Meetings

Dress to impress – What to wear for your next interview

Over the next few weeks, the great fashion shows of New York, Paris, London and Milan are taking place. The runway is a fabulous place to present some outstanding creations. Would it be something you could pick up and wear to an interview?

A number of the collections won’t make it into the wardrobe of a successful business owner or professional. Last week, a client asked me what to wear for her upcoming interview. It was with a conservative company and wearing loud colours does not fit into their culture, no matter how much my client loves them. After a Colour Me Beautiful colour analysis, we looked at her existing wardrobe, identified suitable pieces and also shopped for a few additions. She’s now all set to attend the final round of interviews!

Congratulations when you’ve been invited for a face-to-face interview! Now, how do you dress to impress?

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Clothes make the man

Have you ever tried out a new sport, all geared up to like the other athletes and yet, not having a clue what you needed to do? Did you look the part? Ready to participate, ready to play? It’s so easy to appear like the other sports people. Just buy the running shoes, the golf skirt or yoga pants and you’re in it.

But what happens when you know how to play but aren’t dressed accordingly? In certain sports, you may not be able to participate. Quickly put on the different gear in the changing room and off you go.

Yet, there are other areas in life, where you can’t quickly change.

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Networking – How to benefit from and contribute to them

It appears there are 2 types of people: Those who like to network and those who dread it. For me, networking is a fun time. I get to meet interesting people and learn something new. If I’m lucky, I’ve made a connection with someone who can provide me with some guidance or a second opinion in the future. As networking is more about relationships these days, it’s surely a give and take and I’m more than happy to share my knowledge.

My own network has helped me on various occasions dealing with business issues, acting like an external counsellor and providing guidance on my topics. As there are different elements to my role, I like to have a diverse network. My industry-specific group meets on a regular basis and we update each other on general trends, of course, without revealing company secrets.

How do you create or expand your own network?

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10 tips for taking notes during a client meeting

Last time, I shared my tips for taking notes as the official recorder. The role is easily defined but what do you do when you are a participant? As a participant, it’s a bit more challenges and you’re facing numerous obstacles: You need to actively engage in the discussion, handle disruptions like incoming calls, texts or emails, manage interruptions by colleagues entering the office or meeting room. And still take notes for yourself?

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8 top tips for getting the most out of taking the official meeting minutes

Recently, a reader contacted me about the best way to take notes. She’s struggling to engage in the discussion, look at her client and take notes at the same time. Regardless of the position or company, I’ve seen many colleagues ask me the same question.

Participating in meetings can be a challenge alone these days. Companies are now spread over different countries and time zones. If you’re lucky, meetings take place face-to-face in the same room. We based in the Middle East, we’re more often called into telephone conferences (telcons), video conferences or webinars and they’re not limited to Sunday through Thursday, 8:00 am – 6:00 pm.

How do you get the best out of the many hours you spend in meetings? How do you know what is being added to your to-do list? Where do you go if a dispute about previous decisions arises? Taking notes during meetings can help you!

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The Home Office – Are you still cleaning or already getting things done?

Today was a great day. Starting with a walk around the lake, I’ve attended a very informative seminar about medical benefits in the GCC. The best was finishing my work day from home.

To me, working from home has many advantages: Less interruptions and less distractions, a lot more focus and productivity! Given my various deadlines (who doesn’t have them), it was just what was needed and I was so pleased to close a number of activities off.

To some, working from home is a very different story. The laundry basket is calling your name, you haven’t seen your neighbour for a while, why not catch up and oh, you haven’t decided what to cook for dinner yet. What can you do to treat your home office just like your regular office?

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Work smarter, be more productive

Organised Life and Mind

Organised Life and Mind

168 hours! That’s how much time each of us have per week. The majority of these 168 hours will be spent in bed, hopefully being sound asleep. The second biggest chunk is being taken up by our work. Being in the Middle East, we often face working outside of our normal working hours.  Who doesn’t work with colleagues in Western countries which are 2, 3 or even 8 hours behind our time zone and which have the Monday – Friday working week instead of our Sunday – Thursday working week?

Just like you, I don’t want to spend day and night working. There are too many great things in Dubai (and in life) which I like to experience. Over the years, I’ve been experimenting with different approaches to become more efficient. Here are some tips to help you work smarter and enjoy life more:

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