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Professional Buzz

Professional Buzz

Professional Buzz is a blog warehousing relevant information, tips and tools for students and professionals looking for career development and advice. Topics range from leadership and management skills to interpersonal communication and innovation in the workplace. The blog is written and curated by Associate Dean of the Graduate College, Anne Converse Willkomm – drawing on her academic and professional experience to provide insight into the latest professional trends, challenges and skills needed to thrive in today’s everchanging workplace.

Categories

Professional Development & Career TipsLeadership & Management SkillsInterpersonal CommunicationInnovation in the Workplace
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Six Best Practices and Tips for Being Professional on Twitter

Want to know how you can be more effective professionally on Twitter? Follow these guidelines.

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Three Benefits to Online Learning

Online environments allow for a greater diversity of perspectives and much more.

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8 Communication Bad Habits You Need to Break

I’ve written about good communication skills and how to improve communications skills, but I haven’t written about bad ones. There are far too many to list, so I chose eight “big” ones to outline - ones you should correct immediately.

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5 Traits Needed to Lead with your Heart

I recently came across a quote from Dame Minouche Shafik, the Director of the London School of Economics. She said, “In the past, jobs were about muscles, now they’re about brains, but in the future, they’ll be about the heart.” This really resonated with me, likely because I talk a lot about the necessity for empathy and compassion in the workplace and both come from the heart.

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Celebrating the 100 Most Powerful Women

If you are a young woman, just starting your career, or one in mid-career, only you can define what success means to you. For some of you, that may be owning your own business, for others of you it means service, and for some still it is a path to the C-Suite. Regardless of your trajectory, we should applaud their hard work and dedication and look to their journey for inspiration.

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Black background with the word in white #GivingTuesday

#GivingTuesday

#GivingTuesday is a global event that occurs on the Tuesday after Thanksgiving. The event was created by staff members of the Belfer Center for Innovation and Social Impact in 2012 at the 92nd Street Y. Their vision was to “connect diverse groups of people, organizations, and communities together for one common purpose: to celebrate and encourage giving.” Since its inception, #GivingTuesday occurs in more than 150 countries, more than 2.5 million gifts totaling over $300 million dollars (which translates to $12.5 million per hour) were raised last year.

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The Benefits of Being Grateful

When things go haywire, get hectic, etc. thinking back on your “grateful list,” even if the items are small, can help you get through the chaos and frustration. Did you know there are benefits to being grateful? In a 2015 Psychology Today article, Amy Morin, a licensed clinical social worker and psychotherapist highlights “7 proven benefits” of being grateful.

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Why Brainstorming is Important & How to Do It

Personally, I love brainstorming whether it is one-on-one or in a group. There is an energy that flows between the participants and as that energy builds, more ideas begin to flow. Essentially, it is a highly collaborative experience intended to bring a wide range of ideas to the table, some of which will fall to the wayside, while others will get pulled and shaped into something concrete, but what I find most exciting is when a new idea emerges, something no one entered the room with, and through the meeting it grows and develops.

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Image of two women, one with her back to the camera, the other facing the camera, about to start an interview.

Networking Tips for Introverts

We all know how important networking is to launching and furthering a career, and over the years I have counseled numerous students and colleagues, many of whom were self-proclaimed introverts, on the importance of networking. Of course, being an introvert does not automatically mean being uncomfortable in social situations, but I thought I would compile a list of tips for anyone who is uncomfortable networking.

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3 Ways To Improve Eye Contact Skills

Maintaining good eye contact is not just about getting the job, it is also about advancing your career. I cannot recall the last time I spoke with someone in a senior leadership position who did not have excellent eye contact skills.

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A sticky note with the word "e-mail" written on it.

12 Tips for Writing Effective Emails

Since we rely so heavily on email, every email we send should be well-written, and serve the intended purpose to disseminate information, while also being collegial. Effective emails, not only share information in a clear and concise manner, they save time and effort for both the reader and the recipient, which in the long run, impacts the bottom line. Employ the following 12 tips to craft an effective email.

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2 Ways Companies Must Support the Millennial Generation

According to the Bureau of Labor statistics, millennials (aged 22-37) make up 35% of the workforce. Another 5% is made up of the post-millennials (aged 16-21). This 40% of the workforce faces incredible challenges such as carrying high student loan debt and earning low salaries, both of which will make it more and more difficult for them to establish themselves, feel comfortable financially, let alone save for retirement.

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