Professional Edge With Sue Morem

"The Job Seeker"- Episode 07

Tue, 13 Jun 2006 15:39:22 -0500

Chris learns the hard way that in a job interview you shouldn't claim you know something unless you can back it up. Watch and learn with Sue Morem.

"The Job Seeker"- Episode 06

Mon, 05 Jun 2006 16:59:53 -0500

Ever go to an interview and forget your resume? Then you'll sympathize with Jillene. Watch to see how (or if) she recovers from this mistake!

First Step to Your Future: Create a Plan. Here's How...

Fri, 02 Jun 2006 11:34:29 -0500

If you want to make it happen, plan it and then say it!

"The Job Seeker"- Episode 05

Mon, 29 May 2006 10:06:47 -0500

Liz can't stand watching the video of her interview. Watch and find out why.

BONUS-Kevin's Interview from "The Job Seeker"

Sat, 27 May 2006 09:47:20 -0500

See the entire uncut interview that was featured in episode 4 of the Job Seeker. This video is only available on the Professional Edge podcast feed.

Your Image Is More Important Than You Think

Thu, 25 May 2006 09:40:46 -0500

Listen as Sue tells you how your professional I-M-A-G-E is made up of five key components:
Impression
Movement
Attitude
Grooming
Etiquette

"The Job Seeker"- Episode 04

Tue, 23 May 2006 15:08:03 -0500

Kevin didn't prepare for his interview. See why you should. Sue has some great advice on how to prepare.

BONUS-Jamie's Interview from "The Job Seeker"

Sat, 20 May 2006 23:08:39 -0500

See the entire uncut interview that was featured in episode 3 of the Job Seeker. This video is only available on the Professional Edge podcast feed.

Can't Get No Job Satisfaction? Yes You Can!

Thu, 18 May 2006 12:51:23 -0500

Look around and you will see people who are energized and enthused, upbeat and positive. Notice how many people are smiling; pay attention to the individuals who seem happy. Some of them work for the same company as you, some have similar job duties- have you ever wondered how they manage to be happy when you can not?

It’s not necessarily the company or job duties that make a job satisfying; more often than not, it’s your mindset that makes the difference.

"The Job Seeker"- Episode 03

Tue, 16 May 2006 11:57:26 -0500

See what a job interview is really like as Jamie tries to persuade our interviewer to give her an Assistant News Director job in radio. Sue has great tips for Jamie on her performance that you can use in your next interview.

Take Control

Thu, 11 May 2006 22:40:29 -0500

All isn’t fair, bad things happen, and at times there’s no bright side to look on. So what can you do?

"The Job Seeker"- Episode 02

Tue, 09 May 2006 19:08:35 -0500

Sue critiques five soon to be grads clothing choices for their upcoming job interview. Also, Sue tells us about the secret interviewer... and why the grads are suddenly all nervous about talking to him!

Amazing Internships

Thu, 04 May 2006 22:40:29 -0500

There is no such thing as an entry level job anymore according to Jamie Fedorko. Jamie spent several years interning while going to college and has written a tell-all book called "The Intern Files". He and Sue talk about how to find and get a good internship instead of one where you just get the coffee.

"The Job Seeker"- Episode 01

Thu, 13 Apr 2006 18:58:17 -0500

Do you really know what goes on in a job interview? Watch as five soon to be graduates find out first hand with coaching from Sue Morem. In episode one we meet the five and find out what they expect in a job interview. They're pretty confident. Should they be?

Video Preview-"The Job Seeker"

Thu, 13 Apr 2006 18:58:17 -0500

A preview of Sue's new internet only reality TV show- "The Job Seeker".

Set Out To Succeed

Tue, 14 Mar 2006 10:52:25 -0600

Set out to succeed
No one sets out to fail; most people seek success, not failure, yet almost every successful person has failed before succeeding.

The truth is that failure isn’t always bad. It can humble you, teach you, and helps prepare you for success. Every set back you have, rejection you experience, and hardship you encounter will teach you something of value, and help you to appreciate success when you reach it.

Behind the story of every successful person is a story of a time when things were different. Everyone has struggles, challenges, and obstacles to overcome.

Abraham Lincoln failed numerous times; he was defeated and rejected, but it didn’t stop him from running, and then becoming, one of America’s most recognized and respected presidents.
Thomas Edison failed thousands of times before he successfully invented the light bulb. He never would have succeeded had he given up trying.

Joanne Rowling, creator of Harry Potter, was an unemployed single mother when she wrote her first manuscript. Today she is one of Brittan’s wealthiest women.

Walt Disney suffered financial problems and a nervous breakdown before achieving fame and fortune.
The truth is that everyone starts somewhere. The tough times you go through will help prepare you for the better times yet to come. Everything takes time, persistence, a game plan, a belief in oneself, and the right attitude.

Successful people don’t fear failure; they view failure as a temporary setback, not a permanent position. Successful people don’t give up; they believe they will succeed. They focus on possibilities and tend to quickly rebound after a set-back or problem.

Instead of fearing failure, you can anticipate it and learn from your mistakes.

Every time you fail, rest assured you’re one step closer to success. Don’t be ashamed of failing; why not give yourself credit for trying? The only people who’ve never failed are those who have never tried.

Sex And The Office

Fri, 03 Feb 2006 10:04:20 -0600

Thinking of getting a Valentine for that cute guy or gal at work? Nice thought, but Sue Morem says not so fast. What's OK with your friends may not be appropriate with your co-workers—especially with people of the opposite sex. But is it about the sex?
Written by Susan Morem, author of 101 Tips for Graduates, How to Gain the Professional Edge, Second Edition, and How to Get a Job and Keep It

(Sue) A man sees a woman struggling to put her coat on and gently helps her... then holds the door open for as they exit. They make eye contact and he holds his gaze. Sound romantic? But it's not a date. It's at the office. Is that appropriate? That's the topic of an email question that I'll answer next.

(Sue) When I first started writing my column…question from gentlemen, didn’t know how to act around women, so started avoiding women because so afraid. So my response – what are you so afraid of. Treat women with respect , treat everyone with respect, you’ve got nothing to worry about. I was totally unprepared for the volume of mail and responses I had in response to that column. The women all wrote in and said right on, that’s all we want, treat us equally, treat us with respect. And the men were furious with me, they were outraged. They said you don’t know what you’re talking about, we do walk on egg shells. We’re so afraid of lawsuits slapped on us for doing or saying the wrong thing and that even led to other columns, so I found very early on there are still challenges among men and women, especially men about he’s supposed to act around women at work.

(Demae) From the male’s point of view, what they think is normal respectful conversation amongst each other a woman may take offensively. So they may think they’re treating a woman equally. And in fact in their mind they are but just different gender understanding of how things worded or said or how they communicate to each other.

(Sue) It’s true, but Both men and women have to realize that all the things that works outside the workplace don’t work there. So it kind of goes back to this generic appropriateness in the office or work environment that we have to be respectful of where we are that certain jokes or comments may be offensive to other people where it may not in another situation.

(Demae) What about a man holding a door open for a woman in the workplace…if want to be treated equally should a man not do that in the workplace…like they would on a date.

(Sue) Right, and the thing I always tell people (not dating women at work, not like open door, put on coat for her, pull out chair, etc. all of that nice and lovely to do if it’s easy to do that, if see them struggling, help them, if first at elevator and want to hold do it…)my rule of thumb is don’t do it because they’re a woman or a man, do it because you would do it for anyone to be polite and nice.

(Demae) Right because you don’t want to create a sterile environment where no one can do anything and everybody’s walking like a robot fearful of everybody feeling offensive.

(Sue) Right and it doesn’t have to be that way - it’s about treating people respectfully, nicely – treating everyone with respect. What I’ve notice is there are some men who are still very uncomfortable with women and so they avoid looking at the woman.,..or speak to the guys and not include the woman with their eyes or body language in a conversation. You know these are things that can be very offensive to a woman. So you have to be really no matter where your comfort level is, work on including everybody whether they’re male or female.

(Demae) What about some things or mistakes some women make? I mean, I’ve seen situations where she’s trying too hard to be like the man that she puts the man down or overrides him in some way.

(Sue) Women can try too hard and be very offensive also. Some women, I think the biggest mistake they make is they can act very female and helpless around men and they allow men to take this stronger stance and that’s really giving their own power away so you really don’t want to do that either.

(Sue) Okay Mike, I can see that that comment really got to you
(Demae) Mike’s our engineer and his eyes lit up with this, so I’m handing the Mike over to Mike.
(Mike) So I wanna know, I’m damned if I do, I’m damned when if I’m looking at a woman, correct?

(Sue) Well, I get where you’re coming from because there are ways you can look at a woman that will put her over – if you’re looking up or down or looking in the wrong place. You can look at her, but just look at her the way you do at men. When you look at men don’t you just look at their face when you have a conversation…(Demae chimes in w/chuckle) That seems kind of hard for some men, I’m sure (Sue, chuckling) You think that’s too hard

(Demae) I don’t know. It’s worse to not look at a woman than to look at her. But it’s worse to look at her chest than it is to look at her face.

(Mike) It always depends on how they’re dressed too. Some women are dressed to invite you to look at certain parts of their body.

(Sue) You are so right. I couldn’t agree with you more. The woman who has the… cleavage hanging out or the bra that shows every little something, I get that, it’s hard to avoid that, yeah so look! (All Laugh) She wants you to. So that’s a whole other segment in our other podcast for women about the image don’ts that you need to stick to

(Demae) Sue, what do you think about women holding a door open for a man?

(Sue) I think it’s lovely. I think if she’s there first…if I’m at door first, I’ll hold for man, men do it for me…I think it’s great, why shouldn’t she? The whole point is treat everyone respectfully, business boundaries, conversational boundaries, physical boundaries and respect those male or female. You don’t have to overfocus on anyone because of the sex that they are.

(Demae) And the bottom line is everyone should just be focused on their work.

(Sue) Well, it’s true. But we can’t ignore the people and the relationship aspect of work either. And that’s what makes it so tricky. Because we do get involved with people. And we have fun. We go out for happy hour afterwards and we get casual and cozy and fun and it’s very natural for people to get comfortable with each other and act in ways that maybe aren’t in ways, quote/unquote, professional.

(Sue) And I think the wrap up here basically is that it isn’t about the sex. Period.
(Demae) Don’t say period. (Lots of laughter)
All rights reserved
For more information about Sue Morem and for additional advice: www.suemorem.com

Quitting On A Whim

Fri, 03 Feb 2006 10:04:20 -0600

Quitting on a whim can be a big mistake
Written by Susan Morem, author of 101 Tips for Graduates, How to Gain the Professional Edge, Second Edition, and How to Get a Job and Keep It

We all have good days and bad days, and days we struggle to get through. Most of endure the bad and relish the good, but for some, it takes only one bad thing to happen for them to say “Enough--I’m out of here!” In the heat of the moment, quitting may seem like the key to survival, however, there are other options to consider. Quitting on a whim can be a mistake.

1. When you quit on a whim you are responding to emotion, not logic. Perhaps your boss made a demeaning comment; maybe someone else got the promotion you wanted--or you might be upset because you were reprimanded for something you didn’t do. You are justified in being upset and you should react to your emotion, but you shouldn’t allow your emotions to replace reason.
2. When you quit on a whim, you create an uncertain future for yourself. You’ve had it, so you quit. You tell yourself you are glad to be out of there, and you may feel relieved at first, but before you quit think about how you will feel the next day, week, or month when you are sitting home without a job and without a paycheck. Unless you have a back up plan and know what you will do if you quit and how you will survive financially, you may be better off staying until you can be more certain about your future.
3. When you quit on a whim, you lose valuable contacts. You might have walked out to prove a point to someone who irked you or in response to something that occurred, but when you walk out that door, you’re walking out on everyone else whether you intend to or not. The friends and coworkers you left behind are still a part of the organization you ditched. Once you leave you will become the outsider, and although you might be able to retain a few contacts, you’ll bound to lose more than you gain. And you’d better start thinking about what you will tell perspective employers when they ask why (or how) you left.
4. When you quit on a whim, you lose your dignity. When your anger and emotion replace your self control, you lose more than you gain. You lose your self respect and the respect of others.
5. When you quit on a whim, you give up the chance of working things out. Problems are inevitable; you can run away from your problems or face them and resolve them. Do you want to be known as a quitter or someone who easily gives up? Because when you quit on a whim, that’s how you will be remembered.
6. When you quit on a whim, you are not giving yourself the time you need to make such an important decision. You need time to think; you might need time away, so take the time you need to make the decision that is best for you. When you give yourself time to think through what has happened and how to respond, you will arrive at a well thought out solution with less chance for regret.
7. When you quit on a whim, you only hurt yourself. You may think you are hurting your organization or the person(s) you are upset with, but you are only hurting yourself. Everyone else will still have a job to go to and will be together as they wonder what on earth happened to you! You will be alone, you will be the outcast, and you will be with out a job. The suffering you inflict on yourself will be far greater than any suffering you inflict on others.

If something happens and you’re feeling as if the only thing to do is to quit, take a time out. Quitting may be tempting, but before you walk out that door think about the long term effects your actions will have.

Address problems when they arise, speak up when you feel you’ve been wronged, and strive to resolve problems. But before you quit, think twice because it quitting on a whim can be a big mistake.

All rights reserved
For more information about Sue Morem and for additional advice: www.suemorem.com

Trust Your Vibes At Work

Thu, 12 Jan 2006 17:43:50 -0600

[Sue] Do you follow your gut feelings? If not, it could be hindering your success. In fact, one of the tips in my book, “101 Tips For Graduates”, is to trust your instincts. How can you make your intuition work for you? Sonia Choquette , sixth-sensory and intuition guide and author of “Trusting your vibes at work” is here to teach us how to go with our guts.
[Sue] I’d kind of like to know how you would define intuition.
[Sonia] Well, intuition is a hard-wired fundamental part of human consciousness. Actually sciences discovered that there are neuropath ways in the brain and the heart and the gut that pick up energy pick up information other than the five senses and this faculty when engaged really improves the quality of your life because it makes you a better informed person.
[Sue] And so, the question that I have is how does a person begin to pay more attention and know the difference between what is the intuition and what their thoughts are?
[Sonia] I believe the physical alert comes first, thought comes second.
[Sonia] You might get, the first indication is a gut feeling, a little anxiety in the heart, a lump in the throat, hair on the back of your neck and arms stand up, so there’s definitely a physical alert to intuition
[Sonia] Feeling comes first, thought comes second.
[Sue]-okay
(Sonia) Then once the feeling nature responds, then the thought accepts, so my experience is that most people are very accurately intuitive but it’s what they choose to do with it that is the important thing   . So you get the thought…for example, I had a client yesterday, a woman who is operating a very high-power interior design firm studio here in Chicago, she has 50 employees   . And she was interviewing someone who came to be the office manager - high recommendation, couldn’t have been presented…   but as she was speaking to her she had just a bad feeling in her gut. She ignored it.    Because she was overridden by what everyone was saying and an urgency, so she hired the woman and it was a complete disaster.    She was not competent in creating a good consensus and a cooperative feeling.    Her management style caused many people to quit and all that was ! running beautifully, fell apart.
[Sue] So why do you think so many people don’t listen to that feeling, that intuition?
[Sonia] I think it’s because they’ve not been truly culturally encouraged to do so.
[Sue] Well, and that leads me to my next question, because most workplace environments don’t really culturally, really don’t have that culture either.
[Sonia] There was an interview with Harvard Business Review that I saw in a book, 100 Top CEOs were interviewed and asked what they attributed their success to. And all 100 said that it was their gut feeling , however all 100 said that they kept that secret. So, here’s the key - leaders in business definitely follow their vibes. Managers and worker bees tend not to     to their detriment The decision makers, absolutely, the ones who are the entrepreneurs, the business leaders, the ones who are the top of their game are intuitively oriented.
[Sue]-so why do you think..
[Sonia] what we want to do is get the ones in the middle.
[Sue]- right. And why aren’t they? Why do you think theyre less willing and aren’t doing it as much?)
[Sonia] I think they’re afraid because with intuition comes more responsibility! .    I think that, and what I recommend in “Trust Your Vibes at Work” is set an atmosphere that will invite your intuition in and then ease it into the workplace so it’s never an either or.     So, you say, ‘well here’s what my research says, here’s what my business sense say and here’s what my gut says’.    Let’s just take it all into consideration.
[Sue] You said the leaders are the ones who use it, the worker bees...
[Sonia] - comfortably
(Sue) more comfortably. But, is that because of the risk involved sometimes…
[Sonia] Perceived risk.
[Sue] - perceived risk
(Sonia) Yeah, so what I wrote in “Trust your Vibes at Work” is to take the perceived risk and lower it so that no matter what your job is, you run it like a leader.       And when you run your job like a leader, you will succeed.     No matter what your job. Not a bully, not a renegade, but like you’re really taking full pride and ownership that this is my job. Intuition doesn’t eliminate, um, the working steps you have to do; but you know what it does do? Eliminate waste. Following your gut feeling eliminates waste. Waste of time. And helps you be more efficient in making the best of your opportunities and really, you know.    But it is a fire quality. In other words, you have to have a little courage.
[Sue] So, kind of bottom line advice for people who are just grasping this concept would be what?
[Sonia] I’d say pay attention to our vibes and voice them when you get them.     Sound them out, in the car, write them down.     Put ‘em out there.
[Sue] Why do you have to put it out there?
[Sonia] The reason you have to put it out there is because 90% of the human race are members of, what I call, the would’ve, should’ve, could’ve club. We get the vibe, but unless we express it, the tendency is to ignore it. Not act on it, not pay attention to it, not give it importance. The minute you put a vibe out there, you have a chance to have a different response. And it feels so right that you really have a much stronger possibility of integrating this information in a way that helps you.
Don’t set it up that your intuition competes with your mind; have it sit side by side and they can be complementary. So my head says fill in the blank. And now my vibes say, or your heart says, which is where your vibes originate, fill in the blanks. And then you just let them sit side by side and let yourself hear and review them together; often the case is a bit of both.
[Sue] You call yourself a sixth-sensory.
[Sonia]-yup
[Sue] So are you more advanced at this then the average person?
[Sonia] I - I -I; there’s a lot of us out here; I’m certainly not exclusive. I think we are all hard-wired to be sixth-sensory; we are biologically designed to be more sixth-sensory.
[Sue]- men and women alike?
[Sonia] Men and women alike.
[Sue]-so are there just as many men –
[Sonia] …it’s just a matter of focus, choice and practice to activate the sixth sense.
[Sue] So, I mean, it seems that women tend to talk more about intuition. Are men more..
[Sonia] Men tend to act more on it. I think women talk about it and get insecure; and I think men don’t talk about it a lot, but push to shove, they go with their gut more than not. I really see that as something very consistent.
[Sue] And do they know what they’re doing; are they getting those feelings?
[Sonia] They just call it my gut. You know, like a guy’s just gotta do what he’s gotta do. Put it out there and act on it is when it’ll start changing your life. If you do it in little ways first, and then it’ll grow your confidence in the bigger decisions.
[Sue]-right
(Sonia) You know, ease into this. Here’s the exciting thing - you get instant results because it is natural You don’t have to trust me. You actually will be able to come to trust your own vibes.
[Sue] Well, on that note,I thank you so much for your time - very interesting information.
[Sonia] Thank you.

Knock 'em Dead: Ultimate Jobseeker's Guide

Thu, 12 Jan 2006 17:43:50 -0600

The average American changes jobs every four years. So if you aren't looking for a job now, chances are you will be soon. Are you prepared? Job hunting and interviewing has changed drastically in the past few years. Martin Yate knows the secrets to navigating the job interview. He's the author of the very successful book, "Knock 'em Dead, The Ultimate Job Seeker's Guide". Listen as Sue Morem and Martin discuss the five criteria all employers use to judge potential employees, and how you can make that work in your favor!

Addicted To Stress?

Mon, 09 Jan 2006 21:13:24 -0600

Are you addicted to stress? It's an odd question, but many of don't realize how accustomed we've become to a face-paced overwhelming lifestyle. Sue talks with Business and Life balance coach Kate Larson about what to do when you feel you've been spread too thin.

New Year's Resolutions

Wed, 07 Dec 2005 22:07:11 -0600

The start of a new year is a good time to make resolutions. Sue gives us hers and talks about how to make them stick.

Surviving the Office Holiday Party

Wed, 07 Dec 2005 22:07:11 -0600

If your idea of a festive holiday party is one in which you drink heavily, cozy up to your boss and carry on intimate conversation, you might need to change your ideas. If you’re looking forward to a little dirty dancing or the chance of winning the title of best karaoke singer at the company party this year, you probably won’t. Go ahead and have a good time, but you might want to tone down your behavior a bit.

Whether you’re at the company picnic, the holiday party, a convention, or celebrating someone’s retirement or promotion during happy hour, you have the opportunity to either strengthen or weaken your relationship with others. Act as if your behavior is being observed every minute, because it is.

If you wonder if your attendance matters, it does. You might not be required to attend, but your absence will be noted. When you are a “no show,” you show you are “not interested.” This does not help you look like a committed team player or caring coworker.

If you can’t decide what to wear, decide to play it safe. If it isn’t a company picnic, don’t even consider wearing jeans, tank tops, or shorts. If it isn’t a costume party, don’t wear anything so shocking or unusual that your clothing is the topic of conversation. If it isn’t a black tie formal affair, don’t wear full-length, slinky, or sequined dresses or a tuxedo. And if it isn’t a swimming party (which most business events are not), don’t bare your midriff, your buttocks, or breasts.

If you’re planning on arriving “fashionably” late, make another plan. Late is late. There is nothing fashionable about it.

If alcohol is served, think before you drink. If you get “wasted,” you’ve wasted a valuable opportunity to demonstrate your self-control. You don’t have to apologize for not drinking, but you will have to apologize if you get drunk and do something foolish.

If you want to stand out and be noticed, get up and move around. You are at a social event; socialize. Don’t huddle in a bunch with your work buddies; get up and move around. People can’t see you, let alone notice you, when you’re sitting in the corner.

If you see people you do not know, get to know them. This is an ideal time for you to introduce yourself to those you don’t ordinarily see or get to talk to, including company executives.

If you’ve got a lot to gripe about, keep it to yourself. Celebrations are meant to be celebrated. Try to keep your conversations light and upbeat.

If you’re not sure if you should bring a guest, don’t. Just because you’re invited to bring a guest doesn’t mean you have to. You might feel more at ease if you don’t have someone else to look after or worry about.

If you think you are ready for love, think again. No matter how hot that guy or gal from accounting is, this isn’t the time or place for you to do something about it.

If you think you can slip away and no one will know you are gone, you are wrong. It’s just as easy to keep track of those who stay as it is to remember who left early or didn’t say good bye.

College Makeover - From Graduate To Career

Thu, 13 Oct 2005 12:45:55 -0500

What works in college, doesn't always work in the business world. Sue looks at some of the most common mistakes graduates make when looking for a job.

Marketing Yourself

Thu, 13 Oct 2005 12:45:55 -0500

Sue talks with Jay Lipe, author of The Marketing Toolkit for Growing Businesses. Sue and Jay talk about an important but underused tool in finding a job -- the informational interview.

How to reach your customers with the Professional Edge Podcast and Sue Morem

Thu, 13 Oct 2005 12:45:55 -0500

Your customers are becoming harder and harder to reach.

TV? They’re watching two hours less a day and skipping the ads with TiVos

Newspapers? Circulation is dropping

And the internet ? They’ve learned to ignore the banner ads

Your most desirable customers are isolating themselves from advertising. SO HOW DO YOU REACH THEM?

According to Forrester Research -- the answer is “the same way we just reached you” – podcasting.

Your customers are listening to Sue Morem’s “professional edge” podcast because she gives them the edge in the one activity that takes up most of their week – their job.

Sue is a career expert and best selling author and has thousands of loyal fans. Sue’s podcast isn’t background music you can ignore. Her listeners want to learn, so they pay attention. And when your ad runs near the beginning of her show, they’re going to listen to it because it’s about something they’re interested in. And when they’re interested, it’s no longer an ad… it’s desirable content…. Just like Sue’s advice.

Sue is very good. Podcasting is very cool. Make them both work for you. Sponsor Sue Morem’s Professional Edge Podcast today.

For more information email sue@suemorem.com