In the September 2010 issue of Southwest Airlines Spirit magazine, there is a great tidbit of information about cows. I know because I read it about six times that month. Seems that cows with names produce 68 more gallons of milk every 10 months than cows without names. Farmers who referred to their cows by name saw a spike in production. That made me think of Martha, who is not a cow by the way.

I walk into the same post office in the same small town at the same time and say hello to the same cleaning woman almost every weekday morning. It wasn’t long after I started this routine that I introduced myself and asked the woman her name. Martha. Her name is Martha.

This morning ritual had been going on for almost two years when I decided one holiday season that I needed to get Martha a Christmas present. Excited to be playing Santa Claus, I arrived, as I had done for hundreds of mornings, unable to find Martha. This went on for a couple of days and I got worried. So I rang the package doorbell which is there to be rung for packages but inevitably always makes whoever has to answer it disagreeable. But I digress.

A postal employee, who has been at this particular post office longer than I have been checking my P O Box, ‘cheerfully’ opened the window and said “what do you want?” I inquired as to where Martha had been the last couple of days to which Ms. Happy replied, “who’s Martha?” I explained that Martha had been sweeping around her feet for the past few years as the post office cleaning lady. “Oh, well I don’t know her name. And I think her car is broken. She should be back tomorrow.”

Martha returned, I was able to play Santa Claus and I have since told people in my neighborhood this story, many of whom pick up their mail at the same post office and now give a cheery hello to Martha, by name, each time they go.

The moral of the story? Is there a Martha in your dorm, in the hallway of a regular class you attend or somewhere in your life? Do you know his or her name? Well, what are you waiting for?

By the way, I’ve always wondered if Martha ever questions how all these people know her by name now.

Rock on Martha!

Dayna Steele and her stepson who recently graduated from college with two major internships under his belt, debt free with savings and has started a career in Oil & Gas Land Management.

Four weeks with your friends and family were fun but now it is time to get back to the work at hand – securing your future so that one day (in the very near future), you can live the life you want to live.

Here are five things you can do right NOW to help secure your desired future:

• Request a meeting with each of your instructors NOW, even those for basic subjects that have nothing to do with what you want to do for a living. Ask about their success – where they went to school, what they studied, what mistakes they learned from, what did they learn and what’s the one piece of advice they would give you. Not only will you find out something interesting you may have never known about this person, you will also have made a positive impact on this person with your initiative – which can only help at grade time.

• The first of the year is famous for lists in the media. Search something like “top jobs this decade” or “top professions for college graduates.” You get the idea. Take the time to see what the Internet crystal ball says about your future. You may discover there is a field you never considered. Or you may find out the field you have chosen is predicted to no longer exist or be the lowest paying on the charts. Don’t be surprised when you graduate, do the research NOW.

• Start looking for a summer internship NOW. Did I make that clear? Now. As in NOW. Find one, paid or not, in the field you think you want to work in. There is nothing like real experience with real people in a real job setting to discover your passion. It also looks great on a resume, the more experience you have, the higher up you go in the consideration. It is also a good way to discover you can’t stand your chosen profession. Do it now, don’t wait until it is the thing you end up doing the rest of your life and hating.

• Start the habit of giving back to your community. Find something to volunteer for NOW and find something that feels good to you and you genuinely support. Just doing it to make you look good on a resume will always back fire. Karma baby!

• Look in the mirror. Are you overweight? Are you unhealthy? Is your hygiene a mess? Are your finances already a disaster? Fix it all NOW. Start eating right, exercising, taking care of yourself and stop spending money you don’t have. If you do these things now, you’ll be 95% ahead of everyone else when you graduate.

Do you want money in the bank? Do you want to make a living at something you love? Do you want to have the time and finances to play and travel as well? Do you want to live in the style you desire?

If you answered yes to any or all of those questions, remember, it is simple: it is all in your hands. And, there is no time like NOW to get started.

Happy New Year! Now get to work…

Graduation is not as far off as you think. Here are ten things you can start doing today to ensure your successful future:

1. Clean up your social media accounts.

Privacy settings do not mean a thing and you should not rely on them. Start cleaning up your pages and creating a positive ‘personal brand’ or reputation as it used to be called. BrandYourself.com is a great place to start – it was created by a group of college students just like you to help fellow students clean up their online brand. This is not a fast process so start it now.

2. Add a professional looking picture to your accounts and to your resume.

You do not have to spend money, find a friend with a nice camera, and ask them to take some shots for you. Then show those shots to the professionals in your life who can help you pick the best one.

3. Check your email address.

I do not care how long you have had that email address – get rid of it permanently if it is not professional. You cannot go wrong with something like YourNameHere@gmail.com or firstname.lastname@gmail.com. A Gmail account is free and is accepted as a professional email. Anything @hotmail.com is suspect as are several other email providers.

4. Create a professional profile on LinkedIn.com.

Consider this your online resume. Search other profiles in the field you want to be in and look at what they have on their profiles. Once done, again have the professionals in your life look over your profile to make sure it looks good, spelling is correct, etc.

5. Start working on your professional paper resume

Use the same checking process with the professionals as above. Creating a resume that makes potential employers want to call you is not as easy as it looks. Put some time into this.

6. Create a professional business card.

I know you do not have a job yet but this will give you something to leave behind with everyone in your network, potential employers, and leads. All you need is your name, phone number and that proper email address you now have. VistaPrint.com has several inexpensive offers for nice business cards. They also offer free cards but those come with their logo on the back, spend the extra money to have that logo removed – you may be a poor college student but you do not want to appear cheap.

7. Dress for the work you want.

I am not saying you have to start going to class in a suit and tie but think about where you want to be in a year. How do the people who are already there dress? You need to start building your wardrobe and becoming comfortable in those clothes. That right there will take a lot of stress out of future interviews.

8. Begin gathering your recommendations and references.

Do it now so you do not have to scramble later on when they are needed.

9. Get serious with your job research.

Read, learn, and gather all the information you can on the industry you want to work in, the company you want to work for, and their competition. Set up news alerts using a free service such as Google Alerts. Join relevant groups on LinkedIn. Knowledge is power.

10. Speak up; this is no time for sissies.

Start letting everyone in your network, including friends, family, professors and more, know when you will graduate and what it is you want to do. You never know who knows who in your network and if you do not speak up; they will never know you were looking for that perfect opportunity.

These ten things will help you start to create your brand and make future employers, customers and clients take notice. In a good way.

Oh, and do not forget to send me your graduation announcement!

1. Familiarize yourself with all locations you will need to know in your upcoming college life – where you live, where your classes are, how to get back and forth between locations, where to eat, how to find the library, a location for student services – everything that applies to you. Walk/ride all of this now before you actually have to do it. Get lost now when it doesn’t matter so that you don’t do it later when it does matter.

2. Make an appointment early in the semester with each and every one of your professors – whether you think it is an important class or not. Introduce yourself, ask where he or she is from and where he or she attended college. Also ask what one lesson he or she would pass on to a college newbie.

3. Get organized – books, toiletries, clothes, your room, supplies, computer, printer, wi-fi – everything you’ll need to work and live. Don’t wait until the first day of school.

4. Go to class - when you start missing a class here or there, you put yourself on the precipice of a slippery slope. This is not elementary school. It does count when you miss a class now. And, there is someone’s money involved this time. A lot of it. Don’t waste it.

5. Start getting up now at the time you will need to be up for class – that should be an hour before you need to be somewhere. This will give you plenty of time to get ready, eat something and get there on time.

6. Put on some clothes – Pajamas, dirty clothes, rags, or the clothes you fell asleep two hours ago will not cut it. Dress for the reputation you want. Give it some thought. Show some respect. Pajamas in class are disrespectful and your instructor will notice.

For those returning to college…..

Welcome back! All six tips above still apply to you. However, here are a couple of bonus tips as well:

7. Make it a point to mentor a freshman and help him or her through those first few scary weeks – don’t act all cool and know it all, be nice.

8. If you don’t already have an internship or contacts in your future desired field, NOW is the time to find that internship and start cultivating those relationships – you are going to need them much sooner than you think.

101 Ways to Rock Your World

The search for success is similar to the quest for the elusive Holy Grail: many want it but don’t know where to find it, how to achieve it, or even where to start. In 101 Ways to Rock Your World, author Dayna Steele provides useful and motivating tips to help you get started on everyday success with simple everyday activities. Your success story begins with setting a strong foundation and creating a personal brand for you. You create or start both by habit, consistency, reliability, and creativity-every day. Tips include such habits as waking up early, paying attention to the news, stretching, eating a good breakfast, dressing for the job you want, having a plan for the day, and picking one thing you want to accomplish each day. This inspiring and easy-to-follow guide provides the tools to help you become the success you envision.

Praise for 101 WAYS TO ROCK YOUR WORLD

“Having a copy of 101 Ways to Rock Your World: Everyday Activities for Success Every Day on my desk is like having Dayna Steele as my own personal success coach there to guide me every step of the way every day” – Earl Slick, longtime David Bowie guitarist and creator of Slick Straps

“Do you want to be a rock star? Read this book” – Guy Kawasaki, author and former chief evangelist of Apple

What does your email address and signature say about you? In short, everything.

Often, your email is the first impression anyone will have of you, from the actual email name and address to the signature in the body of the email. Your email carries a lot of weight when someone is deciding what his or her first impression is of you.

Start with your email name. It is probably best to use your full name or first initial and last name. Using just your first name may be a little too informal for some companies. Nicknames? Pet names? Are you insane? My stepson has used ‘CrazyCris’ for years. However, when he started getting serious and began to look for that first internship in the oil and gas industry, he knew that name would never get him taken seriously. CrazyCris, HappyRita, Party Hearty or anything remotely close to those is not going to get you an interview, it won’t get your foot in the door and it definitely won’t be read.

Now take a look at the end of your email address. It is always best to have your ‘company name.com’ if you want to be taken seriously. Comcast.net or sbcglobal.com says “You are working from home in your pajamas, aren’t you?” And, I’m sorry to say that @hotmail.com and @yahoo.com make you look cheap. Some even say @aol.com needs to go, it makes you appear old and out of touch.

On to your email signature, specifically your job title. Take a look at your job title. Does it really tell people what you do? Does it grab their attention? Does it make them want to know more? Does it bore them? Does it chase them away?

I recently had an appointment with a major firm in New York City. Located on Park Avenue, I was surprised to walk into the reserved and well-appointed reception area and immediately see a sign in front of the receptionist that read “Director of First Impressions.” Half kidding, I asked her if it was on her business card. “Yes,” she replied and added, “It’s on my email as well.” Brilliant. I immediately had my first impression of this company, which was, “They get it.”

Then, there are the boring and pompous titles. Shouldn’t “professional” be a given? “Consultant?” Yeah, you and a million others. “Expert?” Says who? “I don’t use ‘expert’ in my title the same reason I don’t introduce myself as a ‘God of Sex.’ It’s much better when other people introduce me as such,” advises social media “expert” and speaker Peter Shankman.

What about the different, unique titles such as the afore mentioned “Director of First Impressions?” If it’s going to be different or even amusing, you had better be able to back it up with something good like these folks do:

• Paige Craig, Good Angel: Craig is a prolific investor and supporter of doing the right thing. His newest venture is BetterWorks, a company perks platform that rewards and motivates employees with top brand services employees want, need and love.
• Sarah Worthy, Go Get ‘Em!: Her fearlessness when it comes to approaching strangers and her affinity towards research and the internet in particular provides her with an ability to find things pretty quickly, making her a valuable asset to Schipul.com.
• Christopher Hoyt, Talent Engagement: Chris makes sure those wanting to work with PepsiCo have everything they need to attract the best to the company including a dedicated job site at pepsicojobs.com
• P. Graham O’Neil, Recovering Rocket Scientist: An aerospace specialist with a NASA contractor, he finds himself in the position of looking for work with the end of the NASA Shuttle Program. Though not an industry known for its sense of humor, I think this is good for O’Neil to stand out in the crowd and give a little levity to the situation.

Tip: You should have the same title on your business card as you do in your email signature. The same rules apply.

Going back to the “Director of First Impressions,” I asked Richard A. Rosenbaum, CEO of the prestigious law firm Greenberg Traurig, for the story behind that title.

“Reputations are not determined solely by fancy marketing strategies dreamed up in an ivory tower or by your ‘star’ lawyers, but by the performance of every single member of the team doing his or her job at a very high level and always centered on the client. A few years back, in an effort to make the whole firm better, we asked our staff to tell us what they did to provide the highest quality experience for our clients. One of our very best receptionists told us about how hard she worked in creating that critical first impression on the phone and when a client, guest or employee walks in the door. I said, ‘You are now a Director of First Impressions,’ which also made her feel great and try even harder, and the rest is history.”

Rosenbaum also added, “Seeing that plaque on the front desk reminds everyone every day how important we each are, how respected everyone is, and what our goal is–impressing our clients beyond their expectations!” The company that “gets it,” Greenberg Traurig, implemented the title “Director of First Impressions” nearly 10 years ago, beginning in its New York office.

So, again I ask, what does your email address and title say about you?

Everything.

(Originally posted on FastCompany.com but applies to college students as well. It’s one of many things on the road to – “Find Your Inner Rock Star!”)

Do the Right Thing

Eric Lambert ★ APCA Executive Director

Continuing with a series of college themed podcasts to help students, parents and schools; Dayna speaks with Eric Lambert, Association for the Promotion of Campus Activities Executive Director. Eric talks about doing the right thing and spreading the love….  (APCA website)

Eric Lambert, APCA Executive Director

Dayna Steele’s FIND YOUR INNER ROCK STAR podcast - To succeed in this ever-increasing competitive business world, you need competitive business skills to take you to the next level. You need to become better for long-term business growth. You need to stand out like a ROCK STAR. Using memorable key points that stick with the audience, DAYNA STEELE guides individuals and companies through her proven success methods, giving you what it takes to grow your business and move from backstage to center stage!

Find Your Inner Rock Star Podcast!

★ - Available on iTunes
★ – Available on PodBean
★ – Available on Stitcher Radio
★ – Available on Stitcher Radio  in the Android Marketplace

 Student? Adviser? Faculty? Staff?
Tell us which Rock Star you’d like Dayna to interview on your campus in the COMMENTS section below.

From a recent segment I did for Great Day Houston on using social media to find a job.

To start:

• Looking for a job is a full-time job, treat it as such. Plan to spend time on your efforts and be consistent with those efforts.
• Know what you want going in, a general idea is ok but some idea – what industry, what position, what location, what salary.
• Do your homework, Google that industry, position, location, salary as well as the person doing the interview and the competition.
• Google yourself and make sure nothing negative comes up. If so, spend some time cleaning up that link/post.
• Clean up your pages – posts, pictures, videos, anything inappropriate friends have tagged you in. Don’t rush, spend some time doing this. This could be the number one reason you don’t get that job.

Then and only then:

• LinkedIn: Your online resume and headhunter resource, many using this platform to fill positions
• LinkedIn: Professional picture
• LinkedIn: This is your resume. Make it look sharp and professional
• Twitter: More like an industry happy hour with co-workers and acquaintances, mingle, listen, meet, contribute
• Twitter: Position yourself as a leader/expert in your field.
• Twitter: Share interesting articles/blogs/information in your field.
• Twitter: Follow people in the industry/company you want to work for, ‘re-tweet’ them occasionally, develop a relationship
• Facebook: More like a friend or neighbor’s party or even a party at your house. You can be more personable and these should be the people you can ask for advice and help
• Facebook: Ask for what you need, what you are looking for.
• Facebook: Let friends/family know you are looking, be clear on what you are looking for, ask for introductions/contacts
• Facebook: Be very appreciative of any efforts on your behalf

Don’t:

• Misspell words and use bad grammar.
• Type in all caps.
• Use abbreviations like WTF and LOL
• Be negative.
• Be smarmy.
• Be mean or rude.
• Use foul language.
• Complain.
• Say it isn’t fair you don’t have a job.

Have questions?

Happy to help. Email me at dayna@daynasteele.com

—————————

As many students are taking a summer and a break from brain work, it is a good time to look back over what you have accomplished since the school year began last August or September. How are your grades? How is your state of mind? How do you feel about the future?

Taking all of that into account, think ahead, past the summer fun and picture yourself next August or September. Can you do better? What can you do to think more positively? What is your plan for the future?

Plan. There is a simple yet key word from all of the above. What is your plan? Not your future plan but rather your plan for today. Yep, just today.

The most successful people have a calendar, most on their phones now that syncs with their computer, to keep up with everything that needs to be done – from work due to calls that need to be made to appointments and meetings. Start to make it a habit to use the calendar function on your phone and/or computer and set out a schedule each and every day. As soon as you get an assignment, add it to the calendar. When you think of something that needs to be done, add it to your to-do list, when you think of someone you need to call or see, add it to the plan.

Each and every morning I print out a sheet of the things I need to do in order of priority. It helps me not only remember to do things, especially the most important things first, it also helps me keep focused. In fact, “Check Facebook” is at the bottom of the page because I know once I get started on that, I could be there for over an hour! Apparently even the late, great Benjamin Franklin had a schedule. He even reviewed himself at the end of each day.

“By failing to prepare, you are preparing to fail.” – Benjamin Franklin

When you take it one day at a time, with a plan that you stick to, the future becomes more clear and that summer much more enjoyable!

Rock on Steeleworkers!

“It’s not what you know but who you know.” That’s what I used to joke with the other radio personalities about as we sat backstage at the latest sold out show from the comfort of a VIP area with free food and drinks as well as full access to the stars of the band. Little did I know at the time, how true that phrase really is!

Most job offers don’t come from strangers or filling out applications blindly online. They come from recommendations and referrals from people you know or people you have been introduced to by people you know. Yes, occasionally someone will fill out one of those online applications and get a job. Here’s another phrase to remember. “Even the blind squirrel gets the occasional nut.” I personally like better odds than that.

One of the best, FREE resources you have to get started from the comfort of your very own dorm room is LinkedIn, the world’s largest professional network on the Internet with more than 100 million members in over 200 countries and territories. Now, at this point, you are probably asking yourself, “Why would a college student join a professional network like LinkedIn when I’ve still got a long ways to go?” Ah ha, a smart question from a smart college student! The answer? Networking, building professional relationships for success, takes time. Why not get a head start?

Now, keep in mind that you can’t go barreling through this social network asking people to give you a job. What you can do is take the time to build a professional network that will eventually lead you to jobs and opportunities.

Here are 5 simple ways to get started:

1. Create a professional profile for yourself including a professional picture. This is not the place to use that really cool picture you took at the Hookah Bar down the street.

2. Add your resume. I know it’s probably not a lengthy one yet but you can still add your school experience, awards, volunteer efforts and anything else you would want a potential employer to know about you that might impress them. Search a few other profiles to get ideas for yours.

3. Find people you already know and ask them to join your network – your parents, your parents’ friends, relatives, teachers, professors, mentors, people you’ve worked with and your friends. Start your network with the people who most want to see you succeed.

4. Search groups within the industry you hope to work. Ask to join these groups and pay attention to what is being discussed. Once you get the hang of it, you can join in with comments and suggestions.

5. Search ‘dream’ companies you want to work for and see who comes up – I’ll bet you’ll find employees that someone else in your network knows and you can then ask for an introduction.

It’s a slow process to build a good network. Start as soon as you have an idea of what it is you want to do and be patient – it takes time to build a strong, successful network but these relationships will be with you for a lifetime.

BTW – you can start with me: www.linkedin.com/in/daynasteele.

Rock on!

I Got a Job! Crafting the Right Degree Plan

Linda Head ★
Lone Star College System
Associate Vice Chancellor of Workforce Development

Linda Head, Associate Vice Chancellor of Workforce Development for the Lone Star College System, talks about crafting your degree for the existing job market. Find out the best way to make sure there is a job waiting for you at the end of your college experience.  (Lone Star College System website)

Linda Head, Lone Star College System Associate Vice Chancellor of Workforce Development

Dayna’s FIND YOUR INNER ROCK STAR podcast - To succeed in this ever-increasing competitive business world, you need competitive business skills to take you to the next level. You need to become better for long-term business growth. You need to stand out like a ROCK STAR. Using memorable key points that stick with the audience, DAYNA STEELE guides individuals and companies through her proven success methods, giving you what it takes to grow your business and move from backstage to center stage!

Find Your Inner Rock Star Podcast!

★ - Available on iTunes
★ – Available on PodBean
★ – Available on Stitcher Radio
★ – Available on Stitcher Radio  in the Android Marketplace

Student? Adviser? Faculty? Staff?
Tell us which Rock Star you’d like Dayna to interview on your campus in the COMMENTS section below.