Words of Distinction

Category: Advice for Managers

How to Get a Promotion by Leading from Behind

Posted on January 5, 2023January 17, 2023 by Emily Wong

“I’m just an individual contributor.”

Oh, how many times have I heard that, only to dig deeper to find that these unassuming clients were actually movers and shakers.

A sampling:

The senior tech manager who convinced C-suite leaders to invest in new software—and helped propel the company toward its goals.

The account manager who unified teams across marketing, operations, and finance to support a key sales initiative that sparked 10X millions of dollars in revenue—and established trust for future high-ROI projects.

The volunteer fundraiser who built and nurtured hundreds of donor relationships—while creating innovative revenue-generating community events—to guarantee a long-term competitive high school music program.

The engineering/client liaison who skillfully uncovered the true needs of the customer, articulated those needs to the engineering team, and then distilled the technical requirements back to the client.

These employees sound like leaders to me.

Even if you’ve never formally led a team, you may have more to say about your ability to lead than you realize.

I recently had a client who epitomized what it meant to lead from behind.

Getting Your Resume Past the Robots (ATS)

Posted on May 3, 2022May 3, 2022 by Emily Wong

Photo credit: Patrick Daxenbichler from Getty Images

Let’s talk about ATS. If you’re not familiar with ATS, it stands for applicant tracking system, and it basically serves as the gatekeeper for your resume when you apply online.

If you’re like a lot of job seekers, you have questions about whether or not your resume is ATS-friendly.

If you’re like some, you may even break into a sweat at the mention of the term and the thought of those scary little bots, rubbing their tiny bot hands, and thinking up evil ways to prevent your precious resume from reaching the hands of a hiring manager.

3 questions that rise to the top of my clients’ lists of concerns when it comes to ATS:

How can I present my skills to ensure they get read?
Do columns, tables, and other formatting affect readability?
Is it OK to use text boxes, graphs, and images?

Well, my friend, I hope the following answers will put your mind at ease and help you with your resume-writing strategy.

Career Transition in 6 Steps

Posted on November 2, 2021November 14, 2021 by Emily Wong

Aah. November. Crisp and refreshing. I love autumn for just that reason. Even the San Francisco Bay Area has its pops of color and brisk air. November is also a great time to refresh from the inside—and maybe think about refreshing your career. This could be anything from learning a new skill so you can grow in place, to redirecting your path altogether.

If you’re considering a transition to a new role, read on.

A Gap in Your Career Doesn’t Have to Mean a Gap in Progress

Posted on July 12, 2021July 15, 2021 by Emily Wong

Let’s talk about career gaps without stirring up the usual associated anxiety. Your career opportunities don’t dry up just because you took time off from work. In fact, some important personal or professional growth may have taken root during those periods. If you plan to travel, study, volunteer, or take care of family, you may find you return to the office reinvigorated and with a newfound appreciation for work in the traditional sense.

The good news: according to a recent LinkedIn poll, the perception of employment gaps may be shifting.

Kickstart Your Job Search

Posted on February 10, 2021February 15, 2021 by Emily Wong

If you’re having trouble getting motivated to start your job search, you may need a mindset adjustment. Or, you may need to simplify your approach. Or maybe you need a combination of both. In my own case, when I’m feeling overwhelmed by a project I know is important, it helps if I give it structure and break it down into more manageable buckets.

Try organizing your job search that way. If you can structure your job search plan around what I call the three Rs—research, relationships, and readiness—I think you’ll find it easier to tackle the project.