Updated February 19/2009
Don't forget to check Lions Toolbox as many articles there could also be beneficial to your career too! You may even recognize some of the ones posted here as they were copied from the Toolbox.
Grads How To Find A
Job
http://dadsandgrads.about.com/od/adviceforgrads/a/howtofindajob.htm
Clear the Clutter From Your Desk
I may not be a good housekeeper, but I do like a neat desk. Not that I always
manage to maintain its order on a regular basis, rather I feel better
approaching my work if I don't have to scramble under a pile of old reports for
the stapler.
Index
Accelerate your career and get noticed
Achieving career success Feb 15/08
Achieving flow and happiness in your work July 3/08
Acing your first job interview July 5/08
Afraid To Decide On Your Career July 30/08
Are you effective or just efficient April 29/09
Are you suffering from work addiction June 11/08
Art of negotiation- Fifteen steps to success Feb 25/08
Art of refining ideas May 8/08
Avoid ending your career at the holiday party Dec 12/07
Back to School-Good Idea or not? Jan 11/08
Bad to the Bone: Dealing With a Bad Boss May 19/09
Balance Life and Work Sept 13/08
Be Happy at Work Nov 6/08
Be Prepared to Quit Your Job April 25/08
Beat stress when working from home July 30/08
Becoming successful Sept 29/08
Before You Consider a Career in Child Care Jan 19/09
Before you kill your job ask yourself tough questions Sept 20/08
Being Present for the Overworked and Overwhelmed March 6/08
Best reason to quit your job Dec 14/07
Better time management through better focus April 25/08
Big Fish Little Pond March 12/08
Big girls do cry Jan 25/08
Body Language Tips for the Office Party Dec 5/08
Boosting your happiness and productivity at work Sept 29/08
Brand Yourself for Career Success Jan 26/09
Breaking Your Glass Ceiling Dec 14/07
Bridging age gaps in the workplace March 12/08
Bringing the Comforts of Home into the Office April 8/09
Building a home office March 30/09
Building Strong and Supportive Relationships at Work March 21/08
Building your professional identity March 28/08
Business decisions you will absolutely regret April 15/08
Business Image Mistakes That Can Derail Your Career Nov 30/07
Can you improve meetings with right brained thinking Nov 24/08
Can you limit yourself to an 8 hour day June 11/08
Career advice and interview tips Jan 30/09
Career Advice from the 11 mile run April 17/08
Career Survival Kit Dec 13/08
Career Killers Dec 7/07
Career skills to keep you employable Dec 18/07
Career survival kit Feb 27/09
Case for Not Tweaking Your Resume March 12/08
Changing careers Sept 13/08
Changing Careers in Midstream Jan 7/08
Choosing a career over love April 25/08
Climbing out of the pigeon hole Sept 2/08
Coach Yourself to Success Feb 18/10
Committing to your career April 16/08
Communication situation March 10/08
Communication tips that will take you to the top Nov 28/07
Conflict: How to approach issues with employers and managers July 25/08
Congratulations on your promotion...or maybe not April 15/09
Consider this Strategy for Success: Jan 4/08
Coping with an abusive boss or Irritating coworkers April 7/08
Cost of working in a digital world April 10/08
Creating a killer career plan Nov 21/08
Create a Peaceful, Relaxed Workday March 6/08
Creating a minimalist workspace June 19/08
Creating Job Satisfaction Jan 8/09
Daydreaming in meetings? ways to focus and listen attentively May 20/09
Deadly Sins of Job-Hunting May 3/09
Dealing With a Bad Boss Feb 25/08
Dealing with a career you simply hate March 18/08
Dealing with a grumpy boss March 21/08
Dealing with burnout without quitting
Dealing with difficult coworkers
Dealing With Jealous Coworkers
Delivering Difficult Messages at work April 10/08
De-Stress Your Commute Sept 9/08
Difference between a job and a career July 12/08
Discussing money at work July 25/08
Do What You Love and Starve Jan 11/08
Do you have what it takes to do your own thing Sept 29/08
Don't keep personal data on your work computer Feb 23/09
Don 't let family affect your work March 6/08
Early reflections on a career change March 30/08
Earn Extra Income as a Single Parent Jan 19/09
Eat Well at Work and Beat Diabetes Sept 9/08
Effective workplace communication March 30/08
Eleven steps to loving your work after forty Sept 9/09
Encouraging Learning in the Workplace April 24/09
Enjoy your life separate from your home Feb 11/08
Entering the workplace try the 50% solution March 21/08
Entrepreneurs Guide to Success Jan 11/08
Entrepreneurial Thinking Dec 14/07
Escape the cubicle farm March 31/09
Essential steps to take BEFORE you're laid off Dec 9/08
Essential tips for developing skills Oct 4/08
Feng Shui Tips For Offices Jan 8/09
Feng Shui Your Office Feb 7/08
Financial Considerations When Changing Jobs Nov 18/08
Find passion in your job Sept 30/08
Find work worth doing April 30/08
Finding good ideas for business and life March 12/08
Finding legitimate work at home opportunities March 24/08
finding the elusive balance between work and life Nov 10/08
Finding the work you love Aug 13/08
Finding Your Dream Job Jan 23/09
Fine tune your professional life June 19/08
Finishing that big project March 26/08
Free Sample Resumes, Examples, and Templates Dec 20/08
From cubicle to home office Sept 20/08
From Struggle to Success - Where Do I Start Dec 5/08
Fulfill Your Boss’ Expectations
Get a great annual Review Dec 5/07
Get experience for that job listing April 28/08
Get Ready for Your Next Promotion Feb 7/08
Get that energy rolling at your work June 23/08
get your boss to love you Nov 21/07
Getting by without a job Dec 1/08
Getting decisions made easier March 20/09
Getting things done Jan 31/08
Go green in the office Sept 2/08
Good Writing is a Key to Success; Rewriting is the Key the Good Writing March 4/08
Guide To Success for Your Next Job Interview Oct 31/08
Habits that will prevent your success March 10/08
Handling Criticism- for a sensitive person March 30/08
Handling stress when you start working from home March 18/08
Hard work works August 1/08
Healthy competition or battlefield work March 28/08
Help for the Long-Term Unemployed Jan 11/08
Helping Co-workers Cope With Loss March 6/08
Hot Tips For Developing Your Winning Personal Success Strategy Feb 23/09
How Do I Choose the Right Career Sept 2/08
How do you turn passion into a career Oct 8/08
How long could you survive without a job Nov 24/08
How many bosses do you have Sept 17/08
How the new rules at work are changing the game Oct 14/08
How to ace the job interview and get hired August 24/09
How to achieve the creative state of flow Nov 30/07
How to Appear Confident and Assertive, in an Interview
How to avoid the inevitable argument with your boss June 14/08
How to Avoid Work-at-Home Scams May 8/09
How To Avoid Work-at-Home Scams and What To Do When You're A Victim Feb 6/09
How to be Assertively Feminine Feb 6/09
How to be more disciplined and organized when working from home Sept 11/08
How to Be More Valuable at Your Job Nov 28/07
How to become a better person at work March 25/08
How to boost your confidence at work Dec 17/07
How to break into a new career Jan 22/08
How to build credibility as a young or new Professional March 28/08
How to chose a college major Sept 17/08
How to create career Karma March 10/09
How to deal with major disruptions to your routine March 6/09
How to design a home office March 30/09
How to do twice the work in half the time March 2/09
How To Enhance Your Creativity April 25/08
How to fight a good fight in your career Jan 10/09
How to find what you love to do Jan 19/09
How to get a big payoff from college scholarships Dec 1/08
How to get through tasks that suck March 13/09
How to get out of a job you hate
How to get your career in the spotlight Nov 21/07
How to go paperless and get more work done Dec 20/08
How to Handle a Coworkers Taunts and Snide Comments Nov 22/07
How to Improve Your Performance at Work Feb /09
How to inspire corporate confidence Sept 5/08
How to kick start your career in the New Year Dec 18/07
How to Know and What to Do if an Employment Termination Looms Jan 15/09
How to Love a Task that You Hate April 8/09
How to make work feel effortless Oct 20/08
How to Maintain a Laser-Like Focus Feb 19/08
How to Make a Career Choice When You Have No Idea What You Want to Do Jan 7/08
How to make friends at work March 11/09
How to Make a Successful Career Change May 19/09
How to Make Your Current Job Work May 19/09
How to make your to-do list work for you Sept 9/08
How to make yourself your own company March 1/08
How to play hard: Tips for workaholics Jan 1/09
How to recognize and answer illegal interview questions April 6/09
How to recover from a big mistake at work March 19/08
How to research a career Jan 16/08
How to sell yourself and why your career depends on it
How to set deadlines and avoid mistakes May 7/08
How to shut off your job for a weekend or vacation Aug 18/08
How to Simplify Your Filing System; or, Why Stacking Just Doesn’t Work June 19/08
How to Speak Confidently in a Job Interview March 31/09
How to stand out and make a great first impression April 10/09
How to start a home business March 30/09
How To Start, Survive, and Finish Your Journey To Super Success April 15/08
How to stay awake at work or school Jan 28/08
How to stay sane as the job market plots against you Jan 28/09
How to survive at work with a hangover May 11/09
How to take great breaks at the office April 25/08
How to transition into a new job Dec 5/07
How to turn your ideas into reality July 3/08
How to Unstick Your Job Search Dec 5/08
How to use a day plan Sept 2/08
How to Use the Holidays to Job Search Dec 20/08
How to visualize your success July 3/08
How to write a business letter Jan 29/08
How to write a resume that will land an interview Jan 19/09
How to write great cover letters for your resume Feb 20/09
Hurdles on the path of success July 25/08
Important “Yes, Buts…” About Success to Keep in Mind Jan 26/09
Impress your clients, boss and colleagues: How to improve your business writing May 19/09
Improve your skills at office politics Dec 21/07
Improving your work-life balance Aug 25/08
Increasing Your Effectiveness Nov 10/08
Investing in skills Nov 18/08
Is it smart to trade time for money April 25/08
Is your job in danger March 19/08
Is your work getting in the way of your life Feb 25/08
IS WORKING FROM HOME REALLY FOR YOU Feb 25/08
Is your career really your most valuable asset June 11/08
Jack of all trades: Why its valuable April 8/09
Job hunter's secret weapon May 20/08
Job Resume Myths May 15/09
Jobs that aren't that bad May 30/08
Keep a razor sharp focus at work May 6/08
Kindness, Gratitude and Your Career Dec 13/08
Laid off?You may have to fight for your unemployment benefits March 13/09
Land your dream job March 24/09
Landing your dream job April 17/08
Language of success Jan 20/09
Lateral career move Why it's worth the effort Jan 10/09
Learn to manage your manager Jan 31/08
Leave the Office Earlier-a book review May 27/08
Life in the Cubicle: Etiquette in the Open Office Feb 7/08
Listen to your career vibrations Nov 13/08
Living and working with purpose May 22/09
Looking for your dream job? Jan 6/09
Looking Professional Feb 18/09
Make a Plan to Re-ignite Career Passion Nov 6/08
Make every work day feel like Saturday Feb 28/08
Make the Most of a Promotion Jan 23/09
Make your career leap like geyser March 26/08
Make your resume pop July 5/08
Making money online: meet someone who does it Jan 26/09
mistakes for new workers from home Feb 15/08
Make a living doing what you love March 10/09
Make the Most of Your Job Dec 7/07
Make True Friends in Your Workplace March 24/08
Making and maintaining a master information document May 6/08
MAKING WORKING FROM HOME WORK May 22/08
Manage Your Boss Effectively Dec 11/08
Managing the natural ups and downs of your work week Sept 26/08
Managing Unhealthy Conflicts at Work April 10/09
Many regret their decision to leave the corporate world to work at home. Where did they go wrong Feb 15/08
Master Mental Mountains to Summit Success Feb 25/09
Meeting Wizard -schedule meetings online May 15/09
minimizing the impact of job loss Oct 17/08
Misconceptions the self-employed deal with daily May 10/08
Mistakes that scream "unprofessional" Dec 29/07
most common interview questions March 12/08
Most Dangerous Relationship Mistakes of Career and Take-Charge Women Jan 16/08
Moving on up Dec 7/07
Murphy's laws for the workplace-a little humor July 25/08
Negotiate your salary May 8/09
Negotiating a Raise Dec 7/07
Network your way to job security July 17/08
New Rules of Working You Should Embrace Today Jan 5/09
9 (and a half!) things to do at work when there's no longer work to do (also good for a boring day at home!) March 24/08
(It's) not the size of your office politics tool Jan 21/08
Office Gossip Jan 21/08
Online career networking Nov 27/08
ONLY WAY TO THE TOP IS ALWAYS AN UPHILL CLIMB March 20/09
(An) Organized Office is a Sure Sign of an Organized Mind April 14/09
Organizing Your Home Office Feb 12/09
organize your life Dec 14/07
Over 40 and laid off? March 24/09
Perfect work space April 15/08
Personal branding Jan 15/09
Playing Your "A" Game Jan 6/09
Power of writing things down Nov 12/08
Power up your productivity Nov 28/07
Preparing for the Job Interview Feb 11/08
Preparing for a Layoff Oct 4/08
PROFILE OF A WORK-AT-HOME MOM April 7/08
Project Confidence Dec 3/07
Proper work netiquette May 23/08
Putting work to bed April 10/08
Questions to think about before the job interview Feb 20/08
Quick Tips for Successful Negotiating Jan 12/09
Quitting your miserable job Feb 11/08
Race through work and enjoy it Sept 11/08
Radical goal setting technique that works June 23/08
Reasons to leave a crappy job Aug 21/08
Recession Career Guide March 24/09
Rejuvenate your messy home office June 30/08
Realizing success through empowerment May 6/08
Reasons to like your crazy annoying colleagues June 19/08
Reasons to leave your job Aug 13/08
Rebuilding Your Life and Career May 1/09
Relationship between Executive and Assistant March 12/08
Reasons to Make a Career Change Jan 7/08
Reasons to Quit Your Job Feb 25/08
Reinvent your job April 25/08
Resolving conflicts in the workplace May 27/09
Retirement Strategies for Women Dec 7/07
Right Way to Quit Your Job Feb 15/08
Rules of working you should embrace today Aug 25/08
Salary Negotiation Myths Sept 26/08
Save yourself from messing up your career July 25/08
Secrets to building a huge empire Oct 14/08
Secrets to get that cherished raise Sept 20/08
Secrets to success Jan 21/08
Secrets to Success Without Struggle Feb 24/09
Set fire to your career plan Oct 4/08
Seven Steps to Career Success Feb 9/09
Should i take a job that pays less than unemployment April 17/09
Side businesses you can start on your own April 14/09
Simple formula for fulfilling career Sept 9/08
Simple time management rules for the super busy Jan 8/09
Simple ways to make your boss think you're brilliant and indispensable Jan 23/09
Signs it s time to hire someone Feb 13/09
Skills you must develop to succeed in business Sept 5/08
Small business pitfalls and how avoid them Oct 4/08
Small Talk: Making Conversation at Business Events Nov 22/07
So you want my job: Golf Pro Instructor March 27/09
So you want my job: Private Investigator April 10/09
So you want my job: Interpreter/translator May 11/09
So you want my job: Whitewater rafting guide April 27/09
So you want to be a bartender Feb 9/09
So you want my job: film Director May 22/09
So you want to be a Financial planner March 13/09
So You Want to Enter the Photography Business March 19/10
Squeeze savings from your workplace Feb 28/08
Stand out and get your dream job Dec 3/07
Stand out in your career Feb 19/08
Standing Out Without Going Overboard Jan 11/08
start your own business Feb 15/08
Starting a New Job Feb 18/10
Stay on top of your work May 8/09
Steps to a Flexible Schedule Sept 13/08
Steps to a Permanently Clear Desk June 19/08
Steps to the job of your dreams July 17/08
Stick with these first impression tips July 5/08
Stop Being Miserable at Work July 25/08
Stop colleagues from hating you Oct 14/08
Strategies to surviving a though boss Feb 24/09
Success Can Be Learned...Its Not Just For The Gifted! March 19/08
Success Habits March 19/08
Success Qualities You Must Adopt March 9/09
Successful Goal Setting Tips Dec 12/07
Successful Job Searching Sept 2/08
Successful meeting with the boss
Survive Layoffs Oct 4/08
Surviving your first day at a new job May 15/09
Synergizing hobbies and career for greater personal success Dec 18/08
Tactics for gettng ahead at work March 24/09
Take control of your own destiny at work Mach 25/08
Take This Job and ... Never Mind Feb 25/08
Terrible ways to handle getting fired Jan 14/09
things a freelancer must do to survive this economy March 2/09
Things I'd tell my 23 year old self March 28/08
Things to consider before quitting your job to start your own business Jan 26/09
Things to do to keep from getting bored at work Jan 5/09
Things to do if you are looking at starting your own business Dec 14/07
Think Your Way to Success - 10 Top Tips March 9/09
Tips for Career Improvement Feb 6/09
Tips for great interview stories Nov 21/08
Tips for the newly unemployed August 1/08
Tips for young people starting careers Dec 18/08
Tips that will increase your productivity in the office Feb 13/09
tips to professional development and career advancement April 19/08
Toward a More Civil Work Place
Understanding the True Meaning of Success in the Workplace March 18/09
Use Your Body to Get the Job (its not what you think) Feb 24/09
Vision is the key Dec 5/07
Voluntary overtime: Goodwill or good grief July 25/08
Want to stand out at work Get the small stuff right March 30/09
Ways History s finest kept their focus at work March 30/08
Ways managers can get employees to quit April 10/09
Ways to Be Happy at Work March 30/08
Ways to do everything better Nov 10/08
Ways to find hire and use a virtual assistant Dec 16/08
Ways to Find Part-Time Jobs Dec 5/08
ways to find your dream job July 3/08
Ways to Get to the Top and Be Successful! Feb 12/09
Ways to resign Aug 13/08
Ways to work on yourself at work
Ways You Can Use Body Language to Power Your Perception Feb 18/09
What career will suit your personality Jan 31/08
What Does Your Office Say About You Nov 22/07
What I learnt about success July 25/08
What People Want From Work April 25/08
What to do if you re laid off March 21/08
What to do before plunging into the job search April 28/08
What to Do When Fear Hits the Workplace Jan 19/09
What's an employee to do April 21/08
What's better-a great job with average pay or a sucky job with fantastic pay Aug 7/08
What's the difference between a job and a vocation Jan 6/09
When a Boss Gives You The Silent Treatment
When the Boss is a Bully May 30/08
When to quit and when to stick Dec 3/07
When to Work Overtime, And When to Take it Easy March 10/09
Where Do You Come From ? How the Answer Can Make Or Break Your Success Feb 12/09
Why an online business is one of the best types to start May 24/08
Why productivity belongs to the night owls April 17/08
Why Soft Skills Matter Sept 13/09
Why You Need to Start a Daycare May 22/08
Why You Really Ought to Want to Love Your Work Nov 6/08
Work Habits That Hurt You March 30/08
Work productively with your Windows computer Oct 15/08
Work smarter for better time management
Work when you work Jan 18/08
Working from home March 13/09
Working In Harmony May 30/08
Working smarter Feb 11/08
Workplace Humor: How To Reduce Stress With Inoffensive Office Humor Jan 23/08
(A) Written Goal Must Have Time Frames Jan 16/08
You don't have to love your job to find fulfillment Jan 22/08
You just got your first job now what April 8/09
(The) Young Professional Woman May 27/08
The photographic industry is one of the most challenging, difficult, and
competitive for start up businesses. The statistics prove it. Take this 3 year
study discovered by Dane Sanders in his book
Fast Track Photographer: In the 1st year, 60% of photographers give up their
business. Of that remaining 40%, another 25% will fail within the 2nd year. The
ones that make it are the remaining 15% who endure through the 3rd year.
That’s a staggering 85% turnover rate.
Obviously, something is wrong with the way most photographers enter into this business.
So, you want to enter this business? Do your research. In reality, the photographic industry is not about photography. Photography is the end product, yes, but it is only a small percentage of what the industry is about. The rest is about business; Real-to-life business application.
What is the greatest challenge to photographic business? Understanding that many standard business principles apply to this industry, but to a degree, business principles take on a customized spin to photography business.
It’s obvious that photographers need guidance and direction for the specific tasking involved with the photographic business.
The following list is a dream business essentials kit of resources to help you survive the 1st, 2nd, 3rd years and beyond. Remember, foundations are everything. You may need to enter the industry at a slower pace, but have the perspective that you are building your business to last.
Whether you are a naturally business savvy individual, or clueless about business practicalities, this list will assist you to not only survive the photographic industry, but to find the beauty of thriving.
Everyone’s path to success is different, because everyone’s definition of success is different. In this book, DuChemin highlights the journeys of nine photographers who have passionately devoted themselves to their craft and their business. You will be challenged, inspired, and encouraged by their stories – and find out if this is an industry you really want to be a part of.
Even a photography business is subject to the law – and those laws may surprise you. Written by a photographer, this book will de-mystify the area of photographic legalities, and give understandable and concise information for you to run your business.
Created by the successful “Becker”, the [b] school is a subscription only resource for professional photographers – or aspiring professionals. You must have a business name in use, a web presence, and a desire to get involved with industry leaders. Building relationships with others in the industry will be invaluable to you as you build your business – after all, no one else can help an aspiring professional photographer as well as a professional photographer.
Several professional photographers offer one-on-one mentor programs that will help you dig deep to discover the motivations and foundations for setting up your business. Sometimes you need more clarity than you can give yourself. Dane Sanders, Bride Inspired, Sarah Barlow, Sarah Petty and others will help you build slowly and surely toward your goals.
The opportunities to spend money on photography equipment, supplies, and investments are endless. Don’t spend unnecessarily. Be savvy enough to discern which products and services you should choose to maximize your profits – and which you should do without.
If you become like your friends, then it may be safe to say that you will become like the photographers you follow. Take the time to follow and subscribe to photographers whose work inspires you. Study their work, their branding, their business practices; you will be able to consistently glean profitable information – without spending a cent.
Sarah’ Petty, a professional photographer for over 10 years has developed the program that she wished she had as a starting photographic professional. Offering both paid and free resources, Sarah’s passion and business sense will help guide aspiring pro photographers to legitimate business depth and practice. Moreover, she guarantees that her resources will indeed help you – or money back.
Developing workflow systems can be a great challenge to photographers because it requires fluid organization and clarity – outside the creative zone. DPBestFlow offers advice and guides on what it means to develop professional workflow to save time and money in your business.
If you slowly incorporate these resources into your research and tasking, you will be set on a more than solid track to any photographic business.
Read more from our Make Money From Photography Category
Read more:
http://digital-photography-school.com/so-you-want-to-enter-the-photography-business#ixzz0hyF8XHLv
http://www.mindtools.com/pages/article/newCDV_27.htm
Why do so many people use personal trainers to help them get fit? After all, this level of one-to-one attention costs good money! One reason is that an experienced professional can help you get more out of the time you spend in the gym, by suggesting what you should work on, and by motivating you to work hard on this.
The same is true of working with a career or life coach.
But stop a minute! Despite the popularity of personal trainers, large numbers of people can be seen working out in gyms, or running through parks on their own. They've worked out what they should be doing for themselves, and they've motivated themselves to get out there and do it.
You can take this self-coaching approach to career or life issues too.
In this article, Mind Tools coach Sharon Juden shares the steps that many professional career and life coaches help their clients take – so that you can apply this approach to your own life!
(Of course, anyone who is determined to reach the highest performance levels would be well advised to work with a professional, and this applies to career and life issues as well as personal fitness. For these, there's no substitute for working with professionals like the Mind Tools career coaches!)
Step 1: Know What You Want
It's very easy to identify things you're NOT happy with and to get stuck in that negative state of mind. At this stage, coaches often hear comments like "No one at work takes me seriously" or "I need to lose weight, but I can't" or "My boss is so frustrating."
But if you want things to change, then you need to identify what you DO want and WOULD be happy with.
Unfortunately, while "know what you want" is easy to say, a surprising number of us really don't know this – and simply telling us to figure it out won't help. However, if we don't know the direction to take, where we end up may be no better than the place we left!
Others have only a vague idea of what they want, and they never take the time to be more specific. So they have a certain amount of success, but, because they're never fully committed to one particular direction, they can only get so far.
One approach that coaches use to get over this hurdle is to encourage their clients to explore this problem to find its real root cause. For example, Sally may feel that her career is going nowhere because "no one takes me seriously." She might discover that this is because of her behavior – she takes on all of the small tasks in the team, and she's so busy doing these that she doesn't have time to work on the big ideas that would show her potential for promotion.
Often, people start out feeling that they're "victims," and that the source of their problem lies outside their control. For instance, a frustrating boss won't go away, or weight can't be lost. But these people may find that their own attitude or response is contributing to the problem.
With the root cause identified, "what you want" is the reverse of that situation: "I am focused on important tasks," "I am clear about what I should and should not do to lose weight," or "I am relaxed about my boss changing his mind, and I know he appreciates my work to implement his changes."
Step 2: Set a SMART Goal
In "The Little Book of Coaching," Ken Blanchard and Don Shula say, "A broad target that's easy to achieve leads to the ‘puddle' of mediocrity." So, the next step is to express "what you want" as a clear goal. This might seem like an unnecessary step, but it's really important. A properly defined goal statement will act as a motivator. It will help you prevent yourself from backing out of things you SHOULD be doing, but perhaps don't really WANT to do.
Use the SMART acronym to help you structure a goal:
Setting a time frame is particularly important, because it's easy to delay dealing with difficult issues. Choose a time scale that's both realistic and challenging: if it's too easy, you'll get bored and give up, and if it's unrealistic, you'll feel overwhelmed and give up. The secret is to choose a date in the future that you know you can reach – this should be a date that will stretch you a little, but not add to your stress.
Write down your goal. This helps you clarify your thoughts, and it helps you see your progress as you look back over the various steps you've set for yourself. This way, you can see if you're on track or not.
For example, Melanie is frustrated by her boss. She might set this goal: "By the end of the month, I'll have learned how to respond calmly and positively whenever Alex asks me to rework something. Then I'll do the work, understanding that it's an opportunity to impress him."
See our article on goal setting for more on this.
Step 3: Take Action
Determine what needs to happen to move you toward your goal:
In Melanie's case, she might sign up for a short course on relaxation techniques so that she can quickly counter her natural reaction of frustration when she's asked to rework something. And she'll look for opportunities to remind her boss about what she does to implement his changes of direction. (If you're struggling with a lack of gratitude from your boss, read our article Get the Recognition You Deserve.)
Choose actions that will take you slightly out of your comfort zone. Allow yourself to take more risks, because the only real limitations in life are the ones we create for ourselves through fear.
If you had no fear of failure and you believed that you would succeed, what would you do? What do you need to start doing today?
Step 4: Be Passionate
Make sure that what you've chosen to do is something you really care about, and really want to happen – otherwise, you know you won't do it!
Also, notice if you're holding back a little. We often don't allow ourselves to get too excited about an outcome because we doubt we can do it. If a lack of self-belief or the fear of failure is holding you back, try the following exercise:
Step 5: Be Persistent
Do you tend to give up when you hit an obstacle? Do you see it as a sign that you're not meant to continue, so you stop?
If this is the case, then it's worth remembering success stories from the past – such as Colonel Sanders, who created Kentucky Fried Chicken. He didn't fulfill his dream until he was 65 years old. It's said that when he tried to sell his chicken recipe to restaurants, he was refused 1,009 times before he heard his first yes.
And what about Walt Disney? He was turned down 302 times before he got financing for his dream of creating "the happiest place on earth."
So, if you hit obstacles and doubt whether you should continue or not, decide if your goal is worth having. If it is, then be persistent. If it isn't, go back to Step 1.
For complex career or personal issues, there's no substitute for working with a qualified, experienced coach. But for smaller issues, if you understand the approach that coaches use when working with their clients, you can often go a long way toward working through problems and challenges on your own.
First of all, you need to make sure you're clear about what you want – and turn that into a goal. Then you must identify the actions you need to take to make that goal happen. And you need to be passionate and persistent about working on it.
Most successful people follow these five steps in one way or another, whether consciously or not.
Final Words of Advice from Mind Tools Coach Sharon JudenThe clients I see who are committed to improving some part of their lives follow these principles. If they don't, they usually find that they go back to their old lifestyles, and experience the same old results. This time, though, they're even more frustrated, because they know they gave up on themselves and are no closer to their dreams. You owe it to yourself to decide what you really want: something so important that even when you face the inevitable difficulty, you keep going; something that you're passionate about and want to work on every day until it's achieved; and something that will make a big difference to you once you have it. Good luck coaching yourself to success. And remember that we're here in the forums and in person if you need any help! |
http://www.mindtools.com/pages/article/newCDV_29.htm
Every time you get a new job, you go through it…
The elation and excitement come first. It's the "Oh my gosh, I can't believe I got it!" feeling. You go out and celebrate with family and friends, and you're excited about all the new possibilities before you.
After that, however, the panic begins. This is the "Oh my gosh, what if I can't do the job?" feeling. You start to get nervous about your new responsibilities, the new corporate culture, and the new people with whom you'll be working.
While starting a new job can be a stressful experience, this important transition doesn't have to be full of tension and anxiety. With the right strategies and with a positive outlook, stepping into your new role can be exciting and enjoyable.
In this article, we'll cover strategies for making your transition easier, and we'll offer some tips for building solid relationships with your new colleagues.
Many people become stressed over a new job because they put far too much pressure on themselves to perform from day one. No one – least of all, your new boss – expects you to jump in and start solving major problems right away.
So, don't expect it of yourself either. Jumping in with both feet to start "proving your worth" could cause you to make mistakes that you could easily avoid once you know more about the company and your new role.
People generally find that it takes around 90 days to become fully effective in a new role.
During this time, try to focus on small, early wins. It's important to secure early wins because these help build momentum and establish your credibility. But make sure you know how your new company defines a win.
For instance, in one culture, a "win" may be as simple as getting your team to talk about underlying issues, whilst in another culture, a "win" may be an accomplishment with verifiable results. It's also important to choose a win that will be important to your boss.
Try to make your early wins work "double time." For example, if one of your long-term goals is to change the behavior of your team, then search for an early win that will also help lay the foundation for this behavioral change. And remember that how you accomplish your early win could also lay the foundation for future goals as well.
But don't try to do too much too soon. It's tempting to want to deal with 10 different issues when you get started, but this will only ensure that you do none of them well. Focus on one or two early changes that you think are most urgent, and work on them consistently.
If you're unsure of what to start working on, our article Pareto Analysis will help you choose.
It's easy to feel overwhelmed when you start a new job, and you might worry that you won't be able to perform in the way that you're expected to.
But remember this: The people who hired you knew what they were doing. And they probably didn't want to hire someone who was already able to do every part of the job to the highest standard. Why? Because such a person would probably not stay long; he or she would likely look for new challenges from day one.
To help you start building competence in your new role, create a learning plan that addresses any skill gaps that may exist. As a first step, complete a personal SWOT analysis, and use it to address your strengths and weaknesses with respect to your new job.
As your next step, list the skills you'll need for this position, and identify any that you need to develop or improve. Then plan how you'll eliminate weaknesses and learn the new skills that you need.
Learning each new skill should be a goal during your first few months. (If you'd like more information on setting great goals, our article Personal Goal Setting can help.)
Every team or business unit has a different culture. Even in the same company, the chances are that the culture of any new team that you're joining will be different from the one you just left. In addition to learning how to operate successfully in this new culture, you'll probably also have to deal with office politics. This is an issue in many organizations, and you, as the new team member, can easily make mistakes if you're not careful.
One of the biggest mistakes a new hire can make is to come into a new organization full of unrealistic goals, and with a huge list of changes. Yes, you were probably hired to replace someone else and make a positive change. And it's natural to want to impress your boss and co-workers by showing them your vision of how things should be.
But trying to change things too early can threaten and alienate the very people you're trying to make your allies. Remember, you're a stranger to them, so don't try to deal with big issues right from the start. Spend time getting to know your company's new culture, as well as the subcultures that are likely to exist in each team or environment.
When you start in a new department or organization, learning who everybody is – and what they do – can be critical to your success on the job. This is true for the team with which you'll be working directly, and also for other key players who might hold more power than their positions seem to indicate.
Start with your own team. Determine who does what, and make sure you're clear on exactly what they do.
After you've settled into your new role a bit, you can start learning who does what well. This information will help you in the future when you're assigning tasks and projects.
However, just writing down a list for everyone on your team could lead to information overload. Instead, create a master list of skill sets like problem solving, creative thinking, decision making, and interpersonal skills. Then rate each person in each category as you learn more about them. This will enable you to get a clearer picture of your team's strengths and weaknesses.
During your first few weeks, it's also important to start identifying your potential allies. Good allies can make a dramatic difference in your career, and our article Finding Your Allies can help you find the right ones.
Starting a new role can cause a lot of stress. And you'll make it harder on yourself if you try to do too much too soon. Spend plenty of time getting to know your new culture. Your boss doesn't expect you to create full value for the company during your first few months, so take it slowly. And try to focus on a few small victories that will help you establish credibility.
http://www.mindtools.com/pages/article/newCDV_34.htm
To get, and keep, a job you typically need a repertoire of technical skills. Dentists need to know how to fill cavities. Secretaries need to type 100+ words per minute. Accountants need to be certified.
Beyond the technical skills, though, which dentist do you go to? The one who is pleasant and takes time to answer your questions; or the one who treats you like a number in a long line of numbered mouths?
Which secretary do you retain when times are lean? The one whose attitude is positive and upbeat, and who is always willing to help; or the one who is inflexible and has a hard time admitting mistakes?
Likewise, think about accountants. The one who has a great work ethic and encourages his colleagues is the one who will, most likely, excel in his position and organization.
In these situations, and all the others like them, it's the soft skills that matter.
While your technical skills may get your foot in the door, your people skills are what open most of the doors to come. Your work ethic, your attitude, your communication skills, your emotional intelligence and a whole host of other personal attributes are the soft skills that are crucial for career success.
With these soft skills you can excel as a leader. Problem solving, delegating, motivating, and team building are all much easier if you have good soft skills. Knowing how to get along with people – and displaying a positive attitude – are crucial for success.
The problem is, the importance of these soft skills is often undervalued, and there is far less training provided for them than hard skills. For some reason, organizations seem to expect people know how to behave on the job. They tend to assume that everyone knows and understands the importance of being on time, taking initiative, being friendly, and producing high quality work.
Assuming that soft skills are universal leads to much frustration. That's why it's so important to focus as much on soft skills training and development as you do on traditional hard skills.
When your workforce has lots of technical skills but an absence of soft skills, you have a soft skills gap. Soft skills are what accompany the hard skills, and help your organization use its technical expertise to full advantage.
In fact, whenever you are unable to capitalize on the wealth of knowledge, experience and proficiency within your team, then you should be assessing the level of communication and interpersonal skills that are present in your organization.
The workplace has evolved an interpersonal dynamic that can't be ignored. The acts of listening, presenting ideas, resolving conflict, and fostering an open and honest work environment all come down to knowing how to build and maintain relationships with people. It's those relationships that allow people to participate fully in team projects, show appreciation for others, and enlist support for their projects.
It's important for you to recognize the vital role soft skills play within your team and not only work on developing them within yourself, but encourage their development throughout the organization. Areas to examine and evaluate include:
The more of these things you see around you, the better people's soft skills are likely to be within your organization. These all have a significant impact on the attitude a person brings to interactions with clients, customers, colleagues, supervisors, and other stakeholders. The more positive someone's attitude is, the better that person's relationships will be. That's what fosters great team performance, and leads people to contribute strongly to the organization's vision and strategy.
|
Traditionally, people don't receive adequate soft skills training - either during vocational instruction or as part of on-the-job training. That's why services like MindTools.com are great for helping people build great people-skills. |
Soft skills are increasingly becoming the hard skills of today's work force. It's just not enough to be highly trained in technical skills, without developing the softer, interpersonal and relationship-building skills that help people to communicate and collaborate effectively.
These people skills are more critical than ever as organizations struggle to find meaningful ways to remain competitive and be productive. Teamwork, leadership, and communication are underpinned by soft skills development. Since each is an essential element for organizational and personal success, developing these skills is very important and does matter… a lot!
*********************************
By Craig Nathanson
Step One: Envision
exactly what would be just perfect for you!
Take some time and create a picture in your mind of the work which would be just
perfect for you. Is it working in the health field, with children, painting,
writing or creating marketing campaigns? Separate the money at this stage or you
will NEVER move to the step 2. Of course, there will be steps to get to this
perfect state. What would that look like for you?
Step Two: Write down your
plan to get there
When you write down a plan, your whole life and activities start to align around
what you want. Then you start to figure out how to reach your goals. All of a
sudden daily activities start to align and make sense. You start to be clearer
about which opportunities to say yes to and which to turn down. Once written
down you have something to refer to daily especially when you encounter others
who don't support your plans. Step Three: Talk to others about your plans
This is not a process of ego. In some ways it doesn't matter who you talk to.
Strangers on the airplane are the best for the start. They listen and ask
questions while you get to practice your new elevator speech about your life.
When you talk to others about your plans you commit yourself and start to
believe that what you want is possible. This is really important. You are not
talking to others to get their views. You have to be strong emotionally and
resist to the negative view.
Step Four: Take small
steps daily
Imagine you just started an exercise program. The first 4 days you jog slowly.
You start to feel sore but good at the same time. Then you decide to take a week
off. You lose all the momentum and fitness gained in those first four days. The
same is true for vocational passion. You need to take small steps daily. For
example, if you decide you want to be in the marketing field, don't let a day go
by without reading an article on marketing, talking to someone about marketing
or marketing something yourself. These activities build new habits around what
you want vs. perhaps old addictions which are no longer helpful for you in your
life.
Step Five: Measure your
progress
Financial experts will advise to make a budget and keep track of your spending.
They claim this helps to place focus on where your spending is going. Again this
is true for moving towards your vocational goals. To keep track of your daily
activities and progress will help as you move towards new goals in your life.
Then you can examine what is working and what is not working, so you can make
corrections as you go.
Step Six: Celebrate small
progress
Using the above example, you decide to subscribe to an on-line marketing forum
with other marketing professionals. For a week, you log on daily and discuss the
world of marketing with others. It feels good to be involved with others who
share your passion of marketing. At the end of the week you have new ideas and
are feeling pretty good about your progress. Ok, time to celebrate in a healthy
way. Maybe for you this means going out to a nice dinner or maybe a movie or
buying a new CD or your favorite newspaper. The point is these small
celebrations will reinforce your progress and encourage even more progress. This
is very different than the rewards you used to have in the past when the
organization allowed you to wear jeans on Friday for work performed- how
humiliating!
Step Seven: Change course
when needed
Along the way you will run into challenges and roadblocks. You may need to
slightly change course. I have many clients who start down the road to one
passion then suddenly discover this was not what they expected. Don't be afraid
to make change mid-stream. These are usually small changes but enough to keep
the dreams alive and moving forward. The most important thing is to be aware of
and recognize when change is needed. One can usually tell if they listen careful
to their INNER signals.
Step Eight: Get a new
team
In many cases, the path towards a new vocation will require a new team or just a
new commitment from the same team! Approach your existing team of friends,
family and professional contacts and let them know your new path and direction
and ask for their support, ideas and encouragement. If you run into anyone who
doesn't support what you want, let them know in a nice way you may have to drop
them from the team down the road. This is the hardest thing to do with a spouse
who isn't thrilled with your new plans in mid-life. The key to a strong
relationship is to support each others' dreams and desires. Without this, there
is no longer a strong foundation in the relationship to fall back on during
challenging times. This is the time when a new team or member is needed.
Surround yourself with only people who support and encourage your development at
this stage of your life. Don't settle for anything less!
Step Nine: Change your
environment
It is amazing how just a small or large change in environment can make a
difference in your progress. Burdened by a large mortgage, perhaps a move to a
less expensive area will make the difference. Perhaps moving to a new office or
part of the house will create the same effect. Start with the criteria which
would be just perfect for you with regards to the environment. This should
include where you live, how you live and what stuff you live with. Sometimes
just getting rid of old junk and things can create a lighter backpack for your
new life.
Step Ten: Change your
financial state
Money is such a personal topic. Start with a clear understanding of what you
need vs. what you want. There is a difference. How much money do you need to
make, net after taxes to do the work you love? It is amazing to me how many
people don't have a good idea as to their monthly cash flow and expenses. Where
can you lighten the load? Start with small things and work your way up. Don't
expect miracles. Stay away from traditional advice like saving for retirement.
This should be the first idea to throw out. Cash out your savings for death (my
word for retirement) and use now to fund your way towards doing what you love.
You won't die or go homeless at this step. You need to free up all resources
now. So many people I work with are scared of losing their money and this fear
prevents them from living in the present and making a better life now vs. saving
for someday which usually never comes as life tends to get in the way.
Step Eleven: Continue
learning
Continue learning and improve your self-awareness. This is key to future
development and a sense of calmness about your path. Start a journal. Just
before bed each night, answer the question, what did I learn about myself today.
There will always be something you learned. Read this journal every 30 days. You
will see your progress. This is what I call the compounding of self-awareness
which is much more valuable in mid-life than the compounding of money. If you
follow JUST money then after losing your work you are left with nothing.
But if you follow a path towards doing work which you love, you may lose money
but you will always have the work to do which you love!
I'll be cheering you on as you go!
Craig Nathanson is a coaching expert who works with people over forty. Craig's new E-book, 'Discover and Live Your Passion 365 Days a Year,' is a workshop in a box designed to help people break free and move toward the work they love. Visit Craig's online community at The Vocational Coach.com where you can take a class, get more ideas through Craig books and CDs, get some private coaching over the phone or read stories of mid-life change and renewal. Craig lives in San Anselmo, California. You can reach him at 707-775-4020 or by email.
By Jay Hofmeister
In this challenging economy, where our unemployment rate is high and you have many job seekers going after the same few positions that are actually available, it is very important to be prepared for the job interview. Many candidates are so glad their phone rang or they received an e-mail from Xyz Company requesting they come in for a meeting, that they totally forget to complete their job interview preparation.
Once You Get the Job Interview, Here Are Your Next Steps...
Here Are 5 Questions That You Should Be Asking the Job Interviewer...
You've Completed Your Research, You Aced the Interview - Now What?
If you follow this advice, you will get hired faster, even in a recession!
Jay Hofmeister, Co-Founder of The Resumé Bay has taken the pain out of the job-hunting process for hundreds of job seekers just like you (from entry level to executive level!) Now, Jay invites you to visit The Resumé Bay and get a resumé that's guaranteed to get you a job interview request in 30 days - and get complete job interview coaching that will help you ace the job interview.
******************
By Roxanne Emmerich
The dysfunctional workplace is a killer. Untreated it will kill off your customer base, your profits, and your joy for living as surely as anything.
As managers, leaders and top executives within your organization you've got to kill the conflicts in your workplace first before dysfunction takes hold. Here are the top ten workplace conflicts that disrupt organizations - and the cure for each...
You may have noticed a refrain coming back again and again in this advice: Make it clear. Once you've made the determination to purge your workplace of dysfunctional behavior, your greatest ally and most powerful tool will be clarity. Follow the advice in this article and in my new book "Thank God It's Monday" and you will terminate all workplace conflicts and improve your organization's productivity.
Roxanne Emmerich is renowned for her ability to transform "ho hum" workplaces into massive results-oriented "bring-it-on" environments. To discover how you can ignite the passion of your employees, catapult performance to new levels, and boost employee morale of your company, subscribe to the Thank God It's Monday™ e-zine.
So You Want My Job: Film Director
Posted: 20 May 2009 06:42 PM PDT
Today we return to our So You Want My Job series, in which we interview men who are employed in desirable man jobs and ask them about the reality of their work and for advice on how men can live their dream.
Speaking of living one’s dream, John Dowdle has what many men who consider the dream job. I have to say that while I’ve enjoyed all the entries in this series, John’s is one of my favorites, because after all, who hasn’t wondered what it would be like to make some movie magic? AoM appreciates John taking some time away from negotiating Tinseltown to give us a glimpse.
1. Tell us a little about yourself (Where are you from? Where did you go to school?)
I’m originally from St. Paul, MN, but I now live in Los Angeles. I’m a movie writer/director. I went to the University of Iowa for two years and then transferred to NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts where I graduated with a film degree.
2. Describe your job and how long you’ve been at it, etc.
Basically, the director is the artistic head of a movie.
There are three main phases to the job of directing a movie:
1. Pre-production
In many ways, this is the most important part of the process. It’s where the ideas of a film are translated into a kind of game plan, both from an artistic angle (casting, shot selection, style, color schemes, etc.) and a practical (scheduling, locations, etc). In many ways a movie is made or broken in pre-production.
2. Production
This is probably the phase most people associate with directing. Being on set, calling “action” and giving notes on performance and shots. This phase often feels like trying to paint a picture with a hundred people standing behind you screaming, “hurry up!” It’s very stressful and very exciting. Some days are truly soul crushing and some days you just feel electric.
3. Post-production
Often the longest phase of making a movie, and in many ways the most gratifying. This is where you assemble all the parts into something that feels like a movie. The director sits with the editor as the movie is put together and finessed to hide all the ridiculous mistakes the director made on set. Then sound effects are added and mixed, the color is corrected and visual effects are laid in. The director oversees all of this. (But doesn’t actually have to be able to do any of it himself, which is very convenient.)
4. Why did you want to be a movie director? When did you know it was what you wanted to do?
I actually wanted to be a writer first. Growing up in Minnesota, I never knew any directors or even really thought about that as a possible job. When I was 14, I started writing a lot. By the time I graduated high school, I was writing all the time. I decided to go to the University of Iowa because they have a great writing program.
There I took a film course where we studied things like the French New Wave and films by Tarkovsky and the Italian Neorealists, and it just blew my mind. I had no idea film could take so many forms. I was hooked. A year later I transferred to NYU to study film production, and I’ve been doing it ever since.
I find the process of filmmaking a truly magical one. The way shots fit together to create the illusion of things happening that never did. Sculpting time and space to tell cinematic lies. It’s thrilling.
5. If a man wants to become a movie director, how should he best prepare? Do you recommend going to film school?
Film school is a great way to jump start a sense of film language. Making shorts and then showing them to people is invaluable in that sense. But I don’t think film school is necessary. I know a lot of very talented directors who learned by just doing it.
I do think it’s important to learn to write, though. Having a good sense of story is invaluable. I believe nothing is more important than that.
6. How did you personally get your foot in the door of the movie-making business?
I made a movie. And nothing happened. And then I made another movie (”The Dry Spell”). And it got into some festivals and got our names out there a little bit (I say “our” because I work in tandem with my brother Drew). And then we made a third movie (”The Poughkeepsie Tapes”) and it got into the Tribeca Film Festival in 2007, and it caused a bit of a stir. MGM bought it, and a producer named Roy Lee heard of us and offered to let us pitch ideas to him for a remake of the Spanish film REC the same week. We were up against much bigger filmmakers, but we gave it everything we had and got the job. That film became “Quarantine.”
It took me 13 years of destitute poverty to start making a living making films. Before that, it was pretty brutal at times. I was almost evicted a dozen times. I once had to pawn my entire collection of jazz cds so I could take someone out for a business lunch. I once sold my car to make a short. Stuff like that.
7. How do most filmmakers go about getting attention for their work?
Film festivals are a great way. In many ways, those are the gatekeepers to the industry. Screenwriting contests are good. I think just doing it. Making films and making more films. I remember being terrified before a premiere and my wife Stacy told me, “It doesn’t really matter if it goes well or not, because tomorrow you’re going to get up and you’re going to keep doing it.” And she was right. The attention will come in time if you just keep doing the work. I believe that.
8. What are the chances of a filmmaker being able to earn a decent living at their craft?
It’s tough. There’s an adage, “It’s hard until it’s easy.” I think that’s pretty much it. It’s extremely difficult to get anyone to pay you anything, but once anyone does, someone else will probably pay you too.
9. What is the best part of the job?
I love that the job changes constantly. Pre-pro, production, post. They’re such incredibly different jobs with different crews, different temperaments, different paces and skill sets. The only real constant is the project itself. And that looks incredibly different from one week to the next. It’s a job that never stays the same.
10. What is the worst part of the job?
The drive home from set where I realize, in retrospect, all the things I could have done better. Some of the politics can be frustrating. Bad reviews.
11. What is the biggest misconception people have about the job?
I think people sometimes overestimate the role of the director. (Even directors!) I think directors sometimes get too much credit for both the good ideas as well as the problems. It’s such a collaborative art. A film is never “by” one person. It’s made from a lot of work and skill and suffering by literally hundreds of people.
12. What is the work /family/life balance like?
It can be a bit rough. It’s important to have a very understanding wife. I find I’m either home a lot (during development and post) or not at all (during pre-pro and production).
13. Any other advice you’d like to share?
My best piece of advice if you’re looking to get into directing, is to not get good at anything else. The people who seem to stick with it are the ones who have no other marketable skills.
Living and Working with Purpose
Posted: 19 May 2009 09:23 PM PDT
[The following is an excerpt from the book Luck by Design: Certain Success in an Uncertain World by Richard E. Goldman.]
Everything that arises in your life is there for one purpose only — to teach you to exercise an underutilized aspect of your life. Because work involves contact with other people, the underutilized aspects of your life can become more apparent as you compare and contrast yourself with others. Of course, this can only happen when you’re present. Sometimes this can be particularly painful; it’s a natural reaction to resist and avoid those aspects of ourselves that are weak. But sometimes the most painful lessons are the ones that have the most benefit in the long run.
First, there has to be a you, and then there is your job. Similarly, as a parent, although you are responsible for the development of your child, you are still you. The previous chapters have helped you look at that being who is you; this chapter takes it one step further in helping bring that inner self to the workplace. The most important aspect in doing that is congruency — striving to match your inner self with your outer self and creating harmony between your heart and your head. When we look at the outer world, we don’t see the world as it is; we see it only as we are at that moment. Yes, you’re going to have to work, but if you can see that when you change your beliefs, you change the world around you, the chances of your creating congruency increase exponentially.
Here’s a simple way to think about changing your beliefs and how doing so changes the world around you. Have you ever bought a car and then suddenly noticed how many cars the same as the model you bought are on the road? It’s a pretty common reaction. But there aren’t really any more of those cars on the road (except yours): what has changed is your awareness of that particular make and model of car. By purchasing the car that you did, you changed your vested interest in the car, and you brought a new level of attention to it, thereby changing your view and belief about that car.
The discussion of work in this chapter is divided into seven sections:
These sections cover work from the inside (how do you approach work) to the outside (what does your work have to do with you).
Why Work?
When you sit down and think about your life, think about this: the question is not what or why, but how are you going to live? Work is an integral part of how you’re going to live and how you are going to be in the world. A fulfilling life is passion driven and a big part of that life derives from the work that you do. It doesn’t matter what the work is. What matters is the passion that you have behind it and that you put into it. The same applies for the rest of your life.
Each one of us has a reason for being and a contribution to make; why not strive to make these more than financial survival? Yes, finances are important, but if you work at a job that just pays the bills without providing an outlet for your passion, then the ultimate cost to you is far more than the bills that might be due. The cost is compromising and stifling your creative intellect and wasting your time — a whole lot of it. Know that you can be in control, at the helm of your own destiny, by the decisions you make in all aspects of your life — especially regarding the work that you choose to do and how you choose to do it. Remember that everything counts: you will be at your happiest when you are expressing your essential nature and creating your mark on the world through the work that you do.
Do you always seem to have a “bad boss” or “never get a break” at work? It may have something to do with what you are presenting to the world. Your outer working life has to reflect your inner organization. Make sure that you have your personal values and ethos in order, and then take them to the workplace. The reality is that there are no bad bosses, and there are no bad breaks. And there are no victims — unless you choose to become one. Stop! Take a moment to re-read this paragraph. It’s easy enough to read, but really understanding the content can take a lifetime. Give yourself an advantage and contemplate it now: what you bring to your work makes all the difference.
What Are You Supposed to Do?
Each of us has our own specific “true calling” — an answer to the question, “What am I supposed to do?” At the most fundamental level, we each need to feel like we are doing something worthwhile and that we are making a positive contribution to the planet. We need to be able to leave work at the end of the day, feeling tired yet energized because we’ve done something that matters and that our work outside the home has meaning.
How do you figure out who you are, what your place in the world is, and what you’re “supposed” to do? If you grew up in a supportive family, you were told that you could be anything you set your mind to. That’s a lovely message, but it’s pretty nonspecific. If you grew up in a household with less support, non-specificity is the least of your problems.
Figuring out what you’re supposed to do is actually simpler than you think: do what brings you joy. Stop! Think about that right now. If there were no negative consequences — financial or otherwise — what do you see yourself doing for work that would bring you joy? Is it possible for you to be doing that “thing” at this moment in your life? Perhaps not, but you’ve taken one important step in getting to that “thing” by identifying it to begin with. You can begin the process of getting there right now.
Is it easier said than done? Sure, but if you pay attention, your intuition will guide you. Sometimes it’s tricky to differentiate between the voice of your ego and the voice of your soul. The voice of your ego is the one that tells you what you “should” be doing, based mostly on voices and opinions that you have heard and continue to hear from the outside world. This is not a helpful voice. The voice of the soul is the one that will keep gently drawing you to the things you love. When you follow your heart’s desire and listen to your intuition, work turns into pleasure. Will it always be this way? Probably not, which is why paying attention — being present, quiet, and calm — is also imperative in your work life. What you’re sure you should be doing at this stage of your life might end up being what you need to be getting away from five years from now. Times change, and people change. Getting quiet not only helps you find your self, it also helps you find your right place for the right time, by trusting your own inner voice.
What Are You Doing?
As you’re contemplating what you’re supposed to be doing, also ask yourself this question: “What am I doing with my life now?” It is certainly a pretty big question, and it’s one that you have to pause and ask yourself often. Time, that old enemy, is moving on, and if you don’t stop and ask the really tough questions, you’ll find yourself very old and very upset that you’ve spent your time doing “work” that you didn’t want to do.
When was the last time you woke up in the morning and were really excited about the work that you’re about to do? Take a moment to really think about that question. Was it this morning? Yesterday morning? Maybe it wasn’t even last week or last month. If it was last year, then it’s past time to take a hard look at what you’re doing. And read on.
If the work that you do is diminishing your ability to live an abundant life rather than adding to it, it is time to make a change. By identifying your unique skills and talents, you can discover the true meaning in your life and live more authentically. You won’t be able to do this if your work is taking from, rather than adding to, your life.
If you’re currently employed and wondering about why you’re there, ask yourself the following questions:
If your answer to most of these questions is no, then you need to take a long, hard look at what you’re doing. First, make your best effort to change your own position, and even take a stab at improving the culture around you. If you feel that you’ve done this to no avail, you need to develop your exit plan. I’m not advocating that you turn in your resignation tomorrow — there are bills to be paid and responsibilities to be met — but for your own well-being, you need to begin to work in the direction of leaving your current work and finding something else that has more meaning for you.
If you are a student in college or graduate school and you feel that you’re in a rut or have answered no to many of the above questions, then you need to reevaluate your situation. Again, start from a place of changing the current situation — don’t let “bail” be the default answer. Maybe the no answers have to do with what you’re doing when you’re not in class, or not studying. You’re the best judge.
A degree is important, but if it comes at the cost of boredom, then it’s an expensive lesson, both financially and spiritually. Perhaps you’ve chosen the wrong major; know that it’s never too late to right that wrong. Perhaps you’re trying too hard to graduate in X number of years and have overloaded yourself with courses; that decision is another wrong that can be righted. Maybe you’re just burned out with school. Most colleges make it pretty easy for you to either take a leave of absence or to cut back on your course load. Take advantage of that flexibility in any way you can.
If you’re a parent who feels like you have stayed at home too long, you have choices as well. How old are your children? Do they need you 24/7 or is there a way that you can get out of the house during part of the day to do something that challenges your intellect a little more? For that matter, given the wide range of possibilities on the Internet, you can take a course, start a business, or be involved in something greater than yourself from your home at any hour of the day — even at sporadic naptimes. You just have to make the commitment to do it.
The questions “What am I doing?” is not a question that you can ask yourself once in life and then be done. It is a question that you should ask yourself often — maybe daily. It’s far too easy to get stuck in a situation where you are comfortable, where asking any question, especially, “What am I doing?” involves way too much risk. Well, know this: the risk, the penalty, for not asking the question often enough is far greater than the reward for ignoring the question. If work is indeed the portal to the rest of your life, and the way you can bring out your unique qualities, then you need to ask the questions to ensure that you are being and doing the best that you can. If a path feels like a struggle, is part of the struggle because it’s not the right path for you? This is not to say that the path will be easy, but if the obstacles come from within, they may be telling you something you need to pay attention to.
And finally, one of the ways to find out what you “should” be doing is to discover what you shouldn’t be doing. I suppose this is code for get a job! One way to find out what you like is to discover what you don’t like, so don’t be dismissive of jobs that you don’t think you’re going to like. And be careful of becoming a “professional student.” Several members of my advisory board indicated that they were going to school because they hadn’t figured out what they wanted to do with their lives. An undergraduate degree is important, but unless you know what you want to do with a degree beyond that, be careful. School is very expensive and very time-consuming; some breathing room and exposure to the working world after so many years in school is probably a good thing.
—
The above is an excerpt from the book Luck by Design: Certain Success in an Uncertain World by Richard E. Goldman. The above excerpt is a digitally scanned reproduction of text from print. Although this excerpt has been proofread, occasional errors may appear due to the scanning process. Please refer to the finished book for accuracy.Copyright © 2009 Richard E. Goldman, author of Luck by Design: Certain Success in an Uncertain World
—
Richard E. Goldman, author of Luck by Design: Certain Success in an Uncertain World, started working on the sales floor of a small clothing store, it had annual sales of only a few hundred thousand dollars. Over the years he helped grow that one store into the emerging and now omnipresent Men’s Wearhouse. By the time Goldman retired early in 2002, there were 680 Men’s Wearhouse-affiliated stores across the United States and Canada, the business was known nationally and internationally, and had annual sales in excess of $1.27 billion.
Widely recognized as the marketing mastermind behind the success of Men’s Wearhouse, Goldman has also been a quiet force in business, education, and volunteerism. His luck — luck that he has actively created — has expanded his life in ways and directions well beyond anything he might have imagined as a child in Hazleton, Pennsylvania, or later, as he began contemplating the larger world and his future in it.
To learn still more about Luck by Design, how you can incorporate luck into your future, and to share your own “lucky” experiences, visit www.richiegoldman.com.
Daydreaming In Meetings? Here’s Five Ways To Focus And Listen Attentively
Posted: 18 May 2009 12:28 PM PDT
It’s a typical day at work.
You’re sitting in a meeting, bored out of your skull, daydreaming about your
summer vacation and watching the clock go round. Someone speaking in a tedious
monotone is droning on and on, but the sound’s just become background noise to
you.
Then suddenly, you jolt back to full awareness of everything going on in the
room when your boss asks, “So, what do you think about the proposals?”
Proposals? What proposals? You haven’t
taken in a single word that’s been said!
It’s happened to us all at some point (though hopefully without our boss
realizing!) Maybe it’s not a meeting, but a lecture or a church sermon. Your
mind just wanders, and you realize you’ve just missed a whole chunk of
discussion.
Here are five practical tips to help you keep your
attention on the meeting (or lecture, etc) that you’re supposed to be listening
to.
Remember that in every meeting, in addition to gathering information and offering input, you are visible at all times to everyone in attendance. Make it your goal to demonstrate by your words and your actions that you have a positive attitude and are interested in what is being said. Sit up. Look at the person who is speaking. Smile. Acknowledge contributions of others by nodding your head. All of these actions let other people know that rather than just another warm body in the room, you an active, eager meeting participant. (From Communications Doctor: Meetings (pdf))
During meetings, people can harness
concentration through participation and by asking questions. Note-taking might
also help.
(From
TrendWatcher: Zoning In on Productivity by Zoning Out)
If you find it hard to have the confidence to speak up in meetings, try saying
something within the first ten minutes or so (even if it’s just a very minor
point or some small talk). This breaks the ice and makes it easier for you to
contribute later on.
Don’t be afraid to ask questions if something isn’t clear. Depending on the
situation, you might be the most junior person in the room, the newest member of
a committee, or at a beginner level in a college class. Don’t just sit there
feeling bewildered or out of your depth – ask for clarification on points that
are confusing you. If there are other newbies in the group, they might well have
similar queries – and they’ll be grateful that you spoke up!
Millions of dollars are wasted by businesses- holding unnecessary meetings, having unclear objectives for meetings, and including people that don't need to be there. (Meetings Are Boring And Other Myths)
Don’t waste your time and your company's money (or in non-work meetings, the
time you could spend with family) by attending meetings that you get nothing out
of. Try talking to your line manager and suggesting alternatives, such as
conducting the business of the meeting by email or phone calls.
Do you have any tips to add on how to concentrate and listen (or even just stay
awake!) during meetings?
(Thanks to Divya, one of
DLM’s readers, for emailing me to suggest this one!)
|
|
Written on 5/18/2009 by Ali Hale. Ali is a professional writer and blogger, and a part-time postgraduate student of creative writing. If you need a hand with any sort of written project, drop her a line (ali@aliventures.com) or check out her website at Aliventures. |
Impress Your Clients, Boss and Colleagues: How To Improve Your Business Writing
Posted: 14 May 2009 05:23 AM PDT
Before I switched into
freelance writing, I worked for a small IT company and had the lofty job title
of “Head of Documentation”. This meant I was the person who got landed with
writing the software user guides, helping out on company reports, and
proof-reading promotional leaflets. I can definitely say that writing for
DLM is more exciting! But my experiences of office life, along with my writing
for my own business purposes (and editing copy for clients), have helped me
master few straightforward tips about writing well in a business context.
Whether you’re worried that your emails come across as
too friendly or too brisk, or whether you have to prepare a report or
presentation, these tips should help you write in a professional, readable, way
– that’s bound to impress your clients, your boss and your colleagues.
AskBio has proactively developed strategic relationships with the following corporate, foundation, and academic collaborators, which provides distinct capabilities to execute projects from discovery through patient clinical trials. (AskBio – Collaborators)
Does it inspire you to read on? Does it even make sense at a quick glance?
Wouldn’t you prefer to read:
AskBio has strong relationships with these corporate, foundation, and academic collaborators. Our expert connections mean we can take your project every step of the way – from discovery to patient clinical trials.
Yes, my example doesn’t hit all those key business words like “proactively”,
“strategic” and “execute”. Frankly, unless you’re writing for a boss with a
predilection for buzzword bingo, you don’t need them.
Here’s an example, from a Webmaster Training course that requires “basic computer literacy”:
SEO - what SEO is, how it works, what the benefits are and why it is essential.
Someone who has “basic computer literacy” is a typical office worker who can use
Word, Excel, a browser, and so on. Do you
know what SEO stands for? Does everyone in your office? This is a prime example
of where simply spelling out an acronym could make things a whole lot clearer:
SEO (search engine optimization) - what SEO is, how it works, what the benefits are and why it is essential.
Even if you’re not too sure what “search engine optimization” would involve,
you’d at least be able to guess from the phrase that it’s not some obscure
software package or arcane programming language.
Whether your business writing just involves emails, or whether you have to produce much more complex documents, what tips do you have for conveying a great impression and a clear message?
|
|
Written on 5/14/2009 by Ali Hale. Ali is a professional writer and blogger, and a part-time postgraduate student of creative writing. If you need a hand with any sort of written project, drop her a line (ali@aliventures.com) or check out her website at Aliventures. |
By Dawn Rosenberg McKay, About.com
Making a career change usually means investing both your time and money. As with any investment, it's important to be informed before you make it. Before you make a career change, here are steps you can take to increase your chances of success.
1. Decide If You Need a Career Change
Before you begin thinking about making a career change you have to decide whether you actually need one. You may just need to find a new job, not an easy task, but certainly simpler than an entire career makeover.
· Six Reasons to Make a Career Change
· Quiz: Should I Make a Career Change
If you decide a career change is in order you will need to evaluate your values, skills, personality and interests using self assessment tools, often called career tests. Self assessment tools are used to generate a list of occupations that are deemed appropriate based on your answers to series of questions. Some people choose to have career counselors or other career development professionals administer them but many opt to use free career tests that are available on the Web.
· Self Assessment: An Overview
3. Make a List of Occupations to Explore
Look over the lists of occupations generated through your use of the self assessment tools. They are probably rather lengthy. You want to come up with a much shorter list, consisting of between five and ten occupations. Circle occupations that appear on multiple lists. Circle occupations you may have considered previously and that you find appealing. Write these occupations down on a separate list titled "Occupations to Explore."
4. Explore the Occupations on Your List
For each occupation on your list, you will want to look at the job description, educational and other requirements, job outlook, advancement opportunities, and earnings.
5. Continue Narrowing Down your List
Pare down your list of possible occupations based on what you learned from your research. For example, you may not be willing to put the time and energy into preparing for an occupation for which an advanced degree is required, or you may consider the earnings for a particular occupation inadequate.
· Quiz: Should I Choose This Occupation
6. Conduct Informational Interviews
At this point you should only have a few occupations left on your list. You now need to gather more in-depth information. Your best source of this information are people who have firsthand knowledge of the occupations in which you are interested. Identify who they are and conduct informational interviews with them.
· How to Conduct an Informational Interview
By now you should have decided on one occupation you want to pursue. It's time to put a plan in place so you can eventually find a job in that field, but first you will need to set some goals.
Now that you have set your goals, you will need to decide how to reach them. A career action plan will help guide you as you pursue your long and short term goals.
Changing your career may mean you have to undergo some training. That could take the form of earning a degree, doing an internship or taking courses to learn some new skills.
10. Say Goodbye to Your Current Career
Your decision to change careers may have been inspired by a job loss. In that case you don't have to worry about leaving your job. However, if you are currently employed, you will have to quit your job and deal with some issues related to that.
· Things to Do When You Quit Your Job
More About Career Change
Free Career Planning ClassTen Myths About Choosing a CareerCareer Choice or Change
By Susan M. Heathfield, About.com
Executive Summary: Part one of the article summarizes reasons why you might want to quit your job along with potential solutions to these issues that may make your current job and workplace viable. In part two, read about more issues related to quitting your job, plus, learn the number one reason why people quit their jobs.
Are you feeling increasingly unhappy about your job? Do you find yourself day dreaming about other things you could do with the time you spend at work? Do you dread the thought of Monday mornings?
Then, it may be time for you to quit your job. Or, alternatively, address the issues that you dislike about your current job. Without leaving your job, you may be able to solve the problems and make your current job - work.
Take a look at these six common reasons why people often leave their job. These will help you determine whether it's time to quit your current job or take action to make your current job - work. With a little work, you can identify changes that will re-invigorate your job and career.
Determine Why You Are Unhappy in Your Current Job
Do you dislike the work you do day-to-day on the job? Or, are there other problems that affect how you feel about your job? If you like the work and pinpoint other issues as the problem, consider what you can do to resolve these problems before you quit your job.
Good jobs are difficult to find. You don't want to make a hasty decision or burn any bridges until you've thoughtfully considered your options. You may be able to make your job - work.
Following are the six common problems that prompt people to want to quit their job. See if you can find your reasons and use the advice provided to turn your work situation around. If you make your best effort and it doesn't work, see: The Top Ten Reasons to Quit Your Job.
You Feel Stuck in Your Current Job
Are you feeling stuck in your current position with no hope of promotion? You look around your organization and don't see any job you'd like to do next. You may want to explore options with your boss.
· Talk to your boss to make sure you're right. Ask about opportunities for lateral moves and for more interesting, skill-stretching assignments. Most workplaces value initiative and people who want to continue to learn and grow.
· Consider swapping assignments with a coworker who feels like you do about trying something new. (Ask for your manager's agreement, of course.)
You Feel Unappreciated in Your Current Job
You work hard every day, but you don't feel your boss or your workplace recognize your efforts. You can't remember the last time anyone thanked you for your contributions.
· Tell your boss you would like her input about how she views your work. Tell the boss you'd like to sit down with him regularly to obtain feedback, both good and bad, so you can improve.
· Offer to chair an employee recognition team that can develop a process for recognizing the hard work and efforts of all your coworkers. After all, if you're feeling unappreciated, you can bet others are, too.
· Sometimes, feeling unappreciated has to do with money. Ask your manager for a raise or ask when you can expect your compensation review. Follow up to make sure it happens.
More Job Solutions Instead of Quitting Your Job
Explore how to make your current job - work, with the first suggestions in this article.
You Feel Overworked on Your Job
You probably are overworked. Employers have cut back on hiring and are expecting employees to do more with fewer resources.
At a local university, a customer service counter was staffed by five people until recently. Now, one person staffs the counter. Is she overworked or was the counter overstaffed in the first place? You will never convince her that the answer is anything but the first - overworked.
·
Talk with your employer, after collecting good data and evidence,
if you find that the job is indeed more work than one person can comfortably
handle. Brainstorm options that include these:
--hire a new employee,
--assign a part-time employee or intern to work with you,
--identify tasks you can stop doing, and
--determine the value-added tasks and eliminate non-critical job components.
· Take time to flowchart your work processes and see where you have waste in the process. Are you doing rework? How does extra time or steps make your work processes more difficult and time-consuming than they warrant?
You Dislike Your Career Field and Job
Sometimes, people discover that they have chosen the wrong career or field of work. They dislike the activities and the actual content of the job.
When I was twenty-one, I taught special education. While I loved the young people, I disliked the school setting and had little in common with many of my coworkers. I was not challenged for long by the content of the work either. Now, it's thirty plus years later and I'm still teaching, just not in a public school.
You may experience something similar. If you fundamentally don't like the work, consider these actions.
·
Spend a year exploring your career options and needs.
--Meet with people already working in the fields you are exploring.
--Determine education or credentials necessary to move on.
--Read books by authors such as Barbara Sher and Annie Gottlieb.
Wishcraft and other recent career and job search books are good
choices.
--Visit
related career websites at About.
· Make a careful plan with a timeline, and move on.
You Dislike Your Employer, Coworkers or Customers
Maybe you like your work but dislike your current employer, coworkers or customers. Explore your options to move to a different employer.
Make sure that the unhappiness isn't inside of you, however, and that it really is due to the actions of others. (Perhaps your employer is unethical in his treatment of the customer. Maybe your coworkers are all miserable and constantly complaining about their work.)
Look carefully for a pattern in your own actions. As an example, do you repeatedly start out at a new job and location but then quickly becoming disillusioned? If you identify a pattern, the unhappiness may all be internally generated. If the unhappiness is inside of you, only you can make you feel better and make your job - work.
If you're looking at new life options,
consider signing up for these emailed tips:
Your Tip of the Week for Success in Work and Life.
Ten Days to a Happier, More Successful Career and Life.
· Start out by exploring whether you have any control over any aspect of the situation that is bothering you. If you identify areas you control, try fixing them. Perhaps sitting in the break room listening to people complain is ruining your good spirits. Stay out of there for awhile to see if your outlook improves.
· Consider transferring to a new work area or trading customers with a coworker.
You Can't Stand Your Boss
This is the number one reason people give for why they leave their current job or employer. When managers are nasty, abusive, and controlling, this is understandable. There are more subtle things some managers do, however, that drive staff away.
These include failing to:
· provide direction,
· involve people in decisions about their work,
· appreciate staff contributions, and
· help develop the talents and abilities of their employees.
If you find yourself in such a situation, try these actions.
· Talk to your manager about your concerns. Many people don't realize the affect their actions create. Others just don't care. See which category your boss falls in.
· If you are planning to leave anyway, you have not got a lot to lose. Talk with your manager's boss or your Human Resources department to see if they can remedy the situation.
· Transfer to a different department. Try to remove yourself from the manager's influence.
I trust I've given you some ideas about addressing your current work situation that might substitute for leaving your current job. There are, however, legitimate times and legitimate reasons for moving on. Let's explore those next in the The Top Ten Reasons to Quit Your Job.
More Job Solutions Instead of Quitting Your Job.
By Susan M. Heathfield, About.com
You're weary. You're frustrated. You're unhappy. You're demotivated. Your interaction with your boss leaves you cold. He's a bully, intrusive, controlling, picky or petty. He takes credit for your work, never provides positive feedback and misses each meeting he schedules with you. Or he caves immediately under pressure and fails to support you in accomplishing your job.
He's a bad boss, bad to the bone. Dealing with a less than effective manager, or just plain bad managers and bad bosses, is a challenge too many employees face. No matter the character of your bad boss, these ideas will help you deal with your bad boss.
Does the Bad Boss Know?
Start your campaign by understanding that your boss may not know he is bad. Just as in situational leadership, the definition of "bad" depends on the employee's needs, the manager's skills and the circumstances.
A hands-off manager may not realize that his failure to provide any direction or feedback makes him a bad boss. He may think he’s empowering his staff. A manager who provides too much direction and micromanages may feel insecure and uncertain about his own job. He may not realize his direction is insulting to a competent, secure, self-directed staff member.
Or, maybe the boss lacks training and is so overwhelmed with his job requirements that he can’t provide support for you. Perhaps he has been promoted too quickly or his reporting responsibilities have expanded beyond his reach. In these days of downsizing, responsibilities are often shared by fewer staff members than ever before.
This bad boss may not share your values. The newer generation of workers expect that they can use their vacation time and take action to make work-life balance a priority. Not all bosses share these views. If your values are out of sync with those of your boss, you do have a problem.
Recommended Approach to the Unwitting Bad Boss
· Talk to this boss. Tell him what you need from him in term of direction, feedback and support. Be polite and focus on your needs. Telling the boss he’s a bad boss is counterproductive and won’t help you meet your goals.
· Ask the manager how you can help him reach his goals. Make sure you listen well and provide the needed assistance.
· Seek a mentor from among other managers or more skilled peers, with the full knowledge of your current manager, to enlarge your opportunity for experience.
· If you’ve taken these actions, and they haven’t worked, go to your boss’s manager and ask for assistance. Or, you can go to your Human Resources staff first, to rehearse and gain advice. Understand that your current boss may never forgive you, so ensure you have done what you can do with him, before taking your issues up the line.
· You may never hear what the boss’s boss or the HR staff did to help solve your bad manager’s behavior. It’s confidential. But, do allow some time to pass for the actions to have their desired impact.
· If nothing changes, despite your best efforts, and you think the problem is that they don’t believe you, draw together coworkers who also experience the behavior. Visit the boss’s manager to help him see the size and impact of the behavior.
· If you think the problem is that your boss can’t – or won’t – change, ask for a transfer to another department. This recommendation presumes you like your employer and your work.
· If a transfer or promotion is unavailable, begin your search for a new job. Fleeing is always an option. You may want to conduct your job search secretly, but under the circumstances, it may be time for you to go.
When the Bad Boss Knows
Working with a manager at a client company, we discussed his approach to employees. He looked down his nose at them. He criticized and screamed at employees. He publicly humiliated any employee who made a mistake. One day he called me to ask a question. I thought, “Great. Break through.” I was doomed to disappointment when he said, “I know that you don’t approve of me screaming at staff as a regular thing.” I agreed. “So, can you tell me, please, what are the circumstances under which it is okay to scream at them?”
This manager thought his behavior was perfectly acceptable. (The end of the story? He never did change and was eventually removed as manager.) Most managers that bully, intimidate, cruelly criticize, name call and treat you as if you are stupid likely know what they are doing. They may know they’re bad and even revel in their badness.
They may feel their behavior has been condoned - and even encouraged - within your organization. They may have learned the behaviors from their former supervisor who was viewed as successful.
You don’t have to put up with demeaning behavior. You deserve a good boss who helps your self-confidence and self-esteem grow. You deserve a good boss who helps you advance your career. You deserve civil, professional treatment at work.
Recommended Approach to the Bad Boss Who Knows
· Start by recognizing that you have the right to a professional environment in your workplace. You are not the problem. You have a bad boss. He is the problem.
· You can try talking with the bad boss to tell him the impact that his actions or words are having on you or your performance. In a rare blue moon, the bad boss might care enough to work to modify his behavior. If he does decide to work on his behavior, hold him to his commitments. If you allow him to yell at you, even just a little bit, you are training him that he can get away with his former behavior. Don’t go to war publicly, but draw his behavior to his attention as soon as you have the opportunity, privately.
· If the behavior does not change, appeal to his supervisor and to Human Resources staff. Describe exactly what he does and the impact the behavior is having on you and your job performance. You may never hear what the boss’s boss or the HR staff did to help solve your bad manager’s behavior. It’s confidential. But, do allow some time to pass for the actions to have their desired impact.
· If nothing changes, despite your best efforts, and you think the problem is that they don’t believe you, draw together coworkers who also experience the behavior. Visit the boss’s manager to help him see the size and impact of the behavior.
· If you think the problem is that your boss can’t – or won’t – change, ask for a transfer to another department. This recommendation presumes you like your employer and your work.
· If a transfer or promotion is unavailable, begin your search for a new job. Fleeing is always an option. You may want to conduct your job search secretly, but under the circumstances, it may be time for you to go.
Moving On – Leaving the Bad Boss
These resources will assist you to move on.
· About Technical Job Searching
· Personality, Leadership, Career: Tests, Surveys, Profiles
http://www.mythbusters.com/three-top-job-resume-myths.html
If you've ever let so-called "common knowledge" guide a job hunt, then you've probably fallen prey to the occasional job resume myth. So what, you ask? Well, you may not have realized it, but ever so accidentally, you may have sabotaged your chances of getting the job of your dreams.
But don't freak out! It's not as if you can't learn from your mistakes. Most resume faux pas are the results of simple errors and misperceptions, which usually boil down to simply not knowing any better. With this article, we aim to fix that.
This is a basic job resume myth that many people fall for. You send your resume out there, and hope it'll wow someone so much they'll pick up the phone and call you right away. Sorry; even if you're the second coming of Bill Gates, this may not happen. HR departments are notoriously understaffed and overwhelmed.
While your resume will probably get looked at, it may take a while. You can accelerate this process by following up with a polite phone call in a week or so, and then again a week later. Create a chart to keep track of each resume you submit, and whom you need to contact to speed it along.
It's easy to conclude that cover letters are just so much polite blather, and decide not to bother. But don't fall for this job resume myth. A well-written cover letter can highlight relevant items and experience, offer cogent personal information, and explain why you're perfect for the job.
And besides, if you can't even bother to be polite to the company you'd like to
work for, why should they be polite to you? Unless you really
are the second coming of
Bill Gates, if your resume doesn't have a cover letter, it'll probably end up on
the bottom of the stack.
Not necessarily. Unless you're fresh out of college or have held long-term positions with just one or two companies your entire career (which can look very good on a resume, by the way), this job resume myth can stifle your creativity and make you look like much less than you actually are.
Depending on your accomplishments and current position (not to mention the position you're applying for), your resume may need to be several pages long -- or longer -- in order to tell your story properly. Don't overdo it, but don't shortchange yourself either.
At the very least, include a note at the bottom of your resume offering to send a detailed multi-page version to those who are interested. It can't hurt, and it'll definitely keep you from running afoul of this too-common job resume myth.
Image courtesy of: Clarity25
You dusted off your resume. Polished it up. Killed it in the interview. And Congratulations, you were hired!
Initially you are excited, relieved and proud – (as you should be!) – but as the starting date of your new position looms ever closer, often these first feelings are overshadowed by a growing sense of nervousness and anxiety, climaxing five minutes before you walk in that front door for the first time. Natural insecurities and doubts prevail: Why did they hire me? What if I don’t know what I’m doing? What if I don’t fit in?
Before you let these nerves get to you, it is important to know that if you care about this job even remotely these feelings are far more common than not, and it is a fact that everyone at the office you’re about to walk into had a first day there at some time or another. Having said that, though the first day on a new job won’t define your entire existence there (cumulative hard work and results will), it sets a tone that will either work for or against you, depending on how you play it. And like most things in life, a little upfront planning will go a long way to ensuring your ultimate success.
Getting There: “Nobody plans to fail, they fail to plan.”
Plan your route: Nothing is more important on that ominous first day than simply making it on time. Seems easy enough. But though you can count on your own punctuality, often times it seems like every other car on the road is conspiring against you. Plan for that. Plan for the broken down Civic in the middle of the intersection. Plan for the grandmother with Cataracts oblivious she is driving in the fast lane. Make sure you leave with ample time to get there and plan your route in advance. This is valuable time that can be used to get calm and focused, instead of weaving through traffic at break-neck speeds, cursing out everybody in you’re way because you’re now late.
Dress right: When you’re looking good, you’re feeling good. Plan what you’re going to wear, being conscious of your new environment, the night before so you don’t have to make frenzied and hurried decisions in the morning. Putting on something that feels and looks good has a tremendous positive effect on our psyche and confidence, and is essential to a first impression. Conversely, wearing something ill planned or inappropriate can leave you feeling awkward and out of place all day.
Do your homework: Learn as much as you can about your new employer/company before you start – partners, managers, clients, any press on the company. This will allow you to get a sense of how the company works before you ever step in it. (This is also good advice for all jobs you’re interviewing for, so you can prioritize your choices should you start getting offers. Some companies will be a far better personal fit for you than others.)
Making a Connection:
The routine: Be vigilant of your new office culture – there are often very obvious hierarchies if you take the time to check it out. Every office has its little eccentricities and specific ways of doing things, the quicker you spot them the quicker you’ll be welcomed in. And remember to be flexible. Just because you did something a certain way in your past situation, doesn’t mean it’s going to fly here. New environment, new protocol.
Introductions: Make a concerted effort to get to know your colleagues. Often co-workers will go out of their way to be welcoming on your first day. Be open to this. A warm smile and a firm handshake will go a long way. As well, if there are people that you haven’t formally met, introduce yourself. It is important to get to know people at all levels. Though you would never want to forget your superior’s names, it is just as advantageous to get to know the assistants, temps and interns, as more often than not they’re actually the ones getting things done and a sincere introduction by you will be noticed and appreciated.
Information: On day one remember you are student not a teacher. Know you know enough to be there (you were hired after all!) but also know enough to know you can always know more. Don’t regale your mentor with stories of the way you used to work, you’re in a new environment and that comes along with a whole new set of work practices. Inevitably as you’re being whisked around for a tour many names and information will be thrown out to you: You’re not expected to remember everything on day one, so be inquisitive and ask questions – be a good student.
The water cooler: Positivity breads positivity. Often in an attempt to make you part of the group, some employees will try and bring you up to speed on all the office gossip. While this can be funny and entertaining, try not to engage in this. Often conversations like this come back to haunt you down the line. Remember they’re not your friends, they’re your co-workers – be professional. Conversely, if asked about your old job, even if you had a really bad experience, pull from the positive – it puts you in a better light and generates far more long-term respect.
First Day Work Ethic: The first day at a new job is often like the first day back at school. There will be a lot of action, a lot of information, but you will probably be expected to get very little actual ‘work’ done, as you’re getting the lay of the land. This does not mean however that you should leave right at 5pm sharp. Symbolic actions like putting in that little bit of extra time, even if you’re not swamped right off the bat, are often noticed and appreciated. Slipping out 5 minutes early because you don’t have much to do will undoubtedly have the opposite effect.
Making Connections Last:
Ultimately you will be judged on your job performance and productivity. Work not only hard, but smart. Creating a comfortable, flowing work atmosphere is often imperative to maximum efficiency. Though you may have first day jitters, setting the correct tone – professional and engaging - from day one, will go a long way to helping create the best environment for you.
Finally, a special thanks to everyone at PickTheBrain that made my first day at work truly joyous!
In his movie debut, Ambition to Meaning, Wayne Dyer explores the spiritual journey in the second half of life when we long to shift from ambition to meaning and find the purpose that is our unique contribution to the world.
“I’ m more proud of this film than of anything I’ve ever done before.” – Wayne Dyer
Visit AmbitionToMeaning.com to watch the trailer and music videos or to order the DVD.
Meeting Wizard is another great, free way to schedule meetings online. Using it will help you stop playing e-mail or phone tag, and give everyone a common place to head to find out what’s going on.
What I love the most is that you don’t have to download anything in order to use it! You can start using it by clicking the Get Started button, or on the navigation bar you can select from Quick Start, Sign Up, or Tour.
I recommend getting started by taking the Tour. There’s no point in signing up for a service when you’re not sure you’ll even use it. The tour walks you through the features of the site, and then you can sign up by clicking the sign up link on the new user navigation strip.
Registration is simple. Just fill out the form with your name, e-mail address, country, time zone, and then create a password. You can even set a security word – for faster password retrieval!
Once you’re logged in – you’ll have two options: you can add your personal contact information for your outgoing messages or you can create your first meeting request.
Creating your first meeting request is really easy to do. All you have to do is select whether the dates are set in stone, or if you’re proposing a set of dates to get the best time for everyone. Once you’ve decided which you want to fill out the form with the date and time of meeting, include a little note, decide whether the attendees need to RSVP and you’re on your way.
This is a great site, that makes getting together easier.
~Amanda
Did you like this Cool Site? Be sure to rate or add to it here:
http://www.worldstart.com/tips/tips.php/meeting-wizard
How To Survive At Work With A Hangover
Posted: 07 May 2009 06:54 AM PDT
You had one (or several) too
many drinks on a night out with friends, and – at
8 am in the office – you’re really
regretting it. Your head is pounding, your mouth feels like sawdust, and you
wish your colleagues would tiptoe and whisper when they're near you. The thought
of eating makes your stomach threaten to revolt, so you’ve skipped breakfast.
All you can think about is how you’re going to survive till
four o’clock.
Here’s how:
If the above tips aren’t enough for you, you might also want to
check out:
Ways To Cure Your Hangover and
How to Severely Decrease the Chances Of A Hangover.
Have you ever been hungover at work? How
did you cope? Do you have any disastrous hangover stories to share?
Written on 5/7/2009 by Ali Hale. Ali is a professional writer and blogger, and a part-time postgraduate student of creative writing. If you need a hand with any sort of written project, drop her a line (ali@aliventures.com) or check out her website at Aliventures.
So You Want My Job: Interpreter/Translator
Posted: 06 May 2009 06:12 PM PDT
Today we return to our “So You Want My Job” series, in which we interview men who are employed in desirable man jobs and ask them about the reality of their work and for advice on how men can live their dream.
For this installment, we interviewed Greg Melchior. Mr. Melchior has a job many men would find pretty exotic; he lives in Japan and works as an interpreter and translator. Dōmo arigatō Greg!
1. Tell us a little about yourself (Where are you from? Where did you go to school? How old are you? Describe your job and how long you’ve been at it).
My name is Greg Melchior. I am 31 years old and from a small Midwestern town. I earned a BA in Diplomacy and Foreign Affairs at Miami University (OH) and did my master’s in Japanese at the University of Sheffield (UK). I have been doing my current job for five years. I have worked for two foreign governments and worked on projects including plasma mass spectrometers, movies, automobiles, consumer electronics, and financial reporting.
2. Why did you want to become an interpreter/translator? When did you know that it was what you wanted to do?
I have always wanted to do something that was a little out of the ordinary. I first thought that I’d like to enter the field when a friend of mine was visiting Japan with his father who is an official interpreter for the EU. The two crashed at my place for a few days to see the local sights and we would talk for hours about “the biz.” It was pretty much settled after that.
3. If man wants to become an interpreter/translator, how should he best prepare? What’s the best route into the job?
Translation and interpretation are two completely separate jobs. Translation involves the written word and strict attention must be paid to the finer linguistic details. Interpretation deals with the spoken word and as such is a much more fluid and dynamic art. You don’t have time to reach for a dictionary when communication breaks down.
There is no set route or requirements to get into either field. Solid language skills are a must. There is no real test for fluency, but a good indicator would be whether or not you can explain how to tie your shoes in a foreign language without using gestures. There are training programs for both translation and interpretation that help you to sharpen your linguistic tools for the challenges of the job. In addition to language skills, you will need specialist knowledge about a certain field. Many people want to be a “one-stop-shop,” but it boils down to the fact that you can’t translate what you can’t understand. Also, language is a living thing. It constantly changes with the addition of new phrases and cultural references so you also need a good grasp of the culture of the languages you are dealing with and current events because these have a major impact on how we communicate.
4. What is the best part of the job?
You get to meet interesting people and help them understand each other. You also get a glimpse of what goes on behind the scenes in a wide range of industries and products before they ever hit (or don’t hit) the shelves. I’m never quite sure what is going to come across my desk next, so there is always a sense of excitement.
5. What is the worst part of the job?
Tight deadlines. The time-cost-quality triangle definitely holds true.
6. What do you like best about living in Japan? What do you miss about living in the US?
My first “real” job was here in Japan, and I have only lived here since. I have spent time in both the countryside and the city, and I enjoy the blend of traditional and modern. If you are traveling to Japan, by all means get out to the countryside.
Every so often I find myself missing greasy spoon diners where you can order breakfast at 2 am.
7. What is the biggest misconception people have about the job?
I would have to say that the biggest misconception people have about the job is that it just involves switching from one code to another. It isn’t that easy. Language carries with it a lot of cultural baggage. A big part of the job is finding the correct way to express the ideas and reflect the correct undertones in the target language. And no, humor does not translate well. Believe me.
8. What is the work/family balance like? How often do you get to see extended family and friends back home?
The work/family balance depends on your work arrangement. If you are freelance, you can take more time off, but your paycheck suffers. If you work in-house, you have a more corporate schedule (and there is a lot of overtime in Japan), but benefits like insurance and paid vacation days are also nice.
My wife and I used to make a yearly trip back to see my family in the US, but we now have two small sons and the trip is too taxing for them. The plane ride isn’t as bad as you’d expect, but jet-lagged toddlers don’t make for a relaxing vacation. We are thinking of meeting somewhere in the middle- Hawaii perhaps- until the boys are a little bigger.
9. Is there a hierarchy in your job? If so, how does one “move up” in the job?
“Moving up” generally depends on experience and job history. If you are freelance, you get steady clients and a reputation in the field. You could also hire a staff and become your own agency.
10. Any other advice, tips, or anecdotes you’d like to share?
The most important thing is to be good at what you do and to enjoy doing it.
Ten Ways to Stay On Top Of Your Work
Posted: 05 May 2009 04:54 AM PDT
Do you ever feel like you’re
drowning in work? Your inbox is overflowing, you have to move two stacks of
papers to get to your keyboard, you have a constant nagging feeling that you’ve
forgotten about something vital, and that major project you want to start work
on still remains a pipe dream.
Some people say they “work well under stress”, but most of us are happier,
healthier and more productive when we feel that we’re on top of things. With
that in mind, here are ten tips to help you stay on top of your work.
How do you stay on top of your work? Share your tips and ideas in the comments!
Written on 5/05/2009 by Ali Hale. Ali is a professional writer and blogger, and a part-time postgraduate student of creative writing. If you need a hand with any sort of written project, drop her a line (ali@aliventures.com) or check out her website at Aliventures.
How to Avoid Work-at-Home Scams
by Rebecca Faill
Don't fall prey to these common swindles
You're looking for a job, reading the classified ads every day, and certain listings keep catching your eye. You know the ads I mean: the ones promising outrageous riches or the ability to work at home in exchange for performing some simple task. The more desperate for a job you become, the more tempting these offers seem.
Don't fall for them. While there are legitimate telecommuting jobs available, they are rare. The work-at-home jobs listed in the classifieds are usually not the real thing. Some common swindles include:
Work At Home Training
The type of work advertised will vary by ad. You'll see "rebate processing," "medical billing," "envelope stuffing," "posting ads for Google(r)" or a hundred other variations. The response to your inquiries is always the same. You will be asked to buy an information kit, training, or some sort of software before you can begin working. After you send the money, the promised job never materializes.
How to avoid: Never send potential employers money or give them your credit card or bank account information. Real jobs don't require upfront payments.
Donations Handling and Check Cashing Schemes
You answer an ad and are mailed a cashier's check. You are asked to cash the check and then send back some small portion of the money. Later, it will turn out the original check was counterfeit and the bank will expect you to return the full amount.
How to avoid: Never cash a check unless you are sure it is from a legitimate source. If you have doubts about the legitimacy of an employer, check with the Better Business Bureau ( www.bbb.org ).
Reshipping
Goods, generally electronics, are mailed to you with instructions on how to repackage and reship the items, possibly along with shipping supplies and labels. Even if you are paid for taking part in this fraud, the goods sent have often been bought with stolen credit cards, and you are unknowingly taking part in a crime
How to avoid: It is extremely unlikely that a real company would need to pay someone for this kind of service. Ask yourself why they would need the goods reshipped. Be suspicious if you are being paid for your work by cashier's check instead of a normal bank account check. Be especially careful of companies you've never heard of or companies based in foreign countries.
Mystery Shopping
This one is tricky because there are actual "mystery shopping" jobs available from reputable companies. However, these companies don't typically need to buy classified ads to recruit new employees. If you answer one of these ads, you will generally be asked to pay a fee to receive an "information kit," which contains company listings available for free elsewhere. Alternately, you may be asked to call a pay-per-minute phone number. Don't bother. For a real list of mystery shopping companies, try the website www.volition.com
How to avoid: Free mystery shopping information is available online. It is easy to sign up for the many programs at no charge.
Government Job and Grant Scams
The ad will claim to offer information on lucrative government positions or juicy grant programs, generally obtained by calling the number of a pre-recorded phone message. You may be charged a hefty fee for the phone call, which will probably not contain any useful data, or you may be asked to send money or a credit card number to receive the information by mail.
How to avoid: Everything you need to know about real federal jobs and grants is available from the government at no cost. Don't pay anyone a fee to "process a grant application" or similar. Honestly, you probably don't qualify for any grants, but you can check at www.grants.gov to make sure. You can search for government jobs at www.usajobs.gov
Negotiating Your Salary: How to Make $1,000 a Minute
Posted: 06 May 2009 05:00 AM PDT
Most
personal-finance blogs write about cutting expenses. But you can obtain powerful
results by looking beyond frugality, by boosting your earning power. One of the
best ways to increase your income is at the source: during salary negotiations,
either when you land a job or during a performance review. This can be scary.
For many people, salary negotiations are an awkward thing.
I was discussing this subject recently with my friend Michael, who runs the career development office at Western Oregon University. He takes pride in helping students get good jobs with good salaries. Michael recommended a book called Negotiating Your Salary: How to Make $1,000 a Minute by Jack Chapman, so I picked up a copy for $7 at a local used book store. I recommend it highly.
How to earn $1,000 a minute
“We spend years thinking about what we’ll be when we grow up,” Chapman writes.
“But when it’s time for a raise, most of us just accept whatever we’re offered.
How many minutes do we spend negotiating the money? Zero.”
Chapman argues that by spending just a little time up front, you can put yourself in a strong position to negotiate an increased salary, either during a performance review or when applying for a new job. Those few minutes in an interview during which you ask for what you’re worth can make a difference of tens of thousands of dollars over your lifetime. Maybe hundreds of thousands. You can literally earn $1,000 a minute if you do this right.
His book offers five specific rules for negotiating your salary:
Negotiating Your Salary contains detailed instructions for each of these five steps. It also offers information for determining your fair-market value (though much of that can be done online now with tools like PayScale, SalaryScout, and GlassDoor), explores special situations that break the rules, and offers tips for applying these techniques to raises and performance reviews.
Note: I’m reviewing the 1996 edition of Negotiating Your Salary. It sounds as if newer editions incorporate some changes, including a less rigid approach to “let them go first” — although that’s still the general recommendation.
Additional resources
As an example of Chapman’s tips, here’s a two-minute video in which he discusses
The Flinch, the reaction he recommends immediately after hearing an offer:
Chapman’s website contains a series of free resources that draw from the information in his book. He divides these resources into five sections (each of which has a corresponding YouTube video like the one above):
I bought my copy of Negotiating Your Salary for $7 at a used bookstore. If you need instant access to the book, you can download it for $30 from Chapman’s website. (You also receive a couple of bonuses when you purchase online.) Or you can buy Negotiating You Salary for about $10 through Amazon. And, of course, you can probably borrow it from your public library. (Although my county library system only has one copy.)
It may sound as if Jack Chapman has paid me money to pitch his book. He hasn’t. I’ve never communicated with him. But I don’t think people spend enough time looking for ways to boost their income. Learning how to negotiate your salary is one of the best ways to improve your financial well-being, and this book is an excellent source for tips on the subject.
For more information on this subject, check out 4 tips for salary negotiation from Penelope Trunk.
---
Related Articles at Get Rich Slowly:
After an unsuccessful nine-month job search, Darlene Dawson, a former
vice-president of a bank mortgage department, knew she was stuck. Darlene lost
her job in the midst of a take-over. She opted against outplacement assistance
because she was sure she'd be hired quickly elsewhere. Now she feels angry,
frustrated, and pessimistic about her options.
Bob Jones, a training manager for a healthcare company, felt over managed and
plateaued in his job. He had also looked for a new position for six months and
berated himself for not finding one.
Both professionals (not their real names) finally sought career coaching. They
soon realized that they had committed the seven "deadly sins of job-hunting" –
all guaranteed to prolong the agony of the search. By dramatically changing
their strategies, both found jobs in four months. You can learn from their
experiences and slash your search time by learning how to avoid these sins
yourself.
Deadly Sin #1: Staying overly attached to your present or previous job.
Stunned by her job loss, Darlene was unable to mobilize her energy in a new
direction. Bob's ambivalence about leaving his employer fueled his unrealistic
wish for "things to get better", even though his proposals for change were never
acknowledged or implemented.
Most job searches never truly begin until you've grieved and let go of the past.
To seem confident and convincing to prospective employers, you must embrace
change and your future. How do you let go? Confront the anger, pain, and
disappointment directly. Write a hate letter to your former employer (but don't
send it), tell your tale to a tape recorder (and destroy the tape), talk with a
trusted friend, counselor or support group, but release your negative feelings.
Both Darlene and Bob were seething with emotions that sabotaged how they
presented themselves in interviews.
It also helps to list those aspects of your former job that you're delighted to
leave behind. Darlene acknowledged that she didn't like the big bank's
bureaucracy, and preferred the idea of a senior position at a start-up firm,
which would allow her input into company decisions. Bob felt burned out from the
demands of health care and wanted to explore a more upbeat work environment.
These revelations helped them look ahead with anticipation, not regret.
Deadly Sin #2: Declining job-hunting support services offered to you.
Darlene was foolish to decline outplacement assistance, especially since she
wanted to change direction. She could have benefited from a comprehensive career
assessment and interview coaching early on. She ended up hiring a career
counselor in private practice and paying for it herself.
Bob declined support for word processing and resume rewrites as well as contacts
suggested by family and friends because he felt he could manage his job campaign
on his own. Since he wasted valuable time trying to manage these tasks himself
and not networking, he did not meet his goals.
Take advantage of every professional and community resource available to you and
ask for help when you hit a dead end. Job hunting in today's marketplace is very
challenging and you need every advantage.
Deadly Sin #3: Resisting clearly defining your skills, interests, and
strengths before beginning a job search.
Before contacting employers, know what you're marketing and to whom. To
determine your direction, thoroughly assess your skill set, accomplishments, and
determine a profile of the kind of organization and position that can best
utilize your assets. Most job hunters who have extended searches have bypassed
or shortcut their assessments. Don't underestimate the importance of this step.
There are some excellent books in the career section of any library or bookstore
to help you with your career assessment. Both Darlene and Bob also worked with
me to identify their transferable skills and career aspirations. Bob's
assessment showed a desire for adventure and freedom from supervisory
responsibilities, as well as strong interests in teaching, travel, and hotel
management. One of his training specialties was client/customer services, which
he could repackage and sell to the hotel field. He considered self-employment,
but ultimately decided to seek a position with a national training company that
specializes in service businesses, thereby gaining more experience first.
Darlene's assessment confirmed her preference for small businesses and knack for
accuracy, investigations, and interviewing people. She also likes to work
independently, much like a consultant. She decided to target a growing industry
that offers diverse future opportunities, so switched to financial planning.
Deadly Sin #4: Failing to carefully investigate the job market in your
field.
Both Bob and Darlene had wasted valuable time because they were uninformed.
Banks are in transition and health care has become very competitive and
demanding. Career management is your responsibility so be sure to stay abreast
of the hot issues and trends in your profession and industry. Various computer
programs such as Infotrak as well as the Internet can help you locate articles
in your field. Select as least one professional organization to belong to and
actively join a committee or a project so you can network with your peers. Due
to the long hours that most professionals are working these days, people are not
networked outside of their organization which becomes a problem when the winds
of change are upon you. Actively seeking a mentor is also a very wise move.
Deadly Sin#5: Ignoring time management tools/strategies that can speed
your search.
Job hunting demands managing an abundance of information, leads, and contacts.
Staying organized is key to your success. Many professionals who are used to
having a secretary or office manager manage their data are stunned by the myriad
of data that need to be organized in a job campaign. Set up a home office if you
don't have an outplacement office and take advantage of every computer shortcut
you can learn. If you don't have a computer, buy or rent one. If you are not
computer literate, take a class or hire a tutor. All professional jobs currently
or will demand computer literacy, so get your skills up to speed while you have
the time.
It may make sense to hire an assistant a few hours a week to help with filing
and letters so you can be on the phone, interviewing, or networking in your
field. Your priority is to be talking or meeting with as many potential
employers or good contacts as possible, not at home filing during the day. If
you do your own paperwork, do it on the week-end or during non-business hours.
Get yourself on a regular work-day schedule and beware of the dangers of working
at home and all of its distractions. Get an answering machine or voicemail and
have your message sound professional and inviting. Alert other family members
about answering the phone or disturbing you in the middle of an important call.
Set daily and weekly goals and stay focused and productive.
Deadly Sin #6: Procrastinating on critical job search tasks.
Darlene waited too long to send a follow-up letter after an interview while Bob
was shy about calling potential contacts. If procrastination is a problem for
you, ask yourself the following questions:
1. What goal/task am I avoiding?
2. Why is this goal important?
3. Why am I stuck? Do I need new skills or self-confidence or time, etc.?
4. Am I committed to this goal? If not, delegate it or cancel it. If so, then
identify the problem behind the procrastination.
5. List five action steps to resolve the procrastination and get back on track.
If you're really stuck, brainstorm with a friend or counselor and identify some
solutions.
Bob discovered that he hesitated making calls because he feared that people
would reject him as a career changer, for his lack of experience outside of the
health care field. Using a telephone script and attending industry conferences
where he could meet new people, he mastered his fear. Darlene didn't realize
that post-interview follow-up letters were another opportunity to highlight her
unique skills and how she could benefit a potential employer. Once she got
clear, she hired a teenager to help her with the mailing.
Deadly Sin #7: Prematurely ruling out potential job possibilities before
you've fully explored them.
Many job seekers miss great opportunities because they aren't flexible enough to
think creatively about them. Even if you're unclear about whether you want this
particular job, present your best self in the interview because you may discover
a related job at that company or the interviewer may be able to connect you to a
colleague at another company that has the perfect job. Early in his job search,
Bob was approached by a prestigious international training company. However, he
was ambivalent and disinterested during his initial phone call with them as he
was unfamiliar with them. Later, when he recontacted them, it was very difficult
to undo their first impression of him.
Darlene declined a job on the phone without exploring it further only to later
learn that the company was developing a financial planning division that she
potentially could have transition into.
However, within four months of employing job hunting campaigns free of these
seven deadly sins, both Darlene and Bob landed excellent positions in alignment
with their redefined career goals and lifestyle preferences. Both of them lost
precious time and income during the previous months of searching without a
vision and clear understanding of what they wanted and could offer a company.
They both declare that they will continue to keep their network strong and
reevaluate their goals on a regular basis. By conquering these seven sins, both
Darlene and Bob are now empowered to proactively manage their own careers.
Author's Bio
Gail McMeekin, MSW, LICSW, is a nationally known career/creativity/life
choices coach and consultant and the author of the highly acclaimed books, The
12 Secrets of Highly Creative Women and The Power of Positive Choices. Her
work has been featured in many periodicals such as Boston Magazine, Investor's
Business Daily, Redbook, and Health, as well as on radio and TV. She has a new
e-book called Boost Your Creativity, Productivity, and Profits in 21 Steps
available at her website:
creativesuccess.com as well as a free newsletter called Creative
Success. You may contact her at gmcmeekin@comcast.net
Ideas for Rebuilding Your Life and
Career
Standing Up to Adversity
How can you move on when it seems nothing and no one will give you a break?
As unemployment grows and new jobs attract thousands of applicants, is there any
way to keep yourself feeling tough enough to bounce back?
One of the first casualties of tough times and adversity is
self-confidence. It's hard to believe in yourself when you have lost much of
what achieved over the years and attempts to start again are met with rejection.
You cannot change what has happened, but there are ways to help rebuild your
confidence as a prelude to rebuilding everything else. These are some of the
most useful ones.
Adversity is the mother of change
When things are going well, we have little incentive to change anything. We are
too comfortable. But when they go badly, it's worth reflecting that maybe they
weren't so great in the first place.
If you can see your present troubles as the crucible in which a new life is
being formed, you can focus on how that should turn out and stop worrying about
what went before. Just deciding what you want out of life, then focusing on
trying to make that happen, will give your self-confidence a boost.
Start today
My final piece of advice is this: do something right away. It almost doesn't
matter what. Few things build competence more than getting something done. Few
things undermine it more than doing nothing.
Work out what is the next most obvious thing to do and do it. It's that
simple. Keep doing that, over and over again, and you can achieve almost
anything.
Carmine Coyote
Our mailing address is:
Pusch Ridge Publishing
12995 N Oracle Rd
Ste 141 (PMB 155)
Tucson, AZ 85739-9528
Our telephone:
520-818-7942
Copyright (C) 2009 Pusch Ridge Publishing All rights reserved.
Forward
this email to a friend
Posted: 27 Apr 2009 04:03 AM PDT
A lot of popular time management or "life hacking" advice is aimed at making you
ever more efficient. Perhaps you’re constantly reading
lists of Firefox plugins, concerned that you might be missing out on some
essential time-saving tool. Maybe you reorganize your email filing system each
week so that everything is impeccably classified.
But have you ever stopped to ask yourself –
Am I being effective, or just being efficient?
The first thing to clarify is the difference between being
efficient and being
effective.
Being
efficient means processing things fast.
You get through your to-do list quickly and, in any given task, you eliminate
time-wasters.
Being
effective means choosing to do the right
things. You eliminate time-wasting activities or “busy work” from your day.
So you could rephrase the question
Am I being effective, or just being efficient
as the more dynamic Am I doing
something that truly matters to me, or am I just being busy for the sake of it?
Another way to look at this is to think of
effectiveness
as the big picture. If you want to be truly effective, you need to think about
what your values are and what you want to achieve in your life. This is hard
work – and it’s the sort of work where you don’t get to show off an empty inbox
or a neatly filed set of papers at the end of it. But it’s absolutely essential
to do this big-picture thinking if you’re ever going to accomplish anything
meaningful.
Your
efficiency comes after this. Because,
frankly, however efficient your system for organizing your MP3 collection, it’s
unlikely to be particularly
effective in contributing to your wider
goals. You want to concentrate on being efficient at the tasks which really are
significant. This might mean, for example, coming up with a system that saves
you time and wasted energy when you take on a new project.
Increasing Your Effectiveness
So if being effective is more important than being
efficient, how can you go about improving your effectiveness?
One way to start is
to write down a list of all the commitments that you have in your life.
Try dividing them into categories like your paid work, your relationships with
family and friends, your community or church groups, and your education (if
appropriate).
If you’re anything like most of us (including me) you
might be surprised and even horrified to find out how much you’ve taken on. Do
you really have the time and attention to carry out each of these commitments
effectively? And which of these commitments is effective for you – do they add
to your life, or just take up your time?
It’s never easy to
say “no” to people, or to quit an activity that you’re currently engaged in.
Sometimes, though, you’ll realize that to become more effective, you can’t
simply keep ramping up your efficiency – you have to let something go.
Another great
approach is to look at your values. What
matters to you most in life? (You might want to list several things.) It could
be your family, your health, your career, your church, your bank balance, your
free time, your education, a particular cause or all sorts of other things.
There are no “right” values – everyone’s will be slightly different.
One of my highest values is
significance
– I want to feel that the work I do
matters in
the world. Whenever I get caught up on trying to get ever more efficient at
tasks that really don’t matter at all, I take a step back and think about where
the significances lies.
(If you want some help clarifying your values, I strongly
recommend the life coach
Tim Brownson. He really helped me wrap my head around what matters to me –
and it’s made my freelancing career go much more smoothly as a result.)
You can also look
at people you admire. These don’t need to
be celebrities or famous business people – you might look up to your parents, a
teacher or mentor, or a colleague. Why are they worthy of your admiration? It’s
probably not because they know
every keystroke shortcut in existence – it’s because they live effective and
meaningful lives.
How do you make sure that you’re
effective, not just efficient? What tips do you have for focusing on the big
picture, rather than getting bogged down in rushing through the day-to-day
stuff?
|
|
Written on 4/27/2009 by Ali Hale. Ali is a professional writer and blogger, and a part-time postgraduate student of creative writing. If you need a hand with any sort of written project, drop her a line (ali@aliventures.com) or check out her website at Aliventures. |
So You Want My Job: Whitewater Rafting Guide
Posted: 22 Apr 2009 03:55 PM PDT
Today we return to our “So You Want My Job” series, in which we interview men who are employed in desirable man jobs and ask them about the reality of their work and for advice on how men can live their dream.
For this installment, we interviewed Joe Cope. Joe, a good friend of AoM contributor Chris Hutcheson and a member of the Art of Manliness Community, works as both a chemist and a whitewater rafting guide. While his job as a chemist pays the bills, his true love is whitewater rafting. Whether you’re a college student looking for a summer job, or a 9-5 career man, Joe proves you can always make room in your life for what you’re passionate about. We appreciate him sharing his love for his job with AoM’s readers.
1. Tell us a little about yourself (Where are you from? Where did you go to school? How old are you? Describe your job and how long you’ve been at it, ect).
I am from a small town right in the middle of Cincinnati and Dayton, Ohio, appropriately named Middletown. I was born and raised there until I moved away for college to go to Lee University in Cleveland, Tennessee, where I still live. I am 24 years old and out of school now. I have been a whitewater rafting guide on the upper and middle Ocoee River in Ocoee, TN for three summers now, and I absolutely can’t wait for summer #4. Basically, I take multiple trips (up to three on the middle section only, up to two combined upper/middle trips) on the weekends only, due to my full-time job. The river runs Thursday through Monday (the rafting weekend is Tuesday and Wednesday). I just try to give people the most aggressive, intense ride they can handle, while keeping them safe, of course.
2. You are a whitewater rafting guide in the summer; what do you do during the rest of the year? What do your fellow guides do?
Before I graduated, of course, I was just a college student and could raft full-time in the summer. However, since I graduated, I needed a “real” job to pay the bills, etc. I am a chemist at Schering-Plough Consumer Health Care. We are a pharmaceutical company that manufactures quite a few over-the-counter products (Coppertone Sunscreens, Afrin nose sprays, Dr. Scholls products, etc.) Most of my rafting friends are actually teachers during the rest of the year, so their schedules work out that they can raft full-time in the summer. And honestly, I may go that route eventually. A lot of other fellow guides are still students, and I believe the rest of them fall into the category of the next question… As a side note, I’m trying to become a full-time firefighter and that would open up a lot more rafting time too.
3. Is it possible to parlay a job as a whitewater rafting guide into some kind of year-round career?
The Ocoee River is dam-controlled, operated by the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA), and they have a set schedule that the river runs, so in the offseason (November - March), the river is basically a trickling stream, with the exception of a few unscheduled releases. Many “career” guides (I guess you could say) will move to a ski resort and give ski lessons every year, some find odd jobs to do, such as handiwork, personal training, etc. Our outpost has a marina on the lake where we are located, so some of us have worked for the marina in the off season doing general maintenance and repairs, etc.
4. Is being a whitewater rafting guide a strictly young man’s job? Or are there older guys who do it too?
Ha. You may be surprised at the amount of older fellows (and women) that still guide. There are quite a few grisly old men still out there, and I plan on being one of them. I always say that as long as I live in the area and my body permits me, I will work on that beautiful river. Also, there are quite a few female guides as well. We have a few working for our company, and I would argue strongly that they are some of the best guides on the river, guy or girl.
5. Why did you want to be a whitewater rafting guide? When did you know that it was what you wanted to do?
To be honest, I lived down here for three full years before I even KNEW I could become a guide. My very good friend (and now kayaking buddy, I took that up too), Kent, had been a guide for about 10 years at the time, asked me, my girlfriend, and her sister (who is now married to Kent) if we wanted to be whitewater rafting guides. We said “heck yes!” and started training that spring. It took a while to learn the river, but once I did, it felt like I had done it my whole life. That’s when I knew that the Ocoee River was my home, or I guess more of a retreat. When I’m out there, I’m in a state of flow. Even a bad day on the river is better than a good day in most other places. I realized this about halfway through my first summer. That’s when I knew.
6. If man wants to become a whitewater rafting guide, how should he best prepare? What’s the best route into the job?
It’s as simple as going to any of the rafting companies and filling out an application and waiver. Rafting companies aren’t extremely picky. The training process usually weeds out the ones that can’t hack it. Before training, I would advise working out the arms lightly a few days a week, just to prepare the muscles for action, and as with anything else, a strong core is a definite plus. You use your abs more than one may think. But mostly, preparation comes in the training phase, which starts mid-march and goes every weekend until Memorial Day, when the river opens five days a week. Training is intense, we take 2+ trips each Saturday and 2+ more each Sunday, every weekend for 10-12 weeks, in addition to swift water rescue training, rope tying, and other job specific skills such as loading/unloading boats on the bus. But if you want to be a guide and you don’t know a current guide, call a rafting company and ask for the river manager, and they will be MORE than happy to give you information.
7. How competitive is it to get a job as a whitewater rafting guide?
It’s not so much competitive to get a job as it is to keep a steady job, and by that I mean consistently rafting on a regular basis. Due to the naturally laid-back atmosphere, it takes a LOT for a guide to get fired, although I have seen it happen. Getting the job is easy, you just have to train (everyone is allowed to train) and pass your “release trip.” A release trip involves the trainee guiding the raft all the way down the river with a boat full of customers and one senior guide; the senior guide acting strictly as a customer while observing the trainee. If the senior guide (and other guides on the trip) feels the trainee is ready, they are allowed to start taking customers on their own. After that, it is a seniority thing, as far as who gets the most trips, with rookies mainly only getting trips on the weekends. Once the busy season hits, though, many rookies show up every day, even if they’re not scheduled, to see if they can pick up a trip from a guide who may want to leave early. We also get walk-ins on a regular basis. In that case, whichever unscheduled guide arrives first, regardless of seniority, gets the trip.
8. When applying for the job, what sets a candidate apart from the others?
River experience is obviously a plus. One of our rookies from last year had kayaked the Ocoee quite a few times, so he kind of flew through training and was taking trips before any other rookie guide was released. As far as the application process though, it’s pretty all-inclusive. Again, the training process shows us who can hack it.
9. What is the best part of the job?
Every day that I wake up and head east on US-64. Seriously, even a bad day rafting is better than a good day most other places. Specifically, though, there are a few rapids where we guides can mix it up a bit and sort of show off. To me, part of it is the challenge of being able to pull off these different tricks (”surfing” on a hydraulic wave, “popping up” or jumping up at the top of a big wave, as in the first picture, etc.). Many times we flip the rafts on purpose, if the customers don’t mind, of course. Also, on the upper section, we have the Olympic Course from where the Olympic Canoeing and Kayaking events were held in the 1996 Olympics in Atlanta, Georgia. A quarter mile of manmade, big, strong, class IV whitewater. That is definitely the highlight of an Upper Ocoee Trip. A lot of good accidents (flipped rafts) happen there. As long as nobody gets hurt, it’s actually pretty fun to watch (and experience).
Really though, while I could have tons of fun on the river by myself every day, nothing compares to rafting with great people. The camaraderie I share with my fellow guides is priceless. I think I speak for any rafting guide with any company. We are a family. We look out for each other, mess with each other, splash each other’s customers, and basically act like a bunch of kids together. Sometimes we have our spats, but that’s part of it, and we always end up working things out. We also hang out a lot outside of work. We go to bluegrass shows together, cook out a few times each summer, our boss has a rockin Fourth of July party every year, or sometimes we just sit around a fire on the weekend and tell good stories. I actually had dinner tonight with our river manager and a few other guides. We really have the time of our lives together, and it makes the job so much better to share it with such great people.
10. What is the worst part of the job?
This goes along with the end of the previous question. Sometimes accidents happen. They happen more often to less-experienced guides, but they still happen to the 10+ year veterans as well. Sometimes the river just has her way. And sometimes people get hurt. Fortunately, nobody has died on the Ocoee River in almost four years. However, people do get hurt, or scared if a raft flips unintentionally (again, it happens to everyone). It really does break my heart when someone wants to get off the river mid-trip. The bus driver comes and picks them up, and they wait with the driver until the trip is finished. It has happened to me a few times, and it’s hard to deal with. Those people paid to have a good time and now they’re too scared to go on. It’s a really crappy feeling.
11. What is the biggest misconception people have about the job?
Well, most people think of big waterfalls, ten foot waves, and just complete carnage when it comes to rafting. While there are some rivers like that (the Zambezi in Africa, the Gauley in West Virginia, parts of the Colorado, among others), most rivers are fairly manageable. Some people think they are always at the mercy of the river. While this may be true from time to time, it’s not always the case. The Ocoee is fairly safe while still maintaining the capacity to turn into a crazy ride. It really depends on the guide, what they are capable of doing, and what the customers want. I’ve given the “conservative” ride, where we just ride straight through, no stunts; I’ve also flipped my raft four times in one 2-hour trip. I really try to cater each trip to the individual group I’m taking, because after all, they’re the ones paying.
12. What is the work /life balance like?
When I was a student and all I had to do in the summer was to raft, it couldn’t have gotten any better. I woke up in the morning, headed to the river; if I had trips that day, of course I went rafting. Weekdays, I was usually home by 6:00 p.m. at the latest. Weekends, if doing two Upper/Middle trips in one day, it was more like 8:00 p.m., but that still left the evening wide open. Even if I didn’t have trips one day, I would head out to the river anyway to hang out, kayak, or pick up trips if another guide wanted to give one away or if we had walk-ins. Now that I work full time, I only raft on weekends, so during the busy season (July - September), I’m basically working seven days a week every week, with few exceptions. Honestly, I wouldn’t have it any other way. Rafting is more of a release, more play time than it is a job, so I have no problem spending any and every weekend doing it, especially after a hard week in the lab.
13. Any other advice, tips, or anecdotes you’d like to share?
The best advice I could give any prospective customer is to listen to your guide, paddle hard, and trust what your guide says. Granted, we make mistakes, but your safety is our FIRST priority, and your enjoyment comes in a close second. As a prospective guide, I would urge you to TRY IT! Don’t just think “man that would be cool” or “I wish I had time” or anything along those lines. If you’re close to a rafting river, then get up, go out there, and see what it takes. And FOLLOW THROUGH. I’m telling you, it is the best, most enjoyable job you will ever have.
I wish I could think of just one story to tell, but so many hilarious and awesome things happen out there; it’s hard to pick out just one. I will say this, though: friend trips, or “fun runs” are the most fun things to do. Just bringing a group of friends, not paying customers, out there to tear the river up. It’s a regularly guided trip, but we have no rules, no restrictions. As long as we’re back at the bus when the rest of the rafts are, everything is fine. On those friend trips, we try to do the most heinous things imaginable, such as standing on the nose of the boat through a class IV rapid holding on to only a strap, surfing for extended periods of time, body surfing certain rapids, flipping the raft every chance we get, and I’ll even let my friends guide a few rapids too. If you’ve never been whitewater rafting, then go. If you’re a little hesitant, try the Ocoee River in Southeast Tennessee, look up Ocoee Inn Rafting, and ask for Joe. But really, there are rivers everywhere. . . you just have to be looking for an adventure.
Encouraging Learning in the
Workplace
Helping Others Learn
Opportunities
to help others learn come up all of the time in the workplace. When you help a
staff member deal with an angry customer, you have an opportunity to help her
learn. When a team member comes to you frustrated by a recent change in a work
system, you have an opportunity to help him understand why the change was
necessary.
Whether you regard this as 'training' or not, this kind of learning doesn't just
take place in formal classrooms, seminars, or online courses. And you don't have
to be a trainer to want to help people learn new things, and better understand
their roles within the organization. Many people, at many levels, train others
at some point - and they have a role in creating a learning environment that
affects the way work is done, and how their teams are taught new things.
So how can you help people learn effectively within your company or team? There
are many ways to do this, some of which involve actual 'lessons.' However, the
general idea is to create an environment where people are committed to learning,
and in which they are supported in their efforts.
Motivating People to Learn
People aren't always motivated to learn. Some simply don't want to change.
Others think that learning happens naturally, and that it's an inevitable
outcome of instruction. Clearly that isn't always true, because you can teach
someone lots of skills, and still not see that person actually apply those
skills.
That's why you need to motivate people to learn and change.
A useful model for doing this is ARCS, which stands for 'Attention, Relevance,
Confidence, and Satisfaction.' This was developed by John Keller in 1983, and
it's been used and validated by teachers and trainers across a wide range of
learning environments - from universities to the military.
Here are the basic components of the ARCS model:
· Attention - Capture learners' attention at the start of the session, and maintain it throughout.
·
Ask learners questions to make them think about why they should
learn the skill.
·
Use role-playing or other activities to show the importance of
learning the skill. For instance, you could play the role of an angry customer,
and have the learner respond to you as a way of demonstrating the best way to
handle a difficult situation.
·
Use specific examples, and ask learners to offer their own
solutions, to stimulate their interest further.
· Relevance - Explain to learners how important the lesson is, and how it could benefit them.
·
Describe the benefits. For example, by learning strategies for
handling angry customers, your staff will be less anxious about dealing with
them.
·
Relate the lesson to their current jobs and experiences. The
learning materials, assignments, and projects should be applicable to their
work, and to specific situations they face in their daily jobs.
·
Develop a connection between learning the skill and developing
their careers. Discuss issues like increased satisfaction, higher pay, and
promotion opportunities.
· Confidence - Tell learners what is expected of them.
·
Set clear objectives for the session, and check in regularly with
learners to make sure they're not falling behind.
·
Design projects and lessons so that learners experience small
successes along the way, before they completely master the skill.
·
Give learners enough time to practice skills, so that they'll be
successful when they apply these skills to the job.
·
Make sure you're teaching at the right level. Learners can lack
motivation if something is too difficult - or too easy.
·
Allow learners to have input into their learning by helping them
create their own learning goals.
· Satisfaction - Reinforce successes and motivation.
·
Give lots of feedback. Make sure it's specific, timely, and
relates to how learners can put the skill into practice on the job.
·
Recognize learners' successes. Praise often, and find ways to
reward achievements. Let learners know that you and the company value and
appreciate expertise and high levels of skill and competence.
· Look at ways to increase motivation. Find out what learners are interested in and passionate about. And find ways to get learners to motivate one another as well.
Learning Tips
As well as increasing the motivation to learn, there are many ways to make your
sessions more interesting and enjoyable. These ideas can be used for formal
lessons, or for spontaneous learning opportunities that present themselves.
You can help the learning process by doing the following:
·
Use pre-instruction questions
- These can get learners to think about why they should be learning this new
skill, as well as to appreciate the benefits of learning.
·
Use conceptual models
- These are often a useful way for helping learners to store and retrieve
information. Mental models (which can be in the form of diagrams and charts) are
often helpful for learning the details of a lesson.
· Vary the learning material - This will help you deal with the different ways in which people learn. You can vary your material for different learning styles as follows:
·
Visual
Learners - Charts, graphs, or
images are useful for representing the information being conveyed, as well as
information in books or reports.
·
Auditory Learners
- Lectures,
presentations, and group discussions help auditory learners 'talk through'
what's being presented.
·
Kinesthetic Learners
- These learners
like hands-on practice that's either real or simulated.
We all have our own preferred learning styles. If you provide as many different learning experiences as sensibly possible, you'll be more likely to connect with each learner.
|
Tip: There are several different learning style schemes beyond the visual, auditory and kinesthetic model used above. Click here to learn about Felder & Silverman's approach, and see our members' article on 4MAT to find out about the Kolb and Honey & Mumford schemes. |
·
Group learners together
- Encourage learning and understanding by having people work with others who are
learning the same skills. By helping one another, they can all reinforce what
they're learning. Everyone in the team will then benefit from the strengths of
the individual members.
·
Provide opportunities for reflection and
thinking - Learning journals are a popular and effective way for people
to write down their thoughts about how the learning process itself has been
helpful to their overall development.
·
Actively review the lesson at the end
- What progress did the learners make, and what difficulties did they encounter?
By revisiting the lesson, you have an opportunity to learn from the experience
yourself - and hopefully figure out how to improve the content or approach next
time. Reviews also give learners opportunities to analyze their performance, and
increase their commitment to continuous learning.
· Use all of your emotional intelligence and communication skills - This means establishing a connection with learners, listening actively, using empathy where appropriate, being patient, and showing genuine interest in the people and in your teaching. Your attitude toward learning has a huge impact on the learners' attitudes, so make sure you're a good role model for continuous, active learning.
| For more information, please see our members' Bite-Sized Training session on Training for Non-Trainers. It's full of practical tips on getting buy-in from learners, using objective-based training, and creating lesson plans. |
Key
Points
People usually learn best when they're motivated. Although you can't make
someone learn, you can create an environment that supports and encourages
learning success. Use an effective teaching style that allows people to
participate in their learning. Find ways to emphasize the benefits of learning
new skills, and make learning relevant to people's jobs. Encourage them to take
control of their own learning, and allow them to set their own objectives. The
more you develop motivation to learn, the more successful you'll probably be.
Start today to recognize the value of learning, and see the many learning
opportunities around you!
Should I Take a Job That Pays Less Than Unemployment?
Posted: 15 Apr 2009 09:37 AM PDT
By Linsey Knerl
The statistics are in. While the unemployment rate was last counted at 8.5%, the underemployment rate (those who quit looking for work or have taken part-time jobs in lieu of a desired full-time job) is up to 15.6%. So what should you do if you’re offered a lower-paying job while on unemployment? Should you take it?
The Bloomberg story that cited the 15.6% rate of underemployment makes several good points. First, it acknowledges that gaining employment isn’t always what it seems. Secondly, it points out that there are many unemployed who are no longer receiving unemployment benefits. And so we’re left with this nagging question of what to do: Should you take that part-time or lower-paying full time job or just stay on unemployment until something better comes along? Here are expert tips for both sides of the argument:
You Should Take That Job
Many career and living experts say, “Go for it.” Here’s why:
1. It Shows That You Have What it Takes - “Most employers will find candidates much more marketable and hirable when employed (regardless of how much money they are making) as opposed to staying home and having the government take care of them,” says Jim Luzar, president of Sales Consultants of Brookfield. He goes on to say that “While the extra money is nice, candidates will in the long run benefit because they are keeping their skills sharpened for the future. Additionally, it shows courage, drive and guts when you do this, three traits that I personally look for in anyone I hire or place.”
J.F. (Jim) Straw, of the Business Lyceum, shared a story of a man who took a low-paying job in a TV repair shop during the Silicon Valley tumble years ago (when others in his field were holding out for a better job.) “He found a job in his career field before any of the others. Why? Because the potential employers saw a man who wanted to work ... as evidenced by his taking the low paying job. It is easier to get a job, when you have a job.”
2. It Exposes You to More Opportunities – Certainly, there are ways to grow within a company – even if the initial job description is low on the pay scale. Karen Wilson-Dooley, a certified career management coach, encourages job-searchers to ask, “what opportunities are there for advancement with this employer and will I be able to increase wages / position within a respectable length of time? You may consider accepting the position after researching potential opportunities to grow with that company and increase your salary over time.”
3. It May Give You Back Your Benefits – Karen also echoes the sentiments of many who’ve acknowledged the value of employer-based health insurance, 401K matches, and life insurance. “Unemployment compensation does not provide fringe benefits that a potential employer may provide. Therefore, you need to ask yourself if you are covered under a spouse’s insurance policy and, if so, how much it is costing you to buy coverage under the spouse’s policy vs. a policy you may have with your own employer.” For many, a decent benefits package may be reason enough to take a lower-paying job.
You Should NOT Take That Job
There are many who say just the opposite, however. Here’s why:
1. It Can be a Sign of Desperation – When Beth Colley of Chesapeake Resume Writing Service was asked if there were any benefits to taking a job that paid less than unemployment, her answer was straight to the point: “None, what-so-ever.” She says that “Job seekers tend to adopt a desperation mode and give up. When career professionals accept lower paying jobs they typically begin to develop a pattern of instability, jumping from one job to the next for a few extra dollars an hour. This pattern of instability wreaks havoc in terms of resume development and does more to damage a person’s morale and employment opportunities than increase it. Just because someone is earning a pay check, it doesn’t necessarily mean they are being productive.”
What can job seekers do instead? Beth recommends taking time to build an effective network of supportive colleagues who can give you quality job leads and do short-term contract work that can provide a livable wage while building their resume. (Note that contract work must be reported, and may cause you to be ineligible for unemployment compensation.)
2. It Can Take Time Away from Job-Searching – With many interviews scheduled during working hours, it can be hard to take time away from your new lower-paying job to find better work. Understand that unemployment may give you the freedom to keep putting 110% into your career search, and that working a lesser job may get you stuck in a rut of not having enough time for better pursuits.
3. It Can Mess with Your Long-Term Plan – While there are occasions for taking a lower-paying job in the field of your choosing, there’s little to be gained from taking the first job you can get. “This is not typically the best move,” advises Katie Philips of Snelling Professional Services. “The long term needs to be considered. Where do you want to be in 3-5 years? What path will get you there- does this job take you a step further along that path? If not, strongly consider looking for a different one. If the job does take you along the career path that you desire to go down, I’d encourage you to take the opportunity (even if the pay might be less) because it’s an investment in your future. Maybe you take 1 step back to take 2 steps forward- that’s a good move. But just accepting any job for a paycheck is not going to better your career in the long term. Period.”
As you can see, there is often not a straight “yes” or “no” answer for every situation. By being diligent about creating a long-term plan for your career, carefully assessing each opportunity that comes along, and keeping a positive attitude about you, your chances of landing a career (and not just a job) improve dramatically. Best of luck with whatever works for you!
Congratulations on Your Promotion… Or Maybe Not!
Posted: 13 Apr 2009 03:34 AM PDT
By Fred Lee
If you didn’t get the promotion that you were hoping for, look on the bright side: you might be better off in the long run. During these times of economic hardship, it’s hard to imagine that rising in the ranks at work would be a bad thing, but in some instances, that appears to be the case.
In a study out of England, British researchers found that advancing in your career can sometimes lead to greater stress and strain, along with less time to deal with any problems that may arise from the added responsibilities as well as fewer opportunities to appreciate the fruits of your labors, irrespective of any monetary gains.
While the conclusions drawn from the study should be taken with a grain of salt, especially when you consider that not making enough money can be just as stressful, if not more, it is interesting to think that the so-called rewards for your hard work would impact negatively on your life. Then again, as is often the case, with greater income comes greater responsibility, and that often entails more stress, especially if the livelihood of other people rests on your shoulders.
In the end, we work towards the common goal of supporting ourselves, and it makes perfect sense that with this in mind, more is better. But it also begs the question, how much is enough? At what point does the stress from our jobs outweigh the benefits?
Most of us are familiar with the toll that stress can take on not only on us, but on our relationship with everyone around us. Besides the obvious declines in our quality of life, there are a whole host of serious physical manifestations, including heart disease, digestive problems, sexual dysfunction, diabetes, and even cancer.
To put it succinctly, stress can literally kill you, or at the very least, take years off of your life. So while you didn’t need me to tell you this, the bigger question is, what can we do about it?
While I don’t claim to have all the answers, or for that matter, even some of them, I have experienced more than my fair share of stress, and though at times it can be a motivating force, I have found it helpful to keep certain things in mind order to avoid letting it take over your life and literally consume you.
1. Listen to your body.
Sure, part of the aging process means that our bodies begin to fall apart, and
stress will only exacerbate this problem. But when stress starts to physically
manifest itself as an irregular heartbeat of a constant pain in your stomach,
then it’s time to reassess things.
2. Listen to your friends and family.
Because they care about you. It’s easy for us to ignore what our bodies are
trying to tell us, but our loved ones might not give in so easily. In fact,
because they care about us, they’ll let us know that they’re not happy about the
way things are going.
3. Use your vacation days. As tempting as it may be to cash them in, it’s more important to have time off. So take your vacation days, and more importantly, enjoy them. You’ll often find yourself more efficient and productive afterward.
4. Keep things in perspective and continually remind yourself why you’re working so hard in the first place, making time for friends, family, and yourself.
5. Don’t be afraid to make a change, especially when your current situation is bringing you down, and take chances when you can. Fear often prevents us from pursuing the things we really want, even when they are within reach.
6. Set realistic goals. Nothing will make you more stressed out than trying to do more than you can reasonably accomplish, even if your efforts impress the boss.
7. Figure out how much money is enough, rather than simply trying to make more, and set your career goals accordingly.
Maybe you have some thoughts you’d like to share on this topic. If so, we’d love to hear from you.
In the meantime, remember that it’s your life, and while it’s important to have job and be a responsible member of society, it’s also critical to keep things in perspective and always remember who it is you’re really working for.
And I’m not talking about your boss.
50 Side Businesses You Can Start On Your Own
Posted: 11 Apr 2009 10:00 AM PDT
In the past, I’ve discussed how it’s a good idea to spend your spare time dabbling in entrepreneurship: it fills your time with something that you choose (and thus you enjoy) and sets up a potential long-term revenue stream. I also discussed how I got a side business going myself.
Since then, lots of readers have written to me, asking for ideas on how to start a simple side business. What follows is a list of 50 of those ideas that I’ve collected over the last year or so. Each of these ideas is very simple to start, and most can be done as a sole proprietorship at first (meaning you don’t have to file any legal documents to get started, though you will want to do that if it starts to take off). Most of these can be done at home in your spare time in your spare space, too.
Ready? See if there are any ideas below that fit you well. If you find an idea, seek out a guide on how to get started in that area.
Antique refurbishment This is a perfect side business for people who love antiquing. Take worn-out antiques home with you, invest the time and care needed to transform those old items into something amazing, then resell them at a profit.
Auto detailing Have a meticulous eye for detail and love to get things gleaming clean? Auto detailing is probably a perfect side business for you. In essence, your job is to make cars sparkle inside and out - and many people are quite happy to pay well for this service.
Babysitting Got lots of evenings free? Like kids? Babysitting may be a great side business for you. Keep an eye on multiple children on Friday and Saturday nights and you can earn some solid income.
Bed and breakfast Have some extra space in your home? Turn that extra bedroom into a “bed and breakfast” room. This works particularly well if you have a somewhat older home or live near an area that attracts regular travelers and tourists.
Blogging If you enjoy writing, find a topic you’re passionate about and start a blog on the topic. All you need is a computer, some time, and some energy to consistently write.
Cake decorating Enjoy baking and have a bit of an artistic touch? Learn how to decorate cakes and make them for special events. One of my mother’s old friends does this and makes quite a bit of money on the side.
Candle making Candle making is a great little craft to learn. You can often easily sell the candles at local shops and also through websites like Etsy.com.
Candy making Homemade candies are easier to make than you think and quite popular. Package them in nice little boxes and sell them through a local gift shop.
Card making This is another artistic “crafty” angle you can follow. Make greeting/birthday cards from scratch using your own photographs, some blank cards, and a healthy dose of artistic flair. Again, you san sell items like these through a local gift shop or at sites like etsy.com.
Catering If you love to cook, take the “Blondie” route and start a home catering business. Catering is a business that’s perfectly designed to reward those who plan well and can often fit perfectly into weekends, lining up wonderfully opposite a normal workweek.
Childcare service Many states allow people to start up in-home daycares with minimal licensing and paperwork. If you love children and have plenty of time and space at home, this is a perfect business to get into.
Cleaning services for businesses Many businesses and civic institutions have a need for individuals who will provide cleaning services at a low cost outside of business hours. This is a great side business for those who can put in a few hours late at night or on weekends.
Collectible trading If there’s a particular type of collectible that you know a great deal about, you can often make good money as a collectible trader, utilizing tools like eBay and opportunities to find those collectibles in the community. I had some success with this myself with both trading cards and video games in the past.
Computer troubleshooting I had some success with this in the past, though I’ve largely moved away from it now. If you have a knack for fixing computers, this is a good place to start.
Consignment buyer Consignment shops and consignment auctions are often loaded with good deals if you know how to identify them - quite often, you can turn these good deals around and make a nice profit elsewhere. Get started by visiting some consignment shops and critically evaluating the prices on the items there.
Cookie making Much like candy making, homemade cookies can be a great seller. Bake the cookies, package them well, and resell them through a local gift shop. Often, you can find people in your social network who will buy batches from you for special occasions.
Dinner preparer I recently met a woman who earned quite a bit of money as a very part-time chef. Once a week, she would go to someone’s house and prepare a homemade meal for their family, then do all the dishes and cleanup work. This gives the family plenty of together time, while earning the lady some cash in the pocket. If you love to cook, this can be a great opportunity, but you may have to put a lot of work into searching for clients.
Event coordinator Events like family reunions and large parties are often full of busywork that many people simply don’t want to tackle. That can be the perfect place for you to step in and take charge of the planning and coordination.
Event DJing Are you an audiophile? If you have a great sound system and a large selection of music, you’ve already got what you need to hire yourself out as a DJ for various events and receptions. This is a great way to fill an afternoon and evening while also earning some cash in the process.
Exercise teacher Many gymnasiums will trade membership and often a bit more for a person willing and able to teach an exercise class. If you’re in good shape, this is a great opportunity to earn some extra money, plus it can often lead to additional income with one-on-one teaching opportunities.
Furniture making If you’re adept at woodworking and have just a bit of basic equipment, it’s easy to get into business making deck furniture. It only requires a few items - a saw, a drill, a sander - and some creativity and passion for working with wood.
Garage sale management One person I know holds a garage sale at their house almost every weekend during the summer. As a result, that person has a lot of regular customers who stop by almost every weekend to see what’s on sale. That person then goes to neighbors and friends and offers to sell their stuff at that yard sale for them, splitting the proceeds. People are usually happy to do this, since they don’t have to go to all of the work of running a yard sale, but still get rid of unwanted items and earn a bit of money, too.
Gardening services I’ve actually had requests from others for people willing to do this, so the demand is out there. To put it simply, some people are willing to pay others to get a vegetable or flower garden started for them in their yard so they can have access to ultra-fresh produce without all the legwork.
Handy man services Skilled at basic home repair? Let people know that they can call you for little repair jobs, like basic plumbing and other things. You’d be amazed at the simple things people are willing to pay others to help them with.
Housecleaning Many people simply don’t enjoy cleaning their homes and are willing to pay a reasonable price to have someone do the work for them. This is a great way to earn extra money in a flexible way, particularly if you have time off during the workweek.
Interior decorating Fascinated by interior design? Have a huge collection of interior design materials around? Many people are quite happy to hire individuals to help them decorate their home - I know, for one, that I have no eye for this type of thing.
Jewelry making If you have a good eye for detail work and a lot of patience, homemade jewelry can be quite profitable. As with other items on this list, there are many opportunities to sell such items through local gift shops or at sites like etsy.
Knitting / crocheting / quilting Skilled at creating blankets and sweaters? There’s a huge market for these types of items - even better, you can usually make them in your spare time whenever you have it. As always, local shops and places like etsy are great places to go to sell such items.
Landscaping services Willing to mow lawns and trim bushes and trees? Many people are quite happy to pay for such services. Not only is this a great side business for a fit adult, it’s also a great way for a teenager to get a small business started.
Meal-to-go preparations Remember my earlier post about breakfast burritos? Making meals in advance is a great way to save money for yourself - but you can often prepare these for others as well and sell them for a markup. Prepare eight casseroles, for example, then sell six of them to cover your costs, and you’ve got two free dinners for your family (and maybe a bit more). You can grow this by taking orders from others and finding out what they like.
Online media consultant Like participating on messageboards, Facebook, Twitter, and so on? Become an online media consultant and help people promote things. Start small - help local businesses get a presence on Facebook and set them up with Twitter. From there, you can grow to whatever works for you.
Personal shopping Many very busy people and elderly people are willing to pay a fee for people to do their shopping for them. Simply retrieve a shopping list from them, return with the receipt, and accept payment for the purchased items (plus a little fee). You can often do this in conjunction with your own shopping trip if you’re well-organized (take two carts!).
Pet grooming Many people loathe bathing their pets and trimming their hair - I know I do. Pet groomers perform these tasks for a small fee - a perfect job for a person who loves dogs and cats.
Pet sitting When people go on trips, they’re often concerned as to what will happen with their pets. That’s where you step in - offer yourself as a safe place to leave their pets, or be willing to go to their home to take care of their pets.
Pet walking Many busy people leave their pets home all day, but realize that those pets really could use a vigorous walk (and an opportunity to relieve themselves) during the day. Pet walking is a great opportunity for exercise, fresh air, and some pocket money if you have free time during each day.
Pet yard waste cleanup For many people in suburban areas, cleaning up pet yard waste is a real hassle - it’s disgusting, for one. Instead of cleaning it up themselves, they might hire someone to do it regularly, two to three times a week. There are several such services in our area, actually.
Produce selling Like to grow vegetables? Focus in on one vegetable and sell the excess to grocery stores and at farmers’ markets. My father does this with tomatoes and earns some solid extra money during the summer months. You can do really well, though, if you can grow things inside during the winter - February fresh tomatoes can sell quite well.
Proofreading Have strong English skills and exceptional grammar? You may have opportunities to work as a proofreader from home. Advertising for this can be difficult - seek out those who might actually be able to use your services and advertise directly to them.
Public speaking If you’re the type of person who can get the attention of a room easily, public speaking might be for you. Take advantage of every public speaking opportunity you can and you’ll be surprised at the opportunities that make themselves available for you.
Scrapbook making Many people dream of having beautiful scrapbooks. They collect all the materials they want in the scrapbooks but never follow through on the actual creation. You can step in here - take their ideas and materials and assemble a scrapbook for them.
Senior citizen assistance Many elderly people need assistance with a wide variety of simple household tasks - cleaning, laundry, and so forth. Many children of elderly people are quite willing to hire someone to help out their parents.
Sewing and alterations My wife is quite handy with a sewing machine and often hems and modifies our children’s clothes. She could easily take this a step further and offer her services to others, doing basic garment repair and modification for a small price on lazy evenings.
Soap making Making amazing homemade soaps isn’t as hard as you might think - it just takes time and patience. Again, items like these can easily be sold via local gift shops and through websites like etsy.
Teaching music If you know how to play an instrument (particularly the piano or the guitar) and have patience, you’ve got what you need to teach others how to play. Offer lessons in that instrument to others - this can also be an excellent thing to barter with, too.
Toy making From simple things like sock monkeys to more elaborate things like handcrafted chess sets, many people are willing to pay good money for handcrafted toys that you can easily make at home in your spare time. Again, gift shops are the place to go with items like these.
Tutoring Did you major in a particular topic in college? Do you have patience with children? You likely have what you need to tutor kids in particular subjects. Seek out parents and let them know that you tutor in a particular subject and provide materials for them to share and phone calls will often trickle in.
Video preparation services Many people like to have videos made for special events, such as weddings, or for gifts. This may mean actually taking the video yourself at a special event, or it may mean simply assembling materials and creating a video from those items. Either way, with a well-equipped PC, some taste, and some patience, you can make quite sophisticated video productions at home.
Virtual assistant Many ultra-busy professionals appreciate having someone who can check and answer their email, organize task lists for them, update their calendars, and so on, with minimal interaction. The best part is that you can provide this service from home with a good internet connection.
Web site design Many small businesses in your community could use a very basic web presence to tell others about their business. Quite often, these businesses don’t have a large budget for such things. That’s where you come in - get a bunch of clients from the local community by beating the pavement, create sites for them, and maintain them for a small fee. Get enough businesses and you have a nice side business of your own that doesn’t require a ton of maintenance time.
Wedding planner If you’re one of those people who can’t help but flip through bridal magazines and think about various wedding arrangements in your daydreams, wedding planning might be the perfect thing for you. A great way to get started is to develop a website on the topic, get to know people online, and offer your services throughout the community.
I’m betting the readers have many, many more ideas along these same lines.
An Organized
Office is a Sure Sign of an Organized Mind
Have you found that a cluttered space translates to a cluttered-feeling mind? So
what is the connection? Is it possible these two separate issues are related to
each other? If so, how and why?
Many of us have some sort of office space. It can range from a home office, to a
workspace, to a desk in any number of rooms within our homes or even a converted
closet space.
It may serve many purposes, such as bill paying, scheduling (family calendar),
filing various household papers and mail, and so on. Often an office space
doubles as a guest bedroom or craft space.
What can you do to organize your office space? How much time do you waste in a
day looking for items?
The state of one's office space, whether personal or business, seems to reflect
upon ourselves and how organized we are. Have you ever walked into someone's
office, stared in amazement at the sheer mess and volume of stuff in their space
and wondered, 'How can this person function' or 'How often have they lost
important documents?' Do you really trust them to perform their duties or a
service?
1. Clear off your desk and other areas in your office- use boxes, laundry
baskets, or trash bags to help sort items as you remove them from the desk and
office space. Obvious garbage should be thrown out (or recycled if possible).
Use the three box method:
Box 1- Keep.
Box 2- Donate.
Box 3- Trash.
It is decision time. What do you need at your fingertips every day? Look at the
purpose of your office space. What do you use it for?
Think about your organizing style? Are you visual, for example. Do you need to
see everything (out of sight, out of mind?)
A lot of this is personal taste. You need to make a room that will function for
you.
2. Use the RAFT method to help sort through the seemingly unending amount of
paperwork.
R-Read.
A-Act.
F-File.
T-Trash.
Then you need to come up with a reasonable system for storing your paperwork.
Remember that 80% of filed papers are never looked again. However, you must keep
in mind that some papers must be saved for tax or legal purposes.
3. Organize small office supplies, such as paperclips, elastic bands, stapler,
etc.
A. Gather all supplies together and divide into piles based on type--desk
supplies, Computer supplies, Paper supplies, etc.
B. Store like-items together, label storage containers (clear containers keep
items visible, but contained), and those items used most frequently needed to be
accessible while sitting at your desk.
C. There are many organizing items and tools to help organize items near and on
your desk. Many are inexpensive. You might also consider recycling some items
from around the house for organizing--such as using old glass bottles and jars,
or old toothbrush holders, to hold items like pens and pencils.
4. Get your computer in order.
A. Organize your documents in a similar fashion in a filing box or cabinet.
B. Create broad categories that can be sub-divided into smaller, more-specific
folders.
C. Make sure you name 'files' with very exact, descriptive names that allow for
easy retrieval.
5. Organize your email. Decide how many times a day you will allow yourself to
check your email? Next delete all notification emails from websites like
Facebook.
Do not send Forwards or Junk email to others and ask others not to send them to
you either.
The best piece of advice is to get comfortable with the DELETE key. Try to clear
out your inbox and start every day with a clean inbox.
The environment that you surround yourself with each and every day can have
either a negative or positive effect on your mindset, mood, energy level, and
productivity. The more organized you make your office space, the greater the
positive effects will be on you.
Forget the funny sign that is posted in many offices that states, 'An organized
desk is a sure sign of a sick mind.' It's just meant for comedy, and simply
isn't true.
An organized desk is a sure sign of an organized mind-- one that is free to be
goal-oriented, creative and productive.
So You Want My Job: Private Investigator
Posted: 08 Apr 2009 08:38 PM PDT
It’s once again time for our “So You Want My Job” series, in which we interview men who are employed in desirable man jobs and ask them about the reality of their work and for advice on how men can finally become what they always wanted to be when they grew up.
For this installment, we interviewed Mark Lemon. Mr. Lemon is a private investigator. How much does Mark’s life resemble that of Thomas Magnum? Not much it would seem. But he does sport a sweet Tom Selleck-esque stache. Thanks for doing the interview Tom!
1. Tell us a little about yourself (Where are you from? Where did you go to school? How old are you? Describe your job and how long you’ve been at it, etc).
I’m from Atlanta, GA, and graduated from the University of Georgia in 1979. I’m 53 years old
2. Why did you want to become a private investigator? When did you know that it was what you wanted to do?
Well, I became a PI in a somewhat roundabout way. I had previously been a Criminal Investigator with NCIS in North Carolina, and when my father became ill, requested to transfer at no cost to them, to the Atlanta NCIS office, so that I could be near him if he got worse. This they declined to do, and so I resigned (after all, family comes first to me, above all else). While it was good to be closer to my dad and my family, I was unemployed. Of course I had to seek employment somewhere, but didn’t really want to get back into law enforcement. As I was good at surveillance, I thought investigating in the private sector would be a good fit for me, and it was.
3. If man wants to become a private investigator, how should he best prepare? What’s the best route into the job?
Contrary to what most guys think, being a cop is actually a detriment to becoming a PI, instead of vice versa. Cops roll in loud and very obvious and visible, while a PI needs to be stealthy and very, very low profile. He needs to get information in a roundabout way, not by using the authority of his office, or uniform. So cops coming to the job find it hard to break old habits, and seldom have I seen cops become good PI’s. On the other hand, I have found that my experience in the military, especially in naval specwar, has been a great help in my current job. In my naval career, I went through BUD/S training for SEAL Teams, got injured about 2/3 of the way through, and then got into the Special Boat Units, tasked with inserting and extracting the SEALs. There, stealth and independent thinking was a valued commodity, just as it is in the PI industry. I would say that a guy with a good, practical military background (as an “operator,” not as an office “poag”) who takes the state course in licensing, who has learned a lot about deception, cover and concealment, and is a good fast thinker, will be a good PI.
4. How competitive is it to get a job as a private investigator? Do most guys set up their own business or work for someone else?
It’s not really that hard to get hired, as long as you’re qualified, but staying on the job is harder. This job has a lot of turnaround, and you see guys come and go due mostly to their own job performance. If you see a guy who has been at the same company for a number of years, it’s a safe bet that he’s getting the job done. Some guys leave and start their own businesses, but I know one such guy, who tells me that he’s being eaten up in insurance costs for himself as well as his investigators, so to me it’s not worth the hassle.
5. What is the best part of the job?
Working independently, making many of your own decisions, solving problems using your own skills and not having someone constantly looking over your shoulder.
6. What is the worst part of the job?
Boredom. Often you have to sit in a surveillance position for literally hours upon hours until something happens, if it happens at all. In such a situation, you can’t read a book, or newspaper to relieve the boredom, because as soon as you do that, something is bound to happen, and you’ll miss it. I should say here that I work workman’s comp cases exclusively, meaning that I conduct surveillances on people who claim to have been injured at work. As such, getting videotape of them changing an engine out of their truck, exercising, or other such activity, is the key to my work. Sometimes it happens, and sometimes nothing happens, but you have to remain constantly vigilant nonetheless.
8. What is the biggest misconception people have about the job?
I’m not really sure, but I feel that most people probably think it’s a lot more glamorous than it really is. It’s a lot of very hard work; doing hours of research online before you even leave the house, driving miles to the case, sitting hours on a site waiting for something to go down, getting it all on film, driving back home, and then writing it all up in a report. Not so glamorous. But there are moments, like when after hours of waiting, thinking the day’s wasted, and suddenly seeing the subject (supposedly completely disabled) drive from his place, you follow him for miles and miles to a junkyard, where he spends the next 2 hours crawling all over a junked car stripping parts off of it. And documenting it all on videotape. That makes the job worthwhile.
9. What is the work/family balance like?
Not too bad. While you may have to work some major holidays (as that’s when most people are apt to be active), you often start work very early, and so are able to return home in the neighborhood of 3 or 4 PM, instead of the 6 or 7 many others experience.
10. Any other advice, tips, or anecdotes you’d like to share?
Just an anecdote. Once I had to follow a woman back to her very secluded, rural farm house one afternoon, and set up surveillance to see if she’d do any work around the farm. This meant that I had to stay there all night, and wait until the wee hours of the morning when many folks do their farm chores. Well, there was no way I could just sit in my car in front of her house, or anywhere near it, due to the secluded nature of her place. I’d have stood out like a sore thumb. So I had to park my car about a mile away, and insert myself with my video camera into her area through some very thick woods.When I arrived, I set up my position behind a fallen tree, from which place I could see her house pretty well. I had to be very quiet as she had a lot of dogs which ran loose around her property. Well, I got into position, watched for many hours with no activity, and about 3 or 4 in the morning, fell asleep. After a while, I was startled awake by a rustling noise. I peeked over the top of the log, and saw a big black rottweiller sniffing the ground, and walking straight in my direction. I luckily had work camo fatigues, and had a navy K-Bar knife with me, as well as having sprayed myself with that scent-blocker that deer hunters use. The dog came closer and closer, and I had absolutely no choice but to become as still as I possibly could, making sure that I slowly reached down and grabbed the handle of my knife. The dog came right up to the log, stepped up on top of it, and stood looking over at me, and sniffing my clothes. After what seemed like an hour, but which was only probably 5 seconds, he stepped down, right onto my chest, then off onto the ground. He walked along about 15 more feet, then turned and ran back to the house. I lay there for about 30 minutes, making sure that he was really gone, and just trying to regroup my shaken nerves. Afterwards, I slowly made my way to another position with better concealment, from where I later got some good video of her working outside. I feel that on that day, more than on any other, I earned every penny of my salary.
How To Stand Out and Make a Great First Impression
Posted: 08 Apr 2009 05:17 AM PDT
Do you find it hard to connect
with new people? Have you ever come away from an
interview, a business meeting or a personal visit, feeling that it just
didn’t go quite as well as you hoped?
First impressions mean a lot. Get them wrong, and you lose business and
career opportunities, as well as potential friends and contacts. But get them
right, and life will go that bit more smoothly.
So here’s your guide to making a great impression on people when you’re meeting
them for the first time, or very early on in your relationship.
How do you create a great first impression? What have others done at a first meeting that’s really impressed you?
Written on 4/8/2009 by Ali Hale. Ali is a professional writer and blogger, and a part-time postgraduate student of creative writing. If you need a hand with any sort of written project, drop her a line (ali@aliventures.com) or check out her website at Aliventures.
50 Ways a Manager can get Employees to Quit
Posted: 08 Apr 2009 06:46 AM PDT
I know some of you are list
hounds, so if you'd rather skip the monologue, scroll down a bit.
A month ago I shared some specific ways to
get ahead at work. For me it worked, I got promoted within my IT group and
was actually bumped up 2 spots. As I mentioned in that post, I was promoted
directly by a VP (my boss' boss), which was unusual. Since then my boss was let
go basically because anarchy broke out in the group and people were quitting
daily. However, it got me thinking. What if I didn't have a VP that recognized
my efforts? When does the atmosphere at work get so backstabbing and
bureaucratic, that there is no good process to overcome it? What if a star
employee wants to grow but management doesn't know what to do or how to take
advantage of the enthusiasm and motivation?
Those are all questions that I will address over the next
few weeks because they are best answered individually. However, there are
several things that mid-level managers can do to keep employees happy and there
are even more things they can do to irritate them to the point of quitting or
becoming a virus.
I polled the other guys in my group and we built a damn
good list of things that our IT manager did that led to him losing his
$100K/year job. Note that I left a few specific things out because I don't need
anyone getting pinched. If you repeat these things successfully, you too will
get your team to hate you. If you are a reporting to someone that does these
things, print this and do the old Office Space under the door routine.