#83 | Taking Control Of Your Career With Madeline Mann

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The Coffee With Kim community is all about leveling up personally and professionally. When I was brainstorming who to bring on to share about elevating our careers I looked no further than Madelin Mann. As a career strategist, she’s a literal pro at helping clients land their dream job. Her tactics go beyond perfecting your resume to perfecting your story. In our conversation, we find out why ABC, Bloomberg, and Wall Street Journal have all featured her plus learn more about her unique approach to making career changes, storytelling, interviewing, and negotiating.

Why you should be using LinkedIn (04:34)

LinkedIn is no doubt a favorite social media platform of mine. I was excited to hear Madeline agreed! 

“The organic reach on LinkedIn is insane. On YouTube, I reached 10,000 subscribers while reaching 60,000 on LinkedIn in the same amount of time. Also, people are ready to invest in themselves on the platform so it’s easy to network in a meaningful way.”

We all know your network affects your net worth, so start building it with intention on LinkedIn. But first, supercharge your profile with my top tips!

Storytelling hacks (7:08)

When it comes to making connections, on or off the platform, Madeline says its important to portray yourself as the main character versus just the copywriter or marketing manager, etc. 

Here are her hacks for telling your story:

Don’t give a Wikipedia page summary – Pick out milestones that create a throughline, telling the story of how you got here and where you’re going next.

Remember, you’re in control of your narrative – People can only evaluate you based on the things you share. Tell stories that show your character, it helps people trust you and envision what it’s like to work with you.

What to know when making a major career change (09:41)

Madeline says your “story” doesn’t have to match where you want to go next in your career as long as you’re confident. 

“Gain confidence about your next step by getting advice from those who are where you want to be. Ask about the ups and downs of the industry or position to ensure you’re ok with it all. Also, don’t disregard the work you do naturally. If you’re transitioning into personal training, share the story of helping your family member lose 60lbs. It doesn’t matter that you didn’t get paid, it matters that you got results!”

The CAR method of storytelling (16:49)

Try Madeline’s CAR method next time you share your story.

Challenge – what was the situation

Action – what you did to solve the problem

Result – what happened next

Your story is kept clear and concise, and the listener learns more about your character. 

Pro Tip: Focus on RESULTS. Don’t spend too much time explaining the problem. Instead, share why how you chose to solve it worked and its long-term effects. 

The number one mistake when negotiating (23:26)

Now that you know how to tell your story well, let’s talk about negotiating well!

Madeline says never make negotiating emotional.

“Instead of leading with, ‘I need XYZ to maintain my lifestyle’, say, ‘Based on research and my interviews with other companies the range for this role is X-Y. Does that match your range?’

Or ‘The number I was targeting for this salary increase was X, is there any way to make up the difference?’”

And remember the golden rule of negotiating – silence. 

“Don’t walk back your statement by saying, ‘…but if we can’t it’s ok.’ Present your offer and stay quiet to affirm your confidence.

Also, never stop negotiating. Be proactive about asking for raises or benefits, put a time limit on quotes, and keep your advancements handy to prove your worth. 

Madeline credits the tactics she learned in Never Split The Difference by Chris Voss and To Sell Is Human by Daniel Pink to helping her win more negotiations. 

When to discuss salary in the interview process (37:21)

When it comes to negotiating salary while interviewing, later is better. 

“The farther you get into the interview process, the more they understand what you bring to the table and the more you understand what the job will entail.” 

Check out Madeline’s YouTube playlist, Crucial Money Conversations, for more negotiation tips from interviewing to asking for a promotion.

How to switch careers successfully (44:58)

Over the past few months, we’ve seen many people have ‘Aha moments’ and make quick career shifts but many are doing so without clarity!

“People are saying, ‘I need something different but I don’t know what it is.’ So, they either get another degree or apply to a wide variety of roles and go with whoever hires them.

The better choice is having a clear vision of where you want to be to ensure an upward trajectory! I share resources on how to do so in my free 5-day masterclass.” 

Additionally, Elizabeth Gilbert’s book Big Magic and podcast Magic Lessons always helps me gain clarity and get inspired when I feel stuck.

Speed Round (50:10)

• What have you been doing or using lately that you love? Breathwrk 
• What’s the next thing you’re hoping to learn? Leadership
• What are your favorite social media accounts to follow? Charisma on Command and Vanessa Van Edwards
• What podcasts or newsletters do you engage regularly? Amy Porterfield
  
  Homework: Write 5 interesting comments on LinkedIn posts

Next Week:

One lesson I’ve learned over and over again is that your network is vital to your success.  Next week I’m bringing in some special guests who’ve made huge strides in their personal brands and their LinkedIn profiles in the past couple months to share how they’ve done it! We’ll be bringing networking strategies and tips on how to find yourself among some really cool people. RSVP here!

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Want To Learn 1 on 1 with Me?: I’m passionate about making YOU stand out at work. After a 45 minute training, Avery (aka my newest shining star) implemented my tactics and got a new job making $60k MORE than the last. Want some of that secret sauce for yourself? Check out more here. 

Join In: Sit down every Wednesday at 1pm EST on LinkedIn Live with world-class CEO’s, founders, experts & executives. Each week we learn from guests and each other how to answer the ultimate question, “What’s working for you?”

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