Biz-eWerk

If you're not familiar with the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency, you will be after this episode of Biz-eWerk. Scotty Duncan, Assistant Deputy Comptroller, tells us more about his role and especially how the OCC works with United States banking institutions.

How many times have you picked up a book and thought, "It must have taken a lot of work to produce this." My guess is... never. Books are ubiquitous and, honestly, essentially taken for granted. But every book is the result of an extensive creative process, from idea to finished product, that brings together many skilled individuals. Our guest today, Elisa Gibson, is the Creative Director for National Geographic Books, and she explains how this process results in the detailed, informative, and visually stunning books we've come to know and appreciate from NatGeo.

Looking to start your Biz-eWerk experience? Check out our new trailer and Mind Your Business.

Financial wellness is a journey, and like all journeys, it requires planning. For many people, getting started on that journey is the hardest part. Listen in on this interview with Campbell Sullivan as she explains how her financial journey has covered some unusual territory, including time spent on an alpaca farm.

50th Episode - NewSpace Age! That's not a typo. We've been living in the Space Age for nigh on 70 years. Why does it still crop up in advertising? From the "Old" Space Age of Apollo and the Space Shuttle to the NewSpace Age of SpaceX, Blue Origin, and more, it's time to think about how the NewSpace Age will usher in changes to technology that science fiction could only dream of.

“Thank you!” to all subscribers and listeners – 2022 has been a big year for Biz-eWerk. My 2022 Spotify Wrapped showed me it’s been worth all the effort, with special appreciation for our Season 2 guests: Justin, Taylor, Leander, Michelle, Kristina, Randy, Erin, AC, and Scott. 21 episodes with 278 minutes of content (that’s more than 73% of other creators in the Business category). Looking forward to 2023!

How can a sailing trip to Cuba, a rumored Rolling Stones concert, the US State Department, a major supermarket chain, and an interest in brewing great beer converge to help form one of the fastest-growing companies in the United States? Scott Hansen, CEO of Charleston-based Island Brands USA, stops by Biz-eWerk to tell the story of how business success can be launched from 350,000 empty cans. (Someone needs to get the movie rights to this…)

Wanna strike fear into the hearts of every undergrad on the planet? GMAT. GRE. LSAT. MCAT. Graduate school admissions tests. Separately, or together, these letters are guaranteed to frighten even the stoutest of hearts. Fear not, Biz-eWerk has some solid FastCast suggestions for planning and preparing for these exams. (And look for even more insights in later episodes, especially those ever-important prep courses)

850 million + people use LinkedIn, and they are not all relevant to your network. With LinkedIn Groups, you’re meeting like-minded individuals with the ability to share ideas, collaborate on projects, and more. Why aren't you using this feature?

References are relevant - But who should you ask? How do you choose someone to speak for you who ensures the most effective description regarding your abilities and suitability for a role? In part II of our series, we'll discuss why thinking strategically about your references, prepping your references, and ensuring the confidentiality of your references is vital.
 

"References Provided Upon Request." A waste of resume real estate, so you can drop that from your resume. BUT you'll still need references from time to time, and being prepared with references now, will help you in the future. How to choose the best ones and prepare the person to provide the best reference is the topic of this episode.

It's an age-old dilemma when graduation is right around the corner - "When Do I Start Looking for a Job?" In this episode, we'll talk about two critical aspects of the job search - Research and Networking.

"Tell me about a time you failed." It's a question I flubbed in an interview a few years back, and there's no reason for you to make the same mistake. Consider this question an opportunity to admit that sometimes you're not as successful as you'd like to be, and you can recognize the failure, learn from the failure, and improve as a result. But there's a catch - don't get caught up in the storyline - Get to the "what I learned from this" part ASAP. Check out this episode of Biz-eWerk for suggestions on how to master this standard (and scary) interview question.

"How do I stand out to a recruiter?" is a common question in most candidates' minds. To help us answer that question are two special guests from the HR and talent acquisition fields - Leander Gaymon (CofC '06) and Taylor Whitescarver from Piedmont Plastics. Quick tip? Make sure that Elevator Pitch is ready!

Final questions in an interview are very much a part of the interview – a crucial part. I dare say interviews are made, and broken, at this point. In my interview experience, one opportunity was supported by my end-of-interview questions, and another opportunity was lost. In this episode, I'll tell you one question to absolutely avoid, but more importantly, how to craft questions that will demonstrate your suitability for the role.

Questions at the end of the interview - It's a critical element in any successful interview. I always recommend 3 to 5 prepared questions that I can use at the end of the interview when they ask, “Do you have any questions for us?” Prepared questions are important, but the best questions are questions you’ve created from the interview. Sometimes it’s something you want to be clarified, sometimes it’s a follow-up to a specific question they asked. In this episode, Biz-eWerk talks about how you can craft questions during the interview that will dazzle and amaze the interviewer (or interview panel) with how well you were paying attention and, more importantly, thinking ahead.

"Do you have any questions for us?" This is a critical point in the interview. The interview is NOT over. Always ask questions because not asking questions is a red flag. Take this opportunity to leave the interviewers with a great impression of your thoughtfulness, preparation, and how you match the position. In this episode, “Could you please describe the performance review process?”

The cover letter is important – we’ve established that in previous episodes. To maximize its value, it needs to be addressed to someone specific. In a pinch, I’ve used “Dear Hiring Manager” in the greeting, but that’s not optimal. In this FastCast, Biz-eWerk urges you to STOP USING “TO WHOM IT MAY CONCERN” for cover letters. The “whom” you are hoping “may be concerned” isn’t a real person. Unless you want your letter to be seen, read, and evaluated by No One, start addressing the letter to a Real Person. Most of the time, a simple internet search will yield all kinds of relevant contacts both for your letter and also for building your network.

Technology has limits. One day you're holding the latest greatest cultural technological revolution in your hand, and seemingly the very next day, it's techno-trash. This week, NYC retired the last of its street payphones. What was once a communication army of over 8000 phones, is now a museum relic. Why should you care? Check out this episode for Biz-eWerk's homage "To the Last Pay Phone."

Going back to the days when the newspaper was king, long before TVs were common, and radio could only cover so much in a limited time, the news via print was critical for getting information out in a detailed format. But how to maximize the newspaper’s impact? A visual trick, by virtue of how the newspaper was bundled, came to the fore: Above the Fold. Here's how you can use Above the Fold to showcase your skills and experience on your resume, cover letter, and LinkedIn profile.

Lately I’ve been hearing people worry about “bragging” in an interview. You might get an interview question like, “What makes you a great match for this role?” Even though you KNOW you’re the best candidate, it’s up to you to explain why. In short, the job interview is NOT A PLACE to hide your talents and skills, and Biz-eWerk breaks down how to successfully answer this common, critical question.

"How do I stand out as a candidate?" How many times have I heard that? Let's just say, a lot. Turns out, it's not difficult, but it requires taking the initiative to get your info out there. In this episode of Biz-eWerk, Taylor Whitescarver, HR Specialist and Campus Recruiter at Piedmont Plastics, offers suggestions on how you can be successful in your career search and beyond.

Before we say goodbye to 2021, let's talk about 2022 and the second season of Biz-eWerk. We'll have a new theme song, new guests, and new topics, but we'll still be helping you Mind Your Business. Some things never change.

What if you wanted a career in healthcare, but you didn't want to be a clinician? Healthcare today needs supply chain, sales, data analytics, cybersecurity, accounting, finance, marketing, and...well, pretty much any business field you can imagine. And some that didn't even exist a few years ago like blockchain technology. In today's podcast, Nancy Muller (Ph.D., MBA) College of Charleston visiting associate professor in the Department of Health and Human Performance, talks to Biz-eWerk about how to build a business career in the ever-important field of healthcare.

It was apropos for the Halloween episode, I mean "ghosting" just fits. But now, I'm on a rant. And I know, it's not my usual Positive and Professional podcast, but I'm tired of hearing this over and over and over and over from employers and candidates alike. How about we all stop Ghosting, and start communicating?

It's a scary time for job seekers and employers as we all seem to be haunted by "ghosting" in the hiring process. "What's ghosting?" you ask? 

Job Seeker: Have you ever been dropped cold from the interview process? 

Employer: Have you ever had a candidate drop off the face of the planet during the hiring process? 

If so, then you've been ghosted. And it's not just a ghost story. It's happening everywhere, every day. Check out this special Halloween episode of Biz-eWerk and find out how you can finally pass over to the other side (by which I mean, Get Hired).

It's a common way to start an interview, but what the interviewer really means is, "Give me a high-level summary, focused on how you fit the opportunity and what you bring to the table, so I can determine whether you're the one to hire or not."

Find out why it's important to answer this question with a concise, informative, customized, and professional response on this Biz-eWerk FastCast episode.

You're going to want to know how the employer will measure your success, and you want the employer to know success is important to you. What are the Key Performance Indicators (KPI) they'll be using to measure and evaluate your effectiveness in this role? This is a great way to learn more about the eval process. And hey, if they don't have a good answer for this, that could be cause for concern. Either way, this question is a winner at the end of the interview.

Tune in for this Biz-eWerk FastCast Series on questions you can ask at the end of the interview. Questions that will help you gain insights into the role, and demonstrate your thoughtfulness and preparation to the employer.

"Do you have any questions for us?" As a potential hire at the end of the interview, you'd better have some questions, because THE INTERVIEW IS NOT OVER. Take the time to ask questions at the end of the interview, and not just to get them back for all the questions you had to answer, but because this is your chance to get some solid intel beyond what was included in the job description. 

Tune in for this Biz-eWerk FastCast Series on questions you can ask at the end of the interview. Questions that will help you gain insights into the role, and demonstrate your thoughtfulness and preparation to the employer.

Follow-up. The most important thing you may not even be doing. Effective business communication, and true professionalism, requires follow-up. And the best follow-up consists of organization and timing. The next time you're at a networking event and someone says, “Why don’t you send me your resume and we can talk about some options?” That's follow-up - and that's where we'll pick up this episode of Biz-eWerk...

Take a break from selfies and focus on a professional pic for your LinkedIn profile. But first, check out this podcast to make sure you're doing it right. Find out how to use photos to the utmost on your LinkedIn profile.

Entering the workforce, or transitioning from one job to another at any stage of your professional life, can be difficult. Resources are available, but you may not always know where to turn. Goodwill provides outstanding opportunities across the country, and especially right here in the Lowcountry. Highlighting these programs is the focus of today’s episode with Joe Queen, a Coast Guard veteran, College of Charleston graduate, and Team Lead for Goodwill Palmetto Warrior Connection.

Remember all those spelling and grammar lessons you sat through as a student? Turns out, it's actually important for business communication. Grammar, spelling, punctuation – you need these skills every day in the business world. In this episode, we'll discuss how to positively and professionally communicate as you seek out opportunities to build your career.

Want to know how you can stand out to a potential employer? Send a customized cover letter. It's your introduction to the employer and it enhances the resume by explaining how your skills, education, and experience directly relate to the expected skills and qualifications of the internship or job. Tune in to this episode covering all the specifics you need to know to build an effective cover letter that expresses your interest, enthusiasm, excitement, and downright awesomeness as a candidate.

Here's the sitch - It's an interview, and you're nervous because interviews can seem kinda scary. You find yourself droning on and on with your answer, and you can't figure out how to stop talking. There's a solution to this dilemma - follow the STAR. To ensure your answer is solid and strong, use the STAR framework to focus your answer. Check out this episode of the Biz-eWerk podcast for more info on winning your interview with authentic, thorough, and focused answers.

Preparing for the interview. Not a process most people enjoy, but it's hyper-critical to your success. In this episode, we'll cover some of the basic things you should consider when prepping for an interview. Each one of these items will probably end up as a separate podcast, but here is a little bit of all the bases for today's episode.

You are wrapping up a successful interview when suddenly you're asked, "What are your hobbies?"

Seems like a simple question, right? Or is it? Believe it or not, there are some significant pitfalls to this one. How to answer this question, without stumbling, today on the Biz-eWerk podcast.

It’s March, which means graduation isn’t far away. That means soon-to-be grads are searching for that first job. And that first job means lots of decisions – Things like insurance, budgeting, and retirement plans will now become a critical part of your life. To help navigate some of these decisions check out this episode featuring Gabriel Gould, Financial Planner, and the Director of Strategic Growth with Carolina Capital Management.

Typewriters. Cover letters. Ghosts of business-past, right? Wrong. Tune-in for my roundabout way of connecting typewriters to the original reason for cover letters back in the day to the critical importance of the cover letter today. Part I of, well, who knows how many episodes? Let's just say you keep checking in for the next installment and I'll help you build the best cover letter possible.

Inbox driving you crazy? Overwhelming amounts of emails giving you a pessimistic Outlook (or Gmail) on your job? In this episode of Biz-eWork, we'll discuss how you can take control of your inbox indigestion and put folders, rules, and flags to work for you.

New Year - New Podcast.