Posts tagged as:

Succeeding

Brian

Turning the Call Around and Taking Control

I play video games because, I like to be in control of something.

Whether that be as Mario in yet another castle-crashing plight to save Princess Peach, as Tommy Vercetti running rampant through a Miami-esque beachfront, or behind the wheel of a four hundred-thousand dollar Ferrari rocketing down the track in the latest Forza, it certainly does feel good when you perceive to be in control of something.

If you work in a blood donor recruitment field, being in control of conversations within your job isn’t just something to yearn for; it’s an extremely necessary proficiency to have. Do you occasionally encounter someone who might be upset that you called them? Yes. It happens. Do you get hung up on or rushed off of the phone line at times? Of course. This happens too. Should you be nervous about how to handle these situations? Not at all. With a little bit of quick thinking, empathy and determination you can always end your conversations on a good note.

As a Conversational Marketing™ Expert (CME) for Incept, I can tell you from experience that being in control of your calls with donors does not have to come off as pushy or rude to achieve the overall goal of strengthening the relationship. Let’s take a look at a few situations you might encounter and how to deal with them effectively.

Exercising Conversational Control

  • Empathize with what your donor is actually saying.

Empathy is a crucial tool within a CME’s arsenal. Conveying empathy to someone shows you understand where they are coming from. Naturally, people are going to tell you what is going on in their lives, and ultimately they are looking for understanding when speaking with you.

  • Dealing with a “runaway” conversation.

Something that is almost humorous – and something that I take pride in – is the fact that when I started at Incept I had only a few conversations with folks that might not have been so inclined to talk to me when they picked up the phone. After a few minutes, however, we were talking like old friends. Good conversations are always awesome to have, but keep handle time in mind. Politely look for the best way to interject in a friendly manner that conveys you are naturally closing the call. An easy example that works is,  “And on that note, I thank you for your time. It has been great talking with you…”

  • Angry or upset customer? Use LAMA to stay in control.

The LAMA technique is something we’ve talked about before and is an invaluable tool that any CME can use. Remember to listen to what your donor is saying; acknowledge what has been said so your donor understands that you heard their concerns or circumstances clearly; make a statement involving features and benefits that connects to your solution; and ask a question to either find out more information you need to know or to provide the opportunity for your donor to make a choice based upon your statement. This is easily one of the best ways to stay in control of your conversations.

When it comes to being in control, people like to feel like they have the power of choice and control over the outcome of a situation. It just so happens to be that your donors aren’t the only ones that can feel that way. So can you!

What other helpful tips do you have for staying in control of a conversation?

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Brian

5 Things I Have Learned in the First Year of My Career

What is in a year?

It’s almost mind-boggling to think that I’ve been with Incept a full year now, and still I can’t help but feel that it was just yesterday when I emerged from training. Don’t get me wrong, I’m definitely one of the regulars at the office now, but for nostalgic/reminiscing sake, it was a year that flew by. Being a twenty-one-year-old trying to carve out a career from an entry-level office job has been a challenge but more of a learning experience than anything else.

What have you learned from your career to suceed at higher levels?

I sat down to write this blog post as more of a straightforward read, so you’ll have to excuse me leaving out the sugarcoated “follow your dreams and work hard” speech. Sometimes I think it is important to understand, acknowledge and take some time to think over your past – what you did and how it affected where you are today. Here is a personal list of what I have learned from working at Incept, not just from my own experiences but also from talking to my colleagues (also included are a few successes and failures):

  • Create the need to be needed

I’ll never forget hearing those words from my uncle, Fred. It’s a six-word sentence that has been burned and imprinted into my brain’s long-term memory bank. And it is very true. Whatever your job is, create the need to be needed. Be the one to prove your worth through the quality of your workmanship, as well being professionally punctual.

  • The will to learn and improve can only exist if you are willing to ask questions

When I am in doubt, if I cannot find a solution to the circumstance in which I’m involved, I will ask someone who has been in my shoes. There is no shame in asking for counsel or help. If I need small group management advice, I have no problem asking my Vice President, Dave Walter, for suggestions. Why? Because Dave did not get to being the Vice President of Contact Center Results for Incept without knowing how to manage people, and I openly am able to recognize that. Be willing to take notes and ask individuals throughout the company hierarchy for advice on professional situations. Oftentimes, it can lead to valuable firsthand professional knowledge.

  • While failures do happen, learning from those failures is a choice

Sometimes things don’t always go as originally intended, and we end up chalking one up on the losing side of the scoreboard. While you cannot win at everything (and while losses and failures do happen), at the end of the day it is up to you – and only you – to be able to learn from your failures and gain the knowledge from firsthand experience to be able to succeed the next time.

  • Set professional goals for yourself

If you were going to take a road trip from Akron, OH to California, you wouldn’t leave without taking a map or GPS. The same can be said about setting short-term and long-term goals for your career. Most people know what they want out of their occupation or, at least, have somewhat of an idea. It’s all just a matter of being able to envision a path using goal setting as a way to guide you to where you want to go professionally.

  • Seize absolutely every opportunity in which you get to showcase your personal strengths

Every chance you get to prove what you have to offer should be taken and maximized. In fact, I would not be typing this blog post had I not seized the opportunity to become an Internet Conversational Marketing Expert (iCME) through an internal company blog-writing contest. Does that mean overload yourself with tons of extra responsibility? No. It does mean, however, that if the opportunity presents itself and caters to one’s fortes that they should meet the challenge head-on rather than with a sense of apprehension.

Like I’ve said previously, there is always more to learn, and I think that is one of the hardest parts of trying to grow as a young professional. You have to try to separate yourself from thinking you know it all; you have to be willing to listen twice as much as you speak; and if you are my age (21 years old), you have to have the will power to separate yourself from the image of your age demographic and not be afraid to take creative risks, make mistakes, fail and gain professional respect from your older and more experienced colleagues. It’s not a matter of if you can do it or not, but if you actually desire to grow professionally. In the end, the only one that holds the keys to personal success is you.

What are some of the most professionally important lessons you have learned from your current occupation?

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Brian

Keeping Cool: Tips on Staying Positive in the Workplace

How do you stay positive at work?

Life isn’t always perfect.

Depending on what is going on in your life, your mood can be drastically changed. For many folks (including myself), sometimes it is just really hard leaving problems, moods and general negativity in the parking lot before coming into the office. Whether you just found out your girlfriend was cheating on you via Facebook, forgot to make your credit card payment, or heard your favorite basketball player would be taking his talents to South Beach, there seems to be a never-ending laundry list of possible scenarios for people to become upset and boil over with pessimism. People say that a good mood can be contagious, but the same goes for someone dealing with something less than a pleasant state of mind.

It is okay to be upset with something or someone. Being upset or angry is simply how humans try to cope when they feel wronged, and it does indeed feel good to get cynical feelings off your chest. Still, negative moods can be hurtful to productivity in the workplace and can rub off on your fellow coworkers. Not every day is always filled with endless sunshine, perfectly brewed pots of coffee or easy assignments galore when it comes to the professional world. There are going to be days where the sky is that lifeless white-gray, the coffee in the break room is long gone and your tasks are more than unpleasant to deal with. Nonetheless, I am a firm believer that life is ten percent of what happens to you and ninety percent how you react to it.

At Incept, do people have bad days? Of course. However, it is important to remember that you are the one in control of your mood and how you deal with it. Here is a quick list of ways to be positive (and their benefits) during a rough day at work:

  • Remember, this too shall pass…

Remember this: whatever problem you had that made you feel angry or discontent before work will ultimately, in most cases, be waiting for you when you are done with your shift. While you are at work, take the time to put outside problems you are having on pause, and focus on your job. The benefit of this method is that you have time to calm down, focus on matters unrelated to the source of your negativity and will be able to greet your predicament with levelheaded judgment when you go home. Use the workplace as a positive retreat from external disarray.

  • Be appreciative of the people you work with…

At Incept, when I’m having a bad day, I can almost always count on my friends and colleagues at work to cheer me up. Showing them equal appreciation is a great way to relieve ongoing stress and create teamwork around the office. Take some time and rather than focusing on what is bugging you, focus on saying thank you to someone. A simple thank you can go along way in lifting someone’s mood while also strengthening company culture. Ultimately, it’ll make you feel good. Plus, it’s probably one of the easiest ways to create positivity.

  • Question if it is worth being upset or complaining about…

It is easy to complain – anyone can do it. I have complained to the point where my better judgment speaks up, and I actually think to myself, “Wow! You are complaining a lot about this!” Then I end up feeling almost embarrassed. Ask yourself, “Am I that upset about the situation or circumstance that I need to openly complain?”  In doing so, you will put things into perspective for yourself. One should also stay away from being sarcastic. Sometimes things are not worth the effort or time to complain about.

  • Take a mental break…

Sometimes all that is needed is a quick step outside – or just away from your desk – to regain a quick bit of sanity to keep you going throughout the day. Taking a brief drink of water or coffee is also a good way to mentally relieve stress. People deal better with circumstances when they can slow things down and evaluate not only the situation causing them grief, but also the choices they can make in an effort to keep positive the rest of the day.

When it comes to keeping positive, it’s not all about productivity. It is also a reflection of your company’s culture. Are your employees ready to tackle their assignments or tasks or do they seem constantly depressed and dragging? Positive thinking can create positive results. Next time you feel like you are having a bad day at the office or feel a tug of negativity on your heels, try one of the above tips and take the first step towards keeping positive at work.

What are some ways you stay positive while at work?

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Stephanie

An In-depth Look at How Incept Handles Scripting

Have you ever noticed how well-informed and professional someone at a call center sounds on the phone? While it does take practice and confidence to be a good Conversational Marketing Expert, it also takes a good script to get the necessary information across quickly and clearly.

While I’m very familiar with using scripts daily as a Conversational Marketing Expert (or CME) here at Incept, I have a lot to learn about what goes into writing a successful script. Luckily for me, I was able to interview our President, Sam Falletta, to get a better look at scripting and gain insight on what goes into making a good script.

One of the first questions I asked Sam was, “Why do we use scripts?” Sam said that, more than anything, we use scripts to create an effective conversational guide. He said that Jim Beuoy put it best when he stated, “I’m not arrogant enough to think that I know the BEST way to say something, but we do know that some ways are better than others.” Basically, we use scripts to provide those guides to our employees.

Next, I asked Sam about the actual process we use when writing scripts. “It’s a very interactive process,” he said. “We typically start out by saying, ‘What would be the most important thing to the donor or customer?’ and ‘How do I explain that in the clearest way?’ Once we know that, we generally work on framing it with the best introduction and summary.”

In most cases, it’s usually Incept’s Client Results and Contact Center Results Managers who work together to develop a new script, although many times we also include members from our Conversational Quality and New Client Results departments. Many times our clients even contribute important information about their organization or product, as well. In this way, everyone’s point of view is thoroughly represented in building the best guideline(s).

When I asked Sam what the hardest part about writing a new script was, he mentioned that it was difficult ensuring that you leave out your preconceived notions about how a customer will respond to what you’re saying. “Oftentimes, before you even begin a project,” he said, “you have already decided what would make you respond to a conversation from Incept. It’s important to forget that and really listen to the customers, as opposed to coming to your own conclusion.”

The next phase in script writing is to test out a script’s effectiveness. The best way to do this is to start making calls, and see how donors or customers respond. It’s impossible to generate a perfect script solely by sitting down and writing it, so whatever we start with ends up changing once we begin making calls. The scriptwriting team generally makes calls with the new script for an hour or so, then gets off the phones for a debriefing, makes adjustments and hops back on for an hour or so. In most cases, after a few days of refining, we can get pretty close to having something to roll out.

I was also curious about how Sam and the team manage to find a balance between keeping a script brief while still making sure that all of the necessary information is included.

“It’s a challenge,” Sam said. “For this, we meet as a group and listen to the test calls and have the group try to identify specific points in time where you hear the customers ‘checking out.’ A lot of times you can pinpoint the times of disinterest on the other end of the phone, so we start removing those parts of the script. We do our best to ensure that the scripts are conversational enough by starting with brief interaction that always allows us to go into more depth if the customer or donor wants to, as opposed to starting out by trying to give them all the information all at once.”

Lastly, I asked Sam if he had any tips or suggestions that would help someone to write a good script. He noted, first off, that one needs to start by thinking about the customer first. Identify the one or two most important things in their mind. Next, test the script out, listening to how the customer or donor responds, and adjust accordingly. Lastly, always look for opportunities to improve!

By keeping these four things in mind, and remembering that everyone is a customer, we’re able to write effective scripts that help our Conversational Marketing Experts (CMEs) have productive conversations with donors and customers.

What are some other suggestions you might have on how we could improve our calls?

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Lawrence Prather

Google is Drawing Circles Around Your Social Network

Recently, Google released a new social tool that has the potential to be a Facebook “like” killer: +1.

Google +1 button

In essence, what this does is allow a user to “vote up” search results. If you deem something worthy of what you are searching for, then you should click the +1 button (that looks like the one to your left). The idea is to aggregate all of the data and put the search results that have been +1′d the most at the top, making them the most relevant to your search query.

The only way to actually see or use this new tool is to sign up for the experiment on Google, and log in to your account. If you have a Google Profile, you can see all of your +1s and share them with your friends within your social graph – if you so choose. As you can see in the screen shot below, if you don’t have a profile, you won’t be able to see your +1 history.

Live +1 button

The Social Circle

Down in Austin, TX, not too long ago, rumors were bouncing around that Google was releasing a new social networking platform, called “Circles.” However, within just a few hours of the whispers surfacing, Google immediately laid it to rest by denying the rumors. Nonetheless, if you were to follow the bread crumbs, you would see that Google is indeed up to something. With the denial of “Circles” came +1, not even a month later.

Why would they do this instead of moving ahead with “Circles?” Assuming that you (and your friends) have a Google Profile, and you have opted to link your other social networking accounts to it, every one of your friends within your social graph will have more relevant search results returned to them. That being said, there are various implications – both good and bad – this could have with regard to search engine optimization (SEO).

Searching

As the old adage goes, “The world is your oyster.” This holds especially true, as far as Google is concerned. Google spokespeople say that the +1 is not for boosting site rankings or marketing, but rather a way to get the best, most relevant and highest value search results – results that mean more to you, because it’s likely that you trust the opinions of the like-minded people in your social circle.

You could argue that it would be better to return results that have the most relevance to what you are specifically searching for, rather than those +1′d by people in your circle. To do this, all you have to do is to log out of your Google account. The results could end up becoming a bit biased, in that Google crawlers would crawl your friends’ +1s before crawling the rest of the web, thereby giving you a false positive.

What’s Next?

Buried deep in their javascript was an embeddable +1 button. And it worked too.

Google issued this statement on the button:

While we’re thrilled that publishers are anxious to integrate the +1 button into their sites, we’re still working things out and aren’t quite ready for this to be publicly available just yet, so we’re disabling this in the code. Webmasters and other publishers interested in using +1 on their sites should get in touch with us here.

Once the embeddable button is activated (legitimately, this time), Facebook “likes” will have some competition, and they should be worried. With the new changes at Google, and the way employee bonuses are determined by social media success, Google’s innovation and imagination have no limits.

Google has been known to fail – and fail epically, at that – but it hasn’t stopped them. Just look at Hotpot and what they have done recently with Latitude. With Larry Page returning to the helm, he is quickly bringing Google back to its startup roots with less red tape and more innovation. Another circle, if you will.

What do you think is next for Google? Do you think that Facebook should be worried?

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Brian

Embracing Positive Company Culture

There’s no doubt that a positive company culture is a strong asset to a business of any size.

“The thing I have learned at IBM is that culture is everything.” ~ Louis V. Gerstner, Jr. former CEO IBM

First of all, what is company culture? A generic definition of company culture is the combined overall values, practices and habits of the employees of an organization. In reality, it goes a lot deeper than that.

Google is a company that is at the forefront of embracing positive company culture as a foundation of their business. Throughout the offices of Google headquarters (located in Mountain View, CA) you can find game rooms stocked with video games, exercise areas for a quick workout and even rooms stocked with assortments of food – ranging from candies to more health-conscious choices. But what does taking on all of these additional expenses for employees really mean?

How does your company's culture feel?

The simple thought is that positive company culture starts with the company making the workplace the best place possible for employees to work. A positive environment will not only encourage employees to do their best, but to consistently perform together to reach an overall goal as well.

Obviously, Google is a pretty extravagant and over-the-top example, but one doesn’t have to start with lavish offerings and inflated expenses. Here are some great and simple tips to embrace while improving your company’s culture:

  • Figure out your company’s overall goal

Working without a vision or goal to work towards is comparable to painting a portrait in the dark: you cannot plan or even make a guess about what the future outcome might be. Figure out your company’s goals, and then assess your company’s current culture. In doing so, you can figure out what needs to be changed to align your company’s culture with those goals.

  • Understand that little things can make all the difference

Any company can put its core values on the wall and state that they adhere to those values when it comes to their clientele. But what about goals for their own employees? Using Incept as an example, our core values aren’t just the base for determining how to best serve our clients, they also help to define how we live and interact with each other in the office. Incept’s Vice President of Contact Center Results, Dave Walter, is a guy that everyone in the company can approach – one who most know on a first-name basis. Having a member of the company hierarchy visible and available, who is willing to help and personally interact with the employees, really shows that everyone is part of the team at Incept. This helps to break the “Us vs. Them” mindset that so many companies unknowingly embody when dealing with their employees.

  • Realize that company culture can always change

“Nothing is static. Everything is evolving. Everything is falling apart.” ~ Brad Pitt, as Tyler Durden (Fight Club)

The above quote isn’t just because I love Fight Club, it’s also because it holds a sense of truth regarding company culture.

Align your company's culture with the change you desire to make.

With new employees there will always be the meshing of new personalities and values with what you have already developed. It is essential to understand that while your culture might change over time, you are still the one with the power to keep it on track towards your previously established goal. Staying in tune with your employees and consistently analyzing the growth of your company culture is how you are going to be able to address any changes and stay on the path to success.

Personally, I describe company culture as the vibe given off by a workplace. Obviously, a company that yearns for a positive company culture is going to be altogether more successful than one that fails to acknowledge the bigger picture of valuing culture. It’s all about getting with the times.

What are some other ways a company can increase a positive sense of company culture? What are the rewards of positive company culture?

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Brian

Interviewing: What’s Your Style?

Everyone has their own personal style.

My own style is very simple – I’m a rock-and-roll kinda guy. I’m only caught in my riding boots or my beat-up Vans skate shoes. Being the former wild child of the neighborhood (though combined with a work-hard, play-harder philosophy), I’m the type of man who enjoys the finer things in life: good tunes, good food and good friends. Like a modern-day James Dean, cruising around the cracked, pot-holed streets of Ohio on my motorcycle, which I have affectionately named “Suzie the Suzuki,” I can’t help but to feel as though I am an old soul trapped in a young man’s body – the last wanna-be greaser of the new millennium.

What does this all have to do with the topic at hand, you ask? At Incept we’ve been discussing what an interview really is: an investigative tool to obtain information or knowledge toward making an informed choice. Whether that be for employment, client assessment or another purpose, it is easy to see that there are many different ways to interview.

When it comes to the interview process, and using it as an investigative strength in your search for knowledge, it is all about picking and utilizing the style that works best for you. One of the biggest things to remember is that interviews aren’t only used to hire people, they are also used to obtain insight through questioning.

Here are a few different techniques on how to interview:

Screening interviews are typically used by companies to hire new employees. That being said it is also a great style of interview to gather information needed to make a decision quickly and efficiently. This type of interview can be done via phone, video conferencing and email. It involves asking simple and straightforward questions, making its main objective identifying possible solutions and/or candidates in a timely manner. This style is good for people with limited time and with time-oriented assignments at hand.

An audition interview is just that, a capable display of performance. This style of interview is good for interviewers who tend to be more visual learners, in the fact that they can literally see their candidate or client in their natural (or prospective) professional environment. The interviewer can then appropriately make a choice or suggestion based on watching their performance and witnessing their results.

This interview is the most efficient in getting collaboration and other’s opinions on subjects or prospective candidates and involves being interviewed by more than one person. Clearly, this is a good idea because not only do you have a readily available second opinion for at-hand topic matter, but you also have another brain added to the equation that perceives circumstances in a different light, offering different professional perspectives that might not have been considered by the original interviewer. More brain power is always a positive thing to have when making an informed decision.

When it comes down to it, an interview isn’t just something a company does to hire people. It is a much larger asset (with increased importance) when used to seek knowledge. Current clients can be interviewed to see if their needs are being met, while companies can also hold a simple internal survey (an example of a screening interview) or focus group to see if there is anything culturally that needs to be changed within the organization.

There are many different styles of interviews, but as always I just wanted to ask: How have you been interviewed by past employers? What are some other approaches to interviewing that you would suggest?

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Brian

Throwin’ It Into Overdrive

Feeling Swamped?

Man, it’s just been one of those days.

You know, the kind of day where you plan things to go smoothly, but inevitably it just seems like Murphy’s law is making you its living example. The great thing is that it’s days like this that provide the opportunity to be your best, punch procrastination in the face and grab life by the horns. Leaders excel in these moments. What can I say? I also tend to produce my personal best in the middle of confusion and disarray.

When it seems like your workload is crashing down around you, and your laundry list of responsibilities is growing to epic proportions, keep your head up. “A positive attitude will create positive results,” proclaims one of my Incept coworkers, Crystal. She is absolutely right. Negativity will only hinder your performance at anything.

Tonight I saw a blog post by Nate Riggs, entitled 5 Survival Tips for Work Overload (Please Add More). It hit the spot for me, mentally speaking, and I can definitely relate. Here are some more ways to deal with work overload:

  • Know exactly the tasks that need your immediate attention.
  • Stay off of Facebook and Twitter if you do not need them open.
  • Remember why you like your job.
  • Remember your own personal goals and what you are working for.
  • Take a step outside for a minute of fresh air.
  • Make sure you get enough sleep when not working.
  • Remember positive persistence and tenacity is the key to producing excellent results.
  • Give yourself a final reward for completing your tasks.

It is always good to have a plan to follow. However, sometimes things can get crazy, and you’ll need to revise your current plan or create a new one. When that happens, do not fear. Instead, take a leader’s stance on things. Do not go with the flow, control the paddle! We are all in charge of our own success!

Also check out Nate Riggs’ blog. He’s a cool guy. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I’m going to go treat myself to my reward for the day: a big Chipotle burrito.

What else would you add to the list?

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Stephanie

Dos and Don’ts of Interviews

We’ve all been there, nervously sitting in the hallway, waiting to go in for an interview while our hearts pound in double time. No matter what position you’re applying for, an interview can be a very nerve-rattling process. Here are some common good and bad things - dos and don’ts, if you will – to help ensure your interview is a success.

Do:

  • Show up early. Showing up early shows that you’re eager for the position and punctual, which is always a good thing. Usually, coming in about 10-15 minutes early is recommended. Plus, it gives you enough time to figure out where to go if it’s a big place. Early is always better than late, right?
  • Dress smartly. Dressing professionally and conservatively shows that you take not just the interview but the position seriously. No one wants an employee that’s sloppy or dresses in a revealing manner.
  • Give positive body language. Making eye contact and offering a firm handshake shows confidence, and that in return can be viewed as competence. Also, be friendly and polite. You want your interviewer to see you as someone who it’d be pleasant to work with.
  • Ask questions. You want to make sure that the position for which you’re applying for is a good fit for you. Be sure to ask intelligent questions during the interview to make sure that it’s what you expected. Asking questions also shows interest and forethought, always good qualities to have in an employee.
  • Send a thank-you note. It might not be something you thought of – I know I didn’t, at first – but showing appreciation for the time taken to interview by sending a thank-you note you is a great way to make yourself stand out from the other people applying for the same position. It shows that you are courteous and thoughtful, which are always great qualities to have.

Don’t:

  • Assume you have the job. No matter how qualified you are for the position or how strong your resume/application is, you still need to take the interview seriously. It’s a chance for you to sell your good qualities and leave a lasting impression. A resume may blend in with all of the others on the interviewer’s desk, but a good impression stands out.
  • Answer your cell phone. It sounds like common sense, but you’d be surprised how often this tip is forgotten or ignored. Be doubly sure to turn your cell off before the interview or, if you forget, quickly apologize and turn it off. NEVER answer it or read a text during the interview!
  • Belittle or talk down a former job/boss. No one likes a complainer or a negative attitude. Talking down a former boss or position you held may make you seem like both. Not only that, but if you talk that way about your last company, why wouldn’t you do the same when discussing this one, if you ever left? Sometimes jobs just don’t work out. Be honest but respectful.
  • Chew gum or smoke during the interview. Even if the interviewer does themselves or offers you to, refrain or politely decline. Chewing gum or smoking during the interview is unprofessional and makes it seem like you’re not taking the job very seriously.
  • Be nervous. I know, it’s much easier said than done. However, you should try to enter with confidence and grace. Looking and acting confident despite your pounding heart and sweaty palms shows that you can handle yourself well under pressure. Obviously, things are looking good so far, otherwise you wouldn’t have been called in for the interview in the first place. Even if you do feel a bit jittery, never let them see you sweat it. Just be yourself, be professional and friendly, and you should do just fine!

These are only a few tips to help you make a good impression. It maybe a stressful process, but remember, it’ll be over before you know it. Next thing you know, you’ll be getting that call asking when you can come in for your first day!

Photo Credits:

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http://www.asianjobportal.com/2010/09/job-interview-how-to-conduct-properly/

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melissa

Single Mom/Conversational Marketing Expert

I recently celebrated my one-year anniversary with Incept.

I began as a CME, but now I’m an iCME. However, I’ve been a single mom for the majority of my adult life. In this role as a single mom, I have not only had to be the nurturer but also the disciplinarian and the bread winner. I’ve done it all – from working at fast food restaurants and call centers to eight years of working as a temp at various locations throughout Canton, OH.

Being the sole provider can sometimes get in the way of all the other parental responsibilities I need to focus on – like spending time with my kids and helping them develop into productive citizens. But here at Incept, things are different!

I am very fortunate (as we all are) to work for a company that not only values me as an employee but also as a member of their “family.” Our company culture focus is on being present – both in our work and home lives. We have found a place to thrive and grow, as individuals and as a corporate entity. My Incept family has been there for me – and my kids – through the good times and the bad. They’ve encouraged me, supported me, been my transportation to and from work, and valued my opinions and my skills/abilities. I can’t help but be thankful for such a phenomenal family/workplace combination!

I also know I’m not the only single mom/CME here at Incept. So, firstly, I wanted to “raise a glass” to all my sisters! Great job, ladies! Keep up the good work, both here and at home!

Being a member of the Social Media Department, I plan to follow up this blog post with a video presentation, spotlighting as many single moms as possible. I think, as part of the Incept company culture focus, we should be recognized! We carry on two full-time jobs: parent and Incept employee. Some of us are even attending college! Balance is essential!

That being said, are you one of the single moms who’d like to be in my “Single Mom/CME” spotlight video?

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