how to do it.

My Interview with Gabrielle Bernstein, Founder of HerFuture.com

I had the privilege of sharing my musings on millennial women's leadership with Gabrielle Bernstein, Founder of HerFuture.com this week. I've included highlights from the interview below. To read our entire interview, join the HerFuture.com network as a mentor or mentee.

Gabrielle: How do you define leadership?

Alexia: It's really the mission statement of my company- harnessing your values, strengths, enthusiasms, and resources to lead people towards solutions that are successful, sustainable, and make a positive social impact. Good leadership is authentic leadership. You start with who and what you are, and then you can build a team of people who are ready to go on the journey with you.


G: What is the number one tip you'd give a young woman in this economy?

A: Breathe, and then bulldoze forward. It's so easy to lose one's sense of self with the constant bombardment of crisis messages being fed to us right now. The reality is that perfection is the enemy of progress. There is no such thing as the perfect resume, the perfect cover letter, the perfect LinkedIn profile, or the perfect tweet. Get your networking materials in order. But more importantly, get out there, ask good questions, provide value, and figure out how to share what you know with others in a way that is irresistibly attractive.


G:What are employers saying about Generation Y/Millennial employees?

A: They believe that we have infectious enthusiasm. An insatiable desire to learn and grow. Can multi-task and pitch ideas until we're blue in the face. However, a lot of employers believe that these assets can also be limitations. There's a stereotype that we want it all yesterday, and that when we don't get it, we tune out and under perform. The key to building and sustaining professional success is knowing how to shape our curiosity, eagerness, and desire to produce innovative, valuable results in a way that enables us to solve the short and long-term problems are employers experience. Unfortunately, we can't just align our strengths and interests with our own agenda.


G:What tips would you offer to young women who want to be leaders but have a hard time seeing themselves this way?

A: Make a list of the thoughts, beliefs, feelings, and attitudes you are carrying around with you on a daily basis. Note the ones that are enabling you to get in your own way of being an effective leader (e.g. I get nervous when I speak in front of a crowd or I don't have anything to contribute yet). Re-shape them into statements that unlock possibilities rather than reinforce limitations (e.g. Each time I speak in public, I'm sharing my value or I'm really great at nurturing the talent in others so that's what I'm going to focus on). Then, figure out your strengths- I highly recommend doing the assessment associated with Clifton's StrengthsFinder 2.0- and make sure that you build yourself a career where you are able to play to these strengths the majority of the time. As a culture, we think that we should focus on overcoming our weaknesses. While there's nothing wrong with re-framing these areas as "opportunities for growth," the research has proven that we will always grow the most in our areas of our strength. So that's what we should focus on.


G: Your mantra is "You have to show up at 100% to play at 100%." What are 3 ways you recommend women can be leaders in their everyday life?

A:Because I believe that good leaders are successful, sustainable, and make a positive social impact, I'm going to give you one strategy per category.
1) To be successful- I believe that our greatest successes come when we collaborate with others. Each day, invest in playing at work, at home, and in the community with a power posse behind you. A team thrives when each member fulfills a different role based on his/her unique strengths. Know what you do best, and surround yourself with people who possess a different, complimentary set of strengths.
2) To be sustainable- If you want to grow others, you must grow yourself first. Stress is so last millennia. Work-life balance is the rage now. Lead by example in this area by investing in your self-care. Make sure you schedule at least 30 minutes each day to relaxing and renewing.
3) To make a positive social impact- Recycle the Box. While this can be literal (I challenge all leaders to make choices that are good socially, economically, and environmentally), I also mean this figuratively. We put boxes around what we can achieve all of the time. It's not enough to break down those boxes. We need to throw them up in the air and not hold on to them until we've re-shaped the box into an object that launches us to success.


Discover your future or help a young woman connect with hers. Join HerFuture.com.

Green Jobs: What They Are and Where to Look for Them Part I

Here is an excerpt from Part I of my series for EmploymentBlawg.com on green jobs. To read the entire post, please CLICK HERE.

Take a Look at These Real Job Openings

• Analyst
  Technical Billing/Financial Analyst with 3+ years of experience to support performance based energy conservation program. Requires BS in Engineering or Accounting. Specific experience in analysis of energy savings calculations a plus. LEED or CEM certifications also desired.
  Pay: $28-$33/hour.
• Horticultural Society Community Environmental Educator
  Community environmental educator to engage children and teens of local schools in growing own organic food and exploring important role of plants in our lives. Applicants should have horticulture/science and teaching experience, excellent communication and problem solving skills, and have worked in diverse, community environment.
  Pay: $35,000-$40,000.
• Environmental Engineer Position with Environmental Protection Agency
  Drinking water contaminant control research team leader. Requires engineering degree, at least one year of specialized experience comparable in difficulty and responsibility to federal GS-12 grade level, and successful completion of written test.
  Pay: $83,523.00 to $108,582.00.
• Rising Sun Energy Center Hiring Sustainable Operations and Office Manager
  501 (c)(3) organization provides comprehensive energy-efficiency services and education. Full-time exempt position performing key operational and financial support. Bachelor’s degree or equivalent required, with undergraduate coursework in environmental policy/science, finance, non-profit management or business administration a plus.
  Pay: $40,000-$50,000/year.

What Do These Jobs Have in Common? They Can All Be Considered “Green Jobs.”

While there are nearly as many different definitions of a green job as there are new green job opportunities, at its core, a green job is a position that stimulates the economy, makes a positive social impact, and is good for the environment.

Such positions are cropping up in corporations, nonprofits, small businesses, the government, think tanks, elementary and secondary schools, and universities across the country.

They can be found in such seemingly disconnected fields as business and finance, construction, renewable energy, education, marketing, law, city planning, fashion design, and hospitality, among others.

Even if your field has yet to be impacted by our nation’s transition to a green economy, keep reading. For it will.

Presidential Leadership, the Stimulus Act, and Green Jobs

While it may feel easy to get lost in the constant onslaught of green job spin, Kermit the Frog is singing a new tune these days because it’s never been easier bein’ green (and getting paid to do it!)

CLICK HERE to finish this article.

3 (of the Hundreds) of Assumptions NOT to Make About Millennial Brides

I had the good fortune to facilitate the wedding of a dear friend (and one of my first coaching clients!) on their beautiful tropical island a few weeks ago. With my first anniversary just three months away, stepping back into marriage land resurrected some marital musings I never previously got around to sharing.

Now if you’ve made one or more of the following assumptions about me or another millennial bride, don’t berate yourself. But do take a moment and reflect on what values, feelings, ideologies and experiences have shaped your assumptions. And play around with sculpting some new, less limiting ways of thinking.

1. We’ve changed our names. Call me naïve or perhaps just severely clouded by my disdain for post-feminism, but for a while, I really did find this one shocking. If Gloria Steinem and Jessica Valenti could opt into the brides’ club without losing their “F” cards and identities, surely little ole Lex could. Plus, growing up at least half of a dozen of my friends’ moms had hyphenated their last names or kept their “maiden” ones. And most Gen-X and Gen-Y men, even if they don’t self-identify as feminists, nonetheless support the movement’s goals for social, political, and economic equity. Yet, I’m consistently referred to as Mrs. O not only by solicitors (who I understand have been trained to make this assumption in an attempt to be PC and not suggest I’m living in sin with the man of the house), but also by my accountant (who incidentally also tried to credit my business earnings to my husband), former co-workers, oh yeah, and the majority of my extended family members. I never realized how much I delighted in my last name until so many people I know have tried to take it away from me.


2. When we register with a charity, we somehow secretly want you to give us money. This one really gets me. Why do so many people who know me think that I wouldn’t just register with a traditional store or open a special donation-friendly savings account if I wanted them to contribute to my domestic happiness? As long as there are almost 3 million homeless American youth each year (approximately 1% of the American population) and almost 1 billion people worldwide who are illiterate (most of them women and girls), I really can do without a new bread maker. Sorry honey. I love that marriage can bait so many into wanting to donate in the spirit of love. But if the happy couple asks you to give to a charity, gosh darn it, do it! Whether you know me or not, please consider giving to Mr. O’s and my favorite two charities- Reciprocity Foundation and Room to Read. What’s more “sacred” than giving young people a chance at success?


3. We’re not still critical of marriage. You betcha, I’ve still got my beefs. I’m not particularly excited to inherent my partner’s credit rating. Nor can I feel totally comfortable reaping a variety of benefits (and by variety, I mean thousands) from an institution that doesn’t have a place for so many of my dearest friends. Making the decision to legally marry my partner by no means indicates that I find marital critiques old-school. But over the years, I’ve recognized that opting out of things I don’t like rather than seeking to remedy them is lazy and anti-activist. I like to believe that I’m remodeling the institution one day at a time through engagement to my partner, my work, my friendships, and to my local and global community.

If you’re a millennial bride, what assumptions have your friends, family and colleagues made about you? What assumptions have you made about yourself that perhaps aren’t serving you so well? What’s the payoff for re-defining marriage from within the institution rather than from the outside in?

10 Strategies for Moving from Entry-Level to Management

An excerpt from TheGradspot.com

Up until somewhere between September and October 2008, just as the financial and housing crises spread like wildfire throughout the American economy, millennial entry-level employees had it made. We could make big requests of our employers and be confidant that our companies would honor them, meet us three-fourths of the way, or we could give our two weeks and bounce to our next job. As Penelope Trunk points out in her book Brazen Careerist: The New Rules of Success, most young professionals have had 8 jobs by the age of 32, and this predilection for job hopping has allowed us to advance our salaries and job titles more efficiently than most preceding generations. But unless millennials want to indefinitely live at home with ma and pa, the days of moving out (as in to another company) when we can no longer move up have been put on hold.

Smart companies, which really are the only ones you want to be working for, recognize that young professionals bring with them a lot of energy, fresh thinking, and technological savvy, and they will consider us for leadership positions. However, as promotional opportunities are harder to come by not only externally but also internally, emerging leaders must be more strategic about proving their leadership potential. Following these 10 tips will enable you to quickly and creatively close the gap from entry-level employee to manager.

1. Show Up with a Smile. Humans, even your supervisor, enjoy sharing their days with happy people. While many young professionals kvetch about the weather or their exhaustion as a way to make small talk, this persistent drizzle of complaint can taint others’ perceptions of them. Learn how to shift limiting beliefs into possibilities and a snarky attitude into a positive, inspiring one. Plus, happiness is contagious. It’s great to be remembered as the person who started the chain reaction of positive employee energy.

2. Provide Value. One of the most important things a young professional can do is be of use. It enables you to develop the value of service, learn new things, and make a positive impact on your staff. Identify the needs of your teammates and supervisors, and figure out how you can play a supportive role in helping them get their jobs done. Sometimes this means lending a hand before you’re asked on such unsexy things as direct mail campaigns or by overseeing the company potluck food sign-up list. Other times it means sending along an industry article or recommending a colleague for an internal position s/he would be right for. Try providing value both ways to prove that you are a team player AND a rising star.

3. Ask Questions. Many young leaders believe that leading others is about telling them what to do. A good leader whether in management or executive leadership strives to develop more leaders not more followers. Hone this important skill now by being curious, empowering others to find their own solutions, and resisting coming to a premature conclusion before all facts are known and ideas are tested. A good question asks for one piece of information, enables respondents to draw on their beliefs, experiences, and knowledge, and encourages people to transfer their insight into action.

To finish reading this post, please CLICK HERE.

Leveraging Your Strengths: An Interview with Personal Branding Expert Dan Schawbel

Strengths are the specific, task-based activities that we excel in and that make us feel strong. Awakening to and capitalizing on one's strengths is a lifelong process. As Jenifer Fox says in her outstanding book, Your Child's Strengths: Discover Them, Develop Them, Use Them, it necessitates "peeling back the layers of preferences until you arrive at an understanding." But of course, the results are worth it. As Marcus Buckingham, the leading strengths-based expert has revealed, those who play to their strengths at least 75% of the time do the best work and have the greatest levels of professional and personal satisfaction. Unfortunately, only 2 out of 10 people have discovered how to play to their strengths on this regular of a basis.

I recently had the opportunity to interview personal branding expert Dan Schawbel about how, at a time when many millennials are worried about their futures and having quarter-life crises, he is playing to his strengths on a daily basis, making a tremendous impact, and enjoying life.

Dan, how does your work as a personal branding expert enable you to play to your strengths?

My strengths are focused on personal branding using social media tools, which also allows me to do my day job at EMC Corporation because the same branding strategies that work for people also work for corporate and product brands. I understand what works and what doesn't work because I used to make a lot of mistakes and now I can implement branding strategies that make a business impact. Being a personal branding expert, I've become a go-to-person for these skills, so that people seek me out, instead of me having to write sales pitches.

You discovered how to live your passion at an early age. What experiences and relationships helped you to awaken to your strengths?

I've been practicing personal branding for years, not understanding that there was a concept behind it. I learned graphic design and website development in middle school and then marketed myself to get eight internships between the end of high school and college and finally, went through eight months of hell to get a product marketing job when I graduated. All of this was without understanding or using my network. I had a personal branding toolkit, which included a business card, website, custom cover letter and resume and a CD portfolio. They all helped me stand out. I had an awakening on March 14, 2007 after I read Tom Peter's "Brand Called You" article. I realized that Tom's words were nearly identical to what I had been preaching all along. In that moment, I noticed that no one my age was talking about this great concept, so I claimed the niche and still own it today.

Have you ever had or undertaken work where you learned that you were not playing to your strengths? If so, what did that feel like? How did you use that information to make choices that supported you better in the future?

I took an internship in sales, yet had no interest in sales or any skills to help me be successful at it. I think it was a good experience because it made me tougher and helped me decide that I didn't want that type of position later in life.

Can you share 3 questions you muse on when deciding if a professional or personal opportunity supports your strengths and is worth taking?

1. Am I truly passionate about that opportunity or am I doing it for the money?
2. Will this opportunity help advance my career?
3. Does this opportunity fit into my overall long-term brand strategy?
   

What are 3 strategies/tips you recommend for incorporating one's strengths into a personal brand?

1. Figure out what your strengths are.
2. Highlight them on your website, blog and on social networks.
3. In interviews, always talk about your strengths as much as you can and how they help fulfill the job you're applying for

You just finished writing Me 2.0: Build a Powerful Brand to Achieve Career Success, the comprehensive, go-to book for all things personal branding. How has writing the book, getting it published, and ensuring it gets into the hands of those who can benefit from it enabled you to play to your strengths?

Most authors don't sell books they write because they rely on the publisher to market the book for them, which isn't reality. Since I've been building my blog readership, my mailing lists and my social networks for over two years, marketing the book wasn't that difficult. Branding is about having a long-term strategy. I built relationships, because marketing exists through people, with journalists and bloggers for a few years and then asked them to write about the book when it was released. Also, I ensured that I owned the Google results for Me 2.0, because I knew people would be googling it when the book came out to find out more information.

What are your top 3 recommendations for emerging leaders looking to figure out their strengths and harness them in their careers?

1. Write down a list of what you enjoy doing and what you don't enjoy doing.
2. Get feedback from your network as to what your strengths are.
3. Do some research online.

Want to know more about Dan and how to adapt his personal branding advice for your career or company? Pick up a copy of Me 2.0. I just finished it this weekend and it's a spectacular read, cram packed with action-oriented strategies that, when implemented, will enable you to capitalize on your expertise and share it with those who need it most.

About Dan
Dan Schawbel is the leading personal branding expert for Gen-Y. He is the author of the bestselling career book, “Me 2.0: Build a Powerful Brand to Achieve Career Success (Kaplan, April 2009).” With over 150,000 results for his name in Google, Fast Company calls Dan a “personal branding force of nature.” He is the founder of the Personal Branding Blog®,which was the #1 job blog by Careerbuilder in 2008, is an AdAge top 100 marketing blog and is syndicated by Reuters, Forbes, Fox Business and other major networks. Dan is also the publisher of Personal Branding Magazine®, head judge for the Personal Brand Awards® and director of Personal Branding TV®.

Top 10 Company Benefits to Take Advantage Of at Your First Job

Today's guest post is from Chris Schonberger, editor-in-chief of Gradspot.com.

Here’s today’s pop quiz: Would you rather have a job that pays $45K a year with no benefits, or one that pays $40K a year with full benefits?

Maybe if you really need extra money in your pocket right now to pay off your student debt—and you are also a character from Heroes who doesn’t need health insurance—then maybe you could make an argument for the $45K offer. But for the most part, benefits offer a huge amount of added perks that more than make up for a slightly lower salary.

And the best part is, there are often a lot more benefits than newcomers to the workplace realize. To make sure you don’t miss out on a cent, here are the Top 10 Company Benefits to Take Advantage Of at Your First Job.

1) Healthcare. This is the biggie—landing a job that covers health insurance significantly helps out your bottom line each month. The key is to pick the right plan and doctor. Remember that when HR plops a book of 1,000 doctors on your desk on the first day, you don’t need to choose right away. Take your time to do some research, and be sure to check out these articles on understanding healthcare and choosing a doctor.

2) 401Ks. If health insurance is the most valuable company benefit, 401(k)s are the most undervalued. A401(k) enables you to take money you’ve earned and deposit it into an investment account before you get taxed on it. Many companies will also match your contribution up to a certain level, thus doubling your savings. You may be freaked out by the news that tons of people have seen their 401(k)s wiped out in economic downturn, but unless you think America is going to crumble like Rome, you should still takes saving seriously. The stock market has always grown significantly over any 40-year period in history.

3) Free Cell Phones. Many companies provide their employees with Blackberries and cell phone plans. A lot of people get kind of uncomfortable at the thought of the company having access to all their call logs, messages, and minute usage. And trust me, a Blackberry from a company is not that cool—it just means you’ll be expected to respond to emails from your boss at midnight. Still, it can save you money to use it as your main phone. Ask others in the office to get a sense of how strict your company about using the phone for personal use. If you need more privacy, consider accepting the company plan then getting your own phone on the side with a scaled-down plan. In fact, almost everyone can probably scale down their daytime minutes once they start working. And an extra $20 to $70 a month is no joke.

4) Workers Compensation. Not just for construction workers, though hopefully you won’t get hurt sitting at your computer making Excel spreadsheets. If you do get injured on the job, though, the insurance company will pay you a comparable salary until you get back on your feet (with some fine print to watch out for, of course).

5) Transit coupons. Sometimes, you can use your salary pre-tax to purchase tokens/cards for the local transit system. Often, even interns are eligible for free subway and train passes. It never hurts to ask. Another tip: your company may have special discounts on ZipCars that you can use for weekend trips.

6) Medical freebies. Get a flu shot in the fall, and look into other benefits like free shrinks and massages.

7) Meals. Getting surf and turf on the Man is pretty sweet, though it usually means you’re at the office working late instead of out having dinner with your friends. Still, the fact is you’re saving money and you should take advantage of all the free meals you can get at work. Drinking free coffee at work each day can also save you about $600 a year at Starbucks.

8) Memberships and Discounts. If your company will pay for your gym memberships (or at least part of it), why not let them? Also look out for deals with local services and stores, particularly places where you can buy work clothes.

9) Reimbursements. Never spend money on things that you have to buy in order to do your job. Make sure you file all reimbursements with the expenses department.

10) Schwag. Companies will probably send promotional materials, free foods, and other little freebies that most people in the office ignore at this point cause they are jaded. But you are young and poor, so take it home if you can! Who knows—holiday shopping may become a thing of the past.

Remember: all these benefits are yours for the taking, so don’t feel bashful. After all, you are (hypothetically) working hard for your company, so make sure you get back what you deserve.

Gradspot.com is the premier online destination for life after college, featuring in-depth how-to guides on finding a job, getting an apartment, understanding healthcare, and much more. The Gradspot.com Guide to Life After College, a humorous manual for navigating the real world, is available for $14.95 on Amazon or as a downloadable e-book at Gradspot.com/book.

Catalyst for Action is Seeking a Self-Motivated Intern!

Are you the self-motivated, emerging leader I'm looking for? Read more and find out.

Responsibilities
-5-8 hours/week of web research, database entry, flyer/promo design, and press release writing (can be done primarily from comfort of own home)
-Opportunities to participate for free in Catalyst for Action Tele-Classes, attend networking events, receive public speaking/effective interpersonal communication training, contribute articles to Alexia's online publications, and spearhead appropriate projects

Intern will receive 2 complimentary, individual 45-minute telephone career and life coaching sessions/month (valued at $250/month) during length of the internship. A two-three month minimum commitment is requested beginning April 15.

If interested, please email a cover letter and resume to alexia@alexiavernon.com including 3 professional references.

Learn more about Alexia and Catalyst for Action
Website: www.alexiavernon.com
Email: alexia@alexiavernon.com
Twitter: www.twitter.com/genwecoach
Phone: 877-3-ALEXIA

Let Employees Twitter

A guest post to my Newark Examiner Corporate Leadership column from the awesome Ellie Behling. She writes about Generation Y and the Workplace at www.y-rd.com.

When I log on to Twitter at work, I wonder whether I am doing something naughty or incredibly productive. That is the crux of the social networking/workplace conflict: While some workplaces scoff at or even block social networking sites, other organizations pressure and encourage workers to use social networking as a way to market the business brand. The latter group is onto something.

Social networking might take on new and better forms, but it isn’t going away. For many industries, social networking, such as the microblogging site Twitter, is the future of marketing. So it’s probably a good idea to let your employees get the hang of using them. The current form of social networking might feel slightly unprofessional at times, but that’s why social networking needs more corporate structure. Completely ignoring social networking now could cause problems for companies down the road.

Meanwhile, the workforce, from Generation Y on up through the Baby Boomers, is increasingly using social networking in their personal lives. Members of Generation Y have grown into adulthood comfortable with having both themselves and a digital projection of their identities. We go through our lives choosing just the right moments to convey digitally to the rest of the world. A workforce that includes the Millennial generation is going to have to include our digital personas too.

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