Beating The Sunday Night Blues – Part 2 of 2
4. Assess whether you’re in the right career or job in the first place! People who truly enjoy their work usually don’t get the “Sunday night blues.”
5. Change your attitude. If you’ve been complaining about your job for a long time, you must take full responsibility for your situation and change it for the better.
6. Focus on long-term objectives. When you have meaningful, long-range goals, you won’t focus so much on Sunday nights or Mondays!
Sunday nights can be tough for anyone, regardless of how happy they are in their current employment situation. No one wants to leave their family, home and personal activities to go back to work on Monday morning.
However, if your professional and personal goals are not being met — if you’re feeling underutilized, overworked or overwhelmed — chances are you’re not in the right career to begin with! And no amount of Sunday night planning can improve upon that.”
Click here to watch helpful career success videos!
To read the entire article, click here!
Beating The Sunday Night Blues – Part 1 of 2
It’s only Sunday night but already you’re thinking about the dreaded event: returning to work on Monday.
If this is the thought that goes through your mind each Sunday night, here are some ideas that can help. I suggest the following six strategies to help overcome those “Sunday night blues” and establish a fresh approach to Monday mornings:
1. Plan out your week on Sunday nights and write down your tasks. This will help break things down into smaller pieces so the work won’t seem so overwhelming.
2. Schedule at least one activity every Monday that you truly enjoy. This will give you something positive to look forward to at the beginning of your week.
3. Make Monday “career day.” Devote part of every Monday to “career management” activities, such as networking, updating your resume or researching other opportunities.
Click here to watch helpful career success videos!
To read the entire article, click here!
How to Deal with an End-of-Year “Pink Slip” – Part 2 of 2
4. Update your “Career Tool Kit.” Finding a new job is easier when you have the right tools! Now is the time to develop some new “Accomplishment Stories” about achievements you feel proud of. Polish-up that “30-second commercial” (a short verbal presentation about who you are professionally); and bring your résumé and all your other job-seeking documents up-to-date.
5. Reach out and network. Did you know that your network – personal and professional contacts – is your most valuable career asset? Why not leverage this resource by scheduling professional networking activities and appointments? Make contact with new people, and let everyone know that you are always interested in hearing about new opportunities.
6. Practice your interviewing and negotiating skills. It’s a fact: better interviews get better offers! Take the time to prepare questions in advance to ask the interviewer; even role play with a friend to get comfortable answering tough interview questions. In addition, devote time to performing diligent salary research. Make it a point to know what you’re really worth – so that when you reach the salary negotiation stage, you’ll be well-prepared and ready to win!
It’s always best to “stay ahead of the game” – making sure all your career documents and job search skills are up to date – just in case that pink slip finds its way onto your desk at the end of NEXT year!
Click here to watch helpful career success videos!
To read the entire article, click here!
How to Deal with an End-of-Year “Pink Slip” – Part 1 of 2
The fourth quarter of the year is the most common time for employees to get laid off. One mistake many people make is that they leave themselves vulnerable by not being prepared for year-end changes in their work situation. If you (or anyone you know) were unfortunate enough to “get the pink slip” in December, the following six steps will help you re-gain control of your career and prepare for a successful transition:
1. Perform an honest assessment of the situation and of yourself. Although most layoffs have nothing to do with individual performance, you should still determine if you could have done anything differently to hold onto your job. This may help you avoid the same fate next time.
2. Take a short mental vacation. Take off a few days to a week, to take stock of your career situation, clear your mind and consider your options. Only then should you begin planning your next career moves.
3. Research the market. Spend time researching the employment trends in your industry and geographic area. This will help you to identify the best companies to work for in your field – which companies are growing and which are contracting.
Click here to watch helpful career success videos!
To read the entire article, click here!
Common Misconceptions About Career Management – Part 2 of 2
4. Employers always offer the most generous compensation they can afford.
WRONG! Employers expect that you’ve done salary research, and they anticipate dynamic negotiations. In fact, they’ll often be disappointed and question your candidacy if you DON’T negotiate. Employers usually state a low salary offer merely as a “trial balloon,” to see how you’ll react – and there’s almost always room to improve on the initial compensation offer.
5. If I just do a good job, my position will be secure.
WRONG! With corporate mergers, downsizings, outsourcing and a shaky economy, NO job is secure. You must take full responsibility for your own career security.
6. My résumé is the only document I need to search for a job.
WRONG! Your résumé is just one of the 10 “tools” you need in your “Job Seeker’s Tool Kit.” In order to land a quality position in today’s market, you’ll also need Accomplishment Stories, Positioning and Departure Statements, a Professional Biography, a Target Company List, and many other vital components.
7. Recruiters will find me a job, so I don’t have to search for jobs myself.
WRONG! Although recruiters can be helpful, the most successful way to find a new opportunity in today’s job market is through networking. It’s fine to use Executive Search Firms, but they’re just one vehicle for you to leverage. Only YOU can find you a new job.
8. Employers are responsible for managing my career path.
WRONG! This statement might have been true in our father’s or grandfather’s time. But now, it’s “every man for himself.” Only YOU have the power to take control of your career and manage it for success. So, make the most of it! Get support and guidance from a qualified Career Consultant if you feel that this would be helpful.
9. Networking is only for entrepreneurs and jobseekers – I don’t need to network now.
WRONG! It’s a smart career move to ALWAYS be networking, no matter what’s going in your professional life. If you don’t need help at this time, build-up your networking power by helping others. Consistent, effective networking will always pay big dividends! It’s just a natural part of ongoing career management.
10. Most good jobs are listed on Internet job sites and in newspapers, so they’re easy to identify.
WRONG! Only one percent of job postings that are on the Web or in newspapers are any good! And that’s where you’ll be competing against 99% of all the other job seekers! Since these odds are not in your favor, you should spend VERY LITTLE time on this search technique – and instead, focus almost all of your time and energy on networking!
Now that you’re familiar with these deadly career misconceptions, you can easily reverse them to have a very positive impact on your career. The first step is to change your thinking, and then to practice productive new behaviors in a consistent manner!
Click here to watch helpful career success videos!
To read the entire article, click here!
Common Misconceptions About Career Management – Part 1 of 2
You get your clothes cleaned when they’re dirty. You pay your bills each month. You see your doctor once or twice a year. You send cards to family-members at each birthday. So, why is it that most people (maybe even you!) don’t integrate career management into their regular routine?
Most individuals have a reactive – not a “proactive” – approach to their careers. Thinking that you only need to “fix your career when it’s broken” (i.e., when you’re laid off, downsized or just plain miserable) is a very unfortunate misconception that will seriously limit your career success!
Here are 10 other common misconceptions about career management:
1. The most qualified candidate gets the job offer.
WRONG! Many times candidates with lesser qualifications get job offers simply because they’ve prepared and presented themselves in a more compelling way. In other words, they’re better self-marketers! Being “qualified” is not enough. You must CONVINCE the employer that you’re the best candidate for the job.
2. As long as I have a job, I don’t have to work on my career.
WRONG! Even if you’re employed today, you never know what may happen tomorrow! To avoid a career disaster, you should incorporate “Perpetual Career Management” into your professional life. Vital tasks like keeping your Accomplishment Stories up to date, or networking regularly with professionals in your industry, should be incorporated into your regular routine.
3. My professional education stopped when I graduated from school.
WRONG! You should always look for ways to advance your professional knowledge. Attending seminars, reading trade journals, pursuing certifications, etc. – these activities should be a part of your ongoing professional development process. It’s imperative that every professional remain current in his or her field.
Click here to watch helpful career success videos!
To read the entire article, click here!
Your Most Effective Self-Marketing Tool – Part 2 of 2
2. What did you do about it? (Not the team or department – YOU).
Examples:
- Assumed management of work groups, departments or projects? (Who? How many? Results?)
- Hired or trained new employees? (Where? How many? Results?)
- Increased production? (How? Results?)
- Developed or implemented new systems or procedures? (What? Benefit?)
3. How did you do it, specifically?
Examples:
- Developed, created, designed or invented something? (What? Why important?)
- Achieved more with the same/fewer resources? (How? Results?)
- Reduced downtime? (How? How much? Result?)
- Improved safety record? (What? Result?)
4. What positive, tangible results did you produce? (Quantify if possible)
Examples:
- Increased efficiency or productivity? (How? Results?)
- Solved difficult problems? (How? Results?)
- Saved the company money? (How? How much?)
- Increased sales or profits? (How? By how much?)
5. What skills did you demonstrate?
Examples:
- Analysis
- Persuasion
- Problem-solving
- Communication
It may take some time to develop your full collection of Accomplishment Stories, but it will be time well-spent. Once you become adept at using your Accomplishment Stories, your search results will dramatically improve and you’ll receive far better job offers!
Click here to watch helpful career success videos!
To read the entire article, click here!
Your Most Effective Self-Marketing Tool – Part 1 of 2
Contrary to popular to popular opinion, you should never rely solely on your résumé as you pursue a job search. Your “Job Seeker’s Tool Kit” should be filled with a variety of documents that will enable you to successfully market yourself with power and professionalism.
Of all the tools in your “Job Seeker’s Tool Kit,” the one that will “sell you best” is your Accomplishment Stories. Yes, these will market you even more effectively than the resume. Why? Because Accomplishment Stories state very specifically what positive things you have done for your previous or current employer, and therefore clearly indicate what you will be able to achieve for your NEW employer! So, if you’re not using this powerful tool in your search, you’re making a big mistake.
Accomplishment Stories should be written on separate pages (one story per sheet), following the structure shown below. Give a short title to each story, and type it at the top of each respective page. Make sure to use strong action verbs at the beginning of every sentence, and avoid passive-sounding phrases, such as “responsible for.” Write your Accomplishment Stories answering the questions below, in 5 distinct paragraphs. You’ll be TELLING these stories; not using them as handouts. So, you’ll want to commit the text to memory and practice delivering them! Here are the questions to answer in your five paragraphs:
1. What was the business problem, need or challenge?
Examples:
- Revenues decreasing (How much? In what timeframe?)
- Competitors out-performing the company (How? With what impact?)
- Poor productivity (Why? How measured? Since when?)
- Inability to meet manufacturing targets (Why? Since when?)
Click here to watch helpful career success videos!
To read the entire article, click here!
