So what does all this advice look like in action? Here are two examples:
A sales development representative looking to move into an account executive or similar role might say something like:
“I like to start each day by going over my schedule to make sure any calls or meetings I have are top of mind and I get any prep work for those done first thing. Then, I usually answer my emails while I’m still fresh. I like to make sure I’m giving any warm leads my fullest, clearest, attention so I generally jump to those conversations first and reply right away or take the immediate actions I need to to get them the answers to any questions they have. Then I check my LinkedIn messages and voicemail and reply accordingly to cold contacts that yielded responses. After that, I usually spend any remaining free time before lunch researching prospects. In the afternoon, I find I’m more social and high energy so I channel that into cold calls and messaging. Usually I’ll have one or two scheduled calls with leads each day, and while I prefer to put those in the afternoon, I’ll defer to their preferences. I also try to listen in on a sales call two to three times a week to get a sense of how our account executives are closing deals, both to learn more about that step myself and to know what messaging will likely resonate with leads I speak with. I update Salesforce throughout the day, but before I leave, I double check to make sure I didn’t forget to record anything.
A marketing manager with a highly varied schedule may give an answer like:
“One of my favorite parts of my job—and what drew me to apply to this one—is that there is no true ‘typical’ day. Generally on a day when there are no big meetings or presentations, I try to start my morning by catching up—reading and, if necessary, responding to my email and direct messages and checking in with my direct reports. I try to do any creative work mid-morning when I can—whether that’s brainstorming new campaigns or helping someone on my team come up with content or copy ideas—since that’s when I’m most energized. Generally, my company clusters routine meetings in the middle of the day—from 11 AM to 2 PM—to account for our remote workers across the country, and I usually spend most of that time in meetings and use any breaks to grab lunch. My team knows that 2 PM is usually when I help them with anything that’s come up during the day and then respond to any requests from other departments or people outside the company. Depending on what time I’m done with that, I usually spend the remainder of my day on focused work whether that’s doing analyses of ongoing or completed campaigns or putting together presentations. Is there anything you’d like to hear more about?