The Network Hour

In today's episode we discuss some stories written by Reddit users asking for career advice. I found the story about the exit interview particularly interesting because it was relatable and something that I know a lot of people have experienced or are experiencing currently. Navigating a toxic work environment can be difficult. It's important to know when to leave and how to leave. I hope that my advice in this episode will help someone who is struggling in their approach.

Happy Listening!

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For career advice book a consultation with me on my website at https://wenetworkservices.com

Why is developing a Career Plan important? Well A career plan list your short term and long term goals and the steps you take to achieve those goals. A career plan can help to give you clarity, uniformity and organization in planning your goals and developing strategies to meet them.

In this episode I share 8 effective steps to take when developing your career plan.

1. Identify Your Career Options

2. Prioritize

3. Make Comparisons

4. Consider Other Factors

5. Make a Choice

6. Set SMART Goals

7. Create Your Career Action Plan

8. Meet with a Career Advisor/Coach

For more information on what I share in this episode you can visit: cap.mit.edu/resources/make-a-career-plan/

And for more resources and coaching please visit www.wenetworkservices.com and book a consultation.

Please share and download this episode for your reference.

Todays episode is based on a LinkedIn News article talking about career breaks. Reshma Saujani, the founder and CEO of Moms First spoke about how to navigate and talk about their career break.

See link to the article: https://www.linkedin.com/feed/update/urn:li:activity:7168991768435183616/?commentUrn=urn%3Ali%3Acomment%3A(ugcPost%3A7168991571017711617%2C7168999518267514881)&dashCommentUrn=urn%3Ali%3Afsd_comment%3A(7168999518267514881%2Curn%3Ali%3AugcPost%3A7168991571017711617)

In this episode, I expound not that article and give my own perspective and thoughts on taking a career break or even explaining a gap on your resume and career.

I hope you enjoy the episode. Feel free to share your own experience on this topic.

Download and share this episode with a friend and have the conversation.

In this episode we outline the meaning of value and worth and how sometimes they are used together and also at times used to mean the same thing. We also, discuss how both words have two different meanings, however knowing one helps you to know the other.

What do you think about both words? How do you use them in your everyday talk? Let's discuss

Please download and share this episode and have the discussion with your colleagues and friends.

Are Genzers speaking up more and elevating their voice in the workplace more than Millenials? It seems as though Genz mantra is we are not working for free and our work-life-balance is important. What can Millenials learn from Genz and what can Genz learn from Millenials?

We discuss a few in this episode.

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AI is here and it's here to stay. Employers are now using AI with platforms such as Sparkhire and Hirevue to sift through applicants for the jobs they are offering.

Is this a good thing? Like I said in this episode I think it's one more thing that job seekers have to be prepared to overcome in their process.

According to Voomer (source) questions are pre-recorded and you are allowed a certain amount of time to prepared and answer these questions. The AI tracks everything from your eye contact to your facial expression and more.

How can jobseekers prepare for this kind of interview?

1. practice

2. Use sites like tryvoomer.com to get you prepare with simulations and practice questions

3. Record yourself using laptop or phone and watch it back

4. Seek help from professional like coaches, hr personnel, your network

5. Network, Network, Network - Put yourself in face to face situations where you can share your personality and value giving you a leg up and positioning this AI interview as just a formality.

I wish all you job seekers the best in your job search.

For more advice and tips visit my website wenetworkservices.com and book a session with me.

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In today's episode we explore the pressing topics that are in the headlines from a professional perspective and in true Network Hour fashion.

We break down:

1. Hunter Biden and Congress

2. Trump Rhetoric

3. Johnathan Majors and Coretta comment

4. Taraji P Henson and Value/Worth

5. Harvard President resigns - Claudine Gay

We hope you enjoy the episode.

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Looking back at 2023 and really understanding the challenges and learning from the mistakes. Looking forward into 2024 and setting some new goals and adopting a new attitude and mindset to foster growth.

Welcome to episode 1 of our new series workplace interactions. In this letter we react to a problem the writer is having with her co-worker.

We spend most of our time working in the office and often times we have interactions with our co-workers or bosses. In this trailer I read a small snippet of a letter sent to me about a woman having problems with her co-worker.

Stay tuned for the episode where we dive deeper into this letter.

We hear the phrase work life balance all the time and share the sentiment that it is important but how many of us actually incorporate it into our daily lives.

A couple of weeks ago I got a rude awakening of how I was neglecting myself and not paying attention to the life balance in the phrase work life balance.

Weeks of being sick and me still thinking about work brought me to the realization that my priorities were off balance. I needed to start prioritizing me more. So I've made some changes and I'm urging you to do the same and become the best version of YOU.

Are you self-sabotaging consciously or unconsciously?

In this episode, I talk about self-sabotage and how easy we can fall into that behavior of self-sabotaging. Often times it is something that has become a part of who we are and how we show up. We also self-sabotage out of FEAR; and so it affects our personal and professional success as well as our mental health.

Stop Self-Sabotaging:

1. Learn how to identify unhelpful patterns and behavior

2. Become more self aware - you might need to seek therapy

3. Identify the behavior that is blocking or does not match the goal you are trying to achieve

4. Do not be perfect Patty. Everything does not have to be perfect

5. Set boundaries

6. Stop being busy bee and actually take time for self

7. Do not Procrastinate

8. Do not be afraid to communicate your needs. ASK FOR HELP!

Networking is about building and maintaining valuable relationships. A relationship entails of two people or multiple people. There must also be value to the relationship. Each person must work on the relationship and build, support and encourage each other to grow. Networking is not selfish and your network is not a mechanism for you to just feed from. Engage in giving vs asking all the time. In this episode, I outline some simple actions that can be taken to add value to your network.

Continue to build your relationships and keep networking!

We all know that it takes 10 seconds or even less for someone to form an impression of us. Now, I recognize that might not be who we are, we might just be going through something at the time, however it is important to be mindful that sometimes that first impression can completely turn someone away from you. A negative first impression can cost you a job, a business opportunity, a networking connection and so much more. My tip in this video is to be more self-aware. Pay attention to your non-verbal cues. It's better to explain and be authentic in saying no right now, rather that faking and coming off disingenuous. As much as we don't like it, first impressions matter. On a positive note sometimes you can come back strong from a first impression if you put in the work and show people a different side of who you are. We are all here to grow and learn.

Are you a leader? Can everyone be a leader? I personally believe that everyone is not called to be a leader because leadership is very hard and can be a burden. Without the ability to understand, overcome and step-up, a lot of people do not have the capacity to be leaders. Leadership can be emotionally draining and stressful. Sometimes doing meaningful work does not allow you to be happy all the time and a leader has to be able to reconcile with that.

Here are some burdens of being a leader:

1. Other's don't care as deeply as you.

2. People question your motives all the time

3. People mostly think about themselves, while a leader show up thinking about everyone else

4. Little to no appreciation

As a leader undertaking all these challenges, it can be depressing at times and overwhelming. It is important to remember your WHY (purpose) for doing the role as leader. Take solace in knowing that you are touching lives, affecting change and creating an impact in the lives of others and your community.

Please like share and download this episode.

For leadership coaching, book a consultation with me: https://calendly.com/wenetworkservices/30minconsult

In this episode of The Network Hour, I sat down with Mss Francois of The Mss Francois Show to talk about the topic: 'The Strong Black Woman In Relationships'. Listen to us talk about our experiences, issues in society and how to move forward being the best person you can be.

Who is Mss Francois and how to get in contact with her:

Mss Francois is a creator, host, author and entertainers

She offers: Hosting Events, Relationship Expert, Brand Ambassador, Media Maker Expert, Speaking Engagements, TV Show Sponsorship Spots and Sponsored Social Media Content.

contact or get to know more:

www.mssfrancois.com

info@mssfrancois.com

We hope you enjoy this episode. Please share and download and subscribe to the podcast.

According to Zippia.com, an average of 1821 new businesses start per day by women in 2022. 16% of start-ups had at least one female founder.

Amidst all the opening of businesses there are still challenges that female business owner face compare to their male counterparts.  Survey's show that women are less likely to apply for loans vs men.  This all has to do with the challenges faced when seeking financing.  Some more challenges that women business owners face are:

1. Equal access to financing

2. Regulations

3. Sufficient family support

4. Being taken seriously

5. Owning your accomplishment

6. Balancing business and family life

7. Building a supportive network

In this episode, Tammy and I discuss these challenges face by women business owners and also shared our own experiences as well as tips on how to stand in your power.

Please share, download and subscribe to our podcast.

In this episode we are tackling some of the headlines in LinkedIn News and examining how it relates to everyday professionals.  We specifically focused on 3 articles in this episode:

1. US adds over half a million jobs by Cate Chapman, Editor at LinkedIn News

2.4-day workweek idea hits state lawmakers by Todd Dybas, Editor at LinkedIn News

3. Where next for Tech Workers by Riva Gold, Editor at LinkedIn News

Visit LinkedIn.com and check these articles out

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Visit us at www.wenetworkservices.com

Follow us on Instagram @wenetworkservices

George Santos used lying to get elected and get into congress.  The lies allegedly on his job application are extensive and exaggerated.  His is now suffering the consequences of his actions.  His colleagues are calling for his resignation, the people of his constituency who elected him is becoming skeptical of his ability to represent them in congress and his credibility is shoot. 

In the regular world of job search it is frowned upon for a candidate to lie on his/her application.  According to a survey 93% of people know someone who lie on their resume, 75% of employers have found a lie on a resume, 53% of hiring managers suspect candidates aren't totally honest on their resumes.

Flexjobs.com highlights 6 reasons why lying on your resume is a no no and the consequences:

1. You can get caught - Perfect example, George Santos was caught. Employers do their due diligence when hiring

2. You damage your credibility - People will no longer believe what you say

3. The lies will continue - You have to cover up one lie with another lie with another lie

4. You constantly looking over your shoulder: live in fear 

5. You cannot do the job: In over your head

6. You can be fired

When applying for a job, be authentic and let people love you for who you are and what you bring to the table.  It is easy to improve on your skills vs lying about them.

I've been having such a great time with my guest discussing the topic 'Professional Happiness'.  Listening to the different stories gives me more conviction on why professional happiness is so important and should not be left on the back burner.  

If we examine our lives on a daily basis, at some point we find that a lot of sacrifices are made to the expense of our professional happiness.  

In this episode, Maudelyne shares the importance of professional happiness to her and the steps she is taking to maintain her professional happiness.

Maudelyne Maxineau is a transformative administrative leader and has worked in higher education for 14 years. Maudelyne focuses on student development and engagement of all ages. She is the current author of three children's books rooted in Black history. Maudelyne's biggest inspirations are her two sons and husband. She enjoys learning and writing about her ancestors and networking with other professionals in her spare time.

To purchase Maudelyne amazing books, visit: haitidecoded.com

Please download and share this episode with someone who needs to hear this message.

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This episode was truly an amazing one.  The talented creator, author, comedian and veterinarian Dr. Caroline Brookfield stop by The Network Hour to discuss: 'How Creativity Relates to Professional Happiness'. 

In this episode, Dr. Caroline shares her own creative journey and how she express creativity.  She mentions that there is creativity in all of us.  Believe it or not Dr. Caroline says that what we do at work, whether you are an Accountant that do spreadsheets or a clerk that book meetings all of that is exercising your creativity.

We also, discussed the difference between creativity at work and creativity at home or on downtime.  She also highlights that often times judgement and fear can stifle creativity, giving the example of wanting to open a jewelry business and being seen as weird for it.  Dr. Caroline further says that, "people tend to put you in a box of what they think you should do, and when you break out of that box then comes the judgement." " We must feel free to do whatever we are passionate about and not be restricted base on society standards or our own self judgment." Her advice: "Go back to that thing from childhood that you liked to do, or that idea that you never realized and do it, be your creative self and believe in your creativity."

In a nutshell - when we are more creative without boundaries or judgement, we are free to explore and grow, that in turn presents a form of happiness and fulfilment. 

To learn more about being creative Dr. Caroline recommends reading: The Reluctant Creative, a book that she has written and really explain that everyone can be creative.  The Reluctant Creative is sold on Amazon

To Connect with Dr. Caroline Brookfield:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/caroline-brookfield/

Website: http://carolinebrookfield.com

Email: hello@carolinebrookfield.com

Please remember to share and download this episode. Subscribe to The Network Hour, podcast and invite a friend to subscribe as well.

We are having so much fun bringing you this series entitled Professional Happiness.  We have had some amazing guest speakers to share their opinions and experiences on the topic and we are excited to introduce you to Tammy Wyllie in this episode.  Tammy is an amazing and powerful woman hailing from the beautiful island of Trinidad with warm weather and nice blue water beaches.  She is my Caribbean sister and a woman of great poise and intelligence.

Tammy is the founder of ResumeSmith with over ten years of working in Workforce Development. She has a fervency for propelling job seekers into building rewarding careers. Throughout her journey, she gained expertise in recruiting, training, curriculum planning & development, talent acquisition, and business development. She is thrilled with the opportunity to bring value and affect change. As a result, her work in nonprofit began and her interest in resume writing blossomed. Tammy’s time as a recruiter exposed her to several resumes and she quickly realized that there was an urgent need for help with people marketing their professional skills in a way that resonates with hiring authorities.

In our conversation' Tammy was very candid about her experiences and she shared great knowledge on how to achieve professional happiness:

Here are some tips from Tammy:

1. Do not limit yourself

2. Do not take yourself too seriously

3. Walk in your true essence and apply self- talk (self encouragement)

4. Find out who you are - personality assessment test, take feedback

5. Research companies to make sure they offer what you want

6. Develop and finding your true professional identity

7. Build a solid foundation

8. Internal Consistency - build confidence - assurance

9. VERY IMPORTANT - Identify your Allies

10. Believe in yourself and your value - How do people see you?

We hope you thoroughly enjoy this episode.  Please share and download this episode. 

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In this episode, we continue with our discussion on the pursuit to Professional Happiness.  Our guest speaker Kim Welcome shares what professional happiness means to her, tips on how you can achieve professional happiness and why focusing on your happiness is important.

Kim Welcome is a communication expert who draws from her BA in communication, 15 years as a sales and marketing professional, training as a voice actor, and experience as a smooth jazz artist, to teach her clients to communicate in a way that builds relationships, conveys confidence and garners cooperation. She started her company Influential Voice over 13 years ago when she realized her background provides the very skills every professional needs to successfully thrive in the corporate space. She incorporates the psychology of marketing, sales principles and the skillful use of the voice to empower teams, leaders and those seeking career advancement.

She is particularly passionate about transforming high-performing, overlooked corporate women into recognized leaders, by teaching them to communicate in a way that builds bridges, conveys leadership and increases their power to influence. As a communication expert, she has coached hundreds, helping professionals garner promotions, politicians win elections and even a shy pageant hopeful snag the crown.

Learn more about Kim at: 

http://influentialvoice.com/ 

https://www.linkedin.com/in/kimwelcome/

In this episode, Krystle Dookoo shares her story of professional happiness and the challenges she's faced on her journey to achieve that happiness. She also shares helpful tips on how to achieve the professional happiness that you want and push pass any obstacles that might come in your way.

Krystle Dookoo is the Founder + Owner of Imagerie Mentors. Started as a Social Media Marketing company in 2015, Imagerie Mentors has evolved into a business that focuses on teaching others the skills they need to create and build an effective and strong network online.

Krystle is a firm believer in community building, and enjoys creating a space where people can come together and connect with one another. The goal is to encourage support and to bring together entrepreneurs and professionals alike. Her passion for helping students with their educational and career goals is something that she has held on too and always believe that education is truly the way towards achieving ones goals and visions.

When Krystle isn’t working, she loves figuring out what to cook in her kitchen, exploring NYC and finding out where next she should travel to.

To Connect with Krystle:

Follow and message her on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/krystledookoo/

Please share and download this episode and become a paid subscriber to this podcast.

In this podcast Professor Joan Pierre, Tynesha Fraizer and your host Molly Creese. We discussed a popular story that had Twitter and the blogs buzzing. Kierra Sheard sharing in an interview that she will not allow her friends to sleep over at her house with her new husband but will get them a hotel room. I commend Kierra for her honesty and totally see where she is coming from. The girls and I discuss our experience with friends and allowing people to get to close.  We concur that it is important to be selective of your circle.  We are not saying that people should not have friends but we are expressing the need to be intentional, have discernment and know the reasons people come around you. 

We hope you enjoy the discussion.

Follow and connect with Professor Joan Pierre: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joan-pierre-mpa-dtm-0277849/

Follow and connect with Tynesha Frazier: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tynesha-n-frazier/

Subscribe to this podcast to listen to more awesome episodes and visit out website at wenetworkservices.com

Purchase some merch or message for an elevation coaching session.

Desiree' Kinney is the CEO of The Business Matchmaker. She is also currently working on creating her very own tv show The Business Matchmaker and working on her own book.  She has been featured on various tv shows as well as magazines such as: CBS2 News, NY1 News, News 12, FEMI Magazine, Voyage LA and more. Desiree' is also a singer, songwriter and entertainer.

In this episode of The Network Hour podcast I discuss with Desiree' her journey, challenges and her successes now. Desiree' stressed the importance of her family being a support and creating that foundation of happiness. She further went on to add that her father was instrumental in encouraging her creativity.

Desiree' says, in your business and career branding is essential, and to make sure that you're memorable and leave a personal trade mark.

Desiree' talked about overcoming adversities and her experience with the loss of her loved one, her advice to others experiencing life's challenges is to remember to give yourself permission to feel, have self-care and take a me day. She also mentions women wanting it all is not healthy and that it does not create a good life balance, the most important is to find your happiness from within and create that trajectory for your life and not to let society dictate.

Some additional great words of advice from Desiree':

• Protect your energy
• Find your happiness
• Find your voice that says I am good, I am powerful
• Your smile is your logo, your personality is your business card and the way you make others feel is your trade mark

To get in touch with Desiree':

Connect with her on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/desireekinney/

Website: thebusinessmatchmaker.org

Instagram: the_business_matchmaker

Email: desireethebusinessmatchmaker@gmail.com

Please remember to share, download and subscribe to this podcast. We appreciate your support

For professional networking strategies and career coaching book your consultation: https://calendly.com/wenetworkservices/15min

Our amazing guest speaker Dr. Sandi Webster is a serial entrepreneur, a pastor's wife, CEO, mentor, and an inspirer to women.  Her passion is to help entrepreneurs gain financial freedom by owning businesses.  She is the Chief Learning Officer of her brand, Sandi Webster Coachsulting.

In this episode, I discuss with Dr. Sandi extensively the challenges women face in business. Based on her experience, Dr. Sandi shares the challenges she faced along her career journey and how she overcame them by positioning herself in places to be taught. She shares that at times mentors will seek you out without you even asking. 

Dr. Sandi also talked about selling her 150 employee marketing company and stresses the importance of documenting your processes.  She mentions that business owners should move out of the day-to-day of the business, staff up, your job as a CEO should only be strategic planning - being the conductor.

Dr. Sandi's advice to women business owners and entrepreneurs:

• Confidence is very important. Believe in yourself, there is nothing you cannot do
• Keep God at the center of your life and go to him for support
• Just go out and try. Failure is not a bad word. Failure is learning. Learn to pivot

To connect with Dr. Sandi:

www.sandiwebster.com

https://www.linkedin.com/in/sandiwebster/

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In this episode, I sit down with Mr. Norville Barrington, husband, father, business professional, and entrepreneur.  Norville is the Chairman of the Barrington's of Brooklyn LLC with holdings in Bccelerator Inc a company that helps entrepreneurs in the development of a business plan that is essential to starting a business.  He is also the COO of the TekAvenir Group Government Contracting, COO of the Blaque Net App and so much more.  Along his journey, Norville expresses that he did not start out on what some people might consider the right foot.  Amidst setbacks and challenges along the way, he highlights the importance of being focused, accepting failure, seeking out support, and collaborating.

When asked about advice and tips he would give to entrepreneurs, Norville states:

• Stop being selfish with your 100% of zero
• Be consistent - momentum is critical
• You have to be in it to win it - It's important to be in the room, do the work and put yourself out there
• Have a plan #1
• Don't be afraid to fail - keep trying
• Document your processes

To connect and learn more about Norville and his work:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/norvillebarrington/

linktr.ee/barringtonsbk

paybbynft.com/nft-collections.html

Please remember to share, download and subscribe to this podcast.

For professional networking strategies and career coaching book your consultation: https://calendly.com/wenetworkservices/15min

What is Digital Inclusion?  Lately, we have been hearing a lot of buzz around the word inclusion, everyone having the same opportunities, companies, as well as states and government, need to be more inclusive but what exactly is ' Digital Inclusion, and why is it necessary to talk about?  In this episode of 'The Network Hour' podcast, I sat down with Anthony, a friend and colleague, and someone working in the space of digital inclusion to discuss the topic.  We discussed how the pandemic has really pushed the issues we face with digital inclusion to the forefront exposing barriers such as affordability, accessibility, quality technical support, and education.  Anthony highlights that minority areas are affected the most because of these barriers.  He also shared the steps being taken by NYC to combat these issues and create a community where everyone has the opportunity to gain access to the internet.

To hear a lot more please listen to the episode and start the discussion in your own homes, organizations, and among your friends.  Our voices amplified can bring about the changes necessary in this space.

To connect with Anthony:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/anthony-sanford-mpa-25588560/

Please remember to share, listen and download this episode. Become a loyal listener of 'The Network Hour'.