You’ve worked incredibly hard on a presentation. You’ve researched diligently and you’re well prepared. As you’re presenting, you feel like your colleagues are on your side. However, out of the corner of the eye, you notice a colleague who isn’t buying your idea. You become distracted as they shoot daggers at you … your blood begins to boil.
At the end of your presentation, your colleague shoots down your ideas in front of your peers. Your heart begins to sink to the depths of your stomach. You feel like your colleague’s critique is a personal attack on your credibility and capability.
Let’s face it, criticism is a fact of life. While usually well-intentioned, it can be pretty difficult to deal with. Unfortunately, if not address properly, it can even get to the stage where it begins to consume every aspect of your life … it adds stress during work hours and invades […read more]

Chances are we’ve all experienced some form of Mondayitis before. It’s the common feeling of weariness, sadness, apathy and general distress many individuals feel when starting the Monday morning work week. It’s a pretty horrible feeling, but with a coffee, an email tidy up and the first meeting of the day, the symptoms of Mondayitis generally tend to subside.
In some cases, the symptoms don’t subside.  What happens if Mondayitis doesn’t subside? What happens when Mondayitis turns into Tuesdayitis and rolls into Wednesdayitis and beyond? Although these feelings may be a result of any number of factors, it generally stems from a lack of motivation.
 

 
Increased workloads, high stress, lack of opportunity, and poor pay are major factors for low motivation, which can create a downward cycle. […read more]

Ah, the famed New Year’s resolution – a promise of self-improvement. At the time, it seems like a great idea; the fairy of good fortune will arrive and wave its magic wand to provide the catalyst, motivation and persistence you need to reinvent yourself because you promised to turn a new page in the book of life.
 
If only it was that simple!
 

 
Hands up how many of you have made a New Year’s resolution and kept it? If you didn’t raise your hand, you’re not alone. As most of us know, it’s pretty difficult. In fact, a recent survey found an estimated 58 per cent failed to keep their New Year’s resolutions, with 15% giving up in the first three months.
 
Why do New […read more]

More than half of Australians are social media users and the majority of these users are smart phone owners. If you’re reading this, chances are, you’re probably one of them. However the power of both, used wrongly, can be a recipe for disaster. As our smart phones are within reaching distance the majority of time (yep, even when you’re drinking) and the allure of social media is only a few touches and swipes away … you know where we’re going with this.
 

Why it’s important
Back in the good ol’ days, a well-presented resume and interview were enough to land you the job. However, with a quick Google search, both clients and employers are able to easily scan each candidate’s social media channels in order to get a flavour of who […read more]

The network event has gone smoothly. You’ve had a great time, you’ve engaged with a few new contacts and you had a lengthy and insightful conversation with one of your targets. Great! You can probably call the night a success.
Although you’ve nailed the preparation and the event itself, you can’t rest of your laurels just yet. Generally underrated as an afterthought, following-up your new contacts after the event is an imperative step of the process.
According to the New York Times, research shows that almost a third of external hires are from referrals. Additionally two-thirds of new business comes from referrals. Another Nielsen study cites clients are four times more likely to buy when being referred from someone they know and trust.
So, what do you do with your pocketful of business cards? Well, they’re no value if you don’t utilise them. A networking event is just the initial beginning of a […read more]

In the first part of our networking series we discussed how to prepare for a networking event. This week, we’re focussing on being at the actual event itself.
You’re feeling fresh in your new outfit … you’re immaculately groomed … you’ve got your introduction spiel down pat … you’ve even remembered your business cards! So, what’s next?

Arriving at the event
Arrive early. Arriving fashionably late is not cool; it’s not a party and you’re most likely not a celebrity (if you are, be sure to follow us on social media!). If you’re a little bit nervous, arriving late to an already crowded room can be quite overwhelming.
Pro tip: Arrive at least 15 minutes early.
You’ve either:
(a) Arrived on your own; or
(b) Arrived in a group
Regardless of who you’ve arrived with, check in at the registration table as soon as you arrive. Nobody likes the awkward person who lingers in the foyer.
Pro tip: Most registration […read more]

Whether it’s compulsory or voluntary, attending a networking event can be a daunting task for some. You might not be a fan of the small talk, or the person that thrives on shaking hands with strangers, but if done right, networking events can be incredibly beneficial for your career and professional networks.
Would you like to learn how to come away from your next event with five important contacts and a new golf buddy, while avoiding the awkward introductions and monotonous small talk? Well, you’ve come to the right place. To make it easy, we’ve broken this topic down into three sections over the next three weeks: preparing for the event, being at the event and post-event.
This week we’re focussing on preparing for the event.
 

Know what’s going on
You wouldn’t go to a client meeting unprepared […read more]

Did you know it takes someone approximately four seconds to make an initial judgement on you? This judgement is then finalised within 30 seconds of the initial contact. In this short time, the other person forms an opinion about you based on your appearance, your body language, your demeanour, your mannerisms, and how you’re dressed.
In the business world, making a great first impression is imperative for forging sustainable and long-term relationships. We’ve all met people we instantly like and want to get to know more. Most of the time, these people follow a few basic rules that make their first impression a strong one.

Arrive on time
There’s nothing worse than being late to an initial meeting. It can give the other person the impression that you aren’t organised or […read more]

We bet a lot of you set yourselves goals to achieve daily, monthly and yearly. However, how many of you have actually taken steps to achieve these goals?
Goal setting is something that gets thrown around a lot, but have you ever wondered the importance? Think of the saying ‘how can you get where you want to go until you know where you’re going’.  Setting goals is a fundamental component to long-term success.  Goals help you focus and allocate your time and resources efficiently and keep you motived when something may have led you astray. Additionally, Research indicates a direct link between goals and enhanced performance.
 

 
Developing an objective
Defining an objective is imperative. A clear objective will allow you to focus on what you want […read more]

You know what we’re talking about … we all have them. Yes, some more than others, but we’re all susceptible to a few days a year.
Bad days are demoralising. As things turn from bad to worse, you mope at your desk wishing you hadn’t of got out of bed in the morning.
So, what can you do about a bad day at work? Sometimes nothing can fix the mood or situation you’re in, but the below may turn a very bad day into an OK one.
 

 
Put it into perspective
Somebody out there will be having a worse day than you (unless of course, you are having the worst day in the world). Stop, take a deep breath and remember what’s most important in life. Chances are that what you’re stressed about is […read more]