Tuesday, December 15, 2015

Awesome People, Here’s Why You NEED to Fill Out Your LinkedIn Profile

According to the 2010 U.S. Census, there are 27.9 million small businesses and 18,500 firms with more than 500 employees. Due to such a large number of employers, there is sure to be overlap in the meaning of job titles causing the titles to be completely ambiguous. They lack clarity, true meaning and concrete value.

Essentially, your job title does not matter. Sure, some titles are universally recognized, but that does not mean that each person with that title does the same thing. As an example, let us examine the title “sales manager.”

Just looking at three different LinkedIn profiles of people with the current title “sales manager,” you can find three very different jobs. The first profile has no direct reports and manages a sales territory including only two cities. The next profile manages four to six sales associates in a territory covering three states. The last profile manages a sales force of 21 and is in charge of all their training. These three people have very different backgrounds, but they all have the same title. Each person has an excellent profile with details of each of their past positions, so you can tell what each of them really did.

When a recruiter or hiring manager is looking to fill a position, it is crucial that they be able to easily view past history in order to find you. You are awesome. Companies will want to hire you, but if you are not giving them the right information, they cannot even find you. Do yourself a huge favor, and complete as much of your LinkedIn profile as possible. Your dream job could be out there just waiting for you to fill in the details.


If you have questions about how to best fill out your LinkedIn profile, contact us at info@connorcaitlin.com.

Friday, December 4, 2015

Who moved my cheese? Who cares - I'm moving on to wine!

Change is always on the horizon.  It’s necessary and inevitable. Often times, we really want the change but then are confused by our own response to the reality of it. It may be a change in your environment, career move or physical move. Whatever the circumstance, change prompts a powerful response from your emotions – often known as stress!  Identifying whether it’s positive or negative is really determined by your attitude. Instead of trying to fight it or merely cope (all of which will leave you frustrated, isolated and exhausted) try adjusting your mindset altogether! 

Before you say, “Easier said than done!” ponder these thoughts:

Ø  Denial is not a river in Egypt. Acknowledge change is happening. Burying your head in the sand won’t stop it. By the time you pull it out, you’ll be behind the curve or perhaps worse, have missed the boat entirely. "When you're finished changing, you're finished." It may be an old adage, but damn if Ben Franklin isn’t right.

Ø  Think of change as a process. Change usually doesn’t happen overnight, nor do you adjust overnight. There are many steps which must be taken to get to the other side of the mountain. Fortunately, all you have to do is focus on one step at a time.

Ø  Rise to the positive. If you choose to perceive anything as positive, it can be! You will thrive in positivity. Keeping your chin up will help you feel better and bring you closer to those around you, which will probably help your transition.

Ø  Redefine routines and success. The definition of success varies for every individual, every relationship and in every career. It is likely that success in your last career doesn’t look the same as your new one. In the beginning set short term goals & define success on a daily basis. As you start to achieve this many days in a row, define success on a weekly basis, then monthly. From here you will be able to identify long term goals without getting overwhelmed at how much work it will take to get there.

Ø  Have an attitude of gratitude. Change is an opportunity. It opens a door that you couldn’t even see existed from where you stood before! Find things to be excited about and look forward too.
Don’t forget to engage your support network. Communicating is key during this time! Not tapping into support from a leader, mentor, family or friends will only serve to help you feel more isolated. Remember the positive!

The secret of change is to focus all of your energy, not on fighting the old, but on building the new. - Socrates


Please contact a Practice Leader at  Connor|Caitlin for more information. 

Tuesday, December 1, 2015

Stay Positive

            “Positive anything is better than negative nothing.” – Elbert Hubbard

Negative thoughts and doubts are often times easier to believe than positive thoughts simply because it’s more difficult to be optimistic. However, there are a few things you can do to have a more positive outlook. Positivity can have a huge impact on your life, business and personal!

First, try and become more conscience of what goes through your mind. This way when once you realize you are thinking negatively about something you can let it go easier and avoid talking about it out loud. The most challenging part is changing the way you feel about a situation. This is a time where being optimistic is a great advantage; start visualizing and coming up with more desirable outcomes regarding the condition. After you visualize, begin to take action towards your new goals. Go about your normal day, learn new things, and if an opportunity comes about, then take it!

This is a no brainer… Make sure you surround yourself with positive people. Their attitudes and perspectives will soon wear off on you; this is also a way to get feedback.


Lastly, it could never hurt to take some time out of your routine to look up some positive or inspirational quotes. Or if the situation calls for it, a funny cat picture! Whenever you feel like giving up or are feeling down about something, try adjusting how you perceive things with these easy yet very helpful tips. 

Get more out of your positive lifestyle.  Contact one of the positive people at Connor | Caitlin for more tips and tricks.  

info@connorcaitlin.com