Cydcor Blog

Discover practical advice, inspiration, and insights to help you succeed in business and grow both personally and professionally.

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The Best Mobile Apps for Career Success!

Aug 15, 2018

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Mobile devices are more than just modern conveniences. In today’s business climate, having the right mobile tools at your disposal is critical to your professional survival. Staying connected around the clock is the accepted norm, not the exception and remaining competitive means keeping yourself up-to-date on the best apps to help you work smarter, faster, and better.

As thousands of new apps are released into the market every day, staying current on the best and most effective apps for improving productivity and performance can feel like a very daunting task. Luckily, Cydcor has created a shortcut to help you wade through this vast ocean of available apps. We’ve compiled a list of some of most useful apps to help busy professionals stay organized, communicate better and more efficiently, quickly get where they need to go, and be more productive.

The Best Mobile Apps for the Career Driven
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Self-Motivating Tips to Try Today

Aug 8, 2018

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Get Up and Go! Self-Motivating Tips To Try Today

Beast mode isn’t a permanent state; it has to be turned on with self-motivation. Don’t let the success stories fool you: No matter how much you love what you do, even the best of the best struggle to get up and go sometimes.

The first thing to know is that there’s no “right” way to spring into action. Each of us is motivated differently, and to make matters even more complicated, what's empowering in one scenario might actually be de-motivating in another!

So how do you go from waking up on the wrong side of the bed to crushing your goals? It starts with knowing whether you’re positively or negatively motivated, so you can determine which self-motivating tips will work effectively for you.

Here’s what that means.

Positive motivation is reward-centric: the impetus for action is visualizing a desirable result. Negative motivation, on the other hand, is driven by the anticipation of pain or fear.

How do you know which self-motivating tips will work best for you? This is where the ability to self-reflect is key. Think about what scenarios and conversations have given you that extra boost in the past. Have you been more excited by moving toward pleasure or by avoiding pain? Ask your mentor and closest friends for additional insight.

Let’s dive into a list of self-motivation activities to try—each with a positive or negative twist.

Phone a Friend

If you’re positively motivated: Call (or sit down with) your biggest fan. Sometimes, all you need to get pumped up is to hear encouraging words from someone who believes in you.

If you’re negatively motivated: Do you get fired up when someone says you can't do something? If so, this approach to this self-motivating tip might be for you. Mentally prepare. Inhale deeply, buckle your seatbelt—this might not be pretty. Call that one person who gets your blood boiling, the person who doesn’t believe you can achieve your goals. Cut the conversation off once you’re charged up and ready to get going!

Reflect on Past Results

If you’re positively motivated: Even if you didn’t hit all of your goals last week, there are things you undoubtedly did well. Write them down. Take a few moments to acknowledge where you thrived; give yourself a pat on the back.

You can also try this on a larger scale and look back to a high point in your career, a time when you were on top of the world. Perhaps you had just beat your own best, received a compliment from your manager, or earned a promotion. Try to step back into this positive frame of mind. Remind yourself that you’re awesome and that you’ve got this!

If you’re negatively motivated: If you let yourself down last week, come face to face with what went wrong. Remind yourself, for example, that if you continue to have a low sense of urgency, you’ll only delay the promotion you’re after.

Want to go even bigger with this approach to self-motivation? Think about what happened the last time you stopped giving 100% in your career. Maybe you lost your job, struggled in your relationships, or regretted not getting back on the horse sooner. Visualize your fears and use them as fuel to get going.

Set Consequences

If you’re positively motivated: Choose a “carrot” for getting the job done. For example, on Monday, tell yourself, “If I accomplish x, y, and z this week, I will treat myself to a manicure on Friday.” Focus on working toward this short-term goal and visualize how great you’ll feel at the end of the week when you’ve hit your goals using this self-motivating tip.

If you’re negatively motivated: Choose your punishment. “If I don’t accomplish x, y, and z this week, I'll have to work through the weekend and miss the camping trip with my friends.” If you catch yourself slacking at any point during the week, remind yourself how regretful you’ll feel about missing all the fun.

As you discover and try new self-motivating tips, be patient with yourself. Experiment with blending pieces of positive and negative self-motivation—this doesn't have to be black and white. Again, there’s no “correct” way to get going. Figure out what works for you and share your experience with Cydcor on social media!

4 Unusual Productivity Tips that Really Work

Aug 1, 2018

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Business man with checklist and to do list. Man writing and drawing v sign check marks with hand and finger in square box. Project management, planning and keeping score of completed tasks concept.
4 Unusual Productivity Tips that Really Work

Ah, productivity. It seems so simple, doesn’t it? Make a to-do list, prioritize it, then get to work! In reality, we all know this is much easier said than done. Thankfully, there are several surprisingly simple productivity tips and tricks that we can implement to make the most of our time. Check out the four productivity tips below.

1. Implement a Daily Drink and Think

Let’s kick off this list with a productivity tip that’s sure to sound counter-intuitive: Sit down and do nothing.

Yes, really!

One of the best things you can do for yourself is to take 10 minutes a day to just think. Sit down in the morning with your coffee or tea, or at night after a relaxing bath or tucking in the kids. Find somewhere relatively quiet where no one will bother you. Put away your devices. Ponder your day, think about what’s important, and pay attention to what rises to the surface. When you’re done, revise your to-do list as you see fit.

2. Empty your Brain

If you’ve ever watched a survivalist competition on TV, you’ve seen how important it is to conserve resources and be strategic about energy expenditure. Navigating through daily life is no different.

One of the best ways to conserve mental energy is to write everything down, rather than holding thoughts in the back of your mind. Did you just remember that a report is due at the end of the week? Add it to your calendar. Did a great idea just pop into your head? Jot it down. Doing so will make it easier to focus on the task in front of you, upping your productivity.

3. Set a Series of Timers

Depending on your style of working, this productivity tip has the potential to skyrocket your efficiency. This can be particularly effective when there’s an item on your to-do list that you’ve been dreading or if you’re a person who works best under pressure.

Start small. Set a timer for 20 minutes. Force yourself to use every millisecond of the time block to do focused work. Zero funny business allowed while the clock is ticking. Challenge yourself to see how much you can get done in this window. Then, when the timer goes off, set another one for 5 minutes. This time is your reward. Use it to grab a snack, check Instagram, text your mom, or do anything that will register in the pleasure center of your brain. Then repeat. Try playing around with longer working blocks.

4. Create a Must-Do List

Different from your to-do list, this should contain 3 to 5 items that absolutely, no matter what, need to be completed today. You can vary the length of the list based on the heft of the tasks, but the key is to identify which activities are non-negotiable. Tell yourself that you can’t leave work or even go to bed until they are done.

There are a few reasons this works so well. First, the commitment to yourself alone is very powerful. No one wants to let themselves down. Second, human nature is to avoid pain. If you don’t want to work all night, you’ll put the pressure on yourself to ramp up your productivity during the day. Your Must-Do list will serve as an anchor to stay focused on your priorities when you’re tempted to stray.

How do you make the most out of your day? Share your favorite productivity tips with Cydcor on social media!

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3 Tips Successful Salespeople Swear By

Jul 25, 2018

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Text Three Tips That Successful Sales People Swear By
3 Tips Successful Salespeople Swear By

The difference between successful and unsuccessful salespeople has less to do with what they say, and more to do with how they frame the situations in front of them. Emulate the greats by getting into the habit of doing these 3 things.

Success in Sales Tip #1: Be a regular person

If you think of yourself as a salesperson, your customer is going to treat you like a salesperson—and guess what: Most people don’t like salespeople! Instead, frame your interactions as regular conversations between two people. Don’t put on an act; don’t speak in a tone of voice you wouldn’t normally use. Focus on listening carefully, displaying genuine empathy, and making the other person feel as comfortable as possible.

When customers view you as just a salesperson—rather than a fellow human being—they’re more inclined to believe you don’t have their best interests at heart. However, when you’re able to behave naturally and be relatable, it becomes much easier to establish natural rapport, which in turn makes it possible to build trust and work toward your success in sales.

Success in Sales Tip #2: Get to the bottom of “no”

Even if this is your first day selling, you know that you’re supposed to overcome objections. But there are alternative ways to think of this.

Issue the following challenge to yourself: Always walk away from a prospect with 1 of 2 things—a sale or a true understanding of why the customer didn’t buy. (Hint: There’s a difference between a reason and an excuse.)

When someone says they don’t want to buy, simply set out to learn more. Successful salespeople don’t just move on, and they don’t lead with trying to change the person’s mind, either. Remember the advice in tip number 1: Be a regular person. Step into the other person’s shoes. Focus on asking great questions and actively listening to the customer’s responses.

By digging deeper when you get a shallow no, you’ll end up uncovering a lot about a customer’s motivations—their problems, challenges, what they’re looking for, what they’re not looking for, and maybe even past experiences with other vendors. The result? You’ll start turning many would-be nos into yeses—and success in sales.

Success In Sales Tip #3: Master your own body language

Successful salespeople are hyper-aware of their body language and tone of voice. They have a sense of how they’re being perceived, and they’re strategic about using their physical presence to advance a conversation.

Amateurs, on the other hand, don’t necessarily realize that their hands are in their pockets or that they shifted their weight when asked a difficult question. They aren’t aware, per se, that they’re swaying while speaking, that their eye contact is inconsistent, that they're frowning or over-smiling. Folks with less success in sales are generally unaware of how they are coming across.

If you want to become maximally successful in sales, you need to develop an extreme sense of self-awareness and the ability to quickly adapt your body language to the customer and situation. (Hint: Try videoing yourself practice-pitching or ask a colleague for feedback.) It’s important to realize that simply saying all of the right things isn’t enough to become great. It’s up to you to master your own body language so that it becomes a controllable part of the sales process.

What habits have helped you see more success in sales? Share them with Cydcor on social media

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Tips for Achieving Goals & Producing Results

Jul 18, 2018

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Demonstrating excellence isn’t just about doing what is expected; it’s also about achieving goals that may seem impossible. At Cydcor, we take our goals seriously. We don’t just set big goals because we like to impress clients and sound ambitious. We set big goals because we expect to achieve them, because we believe that going above and beyond should be the norm—not the exception. We like being good at what we do, but we aren’t satisfied until we’re great and producing real results. So, what does it take to deliver what you’ve promised, even when the goal feels out of reach? The secret is digging deeper to find that little bit extra you didn’t realize you had. It’s there, in all of us, and when we decide that the only option is success, it shows up just in time to prove that your potential to achieve is truly limitless!

Here are five ways to jumpstart your journey toward achieving your goals and going from good to great:

Lean on Your Strengths

Find what you’re great at and make the most of it. Everybody has his or her own talents, areas of expertise, or skill sets in which they excel. Identify yours and use them to your advantage to produce results. Focus on those areas where you can bring even more to the table, because you know that’s where you have the most to offer.

Work Smarter

You’re passionate, dedicated, determined, and you don’t give up, so nobody can say you’re not working hard. Producing outstanding results isn’t just about the amount of effort you put in, it’s also about the approach. Start asking yourself and the members of your team what you can be doing differently, better, faster, or cheaper to help achieve goals.

Gather Honest Feedback

You can’t expect to get better at achieving your goals if you can’t be real with yourself and embrace all feedback, both good and bad. Reaching that next level and crushing huge goals takes having the courage to accept that you’re not perfect. Every single one of us has room for improvement and honest, constructive feedback is a gift we should embrace, because it helps shed light on our own personal path to growth.

Tackle the Biggest Hurdles First

You’re determined to move mountains, but you can’t and shouldn’t move all of them at once. Decide what matters most to you and your business, and go after those things first. You’re more likely to achieve goals if you’re focused on the things that will bring you closest to the goal line.

Assume the Sale

Know with all your heart and mind that you can do it, and you will! Achieving big goals is as much about how you think as it is about how you perform. Overcoming seemingly insurmountable odds takes a winning mindset. There is no room for self-doubt on the path to producing extraordinary results.

There is no such thing as an unreachable goal. Most of the greatest success stories in the world start with someone who said it couldn’t be done—but somehow, it was! Even when the task seems impossible, there is no excuse for giving up. Dig deeper, find a solution, and deliver on your promises, because the opportunity to “be so good you can’t be ignored” is yours for the taking.

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How to Find a Mentor

Jul 11, 2018

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Two female colleagues in office working together.
How to Find a Mentor

There are several advantages to having a mentor, especially in your professional life. The experience, knowledge, and contacts you stand to inherit from a mentor are immeasurable, but how do you get to that point? Follow these simple tips, and you’ll learn how to find a mentor that’s right for you.

Know Yourself

The first, and perhaps most challenging, part of finding a career mentor that fits your needs is to really understand what you are looking for. Take the time to figure out where you want to take your career. Set goals for yourself. Figure out what your strengths and weaknesses are. What are you particularly good at? What are the areas of your life that you could stand to improve? What are things you can do to actively work on shoring up the areas of your professional life that you aren’t fully satisfied with? It may help to sit down and write out all of these things. Something almost magical happens when you set down abstract concepts in writing. Insights become more palpable and goals feel more obtainable. Define who you are and what you are working towards.

While these are all exercises that are good in and of themselves, what do they have to do with finding a career mentor? Part of figuring out how to find a mentor is realizing that a mentor-mentee relationship requires participation from both parties. You can’t expect your mentor to do all the heavy lifting. By clearly defining who you are and what you want for yourself, you can express that clearly to your future mentor. You can demonstrate that you are an active participant in the relationship, and you can get exactly what you are looking for.

Build Your Network

The only way to find the right mentor is to get out into the world and meet the people in the field you want to master. The stronger your network is, the more likely you are to find the people with whom you truly click. Attend professional events and industry meetups in your field. Seek out volunteer and membership opportunities with professional organizations that are relevant to your career path. Inquire at your alma mater if there are any formal mentorship programs available. Failing that, you may discover that there are alumni events that are great opportunities to build your network. Also, you should make it known that you are seeking out a mentor amongst the individuals in your network. Someone whom you trust could very well provide an introduction that changes your career.

Let It Happen

You are unlikely to find the career mentor you need by asking total strangers to devote their time and energy into a relationship with someone they do not know. Your primary focus as you unravel how to find a mentor should be to focus on your own value and process. You need to be someone who is both enjoyable to mentor and someone worthy of your mentor’s expertise. Be the best version of yourself every day. Bring that best self into your network and let yourself be seen. As long as your remain actively working to better yourself and continue to seek out the mentorship you want, the foundations of the relationship will begin to form of their own accord.

Seek out people who you admire, people who align with your values. Be on the lookout for potential mentors with unimpeachable integrity, and then study how they deal with the challenges in their own careers. Stay open. Stay Honest. Stay seeking. The right relationship will eventually present itself, and you need to be ready for it.

Solidify the Relationship

Once you have found someone with whom you connect well and you feel would be a good fit for you as a career mentor, you need to define what that relationship will look like. Be clear about what you are seeking and what you are willing to bring to the relationship. Schedule regular meetings and check-ins with your mentor. Hold yourself accountable for reaching your goals. Be ready with questions and voice them appropriately. Also, be open to what your mentor has to share with you. Straight talk and honesty are like gold in the mentor-mentee relationship. It may not be always be easy to accept words that are critical, but they are invaluable to your development. A good mentor will tell you what you need to hear, not what you want to hear. Be receptive and attentive. Well-defined roles with accountability for follow-through are the cornerstones of your relationship with your mentor.

A good career mentor can make a gigantic difference in getting all you want out of your professional life. You can benefit from years of industry insight and knowledge about how to navigate that sector, and how to build yourself up. Now that you have figured out how to find a mentor, be sure to explore additional professional advice on the Cydcor blog.

Inside Sales Vs. Outside Sales: Which is Best?

Jul 5, 2018

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Chart showing ways inside and outside sales work together
How Inside and Outside Sales Support Each Other

Companies have many options when it comes to how to build and structure their sales strategies and approaches, and one important decision they will have to make will be whether to invest in inside sales or outside sales. To weigh the benefits and advantages of each sales approach, it’s important to clearly identify what each option entails.

Inside sales are generally done “inside,” from a single location. Inside sales do not take place in person, and they can include interactions ranging from phone calls to emails, chats, social media, and even texts.

Outside sales refers to situations in which a sales rep makes in-person, face-to-face contact with the customer. This can include door-to-door sales, sales made through visits to customers’ homes, offices and local businesses, or retail sales.

Both inside and outside sales can offer advantages to companies wanting to maximize revenue and keep costs manageable. To achieve the absolute best sales and customer acquisition results, companies should pursue a mixture of both. When optimized, inside and outside sales can support each other, helping companies acquire more customers, improve their overall conversion rate, earn greater revenue from customers, and build stronger relationships with the customers that could support better customer retention.

How do inside and outside sales teams work together? Customers who are first contacted by an outside field rep, for example, may have some interest in a product or service, but he or she may ultimately decide against making a purchase. In cases like this, an inside sales rep may be able to follow up with this customer by phone or email to find out why he or she decided against the product or service, and by offering additional information, the sales rep may be able to change the customer’s mind. The inside sales rep may also be able to present alternative products to the customer, such as a different service package, that might better fit the customer’s needs.

Alternatively, the inside sales rep might be able to refer customers to outside sales reps after making initial contact. This customer now has some awareness of a product or service and has built a relationship with the brand. The outside sales rep may then be able to work one-on-one with the customer to find a product or service solution that fits their needs.

These are just a few ways inside and outside sales teams can work in partnership to drive better overall sales results for your company.

Other ways inside and outside sales may be able to work together are:

  • Appointment setting for in-person visits
  • Ensuring overall customer satisfaction
  • Seizing up-sell and cross-sell opportunities
  • Ensuring successful product or service installation
  • Sharing and exchanging customer referrals
  • Catering the sales experience to the customer’s needs and personal communication style

Customers are individuals, and not all customers will respond the same way to the same sales approach. By enlisting both inside and outside sales, you give your company more flexibility to communicate with the customer at a variety of touchpoints and in a variety of ways. By incorporating both sales channels, you can acquire more customers, more easily address weaknesses in your sales funnel, gather more valuable data and customer insights, and boost revenue by giving the customer more information and more options.

Below is a breakdown of the advantages each sale method offers:

  • Outside Sales are Highly Effective: Because outside sales reps make personal, face-to-face contact with customers, they have a great chance of converting them. In fact, research shows that field reps convert leads into sales an impressive 40% of the time. Outside sales reps can make full product presentations, share collateral and other visual aids, and can take advantage of eye contact and other body language techniques for building rapport. Simply put, they can make a strong interpersonal connection, which helps them build confidence the customer needs to make a buying decision.
  • Inside Sales are Efficient: While limited to making only phone or online contact, inside sales can be conducted from anywhere, anytime. Inside sales reps can contact customers across the country—or even across the world. They can quickly move from customer to customer without losing time traveling between customer locations. Inside sales reps can all be managed from the same location, which may make for a simplified hiring and staffing process.
  • Outside Sales Feel Personal: Outside sales reps have an opportunity to build a relationship with the customer, which is invaluable when it comes time to close a sale. They often interact with the customer in their home or at their business, and their face-to-face interactions leave greater room for trust building. This stronger customer bond results in a quality sale, where the customer feels that he or she knows the person they have purchased from; they may feel more personally committed to going through with the sale because the customer feels they have given the sales rep their word.
  • Inside Sales Reps Can Reach Many Customers Quickly: While outside sales reps may sometimes need to contact a prospect several times before making a sale (which could involve long trips to the customer’s location and long, in-person discussions) inside sales reps can get to the point quickly and efficiently over the phone or via digital contact. While the inside sales rep may not convert customers as often, he or she can do so quickly and efficiently, so the rep can contact a higher volume of customers in less time.

Both inside and outside sales offer major benefits, and a winning strategy for sales revenue growth is one that combines the two, allowing them to work in partnership to deliver the best possible results. A sales program that includes both inside and outside sales can interact with the customer at multiple stages of the sales cycle, building product knowledge, strengthening the relationship with the customer, growing trust, fostering interest, and gaining valuable insights about what the customer needs and wants.

To reap the advantages of both inside and outside sales, the smartest organizations are partnering with companies like Cydcor, a leader in outsourced sales and marketing. Cydcor has experience building full-service sales and customer acquisition programs that combine effective outside sales, with inside sales techniques. Cydcor drives high sales volume using traditional feet on the street sales methods, and it supports these efforts through multi-channel and tele-sales techniques to capture, retain, or upsell leads with which the outside sales team has already made contact. By entrusting a company like Cydcor, with expertise and experience in both outside and inside sales tactics, companies benefit from a tested, disruptive, and winning formula that consistently delivers results.

Did Benjamin Franklin Know About Millennials?

Jun 27, 2018

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Did Benjamin Franklin Know About Millennials?

Shirley Levine was an incredible educator that I had the pleasure to work with and learn from. She once asked some teachers, “What is your job?”

The teachers responded, “Teach the kids.”

Shirley said, “That is not it.”

The teachers responded with, “Educate the kids,” and similar concepts.

Shirley said, “That is not it either.”

After a while, when the teachers were perplexed, she said, “Your job is to get the kids to learn. There is a big difference. If your job is to teach, once you deliver your great lesson, you are done. If your job is to get them to learn, you are not done after the lesson. You are only done when they learn the material. Also, kids can learn a variety of ways. They can learn on their own, from their peers, from a book.”

I frequently need to remind myself of this concept. I too often get into teaching mode. My eldest daughter reminded me of this hearing me go over one of my presentations. She thought it was bad. I asked why. She said, “I felt like you were talking at me, not involving me. Millennials like to be involved to learn.”

After the initial shock of her dissatisfaction with a presentation I have given for over 25 years, I remembered this quote frequently attributed to Benjamin Franklin: “Tell me and I forget. Teach me and I remember. Involve me and I learn.”

Did Benjamin Franklin know about millennials 250 years ago? Or, is it always that we learn best when we are involved? It is much easier to teach than find a way to involve. But who wants easy?

Portrait of Gary Polson, CEO, Cydcor
Gary Polson, CEO, Cydcor

Gary Polson is Chief Executive Officer and Chairman at Cydcor, the market leader in outsourced sales. With more than 25 years of business operations experience in accounting, legal and senior management, Gary has propelled Cydcor to unprecedented achievement with clients, culture and philanthropy since 2001. Under his leadership, Cydcor has increased its revenue more than six-fold since 2001 and has been recognized as “…the most respected sales outsourcing company in the world” by Datamonitor and The Black Book of Outsourcing, and one of the “Best Places to Work” by the Los Angeles Business Journal for eight consecutive years. Gary’s passion for excellence and never-satisfied approach has led Cydcor to earn both industry and employer recognition. With Gary at its helm, Cydcor has built its reputation on maintaining long term relationships with clients by consistently delivering results and by going above and beyond to help Cydcor’s clients gain market share and grow.

3 Ways to Take Action to Advance Your Career

Jun 20, 2018

0 min read

Inspirational and motivational quotes - One year from now you will wish yo had started today.
3 Ways to Take Massive Action to Advance Your Career

If you’re serious about advancing your career, you have to be willing to take massive action—there’s no way around it. Top performers in any industry are those who know how to push themselves. They are constantly seeking out a new competitive edge, looking for ways to up their game and achieve the next level of results.

Whether you are just beginning your career and want to get off to a strong start, or you are a seasoned veteran looking to kick things up a notch, it’s all about the willingness to take action and put the pedal to the metal. While there will always be factors outside of your control, the ability to be proactive will ultimately determine how far you'll advance in your career and how fast you get there.

Check out these three tips to help you advance your career.

1. Don’t wait to shine

A shocking number of professionals fail to reach their full potential because they’re waiting for the people who got there first to succeed. You might be doing this without even realizing it. If you truly want to advance in your career, get rid of this mentality. Never be afraid to set the pace, even when you’re the newest member of the team.

Are you awesome at what you do? Shine. Can you break a record? Do it. Do you have great ideas? Share them. Want more responsibility? Rise to the occasion. Take action and unleash your talents on the world. Outwork the person who started five years before you. Whatever you do, don’t wait for someone else to get promoted first just because you’re the rookie.

2. Be hyper-strategic about where you take action

If you want to advance your career, it’s time to be smart about what activities deserve your time and attention. Yes, there are likely three-dozen things on your to-do list—that’s why you need to strategize.

Start by asking yourself this question, “What is one specific change that I could make that would elevate my game?” (Hint: if you’re having trouble answering this, schedule a chat with your mentor.) Simply knowing the answer to this one question can bring clarity to your plan of attack.

Once you’ve got your mission, put the blinders on. Take deliberate action to advance the specific goal that you’ve defined. Give your freshest, most valiant effort while you’re still on a full tank by avoiding lower priority tasks until you’ve made satisfactory gains. If you catch yourself sending your valuable resources in the wrong direction, be sure to pivot quickly!

3. Spring clean your life

Now is the perfect time to get impeccably organized. Set aside a weekend to dust away anything extraneous in your day-to-day life. Put away your winter clothes. Go through the files you’ve downloaded to your desktop. Get rid of old voicemails. Finally hit inbox zero—and come up with a system to keep it that way. This might mean skipping your normal Netflix-dedicated Sunday, but it will be worth it. Nothing feels better than having your ducks in a row. By cleaning up and simplifying your world, you will eliminate distractions and clear up space to focus on how to take action to advance your career.

Remember, successful careers aren’t built overnight. Little things add up to big things. Keep working hard and never stop asking yourself how you can up your game. Be so good they can’t ignore you. You have the power to increase the pace at which you advance in your career.

Be So Good They Can't Ignore You: How to Stand Out from the Crowd & Achieve Success

Jun 13, 2018

0 min read

You Are The Writer Of Your Own Story written on desert road
Stand Out from the Crowd & Achieve Success: Learn How to Be So Good They Can't Ignore You

When asked for his advice on how to achieve success, renowned comedian, actor, and writer Steve Martin once said, “Be so good they can’t ignore you.” But isn’t that easier said than done? We all want to be good at what we do, but how can you become so good that you stand out from the crowd? And, more specifically, what will you be good at? It’s tempting to say that you’d like to be good at everything you do, but to stand out from the crowd and reach your most ambitious goals, it’s important to figure out what you do uniquely well. Then, you can start to build a game plan for how you will push yourself even farther, so you’re not just good, but great. With work and focus, everyone has the potential to become so good they simply can’t be ignored.

Here are five foolproof steps you can take to stand out from the crowd and achieve success:

1.     Make the Choice

They say that the definition of insanity is doing the same thing and expecting a different result. Decide to get out of your comfort zone in order to achieve success and stand out from the crowd. Realize that you can accomplish more and choose to be your best in everything you do. Change your mindset toward action and you’ll discover that nobody can motivate you more than you can. Push yourself to work differently or to put yourself in situations you normally wouldn’t—those are the moments when you can truly learn, and more importantly, grow.

2.     Play to Your Strengths

Don’t focus outward at your colleagues and wonder why they are so lucky or how things seem to come so easily to them. Instead, focus inward, and ask yourself why nobody sees all the talents you possess. It might because you’re not using your abilities to their fullest. Take advantage of the things you already do well and figure out what it will take to become great and to achieve success. What do you do best, and how will you become better than anyone else at that one thing? How will you make that unique skill or talent your calling card? How will you stand out from the crowd?

3.     The Time to Achieve Success is Now

Change is hard, so it might be tempting to drag your feet, but don’t put it off. Waiting will only keep your goals out of reach that much longer. There is no time like the present to start pushing yourself to achieve more. First steps are often the hardest, so getting past that first hurdle might be all you need to start building momentum.

4.     Take Control

This works in sales but it also works in life: Don’t waste time wishing for things to be easier. Instead, seek ways to make yourself better and stand out from the crowd. Realize that the direction of your career and your future are in your hands. You have the power to write your own story and decide where it will lead. Be an example to others by actively tackling the obstacles before you and realizing that challenges are really opportunities in disguise.

5.     Remove Limiting Beliefs

Stop doubting yourself and giving yourself reasons why you can’t achieve success. There are enough setbacks along the way—there’s no reason to create your own. Be humble and stop letting your ego stand in your way. Realize that you don’t have to have all the answers, and embrace the idea that the journey to discovering those answers can help you acquire the knowledge and skills you’ll need to bring your ambitions to life.

Nobody ever said that achieving success was easy. Becoming the best version of yourself and figuring out what you’d like to be known for and how to stand out from the crowd is going to be work. It’s going to take passion, commitment, and endurance, but the alternative is most likely a career path that won’t take you where you want to go. By taking ownership of your story and your future, embracing your strengths, and committing to the values you hold dear, you can open doors to even your most ambitious aspirations. What’s important is realizing that you have much more power than you think you do. Once you figure out how you will “be so good,” you’ll become someone nobody can forget.

Cydcor's #BeSoGood Caption Contest: How are you going to "be so good" this year?

Jun 11, 2018

0 min read

Alexa prize image
Cydcor's #BeSoGood Caption Contest
How are you going to be so good this year?  Comment on the post for a chance to WIN AN AMAZON ECHO DOT!
Contest starts Monday, June 11th, 2018 at 12:00PM PST and will end on Friday, June 15th at 12:00PM PST. Don't miss your chance to win! The winner will be announced on Cydcor’s Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter on Friday June 15th any time after 1:00PM PST. So, do not miss your chance and participate!

Terms and Conditions (Facebook)

Valid entries are comments that caption the related post on Cydcor’s Facebook page.  To be eligible, entrants must be (i) at least 18 years of age and (ii) employees, contractors, officers or directors of an independent corporate licensee (“ICL”) of Cydcor LLC (“Sponsor”), including its affiliates and subsidiaries. Multiple comments per participant are allowed. Profanity or inappropriate language, as determined by Cydcor, in its sole discretion, will be disqualified. Each entry will be entered for a chance to win an Amazon Echo Dot ($50 value). Winner will be selected at Cydcor’s discretion. There will be one selected winner and prize will be mailed to the winning recipient. Contest begins on Monday June 11th, 2018 at 12:00PM PST and will end on Friday June 15th at 12:00PM PST. The winner will be announced via Cydcor’s Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/CydcorLLC?ref=hl) as well as on Cydcor’s Instagram (@Cydcor), and on Cydcor’s Twitter (@Cydcor) on Friday July 15th, 2018 any time after 1:00PM PST. This promotional offer is not intended to create a partnership, joint venture, co-ownership or other association between Cydcor and the participant.

This promotion does not have a connection with Facebook in any way and is not sponsored, endorsed or administered by, or associated with, Facebook. By entering the contest, participants agree to fully release Facebook from any and all liability. AMAZON ECHO DOT is a trademark of Amazon Technologies, Inc.

Terms and Conditions (Instagram)

Valid entries are comments that caption the related post on Cydcor’s Facebook page.  To be eligible, entrants must be (i) at least 18 years of age and (ii) employees, contractors, officers or directors of an independent corporate licensee (“ICL”) of Cydcor LLC (“Sponsor”), including its affiliates and subsidiaries. Multiple comments per participant are allowed. Profanity or inappropriate language, as determined by Cydcor, in its sole discretion, will be disqualified. Each entry will be entered for a chance to win an Amazon Echo Dot ($50 value). Winner will be selected at Cydcor’s discretion. There will be one selected winner and prize will be mailed to the winning recipient. Contest begins on Monday June 11th, 2018 at 12:00PM PST and will end on Friday June 15th at 12:00PM PST. The winner will be announced via Cydcor’s Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/CydcorLLC?ref=hl) as well as on Cydcor’s Instagram (@Cydcor), and on Cydcor’s Twitter (@Cydcor) on Friday July 15th, 2018 any time after 1:00PM PST. This promotional offer is not intended to create a partnership, joint venture, co-ownership or other association between Cydcor and the participant.

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This promotion does not have a connection with Instagram, Inc. in any way and is not sponsored, endorsed or administered by, or associated with, Instagram. By entering the contest, participants agree to fully release Instagram from any and all liability and agree to Instagram’s terms of use. AMAZON ECHO DOT is a trademark of Amazon Technologies, Inc.

Terms and Conditions (Twitter)

Valid entries are comments that caption the related post on Cydcor’s Facebook page.  To be eligible, entrants must be (i) at least 18 years of age and (ii) employees, contractors, officers or directors of an independent corporate licensee (“ICL”) of Cydcor LLC (“Sponsor”), including its affiliates and subsidiaries. Multiple comments per participant are allowed. Profanity or inappropriate language, as determined by Cydcor, in its sole discretion, will be disqualified. Each entry will be entered for a chance to win an Amazon Echo Dot ($50 value). Winner will be selected at Cydcor’s discretion. There will be one selected winner and prize will be mailed to the winning recipient. Contest begins on Monday June 11th, 2018 at 12:00PM PST and will end on Friday June 15th at 12:00PM PST. The winner will be announced via Cydcor’s Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/CydcorLLC?ref=hl) as well as on Cydcor’s Instagram (@Cydcor), and on Cydcor’s Twitter (@Cydcor) on Friday July 15th, 2018 any time after 1:00PM PST. This promotional offer is not intended to create a partnership, joint venture, co-ownership or other association between Cydcor and the participant.

This promotion does not have a connection with Twitter in any way and is not sponsored, endorsed or administered by, or associated with, Twitter. By entering the contest, participants agree to fully release Twitter from any and all liability and agree to read and abide by Twitter’s Rules. AMAZON ECHO DOT is a trademark of Amazon Technologies, Inc.