It's Easier To Stand Out Than You Think. Here's How . . .

I had just come back from a career fair where I was recruiting for a project.I had a stack of fresh resumes in hand. Looking at all of them it was quickly clear that they all looked the same.But when I talked to my colleague, he said "Look! That one! I want that one!"There was one resume in the tall stack that was bright red around the edges and stood out from the pile.As soon as I heard my colleague say this, I laughed.I pulled out the bright red resume to reveal that it wasn't a resume at all . . .It was a parking pass for the university!All of these students were doing their best to fit in. They used the same paper, the same font, the same format. They wore the same suits, said the same things, and asked the same questions.They were trying so hard to fit in because they'd been told that fitting in meant they'd be picked.

The moral of the story:

It's important and easy to stand out.Actually, it's so easy, a parking pass beat out all of my job candidates.The bar is low. Whether you're working on your marketing, your book cover, or the subject line for the email you're writing to your boss . . . it's your job to make sure your message is seen/heard/read/etc.

2 Minute Action:

Make a quick list of the top 5 things EVERYONE else does in your field.If you were to make a parody of your project or work or of the experts in your field, what might it look like?Congratulations.You now have a list of things NOT do to.You've also got a list of places in which you can be more unique.Your turn. Let's go.

This Secret Advantage Might Change Your Mind About Being Anxious

Dry mouth.Sweaty palms.Obsessive hair twirling.Anxious nailbiting.Have you ever felt this way while walking into an interview?

Here's the secret advantage that might change your mind:

Interviewees have an interesting, mostly unseen advantage.The interviewer is sitting at the other end of the table thinking: "please, let this be the one."The interviewer has gone through a hundred resumes.They've already done 99 interviews.The interviewer wants the interviewee to be amazing!They're already biased because they just want to be finished with the painful interview process!If interviewees knew this, they might be a lot less nervous about the approach.The interesting thing to take away from this is that it doesn't stop at the interview.Most people want to see other people succeed. Whether for noble or vicarious reasons, I don't know.Most people root for the underdog, love a good come-up story, and generally want others to do well.The cool thing is that other people includes you.Now if only everyone would start their day knowing this . . .

2 Minute Action:

What's one way you're lucky?What's a decision you're glad you made?Can you write it down and post it somewhere for a week?You might be surprised at how such a little reminder can impact your attitude and output for the day.