3 Things I’ve Learned from Managing Entry-Level Employees

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<p>Years ago, I worked with a student named Alex. When he first interviewed with my company, he was rough around the edges. But we needed to fill a training class fast, so we gave him a shot.</p>



<p>I assigned the group a tough task: to memorize an essential part of our training manual in about 12 hours. I’ve given this assignment to hundreds of people, and only two have ever completed it. Alex was one of them.</p>



<p>So we selected him for our sales team. We looked past his long hair and tattoos, coached him on presentation language, and believed in him and his abilities, despite his tough background. In his first 10 days, he made $6,000 in sales (which is comparatively exceptional). He went on to become an assistant manager. It might sound like a cliché, but from Alex, I learned not to judge a book by its cover.</p>



<p>I’ve worked with college students and other entry-level<a href="https://successcom.wpenginepowered.com/4-qualities-of-breakthrough-employees/"> </a>employees for over 20 years, and I still learn new things from them all the time. Although I’d assumed that I would be the one teaching them about the world, they’ve <a href="https://successcom.wpenginepowered.com/what-3-ceos-learned-from-doing-employees-jobs/">taught me how to be a better manager</a>, a better worker and a better person—and they can do the same for you.</p>



<p>Here are three lessons I’ve learned from <a href="https://jobs.washingtonpost.com/article/how-to-motivate-and-manage-entry-level-employees/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">managing entry-level employees</a> that you can use in your everyday life:</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-1-it-s-important-to-care-about-others-stories">1. It’s important to care about others’ stories.</h2>



<p>A couple of years ago, we worked with a former football player. He was confident, intelligent and impressive—the kind of guy who could walk through the rain and not get wet. He presented so well in training, I assumed he had all of his material on lock. But when he didn’t catch on quickly, I started pushing him instead of digging deeper into why.</p>



<p>I ended up pushing him right out the door. I hadn’t taken the time to learn who he truly was, and that resulted in a teary-eyed employee ashamed of his performance because he’d never failed before and didn’t know <a href="https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/tracking-wonder/202002/4-tips-effectively-ask-help-and-get-yes" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">how to ask for help</a> when he started struggling. When he quit, I realized I needed to <a href="https://successcom.wpenginepowered.com/how-to-speak-well-and-listen-better/">talk less and listen more</a>. Everyone has a story.</p>



<p>From a managerial standpoint, take my failing as inspiration to build into your hiring process systematic opportunities to learn more about candidates. Make a stronger effort to get to know your higher-ups, co-workers, vendors, industry colleagues and even new acquaintances in your personal life. Ask questions like, “What hardships have you experienced? What is the lens through which you see the world? What are your aspirations for the future, and what do you need to get there?” Questions like these can unlock new levels of connection, loyalty and relational equity that you might have been taking for granted.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-2-be-eager-to-learn-and-you-ll-be-prepared-for-anything">2. Be eager to learn, and you’ll be prepared for anything.</h2>



<p>Confidence can only go so far. <a href="https://successcom.wpenginepowered.com/22-ways-to-become-a-relentless-learner/">An eagerness to learn</a>, however, will take entry-level employees well beyond their next jobs.<a href="https://successcom.wpenginepowered.com/6-questions-hiring-managers-should-ask-in-a-job-interview/"> When I interview</a> young professionals, I almost always ask, “Why should I hire you?” I’ve received a bunch of answers, but one really made me smile: “I might not be the most impressive on paper, but you’ll never have to tell me the same thing twice.”</p>



<p>The employee who gave me that answer was an awesome learner, always ready for more. And she inspired the same thirst for new knowledge in me (I’ve since uttered “you’ll never have to tell me twice” several times myself). A passion for knowledge is the <a href="https://successcom.wpenginepowered.com/how-to-upskill-yourself-to-earn-more-money/">ultimate competitive advantage</a> in the marketplace. It keeps me up to date on my industry, ensures that I can take on new challenges, and equips me for a future rife with innovation and enthusiasm.</p>



<p>To adopt this professional<a href="https://successcom.wpenginepowered.com/22-ways-to-become-a-relentless-learner/"> </a>learner mindset into your life, subscribe to thought leadership newsletters and email briefs. Keep an ongoing “to-read” list to ensure you’re not defaulting your spare time to mindless television or the front page of Reddit. If you’re not a reader, consider picking up a hobby that requires knowledge you don’t yet have. Nothing sparks an educational flare like genuine curiosity.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-3-combining-vulnerability-and-transparency-leads-to-trust">3. Combining vulnerability and transparency leads to trust.</h2>



<p>One young woman I manage gives me “just so you know” updates. She’ll let me know what’s going on with her, which in turn <a href="https://successcom.wpenginepowered.com/to-be-a-better-leader-you-need-to-empathize/">helps foster empathy</a> from me. She’s helped me learn that transparency really is the best policy.</p>



<p>Furthermore, there is tremendous power in combining transparency with vulnerability. When many of my young employees take the lead on something, they’ll openly admit to their co-workers or clients that it’s new and oftentimes uncomfortable for them. They won’t try the hardheaded “act as if” policy made popular by their bosses. I’ve observed their audience open up and cheerlead in a way they never would have if I were taking the lead. Vulnerability spirals its way into authentic conversation and progress.</p>



<p>Take that openness to heart. Be more open with your boss, manager or peers about the way you think, why you make the decisions you make and what’s going on in your life. Heck, even chatting about these topics with your family more often could be beneficial. Sharing more about yourself with others can bring you closer; it shows people they can trust you, and you’ll never feel like you’re being anyone other than yourself. Try sharing a little bit about your inner workings in your next meeting—you might very well level-up your personal brand.</p>



<p>I’ve learned incredibly valuable lessons from my time working with entry-level employees, and I hope you take those lessons to heart as well. And the next time you get a chance to work or talk with someone in an entry-level position, keep an open mind and humble outlook.</p>



<p class="has-small-font-size"><em>This article was published in March 2019 and has been updated. Photo by GaudiLab/Shutterstock</em></p>

My entry-level employees taught me how to be a better manager, a better worker and a better person—and yours can do the same for you.

The next time you get a chance to work or talk with someone in an entry-level position, keep an open mind and humble outlook | SUCCESS

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Mike Monroe is a Christian, husband, dad, marketer and wannabe athlete. Mike started working at Vector Marketing in 2000 as a student at Boston College. He wanted to stick out from the crowd and develop himself professionally. Nearly two decades later, that goal hasn’t changed. Learn more at TheVectorImpact.com.

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Instagram is a visual playground for <a href="https://www.smartinsights.com/social-media-marketing/social-media-strategy/new-global-social-media-research/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">800 million users</a> and counting, according to stats compiled by Smart Insights. While part of the social network’s draw might be following celebrity accounts, there’s another benefit: The platform offers stellar examples of personal branding.

I’m not talking about those celebrities who do it for a living. I mean regular, everyday people who integrate Instagram into their daily lives. They might not be household names, but following each of their feeds is still a fascinating journey.

The following six Instagram accounts show how those of us who aren’t famous can successfully use the platform to boost our personal brands.
<h2><strong>1. Jenna Kutcher (@jennakutcher)</strong></h2>
<a href="https://www.instagram.com/jennakutcher/?hl=en" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Jenna Kutcher</a> is a photographer, podcaster (<em>Goal Digger</em>) and educator based in small-town Minnesota. And although she may photograph weddings, her personal Instagram account isn’t full of brides and grooms. Instead, she posts high quality, stylistically similar images of herself and her family, along with inspirational quotes and landscapes. She includes personal captions with each photo, delving into her life and struggles as if talking with close friends.

Kutcher’s business experience gives her the credibility needed to host webinars and courses on all things marketing and entrepreneurship, as well as photography. And when she has something to promote, she doesn’t shy away from including a call to action and URL asking her followers to sign up.

Don’t be afraid to follow her lead; after all, how can you get your followers to take the next step if they don’t know what that step is?
<h2><strong>2. LeJuan James (@lejuanjames)</strong></h2>
<a href="https://www.instagram.com/lejuanjames/?hl=en" target="_blank" rel="noopener">LeJuan James</a> is a social media sensation. As a comedian “representing Hispanics around the world,” videos are his thing—he started on YouTube and then transitioned his audience to Instagram. He knows which type of content is his strong suit and he laregely sticks with what he’s good at.

Oftentimes on social media, users feel pressure to copy the cool new trends they see in others’ posts, but that’s a recipe for failure when it comes to brand consistency. Like James, if you know you’re strongest in one type of content, it’s OK to make that your focus—even if that means bucking platform trends.
<h2><strong>3. Nora McInerny (@noraborealis)</strong></h2>
<a href="https://www.instagram.com/noraborealis/?hl=en" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><u>Nora McInerny</u></a> is a writer, the host of <em>Terrible, Thanks for Asking</em> podcast and founder of Still Kickin and Hot Young Widows Club. Her Instagram bio is short and sweet, but it matches her profile and her brand to a T—which are all about how she’s making the most of her life, and how she’s helping others do the same. She talks about going through really hard things, like loss and grief, but her feed is also full of pictures of her children and motherhood and this beautiful thing we call life.

Your Instagram should be a zoomed-in view of your product, not your product itself. If you run a dry-cleaning business, no one wants to see a bunch of pictures of the building’s exterior. You need to show them the people, the before-and-after shots, the lint balls, and the behind the scenes.
<h2><strong>4. Jasmine Star (@jasminestar)</strong></h2>
<a href="https://www.instagram.com/jasminestar/?hl=en" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Jasmine Star</a> is a photographer, so her photos are high quality, but her highlights don’t just show the facets of her life—they teach, too. Star is also a business strategist, and she offers easy-to-try tips for entrepreneurs through her posts and her bio. She regularly writes captions that are longer than 300 words, and she speaks very deliberately to her audience, which is a critical element of personal branding.

Yes, long captions might turn some people off. But they’ll keep others around. If you know what your audience members want to hear, give it to them straight in a long post if that’s what it takes. Just remember that the only path to failure is trying to be everything to everybody.
<h2><strong>5. Elizabeth Gray (@thegraytergood)</strong></h2>
At first glance, hand-lettering artist <a href="https://www.instagram.com/thegraytergood/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Elizabeth Gray’s</a> profile might seem to be solely focused on her art, but the true heart of her Instagram account lives within her Instagram Stories. There, she posts everything from tutorial videos to inspirational quotes to snapshots of her cats and coffee. She keeps her photo posts centered on her work, letting the art shine, and she allows fans into her life through her Stories, adding depth to her profile.

Instagram’s Stories platform is becoming a popular place for consumers and brands alike to connect with others. Use yours to offer content that complements your main posts, giving your audience another channel through which to interact with you.

These Instagram accounts show how those of us who aren’t famous can successfully use the platform to boost our personal brands.

Instagram is a visual playground for 800 million users and counting, according to stats compiled by Smart Insights. While part of the social network’s | SUCCESS

5 Instagrammers Who Are Crushing the Personal Branding Game

5 Instagrammers Who Are Crushing the Personal Branding Game | SUCCESS

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3 Things I’ve Learned from Managing Entry-Level Employees

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