The term “elevator pitch” comes from the idea that you get into an elevator with a CEO who is usually going to an office on the top level of the building. Therefore, you have the length of that elevator ride to make your sales pitch. With that in mind, one of the key principles of an elevator pitch is that it is concise, usually about 60 seconds. Within the world of job searching, you need an elevator pitch for everything from interviews to networking events.

Post Written by: Sara Hunter, OITE Wellness Advisor

Anxiety is a normal and healthy emotion that all humans experience. It’s a way to signal to our brain and body that we should prepare for action. This reaction is part of what contributes peak performance and sustained attention. As a result, we don’t need to get rid of our anxiety; we just need to learn how to respond to it differently.

More than 75% of people have reported feeling envious of someone in the last year. A growing statistic especially since social media (LinkedIn included) makes it very easy to see what your colleagues and friends are up to professionally and personally.  You can be happy for another’s professional success while still feeling a twinge of jealousy. This career envy can be especially acute if you are job searching and/or making a career pivot and feel like you are starting back at square one.

Networking doesn’t come easily or naturally to all. With so many connections nowadays starting online, it can often feel awkward and intimidating to write networking messages. The most successful messages are short and succinct. The purpose of your email should be implied within the first two sentences and very clear by the last sentence. People are busy, so don’t include long-winded bios; however, it can be helpful to say a few key pieces of information in your first line, including:

Today is the first day of Women’s History Month and it seems like an opportunity to acknowledge the challenges that women have faced, especially in 2020 - 2021.

Post Written by: Sara Hunter, OITE Wellness Advisor

The pandemic has disrupted every aspect of our personal and professional lives, including a key fixture in our careers – networking. This activity which used to happen at conferences and professional meetings has now been moved to Zoom breakout rooms. Most professionals agree, especially with economic uncertainty, networking is more important than ever.

Interview anxiety is very common; sometimes people even say that your anxiety will give you an adrenaline boost and help you to perform better on interview day. But for those with a social anxiety disorder, even everyday interactions - let alone a job interview - can be difficult and, at times, debilitating.

This “From the Archive” post was originally published in June 2020. Reflecting on Black History Month, we hope you will take another read and specifically look at some of the anti-racist resources noted in the article.

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Post written by: Sara Hunter, Wellness Advisor at OITE