All posts by Jessica Weinberger

Oct 04
0

Strengthening Relationships Through Meaningful Conversations

By | Leadership | No Comments

As business professionals, we talk a lot.  From conference calls to client meetings to the water cooler, we discuss not only business need but our personal lives.  While any professional can talk, it takes a well-trained employee to engage in meaningful conversations, no matter what the topic.

Whether you are an up and coming professional or a seasoned business person, think about the most engaging leaders in your world.  How do they speak to others?  How do they lead meetings and discuss critical issues?  At the end of the day, how they do they get the job done?

Successful leaders know how to engage others in conversation and then contribute their own ideas effectively, which is why we focus on communication in the Dardis Academy.  Even in a world of email and social media, young professionals still need to learn how to brainstorm, discuss and then sell in person.

2013 summer intern Katelyn Wheeldon already knows that the active listening techniques and communications skills she learned in the Academy will benefit her future career:

“I learned that the number one complaint about salespeople is that they talk too much, which made me try to ask open-ended questions and listen to my customers.  Also, learning how to cut out filler words through eye contact helped me give effective presentations and talk to large groups of people,” she said.

Communications training sets the foundation for meaningful conversations in the workplace, which fosters productive interactions.  These interactions are not only positive for employee engagement, but more importantly, they positively impact the company’s bottom line.

Meaningful conversations do not have to be heavy or riddled with lofty words.  LinkedIn contributor John Hall recently posted 13 simple ways that employees can have more meaningful conversations on the company’s blog:

  1. Don’t get too excited about your next thought.
  2. Ask good questions that show you’re engaged.
  3. Do your homework without being creepy.
  4. Try to genuinely relate.
  5. Don’t waste people’s time.
  6. Let people sell themselves.
  7. Ask how you can add value.
  8. Do what you can to help.
  9. Reach out in meaningful ways.
  10. Decrease personal barriers.
  11. Listen and remember key points.
  12. Hold back on sharing how awesome you are.
  13. Recognize other people.

Developing a habit for meaningful conversations does not happen overnight.  Focus on one or two of these simple steps this work week and see how your business thrives.

Photo credit: Victor1558, Flickr

Sep 27
0

Find Your Inspiration At Work

By | Leadership | No Comments

Successful business leaders need a strong financial background, leadership skills, the courage to take risks and a strong moral compass, but the truly successful leaders boast one additional quality – inspiration.

Inspiration looks different for each individual, but all inspired leaders are intrinsically motivated by something greater than him or herself.  Gender and age play an important role, as well, based on a recent survey of LinkedIn members.  The survey showed that women younger than 29 tend to feel less inspired in general than their male peers, but women older than 65 feeling considerably more inspired than men.

LinkedIn went one step further too add context to these results, asking 60 LinkedIn members the simple question, “What inspires you?” The answers may be inspiring in themselves:

  • Richard Branson, Founder at Virgin Group
    “My professional inspiration has no separation from my personal inspiration:  it is people who will stop at nothing to make a positive difference to other people’s lives.”
  • Naomi Simson, Founder, RedBalloon
    “Tell me I ‘cannot’ do, be or have something – and that is the surest way to inspire me into action.”
  • Jim Whitehurst, CEO at Red Hat
    “Most of us are inspired by our family, friends, and colleagues–as I am–but the thing that most inspires me is problem solving.”
  • Claire Diaz-Ortiz, Twitter, Inc.
    “Reading has been my favorite pastime since my earliest memory, and in my adult years books have become some of my greatest inspirations.  I read more than 200 books a year, and most of these books are non-fiction.”
  • Steven J. Thompson, CEO at Johns Hopkins Medicine International, Senior Vice President Johns Hopkins Medicine
    “You need to do more than plod along that safe and known track.  You need to be ready to switch tracks, and to inspire people to follow you when you do.”

At Dardis, we encourage our clients and our students to find their inspiration in their current jobs, as well as their future careers.  We are in the business of training current and future leaders, and our most successful candidates are inspired by what they do and see every day.  Our training through Dardis Communications and hands-on sales experience through the Dardis Academy provides a solid base for clients and students, but motivation and the drive to succeed stems from inspiration.

Spend a few minutes today thinking about what inspires you.  What cause are you strongly connected to?  Which leaders, family members or friends have left an impression on you?  What gets you excited at work?

By identifying these motivating factors, you will be on your way to an inspired (and successful) career.

Photo credit: Nimish Gogri

Sep 20
0

Fashion (and Career) Advice You Can Trust

By | The Dardis difference | No Comments

Our Dardis clothiers are proud to serve as trusted menswear experts for clients nationwide.  From fabric to fit, we know how to make you look your best in a professional setting.  Our products are made with the highest quality materials and most importantly, at the best possible price for you.

We combine fashion expertise with a thorough understanding of the power of a professional image.

Successful people have an awareness and appreciation for professional image and “looking the part,” and our educated clothiers share that knowledge directly with each of our clients.

Our professional image advice comes from more than a decade of training executives through our sister company, Dardis Communications.  The training we provide is proven to be effective in developing effective speakers and respected leaders in companies of all sizes.

You can find career advice anywhere, from the Internet, family members or a thick step-by-step guide at your local bookstore.  Each avenue can provide value, but it’s important to rely on the experts, like Dardis Communications, when preparing for a promotion, new role or when looking for a development opportunity.

Not all advice can be trusted.  Check out Forbes’ “6 Career Tips You Should Put In The Shredder,” for example.  You may have heard these recommendations before, but as the Forbes article states, some advice can be wrong if taken too literally.

  • Don’t argue with the offer.
  • Don’t take risks with your career.
  • Keep your resume on one page.
  • Find a company you can work at forever.
  • Show no weakness.
  • Don’t spend company money.

Through our Classroom to Career program, we educate groups of young leaders to be effective sales people and strong speakers.  The Dardis Academy training program gives students the competitive edge that they need to succeed in the marketplace.  And our clients can’t help but notice.

“I love Dardis!  Yes, the product quality is very good, but I especially like the service.  The students offer great suggestions on clothing options and pairings, which is a huge benefit for some of us who are challenged with what looks good together.  I’m hooked!”
– Chad Furlong, Senior IT Manager, University of Iowa Foundation

So whether a Dardis representative is leading an individual consultation or helping you with your presentation skills, know that Dardis is proud to provide the foundation that will serve you in your career and help you achieve whatever goals you set for yourself.

Photo credit: Ram Karthik

Sep 13
0

Back to School Fall Essentials

By | Style | No Comments

Even if you’re not hitting the books in an evening MBA program, you can still take the opportunity to do your own “back to school” shopping for fall.  The change in seasons is the perfect time to reevaluate your wardrobe and decide what should stay and what should go.

Dedicate one hour in the coming weeks to purge your wardrobe.  What haven’t you worn in six months?  Which items are too big or too small?  Divide your questionable items into piles to either donate or trash, depending on their condition.

Once you have made room in your closet, plan to invest in a few new items, including quality menswear from Dardis Apparel.  As a transitional season, fall does not require you to completely switch out your wardrobe.  You can purchase a small number of staple pieces or finishing items that will keep your professional and casual wardrobe up-to-date before the snow flies.

Not sure where to start?  Here are some ideas from GQ’s fall 2013 fashion preview:

  • A camel topcoat
    Dardis says:  Outerwear is a practical and fashionable investment.  Even the most classic pieces can be personalized depending on the color and length, as well as the buttons and zippers.
  • Loud plaid prints
    Dardis says:  Plaid has flourished in both professional and casual wardrobes, so build off of that foundation this season with an even bolder print.  Think oranges and deep purples in prominent prints.
  • A motorcycle jacket
    Dardis says:  For cool fall nights, add a trendy motorcycle jacket to your closet.  Perfect for the transition from the office to a dinner date, motorcycle jackets prove that a little edge can still be classy.
  • A tweed suit
    Dardis says:  We know more than anyone the importance of a quality suit, but this fall, experiment with new textures like tweed to complement your black, gray or brown staples.
  • Turtlenecks
    Dardis says:  To easily update your wardrobe for this new season, trade your polos or dress shirts for a turtleneck or sweater in neutral colors to pair with a suit jacket or just slacks.
  • Tailored trousers
    Dardis says:  Fit will always be a top style priority, so connect with a tailor or seamstress to customize your dress pants for you.  For an updated look, opt for a slim leg.

Our skilled sales professionals are available to listen to your needs and recommend items from the Dardis collection for your fall wardrobe.

Photo credit: Steven Depolo

Sep 06
0

Interns: The Most Ambitious Entrepreneurs

By | The Dardis difference | No Comments

Our 2013 Classroom to Career internship program has come to a close, leaving us at Dardis more impressed than ever by these talented individuals.  Looking back on this past summer, we witnessed our interns progress from our Dardis Academy training program right to potential buyers’ homes and office buildings, making sales and learning valuable lessons along the way.  They persevered through our rigorous program, even though many of them didn’t even have any prior sales experience!

Congratulations to all of our interns, who we know will enter the working world post-college with unmatched work experience.  We would especially like to honor our top three selling interns, Patrick Gibbs, Elliot Salter and Justin Blackburn.  In last week’s blog post, Patrick described the many benefits of his Dardis internship, and Justin Blackburn echoed his responses.

“You learn a lot of very useful things that you will be able to use down the road in your career,” Justin said.  “It will also look very good on a resume and is a great experience for anyone going into the business world.”

He cited his sale of 42 polos to the athletic director at his high school as his most successful moment, which we previously highlighted on this blog.

Another top seller, Elliot Salter, recalled a sale that he never expected.  He drove two hours to meet with a client and ask for tips solely on his sales pitch, but the meeting led to a large sale late in the summer.

“This summer internship was a terrific opportunity to not only make money and show my employers what I can achieve, but I was able to prove to myself that with hard work and organization, I can really be successful in what I put my effort into,” Elliot said.

A 2013 LinkedIn intern contributed an insightful post to the company’s blog in early August calling interns promising entrepreneurs, diligently working to get people to invest in their careers.  We agree that interns have the unique opportunity to not only receive important professional experiences but also make connections that can make a difference in their future careers.

So how can interns be successful entrepreneurs?  Take this advice from LinkedIn intern Courtney Sanford:

  1. Be innovative:  Take advantage of what makes you unique and don’t try to fill the same roles as your full-time co-workers.
  2. Build a brand:  Social networks provide a great opportunity to build your personal brand, and great entrepreneurs know the importance of managing their online identity.
  3. Impact your company:  Regardless of the size of your company, make sure you add value and are able to make an impact with your projects.
  4. Adapt:  Use your internship as an opportunity to learn new skills and test out your knowledge.
  5. Be a serial entrepreneur:  I can’t emphasize enough how valuable it is to have multiple
    internships that give you varied experiences, perspectives, and skills.

At Dardis Academy, we recognize the importance of real work experience and meaningful internships.  There are numerous student benefits for our Classroom to Career internship program, so as we ramp up for our 2014 program, please consider recommending Dardis Academy to a young entrepreneur in your life.

Photo credit: http://www.zazoomvideo.com/

Aug 30
0

A Successful Summer for Patrick Gibbs

By | Someone you should know | No Comments

Our top sales leader for the 2013 Classroom to Career summer internship program, Patrick Gibbs, took a break from selling to share his perspective on his Dardis experience.  With sales totaling nearly $16,000 and priceless hours of on-the-job experience, it’s clear that Patrick had a successful summer.

How would you describe your Dardis Classroom to Career internship program experience in one word?
I think my summer is actually best described in two words – challenging and rewarding.  The summer was not easy, as every day was a new challenge, whether it was unexpected rejection or just finding the motivation to keep calling and stopping in places.

Overcoming these challenges was, by far, the most rewarding feeling that I’ve had.  Seeing that I was able to address obstacles and overcome them for both personal and financial reward left me feeling accomplished at the end of every day.

What was your most memorable sale of the summer?
For my last sale in June, I had to drive an hour and a half to Iowa City.  Two appointments had cancelled, and I was making the trip for one potential client.  The week had been long, and my sales were far lower than I wanted for that week.  I thought about rescheduling, but decided the morning of that I had made a commitment and would follow through.  The client asked if I would mind if his business partner also sat in, which I was more than happy to accommodate.  After the consultation, I determined that their needs together added up to the Elite Package.

I proposed that they take advantage of that package pricing and split it with just a few modifications.  They accepted, and I was the first person in the history of the company to sell our largest package option.  Needless to say, selling $4,257 worth of merchandise in one sitting was more than worth that trip!  This meant more to me than just a big sale because it reminded me to keep my head up when times got challenging and that hard work will always pay off in the end!

Would you recommend this internship program to your peers?
I would recommend this program to any of my peers.  No matter what your major is or where you want to end up in life, this internship will make you better prepared.  I had always considered myself a salesman by nature and very personable, and I was amazed at how much my interpersonal communication ability grew from the Dardis Academy and then practicing Greg Dardis’ training in the field.  The skills that you learn in the Dardis Classroom to Career internship program will prove to be what sets you apart from the rest of the pack in any career or lifestyle!

Regarding the Academy,  I was not looking forward to 40 hours of training, and I had not been a fan of any professional training that I had gotten before.  I expected to be bored and learn redundant information, but Greg and his entire team captivated me the entire time.  I can easily say that I learned more applicable skills in the Academy than three years of college.  This was an amazing opportunity, and I am so thankful that I gave this program a try.  I know that I learned skills that I will use for my entire life!

Congratulations, Patrick, on your successful summer!

Aug 23
0

Become a Dardis Career Partner today

By | Food for thought | No Comments

Successful companies reach their goals and achieve positive results because of the employees that make up their workforce.  They are the most effective brand ambassadors, the heart of the company and a key measure of success.  But how do companies find the best talent?

Dardis trains the best of the best every year and interacts directly with the leaders of today, as well as the leaders of tomorrow.  Through the Career Partner Program, companies and organizations have the opportunity to connect to those leaders who are trained, motivated and most importantly, proven.

All Dardis Academy interns complete an extensive skills-based training course before embarking on a summer internship that gives them invaluable sales experience that can apply to any field.

Companies that participate in the Career Partner Program can meet students from the Academy, and then work with our Recruitment Managers to fill openings through our resume database.  For only the cost of a few recruiting events, you can have access to people with executive-level training through Dardis Communications, as well as our interns with proven sales and marketing experience.

A 2012 study by the Center for American Progress shows just how costly it is to replace an employee –whether the employee is unqualified, a poor fit or lacks the skills necessary to perform the job assigned.

  • For all positions except executives and physicians, the median cost of turnover was 21 percent of an employee’s annual salary.
  • For workers earning less than $50,000 annually, which covers three-quarters of all workers in the United States, a typical cost of turnover is 20 percent of a salary, the same as across positions earning $75,000 a year or less, which includes 9 in 10 U.S. workers.

By hiring qualified individuals with a track record of success, you can eliminate additional costs and time by retaining quality employees.

Contact us today to learn more about the Dardis Career Partner Program, and be prepared to bolster your talent base with qualified – and proven – candidates.

 

Photo credit: Image courtesy of SOMMAI / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

 

Aug 16
0

The ultimate balancing act

By | Food for thought | No Comments

Have you ever attended a Little League baseball game and seen a parent pacing behind the bleachers on his or her cell phone spouting financials and business updates? Or have you personally rushed through a quick dinner at home to log-in for a webinar with colleagues in Asia-Pacific?

The business world becomes more global every day, requiring employees to stay more connected than ever, often affecting personal commitments and family time.

At Dardis, we regularly interact with business leaders who constantly struggle with maintaining a healthy work-life balance. While professional success requires time and diligence, a burn-out mentality of 14-hour work days and constant travel can have an opposite effect. When work interferes with one’s personal life, relationships can also suffer, leading to lower employee satisfaction and presumably less engagement.

So how can employees – from entry-level positions to the executive level – maintain that elusive work-life balance? To Caryn Seidman Becker, chairman and CEO of CLEAR, employees can have it all. She wrote in a LinkedIn blog post:

“You can ‘have it all,’ but each person needs to define their personal ‘all’ (what makes you happy), because you can’t have everything. For me, my ‘all’ is quality time and focus for my family and my company. A lot gets eliminated—girl dinners, many gym workouts, me time—but I still love my ‘all.’ It is not work-life balance—it is all intertwined. It’s simply life.”

Balancing work and personal commitments is a constant juggling act, but here are five simple steps for moving you closer to a healthier work-life balance:

  1. As Seidman Becker illustrated, prioritize your commitments and define what makes you happy. When you must cut into personal time or eliminate activities, do not cut from this list.
  2. Read those around you. If your spouse consistently complains about your long work hours or if your kids suffer from your absence, it’s time to reevaluate and implement steps to achieving a healthier balance.
  3. Schedule downtime. No one can go full speed non-stop, so make time, even during the workday, for a short walk or lunch.
  4. Identify your go-to people. If you schedule is overloaded, know who you can delegate to, and if you’re on vacation, designate a trusted colleague to fill-in during your absence.
  5. Adapt to your work seasons. Most industries have busy and slow seasons. Take advantage of your slower seasons by dedicating more time to family and friends.

By making a commitment to a healthy work-life balance, you’re already on your way to being successful in the workplace and at home.

 

Photo credit: By KVDP, Shokunin, Aungkarns (Own work) [CC-BY-SA-3.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0) or GFDL (http://www.gnu.org/copyleft/fdl.html)], via Wikimedia Commons

Aug 09
0

Set to Impress: Justin Blackburn

By | Someone you should know | No Comments

In our latest intern spotlight, we feature multi-week top seller Justin Blackburn. Justin, a junior at the University of Iowa, began his Dardis internship with no previous sales or retail experience, but his summer has already proven to be successful.

This 20-year-old Johnston, Iowa native enrolled in the Dardis Classroom to Career program to boost his resume and challenge himself, while building his network and business skills.

“This looks a lot better than working at Hy-Vee, my only other job,” Justin said, “and making some cash never hurts!”

Read on to learn about Justin’s exciting experience with Dardis.

What are your long-term career goals?
I want to find a job that I enjoy going to every day. You’ve probably heard the saying, “If you are going to a job that you don’t enjoy, then you are working. If you are going to a job that is enjoyable for you, then you never work a day in your life.” A well-paying job that I enjoy and can support my future family with is all I can really ask for.

What was the most valuable information you learned in the Dardis Sales Academy?
I think the most valuable information I learned in the Dardis Academy were the communication skills, presentation skills and professional image training. These are skills that I am going to be able to use in every aspect of my life. I am going to have to communicate and present to people, and I need to look sharp while doing it. Dressing for the job you want, not the job you have will be my motto as I start my career.

What are you looking forward to the most with this summer experience?
Networking with business professionals. Networking is huge in the business world today. As the saying goes, “It’s not what you know, but who you know.”

How has the transition gone from the Academy to selling the Dardis product?
It has gone really well as I apply the skills I learned in the classroom to the real world. If you apply the communication, presentation and sales training skills that you learned in the classroom to the actual selling of the Dardis product, you are going to do well. My biggest success story was that I sold 42 embroidered polos to the athletic director of the high school I graduated from. I have known him for a long time and being able to help him and his staff is a huge success story in my eyes.

Do you have a favorite Dardis product?
The multi-herringbone check button-down dress shirt. It is the most versatile shirt we have and it is also a very sharp shirt.

What fashion/menswear advice do you plan to share with all of your clients?
There are two: do not wear a tie with a button-down shirt, ever, and always dress for the job you want, not the job you have.

How do you think your role with Dardis Clothiers will benefit you in the future as you begin your post-college career?
I think it will benefit me greatly. When a future employer looks at my resume, this internship will really catch their eye. It will also be a great talking point in an interview with an employer. I can say that I ran my own clothing business, prospected, networked, sold and that everything was my responsibility. I really think employers are going to be impressed.

Aug 02
0

Four Steps To Achieve Your Goals

By | Food for thought | No Comments

One of the foundational elements of success is goal-setting. Without goals, leaders are left to navigate the business world blindly without clear direction and tangible next steps.

At Dardis, we teach our students early on the importance of goal-setting. Through the Dardis Academy, we encourage interns to set their own personal sales goals for the summer. In addition, we provide an extra incentive for them to reach their goals through a trip only obtained by a set amount of sales.

A Forbes.com article from January highlighted four key steps to achieving goals in 2013, and even though we’re more than halfway through the year, these goals from Nathalie Lussier, creator of The Website Checkup Tool, can still be applied:

1. Getting clear is the first step.
First, take out a sheet of paper or a blank document on your computer, and write out every single thing that you want to achieve in 2013 (and beyond)…Once you have a list of everything that you can imagine for your company in a the next few years, it’s time to prioritize.

2. Rate your goals by profitability and what excites you the most.
This prioritizing exercise allows you to clearly see what ideas don’t fit with what you want to create and achieve.

3. Meet your new best friend: your calendar.
Now it’s time to choose those things that are the highest priority for you and your company and slot them into your calendar. Schedule each of the projects and items that you want to achieve, month by month. Be realistic about what you can achieve in a given month and what steps it involves.

4. Don’t forget to plan for life events, too.
When you do step 3, don’t forget to take it one step further and write down any personal trips, holidays spent with family that you usually take off, or other personal events that you know about ahead of time. That way, you won’t be surprised when “real life” intervenes and you have less time to work.

These are only the first few steps needed to fully achieve your goals, but by following these initial actions, you’re sure to set yourself up for success in the remaining months of 2013!

 

Photo credit:  By Chris (originally posted to Flickr as DSC_0051) [CC-BY-2.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0)], via Wikimedia Commons

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