18 Steps to Nailing Your LinkedIn Profile

18 Steps to Nailing Your LinkedIn Profile With millions of other members creating noise on LinkedIn,  it can be tough  to get your profile to stand out from the crowd. So if you want to get noticed, its important that you put your best face forward and put  the  time and effort into filling out each section in detail. Techniques such as adding keywords to your profile help to optimise it for search results and the more complete your profile is and better connected you are, the higher you will appear in search results, boosting  your chances of getting discovered. If your LinkedIn profile is in need of a revamp, this guide by TruConversion could be of some help. What makes LinkedIn the best professional network? LinkedIn is responsible for 80% of businesses social media leads. 77% said that LinkedIn has allowed them to research people and companies using the search function. 76% of Premium users report that the Who Viewed Your Profile feature is the most useful and the option to introduce people is good for referrals. How to craft the perfect LinkedIn profile: 1) Headline Your headline should work as a mini value proposition using verbs and other active language 2) Your profile picture Your profile is 11 times more likely to be viewed if you have a picture, but make sure it is professional and portrays you in the best light. 3) Background  photo Your background photo can say a little bit more about you and your interests. Be creative, but remain professional. 4) Contact information Always provide people with a way to contact you, such as an email address, phone number, Twitter handle, etc. 5) Summary Write a brief description of yourself and round up of your professional background. Keep it brief and to the point. 6) Customise your URL Make your profile more professional and easier to find by customising your public profile URL to your full name. 7) SEO Optimise your profile for search results by using keywords and terms across your profile and adding skills relevant to your experience. 8)  Optimise website link You can optimise the anchor text in your URL in the website section by selecting the Other option. In order to get more clicks make it keyword rich and attention grabbing. 9) Emphasise professional skills Your LinkedIn profile is 13 times more likely to be viewed if you add your  skills and it will encourage other users to provide you with endorsements. 10) Promote projects Highlight previous projects that you have completed or contributed to and include any links or material to the project website if possible. 11) Publications Add any article written by you or about you to add credibility to your profile. 12) Join groups Join and participate in groups related to your industry or niche to get yourself noticed by other professionals in the sector. 13) Share honours and awards Boost your credibility by  listing any rewards and honours you have received. 14) Share your interests Allow people to build a fuller picture of you as an individual by listing your hobbies and interests. Use keywords to optimise for search. 15) Connect with others When connecting with other users, be sure to personalise your invitation to explain why you would like to connect and to introduce yourself if you do not know them. The best option to select is Weve done business together, rather than friend. 16) Showcase volunteer work 42% of hiring manager said that they regard voluntary work as equal to other formal work experience and one in 5 have chosen a candidate based on their volunteer work, so its worth including. 17) Be active Try to log in each day to share updates and interact with other users. It takes 20 posts a month to reach 60% of your audience. 18) Best time to post LinkedIn updates between 10am-2pm EST get the most shares. [Image Credit: Shutterstock]

Know the Top Resume Writing Strategies to Use

Know the Top Resume Writing Strategies to UseIn order to maximize your chances of getting a job, the main key to success is to resume writing strategies. There are many factors that can affect your chances of getting hired for the job you want. One of these factors can be the way you present yourself on your resume. The contents are very important and if your resume is not good, it will not even get your first interview.You will find different resumes in different fields. Each is for a job opening in its own field. The person who wrote the resume or the one who is being interviewed will read the contents of the resume before deciding if they will hire the candidate or not.Resume writing strategies are important because in some fields the qualifications are very similar. What you have to do is to write your resume in such a way that you will stand out in the job position you are applying for. Resume writing is not a simple process, it involves a lot of skill and knowing how to apply t hat skill.If you find yourself not making any progress on your resume, do not give up. Resume writing is never easy and there is always room for improvement. Resume writing techniques and resume writing strategies should never be tried without prior knowledge of what you are about to do.There are many different online tutorials on how to prepare and write a resume. As with any other skill, with sufficient knowledge you can improve your chances of getting a job and get more jobs. Most of the resume writing tips can be easily found and followed without problems.Most resume writing strategies require a certain degree of experience. This is because the advice given to those people who are trying to learn how to write a resume can be valuable for the same people who are already professionals. Being a novice to resume writing does not mean that you should stop trying.Resume writing strategies are very important and if you do not try, you are going to lose. A competent resume writer will w ork hard to make sure that your resume is unique and professional in its contents. It is better that you have someone else write the resume for you than to do it yourself.You may also be paying for a resume writer but you do not have to. You can always hire a company that will do the writing for you at a lower cost. Such companies will generally work in partnership with you in order to give you better service than the ones you can do on your own.

The Secrets to Becoming a Respected and Sustained Influencer - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career

The Secrets to Becoming a Respected and Sustained Influencer - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career It’s widely believed that those who are in sales and marketing need to know how to be persuasive, but what about the rest of us? Does the general public benefit from knowing more about the dynamics of influence and what it takes to be good at being persuasive and to be weary of those influencers who use their tricks to deceive us? Being persuasive is not just important for getting a job and for getting a raise. Persuasion affects everyone; there are times when we are being encouraged to make a decision and other times when we try to inspire others to buy into our requests. What’s important is to know the psychology of persuasion so we could detect when someone is trying to exploit us and improve our own ability to influence others in a dignified and respectful way. Political figures on CNN news shows, hiring managers, car salesmen, fundraisers, religious leaders and waiters are all potential influencers in our life who are biding for our attention to make a profit or to align with their goals. It’s important to understand what influencers do to convince you to take their side. While many influencers are fair and respectful in using their persuasive abilities, others are deceptive. It’s up to each of us to detect the difference so we avoid making decisions that we come to regret. There are also times when were the ones who are trying to influence others to take our side, become our mate, support our favorite cause, follow our parenting advice or buy our product or service. Being persuasive is a critical life skill, and done tactfully and in a genuine fashion it could have a profound impact on your life: Being an adept influencer could help you find great employment, get a raise, become active and involved in projects that interest you, get you the best deal on a car or on a house and help explain to your kids why studies are important. To do this you need to hone the craft of persuasion. And to maintain great relationships you’ll need to use this skill with care so as to avoid exploiting those you influence. In Robert Cialdini’s bestseller, Influence: The Psychology of Persuasion, he   explains the psychology of why people say yes and how to apply these understandings. He offers six universal principles, explains how to use them to become a skilled persuader, and how to defend yourself against them. Understanding both sides (the benefits of these shortcuts as well as their potential for exploiting others), and using the principles in a discriminating way, could help you become a truly great influencer. Six top influence tactics along with a quick guide of how you can use them TODAY 1. Reciprocation: We always want to return the favor. Reciprocation is a powerful rule because we often say “yes” because we feel indebted to someone. Research shows that if you do things for others and they will feel obligated to do something for you in return. Even tiny acts of giving often result in disproportionate acts in return. The interesting part here is that the size of the favor or gift does not matter much. As long as you do it. Examples: If someone buys you lunch, you feel obligated to buy them lunch next time At the supermarket, or a warehouse club like Costco,  â€œfree” samples  encourage the reciprocity rule when they make you buy something you  wouldn’t  have otherwise. For women, if a guy takes you out to an expensive dinner, you feel obligated to go out with him again even though you  weren’t  that into him. If someone invites you to a party, wedding, or an event, you feel obligated to invite them when you have a similar occasion. 2. Authority: We listen to people who seem important.  Be it someone wearing a suit or a uniform, with an MD after their name or with a big sounding title on their business card. Who cares if they are actually powerful or if their expertise is relevant to our situationâ€"we still listen. Dress and act sharp and  position yourself accordingly. Examples: Policemen, firemen, clergy, office managers, etc. Titles (M.D. Ph.D, Esq., M.B.A., etc.) The way people are dressed (Ex: 3-piece suit vs. tank top and board shorts). Con artists exploit this rule all the time, like Leonardo DiCaprio in “Catch Me If You Can.” In Advertising, we see this principle at play in celebrity endorsements 3.  Commitment  and Consistency: We want to stay consistent to past decisions. Once someone makes a decision, no matter how small, they are likely to act consistent to that in the future. Even the smallest sale takes someone from a prospect to a customerâ€"much more likely to buy again (and a larger quantity) in the future. If a customer talks about or endorses a product they are much more likely to refer and keep buying. Testimonials don’t just provide credibility. They solidify that customer’s  commitment. Examples: Maintaining your religious affiliation, even though there isn’t a shred of evidence that confirms what you believe is in any way true You stay married, even though divorce may be the best option, because you’ve made a public commitment “til death do us part” You’ve made it public knowledge that you believe President Obama was born in Kenya and continue to bring up the issue, even though there is substantial evidence indicating he was in fact born in Hawaii You tell everyone you’re running your 1st marathon in 3 months.  The public announcement, or what I call “forced accountability,” will motivate you to be more consistent in your training so you hit your goal. 4. Social Proof: People follow the crowd.  Social proof is what a lot of us would refer to as peer pressure. “We view a behavior as more correct in a given situation to the degree that we see others performing it. “Basically, everyone else is doing it, so I’ll do it too. The more people doing something, the more likely others are to follow. We find safety in numbers. This is another reason testimonials are huge. Do everything possible to show that the masses endorse you, your product or your service. Much less selling is required when you can point to countless other happy customers. Examples: You’re at a bar and your  friends all order margaritas, so you do the same You laugh at a joke because your friends are laughing, but you don’t even get it You see everyone else doing the ice bucket challenge for ALS so you join in the fundraiser too 5. Liking:  People say yes to those they like.  Rapport is the foundation of all interactions. Find something in common. A hometown, sports team, the same bus route. Move and talk similar to the way they do. The more they like you and feel you’re like them, the more they act in your favor. Factors that cause one person to like another person? A) Physical Attractiveness Want to know why Jennifer Aniston has over 850,000 ‘likes’ on Facebook, and Kim Kardashian has her own reality show and a clothing line at Sears?? It’s not because she’s super smart or talented â€" it’s mostly because they’re considered super sexy and well dressed. And since she’s super hot and dresses really well, people like her and want to be associated with her. Same goes for Justin Timberlake. He rakes in $50 million per year in sales of well-fitting jeans as does Victoria Beckham, $95 million on handbags and dresses as people yearn to identify with people who are attractive so much that they buy accessories with their name on it hoping somehow that beauty could rub off on them. B) Similarity We like people who are similar to us, whether it’s sharing opinions, personality traits, background, lifestyle, etc. A good example are the cliques that form in high school: athletes, nerds, techie geeks, etc. â€" everyone found a group they associated with the most. And if you were a total social outcast, you probably associated with other outcasts. We see the same dynamic within companies: Planners hang out with Planners, “Creatives” hang out with other “Creatives,” financial wizards prefer other financial wizards and engineers attract other engineers. This is also one reason why people often look like their dogs. If you notice people walking their dogs it’s a funny thing how many people actually resemble their dog’s breed. Many curly-haired people have poodles, tall slim people can be spotted with great danes more often than short people who often own miniature breeds. C) Compliments We generally love getting compliments, even if they’re not true. It’s why so many women fall into the trap of infatuation when a guy gives them a line like, “I’ve never met a woman as gorgeous and brilliant as you!” Or “you are the smartest, most athletic, hilarious guy I’ve ever known.” D) Contact We like things that are familiar to us. On the other hand, we often fear what we don’t know. Examples: Contact is one reason  we  eat at the same restaurants over and over and over again instead of trying a new place Contact is also why African-American voters overwhelmingly voted for Obama in the last presidential election and why presidential candidates are most likely to win in their home states. Because they’re familiar and “closer to home.” E) Cooperation  works a little differently. We also like people who work with us, instead of against us. Working together towards a common goal and being “on the same side” are very powerful.  Examples: It helps us understand why “Yes We Can” worked so well as a unifying slogan for the 2008 Obama campaign. You work together on a new business pitch Sports teams F) Conditioning Association “All things being equal, you root for your own sex, your own culture, your own locality… and what you want to prove is that YOU are better than the other person. Whomever you root for represents YOU; and when he wins, YOU win.” â€" Isaac Asimov The principle of  Association  â€œâ€¦is a general one, governing both negative and positive connections. An innocent association with either bad things or good things will influence how people feel about us.” Everyone wants to be part of a winning team because it raises your social standing. People will therefore try to link themselves to positive events and distance themselves from negative events. Examples: Ever notice how people say “WE won!!” when their team wins, but they say “THEY lost!!” when their team loses?? “They threw away our chances for a national championship”. We buy brands that remind us of success: Tori Burch, Apple, Nike, etc. We buy these brands largely because of the  Association  rule The same rule applies to name droppers, who want you to know who they know People give to causes based on seeing names of influencers attached to the cause. Political fundraisers and charitable fundraisers all capitalize on this principle of co-marketing with locals and celebrities whose names have clout 6. Scarcity Urgency: We want what we can’t have. Whether it’s an attractive woman or man, a backordered dress, acceptance to a premier business school or the club in Vegas with the longest line. The harder it is to get, the more we want it. Make your products exclusive. Create waiting lists. And set purchase deadlines. We rarely act unless we have to.  Interview your customers to be sure they’re a good fit. The second someone realizes they have to work for something, is the second intrigue sets in. Maybe playing hard to get is a worthwhile strategy after all. Using Cialdini’s universal principles could help you improve your ability to influence others. These ideas can be used everywhere, not just in business. Deciding on where to go lunch, how to build your business network, choose a career, a mate, where to go on vacation, whether to go to a club a movie or stay home and read a book, influence is everywhere. No matter what you’re doing as long as there is someone else there, someone is doing the influencing and someone is being influenced. Knowing what influences you can help you adjust your decisions and how you feel about your choices. It’s okay to be influenced as long as you’re aware that we often are making decisions that aren’t fully informed. Instead, for the sake of efficiency we retreat to a more automatic, primitive, single-feature type of responding. We often say yes or no to a requester because we are paying attention to one piece of the relevant information in the situation. Each of these cues (or popular prompts) are the most reliable and work especially well for decisions that have a lesser consequence in our lives, like choosing a toothpaste. But when it comes to more major decisions, this strategy should be checked for counterfeit influences. Ones that encourage us to purchase a product, laugh, stand in lines and are using tricks of a profiteer. Cialdini says that “We need to recognize that business owners and advertisers know what influences us so we can boycott, confront, retaliate and avoid our shortcut responses where our short-cut responses are being exploited”. Don’t tell someone there’s a deadline if there’s not. Don’t be fooled by a long line to get into a coveted club when you see theres plenty of space inside, don’t watch shows that use canned laughter and don’t fool others with the tricks you desp ise. These short-cuts are useful ways to make decisions and the problem is not with using them but with how we and others use them. When you apply these principles to influencing others, be genuine with your message.  Having integrity will ultimately win your audience over more than tricks and deception. Make sure you mean what you say and do, so you protect your reputation.  Using them to exploit a customer, friend, employee, employer or a perspective date it may yield a little short-term success, but eventually others will see through the falseness. Remember, these tricks are tools to help others make what you feel to be the best decision. Use them with discretion. In the end, you’ll be more at peace with the consequences of your decisions and with the profit you make as a respectful and trustworthy person.

Reject, Reject, RejectWhy Is It Always Me

Reject, Reject, Reject…Why Is It Always Me The toughest thing that we all face when searching for a new job is the rejection, hands down. We apply for these jobs knowing that we fit the correct criteria in the job description, so we get our hopes up thinking that no one else fits it like we do. But then you log on to your emails, you see one from that company, your heart starts racing as you begin to read the line ‘Thank you for your application, however…’ Job reject. why is it always me?! Its a big fat no! One of the worst sentences we can read, right? Sometimes we think they may as well just write ‘Its a big fat no!’ in the subject bar; saves their time and ours. I would be lying if I said getting a rejection email didn’t hurt. It’s yet another knock back in the search for our dream job. But you know what we have to do, don’t you? We have to stay positive! Everyone tells us to after all, but it is incredibly hard when you have had a rejection each day that week. But the fact of the matter is, at least you’re trying! You are putting effort in and you are one step closer to clinching that golden job of yours, and what is life without a few little knock backs? It tests us to see how tough we really are, and, of course, the answer is we are exceptionally tough! [ALSO READ:  Getting Over Job Rejections!  ] On to the next rejection I would be lying if I said getting a rejection email didn’t hurt. So how about when you next get a rejection email, you take about five minutes of your time to think about it, think about why you think you weren’t chosen, think about how you could have made your application better, think about how it was obviously not meant to be and that they are missing out big style; it is their loss after all, not yours. Then go and shove the kettle on and forget about it. On to bigger and better things! The key is to not dwell; it’s not as though a similar job role won’t come along soon enough, and hey, what do you know, you are absolutely perfect for it and you bag an interview within a day of applying! These things happen, I’m not making it up! [ALSO READ:  Graduates, Respect Your Failure  ] Lesson learnt The biggest lesson in life I have learnt is to always be optimistic! Sure, you can have down days, but don’t let that affect your life. Everything always happens for a reason, so don’t get too disheartened by it. Keep applying, no matter how many knock backs you get; it just means that you’ll appreciate it even more when you get the job you’ve been dreaming of, and you’ll be absolutely amazing at it! [ALSO READ:  How to Handle Rejection  ] 23

What Costs Are Involved When You Create Your Resume?

What Costs Are Involved When You Create Your Resume?People who are new to the job market have to put up with a lot of unnecessary costs which are attached to resume writing. This article seeks to highlight what costs people are facing when they have to put together their own resumes and other types of materials related to their career.The first cost is time. In a way, people have to put in more time when they have to put together an impressive resume, as compared to what they would have to do if they just went through the material provided by the employer. The employer can spend up to three to four hours on each resume before sending it out to people. The same time can be spent on writing your own resume.The second cost is resources. All the material associated with resumes and cover letters need to be done on the computer. There are many applications and software to be used. Some of them are expensive and others are free.The third cost is money. People have to shell out money when t hey buy the books and other materials which help them write their resumes. While some people can avoid paying for these resources, it is best not to spend all the money as you may have to pay for it again. It is better to find the resources you need online and which can be very inexpensive.A fresh resume is also costly. Those who get a new job will also spend some extra money to have a fresh resume prepared for them. If you are employed and at the same time unemployed, then this is something that you should take into consideration.The final cost is your time. While your employer can give you guidance on how to write a good resume, it will be time consuming for you. There is no point in going through the material provided by the employer and you will not find it easy. You will also face unnecessary costs due to the lack of familiarity and lack of understanding with the employers. You will have to spend more time and money on preparing a better and easier resume.If you are to get hold of the materials and guidance required for writing a resume, then it will help you develop some easy steps on how to put them together. For example, if you are required to do a proofreading, then it is best to do it from scratch as the old resume is not available to use.Start saving money to do away with all the unnecessary costs that will be introduced with the usage of your resume. Write everything on your own so that you can concentrate on more important things. For those who are new to the job market, the usage of a single resume can take some time and effort, but remember that it will be worth the work and money as well as time invested.

Ask Dana How to do your homework before a job interview

Ask Dana How to do your homework before a job interview Question: What one piece of company information stands out to the interviewer and shows that candidates have done their homework on the company? Answer from Dana: There is more than one piece of information you need to show the interviewer to prove that you have done your homework before a job interview. Here are the four key pieces of information to review before your interview: 1. Dissect the job description Too many candidates show little to no understanding of the job requirements, since they haven’t read what the hiring manager wrote. Ensure that you understand every word, including acronyms. In addition, prepare notes that show where your unique experiences correlate with their requirements. Prepare to sell your attributes, including stories that will be examples of your skills. 2. Know the company’s various businesses Spend hours on the web reading about them, and take notes. 3. Know the specific division, group, department or team that you are interviewing for This is a sad â€" and true â€" story from one hiring interview I conducted at Microsoft. I interviewed a candidate for a mid-management position that would work with partners who were Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEM). The candidate clearly did not do his homework, because in the interview with me, he asked, “What does OEM stand for?” 4. Know yourself Can you answer, “Tell me about yourself,” in three short bullet points? Be prepared to tell me about a time when you filled a requirement in the job description. This is called a situational interview question â€" expect it. These questions are becoming more common.

How to Keep Your Boss Updated and Do It Well

How to Keep Your Boss Updated and Do It Well One assumption that’s easy to make but can really damage your career is that your boss knows what you’re doing and how well you’re doing it. After all, they’re your boss. It’s their job to know what’s going on and to look out for team members, right? Unfortunately, most bosses aren’t perfect and they’re definitely not mind readers. They’re busy people with worries of their own. That’s why the best strategy is to take charge of keeping your boss updated on what you’re doing and to do it in a way that serves both of you well. Why It’s Important to Keep Your Boss Updated When done well, keeping your boss updated is one of your career secret weapons (more on that in a moment). And there are four reasons why it’s in your interest to make it a regular part of your routine. Make it a regular part of your routine to keep your boss updated â€" it’s one of your career secret weapons. 1. Helps you with your workload When you keep your boss updated, you provide them with insight into the volume, complexity and impact of your work. When they know what’s on your plate, this makes it easier for you to get the resources you need, and it can also keep you from getting dumped on with more work than you can handle. 2. Makes your boss a better advocate for you When your boss is informed and armed with your accomplishments in real time, they’ll be able to advocate for you more effectively and on an ongoing basis. And when it’s time to negotiate for more resources, they’ll be in the know about what you need and why you need it. In essence, the more informed your boss is about you, the better an advocate they will be. 3. Helps your boss pave the way for you If you’re keeping your boss regularly updated, they’ll be in a better position to help you at the more senior levels of your organization. You’ll also be able in a great position to direct your boss to help troubleshoot or pave the way with senior people you can’t (yet) get to easily, whether that’s in your client’s organization or in your own. When you find appropriate ways to involve your boss, it gives them an opportunity to feel part of the effort and, best of all, it’s easier for them to see you in action. They can see your successes and how you handle challenges first-hand and are then in a position to brag about you authentically. 4. Enhances your visibility with higher level managers Your updates are fuel for your boss to use in keeping their bosses updated on all the great things going on across the unit. Just like you, your boss is interested in looking good with his or her boss too! When you help your boss look good, they’ll feel more secure in their role. This in turn makes them more likely to be generous in sharing some positive press about you with senior management. It’s Easy to Get It Wrong Just because keeping your boss updated is important doesn’t mean everyone does it. And it’s possible to get it badly wrong. So much so that it backfires. Take my client â€" let’s call her Linda â€" for example. Linda was proud of the thorough briefings she prepared for her update meetings with her new boss. Her one frustration was that their supposedly hour-long meeting was often cut short to 15 minutes or even canceled at the last minute. Since she was often traveling to meet with clients but still wanted to keep her boss updated, she switched to an email update. By reading this one comprehensive document, her boss would know everything that was going on. She felt confident this would show her boss that she was working hard and staying on top of things even when she was away from the office. When I met with her boss, I got a different story. He was frustrated with Linda because she couldn’t seem to get to the point. He dreaded their long update meetings and felt she was wasting his time with all that unnecessary detail. For him, even 15 minutes was a long meeting. As for the emails, they were just as bad. He hated to read long, dense emails that you had to scroll down multiple times to get to the end. Instead, he preferred a few bullet points or an informal “fly by” update and wondered why she couldn’t just “stop by and poke her head into my office with a quick ‘oh, by the way, we got that deal today’ or ‘I need your input on X’ like everyone else?” Fortunately, Linda was able to change the way she updated her boss and they got back on track. But it almost derailed her career. How to Update Your Boss Well The “how” will be different for different bosses, and it’s your responsibility to get clear on what will land best with yours. If they’re a micro-manager, you’re probably better off with more frequent updates and greater detail. If they’re “laissez-faire” or have a short attention span, then a few well-placed bullet points will do. As an example, the best team member I’ve ever worked with, Charlie (not his real name) somehow knew my preferred update was in person. I had way too many emails and was always behind. Charlie would stop by in the late afternoon and ask if I had a moment to speak (how did he know that I hate getting interrupted in the morning, which is my most productive time?!). Then he’d sit down next to my desk and tell me the projects he’d finished, the ones that were still in progress, and the requests he had for me. Then he’d ask if there was anything else I wanted him to work on. If not, he’d be heading home after he finished his last tasks. This made things easy for me as a new manager. And hearing Charlie’s update felt like a nice break. I was regularly amazed by how calm he was and how quickly he was able to handle his work without any hint of panic. It was also a smart way for Charlie to leave when he was finished with work without worrying that he was letting me down or feeling like he was sneaking off. Not only did Charlie do excellent work, his updates helped me feel in control at work because I was never caught off guard. As a result, I was always happy to brag about Charlie and what a great job he was doing. If I was ever moving to a different part of the firm, Charlie would have been the first person I’d ask to come along. Tailor Your Update to Your Boss Bosses come in many sizes and flavors and you want to make your update easy for your boss to consume. Just as vitamins come in different forms (e.g., gel cap, chewable, liquid), your approach needs to suit your boss’s preference. If you’re not sure, then ask them or someone else who knows. And then experiment with formats to see which lands best and is easiest for you to produce. I like to think of it along the lines of content, framing, frequency and format. Content: What to update your boss about Framing: How to position the things in your update Format: How to communicate your update Frequency: How often you update your boss Content â€" What to update your boss about The key here is to make a conscious decision about what to include in your updates. First, figure out what’s important to your boss. What you include will give him or her clues about whether or not you see the bigger strategic picture. For example, the organizational “housekeeping” that’s taking up most of your time this week may not deserve top billing whereas the insights from a 5-minute client call could be big news. Second, think about the content from your own perspective. What are the accomplishments or milestones you’re most proud of? What issues or challenges are on the horizon, how are you handling them, and what help do you need from your boss? Where do you want to start planting some seeds for the future, such as workload and how close your team is to full capacity? As a boss, here are the things I would want to know: What you and your team have accomplished since the last update Any challenges you’re facing (especially flagging potential future issues) and how you plan to deal with them Any assistance or input you need from me Framing â€" How to position the things in your update From a framing perspective, think of it as a story or narrative that you’re communicating to your boss. What’s the overall impression you want to give, and what’s the language and phrasing that best conveys it? For example, if you want to come across as competent and capable, then the way you frame issues and challenges needs to be matter-of-fact and include your proposed solution. If you need your boss’s help, direct them rather than sound like you’re adrift without any idea of what to do. For example, “At this stage in the project, it would have a big impact if you connect with the head of the client team” instead of “Can you call the client? I’m worried they think I’m too junior.” Finally, consider what you would want to include if your boss happened to forward or repeat the contents to a more senior person in the organization. Make sure it represents you well. Format and Frequency â€" How and how often to communicate updates Format and frequency are things for you and your boss to decide. I preferred weekly updates but biweekly or monthly could suit your situation better. Depending on how often things change and how much detail you provide, I’ve found these three update formats can work whether they’re in writing or in person: Very short and to the point â€" this is great if your boss has a short attention span and is very busy. The more senior your boss is, the more likely they are to fall into this category. Reasonably detailed â€" this includes some charts or spreadsheets that capture key information such as pipelines or project updates. The broader a group you need to update, the more likely it is you’ll need an update like this. Also, a newer manager or a boss with micro-manager tendencies will like this. With this format, I’d recommend having sub-headings and bullet points to make it easier to digest. A hybrid â€" this is an executive summary with the three main points along with the action or decision you need from your boss. Then everything else can be below your signature or attached as an appendix. When you’re not sure, this is a good way to go. Updates Are Your Opportunity to Increase Your Visibility Remember, your update represents you with your boss and potentially with more senior management. They’re a great opportunity for you to be more visible with people who matter in your career. That’s why given the choice, I would go for shorter updates (as in three bullet points), in writing, sent weekly via email with the same subject line so it’s easily searchable as you get closer to review time. This is especially useful if you don’t get to see or speak to your boss frequently. And while you want to take your updates seriously, don’t get bogged down with trying to make it perfect. The point is to get it going. Then you can get feedback and adjust. As the saying goes, done is better than perfect! So how about you? If you’re already updating your boss, how has it helped your career? And if you haven’t been doing it yet, how will you get started? Leave me a comment and let me know.