Interviewing with confidence is both a science and an art. Here are seven principles from an actor’s perspective to consider before your upcoming interview.
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• Psychology: Mindset matters. Both the interviewer and the candidate want to find the right fit. Interviewers want candidates to succeed. Convert nervous energy into enthusiasm. An interview is a business conversation, not an interrogation. Listen to learn. Be curious about the company and the role and aim to make a genuine connection with the interviewer(s).
  
  
• Preparation: Research the company, its culture, values, corporate executives, recent news, and initiatives. Study the job description and understand how your background aligns with the job responsibilities. Research each interviewer’s professional background and communication style. Adress people by name. Prepare talking points with a brief example for the most commonly asked interview questions. Keep your answers brief.
  
  
• Practice: Rehearse with a friend or hire a coach who can give you candid feedback on your messaging, body language, etc. The more you practice, the more confident you’ll sound. As you become more comfortable with interviewing, you’ll be able to discern what interviewers really want to know when they ask certain types of questions. When asked a question you don’t know how to answer, it’s okay to pause for a moment so that you can give a thoughtful response or walk them through your thought process of how you would find the answer. Don’t ramble off topic. Know when to stop talking.
  
  
• Presence: Dress appropriately. First impressions count. Up to 93% of communication is nonverbal. Your body language matters. Stay calm, smile, and make eye contact. Being personable in your approach and professional in your demeanor will lend credibility to your career story.
  
  
• Pitch, Pace & Polish: At its core, interviewing is high-stakes public speaking. Consider joining Toastmasters or investing in working with an interview coach. Reduce filler words (uh, um, like, so, you know, really, totally, and others). Yoodli.ai is a nice tool for tracking speech patterns. Control your breathing, enunciate your words clearly, and be mindful of the pitch, pace, and power of your voice. If you are naturally soft spoken, learn how to project your voice. Acting lessons can be a fun way to practice this. If you are naturally loud-spoken, practice dialing down your volume in one-to-one conversations. By rehearsing with a coach and working to break bad habits, you’ll gain polished speaking skills that can positively influence hiring decisions.
  
  
• Presentation: You may be asked to give a brief presentation at some point in the interview process. Keep slide decks clean, concise, and visually appealing. Have a few slides with only a photo or graphic that supports your story and other slides with a limited amount of text. Aim for no more than six lines of text per slide with around six words per line. This 6x6 formula forces precision over clutter. Remember, to enunciate your words and adjust the cadence and volume of your speech if you are speaking to a larger group. If you are speaking in person, be mindful of blocking (where you’ll stand, when you’ll move, which direction you will walk, where you will look when making certain points) but don’t overchoreograph or overthink your movements.
  
  
• Progression: Interviewing is like an audition. Your goal is to keep progressing through each interview round and receive a job offer. Be polite. Ask about next steps and decision timelines. Close strong and express interest in the opportunity. Send a thank-you note, even if you are withdrawing your candidacy or were not offered the job.

By leaning into these key principles of interviewing with confidence, you’ll become the most compelling candidate to hire. Cheers to your interview success!

I am excited to announce that the pilot of my new career coaching program Finding Meaningful Work & Career Happiness is now open for enrollment.

Finding Meaningful Work & Career Happiness is an online career coaching program with articles, resources, interactive activities, worksheets, live and pre-recorded training sessions, group discussions, and three 30-minute individual career coaching sessions to discuss your career goals.


You'll get straightforward, research-based instruction with hands-on activities to help you:

• Find career clarity, purpose, and direction.
• Identify and convey your core strengths and values.
• Determine the right-fit roles for you.
• Conduct company research using AI tools.
• Understand employer's needs.
• Discover job opportunities where none are advertised.
• Develop and implement a proactive job search.
• Networking optimization and activation.
• Track and measure your job search success.

The content of the self-paced program is based on my work with 1:1 clients who have landed new jobs in 9-27 days and have received multiple job offers by following the career marketing and job search strategies that I share in Finding Meaningful Work & Career Happiness.

There are a limited number of seats remaining in the pilot program (offered at $175). Participants in the pilot will enjoy substantial savings compared to the tiered pricing of $497 to $2,997 for the release of the program to the public. The pricing for the April 2024 release will vary according to the options you choose such as the number of individual coaching sessions and the number of career assessments you want. Your purchase includes single-user access to the coaching program for six months from the date of purchase.

Register today for Finding Meaningful Work & Career Happiness!

Hey there, curious careerists! Have you ever wondered what those fancy-sounding assessments actually measure? Today, we’re going to take a light-hearted journey through the world of career assessments. So, buckle up and get ready for a quick tour of frequently used assessments.

• Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI): It’s a classic! The MBTI measures your personality type based on four dichotomies: extraversion/introversion, sensing/intuition, thinking/feeling, and judging/perceiving. It’s like a personality compass that helps you understand yourself better and find your true north career that aligns with your unique personality.
  
  
• DiSC Assessment: Nope, it’s not about your favorite vinyl records! DiSC stands for Dominance, Influence, Steadiness, and Conscientiousness. This assessment measures your behavioral style and how you interact with others. Are you a charismatic influencer or a detail-oriented perfectionist? DiSC has the answers!
  
  
• CliftonStrengths: Move over, superheroes! CliftonStrengths measures your natural talents and strengths. The basic assessment identifies your Top 5 strengths out of 34 possibilities to help individuals understand and leverage their unique abilities. The detailed assessment reports on all 34 themes. Discover your hidden superpowers and unleash them in your career!
  
  
• Strong Interest Survey (SSI): Are you passionate about underwater basket weaving or extreme ironing? The Strong Interest Survey helps you explore your interests in regard to different work activities, work environments, and areas of interests to identify potential career paths. It’s like a treasure map leading you to the right occupation.
  
  
• Holland Occupational Themes (RIASEC): Don’t tiptoe through the tulips or take a cruise on the canal just yet! This assessment categorizes you into six personalitity types based on your interests and preferences. Are you Realistic, Investigative, Artistic, Social, Enterprising, or Conventional? Find out and sail towards your new career.
  
  
• Wonderlic Contemporary Cognitive Ability Test: Time to put on your thinking cap! The Wonderlic assessment measures cognitive abilities and problem-solving aptitude. It’s often used to evaluate prospective employees, assess their mental agility, and predict on-the-job success. Can you outsmart the clock and prove your brainpower?
  
  
• Emotional Quotient Inventory (EQ-i): Move over IQ, it’s time for EQ! This assessment evaluates emotional and social functioning, including self-awareness, self-expression, interpersonal relationships, decision-making, and stress management. It’s like a guide to understanding and harnessing your emotions for success in the workplace and beyond.
  
  
• Emotional Intelligence Appraisal (EIA): Don’t worry, there’s an app for that! This assessment, is similar to the EQ-i in that it measures your emotional intelligence, including self-awareness, self-management, social awareness, and relationship management, but in a digital format. It’s like having a personal emotional coach in your pocket!
  
  
• Work Values Inventory (WVI): “Heigh ho, heigh ho, it’s off to work we go!” The WVI is a widely used assessment that measures an individual’s core values and how they align with different career choices. It measures values such as achievement, independence, recognition, support, and working conditions.
  
  
• Personal Values Assessment (PVA): Can you dig it? The PVA helps you unearth the personal values that guide your life choices. The Personal Values Assessment helps people understand their priorities, motivations, and the importance they place on values such as honesty, integrity, compassion, creativity, and personal growth.
  
  
• Career Direct Assessment: It’s like a GPS to help you find career clarity and direction. The assessment measures all four aspects of what drives you: personality, interests, skills, and values to guide you towards a meaningful career. If you are looking for a comprehensive and statistically valid career assessment, this is my favorite. Book a 20-minute discovery call to find out more.

So, there you have it – a whirlwind tour of several popular career assessments. There are many others. Look for assessments that are backed by scientific research and decades of testing. It’s advantageous to have a career counselor help you interpret the data. Remember, assessments are helpful tools for self-reflection and self-awareness, but they’re not crystal balls. Embrace the insights gained from the assessments and trust your heart to find your true path.
 
Happy career exploration, assessment aficionados!

​A potential client asked me, “With the high cost of living, my paycheck isn’t stretching as far as it once did. I need a pay raise that outpaces the rate of inflation. The only way to make more money where I work is to get a promotion. Do you have any advice on how to ask my boss for a promotion?” I brainstormed 20 ways to prepare for a conversation with your supervisor.

20 Tips for Asking for a Promotion

1. Start with prayer. Ask for and listen to God’s guidance to direct your career path. Then work diligently, being faithful even with the small tasks you’ve been given.
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2. Set clear and realistic goals. Reflect on what you want. What position are you aiming for? What is the in-demand skill that’s needed at the next level? What professional development do you need to complete? Do you have the necessary degree or certification? By what date do you want to be promoted? Create an individual development plan for yourself and work towards attaining your goals.
   
   
3. Understand the promotion process in your company. What are the existing norms for how career advancement decisions are made? Do you meet tenure requirements to be considered for the role? Be realistic. If the company requires that you must have 3 years of employment with the company or must have a certain certification to advance to the next level, and you’ve only been there 10 months and have not taken the certification course or passed the certification exam, then you may not be eligible for promotion at the end of your first year of employment.
   
   
4. Think about how your promotion aligns with the objectives of the organization. Set news alerts for c-suite officers and other senior leaders in your company. Read what they are saying. Study quarterly and annual financial reports. Research the industry, the market, and the competitors. The more in-tune you are with the direction the company is going, the better.
   
   
5. Seek mentorship and sponsorship. Align yourself with mentors who are interested in seeing you grow professionally. Good mentors are compassionate, honest, and successful in their work.
   
   Doris Braun, CEO of Leadership Solutions for Women says, “Having a sponsor within your organization, a person who is senior to you who says the right things about you to their peers when you are not in the room, can help you get assigned to visible projects, which will allow you to interact with people who are in a position to promote you.”
   
   
6. Set the stage. The goal is for your supervisor and senior leadership to notice that you are a smart, ambitious person who deserves a promotion because you have much to offer in helping the company meet its short-term and long-term goals and objectives. Be a good listener. Take notes. Add value to group meetings.
   
   
7. Guard your words and who you listen to. Actions speak louder than words. As Steve Martin says, “Be so good that they can’t ignore you.” Also, keep a polite distance from people who are caught up in office drama, gossiping, and negative outlooks. These people will drag you down and hurt your reputation. Hang out with positive, motivated coworkers. Show that you are happy at work. Don’t complain about tasks or talk badly about peers or supervisors. This can derail your chances for promotion. 
   
   
8. Keep your supervisor up-to-date on your work activities. Send memos, emails, and voicemails (whichever communication method they prefer). Be reliable. Make sure you meet deadlines and deliver high-quality work. 
   
   If you have certain benchmarks to hit, let your supervisor know you are on track to bring the project in on time and within budget. If the scope of the project has changed and you are not on track to complete the project, be proactive in communicating obstacles, and pitch solutions. This will show your boss you are a good communicator, you are trustworthy, and you are a proactive problem solver.
   
   
9. Keep a career journal. Don’t depend on your memory. Write down your weekly wins. Prepare a one- or two-page memo outlining your awards and achievements. Summarize your monthly, quarterly, and yearly contributions. Build a compelling case for why you deserve to move up. Share concrete metrics of your impact and financial outcomes. 
   
   
10. Choose the right time to ask for a promotion. Sabina Nawaz, a global CEO coach, advises the week after a round of layoffs or the day the company loses a major client would be poor timing, whereas the week after you’ve closed a lucrative new deal or your company announces a solid earning’s quarter would be optimal timing. When the company has high employee turnover, show initiative, roll up your sleeves, and do whatever work needs to be done to stabilize the organization.
    
    
11. Schedule a meeting. Once you’ve established yourself as a high-achiever, it’s time to plan for the conversation with your boss about a promotion. Don't just drop in on your boss. Schedule a meeting in advance, and make it clear that you want to discuss your future with the company. Be mindful of your supervisor’s availability and be intentional about giving your supervisor time to prepare for the conversation.
    
    
12. Have the promotion conversation: Come to the meeting with a clear idea of what you want to say and what you want to achieve. The actual meeting will be less stressful and more productive if you are prepared and have evidence to support your request. Be specific about what you want, whether it's a higher salary, a new title, or more responsibilities.
    
    
13. Know your worth. Research the average salary for your position and be prepared to make a business case for why you deserve a promotion. Emphasize what’s in it for them, not what’s in it for you. Make a quick pitch about your performance. Present data from your career journal. Share highlights of your recent accomplishments and how you have contributed to the company's success. 
    
    Outline ways you can add more value by being promoted to a higher level. Be positive and enthusiastic. Your supervisor will appreciate your motivation and energy. For example, if you want to be promoted from a client-facing role to a business analyst/process improvement role, your first-hand experience working with clients will help you succeed in your new role, improve the customer experience, and retain more customers.
    
    
14. Politely and confidently, ask for a promotion or raise. Be direct. Ask your supervisor, “Can I count on your support to help me advance within the company and make my promotion a reality?”
    
    
15. Be open to feedback and suggestions. Accept constructive criticism graciously, knowing your supervisor’s feedback will help you grow professionally and advance your career.
    
    
16. Be patient. Don't expect an immediate answer. Your boss may need time to consider your request for a promotion and work through the proper HR channels to make it happen. Ask your supervisor when you should follow up with them.
    
    
17. Be flexible. Be open to compromise and willing to negotiate. Maybe the position doesn’t exist now, but you want to create a new role doing specific tasks. Pitch your ideas and connect the new role to the company’s broader strategic goals.
    
    Maybe you want a 10% raise and the company is only offering a 5% raise. Perhaps you could negotiate a bonus if certain strategic goals are met within 6 months. Be aware that pay structures and raises may have been established companywide, so your direct supervisor may not have the power to change that.
    
    
18. Consider who your successor might be and how to champion that coworker. This shows you are a forward-thinking person who is willing to mentor and coach someone to do your current job so they can fill your shoes after you are promoted.
    
    
19. If you don't get the promotion, keep working hard. Continue to demonstrate your value to the company. Even if you decide to launch a job search, continue to give your personal best each day. Your hard work will not go unnoticed.
    
    
20. Remember that self-promotion is necessary for career advancement. Advocating for yourself is an important communication skill to develop.

I hope you found these tips helpful. If you'd like more information about 1:1 career coaching, click here.

Download the free Clubhouse App from Google Play or the Apple App Store. Follow @sharlataylor on Clubhouse and join in the conversation on Tuesdays. Each week we'll share proven strategies to help you in your job search and career management. We're happy to answer your career-related questions. Best of all, there's no cost to attend.

Building relationships online can be awkward. Knowing what to say to a person you’ve not met is challenging. That’s why I am excited to share some quick tips for networking with confidence to get noticed by employers.
 
First, do your research. Gather clues about shared interests from reading a person’s LinkedIn profile and any articles or posts they’ve written. Look to see which industry groups the person belongs to and consider joining the group. Like and comment on posts or articles the person has written so that your name becomes familiar prior to sending a connection request.
 
Next, find out more about the person's role in the company. Set a Google alert to receive notices when the person or the company is in the news. Browse their employer’s website and read the company’s annual reports. 
 
Now that you have done your research, why not reach out with a unique video message instead of a standard LinkedIn connection request? Send a LinkedIn message or email with a link to a video introduction expressing your interest in a specific position and why you would be a good fit for the role.
 
WinTheView™ videos make it easy to build instant rapport with recruiters, industry peers, and hiring managers. In your 30-60 second video, start by introducing yourself, let the person know you are interested in their work, and ask to connect with them. It’s that easy, and few people will go to the trouble to connect in this way. It only takes a few minutes of your time to stand out from ordinary connection requests. There’s no limit to the number of video messages you can personalize and send through the WinTheView™ platform.
 
If you don’t like to be in front of the camera, no worries. You could send a personalized message with a link to your WinTheView™ career portfolio.

Take advantage of WinTheView's technology to stand out in a crowded job market. I've extended cyber week savings on a 3-month subscription to WinTheView™ through December 31, 2002.
Quantities are limited. Act now to get a $95 discount on a 3-month subscription to WinTheView™ (normally $195, now only $100 for a 3-month subscription for a limited time). 

Improve your interview performance with 1:1 networking and interview preparation coaching sessions to optimize and activate your network and polish your video introductions, career success stories, interview answers, and follow-up messages to position you as the best candidate to hire.

​Soon, you'll be networking with confidence to get noticed by employers, acing your interviews, and generating job offers!