How to Keep from Sounding LIKE Totally Stupid

June is reality check month. Lots of the resolutions have been made and most are already broken. It's time to take a hard look at where you are going in 05 and beyond. One of the most important things you can do for yourself is to update all your personal credentials including your bio & your resume.

Have you done your spring cleaning (professional) yet? Do you have solid career plans for the balance of 05? Why are you waiting to get started improving your career?

Ask yourself these questions:

How dated is the material that you have been using to present your skill sets? Is the language professional? Are you using current, contemporary lingo in your materials? When was the last time you spent time assessing your personal portfolio? I know it's hard to think about those aspects of your career, but believe me its time well spent.

Look at your resume, does it seem "dated." The resume today is nothing like those of the past. So if it's not current, it will immediately present a negative connotation about your "contemporary-ness"

Have you ever seen a celebrity on TV who sounds illiterate? They are stars, so people over look how dumb they appear to be. That is not going to work for you. You will be evaluated by both your verbal and written skills. Can you put together a coherent sentence without using the word LIKE? If not, you better begin to practice your pitch. Start with a written a paragraph about what you have accomplished, what do you have to offer. Write it down and then read it over and over. Does it make sense? Does it grab your attention? Does it compel people to ask more?

If not, try different version, substitute words, refine and hone down your core message so you sound credible and believable. Action words are really important you want to convey an image. If you need help, get a thesaurus and look for synonyms of the words you plan to use in your pitch. Tip: If you never use big or unusual words, don't start now.

Are you good at small talk? This is a great way to open a dialogue or keep one going. The best method for small talk is to find something in the news (not political), but something that has a broad based appeal. Look for a topic that will elicit a response. Just pull a few ideas from recent news: spelling bee winner, final episodes (TV). Get the picture?

First impressions count! Have you heard someone speak that you thought was a total dork? What turned you off? Did they look slovenly or unkempt? Were they dressed appropriately? Did they sound incoherent with poor speech patterns? Appearance is one benchmark that will immediately determine how receptive the listener is to what you have to say. Do you have colleagues and associates that either turns you off or on when they speak? Pay attention to their style of speaking and mannerisms. What attributes do you like? Are they funny? Humor always has a way of breaking the ice or diffusing an uncomfortable moment.

If, in a chance meeting, you run into someone you consider to be important, do you sound like a bumbling fool? It's easy to prepare yourself to put your best foot forward. All it takes is practice. If you are not sure how professional you will seem, practice now. Find a friend or colleague and engage in dialogue. Don't talk to them about work, but in general conversation ask them to critique what you said. Were you interesting? Were you engaging? Did you talk too long or sound boring? Did they want to keep the conversation going? Establish a comfort level with your words and speaking style. Adapt it to what you are like and don't imitate anyone. Create you own unique personal speaking style.

JoAnn Hines' specialty is PACKAGING PEOPLE. Whether you want to be paid more, you just lost your job, or you want to progress in the one you have, Ms. Hines advice and expertise can help you transform your personal brand. She can show you how to package yourself and make your brand a hot commodity. It's easy once you know the ropes and begin to utilize her insider's secrets. She shows you step by step how to increase your visibility, credibility and marketability with easy to use tutorials and templates.

It is time to get started "Packaging Yourself."

Email me the Chief People Packager @ pkgcoach@aol.com

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Google News Updated : Tue, 07 Oct 2008 20:50:00 GMT Wells Fargo may get lion's share of Wachovia deposits: report - MarketWatch Sify Wells Fargo may get lion's share of Wachovia deposits: report MarketWatch - 32 minutes ago By John Spence, MarketWatch BOSTON (MarketWatch) -- Wells Fargo & Co. may get as much as 80% of Wachovia Corp.'s deposits, with the remainder likely going to Citigroup Inc., according to a published report Tuesday. Citi, Wachovia, Wells temporarily halt litigation Bizjournals.com Wachovia shares waver as Citi, Wells Fargo wrangle Forbes BloggingStocks - Washington Post - New York Times - CNNMoney.com all 7,781 news articles Publ.Date : Tue, 07 Oct 2008 20:17:51 GMT Bernanke hints at possible interest rate cut - MarketWatch The Associated Press Bernanke hints at possible interest rate cut MarketWatch - 31 minutes ago By Greg Robb, MarketWatch WASHINGTON (MarketWatch) - Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke opened the door on Tuesday for a possible interest rate cut to help rescue the economy from a severe downturn, admitting that the global panic in the financial ... Video: Bernanke signals possible rate cut ReutersVideo Bernanke: Economic outlook weaker CNNMoney.com New York Times - Forbes - Reuters - MSN Money all 988 news articles Publ.Date : Tue, 07 Oct 2008 20:18:10 GMT Sleuth's Presidential Debate Watch Game - Washington Post Sleuth's Presidential Debate Watch Game Washington Post - 41 minutes ago Tonight's debate watch games probably won't be as much fun as last week's Palin Bingo. But don't fret, there are still games to be played during this second presidential debate between John McCain and Barack Obama. 'Aggressive' debate expected between McCain, Obama CNN * McCain looks for way to stop Obama's momentum Reuters The Associated Press - MSNBC - U.S. News & World Report - TIME all 1,199 news articles Publ.Date : Tue, 07 Oct 2008 20:08:21 GMT Qantas Involved in Another Air Incident - New York Times NEWS.com.au Qantas Involved in Another Air Incident New York Times - 25 minutes ago By Liz Robbins It has been 20 years since Dustin Hoffman’s character Raymond Babbitt in “Rain Man” made Qantas synonymous with air safety, claiming he would only fly the Australian airline because it had never crashed. Qantas passengers arrive in Perth after mid-air ordeal ABC Online Fifteen badly hurt as Qantas jet drops Sydney Morning Herald The Standard - Taipei Times - United Press International - NEWS.com.au all 366 news articles Publ.Date : Tue, 07 Oct 2008 20:24:06 GMT Cough, Cold Drugs Not for Kids Under 4 - WebMD CBS News Cough, Cold Drugs Not for Kids Under 4 WebMD - 2 hours ago By Miranda Hitti Oct. 7, 2008 -- Don't use over-the-counter pediatric cough and cold drugs in kids younger than 4. Leading makers of over-the-counter pediatric cough and cold drugs are putting that message on the products' labels, according to the ... Cold, Cough Medicines for Children Get Added Warnings (Update3) Bloomberg Drug Companies Say No Cold Meds for Kids Under 4 Washington Post Chicago Tribune - New York Times - Bizjournals.com - The Associated Press all 1,485 news articles Publ.Date : Tue, 07 Oct 2008 18:48:20 GMT Thai Army Sends Troops to Help Police Keep Peace - Washington Post Voice of America Thai Army Sends Troops to Help Police Keep Peace Washington Post - 4 hours ago Thailand's military agreed Tuesday to deploy hundreds of unarmed soldiers to the streets of Bangkok to help police restore order after violent clashes between police and protesters that left at least 1 person dead. Video: Raw Video: Tear Gas Fired at Thai Protestors AssociatedPress Troops deployed as one dead, hundreds hurt in Thai protests AFP Reuters UK - Hindu - eTaiwan News - The Standard all 1,327 news articles Publ.Date : Tue, 07 Oct 2008 16:12:03 GMT AIG's ex-CEOs blamed for crisis - CNNMoney.com Los Angeles Times AIG's ex-CEOs blamed for crisis CNNMoney.com - 1 hour ago House panel chairman says executives got undeserved riches, while ex-CEOs blame accounting rules and market conditions for leading to $85B bailout. Joe Cassano: The Man Who Brought Down AIG? Washington Post AIG CEOs Blame Each Other, Accounting for Insurer's Downfall Bloomberg Wall Street Journal - Financial Times - New York Times - Forbes all 768 news articles Publ.Date : Tue, 07 Oct 2008 19:11:18 GMT RSS feeds More Web Site Traffic

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