The Ultimate Corporate Entrepreneur

Career Stagnation: Why You Need an Exit / Re-Entry Strategy

"Why," you might be thinking, "Should I worry about an exit strategy when I don't plan to leave my employer?"

With worldwide unemployment rates stuck at we're-not-out-of-the-woods-yet, people with full-time, decent paying jobs will likely stay the course (for now).

However, many professionals are nearing burnout after 18 months of relentless stress about jobs, their financial situation, and quality of life. Burnout does not equate to full engagement at work.

High performers--what organizations identify as critical talent--know that they're marketable, even in a down economy, and they're ready to shop their skills.

Have you allowed yourself to stagnate this past year?

• When was your last measurable, visible success at work? If it's been more than a year, you're milking the past. 

• Do you consider yourself well-positioned for a promotion, salary increase or even a bonus? (Yes, companies are still looking for ways to reward and retain talent even in this dour economy.)

• Have you updated or refreshed your current skills? If you've lapsed in the training, retraining and cross-mentoring arenas, it's time to chunk out 30 minutes to work on a plan that addresses this. 

• Have you developed new skills? Give yourself points if you've started on this path. Zero points if you have nothing documented.

• Have you differentiated yourself by packaging your expertise into a personal brand? How will you stand out from the crowd? What makes you unique at your job, in your field, or in your industry?

Maybe you're stuck because your job has gotten stale. You like working for your employer, but you'd like to try your hand at something entirely different. But not now. It's prime time for developing your exit/re-entry strategy.

Check out the blog post I wrote for E.Factor Playing Your Cards Right: 7 Steps to Making Your Employer Your First Customer. Sorry, the redesign of E.Factor's website moved things around and this link no longer works.

CFI Radio Hour - Exposure in All the Right Places - Nov 18 @ 6pm (PST)

It was ten years ago that Tom Peters wrote an article for Fast Company titled the Brand Called You and then went on to write his book The Brand You 50.

What has changed in the last decade are the tools and resources we have at our fingertips to brand ourself, our business and our companies from blogs, vlogs, social networking sites to "blended" education communities and just-in-time training a la Rapid e-Learning.

What hasn't changed is the need to brand "you" whether you work for yourself or a multinational company. Leveling the playing field means having a playbook that stands out from the crowd.

Reinventing yourself, your career or business? You've just added another layer of complexity.

With so many choices, confusion can't be far off. Attempting to figure out the best strategy for building your brand awareness both online and off line can be daunting without the help of been-there-done-that experts whose successful track records speak for themselves.   

Laurie Pehar Borsh, CEO and PR Director of the Los Angeles-based Executive Career Management Group (ECMG) heads a team of such experts.

Join us Sunday, Nov 18, at 6:00pm (PST) on the Coach for Innovation Internet radio hour on BlogTalkRadio, as Laurie shares her company's innovative hybrid approach to getting high caliber executives and professional talent noticed by the right companies at the right time for the right reasons.

Call-in with your questions or ask them in the chat room during the show. Call-in Number: (646) 595-3645.

Exposure in All the Right Places: The Evolution of Your Personal Brand in Business

• What barriers professionals create that get in the way of their own success
• How professionals can raise their brand exposure in a saturated market
• Tips on reinventing your career or changing industries altogether
• Industry trends and employment synergies on the horizon

 

Blogging Blarney: 3 Paths to Finessing a Business Deal

The Irish side of me couldn’t resist posting something on St. Patrick’s Day. Rest assured that it’s business as usual – at least, until after hours.

Persuasive selling is about getting someone to act differently. I’m discovering that blogging is a great way to do just that. Recently I closed an international deal with a client who found me via my blog. Not my web site, mind you, but by getting to know me through my posts over two months time. I’ve even attracted participants to my teleclasses via my blog site. Not too shabby.

Speakers know that whether you present to four people or four hundred people, you always give it your best shot. Why? Because you never know who’s in the audience. The same holds true when it comes to blogging.

It’s all about using a tool that helps you open new doors, explore new opportunities, initiate and close your next deal!

Back Door PR: Promoting Your Wins Inside the Company

When we think of public relations we usually refer to the relationship, unpaid side of marketing. Under the corporate umbrella, it’s about the image and reputation you have with stakeholders, “influencers”, cross-functional constituents, customers, and partners.

Unfortunately, just doing your job well isn’t enough to keep your career competitive and thriving in the global arena.

Public relations is a general term that covers a wide range of tactics used for influencing public perception and opinion. And just as your company grooms its image with investors and the general public so, too, must corporate entrepreneurs invest time in promoting their wins and maintaining their reputations.

But we’re not talking about the slick Power Point variety where you “toot your horn” ad nauseam!

What makes public relations so powerful is that it comes from a third party source and, thus, viewed as more reputable. You can use this same strategy for two very different reasons:

• Promote your successes and open doors to new opportunities.
• Create a safety net to catch you should things not go well.

Moving Beyond the “Do it yourself mentality”