5 steps to take when youre feeling insecure at work

5 steps to take when youre feeling insecure at work5 steps to take when youre feeling insecure at workWhen youre surrounded by other hardworking coworkers in a rewarding but fast-paced work environment, it can be easy to feel like youre falling behind- especially when your job involves juggling multiple projects and everything feels like a competition.Heres how to manage feelings of insecurity in the office so you can move forward.Know your worthWhen youre feeling down, remember what you bring to the table, what youre proudest of, and the positive characteristics of your job. This can help get your mind off things when working through a particularly challenging project.Dont ignore deep anxiety address itMichele Hoos writes about how integrative psychiatrist Dr. Katherine Falk suggests simple breathing techniques before providing more of her advice in an article for The Muse.Keep in mind that if you are suffering from intense anxiety that is disrupting your personal life considerably , you dont need to try to overcome it all by yourself. Dr. Falk says if youre elendicing a pattern in your life where new projects or roles create anxiety, where youre not enjoying anything, or where your eating or sleep is disrupted for more than a couple weeks, then it may be time to seek therapy. If youre not sure whether or not your anxiety falls within a normal range , try taking an online test, Hoos writes.If your anxiety doesnt seem to be clinical, but still bothers you, yoga and meditation can work wonders - as can getting enough sleep and taking breaks during the day. Remember that your job is not your identity and that you still have to function as a human, not just an employee.Keep your own objectives in mindLolly Daskal writes about why you need to stop comparing yourself with others, which applies to work,in an Inc. article.Keep working toward your goals. Instead of comparing yourself to anyone else, measure where you are now compared to a month or a quarter or a year ago and appreciate the progress you are making. And if you see instead that youre not progressing toward your goals, its most likely because those goals are not clearly defined. Its not because of anything wrong or inferior with you, and it certainly doesnt have anything to do with anyone else. Measure your own progress and hold yourself accountable for thatand no more, Daskal writes.Find a mentorMelody J. Wilding, LMSW, wrote about how to improve upon weaknesses in an article for The Muse.When were in a self-critical mode, we often turn inward. So, to constructively address your shortcomings, it can help to shift your focus outward and engage with others. Finding a mentoris an especially constructive approach. Find someone who has the skills and traits youd like to emulate, and start spending more time with him or her. Not only will you learn through observation, your mentor can be a great source of positive reinforcement and guidance. When youre facing a challenge or dealing with a stumbling block, your mentor can provide feedback thats helpful, constructive, and honest, which can help you move forward in a positive way (not to mention, remember that others have been there before, too), Wilding wrote.See if what others are saying about you is a real opportunity for growthGwen Moran features advice from Jim Haudan, CEO and chairman of human resources development firm Root, Inc., inaFast Company article.If youre often the butt of jokes about your disorganized approach or inability to be on time, it could be a clue that these are issues the people around you are trying to correct through humor. Haudan recommends listening to the people around you for clues about the things that really bug them, then analyze whether theyre areas that could potentially hold you back, Moran writes.But wed like to add that you should take further action if youregetting made fun of for things that dont apply to you- if youre being targeted unfairly or inappropriately for things tha t are out of your control, consider telling your manager or HR.

Best Sales Closing Technique with Examples

Best Sales Closing Technique with ExamplesBest Sales Closing Technique with ExamplesMany sales professionals either try to learn too many closing techniques or never learn any. Those that learn too many are often confused when deciding which closing technique they should use and usually employ the wrong technique. There are many ways to close a sale, and each technique has its own value and time and place to be fruchtwein effective. But for the confused sales professional or those new to sales, knowing one closing technique, and mastering it, might be all that is truly needed. Persistence The one error that many sales professionals make is giving up too soon. The average sale takes 3 to 5 closing attempts before the deal is done. Most of those in sales give up after 1 or, at best, 2 closing attempts. Hearing no one time, it seems, is enough for many in sales. But the fact is that you may need to hear the dreaded no a few times before getting to yes. And if you stop after the firs t no you will notlage make the sale. It does take some skill to keep advancing a sales cycle after a prospect tells you no, but it is critical to keep moving forward. The trick is to flush out your prospects objections by asking more questions and providing compelling answers to build additional value in your product or service. Those in Inside Sales positions may find continuing a sales cycle after a prospect says no more difficult since most of the people they will be talking to on the phone can easily hang up or become very annoyed if the Inside rep continues trying to make the sale. The simple remedy for this is to make a follow-up call. The rule about a sale taking 3 to 5 attempts holds true for outside and inside sales reps The Best Closing Technique Now that you understand that you will probably need to try to close the sale more than once, its time to learn the best closing technique and why it is the best. What makes this closing technique the best is how seldom it is used. While it is extraordinarily simple, many sales professionals simply do not use it. Ask for the Sale Thats it The best closing technique is simply to ask for the sale. Use any wording that feels right for you, but you need to ask for the sale. So many in sales do everything involved in a sales cycle but then never ask for the sale. They provide answers to all of their prospects questions, show the value of their product or service, follow up with prospect requests, design and deliver a powerful proposal then never ask for the business. Why not? Usually, a rep does not ask for the business out of fear. They are afraid of hearing no. But once you understand that you probably need to hear no a few times makes asking for the business less fearful. If you are confident that your product or service will solve your prospects challenges or meet her needs and if you have fully qualified him, then asking for the business is what you have earned the right to do. You should have no fea r and feel confident is simply asking a question. Examples Below are several examples of how you can word your closing question. Use the one that feels right for you or use your own. The most important thing is simply to make sure you ask for the sale Can we move forward with this deal? Is there anything preventing you from agreeing to this today? Can I have your business? Are you ready to move forward? Have I done enough to earn your business?

The Importance of Professional Networking

The Importance of Professional NetworkingThe Importance of Professional NetworkingTheimportance of the professional networkshouldnt be underestimated. It is hugely advantageous for job hunters in particular as a personal recommendation to an employer from a trusted source is invaluable.Your professional networkshould already be in place when you need it and you never know when this might be. It can help you to find a job and move up the career ladder but it requires effort to maintain.Expanding your professional network is not something you should only think about when youre job hunting. It should be a part of your work life and something you invest in over time. All relationships work in both directions so you cant just expect to reap the benefits, you have to reach out to others when they need help.If you want to improve your long-term career prospects, it is essential to understand theimportanceof career networkingand how to use it to your advantage. Along with your professional r esume, your network is one of the most powerful tools you have to make the next big career move.What is a professional network?Professional networkingsimply means building professional relationships. It is about meeting and establishing mutually-beneficial connections with people in your profession or industry. The goal of networking is to build a professional networka group of people who would do you a favor for, and who would do a favor for you.The launch of professional network sites such as LinkedIn has made the process much easier as you can make connections with a simple click. However, this can be deceiving.A purely verbunden connection is probably neither strong or genuine. Stronger professional relationships naturally develop between people who have met in person.The importance of the professional networkThere are numerous benefits of networking. You are much mora likely to hear about job opportunities and, even more importantly, be recommended to the hirer by someone in yo ur network. A strong professional network can help you in a job search and make important career moves.A personal recommendation is likely to advance you straight through to the interview stage or even further. If an ex-colleague can vouch for the work youve done in the past and show their faith in you as a person, this could immediately make you the frontrunner for the position.However, you should take nothing for granted. It is stillessential to focus on selling yourself by using a resume builder to produce an attractive resume and to work on your job interview technique.5 professional networking tipsHere are five tips on how to build a professional networkwhich will help to improve your long-term career prospects. Remeber, building a professional network isnt something you can do overnight. You should keep this career advice in mind throughout your professional life.1) Reach out to the right peopleBuild relationships with people whocan help you make a career move. Past and presen t colleagues and bosses are particularly good contacts but also include friends in similar professions, alumni from college, people from school, and more generally, anyone who can help you.2) Keep in touch with your contactsDont just contact people when you need them. Invest in each relationship and try to stay in touch, even if its just the occasional message to ask how someone is. The stronger your relationships are with your contacts, the more they will be willing to help you.3) Build your professional network onlineThere are a number of online professional network services, such as LinkedIn, which are useful tools for staying in touch with people and for making new connections. If youre a student you should start building a young professional network as early as possible as it will help you in the future. This is one of the top career tips after graduation. Remember that making an online connection is just the starting point, you will need to maintain the relationship.4) Attend professional networking eventsNetworking face-to-face is very effective. If you have the change to engage in professional networking activitiesor go to events, take advantage of the opportunity. They are designed for helping people to build mutually-beneficial professional relationships. There are manyprofessional networking groups you can join whichregularly hold events.5) Do favors for your contactsYou cant expect to only receive the professional networking benefits. The stichwort what goes around comes around is worth keeping in mind. If you have the chance to help someone, take it, as it wont be forgotten. Point your contacts in the direction of job vacancies and share other valuable information.