These days, as we are all wearing masks, your eyes are often what people see and notice. Eyebrows help frame your eyes. Sparse eyebrows or a lack of eyebrows brings less definition to your eyes. We want eyebrows to have an expression of questioning or agreeing–not just a blank look. Eyebrows that are too heavy can be alarming or intimating. There are numerous products to help define eyebrows. If you’re not sure what to use, take several pictures using your phone and send it to other individuals for feedback.

Egos are fragile. The wisest person is the one without a glaring ego. How does one keep it in check? Be aware of the trigger or triggers, such as speaking without letting another person have a voice. Surround yourself with individuals who bring talent to the table. Don’t hire individuals who agree too much with you. Seek honest feedback, even when it hurts. Remember not to act like the smartest person in the room.

Being on LinkedIn offers many benefits. Keeping your profile up to date gives you a presence without a website. A strong LinkedIn profile may help you receive a promotion to a potential project, obtain a new position, or make a career move. Be sure to include critical elements, such as a current picture and biography. Continually add new content in order to keep your profile fresh. Remember, LinkedIn is not a vehicle to sell products or services. It is a social media platform to let the audience know about you and what you offer.

Most individuals don’t like to see themselves on camera. However, today’s business and social worlds are now being conducted on Zoom, Go to Meeting, and WebEx – just to name a few vehicles. To best prepare for being on one of these platforms, it is important to practice. Set the camera on your phone to video. Record a minute or two of you speaking and presenting your talking points. Record the video in the main location that you will use. Background is important. Watch different programs individuals are making from their homes. Model the ones that would work in your situation. Entertainers are being shown in home situations (kitchens and living rooms). Professional experts on different subjects are presenting from their home offices. Tom Ford has two tips. He suggests having a lamp beside your computer for light and using high definition power to reduce glare on your face.  Always remember to put your best (virtual) foot forward.

Recently, Seth Godin presented a webinar about how an entrepreneur can manage life and business being at a standstill due to the current coronavirus pandemic. Seth talked about his many ventures, successes, and failures. The important take away for me was how to present and view my consulting and coaching business as adding value to one’s target market (in my case, the client). It is key to be able to describe, in simple language, the value that is being added. It is important to know what to say to a potential new client. Godin also stressed having “smart persistence”. This means not giving up when an idea doesn’t work but doing what is needed to make it work—whether that means adding or taking something away. Marketing is understanding what the target market needs and providing it. Being the provider who adds value is what makes us tick.

It is important to analyze and review our mistakes because they can become learning lessons. If we don’t determine what caused the mistake and how it affected ourselves or others, we are doomed to repeat it. First, it is important to acknowledge the mistake. This, in and of itself, can be difficult. Then we should consider what caused the mistake. Was it a lack of understanding or was it due to emotions? I personally write my mistakes in a journal. I jot down the cause and the effect. This helps me to be aware of how I can manage the problem more effectively if the situation occurs again. Learning from a past misstep can prevent you from making the same mistake twice.

Clothing choices can become a symbol and an identity. We are currently in a stay-at-home situation. It is very easy to become relaxed in our clothing choices (the apparel industry is having challenges). So why do we have to change outfits daily? After all, no one sees us. There are important reasons. Changing outfits, tops, pants, etc. every day gives us a sense of purpose. It can impact how we feel and give a sense of identity. When we don’t care how we look and what we wear, we can lose a sense of personal pride. This feeling can begin to erode our sense of identity and impact other choices we make.

We often talk about reviewing, paring down, or purging our wardrobes. It is equally important, on an annual or semi-annual basis, to consider hair products, makeup, and other grooming tools. You may need to refresh or get rid of such items. They often collect bacterial quickly. Use the following link to determine shelf life for products. https://www.fda.gov/cosmetics/resources-consumers-cosmetics/cosmetics-safety-qa-shelf-life

When putting a team together, it is wise to create a communication guideline questionnaire. The questionnaire should indicate expectations, timelines, and communication vehicle preferences (ex. email, phone, or text). Each team member should put their expectations down on paper. These guidelines would be discussed at the first team meeting. Together, the team decides what works best in order for the team to be an effective group. The majority should rule, with personal exceptions. When working from home, it is best to have determined hours.

A cover letter for a resume is a hook that captures the reader’s interest. The letter should encourage the reader to want to review your resume, to go through the information about you, and to add your name to the top of the list for an interview. A cover letter should consolidate your background, highlight key strengths, offer career goals and value-added propositions, and illustrate your positive personal qualities. A cover letter helps orient the reader before looking at your resume. It is the reader’s first impression of you—and you want that impression to be a good one.