Jeff Combs’ Post

Having a sponsor in the workplace can be a game-changer for career growth. Unlike a mentor who offers advice and guidance, a sponsor is a senior leader or influential figure who actively advocates for you, using their position and network to help you secure opportunities, promotions, or visibility within the organization. They are personally invested in your success, often putting their own reputation on the line to vouch for your skills and potential. A sponsor can open doors to projects and positions that may otherwise be out of reach, help you navigate organizational politics, and ensure your work gets noticed by key decision-makers. In turn, it's essential to deliver results, build trust, and maintain a strong relationship with your sponsor, as this partnership can significantly accelerate your career trajectory. What are your thoughts on this and do you have a sponsor within your organisation? #office #work #sponsor #success #colleagues

Learn more through Alison

Join us on Thursday at 12:00 EST for our latest LinkedIn Live, "𝙁𝙖𝙘𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙖 𝙋𝙤𝙩𝙚𝙣𝙩𝙞𝙖𝙡 𝙇𝙖𝙮𝙤𝙛𝙛? 𝟑 𝘾𝙧𝙞𝙩𝙞𝙘𝙖𝙡 𝙎𝙩𝙚𝙥𝙨 𝙔𝙤𝙪 𝙉𝙚𝙚𝙙 𝙩𝙤 𝙏𝙖𝙠𝙚 𝙉𝙤𝙬" *Link to register in the comments. It’s no secret that the job market is a bit unpredictable right now. If you feel you are at risk of losing your job, take the time to prepare now. Even if the risk is low, it will help you make a much smoother transition and take some of the burden off you during an incredibly stressful time. In this session, we will cover our top three recommendations for what you can do right now to get ahead of it while you're still in your role.

It was never on my mind to take this leap. But, potentially here we go!! I am a member of the NSA-St. Louis and don't consider myself a professional public speaker. At first I was just going to attend, learn, and grow. Then I thought, wait.....I have a story to tell. Let me put my hat into the ring even though registration closed. I am now a backup!! I have 5 minutes to tell this story. It is about me, who was terrified of speaking in public and applied for a job that was facilitating the TAP Workshops. During the Presentation Interview; it was a failure. I was stuttering, sweating, forgot my content, etc. However, they hired me!! Why? I know job search strategy and they knew overcoming stage fright could be accomplished. My three takeaways. 1. Being referred into a position allows the hiring team to look past your deficiencies. 2. It isn't always about where you are.....but where you can go 3. Never let your deficits stop you from pursuing your ambitions. I am not sure if I will make it on stage. However I ask my community Would you be preparing or let fate take you in the right direction?

“My opinion carries no weight…” Directors & VP’s when have you ever felt like this? You're seated around the conference room table alongside others whom you aspire to be like or who you hope to hold their jobs in the future.    As the meeting progresses the conversation strays in a different direction from the original agenda and has caught your attention: 💡You have a lot of thoughts on the topic.  💡You actually have first-hand knowledge of the incident. 💡Your heart is pumping a bit stronger as you think of all the comments you want to share. 💡However, you hesitate to speak. A Whammy is dancing around in your head whispering: ✅“Don’t say anything. I haven’t been asked to contribute”.   ✅ “I don’t have the tenure like others at this table; they won’t want to hear what I have to say”.  ✅“They probably don’t think I have anything of value to offer.”  ✅“My opinion carries no weight.” I experienced just this scenario and wish someone had posed the following to me: Could it be possible that building the courage to speak up could make a big impact in your ability to get that next opportunity? There is no better feeling than when someone “gets you”.  I’ve been in your shoes and I’ll help you to be seen and heard so that you are prepared to pursue the next opportunity. Interested in chatting to see how I might be able to support you in enhancing your executive presence and influence so you can be prepared to pursue your next opportunity?  ✅Click the link for a complementary discovery call.  https://lnkd.in/gTc_zhTF

"So tell me about yourself!" Who hasn't heard this question? In this excellent video, Bob says there are often unspoken criteria during a job interview. But the real bias isn't related to who favors whose sports team. The real "elephant in the room" during an interview is that in any company or industry, there are three levels of players: A, B, and C. As per Guy Kawasaki: "Steve Jobs has a saying that A players hire A players. But B players hire C players, and C players hire D players. It doesn't take long to get to F players. This trickle-down effect causes bozo explosions in companies." While this model is simplified, statistically it reflects reality. Top players are the minority regardless of industry — and the farther one is from the top, the harder it is to hire top players accurately. I feel it's way easier to explain the benefits of a product or service than to have to conform to someone's ideas about what a good software developer is. It's just less cognitive bias to deal with. I do still have to craft a personal narrative — but paradoxically, it's much stronger now that the main focus isn't on me, but on the solutions I provide. https://lnkd.in/gAH-BE8k #job #interview #hiring #questions

✨ Are you living your true purpose? This week on The Giant Builders, we uncover the secrets of Ikigai and the power of career storytelling. Learn how to craft a compelling story, embrace uncertainty, and rediscover your unique path. 🌟 👉 Watch now:

Ask Paul Micallef anything! If you have career or industry questions, feel free to ask! Some of you might not usually reach out, but here’s your chance—just comment, and Paul will do his best to answer! #askpaulanything #burningquestions #questiontime

Just finished the course “How to Advocate for Yourself in Your Job Search and Career” by LinkedIn News! Check it out: https://lnkd.in/gEQ2xcvT #selfesteem #careermanagement.

TUESDAY'S TOP TIP! 🧡   Discuss Your Failures and How You Rebounded! Instead of avoiding questions about failure, embrace them. Show how you’ve grown from setbacks and used the lessons learned to become better at your job. 💡 To stay updated with Weekly tips in order to give yourself the best chance of securing your next roles give us a follow!