Epic Content Marketing - interview with Joe Pulizzi (part 2)

Looking to recruit top talent?

As the man who originated the term ‘content marketing’, Joe Pulizzi knows what it takes to make your brand build customer loyalty. Read the final part of my interview with Joe...

How do you prove the value of your content marketing strategy and get executive buy-in?
JP: Executives buy in only after they see it work. Do a pilot programme with agreed upon objectives. Tell them how the programme will work and the metrics to expect. After a set period of time, review that with your team. If that doesn’t work, try fear. Do some research on what a key competitor is doing or a company that your executive team respects. Do some show and tell.

Is freeing your content the way to go or should we strive to capture and convert leads?
JP: It depends on the goal, but let’s put it this way: the vast majority of your content should be free and sharable. If you want to attract a new audience, putting it behind a registration form won’t work. No one shares content behind a firewall. So top of the funnel content should all be free. Mid-buying stage content, depending on what it is, can and possibly should be gated. Remember, we want an audience of subscribers, and at some point, we need to get them to subscribe.

Why content curate when surely organisations should be creating their own?
JP: Organisations should be doing both. Just look at the greatest media models of all time – New York Times, Wall Street Journal and ESPN – all those models have effectively used both. It’s not one or the other. 

Powerful content marketing is also a way of attracting top talent. This is often overlooked… 
JP: Great point. Actually that could be how you use content marketing for your business – to recruit new talent. Just look at how companies are using LinkedIn as a publishing platform for that exact purpose.

‘Slideshare is the most underused distribution tool.’ Give us your top tips to get started. 
JP: Simple: sign up for Slideshare PRO so you can acquire subscribers. Then look at consistently delivering content through that channel. Most likely, your organisation has a ton of PowerPoint presentations that could be used or modified for use in that channel.

What does the future hold for the content marketing ‘movement’? 
JP: We are still in early adoption phase, but the growth in technology is pushing marketers to do more, faster. I truly believe that in the very near future marketing departments will look and feel just like publishing companies.

Are you seriously suggesting that every company write its own book? 
JP: Blog, book and speaking. These are the three ingredients are the best combination to position yourself and your company as a true thought leader. The book may, in fact, be the most important of the three.

And finally, what’s the best piece of career advice anyone has given you? 
JP: If you try something and fail, you are vastly better off than if you had tried nothing and succeeded. And that was from the back of a sugar packet!

Joe Pulizzi is cofounder of the Content Marketing Institute (CMI) and author of several books, including ‘Epic Content Marketing’, his latest publication. 

You can subscribe to the Content Marketing Institute’s daily blog at contentmarketinginstitute.com and @CMIContent. Find out more about Joe and his work at joepulizzi.com and @JoePulizzi.

Epic Content Marketing - interview with Joe Pulizzi (part 1)

Have you got a plan of action for your content?

As the man who originated the term ‘content marketing’, Joe Pulizzi knows what it takes to make your brand build customer loyalty. Read part 1 of my interview with Joe...

Why are most brands still not getting the content marketing message?
JP: Most brands actually are starting to see this as important, but it’s a difficult change to make. The majority of brands (of any size) are simply not set up to tell consistent, engaging stories that build an audience.  

What’s the one biggest mistake that organisations are making?
JP: They think of content marketing as part of a campaign and stop the programme. If you ask me why most brands fail with content marketing, it would be because they stop.

Of all the many content types, which should I prioritise right now?
JP: I can’t answer that. Whatever you can commit to on a regular basis that has the most impact – could be a blog or a podcast or a video series. 

To be effective, content marketing needs to ‘enhance or change behaviour’. Easier said than done…
JP: Absolutely. That is why subscription is so important. Once you have subscribers to your content, you can begin to see what’s different between those that engage in your content on a regular basis versus those that don’t. The other issue is this: do you really know what you want your customers to do with your content? Having a plan of action for content is a true rarity.

We hear a lot about the power of storytelling. Can you distil in a few words what this means?
JP: There is not one person on the face of the earth that doesn’t like to hear a good story. What they don’t want is sales material. If you want to get and keep your customer’s attention, telling a story is a good place to start.

So we’re telling not selling. Therefore, you need also to have journalistic and editorial skills…
JP: Uh, yes. Marketers need to have the skills of what media companies have been doing for centuries. Finding storytellers in the company or hiring journalists and editors is probably a smart move for most brands.

How do you vie for your customer’s attention in today’s ultra-competitive, over-saturated market? 
JP: By becoming THE leading information provider for a particular niche. Don’t go broad with your content. You can’t cut through the clutter with general messaging. Go narrow and deep and become a truly valuable resource for your customers.

You talk about 'return on objective' (ROO) as the key metric. Explain your thinking…
JP: We know that most brands don’t have a documented content marketing strategy. So the first step is to define the overall objective of your content. What business challenge will your content marketing help to overcome? Return on investment (ROI) can seem so hard to overcome, so focus on a clear objective. For example, “For customers to spend X amount more money or to stay longer or to share more or to save us costs in some way.” Figure out what that is and then focus on the return on that particular objective.

Joe Pulizzi is cofounder of the Content Marketing Institute (CMI) and author of several books, including ‘Epic Content Marketing’, his latest publication. 

Read part two of my interview

You can subscribe to the Content Marketing Institute’s daily blog at contentmarketinginstitute.com and @CMIContent. Find out more about Joe and his work at joepulizzi.com and @JoePulizzi.

Struggling to make an impact at interview?

From CVs and interviews to landing that dream job, John Lees is an acclaimed careers author. This time I spoke to John about interviews and what it takes to get past this critical hurdle.  

Some people just seem to have a knack for interviews. How can I improve my chances of success?
JL: Don’t listen to meaningless advice like “just be yourself”. Often the answer is to change one thing about your performance and focus on the beginning of things – the beginning of the interview (sound clear and confident even if you’re talking about the weather) and the beginning of each answer. Prepare actual phrases when you plan answers so you know where stories will begin.

I interview well and have all the right experience and skills. What if I simply am not the right fit for the organisation?
JL: ‘Fit’ is usually about personality types and working styles. Offer examples of where you have shown flexibility, diplomacy and sensitivity so that you come across as someone who knows how to work so that you fit in.

How can I turn things round to my advantage if I don’t tick all the boxes?
JL: This should be clear when you try to get shortlisted. If you still want the job (perhaps as a learning experience), you’re going to have to work hard to translate what you have done into terms the interviewer finds credible. If you really don’t have the skills, you are probably not going to get far in the process. For most people the problem is that they don’t know how to talk about the skills they do possess.

I’m stuck for an answer and my mind goes blank. What can I do to remedy the situation?
JL: If this is an obvious question, prepare better next time. If it’s a serious question you haven’t anticipated, talk it through to buy some time, perhaps asking the interviewer what kind of example would be appropriate. If it’s an off the wall question, keep your answer light, even if it’s just, “I bet you’ve had some wild answers to that question...”

How do I deal with potentially awkward questions?
JL: Think about why the question is being asked. Oddball questions are often used to try to predict personality characteristics, fantasy questions are common. Although not good predictors of workplace performance, arguably they reveal the ability to be imaginative, improvise under pressure and maintain a sense of humour under fire. The question also touches upon the things in life that really motivate you, which is often revealed when you discover what people would choose to do if the need to earn a salary disappears.

How do I negotiate competency based or behavioural interviews?
JL: Interrogate the full list of competences and try to work out what really matters. Sometimes the order the information is presented gives this away, but it always pays to have a research conversation with someone who knows the job or organisation. Then prepare two stories to match each competence, so you have one as a back-up.

I’ve got through to the second interview. How do I impress now that the competition hots up?
JL: First interviews are generally a check on whether you can do the job, focusing on past experience and concrete outcomes. Second interviews tend to probe personality a lot more to find out if you will be a good fit in terms of the team and organisational culture. But they can also probe competences in a lot more depth: for example, at first interview you might be asked about your experience of team working, but in a second you could be asked about leading teams, difficult teams, or influencing teams which were failing to reach their objectives.

Any tips on how to deal with panel interviews?
JL: Preparation matters more here because the real work you do in the interview isn’t remembering material but simultaneously managing relationships around the table. Look at all the panel members not just the chair. With panel interviews, questions will often be more structured and limited, so you may not be asked follow-up questions – so your first answer needs to be concise but also needs to cover all parts of the skill or competence being investigated.

What about an interview for an internal role/transfer? How do the dynamics change?
JL: Treat them exactly like external interviews. Spell out what you did and where you did it – don’t assume that the person in front of you will apply or draw upon any knowledge of your work history. Also be aware that you may have to adjust any reputation you have in your workplace.

I’ve read that sending a letter of thanks post-interview is a good way to differentiate yourself …
JL: It helps to build a relationship and interviewers like to hear that it was an enjoyable but stretching process. The relationship enables you to ask, “Who else should I be talking to?”

Should I call back or email asking for feedback?
JL: Often meaningful feedback is not forthcoming. It’s better to get concrete feedback on your interview performance from a career coach or someone with hiring experience. If you do ask for feedback, don’t ask what went wrong or why you didn’t get the job. Ask for pointers to areas you might improve for future interviews.

What else can I do that will really make a big impression on a potential future employer?
JL: Learn to tell stories rather than convey information (stories stick in memory much more effectively) and give real, tangible examples which help an employer picture you doing the role.

Give me one piece of advice to take away from this interview.
JL: Decide in advance the 3-4 strong messages you are going to get across, no matter where the questioning takes you. And make sure you communicate them while you’re in the interview.

John Lees (@JohnLeesCareers) has written a wide range of careers books, including his latest publication, 'Knockout CV: How to Get Noticed, Get Interviewed & Get Hired'. You can find out more about John at johnleescareers.com

How to write a KILLER LinkedIn profile 2

How can you use LinkedIn to maximise their strategic networking power? Read more top tips in part two of my interview with Brenda Bernstein, author of the bestselling practical guide on ‘How to Write a KILLER LinkedIn Profile…and 18 Mistakes to Avoid’.

Would you recommend that I upgrade to a premium account to boost my chances of finding a job?
BB: As of now I believe upgrading is unnecessary, but LinkedIn is limiting functionality more and more for free members. There are some tools in the Job Seeker Premium that you might find valuable, so it’s definitely worth taking advantage of a one month free trial if you get an offer.

What’s the protocol for recommendations? Surely I shouldn’t have to ask…
BB: It’s perfectly appropriate to ask people for recommendations. You can even ask if you haven’t spoken to the person in years. A good rule of thumb: how would you respond if that person contacted you and asked for a recommendation or some other favour? If you would say ‘yes’ then chances are they would be happy to support you as well. Some people will agree to give you a recommendation and then not do it. They might just be ‘busy’ or have a block when it comes to writing. In this case, offer to have a phone conversation where you take some notes for them and maybe even draft something for their approval.

How regularly should I be sharing updates and do they all have to be related to my industry?
BB: Ideally, share an update at least weekly and as frequently as daily. Updates should be mostly industry-related, but a good inspiring quotation or article of any kind is always welcome.

Apart from joining groups (the Q&A section is no longer), how else can I demonstrate my expertise?
BB: If you write a blog you can post your blog articles. And don’t just join groups, ask and answer questions in your group discussions.

Should I be using tools such as SlideShare for presentations?
BB: SlideShare is actually owned by LinkedIn so LinkedIn wants people to use the site. I would encourage it as well if you have presentations that would be worth sharing with your networks. People appreciate it when you follow them on SlideShare too.

And finally, what’s the best piece of career advice that anyone has given you?
BB: Treat the receptionist well, both in your interview and at your job. If the person at the front desk likes you, you are many steps ahead in the game!

You can find out more about about Brenda at www.theessayexpert.com and @BrendaBernstein.

Of course, you can connect with her on LinkedIn!

How to write a KILLER LinkedIn profile 1

Brenda Bernstein is the author of the bestselling practical guide on ‘How to Write a KILLER LinkedIn Profile…and 18 Mistakes to Avoid’. Brenda was kind enough to answer my questions “in her best British English” (her words not mine).

Has the role of the traditional CV now diminished given the stellar rise of LinkedIn?
BB: In some circles CVs are less of a focus than they used to be but in most industries the CV is still requested as a first step in the job search process. CVs are put through computer programs to choose candidates for interviews. If you are called for an interview, you can almost bet that the interviewer will have your résumé in hand and grill you on what you have in that document. I believe the CV is an initial test to see if you are able to present yourself well on paper. Truly, writing a great CV is one of the biggest challenges of the job search.

Is it a case of copying and pasting my CV, sprinkling a few keywords to make my profile search friendly?
BB: No. Do not copy and paste items from your CV into LinkedIn and call it a profile. Remember that many people who look at your LinkedIn profile will already have seen your CV or will be viewing it shortly. So expand on the information in your CV rather than repeating it verbatim.

What’s the biggest mistake professionals make with their LinkedIn profiles?
BB: Not taking LinkedIn seriously. As a professional, you need to learn everything you can about this site and maximise its value.

What three things can I do today to build my personal online brand?
BB: Build a personal website, write a blog, and of course, write a KILLER LinkedIn profile! Google loves LinkedIn.

Do I really need 500+connections?
BB: Yes. The way the LinkedIn algorithm works, 500+ connections, in combination with effective keywords, will give you a fair chance of appearing in search results when people look for someone like you on LinkedIn.

If I’m unemployed, should I reveal this in my headline for example?
BB: There is great debate about this question and there is no perfect answer. You may choose simply to describe who you are, using your preferred job title and any important keywords that can help you get found on LinkedIn. Or you can include the phrase “Open to new opportunities”. Some recruiters prefer to know you are looking and others do not. You might try one way and then the other and see what works best for you.

The average age of a LinkedIn user is 41. Is this the platform for graduates or first jobbers?

BB: Some of those 41-year-olds are recruiters and hiring managers. So absolutely! Also some new features on LinkedIn are more specifically geared toward younger job seekers.

Read part two of my interview

You can find out more about Brenda at www.theessayexpert.com and @BrendaBernstein. And of course, you can connect with her on LinkedIn!

The lost art of handwriting

I recently read somewhere that we now spend an inordinate amount of time chained not to our desks (well that too) but to our smartphones. We're all texting away furiously - yes we do phone each other occasionally - but when was the last time we wrote anything by hand?

The reason I got thinking about this was that I recently had an interesting conversation with a friend who had gone to a job interview. He was informed that he would be sitting a written test but little did he realise that he would be given a pen and a pad of paper. Shock horror...no laptop provided!

I suppose there's nothing particularly unusual about this were it not for the fact that he went on to tell me that he couldn't keep his hand still, beset by the 'shakes' as he had almost forgotten what it was like to write by hand. Not to mention he felt ashamed at the poor quality of his handwriting.

Not sure how I would have reacted in his place, used as I am to tapping away at my keyboard. While picking up a pen isn't exactly alien to me, still, apart from signing the odd cheque or document and scribbling down the odd message or two on a Post-it, I can hardly say that a pen is my best friend.

No personality

And that's a Gen Xer speaking here, someone who still didn't know what a computer was until I went to university, so someone who was used to writing, from the lecture hall to the exam hall. In fact, I fondly remember buying many a blue Pilot pen (my favourite writing implement) always making sure I had a few spares so I wouldn't run out of ink.

How times have changed. Does anyone now, apart from the older generations, actually write letters? And yet a hand written letter or covering letter not only reveals a lot about your personality (organisations have been known to employ handwriting experts to build a picture of character traits) but actually makes you stand out, giving it that personal touch. Which a type written document will never do.

Right, I think I'll try and write a letter now to see just how confident I am, if I remember how to hold a pen and make sure that someone can actually read it. On second thoughts, maybe I should just stick to the keyboard, far easier and quicker. 

Like my friend, I may just get pen phobia and my writing may not be up to the task at hand. 

A CV that delivers a KO punch

From CVs and interviews to landing that dream job, John Lees an acclaimed author on managing your career. Here John provides some invaluable insight into what jobseekers need to do to produce a ‘Knockout CV’, which is in fact the title of his latest book. 

Does the popularity of professional social networking sites such as LinkedIn spell the end of the traditional CV?

JL: At the moment a hard copy CV is still important. You will still need a focused and clear CV to get onto some interview shortlists. In broader terms, a CV is no longer a door opener. However, anyone operating in the hidden job market needs a strong LinkedIn profile to back up their market impact and reputation.

What are the biggest mistakes jobseekers make when writing their CV?
JL: Relying on it as a job search tool (it helps firm up relationships but doesn’t create them) and failing to put the most important messages on page one. Using bland, undifferentiated adjectives in the profile that make you look like a school leaver and failing to understand the labelling effect of the first 15 words. Writing chopped up job descriptions rather than proper achievement evidence.

How much time should I spend tailoring my CV to the job I’m applying for?
JL: If your CV is already working, you probably only need to tweak the order of the main bullet points. Put the effort into tailoring the cover letter/email.

Don’t you need a covering letter or supporting statement to give you that extra edge?
JL: There is some evidence to suggest that cover letter/emails get detached, so go for a belt and braces approach. Write a cover letter/email that bullet points your top five matching pieces of evidence, but also make sure these are clear on page one of your CV.

What are your top tips and tricks to get your CV to the top of the pile?
JL: Take more time on the profile, avoiding clichés or empty language. Try to describe what you do in a generic job title (e.g. marketing professional) which helpfully pigeon-holes you. Try to find fresh language to describe your USP as a combination of skills and experience. Provide robust evidence. Don’t over-emphasise the ordinary. Keep distracting details (e.g. irrelevant qualifications) until page two.

And finally, what’s the best piece of career advice that anyone has given you?
JL: Advice when you’re thinking about whether to change jobs: “Make sure the attraction of the new is stronger than the repulsion of the old” – in other words, have a better reason for moving on that hating your current job.

John Lees has written a wide range of careers books, including his latest publication, 'Knockout CV: How to Get Noticed, Get Interviewed & Get Hired'. You can find out more at johnleescareers.com or @JohnLeesCareers.

How it all started

I should have actually started with this blog post to explain the other four articles that I recently published.

I've always been somewhat intrigued about what it takes to get ahead, to get promoted, to get more money. All the usual suspects. I guess it's because I've found my own career stagnating and despite my best efforts, it would appear that I've hit that infamous glass ceiling.

Undeterred by this, I started reading and researching the topic until I came across a book called 'How to get ahead in your career', written by top US executive coach, Joel A. Garfinkle. I thoroughly enjoyed Joel's book and found the insight and knowledge inspiring. Here was the first expert to actually specify the three key areas that you need to focus on, namely perception, visibility, and influence, which Joel calls his PVI model.

Having read the book, I decided to go a step further and contact Joel to see if he'd kindly answer some questions based on the material in his book and my own personal experience. I then turned his answers into four blog posts: the first an overview of his book and then a look in turn at all three key areas.

Joel was kind enough to answer and allow me to use the material so that it could reach many other people who find themselves in the same position as me, namely at a career crossroads and not knowing what to do to 'get ahead'.

Fulfil your true potential

And that was my aim to begin with, to publish some blog posts about career development and see where it takes me. I hope to generate some interest and discussion with like-minded individuals and to build a real knowledge base that will be useful to lots of people and actually make a difference to your careers. If that happens, I'd be extremely happy.

I can't do this myself of course but will dedicate time to continue to build on these my first five blog posts, share what I've learnt and hopefully hear your stories about what you did to get that elusive promotion or what you've found from your own experience has or hasn't worked for you.

What I know is that there are lots of talented and highly skilled people who are probably not getting the 'rub of the green' or the level of exposure that their talent merits. Maybe, like me, you'd like to get a bit more recognition, maybe like me you're trying hard, maybe like me you don't understand what more you can do. Or maybe (like me) you don't want it badly enough.

Whatever your own personal realities, one thing is for sure. You might be the most gifted and talented person in your department, with skills that are envied by your peers, but all that won't get you very far if people in positions of influence aren't aware of the fantastic work that you do. Of course, you need to make it happen.

PS
A personal note of thanks to my colleague Jon, who set me on the blogging path.

Exerting influence

The importance of exerting influence is the topic of our fourth and last article based on my interview with Joel A. Garfinkle, author of ‘Getting Ahead – Three Steps to take your career to the next level’.

The two pillars that support influence are perception and visibility. Without them, you can’t begin to influence. With influence comes impact, which is ultimately what makes influence so different from perception and visibility.

Your ability to have impact when working on the areas of perception and visibility is limited; however, you enjoy unrestricted impact when you begin to work on your influence.

Influence means gaining others’ support to move situations and projects forward. You are able to sway opinions and have people embrace your ideas and perspectives. They go along with what you want and are loyal to your ideas. You motivate and arouse interest in others to do what is deemed important.

Use your powers of persuasion

But what if I am limited by my role or don’t have the level of seniority or the platform to be heard? Many people would make the same effort and make the false assumption that you need authority or power to have influence. This isn’t true. Many people have managed to persuade others without any formal authority or title.

Power is not necessary. Authority is not necessary. A title is not necessary. What is necessary is influence and the desire to be influential. No matter where you sit within the organization or in your life, you can make an impact.

Here are three things you can do right now:

1. Get things done. People know they can count on you to accomplish even the toughest assignments.

2. Become a ‘go-to’ person. Others seek you out for advice to accomplish the most essential tasks and to make important decisions.

3. Gain buy-in for your ideas. Your established credibility and respect will prompt people to embrace your ideas and to want to be a part of what you are doing.

Successful influencers are better than others at building strong alliances and wider bases of support, leveraging allies to gain support for their ideas.

More people come to rely on them, they lead up, gain the respect and have their opinions sought out by their superiors. They gain results from others by inspiring others to impact bottom line results. 

Herein lies the power of influence.

Increase your visibility

In the third of our series of articles based on my interview with Joel A. Garfinkle, author of ‘Getting Ahead – Three Steps to take your career to the next level’, we discuss how you can go about increasing your visibility.

The importance of visibility may not seem obvious. Perhaps working hard and producing results have been sufficient during your early career experiences for others to take notice and compensate the good work you’ve done.

You may have received past promotions based solely on merit and hard work. Your perception improves and your career may for a time move ahead nicely, you are successful but you’re stuck with nowhere to go. Talent and ability to perform take you only so far. Be warned: if you don’t proactively leverage and utilize visibility, your career will stagnate.

Start working on your visibility plan

So, what steps can I take to become more visible? Here are four things you can do:

1) Identify and obtain exposure to key decision makers in your company. Make a list of all the key players and create a strategy to become visible to each of them. You might need an introduction from another colleague to contact these individuals for advice, support or mentorship.

2) Get to meet the senior executives in your organisation or department. Don’t be intimidated by a person’s title or reputation. After all, they were all where you are today at one time in their careers! Reach out to them and make sure they know who you are. They will genuinely appreciate the initiative.

3) Proactively seek out the answer to a leader’s question. When someone in a position of influence lacks clarity on a situation or is pondering something new but isn’t able to get the answer he or she needs in that moment, that’s your cue to provide the answer.

4) Get a mentor or several mentors. These individuals can use their networks of executives with whom they liaise regularly to introduce you to top executives. As your mentors get to know you and your work, they’ll come to see that connecting you with these influential individuals will benefit everyone.

Once you have increased your visibility, you’ll become known and valued in your company. Influence is now possible. That’s the subject of our final interview.

Improve your perception

In the second in our series of articles based on my interview with Joel A. Garfinkle, author of ‘Getting Ahead – Three Steps to take your career to the next level’, we look at the importance of improving your perception…

If you fail to make yourself recognized at work, you run the risk that your peers and management may not actually know who you are, the great work you’re doing and the impact you are having on the company or the overall value you bring to the organization.

The Perception-Visibility-Influence or ‘PVI’ model will help you as employees to reveal yourselves as effective players. Once you improve perception and gain visibility, you can then start to influence outcomes and compel others to see you as a vital component of future management.

Increasing perception is vital to success. First of all, let’s start with a definition. Perception is what someone notices, sees, or is aware of. When you perceive, you often unconsciously observe what is happening without being consciously aware of the content that’s forming in your mind.

You often form opinions when you have preconceived ideas about a topic or person you’re observing, even if what you observe isn’t real or true. Perception takes the prior knowledge you already have and filters your observations through this lens.

Improve your perception – ask for feedback

The question that I myself and many of you may have often put to yourself is how do we know or how can we find out how others perceive us? To do this, you need to start by asking for feedback and proactively look for other opportunities to gauge how others perceive you.

For example, you might ask a colleague after a contentious meeting, ‘‘How did I handle the problem with Paul? Was I too defensive or was I overly aggressive?’’ Once you’ve established the appropriate level of perception, you’ll have gained a solid reputation and foundation of respect.

If you fully leverage the PVI model, you will become more valuable to a company, as its level of production and overall contribution will enhance bottom line performance.

You next task is to increase your visibility so that the people who matter know who you are and are aware of the contribution you are making. This is the second step that we’ll take in our next article.

Joel A. Garfinkle's PVI model

In the first of my series articles based on my interview with Joel A. Garfinkle, author of ‘Getting Ahead – Three Steps to take your career to the next level’, I introduce his three-pronged PVI model: improving perception, increasing visibility and exerting influence.

Won’t my work/professionalism speak for itself? That is the question as our old friend Hamlet would have said. By simply letting your work speak for itself, you’re not doing anything to help improve perception, increase your exposure or visibility with senior management. Therefore, the executives at your company won’t know how valuable you are and therefore your career won’t advance as you would like it to.

Here are four things you can do today:

1. Write down and share your accomplishments. Once you’ve done that, then you need to update management on the particular project you’re working on, including how your work is affecting its progress.

2. Prepare notes ahead of meetings. If you know that you’ll be speaking at a meeting or event, take the time to jot down what you want to say beforehand. When you have something prepared, it makes it more likely that you will speak and that you say what you mean.

3. Schedule one-to-one meetings. These are great opportunities to talk about your work and how your input and results affect your company.

4. Volunteer for events. Participating in a committee or helping to host a conference or charity event provides you with an abundance of networking opportunities. You will meet new people, talk about your work, and put your name and face in front of people who wouldn’t normally notice you.

Whether you are a new employee, a middle manager or senior executive, perception and visibility will be constant determining factors throughout your career journey.

The single biggest change you will find at the lowest rung of the ladder compared to the highest echelons are performance and influence: the former will be most important to your success when you start out while the latter assumes huge importance at the highest level.

If you apply the principles of the PIV model, you will be making significant career strides. In the next of our series of articles, we look at that all-important first step – improving your perception.