Occupy Your Life!

Defined as to take up space or an amount of time”, the word occupy has come into sharper focus with the protest on Wall Street and elsewhere in America.  People who disagree with the protesters say stuff like “occupy a desk” or “occupy a job” and it gets me thinking that “occupy your life” might be the most apt phrase of all. 

Take full responsibility for where you are and where you are heading.  Occupy your career by making sure that you are putting your best foot forward each and every day no matter what you do for a living.  Be willing to make necessary adjustments to the course that you are on.  Speak up about problems on the job, negotiate better rates from suppliers, Say YES! to risky projects.  If you are in search make sure that your efforts are focused and organized.  If they are not, seek help, read books, blogs and newsletters.  Engage a friend, family member or expert as an accountability partner to keep you on track.  

Occupy your finances by living within your means.  Don’t waste precious energy and resources on a lifestyle that you can’t afford.  Live simply, and own your possessions, not the other way around.  Using a professional advisor set realistic and achievable financial goals and stick to your plan. 

Occupy your health.  Get a physical and follow the advice of trusted health care providers.  If you are dealing with a health challenge, engage in the treatment regimine fully and with a positive attitude.  And always make time for a healthy lifestyle.  It is important to eat right get enough rest and of course exercise. 

By occupying all aspects of your life all aspects of your life will improve.  Most of all occupy and upbeat and positive attitude on the job, in your business and at home.  It will work.  Try it. 

Confidence Attracts!

In an effort to appeal to a wide variety of hiring managers, people often adopt an attitude of “I’ll do anything.”  When in fact this is not true and the attitude is counterproductive. 

I remember discussing with some girlfriends a while back, how men are attracted to strong, confident women.  Similarly, strength and confidence is really important to people who are making decisions about candidates.  Those who can articulate their value, illustrate where they excel and recognize their areas for development come off much stronger and more genuine than those who try to fit into every situation.

As part of your interview preparation make sure you know what the position calls for and where you shine relative to the job description.  Where you are not strong, be able to illustrate where you have picked up a new skill quickly.  But recognize that not all people can do all things and accepts that.

Winning in a job interview is always a combination of skills, experience and an X factor.  Lots of times the X factor is how the manager perceives our level of confidence.  Confidence comes through when you are well matched to a position and you feel good talking about it.  Confidence flags when you attempt to shoe-horn yourself into a position you know is not a fit.

In an interview, let your value shine through by talking assuredly about things you know and not getting sucked into the “I’ll do anything trap”.  Be the confident candidate that attracts the employer.  TRY IT.  

Change Your Inner Dialogue and Things Will Change for You!

I am a big fan of Dr. Wayne W. Dyer.  One of his signature lines is “change the way you look at things and the things you look at will change.”  I really believe this.  TRULY I do.

Another thing that I know is true is that self-limiting language holds us back and that is doubly true in job search.  When we are without a position it is easy and to some degree understandable that we lose confidence in ourselves.  And without confidence we succumb to self-doubt. 

When we doubt ourselves negative messages have a way of becoming real. SO if you have fallen victim to self limiting beliefs now is the time to replace them with positive internal dialogue.  Here’s what I mean.

Instead of believing “I have no time to network” turn that into “I have not spent my time on networking as yet.”  “I am too old to fit in at that company” becomes “that company can use a dose of maturity”.  Most important to turn around are phrases like “nothing is going right for me”.  FORGET THAT and remember “I have so much to be thankful for”

This is not suggesting cheerful platitudes are the key to landing a great job.  This is emphatically stating that without a cheerful attitude a great job is much harder to land.  Everyone struggles to stay positive during search.  The messages we give ourselves are so important.  When you have a mental dialogue with yourself and in conversation with others speak about yourself in positive ways.  It will make a huge difference.  Try it.  

Interview Pitfalls

In order to land a position that we are interested in, nothing could be more important than doing well on an interview.  A hiring decision is a buying decision.  Your purpose in an n interview is to convince the employer to buy your services.  Being prepared, having the credentials and demonstrating your value are your responsibility on each interview.  There are some things that will de-rail your chances on an interview here’s a few to avoid.

Arrive on time but not too early.  Arriving more than 15 minutes early puts unnecessary schedule pressure on the hiring authorities.  You do not want your interviewer to be flustered and distracted as you describe your experience and education. Obviously you want to give yourself plenty of travel time.  But if you arrive at the building 30 minutes early, rather than reporting to the interview right away spend the time reviewing your resume and notes on the company.

Show interest in the company.  It is important to demonstrate that you have become familiar with the company and are aware of the requirements of the position.  Acting uninterested and not engaging with your interview will greatly damage you chances of landing the position.  An interview is a give and take situation.  It is critical that you balance the amount of time you spend talking versus listening.  Do not interrupt, over talk, or stray from the interview topics.  Keep your conversation focused and allow the interviewer to lead the discussion.

Questions at the end of the interview are really really important.  Make they are appropriate.  Of course you want to gather as much information as possible.  But please make sure your questions are job related.  Avoid inquiries about time off and salary increases until the company expresses interest in making you part of the team.

Realizing that an interview is a time to be business focused and sharp is critical.  Being cautious about pitfalls is just as important.  Avoiding over talking and showing your preparedness will really help you land a position.  Try it. 

Networking is for Everyone

Networking is not just attending happy hours and luncheons.  Networking is building a solid foundation upon which to grow a career, launch a search or manage a transition.  Networking should be done on a consistent basis and need not always be formal.  There are a few things to keep in mind about networking. 

When at a networking event or industry function it is not possible to meet everyone in the room.  The object of attendance is to gain insight, learn something new, or widen your circle of acquaintance.  Don’t be tempted to shove your business card at everyone you come across.  Instead engage in meaningful conversation with a few people.  Really zero in on who you are speaking with and plan a strategy to follow up. 

As you meet people at networking events, it is common to enter these relationships with expectations, Expectations that you will gain new insights, be picked for an important project or be introduced to a new opportunity.  No matter how well you hit off in the moment, not all of your networking contacts will be willing or able to help you.

Sometimes there is a temptation to limit our networking efforts to meeting people who can help us.  Rather than concentrating on what others can do for us, networking relationships should be developed without expectations.  Being genuine and open with people will make them comfortable introducing you to people they know.  And they maybe acquainted with someone exceedingly valuable to you. 

It is vital to remember that networking is not what happens at the venue we are attending.  Building a network means forging relationships that grow and develop after the event is over.  Make a call to the person that you found interesting.  Be sure to share your expertise or offer assistance to your new contact.

Building your network with care and deliberation will definitely bring results.  Try it.

Managing Stress

As professionals in a difficult economy, stress and tension can easily enter our lives and stay there.  For those managing a search without a position, stress can become overwhelming.  In order to minimize the constant feeling of agitation and anxiousness it is key to manage the search in a way that we feel in control.  Here are a few things to try that will make your work life and job search less stressful.

Decide how much time you are going to spend searching for a new position.  And once the decision is made, stick to it.  Whether it is one hour or half a day it is critical that the time you spend pays off.  Make a plan for each day and work the plan.  Keep track of efforts and results and tweak accordingly.

Whatever the plan work in an organized fashion.  One day you may dedicate to identifying companies where you want to work.  The next you might spend phoning contacts.  The next day you might dedicate to submitting targeted resumes and cover letters.  Spending all day in front of the computer and reacting to internet postings is not an organized or effective way to mount a job search.

While you are managing a job search either as an employed or unemployed person it is a great time to make yourself a priority.  Identify other goals that are important to you and work toward them.  If you have more free time than you used to, clear up you’re to do list, learn something new, and revitalize important relationships.

And perhaps most important of all do not lose your sense of humor.  Do not take rejection personally Do not allow your mind to become permanently darkened by work life stress.  Approach your search as a serious matter but allow yourself to smile as you do it.  Keep in contact with people and activities that keep your spirits high.

Stress is a factor in many lives.  But to diminish its very negative effects it is key to approach our job search and work life with seriousness, dedication and a smile. Try it.

Own Your Career

For 8 hours a day for upwards of thirty years in a lifetime we are at work.  Here in the United States we work hard and relax little.  To make that working time meaningful is vitally important.  No matter if we are at the top of the heap or negotiating the entry level, in a job we enjoy or managing a transition we need to own our careers.  By taking ownership over some of what happens to us on the job we need to do many things.  Why not make it a priority to do a few of these. 

1.       Make sure your network is solid.  Do you have a large number of professional contacts who can help you find answers, talk through challenges, and alert you to opportunities?  If not spend some time developing the relationships you have in your field of endeavor.  Attend conferences and development opportunities.  Even if at your own expense it will pay off.

2.       Keep your resume updated.  Does your resume include your current position?  Have you added recent courses or certifications?  Is your current phone number and e-mail address on your resume? No matter what the situation you may need to submit a current resume in a hurry.  Take a moment to review yours and make any necessary changes.

3.       Be in constant learn mode.  It may be valuable to you to take a training class in your field that ends in some sort of certification.  Accountants, Project Managers, IT Personnel and Human Resources Professionals are just a few careers that benefit from professional certifications.  All career minded people benefit by keeping their computer skills current or developing their leadership or public speaking persona.

4.       Keep your options open.  There is nothing wrong or disloyal about keeping your options open.  For some that might mean taking a similar job at a different company or it might mean a change of filed altogether.  Get to know companies that call for your skill set.  Find out about other ways to package your experience if you want to change careers.

Owning your career by constantly learning and growing will help you feel a measure of control over your work life.  Try it.