10GM – Career Advice

In this podcast, Susan wants listeners to understand that technology should enhance networking, not replace face to face meetings. She shares the value of small talk, and how to use it to become a “talk target”. To download this podcast, click hereSusan discusses how in a technology driven world, face to face communication has taken a backseat to cell phones, email, and text messaging. Technology makes our lives easier because of its instantaneous nature – you don’t have to worry about interrupting people and it makes international communications inexpensive, easy, and fast. However, technology works best as a follow up tool, after you have met someone in person. Meeting people face to face allows for small talk, where real relationships and friendships are made. Susan stresses the importance of small talk in her book How to Work a Room. Small talk allows people to find things they have in common with one another and start building a rapport. She also defines a “talk target”, someone who makes us feel like we are good conversationalists. They are always in the midst of a group and seem to bring the best out of everyone by making people feel relaxed and at ease. Susan suggests that it isn’t what you say, but how you make people feel when you say it. Her five tips to become a talk target is to (1) be a conversation chameleon by adjusting your conversation to people by age, interests, jobs, or career; (2) be a name dropper whether it be a person, a school, a subject, or a restaurant to help connect with people and further the conversation; (3) spiral other people’s lives by using friends’ stories to relate with people; (4) give people a second chance, (5) be nice to everyone; and as a bonus, always follow up after meeting people. Susan RoAne leads a double life as a bestselling author and a sought-after keynote speaker. Known as “The Mingling Maven,” she gives her multi-generational audiences the required tools, techniques and strategies they need to connect and communicate in todays global business world. Her practical, informative, and interactive presentations are known for what The San Francisco Chronicle calls her dynamite sense of humor.Because of her groundbreaking best-seller, How to Work a Room, Susan is considered the undisputed and original networking and conversation expert. It has sold over a million books worldwide and has launched an industry that she continues to create and shape in the 21st Century. She also wrote The Secrets of Savvy Networking , What Do I Say Next?, and her new book is Face To Face: How To Reclaim The Personal Touch in A Digital World. www.susanroane.com Like this podcast, why not share it?

In this podcast, Kelli Grant offers advice on getting a great internship and leveraging it to get a full time position. Though she approaches this topic from a journalistic perspective, these common sense tips apply across all majors. To download this podcast, click here Kelli discusses some very important aspects of being a good intern, regardless of major or career path. First, it is imperative to do what you are asked to do, and to do it with a smile. Students have high expectations of their internships but in reality, internships generally start with basic tasks such as conducting research or making photocopies. Interns need to build trust before they are able to do the more important tasks. Her second advice is to be proactive as an intern. For example, if you have free time, ask your supervisor if you can help with another task. You get noticed by asking for opportunities and taking the initiative to do more. Thirdly, it is important to be prompt. Treat the internship as a full time job; get there on time and stay as late as is needed. Finally, use your internships to network for future positions. During the internship, be nice to everyone because you never know who is going to be helpful in your job hunt down the line. Kelli also offers some internship interviewing tips: (1) Treat the interview as if going in for a full-time job, because many employers parley internships into full-time positions, and (2) emphasize what you bring to the company that no one else can, and why you are the better candidate. Her parting shot is that it is very important to have a quality internship. This professional experience is very important to get before graduating, and nothing shows an employer that you are ready to do the work than an internship where you got real world experience. Kelli B. Grant has covered consumer finance since joining SmartMoney.com in June 2005. Her Deal of the Day column and accompanying 3 Tips video segments tell consumers how to save money and spend it wisely. Before joining SmartMoney.com, Kelli worked at MarketWatch.com as a reporter. She holds a bachelor’s degree in journalism and anthropology from Ithaca College. Like this podcast, why not share it?

In this podcast, Cliff helps listeners better understand how to work with outside recruiters. Having worked as a recruiter and with recruiters, he explains the advantages and potential pitfalls of using of “headhunters” in your job search. To download this podcast, click hereCliff’s first piece of advice is that it is important for candidates to understand that recruiters are hired by companies to find the harder than average candidate. There are two primary types of recruitment processes: contingency and retained. Contingency recruiters don’t get paid unless the candidate they bring forward to the company gets hire. Retained recruiters get paid a deposit upfront and keep it regardless of whether the person they bring forward is hired. For most undergraduates, working with a recruiter isn’t in the best interest of the recruiter because recruiters are looking for qualified candidates with previous work experience. However, a graduate with an MBA degree from a good university is a much more desirable candidate. Companies consider people with MBAs as smart, ambitious, and trainable. On the other hand, recruiters generally don’t work with Ph.D. students straight out of graduate school due to the differences between the private sector and academia. Recruiters generally prefer the Ph.D. candidate to have at least a year of industry work. Recruiters gravitate toward the “hotter” professions, and so candidates with a background in these professions have a better chance of working with good recruiters. For example, health informatics is emerging right now, so those with IT and healthcare backgrounds are in good position. Cliff also offers some key points to remember. First, recruiters have a vested interest in placing candidates to get paid, so they convince people to look at jobs they aren’t interested in. He warns you to be careful to not go on interviews for jobs that you know you aren’t interested in. Second, make sure not to work with a “bad” recruiter that is only in it for the money. They will flood their employees with a candidate’s resume, making the candidate look desperate. You need to tell the recruiter not to send out your resume to anyone without checking with you first. Take time to get to know the recruiter before deciding to work with one – get a feel for how they work. Finally, remember that the recruiter will do everything in their power to help you get a job. While there are some pitfalls, recruiters can definitely give the right candidate an advantage. Clifford S. Mintz, Ph.D. has an extensive background in biopharmaceutical drug development, biotechnology training and bioscience career development. Dr. Mintz has held a variety of positions including stints as a medical school professor, professional recruiter management consultant and medical/science writer. Cliff is the founder of BioInsights a biopharmaceutical education and training organization, a co-founder of BioCrowd a social networking and career development website for bioprofessionals and author of BioJobBlog. He teaches product development and regulatory affairs in several biotechnology training programs and is an Adjunct Professor in the Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology at Georgetown Medical School. Cliff received a B.S. in microbiology/animal science from Cornell University, a Ph.D. in Bacteriology from the University of Wisconsin-Madison and performed his post-doctoral studies at Oregon Health Sciences University and the College of Physicians & Surgeons, Columbia University. www.biojobblog.com www.biocrowd.com cliff@bicrowd.com Like this podcast, why not share it?

In this podcast, Patricia Fripp gives advice on how to formulate effective presentations for interviews or the boardroom. To download this podcast, click here Patricia Fripp, a sales presentation expert, urges that presentation skills are important because at the beginning of your career, how you present shows how good you are for a job. It doesn’t matter how good you look on paper, you need to be able to present your ideas well. She explains that there are three ingredients for every type of presentation: (1) Decide on the structure of your presentation. What is it you want to say and why does the audience care? Provide specific proof. (2) Script the opening for brevity and specificity. (3) The last words must linger; never use a closed question. She also suggests putting ideas and remarks together into a conversational style with shorter sentences and a spoken rhythm. The more you practice, the more it sounds like you haven’t practiced. When speaking or presenting to a senior manager, start with your conclusion right up front and get to the point. She refers to it as “report on the deals, not the details”. To rise above the competition, interview the company thoroughly to be well prepared for the interview. Show how you can add value to the company. Finally, she has a content rich website that includes free information such as a special report on the 12 Mistakes Sales People Make in the Presentation. Patricia Fripp is an award-winning speaker, sales presentation trainer, and executive speech coach. Fripp delights audiences, electrifies executives who speak, and transforms sales teams. Meetings and Conventions magazine calls Patricia “one of the country’s 10 most electrifying speakers.” Kiplinger’s Personal Finance says, “Patricia Fripp’s speaking school is the sixth best way you can invest in your career.” She is also the author of Make It! So You Don’t Have to Fake It and Get What You Want.www.fripp.com Like this podcast, why not share it?

In this podcast, Joni Lusty walks us through the critical interview process to help listeners get the jobs they desire. To download this podcast, click here Joni begins by explaining that to best position yourself for the perfect job, you must first determine what that perfect job is for you. Picking the job requires looking at the entire offer, including continual education offerings, 401k, benefits, salary, location and long term potential. It is critical to think in the long term: what position do you want to hold in 5-10 years, and what type of experience do you need to achieve that. For the actual interview, she stresses that you need to heavily research the company, attend socials, talk to employees in the company, and gather specific stories and details to show the company that you are truly invested in the job. C Companies seek people who have long term goals and ambition, but they want candidates that are going to be committed to the profession for the long haul. Other than research and preparation, a spotless resume helps land a job; get opinions from many different people with different point of views to ensure than the resume will stand out. In addition, find out the type of interview you will have. Have a few stories prepared for behavioral questions; try to sound natural and sincere rather than rehearsed. Finally, at the end of the interview, make sure you ask questions to show that you are very serious about this as your career and your future. Avoid talking about salary and benefits, but ask questions around what they see the firm doing in the future, why the interviewer came to the company, and why they are still there. Joni’s last piece of advice is to have a great attitude, let your personality show through, be sincere, and have fun with the process. Joni Lusty is a Campus Recruiter at Ernst & Young and has been with the firm for 10 years. Joni is responsible for EYs recruiting efforts for the PacificNorthwest Advisory practice. Before becoming a campus recruiter, Joni worked as Audit Manager with EY in the Salt Lake City office. She graduated with her Masters in Accounting at Brigham Young University. Joni is very involved in a number of EYs internal initiatives include the local Professional Womens Network and Social Responsibility. Joni also serves on the board of directors for Worldwide Association of Performing Artists, a not for profit arts organization. www.ey.com/us/careers www.ey.com/eyinsight/index.html EY can also be found on Facebook Like this podcast, why not share it?

Lynn Gray discusses how the current economy is impacting job opportunities for Gen Y, and shares specific strategies that can help Gen Y succeed. To download this podcast, click hereWith several years of experience at Lehman Brothers and an extensive recruiting background, Lynn Gray offers advice for the Generation Y workforce. She explains how the current economy is impacting job opportunities. Recruiting is down 22% for entry level jobs and boomers are not retiring, thus limiting opportunities for Gen Y. However, she is optimistic because she believes Gen Y is resilient, practical, knowledgeable, and can be more creative in their job searching. She provides an example of how Lehman Brothers had to transfer 20 new hires from the real estate section that they were hired for, to a more general section. 19 of the 20 agreed to their offer and are using the transfer to build different skill sets until the real estate sector revives. Also, she discusses how Gen Y is the most diverse workforce generation the US has seen yet. They can communicate around the world easily and have traveled a great deal, and are therefore more open to international opportunities. Towards the end, she explains that this tight economy is a great opportunity for junior employees to step up and relieve some of that stress taken on by senior management. Her advice for Gen Y is to try different things, take on different tasks, expand their knowledge base and be ready to take the next step when the economy booms again. Lynn Zuckerman Gray is the Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Campus Scout, LLC, which provides strategic campus-recruiting services for corporations. For more than eleven years, Lynn was with Lehman Brothers in New York, serving from 2002-2008 as Global Chief Administrative Officer of Lehman Brothers’ Global Real Estate Group. She also was an active member of Lehman Brothers’ Women’s Network serving on its Steering Committee and as the Network’s Cornell Recruiting Team Captain. Lynn is a graduate of Tufts University and the Cornell Law School and is a member of the Advisory Board of the Graduate Program in Real Estate of Cornell University where she chairs the Career Advisory Subcommittee and the MBA Program in Real Estate at the University of Wisconsin.lynnzgray@gmail.com lynnzgray@gocampusscout.com www.gocampusscout.com Like this podcast, why not share it?

Laura Sewell tells students what they should do this summer if they have not been able to find a job or internship. Toward the end, she shares some resume tips to help in the future. To download this podcast, click here The number one things you can do if you are going into the summer without a job offer is to increase your visibility. Find activities in your community or across the country that will enhance your marketability to prospective employers. Laura also reminds students that many companies are still making job offers even though the semester is over, so they should start marketing themselves through every venue possible. Leverage your entire network to find out which companies you might want to work at, which companies are still hiring, and what skills are most sought after. Then, find someone within the company, introduce yourself, and express your interest. If there is a company that you are interested in that doesn’t recruit on your campus, look for opportunities to connect through social networks. Laura closes by giving some tips on how to stand out in the application process, such as using your resume to show leadership potential, key accomplishments, strong team work, and work ethics. She gives five key resume tips: spend time on your resume, tailor it to the position, ensure perfection, keep it to one page, and stress achievements (not just job descriptions). Laura Sewell begain her career with IBM in 1998 after graduating from NC State and spending two years in the public school system. Laura currently leads US University Recruitment and US Employment Branding for IBM. Her IBM experience includes a variety of roles in HR and Global Business Operations. She is passionate about bringing top talent in to IBM and helping students understand the variety of opportunities available across the company and across the globe. Like this podcast, why not share it?

Author and speaker Dan Pink discusses his new book and career lessons that every young professional should be aware of. To download this podcast, click here After studying manga, a type of Japanese comic, Dan Pink decided to deliver business wisdom to America in the manga format for a new twist on the typical business advice book. Dan discusses career planning, one of six main topics in his book. He says that although students expect their career to follow a linear path, this is rarely the case. Dan outlines two reasons we make a decision: instrumental reasons (you do something because you think it will lead to something else) and fundamental reasons (you do something because you want to do it). The people who really flourish make decisions for fundamental reasons, even though this can be very difficult. For example, if you choose a major in school thinking it will lead to one specific career choice, then you are limiting yourself. Dan asks listeners to find someone who is doing something really interesting and worthwhile and ask them how they got there, and nine times out of ten, they will not have followed a set, planned path. Dan thinks the secret to success is to use your strengths, instead of focusing on repairing your weaknesses. Career centers can play a huge role in helping people discover their strengths. Next, Dan discusses another of his theories: persistence trumps talent. A moderately talented, extremely persistent person will outperform an extremely talented person who is not very persistent. Dan’s final advice is to make excellent mistakes, meaning mistakes that come from high aspirations that provide a learning experience. Daniel Pink is the author, most recently, of THE ADVENTURES OF JOHNNY BUNKO: The Last Career Guide You’ll Ever Need, the first American business book in the Japanese comic format known as manga. His previous book was A WHOLE NEW MIND: Why Right-Brainers Will Rule the Future, a long-running New York Times and BusinessWeek bestseller that has been translated into 18 languages. Dan lives in Washington, DC, with his wife and their three children. www.danpink.com Like this podcast, why not share it?

Susan Roane shares a few simple techniques to help you network more effectively. To download this podcast, click hereSusan RoAne, author of Face to Face and How to Work a Room, shares tips and information on networking. Many people are often wary of networking, claiming that it is “using people,” but it is really just utilizing resources. If you share information, then you should be on the receiving end as well. Networking is a lifestyle; it’s a way of communicating and helping others. Susan urges listeners to go to any event that they are invited to or that is offered in order to meet new people. These people aren’t strangers because you already have the event in common. Susan also discusses the “Scarlett O’Hara syndrome,” where people feel the need to be formally introduced before speaking with someone. Savvy networkers initiate conversation and introduce themselves in 7-9 seconds. Have this self-introduction prepared ahead of time to be more confident and tailor it to the specific event to give context. For those who think they are too shy, Susan offers the advice that 90% of American adults identify themselves as shy, so focus on trying to make other people that may be shy feel more comfortable. Also, in addition to approaching people, you should be approachable; have a nice smile and look friendly. Susan RoAne leads a double life as a bestselling author and a sought-after keynote speaker. Known as “The Mingling Maven,” she gives her multi-generational audiences the required tools, techniques and strategies they need to connect and communicate in todays global business world. Her practical, informative, and interactive presentations are known for what The San Francisco Chronicle calls her dynamite sense of humor.Because of her groundbreaking best-seller, How to Work a Room, Susan is considered the undisputed and original networking and conversation expert. It has sold over a million books worldwide and has launched an industry that she continues to create and shape in the 21st Century. She also wrote The Secrets of Savvy Networking , What Do I Say Next? and her new book is Face To Face: How To Reclaim The Personal Touch in A Digital World. www.susanroane.com Like this podcast, why not share it?

Sarah Keizer tells you what you need to know if you want to work abroad. She discusses the realities of working abroad, and discusses the opportunities and challenges. To download this podcast, click here After college, Sarah started looking for jobs in upstate New York, but had to keep her mind open because of the recession. She ended up getting a job in Chicago that sent her to Europe, and then she joined ING, where her reach is global. Some obvious challenges in working abroad are language, money, and cultural norms. Other unforeseen challenges can be different ways of getting work done, different feedback processes, and different ways of relating to people. Also, when moving to another region or country, there are two types of adjustments people need to make: personal and professional. At first, everything is new, exciting, scary, but then you go through a personal transition where you get to know yourself and learn how you can deal with the new environment. In addition, you need to rebuild professional connections and support networks, and perhaps learn new technical skills. Sarah says that the experience stretches you incredibly and pushes you to grow. Some things to be aware of when working abroad are (1) if you are interested in an international career, let people know you are open to it, (2) even if you are monolingual, don’t limit yourself to English speaking countries, (3) recognize that it is a two-way investment – the move needs to benefit yourself and the company, (4) get to know the company and the culture before you go, (5) don’t sweat the small stuff – the move won’t go completely smoothly, (6) appreciate the experience and get to know the area and the language, (7) build networks in local and home countries and, (8) be open and prepared for anything and look to build yourself personally. Perhaps best described as an American lost in Europe, Sarah was born and bred in Syracuse, New York but has been enjoying exploring Europe through her career and family life for the last eleven years.Sarah recently joined ING Group in April 2008 as a Senior Business Consultant in the Group HR/Leadership and Change department based in Amsterdam, The Netherlands. Prior to joining ING, Sarah worked in both Organization Development and Executive & Expatriate Compensation at Coca-Cola Enterprises in Europe. Sarah started her expatriate career with Hewitt Associates working both in their Global and European headquarters. Before venturing overseas, Sarah earned a degree in Psychology from Cornell University, in Ithaca NY. She now resides happily with her multi-cultural family in The Hague, The Netherlands. Like this podcast, why not share it?

Lara Ewing discusses the value of looking at situations from another person’s perspective. She talks about the invisible skills people do not realize that they have. To download this podcast, click here Lara Ewing, author of The Art of Connecting, talks about the invisible skills that successful people don’t even realize they have. More specifically, these skills make you able to be incredibly adaptable, to learn from experience, and to accurately and rapidly shift your point of view inside your head. Stepping into someone’s shoes when there is a difference in opinion and taking a mental view of that person’s situation gives enormous information on how to communicate with that person and effectively resolve the differences. This ability happens instantly and unconsciously, and can be developed by practicing. The key is to try to understand where others are coming from, why they have a certain view, and why it opposes your own. Lara suggests that differences in opinions can result from a difference in backgrounds, experiences, or personalities. Also, she suggests that you try to see the situation from a third party’s point of view by detaching yourself and taking the emotion out of the situation. This skill could help a member of Generation Y communicate better with a Boomer. It can also be used to filter feedback and take the important pieces of a message and use them, rather than be just be hurt. Lara’s final message is that being able to adopt different perspectives is the most important skill in developing your career. Lara Ewing has 25 years experience in helping individuals and organizations improve business performance. She has coached over 100 CEOs and senior executives in more than 20 Fortune 500 companies on six continents. Clients have credited her with saving their organizations, key client relationships, partnerships and sanity. They rely on her expertise to assist them in rapidly understanding and maximizing their impact on organizational results by focusing their attention and efforts on the key people, systems and external factors necessary to shift to break through barriers. Lara is co-author of The Art of Connecting, published by the American Management Association (AMACOM). Like this podcast, why not share it?

Angela Ciborowski walks us through the case-based interview used in consulting and technical jobs, and gives our listeners a sneak peek on what the company is looking for when they ask you “how many jellybeans does it take to fill a 747.” To download this podcast, click hereMany consulting companies use case-based interviews, which use certain techniques to assess a person’s problem-solving ability and business logic. The interviews vary depending on the skill they are trying to assess. The five types of cases are brain teaser (which assesses creativity and how quickly a person can think on his feet), strategy (which determines a candidate’s business economics and how she handles complex business issues), operation (which assesses the understanding of business operations and basic industry knowledge), finance (which determines the understanding of finance and accounting), and complex (which is a mixture of two or more types of cases). The interviewer is not necessarily looking for the correct answer, but how the candidate approaches the problem. They are evaluating how well the candidates listen to the question, their quantitative and analytical skills, their creativity, and their ability to think quickly under pressure. The three key attributes of being a successful business advisor are organizational skills, problem-solving abilities, and communication skills. Case interviews are effective because the company can assess people on many levels and see how they deal with real client scenarios, and also determine the candidate’s strengths and areas for improvement. The four steps to having a successful case interview are: (1) understand the question being asked, (2) structure and analyze response: use a framework and determine options, (3) evaluate the different options available, and (4) arrive at a conclusion and clearly articulate it. Angela is an Assistant Director with Ernst & Young and has been with the firm for eight years. During her career with EY, she has recruited for five Advisory Services practices as both an Experienced Hire and Campus Recruiter.  Currently, she is a Campus Recruiting Project Manager for the Advisory Services practice and helps to coordinate the MBA recruitment efforts for the Performance Improvement practice. Like this podcast, why not share it?

Matt Faso shares opportunities and challenges related to working for small and mid-sized sized companies. To download this podcast, click here A key difference between large and small companies is that in smaller companies, employees are allowed to be more involved in strategic planning and really help shape the direction of the company. At a larger company, employees tend to have one smaller task, but in smaller companies, employees can be involved in all steps of the development process. A downfall of working in a small company is that there are less people to interact with, which can be a problem if a new employee doesn’t click with the other workers. In a large company, there are many more people and opportunities. In addition, larger companies have a more formal training process whereas smaller ones use more on-the-job training and expect a new employee to make an impact that first day. A smaller company does offer more job security because more personal relationships are formed and the company can take advantages of changes in the economy faster than a large company could. Also, the more personal level of small companies allows for easier access to the CEO and more direct feedback and connections. Faso believes that compensation is pretty much the same in large and small companies, but larger companies tend to have a greater variety in benefits and smaller companies are more flexible in creating the package. When interviewing for a smaller company, remember the interviewer is likely a top executive and they are looking for a very versatile person. From internet startups and technology companies to more traditional old economy staples, Matt has been involved exclusively in marketing since writing an award winning business plan in the Entrepreneurship@Cornell program his junior year at Cornell University. Matt is currently a Marketing Advisor at Haley Marketing Group, where he works with clients on their marketing programs. Prior to Haley Marketing, Matt worked for Ingram Micro (a Fortune 75 company) and for the Hearst Corporation, one of the largest media conglomerates in the world. LinkedIn Profile Like this podcast, why not share it?

Jane Chin gives advice about career self-discovery in her role as a business mentor. She helps listeners answer the question “what should I do?” To download this podcast, click here Jane informs us that many times when people ask the question: “What should I do with my life?” they are really asking the questions: “What do I WANT to do with my life?” Adults have spent their lives doing what people tell them they should do, but this is not fulfilling. Fear is a huge factor in why people don’t ask themselves these questions and work on switching careers. However, Jane asks listeners to think about if is it scarier to walk away from a comfortable life with a career that has a lot of time invested in it, or to live a life you don’t feel connected with. The pain of living a life you aren’t passionate about becomes greater than the fear. You should ask yourself three questions: What does success mean to me, what makes me feel most alive, and what does satisfaction feel like? Answer these questions on your own terms and not through other people’s definitions. Simply by asking these as a college student, you are on the right path even if you don’t know the answers yet. Go to Jane’s blog to get more resources and see more on this topic. Dr. Jane Chin is a microbusiness entrepreneur/coach and career transition strategist. Dr. Chin applies strategic thinking techniques to help professionals and companies identify the core nucleus of a problem and where viable solutions may reside. She integrates professional development with personal mastery, and writes about fear of success, addiction to approval, backstabbing coworkers, answering the question “what should I do with my life”, and various Achilles heel of career professionals. Jane is currently writing a book to help career professionals achieve high performance. JaneChin.com LinkedIn Profile Twitter Like this podcast, why not share it?

Susan Youngblood discusses the importance of having a mentor that can help and guide you through your career. She also outlines the differences between a sponsor and a mentor. To download this podcast, click here Susan defines a mentor as someone that you can go to with questions, who has more experience than you in a certain area, and who can teach you skills that you lack. A sponsor is someone who has seen your work and can champion your candidacy for a particular job and who pushes your career forward based on what they’ve seen you do. People can get a mentor either through an informal relationship (a next-door neighbor) or a formal relationship (a top executive). To get the attention of a prospective mentor, either send an email directly or connect through a network, such as a manager or mutual friend. People need mentors because somewhere down the line, everyone runs into challenges and doesn’t know what to do. A mentor has “been there”, and can have great advice to help you get through hard times and succeed. In return, the mentor gets a new perspective and the satisfaction of helping others. Even if you don’t think it is important now, go find a mentor and nurture all the relationships that you form over your career. Susan Youngblood joined IBM in 1992 and has held HR leadership roles in multiple business units including software, technology development and manufacturing, services, and sales. She currently serves as Director of Human Resources for the Tivoli software division which includes 7,000 people worldwide. Tivoli has a major presence in the United States, and also has software labs in Malaysia, Poland, China and the U.K. Youngblood has experience in varied HR specializations, such as employee/industrial relations, talent management, workforce planning, executive development and diversity. Susan Youngblood received her undergraduate degree in psychology from Vassar College and her master’s degree in Industrial and Labor Relations from Cornell University. LinkedIn Profile To watch video interviews of Susan, visit Prendismo Like this podcast, why not share it?