Career Bites: Bite-Sized Career Tips In Less Than 3 Minutes

Hi Reader, Last week, I shared a tool to help you impress your boss in your next 1:1 meeting, and it reminded me about the dynamics of our relationships with our managers. It’s easy to fall into the mindset that this relationship is strictly top-down - they assign you tasks, and you complete them (I definitely thought that was the case when I first started my career!). But what if I told you that the most effective manager and direct report relationships are actually a two-way street? 💡 Tip...

Hi Reader, Over the summer, I worked with a few interns, many of whom hadn’t ever interned before. I introduced the concept of a 1:1 document to them, as I believe it’s one of the easiest ways to impress your boss. When you create a strong 1:1 document, you show that you’re prepared and organized, and you create an easy reference document your manager can jump back into whenever needed. 💡 Tip of the DayA well-organized 1:1 document reflects your professionalism and preparation. Use it to...

Hi Reader, One thing I’ve learned over the years is this: no one will advocate for your career as strongly as you can. It’s easy to assume that your manager knows what you want or that they’ll naturally push you toward new opportunities. But the truth is, they’re managing their own career, other teammates, and their bosses, too. It’s a lot to keep track of! If you want your career to grow, you need to take charge. Don’t just ask for what you want once and expect results. Follow up, keep the...

Hi Reader, I recently had someone join my team but I had some reservations. The reason? This person didn’t show much expression on our video calls, and as a result, they seemed a bit unenthused to be on the team. 💡 Tip of the Day While you don’t have to have a smile plastered to your face all the time, the energy you convey — especially on video where energy is more muted — does matter. Because you all know I love feedback, I brought my observation up to him and asked if I was interpreting...

Hi Reader, Have you ever thought about where to put your hands during a video call or presentation? Hand gestures are something I see a lot of people neglecting or when they try to incorporate them, it doesn’t look quite right. 💡 Tip of the Day Whether you're presenting or just participating in a meeting, incorporating hand gestures can help convey enthusiasm, clarify points, and engage your audience by making it easier for viewers to follow along. What not to do: I had a client recently who...

Hi Reader, Let’s talk about a simple yet effective way to boost your LinkedIn presence: leaving powerful comments. Many people get nervous posting on LinkedIn. That’s why I’m such a huge proponent of commenting. Comments = content, and they’re a much lower-stakes way to dip our toes into content creation on LinkedIn. Here’s how to make your comments stand out. ⤵ 💡 Tip of the Day Think quality, not quantity. A good rule of thumb is to aim for comments with at least 15 words. This ensures that...

Hi Reader, I’ve been reflecting on the importance of giving and receiving feedback, especially after spending the summer with a few amazing interns. It was a special program centered around mentorship, so I gave a LOT of feedback. One strategy that consistently helped my feedback be more effective was adding a special ingredient — my variation on the C-O-I-N framework (mine is C-O-I-I-N). 💡 Tip of the Day I’ve mentioned this popular model before, but for anyone who isn’t familiar or needs a...

Hi Reader, Earlier this year, I decided to try my hand at creating a TikTok video and I had no idea what I was doing. 😂 That doesn’t mean it wasn’t valuable for me to try. While recording a TikTok video may seem trivial, it represents a bigger idea: It’s ok to try new things where the outcome won’t be 100% perfect. 💡 Tip of the Day As a perfectionist myself, it can be difficult to try or publish things that won’t be… well, perfect. But if I waited till that “perfect moment,” I would never...

Hi Reader,Have you ever felt like an imposter, even though you’re excelling at work? You’re not alone. I’ve felt it many times before, and I am certain it will continue to pop up in the future, too. 💡 Tip of the Day Something that has helped me not let imposter syndrome take over is to reframe my mindset: Remember, feeling like an imposter is often a sign that you’re growing and stepping out of your comfort zone. I truly believe that those of us who experience imposter syndrome are often the...