Why You Should Consider Getting a Career Coach (Pt.2) Building Your Future Now

Why You Should Consider Getting a Career Coach (Pt.2) Building Your Future Now If you are considering getting a career coach to help with your career direction keep a few things in mind. There are many career coaches out there and very good ones at that. However, you need to do your research and find one that best suits your needs. Take time to look though the internetGoogle career coaches in your area and compare what each one offers. You need oneat the end of the daythat suits your requirements and style. A big factor is: do you work well with them? If you feel they listen to you, answer your questions and genuinely want the best for you (even if that means losing you to another career coach who may be a better fit) that is the signs of a coach that will give you the best (even the referral to another coach is a reflection that you will be in good hands.) Also, talk with other people. Find out what makes that coach so good. Ask questions and make notes. Finding the right career coach for you will truly help you build an amazing career with the right/professional guidance. Image: Berthold Brodersen

Experienced Plus Innovative Equals True Meeting of the Minds - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career

Experienced Plus Innovative Equals True Meeting of the Minds - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career Many are dismayed by hearing the news that older people in their mid-30’s are no longer desired in the workplace. For one, the definition of older citizen used to be those in their 60’s but somehow the number shrank. Secondly, why would an employer dismiss the valuable expertise including hard lessons previously learned? It’s no secret that the younger generation grew up with technology that is now second nature to them when it comes to their dealing with the world and in particular, their career. This phenomenon also encourages further technological innovation and advancement. The older generations are left out of the equation. They are simply pushed out of the way for the young to move ahead. However, there is a huge drawback in believing that the older generations are no longer needed and have nothing of value to contribute. Nothing could be further from the truth. We only have about 11 years to reconsider to learn valuable lessons. When past lessons are ignored, the same errors tend to be made over and over. Eleven years ago we were in the throws of the dotcom revelation. The executive offices were filled with people in their 20’s and those barely 30. Their lack of interest in those who went before them, or desire to learn from them, turned the business world into a chaotic dotcom bust. About 7 years later, greed plus lack of input from elders turned into a chaotic and economic crisis not seen since the Great Depression. It was, and partially still is, a worldwide mess. It’s time for a true meeting of the minds to take place between the young innovators and the seasoned business professionals. A true negotiation involves a meeting in the middle. Opportunity exists everywhere you are willing to seek it out. In this case, those more experienced may advise on errors previously made and how to avoid them in the future. This first hand insight would undoubtedly help the current business community advance more quickly. Older people may seem slower to the young, but at times thoughtful purpose is a requirement to avoid poor judgment once again. When an organization includes all age groups and allows for open dialogue, improved perspective and a broader spectrum of ideas come about. A true leader encourages open communication. Imagine the image a company would develop by encouraging all age groups to apply for employment. The wealth of knowledge that would come knocking on the door would be tremendous and newsworthy too. Encouraging dialogue among all employees within the organization would be highly unique, sought after by many, and the CEO’s personal brand would be second to none. In the end, the company’s reward would be moving business along faster and further than otherwise ever thought possible. Openness to finding the meeting of the minds between the young innovative geniuses and the older and wiser generations will put companies on the wave of the Smooth Sale! Author: Elinor Stutz, CEO of  Smooth Sale,  (800) 704-1499; authored “INSPIRED Business A New View for Building Business and Communities”; “Nice Girls DO Get the Sale: Relationship Building That Gets Results”, and “HIRED! How to Use Sales Techniques to Sell Yourself On Interviews“. Elinor was designated as a “Top 25 Sales Influencer for 2012.”

Guest Post 5 Simple Tips to Accelerate Your Career Progression

Guest Post 5 Simple Tips to Accelerate Your Career Progression This is a guest post by Ray Holder. We live in a world that is literally “first come, first served.” Gone are the days when people patiently waited to build their business   or their career from the ground up. Today, we want quick results; we don’t want to sit around and wait patiently. It is no secret that in this fast-paced world, “time is money.” Here are some simple yet effective tips on how to accelerate the progress of your career Embed from Getty Imageswindow.gie=window.gie||function(c){(gie.q=gie.q||[]).push(c)};gie(function(){gie.widgets.load({id:'8btBJhmKQi5SstXmOR0zMw',sig:'z3YhPqVeyWjB3mEEBjUoWRjDLeI_GmPlJ4zw23qYa_s=',w:'502px',h:'342px',items:'181817401',caption: false ,tld:'com',is360: false })}); 1.  Chasing Success? Rookie Mistake! A word of advice that I always give to anyone who asks, is this: Don’t be concerned with success. It comes about as a byproduct of striving to achieve excellence. So instead, focus on excelling in your professional endeavors. Forget about making money. Forget about getting promoted. And forget about making it big. Focus on dedicating yourself completely to performing every task that is assigned to you. Practice excellence and you will get noticed. Promotions will come   or they won’t, and you may have to move on. Obsessing over how to get ahead will get you nowhere. Being excellent where you are is the key to success. 2.  Develop Your Skillsâ€"Professional and Interpersonal In order to succeed in today’s world, you need to constantly fine-tune your skill set and/or learn new skills. You can’t expect to make it big on a mere college degree â€" that’s just the price of entry today. Take additional courses, volunteer for internships (or community service, if you’re in the workforce), and do all you can to ensure that your skills don’t become stagnant. You should also be looking for opportunities that will allow you to communicate with colleagues and clients at different levels. You’ll become more confident and you’ll increase your chances at getting noticed. To develop your professional skill set, look into a certification or course learn new skills geared towards your respective field. For example, Porter and Chester is a vocational school that offers great career services and courses in a variety of fields   like automotive repair, computer networking and dental assisting, which are geared towards building specific, professional skills in students. Your skill set can increase in mere months by attending a similar vocational school. 3.  Build Your Network Networking merely means connecting with and talking to professionals at your workplace as well as the people you meet outside of your work. Take every opportunity to meet people and have meaningful conversations with your superiors to get yourself noticed as an asset. Do everything in your power to ensure that people know what you can offer and what you’re interested in doing next in your job and your career. You never know when the next opportunity will present itself! 4.  Show Initiative To get noticed, you need to put yourself out there. Show your skills, smarts and work ethic by: Participating in company events enthusiastically Offering to take on additional responsibilities Organizing team events Offering your services to struggling colleagues, whether or not you get anything in return The goal is to get noticed by superiors as a dedicated individual who truly has the company’s best interests at heart.  5.  Become Indispensable Being indispensable to the company means becoming such an integral part of the team that the company couldn’t imagine functioning (as well) without you. Work your way to the team responsible for turning profits, innovation, or creating revenue, if you can. That’s the team that will get resources and attention.  Learn all you can. If you can prove your value on that team, you’ll have increased your ability to achieve your goals â€" both in earning and responsibility. Ray Holder is an independent career counselor. Connect with him on Twitter @holder_ray.

Social Media Mindfulness Can Boost Your Charisma and Impact - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career

Social Media Mindfulness Can Boost Your Charisma and Impact - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career Empathy is about standing in someone elses shoes, feeling with his or her heart, seeing with his or her eyes. Not only is empathy hard to outsource and automate, but it makes the world a better place.Daniel Pink, best-selling author about business,  work, and behavior It’s natural to want to share great news and social media is the ideal way to do it. We want the world to know when things are going our way, when weve succeeded or had an awesome experience. Sharing photos of our vacations with friends and family gives them the opportunity to congratulate us and send their good wishes. Posting our photos is a convenient way to help friends, colleagues and family stay updated about our whereabouts and milestones. Its no wonder social media giants have attained lofty valuations so quickly. Sharing our lives with the masses can  be seen as a positive thing; It’s a way of being inclusive and open. Sharing  our happy moments with hundreds of people has become socially acceptable.  Dont we  all gain vicarious pleasure at times from viewing another person’s joy? Shouldnt we expect others to reap joy from our successes and celebrations? We  might agree that sharing another persons joy in part defines friendship, but that leaves out another critical ingredient for being a sincere  friend-empathy. Using  discretion in what we share shows consideration for our friends and family and it’s not an all or nothing proposition. We can share our joy with others without overdoing it.  It could also temper  the impression of being boastful and self-absorbed Avoid opening an old wound Recently a client of mine shared that when her mother died and she was struggling to cope with her pain she found it especially difficult to view her girlfriends’ postings about their mom’s being their best friends. While she is generally a happy person and a well-wisher to others, seeing all the posts on Facebook over the holiday season intensified her pain. Another person shared that she had lost a child after a very difficult pregnancy and has another child with special needs. She too is a generally a happy person but finds it surprising how boastful people are on Facebook showcasing their large, healthy, beautiful families celebrating one milestone after the next in the Caribbean, and other places she’s never been. While she really loves many of her friends, she’s surprised that they lack sensitivity about how others might not have their good fortune. Sometimes those things that are so precious should be kept more hidden. Perhaps we could avoid some of these unintentional assaults to our “friends” by taking a moment to think about the impact of what we share prior to posting. We could even use social media to provide content that inspires, informs, uplifts or offers support to our friends. These are all factors that experts say increase our likeability and charisma. Use Social Media to Increase You Charisma and Likability We could occasionally ask ourselves some of these questions: Is this self-promoting or educational? Is this touting my family? How often am I posting photos of us on vacations, weddings or other exclusive events? Is my vacation one that all my friends could partake in? Could the post be easily interpreted as insulting or offensive? Is the humor at anyone else’s expense? Will my post benefit anyone else? Will my post bring joy, laughter or wisdom to others? Will my post inform others on a surprising or noteworthy current event? Could my post help others solve a problem? Could it be helpful in any way? If the answer to these questions is that the most pleasure (and benefit) will come to a relatively small group who partook in that specific activity, perhaps we should limit some of those posts. I think that most of the time when  we share  posts of our vacations and of flattering pictures of ourselves, our significant other, or  of our  kids, our intention is to be inclusive. And most of us enjoy seeing our  friends having fun. The point is to think about proportion. That is, how much do we put online that’s merely self-aggrandizing versus for others benefit? Is limiting our posts being overly sensitive?   One could argue that withholding posts is cowering to those who are overly sensitive. Perhaps those people who become jealous from looking at someone’s post should be the ones to abstain from using social media. Maybe they should work on not becoming jealous so easily and grow a thicker skin. While this advice might be true for the  sensitive  types, ignoring the potentially negative effect our posts could have on some people misses the chance for us to use social media in a mindful, and more impactful  way. Carefully selecting our posts could help us become more effective when we post ideas that we want to spread. It could also  help develop our reputation as someone whos well informed and worth following. Increase joy and spread knowledge It might be a good exercise for all of us to consider sharing ideas, humor and entertainment more often than our personal celebrations. These posts can inspire meaningful discussion, help inform people about an important event  or simply offer entertainment and/or comic relief. While an occasional family picture update or profile change may be reasonable, a weekly or monthly profile update and regular posts at the beach might be something to keep private for family and closest friends. One needn’t completely eliminate personal posts in order to be sensitive to others. But we can choose to make a greater percentage of our shares about something of real value or interest to our viewers. It never hurts to be a bit more sensitive, but it can hurt to ignore others where they might be a need for a bit more sensitivity. People tend to be more influenced and inspired by those who are inclusive and engaging. By providing content that’s useful, relevant and/or entertaining could enhance our potential to positively impact our connections and show them we care about what matters to them. Thoughtful use of social networking is one way to show emotional intelligence and  could be a key to increasing our charisma even though it could mean holding back what were doing that’s so cool.

Resume Writing Services in San Francisco

Resume Writing Services in San FranciscoAs an international business professional, you need to know about the different resume writing services in San Francisco. This is very important because this is where you will be meeting your employer or recruiter.There are many people who consider it easy to write a perfect resume. This is not always the case as there are people who will hire them but later they do not have any positive feedback from the employers for what they have written. Some people also end up being unemployed after they have lost their jobs because they did not know what to write when they have to present the resume to employers.It is best to know that in writing a resume you should always keep in mind the credentials that you should have. You can get a lot of help if you want to know about what you should look for in a resume and in how you should present your information. Here are some of the resume writing services in San Francisco.The first place that you can go to f ind a resume writing service is through referrals. If you work in the IT industry or you know someone who works in the IT industry, then you can ask him/her if he/she knows a professional in your line of work who can help you with your resume. If this person knows one, then he/she can direct you to the right person. You can also request them to get in touch with the company they know so that you can speak to them.If you do not have any idea who to ask, then you can check the internet for companies that can provide you with a resume writing service. You can look for the contact numbers of these companies and you can also contact them directly. After finding the contact numbers of some companies that offer resume writing services, you can contact them as well. A lot of these companies can provide you with a free resume writing service.Another way that you can get a professional resume writer is through a referral. By referring someone, you will be able to get the same type of service that the referral person will be offering to his/her employees.You can also find out if a company has a good resume writing service by asking them for their credentials. You can look for a resume writing service by seeing what they provide. If they provide free writing services, then you can expect it to be top-notch.There are a lot of places where you can find professional resume writing services. The choice is really up to you as to where you want to get your resume written and to whom you want to speak with.

Happy link roundup - The Chief Happiness Officer Blog

Happy link roundup - The Chief Happiness Officer Blog Here are this weeks highest rated links and stories from the Happy at Work Link Collection. Stress kills. Though rarely this literally. (thx Lars). Ricardo Semler: granddaddy of the democratic workplace. Ricardo Semler?s employees set their hours, determine their salaries and choose their bosses. Meet the Brazilian businessman who does everything differently. (thx Kareem). The Danes are the happiest workers in Europe. Yaaaaaay! At the bottom of the list: Hungary, Russia, Slovenia, Bulgaria and the Czech Republic. And Japan. How listening saved a company. Dave began meeting with a different crew for an hour every Tuesday afternoon. Dave and his HR manager were there, but none of the managers or supervisors between him and the crew. Dave simply asked, What do you want to talk about? and then waited. A valentines day story of love at work. A sweet story from Southwest Airlines. You can find many more links, vote on the ones you like and submit your own stories, articles or blogposts at the link collection. Thanks for visiting my blog. If you're new here, you should check out this list of my 10 most popular articles. And if you want more great tips and ideas you should check out our newsletter about happiness at work. It's great and it's free :-)Share this:LinkedInFacebookTwitterRedditPinterest Related Happy link roundup - The Chief Happiness Officer Blog Here are this weeks highest rated links and stories from the Happy at Work Link Collection. The best in the world What the late great Jeff Newman had to say about playing a pedal steel guitar, and what that means for those who want to be good at what they do, and humble about it. (thx iwelsh). Make being of value your first priority in customer service The lesson is that you can go farther by showing a prospect how you can be of value to them than by trying to sell them on how good you are. We should keep that in mind. Playing video games all day long may not make kids happy at work (video) In gold-farms in China, kids work all day to gain gold and items in video games, that can then be sold for real money. MAN we live in a strange world! Dutch professor is expert on happiness Professor Ruut van Veenhoven (Erasmus University, Rotterdam) publishes interesting articles on happiness. Read abstracts or full articles on his homepage. (thx Erno). The Importance of Know Why over Know How ?Let others play with strategy and tactics and management. Purpose is the game of champions.??? 5 Reasons Why Enthusiasm is Better than Confidence Includes Confidence is impressive enthusiasm is infectious and Confidence is certain enthusiasm is creative. Brilliant! You can find many more links, vote on the ones you like and submit your own stories, articles or blogposts at the link collection. Thanks for visiting my blog. If you're new here, you should check out this list of my 10 most popular articles. And if you want more great tips and ideas you should check out our newsletter about happiness at work. It's great and it's free :-)Share this:LinkedInFacebookTwitterRedditPinterest Related Happy link roundup - The Chief Happiness Officer Blog Here are this weeks highest rated links and stories from the Happy at Work Link Collection. It Isnt Just a Myth, Power Turns People Into Assholes by Bob Sutton. Asshole poisoning is a disease that you catch from others. It is also something that happens with shocking speed and intensity when people are put in powerful positions. Trust Tip 16: Get Beyond Fairness by trustedadvisor. To expect fairness all the time leads only to unhappiness, yet giving fairness is something we can do. (thx iwelsh!) Where did the Dreamer go? by Craig Harper. Life has a great way of sucking the creativity energy out of you, if you let it. So how can you turn it around (thx spocia). The Ridiculous Business Jargon Dictionary. Very comprehensive! Do the right thing. A site to hold companies accountable for their actions. I like it!! Office politics is about being nice by Penelope Trunk. Here is a message for people who say office politics don?t matter: You will die a slow, painful career death. This is because there?s no getting around office politics, and mastering them is essential to being able to steer your own career. Don?t take that as bad news, though, because mastering office politics is good for your soul. Really. You can find many more links, vote on the ones you like and submit your own stories, articles or blogposts at the link collection. Thanks for visiting my blog. If you're new here, you should check out this list of my 10 most popular articles. And if you want more great tips and ideas you should check out our newsletter about happiness at work. It's great and it's free :-)Share this:LinkedInFacebookTwitterRedditPinterest Related

The Kids Are Back In School- What Now

The Kids Are Back In School- What Now Summer is winding down.   There are just days left in my little town in Upstate before our school year begins.   For some, this may be a relief. Other parents are facing major milestones as their babies head off to college or high school or kindergarten. What this means is that you now have no excuses to not launch a 35+ hour a week job search. The switchover to the school year requires recalibrating the family schedule.   As you are doing this, dont forget to carve in time for you and what you need to do. Unemployed fathers and mothers have made the excuse that they had to provide child care for their young children or their older children needed to be carpooled.   Great, as long as it doesnt cut into your time to do what you need to do to find a job.   I am all in favor of finding a balance in doing the things you want to do.   But, no more excuses. Here are some ways you might be able to do it all. Ask a friend/neighbor to help get your child on the bus and suggest that you will be there to get them off the bus. Carpool with fellow team mates.   Take turns to make it fair. If Jimmy forgets his lunch or cleats or trumpet, thats his problem.   A good lesson learned.   Accountability and responsibility are best learned early. When  attending a  school event, turn it into a networking opportunity.   Plan before you go to the school event what your goal will be.   I want to meet 2 new parents and learn what they do.   I want to find the name of someone at XYZ company.   I want to learn about employment within the school district.   You chose, but go with a mission in mind. It is easy to say my child needs me.   It is more difficult to see if they have wings to fly.