A colleague of mine mentioned that she was aware of a number of interviews that were taking place for some great opportunities. The majority of the positions would be great fits for young professionals that have completed their academic preparation to enter the job market. We reflected back on the preparation that she had when she left university to enter the job market. We agreed that with all the experience that we have now we could honestly say that we do not do a good job of preparing our young professionals for entering the real world of finding a job.

Why is that? Is it our responsibility to make sure that young professionals are prepared? Would it be appropriate to suggest that it would be a joint responsibility of sorts? How critical is it to prepare people for this when there are talent shortages?

I have reviewed a lot of resumes over the course of my career and I have been mentored/coached in the preparation of my own resume a few times. I can honestly say that we all have room for improvement in the preparation of a cover letter and resume. I can also say that we don’t always prepare for the interview the best we can – so consequently we don’t put our best image out there for a hiring manager to base his/her decision on.

We live in a busy world today so perhaps we don’t have the time to devote to helping others. This is likely a true statement, but not the statement that I like to hear. Helping others be successful is so rewarding and even more so when it involves someone starting their professional life!

Whose responsibility is it to make sure young professionals are prepared? I would suggest that there is joint ownership of responsibilities. We need to provide the assistance and the young professionals need to take advantage of that assistance. Everyone that I have had the pleasure of doing some work with has taken it upon themselves to seek me out. As a result of that, they have been committed to the process we go through and have been successful in securing employment.

We are in the midst of a talent shortage and it will only get worse before it gets better. If you are embarking on your career as a young professional you need to seek out assistance to help you market yourself in the best possible manner. The best paying jobs will go to those who take the time to put their best image forward – will that be you?

Recently I have been working with a number of young professionals in their pursuit of a job upon graduation from university. I have also been doing some work with individuals that have been in the work force for a while and want to take on greater challenges elsewhere. One thing that has been quite evident for all of them is that there truly is an art to the aspect of a job hunting campaign. What is even more interesting and actually is challenging for some, is that it does take some work to be successful. So let’s look at what would make your job hunting campaign a success!

You need to begin the process by building what I refer to as a repository of job experiences. That repository will contain what you did in a particular job and how you grew in that role. It will also include all the situations that you were involved in over your tenure in that position. You will do this for each job that you have had over the course of your career. Now, most think that this is not important, but it will come in handy when we are preparing you for your interview. Image being asked, “tell me about a time when???” and lo and behold you actually have a number of experiences that you can refer to. The process while time consuming pays off in the long run. Remember no one sees this document but you. So don’t be afraid to put down things that might be negative.

Once you have done that part, then we can look at your resume. I strongly recommend a generic resume that contains everything – all your jobs, accomplishments, etc. It may be 3 pages in length or 13 pages. You WILL NOT be sending this one out. Once we have identified a position to apply on, you will create a customized resume for that position and that will be the one that you will send out. You should also choose a resume format that the industry seems to favour at this particular time point. You want the resume to captivate the hiring manager’s attention so that you are guaranteed an interview. Your resume will be targeted to the position and will contain some of the search words that you see in the advertisement. By doing so, you will ensure that your resume gets noticed. Your resume should be free of errors – no spelling mistakes! You should also rank order your bulleted accomplishments according to order of importance based on the job advertisement. This will also assist in capturing the hiring manager’s attention.

Now let’s move on to the cover letter. The cover letter should NOT be a copy of the last one you sent out. It too, should be customized to the position.  You want to make sure that whatever you say in the letter is backed up in the resume with experience. I have known job hunters that have not made it past the original screening because the cover letter did not align with the resume.

If you are still a little uneasy or unsure about all of this, you should seek some help with your job hunting campaign. A job hunting campaign that is done properly will take some time, but by following this process you drastically increase the success rate of your campaign.

When I filled my dinner plate over the festive season it was piled high as usual at this time of the year. I would do my very best to get through it all and even save room for some pumpkin pie and whip cream. In the end, I would not be happy about my decision and would feel uncomfortable from having taken “more than I can chew” and guilty about how hard I was now going to have to work to not gain any weight.

It was during this time, that I came to realize that life is much the same as what I had experienced with my holiday over eating. My life which you can visualize as a plate, always has room for more – room to grow. How I find the right balance for what is on my plate is the key to keeping all the other variables of life in order.

Does that mean that the choices I make on how much I put on my plate are choices that I typically have control over? You bet you do! You need to find the right balance of what you can actually “chew on” so that you are not faced with that feeling of being uncomfortable or guilty. We all want to do more, but is that always the right decision? I had a long list of things that I was to do this morning, and in the end I forgot to do one of the tasks that I had been assigned. Was it an earth ending thing? No, but I was left with a feeling of guilt as someone had counted on me doing that task. My plate was too full.

Take a look at the person beside you. Do you see what is on their plate? Do you wonder how come they do not have as much as what you do? All too often we allow what is on our co-workers/supervisor’s plates to drive how much we put on ours. Comparative work is really what drives competition and, at times, co-worker rivalry. You see it all the time; a colleague is working on a project when another colleague finds this out they are left to wonder why they didn’t get the project and that could push them to create a new venture.  Just like in the holiday season…..you look at other peoples plates and their food always look so much better and your left to go back and taste more just to see! You really do need to look within and have on your plate what you are comfortable with. You need to make sure that what is on your plate is not what defines who you are as a person.

When you look at your plate and see your life ahead of you, what thoughts are flowing through your mind? Do you see problems or challenges? Do you see yourself standing in front of a mirror and are you happy with whom you see? Do you tell yourself how glad you are to know the person you see standing there? You need to view your plate in a positive sense as you truly do have control over what is on your plate and the manner in which you will deal with it.

“Just as your car runs more smoothly and requires less energy to go faster and farther when the wheels are in perfect alignment, you perform better when your thoughts, feelings, emotions, goals, and values are in balance.” – Brian Tracy

“Balance is not better time management, but better boundary management. Balance means making choices and enjoying those choices.” -Betsy Jacobson

References:

1.       Co-authored with Jaylene Boulding.

With the countdown already starting to the holiday season it is time to reflect on what we can do to make the holiday season a memorable one, free of stress and depression. Here are some tips that I found from the Mayo Clinic that will be of some help to you as you begin to plan for, and enjoy the holiday season.

Tips to prevent holiday stress and depression

When stress is at its peak, it’s hard to stop and regroup. Try to prevent stress and depression in the first place, especially if the holidays have taken an emotional toll on you in the past.

1. Acknowledge your feelings. If someone close to you has recently died or you can’t be with loved ones, realize that it’s normal to feel sadness and grief. It’s OK to take time to cry or express your feelings. You can’t force yourself to be happy just because it’s the holiday season.
2. Reach out. If you feel lonely or isolated, seek out community, religious or other social events. They can offer support and companionship. Volunteering your time to help others also is a good way to lift your spirits and broaden your friendships.
3. Be realistic. The holidays don’t have to be perfect or just like last year. As families change and grow, traditions and rituals often change as well. Choose a few to hold on to, and be open to creating new ones. For example, if your adult children can’t come to your house, find new ways to celebrate together, such as sharing pictures, emails or videotapes.
4. Set aside differences. Try to accept family members and friends as they are, even if they don’t live up to all your expectations. Set aside grievances until a more appropriate time for discussion. And be understanding if others get upset or distressed when something goes awry. Chances are they’re feeling the effects of holiday stress and depression too.
5. Stick to a budget. Before you go gift and food shopping, decide how much money you can afford to spend. Then stick to your budget. Don’t try to buy happiness with an avalanche of gifts. Try these alternatives: Donate to a charity in someone’s name, give homemade gifts or start a family gift exchange.
6. Plan ahead. Set aside specific days for shopping, baking, visiting friends and other activities. Plan your menus and then make your shopping list. That’ll help prevent last-minute scrambling to buy forgotten ingredients. And make sure to line up help for party prep and cleanup.
7. Learn to say no. Saying yes when you should say no can leave you feeling resentful and overwhelmed. Friends and colleagues will understand if you can’t participate in every project or activity. If it’s not possible to say no when your boss asks you to work overtime, try to remove something else from your agenda to make up for the lost time.
8. Don’t abandon healthy habits. Don’t let the holidays become a free-for-all. Overindulgence only adds to your stress and guilt. Have a healthy snack before holiday parties so that you don’t go overboard on sweets, cheese or drinks. Continue to get plenty of sleep and physical activity.
9. Take a breather. Make some time for yourself. Spending just 15 minutes alone, without distractions, may refresh you enough to handle everything you need to do. Take a walk at night and stargaze. Listen to soothing music. Find something that reduces stress by clearing your mind, slowing your breathing and restoring inner calm.
10. Seek professional help if you need it. Despite your best efforts, you may find yourself feeling persistently sad or anxious, plagued by physical complaints, unable to sleep, irritable and hopeless, and unable to face routine chores. If these feelings last for a while, talk to your doctor or a mental health professional.

Take control of the holidays

Don’t let the holidays become something you dread. Instead, take steps to prevent the stress and depression that can descend during the holidays. With a little planning and some positive thinking, you may find that you enjoy the holidays this year more than you thought you could.

References:

1. Holiday depression and stress. Mental Health America (formerly National Mental Health Association). http://www.nmha.org/index.cfm?objectid=c7df954d-1372-4d20-c80ed0a7ab69d250. Accessed Sept. 8, 2009.
2. Coping during this holiday season. Mental Health America (formerly National Mental Health Association). http://www.mhai.org/Holiday_Stress.pdf. Accessed Sept. 8, 2009.

You will recall my last post on how important a resume is to your job hunting excursion. Now we need to talk about the interview process.

When employers ask you, “So tell me what you know about our organization”, this is a twofold question. It is typically used as an ice breaker before they get into the formal part of the interview. It is also used to gauge how much research you have done on the company. That sends a real good message to the hiring manager that you have taken the time to research the organization and that you must want the job! When you respond to that question with, “I kind of looked at your website, but not much else after that” and you offer very little in the way of information, and my interest in you as a future employee has dwindled.

Let’s say that you did some research and answered that question fairly well. It’s now time to move into the formal part of the interview. Have you gone through some mock interviews to prepare yourself for this important part of your job hunting excursion? Have you mentally prepared yourself for the interview? Have you used mental imagery to prepare for the interview? All of these questions should be surging through your mind way before the actual interview takes place.

A job hunting excursion requires some forward planning and preparation. If you are unsure of how to begin this journey then you need to get some assistance. If I were to use an analogy from the “old west gunfight days”, there is little sense in going into a gunfight with no bullets.

I have been involved in some hiring processes the last little while. I am actually in shock on the quality of resumes that we are seeing come across hiring manager’s desks. It seems as though people are creating a generic resume that they blast out to every opportunity they see. The cover letter they send is not much better.

People, job hunting requires work!!!! You need to tailor your resume and cover letter to the position. You will also find in doing so that you might find out that the position you are applying on is one that you are not quite ready for. You may not have all the skills. If you don’t then I would not apply. On the flip side, a poor resume and cover letter can also mean that you are screened out even though you may be the most qualified person.  You now have your own closely guarded secret due to a poor resume and cover letter.

If you are unsure of how to do this, take some time and find someone to give you some assistance. It will be a wise investment of your time.

I always look for the positive in something that happens. That may also include times that someone has provided me with some very constructive feedback on a task that I had performed. Some days that can be hard to do! When I stay true to my values and draw on my positive energy that task becomes simplified. My personal values drive who I am and who I have become. How about you? What has shaped who you are today?

I am very fortunate in that I am a firm believer in the development and understanding of my personal core values. A good friend of mine had that very same experience after I did a presentation to a group on values and creating personal mission statements. The outcome of that experience was that he left the organization he was with to pursue another where the corporate values were more in alignment with his. He didn’t realize what he was caught up in until we attempted to match his personal values with the corporate ones – there was no fit! He had entered that ugly vortex of discontent where getting up and going to work was now a chore and his career had become just a job. Are you caught in that vortex and can’t get out?

How do you determine what your core values are? To answer that you need to ask yourself the following:

• What shapes your behavior?
• What are you passionate about?

• What do you absolutely love to do?
• What motivates your achievements?

Your personal core values are standards that greatly influence your attitude and character. They are deeply etched into your emotional and mental make-up, and are not easily changed.

Think of your values as a directional finder – when you wander off the path or lose direction, they bring you back on track. When you are fully clear on these values, you attract to you people of like mind who share the same desire to lead a purposeful, authentic life. You draw on each other’s positive energy!

Knowing your personal core values is the key in defining your life purpose. Your core values:

• Clarify your understanding of who you are
• Require no justification to others
• Guide you in making decisions and choices
• Run all your relationships

Just like the biggest part of an iceberg is beneath the water and determines where it goes, your values determine your journey throughout your whole life.

Mostly invisible to others, your values may remain unknown to you too – if you don’t deliberately take time to define them.

And when you don’t know them, life seems a senseless race to fulfill one seemingly important goal or another, leaving you increasingly unfulfilled, drained and out of control.

Each of us is motivated to move our lives in certain directions. That motivation is determined by the values we subscribe to. Our values are thus the formations and ideations of thought, the distinct formulations of understanding that express what we perceive to be important truths about life. These ideals are then reinforced by our emotions and feelings, which turn those mental perception into a vital passion that we hope to realize in our lives. Whether we actually make the effort to implement them is another matter.

Without values, we would be creature-like, mechanical-like beings compelled to action solely by our urges and passions. In this inhuman existence, there would be little consideration for truths we hold dear, let alone implement them enrich our lives. In this reality devoid of values, we would live unconscious lives, without meaning or purpose. On the other hand, when we take to values, we live a purposeful and dynamic existence.

Thoughtful people are continually thinking about those things they cherish and believe in. Powerful people are also motivated and driven to implement them in their lives. In fact, the most successful people are constantly evaluating their values, and are continually driven to turn them into a living reality. For these individuals, values are an inexhaustible source of inner power that energizes them to no end; driving them to the heights of success, while bringing about deep fulfillment in their lives.

Are you in the vortex and struggling to find your direction and purpose in life?

References:

1.    Living – on – Purpose. Net

2.    ‘The Miraculous Phenomenon of Life Response’ – Roy Posner

Have you ever wondered why you attract a certain type of person? Have you ever looked in the mirror and expressed displeasure with what you saw? Have you ever said I am not good enough for that job so there is no sense in me trying for it?

All of these are examples of a person that radiates negative energy. You may find it very demanding and very energy draining to be in the presence of someone that emits negative energy. What can you do about it?

Certain people give off positive energy, others negative. It’s the quality of someone’s being. It also reflects the inner work they’ve done, their efforts to heal anger, hatred, or self-loathing, which poison us like toxic fumes. Energetically these linger, precluding joy from shining through.

Signs of Positive Energy in People

• They exude an inviting sense of heart, compassion, and support.
• You intuitively feel safe, relaxed, wanting to get closer.
• They emanate a peaceful glow.
• You feel better around them. Your energy and optimism increase.

Signs of Negative Energy in People

• You experience a sense of being demeaned, constricted, or attacked.
• You intuitively feel unsafe, tense, or on guard.
• You sense prickly, off-putting vibes. You can’t wait to get away from them.
• Your energy starts to fizzle. You may feel beleaguered or ill.

When I was growing up and even now, within seconds of meeting someone, I knew whether or not I liked them. This wasn’t about looks or how nice a person seemed and it would happen before we exchanged a word. We need to remember that people aren’t always as they appear. Sensing energy reveals a fuller picture. I don’t care how intelligent or attractive someone is on paper, if he/she zaps your energy, they are not for you.

How to Change Negative Thought Patterns into Positive Energy

1. Stop embellishing the worst case scenario. “If I don’t ace this presentation, I’ll get fired.” Your habit is to predict the absolute worst outcome; everything is a potential disaster. “Everything will be ruined if they don’t show up on time.” Every mole is a sign of cancer, every headache a brain tumour. Those are not positive thoughts that will help you achieve your goals.

2. Make thoughts positive and focus on good things. When someone compliments you, revel in the feeling. Enjoy feeling flattered, and shrug off that negative energy. Positive thoughts will help you achieve your goals.

3. Stop mind reading, especially when you’re plagued by negative thinking! “I don’t care what you say; I know what you’re thinking. You think I’m stupid!” “They all hate me.” You think you know what others are thinking or feeling, regardless of what they say. This is negative energy that blocks positive thoughts. Let go of negative energy and make positive thoughts work for you.

4. Make thoughts positive by accepting who you are. Wait and see what happens. Was it Mark Twain who said that most of the things he worried about never happened? You don’t know if you’ll miss the flight, you don’t know if you’ll get the job – so don’t indulge in negative energy until you have to. Positive thoughts help you achieve your goals if you focus.

5. Your negative energy is a depressing filter. Positive energy and positive thoughts will refresh and revitalize you. Create positive energy by being rational. Arguments can be healthy ways of learning more about yourself and your partner. Positive thoughts put life in perspective.

Believe it or not, as human beings, we are transmitting positive or negative energy all the time. According to the law of attraction… those who are transmitting positive energy will attract positive things; likewise those who are transmitting negative energy will attract negative people.

Life is too short… why focus and waste our energy on negativity? Why not focus our energy on more positive things? You can train your mind to focus on positivity rather than negativity. As part of the work that we do with people to make them successful, TalentC explores their positive and negative energy. Look in the mirror and tell me what you see. Is that someone that you would want to be associated with?

Having a job or a career is one thing. It does put food on the table. Having a job or career that actually fits who you are as a person is the dream that we all want fulfilled, or is it? With the economic downturn that countries have experienced, is it more important to just have a job or a career or one that actually fits you as a person?

Let’s say that our dream of a job or career that actually fits who we are as a person comes true. What would the benefits be?

1. You enjoy better  health, a longer life, more vitality:

Leading a satisfied, purposeful life is the most effective thing you can do to live a long, long life. People whose work is fulfilling are more resistant to disease and heal more quickly when they do get sick. Why not turn your sick days into vacation days? People die in disproportionate numbers within three years of their retirement because they have nothing to live for.

2. Enhanced personal and professional relationships and are more fun to be around:

Live your life fully and enjoy great relationships. People want to be around those that lift their spirits out of the mundane pace of day-to-day routines. Your enthusiasm will spark those around you, who then become better company themselves. With your working life as a major source of satisfaction and self-esteem you will have a powerful positive effect on the other areas of your life, including your relationships.

3. More success and more productivity:

There is a close relationship between career satisfaction and material success. People that enjoy their work put their heart and soul into their careers. Have you looked at what you can accomplish when you are completely immersed in a task that you enjoy? Have you then looked at your productivity when you are doing something that you have been forced to do? There is a big difference in your productivity and satisfaction levels when it is something that you want to do and enjoy doing.

4. Heightened self-esteem:

Self-esteem is the reputation that you have with yourself. When you look around you, how much do you admire people who grumble about their lives, blame their circumstances, and resign themselves to a life of mediocrity? If your career is not satisfying and your self-esteem is low, you are probably not neurotic. You are just being honest with yourself. You need to create a future you will be proud of and spend your days doing something you love.

5. A better role model for children:

It’s all about learned behaviour. In some of my teachings of mental preparation we examine the aspect of learned behaviour. In some of the work that I do with job coaching and life coaching we talk a lot about learned behaviour. In my mentoring work with various people, one can certainly tell how a person was raised or the various work environments they have been in by their learned behaviour. Your children will model themselves after who you are and what you do. If you want to be proud of them, live so you are proud of yourself.

6. Lead a life that counts:

Your career is your best opportunity to make a contribution. It’s not the same thing spending your life in a job that is meaningless to you and then trying to make a difference in your spare time. This is a chance for you to give back and to leave a legacy.

7. You look forward to life:

Just as laughter is infectious, so are listlessness, dissatisfaction, and boredom. This will follow you home from work and infect other parts of your life. I know all too well what happens here where a job that is not satisfying has consumed who you are and that is transferred into your home life. It has a dramatic impact on your personal life, family life and your physical and mental health.

8. You have a deeper, richer, more authentic sense of humour:

Humour that wells up from a core of well-being and satisfaction is very different from the cynical jokes of those trapped in a life of resignation. Imagine smiling and snapping your fingers when you are stuck in the morning or evening commute to or from work. Imagine having thoughts of a job well done and embracing the joy of living.

“If you do not feel yourself growing in your work and your life broadening and deepening, if your task is not a perpetual tonic to you, you have not found your place.” (Orison Swett Marden)

References:

1.       The Pathfinder – Nicholas Lore – January, 1998.

I have been job/life coaching a number of people over the course of my career and wanted to share some observations.

Observation #1: – The Resume

Your resume is the ticket to get your foot in the door with a perspective employer. It is the first step in selling yourself. A good resume will take time to build and should be customized to the job that you are applying on. With the people that I work with, we build a generic resume and then draw from that to customize the job specific resume. There is also an upside to all this work – you very quickly figure out whether or not you are qualified for the position. If you have little experience to move from your generic resume to the customized resume, then perhaps this position is not a good fit for you.

Observation #2: – The Cover Letter

So this is the easy one – right??  You just copy and paste from the job advertisement and you are off to the interview – WRONG!! Recruiters/staffing personnel can pick that type of cover letter out of the pile very quickly. It sends the wrong message to your perspective employer that you couldn’t be bothered to take the time to write a job specific cover letter that is targeted at their position. I can remember moving applications to the bottom of the pile when the cover letter was a “copy and paste” of the job advertisement. Show that you are sincere, take the time to prepare a job specific cover letter. Be unique!

Observation #2: – Networking

This is one of the hardest things to do for most people. It’s getting your name and what you are capable of doing out there. We have all heard of someone getting that dream job and we never saw the advertisement for the position. Someone had worked really hard at building a solid network and it obviously paid off. Practise your 3 minute elevator speech so that if an opportunity presents itself, you can sell yourself in that short period of time. Know your audience so you can tailor that 3 minute pitch to get the most value from it that you can.

Observation #3: Interview Preparation

I can tell how much time and effort you have put into preparing for an interview within minutes of you walking into the interview room and you have answered a few basic questions.  To properly prepare for an interview you need to do some research on the organization that you may be working for to understand their business and goals. You need to make sure you get some insight into what their corporate culture is, as it may not be a fit for you. You should also have created a repository of work experiences that you can draw on to provide structured responses to certain interview questions. Take the time to find someone that can ask you some sample interview questions. How you respond is important in an interview. The more you can prepare the better the impression.

Observation #4: Appearance

I met with one of my protégés the other day. When this person walked into the coffee shop we were meeting at you couldn’t help but notice some key things. You saw a very confident individual that was passionate about what they were doing. You saw a person that was professional attired and took pride in the image that they portrayed not only about themselves but as an ambassador for the company they worked for.

Your appearance does matter. It is very important for the interview and just as important for when you are at the workplace.  My protégé reiterated that day what we had discussed at the beginning of our relationship, “you need to look at it as though you are being interviewed all the time”.

If finding a job or changing jobs is important to you, take the time to do it properly and the results will be well worth the effort!