by Caroline Leach | Jul 13, 2023 | Careers, Social Media
How can you build your personal brand on your LinkedIn profile? ✨
People often ask that question in the talks I give on personal branding at the UCLA Anderson School of Management.
Here are 3 actions to get started in sharing your unique value on your LinkedIn profile. You can make them easier to do by tackling one each week.
⭐ CUSTOMIZE YOUR HEADLINE. Don’t let your current job title be the default. Instead, tailor your headline. Focus especially on the initial words. Why? The first 2 to 3 words appear under your name in search and comments. Weave in keywords for skills and accomplishments you want to be known for and found for.
⭐ REFRESH YOUR ABOUT SECTION. Tell your professional story in an engaging way. Share insight into your values and motivations. Let your personality come through. Open with a compelling first line that will encourage people to read more. Add up to 5 skills you want to be known for and found for.
⭐ TURN ON CREATOR MODE. Choose up to 5 relevant content hashtags that will display on your profile. These should reflect your professional interests and expertise, both what you want to be known for and what content topics you post about. Post content that you create or curate at least once or twice a month.
Remember that your LinkedIn profile is a work in progress, just like you and your career. Your profile should change and evolve as you do. And if you don’t like something you’ve changed on your profile, you can simply change it again. Experiment to see what works best.
What do you want to know about building your personal brand?
by Caroline Leach | Jul 10, 2023 | Careers, Corporate Communications
Compete only with yourself. 🚴
That’s where the true contest is.
✅ How can you stretch and grow?
✅ What can you do better today than yesterday?
✅ How can you beat your personal best?
Much of what we read, see, and experience is about a competition for what we perceive are limited resources. College admissions. Professional jobs. Pay raises.
Comparing ourselves to others on social media makes this even worse. It looks like everyone is doing better than us. No one has problems. Life is easy.
Except this isn’t true. Deep down, we know it intellectually. But feeling it emotionally is another story.
What if we reframed our perspective? What if we approached our lives and careers as if there were more than enough go around? As if there were plenty of opportunities?
Because there are. We live in an era of multiple global problems that need to be addressed. Pick a way to make a difference, and go do that.
And if you’re competing only against yourself, it’s much easier.
People often ask how I navigated a 30-year career in the Fortune 100. How did I get jobs and promotions?
What I realized is I was usually competing only with myself for jobs. Often I was the only candidate being considered. And that makes it easier to be selected!
After my first career change into corporate communications, I was eager for more responsibility. But it wasn’t happening where I was. The company wasn’t growing. People stayed in the same roles for years. To grow, I needed to change companies.
Professional associations are a source of connection and learning for me, especially IABC and the Public Relations Society of America (PRSA). This is how I met Wendy Greene and Jeff Torkelson. Jeff and I are also alums of the same MA program at the USC Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism, a strong connection.
One day I called Jeff by way of Wendy, who gave me his contact info (pre social media!). There was a business reason I wanted to reconnect, unrelated to a job search.
Jeff and I chatted. He mentioned some challenges in hiring a communications manager. The former manager left the job. Interviews were conducted. No one was hired. Would I be interested in talking with his team at DIRECTV about the role? Um, yes!
A series of conversations ensued, including hiring manager Rosemary Heath. I was thrilled to receive an offer and move to a growing company, 5 years into its run as a pay-TV provider.
Unless I missed something, I suspect I was the only candidate. The question may have been, “should we hire Caroline, yes or no?” rather than “which candidate should we choose?”
And it turned out pretty well. I grew from a manager, to senior manager, to director, to senior director, to vice president in 6 years. I went from an individual contributor to the leader of a team of 45 communicators in 9 different states.
How have YOU landed great new jobs?
P.S. Thank you, Wendy, Jeff, and Rosemary!
by Caroline Leach | Jul 9, 2023 | Leadership, Work/Life
How can your Sunday routine help you enjoy today and make the most of the week ahead? 🌻
Being intentional. Being present. Being curious.
These mindsets are especially important on Sunday, so the day isn’t frittered away.
And if you can practice them on Sunday, you can bring them to every other day of the week.
Sunday is traditionally a day of rest. This is ever important in our faster and faster world, where so much is coming at us. (Looking at you, ChatGPT, Threads, and the never-ending news cycle.)
It’s also a day to get centered and focused. To enjoy life, and to lay the foundation for the work week ahead.
Here are concepts to consider …
🌻 SLOWING DOWN. Under schedule, do less, and create space. Yes, this can be hard for the hyper achievers here on LinkedIn. But what if you listened to what your body, mind, and soul are telling you? This morning I work up, without an alarm, at the usual 4:30-ish a.m. (Annoying, I know.) But I was still tired. So I let myself sleep a little more.
🌻 SAVORING. Intentionally noticing what you are doing and enjoying it in the moment heightens the experience. What are the sights, sounds, and smells around you? What are the feelings you are having? What else and who else are there? Observing, pondering, and being curious in the moment will also help savor, and remember, the time.
🌻 SPIRITUALITY. This can have many interpretations. Here it’s about seeing yourself in life as part of something much bigger than yourself. You get to define what that means to you. What are your values? What and who are important to you? How can you be a force for good in this vast, interdependent, and complex world?
It seems like work has taken on spiritual proportions. In the United States, we often “live to work” rather than “work to live.” But work doesn’t love us back, no matter how many hours we put in. And there is always more, more, more work to do. At the end of our lives, and every day until then, it’s the relationships and the experiences that we will remember and cherish.
Being a more whole and balanced person also makes us better leaders, employees, and parents. We’re better rested and fulfilled, with more wisdom and perspective to navigate through problems, reach our goals, and contribute to a better world.
What are your Sunday routines? And how much more satisfying could life be with a little Sunday energy, every day of the week?
by Caroline Leach | Jul 8, 2023 | Careers, Marketing & Analytics, Social Media
What happens when you post daily on LinkedIn? ✍️
A week ago, I decided to find out. I began a reprise of an experiment I did in 2017. At the time, I posted every weekday for a month, collected and analyzed data, and shared my findings in this article.
Back then, I was testing a hypothesis about how many posts are needed in a month to reach a certain percentage of my network.
Now, I’m doing a slightly different experiment. I’m posting daily, including weekends, during the month of July.
My hope is that this data will be valuable to you, too, as you think about your own content creation strategy.
I’ll share interim updates in July, and a full report in an article in August.
In this experiment, I want to answer these questions about content creation:
📊 What content is most engaging, or valuable, for serving my network?
📊 How can I increase the quality of my network through content creation?
📊 How will content creation enhance my personal brand?
It was a bit daunting to start this experiment during the 4th of July week. It feels like this week has evolved into what the week between Christmas and New Year’s Day is like. Everyone seems to be on vacation. This is great for quality of life, and not so great for interest in business content.
But I pressed on. Thanks in part to encouragement from various people.
And I’m happy I did. Here are some numbers for the past 7 days:
📈 Post impressions are up 862%
📈 Profile views are up 147%
📈 Search appearances are up 11%
Qualitatively, I’ve noticed other changes.
They all have to do with the ratio of salespeople (who I DON’T want to meet) to professionals (who I DO want to meet).
As a coach, consultant, and speaker, I hear from a LOT of salespeople who want to “fill my business pipeline and increase my revenue through done-for-me marketing.” No thank you. If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is.
What is changing in these first 7 days?
Profile views, connection requests, and DMs are all evolving. I’m seeing and hearing from much more interesting corporate professionals and business owners. These are exactly the people I’d like to get to know better and serve through my content.
My daughter thinks these changes are because the salespeople are on vacation this week, too. But time will tell as July unfolds. 😊
What questions do YOU want to see answered in this experiment?
by Caroline Leach | Jul 7, 2023 | Careers, Corporate Communications, Leadership, Social Media
Don’t apply for stuff. 🚫
Students and colleagues give me a puzzled look when I share that advice.
How are you supposed to get jobs and grow careers without applying?
Applying for stuff:
🔴 Rarely leads to anything good
🔴 Often involves being ghosted or rejected
🔴 Gives a false sense of taking action that will lead to desired outcomes
What works instead?
✅ Getting to know people and being of service
✅ Building a network of colleagues who encourage and help each other
✅ Creating a reputation – a personal brand – for delivering value
A few examples …
In a career change, I applied for multiple jobs in corporate communications in my organization. Initially, I got rejections. Then I met people on the team through professional associations. They helped me get interviews. But I was often the number-two candidate, without an offer. Finally, I interviewed for a job and hit it off with the hiring manager. The role wasn’t right, but we kept in touch. Two months later, he reached out. A senior writer had resigned. Was I interested in the job? Um, yes! More interviews ensued. They wanted to make me an offer, but I hadn’t applied for the job. So I quickly did.
In leaping from the corporate to entrepreneurial world, I wanted to teach as a focus area. My start was serendipitous. A colleague from a volunteer board was a department director at a local college. He asked if I was interested in designing and teaching a new class in digital marketing. Um, yes! It was a blast. Later, I wanted to move to a larger university. I reached out to people in my network to chat about opportunities. While the conversations were friendly, they didn’t lead anywhere. One referral seemed hostile and uninterested in connecting, so I decided not to push it. A few months later, I got an email introduction. It was someone at the university who knew me from my alumni volunteer work and corporate social media work. A department head asked her for adjunct professor recommendations in digital and social media. My contact recommended me. After several conversations and guest speaking, I was invited to start teaching. Oh, and I had to apply after that.
More recently, I applied for an intriguing part-time contract role. It was complimentary to my current portfolio of clients and focus on coaching, consulting, speaking, and teaching. I thought I met or exceeded the key criteria. I excitedly applied online. Two days later, the rejection email arrived. I reflected on what went wrong. Because I thought my experience was a strong match with the requirements, I didn’t reach out to people for advice. This is a mistake I will not repeat.
So, stop applying for stuff. Instead, nurture your network. Help people. Let them know how they can help you. Do great work and tell people about it in the spirit of serving others.
How have you landed new opportunities?
by Caroline Leach | Jul 4, 2023 | Leadership, Work/Life
“Who ever walked behind anyone to freedom? If we can’t go hand in hand, I don’t want to go.” 🇺🇸 So said Hazel Scott. A jazz pianist and singer, Scott was the first Black woman to host her own TV show. Throughout her life from 1920 to 1981, she was a force for racial equality.
As the United States celebrates Independence Day, what do freedom and equality mean to you?
And what does it mean to seek freedom, walking hand in hand?
To me it means …
🇺🇸 We are all interdependent. The strength and sustainability of our grand but sometimes fraying experiment in representative democracy rests with linking arms and creating freedom and equality together.
🇺🇸 The only thing we control is our own thoughts and actions. We can’t control court decisions (except via future elections) or the news cycle. Yet we ARE free to take individual and collective actions for an equitable world.
🇺🇸 A powerful lesson about the founding Americans is one of taking a huge risk, when the outcome is uncertain. The signers of the Declaration of Independence risked death in doing so. Despite that, they proceeded.
And while the founding Americans weren’t perfect, and there were paradoxes in the Declaration, there is a basic framework and foundation that we can strive to expand and grow.
As the U.S. marks its 247th birthday, my hope for those who are celebrating is a day of fun, family, friends, food, fireworks … and a little reflection. Let’s remember this amazing gift we have been given. How can we be good stewards for greater freedom and equality?
by Caroline Leach | Jul 3, 2023 | Leadership, Work/Life
What would make today fulfilling for you? ✨
It’s an unusual day. A Monday before a national holiday. Today isn’t a holiday, or a weekend, or even a regular work day.
Perhaps it’s a vacation day for you. Perhaps it’s a work day. Or maybe it’s something in between.
The important thing is to be intentional about how you choose to spend it.
When you reflect on today, at the end of it, what will make it a great one?
For me, it’s a blend of personal time, family business time, and family time.
➡ A strength training workout at the beach (that’s the picture), along with some cardio and a good podcast
➡ A day of mid-year financial assessment and planning with my husband Kevin Leach for our family-owned restaurant Pacific Standard Prime. Being closed on Mondays makes this easier.
➡ A family dinner with my husband and daughter. Monday is our family night tradition.
➡ An evening trip to the airport to pick up our son and his friends after a nearly 3-week trip to Japan. I can’t wait to hear about their experiences!
And I’m so proud of our son for earning the trip money as a brunch chef at our restaurant. He came home from college every weekend to work.
One of the often-unexpected benefits of planning a trip is the anticipation.
I just experienced the same excitement in planning my day.
Seeing it take shape in this post makes me eager to jump into it.
It re-framed my perspective.
Now I see the things I “get” to do, and not “have” to to do.
How will you make YOUR day fulfilling and exciting?
by Caroline Leach | Jul 2, 2023 | Work/Life
What are your favorite ways of having a chill summer weekend? 😎 One where you feel relaxed, refreshed, and reenergized?
Not necessarily so you can be ready for the work week ahead, but to fully enjoy and savor your life in the moment.
A few years ago I visited Vancouver to speak at the IABC world conference for communicators.
While I was there, I took a solitary stroll through the stunning Stanley Park (pictured).
Since then I’ve been captivated by the research that shows spending time in green spaces (among trees) and blue spaces (near water) is invaluable to our health and well being.
To that end, here are a few weekend ideas. Some can be combined and done together …
💕 Spend time with cherished family and friends
🌲 Get out in nature, for some forest bathing
💪 Move your body with a walk or a workout
📚 Exercise your mind with a book, a podcast, or a curious conversation
🎨 Spend time on a hobby you enjoy and lose track of time
🎢 Do something fun for the sheer joy of it
🍦 Help others through volunteering
🖊️ Reflect on what’s most important to you and what’s next
😎 Do nothing at all, and just BE!
What makes a great weekend for you?
by Caroline Leach | Jul 1, 2023 | Careers, Leadership
It’s the middle of the year and a long holiday weekend. 🇺🇸 What better time to reflect on where you are and where you want to go?
Here are 7 reflection questions to supercharge the rest of your year …
👉 What are you proud of so far this year?
👉 How are you performing on the annual goals you set?
👉 What’s working well?
👉 What would you like to do better?
👉 What are you excited about?
👉 What’s one action that would increase your leadership impact?
👉 How can you make the most of second half of the year?
Sometimes it’s all too easy to focus on what’s NOT working well. That’s how our brains work. We go right to the negative. (And this week’s news cycle certainly lends itself to that.)
Yet when you take the time to reflect on what you’re proud of, it’s easier to see how much progress you HAVE made.
And what you’re EXCITED about is what gives you energy.
That energy is so necessary to navigate daily challenges, bounce back from rejection, and keep going toward your biggest and most exciting goals.
How will you make the most of the second half of the year?
by Caroline Leach | Jun 28, 2023 | Careers, Social Media
Get your Social Media Success Roadmap workbook, newly updated for 2023!
You’ll find 50 questions, actions, and ideas to build and 
boost your career through social media.
The workbook now includes a LinkedIn profile checklist, to make the most of your digital presence and help people find YOU.
It’s a companion piece of my book, What Successful People Do on Social Media: A Short Guide to Boosting Your Career (available on Amazon).
Here’s to your success![Download not found]
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