Desperation

Desperation

Note-The following article touches on issues related to mental health. The tips and advice presented are just that, not an attempt to provide medical treatment or intervention. If you need such help, talk to your doctor, call emergency services, go to an emergency room, or call the (USA) National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK (1-800-273-8255).

With changes in the labor market, there are an unprecedented number of people who are experiencing feelings of desperation. This emotional state negatively affects decision-making ability, and is related to feelings of panic, hopelessness, and despair.

In a job search, desperation affects critical decisions regarding where to apply, as well as the 'sales presentation' of the candidate. All too often, people begin to apply to inappropriate jobs, any job regardless of the potential fit. Further, even when the job is a good fit, desperate people present in ways including down, low energy and/or depressed. Alternatively, the desperate candidate is often overeager, anxious and promote themselves excessively. Often, excessive follow through is a problem in these situations.

To avoid these problems, I often recommend that clients realize something early on-This is a marathon, not a 100 meter sprint. Also, stay active, both physically and mentally. This is important from the first day of a job search.

One related activity is to keep your work skills current. A few times a week, block out an appropriate amount of time to maintain what you have worked so hard to gain. As a side note, this is also good advice to employed folks too.

To address some of the psychological stressors, give something to someone else, and you may gain even more in return. I am referring to volunteering. It can be a real boost to your self image to read to school children, provide companionship at a Senior Center, or even pick up trash at the park. This is also a good way to network, or simply make connections that will help your job search. You never know, the Teacher at the school may know someone who is hiring, or you may bump into someone at the park who needs an employee.

Next give yourself a break-both kinds. The first kind of break is to not exhaust yourself with a job search. Work at the search everyday, but again, this is a marathon. Pace yourself.

The second kind of break is to be kind, forgiving and accepting toward yourself. Regardless of the cause of the job loss, people are all too often willing to view themselves as at fault or defective. This is obviously not healthy, and we can often be our own worst critic. Give yourself a break.

Set reasonable and attainable goals to maintain a job search. The goals should be regarding your behavior (sending resumes, applying, networking) because this is in your control. The goal should not be to get a job, it should be to engage in a quality job search.

"Never, never, never give up." Winston Churchill

Good luck, and best wishes,

Chris

Staying Healthy Sells to a Potential Employer

Staying Healthy Sells to a Potential Employer

“I see here that you have been unemployed for a while. What have you been doing with yourself?”

Sadly, since 2008, the global economy has made questions like this a part of many job interviews. The way that you respond can be critical to your success in the job interview. Perhaps more importantly, the things that you do while you are unemployed can truly impact your future success.

In a hiring setting, the goal of the potential employer is usually something along the lines of 'hire the best available talent with the least amount of risk'. Notice that I did not say '...at the lowest possible salary'. To a hiring employer a few thousand dollars in annual salary may be an important consideration. However, that few thousand dollars pales when compared to the cost of a bad hire. The Society for Human Resource Management reports that the cost of a bad hire is up to five times the annual salary.

Often, the job seeker focuses upon why they are the best available talent, and overlooks the risk component of the criteria upon which they are being evaluated. 'Fit' matters to the potential employer.

How you have been managing yourself while unemployed is an indicator of your current fitness, and the amount of risk related to transitioning you into the company.

“What have you been doing with yourself?” “Sitting forlornly in a dank apartment all day. Smoking menthol cigarettes all day and nightwith the curtains drawn, salaciously watching Maury reveal DNA testing results.” That would be rather risky to an employer.

So what can you be doing? What would reduce your risk to a potential employer, and show that you are progressing in a healthy manner? Did you know that you can take FREE courses online from Harvard, Yale, and Berkeley? Here one link. There are many more resources - http://www.openculture.com/freeonlinecourses See your local librarian for more leads. What a GREAT answer to the “What have you been doing” question-I audited several on-line courses in finance from Harvard and Yale. I had always been fascinated by the topic of copyright law, so I took a class on the topic from MIT.

Here are some other sample great answers:

When the company closed, I had an ill relative. I used my free time to care for them. Happily (or sadly if they died), that situation is resolved.

I used the time to take a (hopefully job relevant) course at the Library, Community College, etc. I hated not working, but I decided to make the best of a bad situation.

One of the worst things about being laid off could have been being forced to stay in the house all the time. I volunteered with (some organization) when I wasn't job searching.

I started exercising and lost 20 pounds!

I think the point is to show that you were involved, active, and not damaged by the gap in employment. Maintaining and projecting a positive, healthy attitude to potential employers is vital.

Good Luck and Best Wishes,

Chris

Links to my work, “Beyond a Career Crisis”:

Kindle Edition

http://www.amazon.com/Beyond-Career-Crisis-Find-ebook/dp/B0058TTCG6/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1329102151&sr=8-1

Paperback Edition

http://www.amazon.com/Beyond-Career-Crisis-Choose-Love/dp/1463683537/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1329102151&sr=8-2

Career Planning, An Overview

Career Planning

Career planning is a topic which can, and has, consumed entire books. This column will simply be an overview of the process. One critical element to a career plan is quite simple-write it down. What should you write? A career plan is simply an objective, with a time frame, and the steps needed to reach the goal.

You will know that you have written a good plan when you can determine that you have used S.M.A.R.T. Language. S.M.A.R.T. stands for Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant, and Time-bound. Specific provides “W” details such as who, what, what where, which, and why. Measurable means that you can attach some value such as how much, and how many. Attainable is your reality check. Relevant keeps you focused on task-A task to pass a college level metallurgy course may be relevant for a prospective Welder, but not for a Dog Groomer or Mathematics Professor. Finally, Time-bound means that you have firm start and end dates, possibly with checkpoints along the way.

With the above In mind, you can now determine your own career plan. It starts with a goal (objective) statement-”By 7/1/2014, I will be employed full time as a Welder”. Such a statement meets the SMART criteria, and also implies the steps required to reach the goal.

The steps required are tasks that you break down, again, with the SMART approach in mind. Here is an example for our Welder:

A. Research the future labor market.

B. Find and get training

C. Prepare for a job search.

D. Implement a job search.

Please note that the above are the “baby steps” needed, and they all start with action verbs. Let's bring SMART goals and some specifics to the “Research” step:

Task	Who	Starting Date	By Date	Comment	Completion Date
Check The Department of Labor Occupational Outlook Handbook for Welding Career information.	Me	07/12/12	07/15/12	http://www.bls.gov/ooh/	07/12/12
Contact my local Workforce Investment Board Office.	Me, Local WIB Board.	07/12/12	07/15/12	See if they offer 1:1 Career Counseling for free.
Check job postings for Welding jobs-evaluate what employers actually hire.	Me	07/12/12	07/15/12	I learned that there are a LOT of “Welding INSTRUCTOR” jobs. Will I be facing a more competitive environment?
Complete 2 Informational Interviews	Me, Employers	07/15/12	07/31/12	Make sure to ask about certifications, and skill sets.

As a final note, our Welder above learned that at the time the job search began, there were many advertisements for Welding Instructors. Looking at real world information can help our Metal Melter beat the competition by getting additional certifications and skills during their training. A little planning goes a long way.

Good luck and best wishes,

Chris

Links to my work, “Beyond a Career Crisis”:

Kindle Edition

http://www.amazon.com/Beyond-Career-Crisis-Find-ebook/dp/B0058TTCG6/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1329102151&sr=8-1

Paperback Edition

http://www.amazon.com/Beyond-Career-Crisis-Choose-Love/dp/1463683537/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1329102151&sr=8-2

The Career Counseling Process-Intake and Assessment

First of all, I would like to take a moment to preface my remarks. I have chosen to write a series of one-page articles on a topic that has often taken entire textbooks. By necessity, this will be a brief overview of the Career Counseling process.

The first step is generally termed 'Intake' or 'Orientation'. Here, your Career Counselor should explain their qualifications, program, and available services. In turn, they will want to know about you. Common questions will relate to your interests, skills, resources, plans, and supports. When they ask these questions, your Career Counselor is not being nosy, gossipy, or intrusive. They are trying to learn what they need to know so that they can provide good guidance and support to you. Most intake session require 1-2 hours, and should result in some sort of definitive 'Next Step”.

That next step will likely involve some type of assessment. For those with no previously-defined career goal, assessment may mean the administration of testing instruments, either formal or informal. Examples of these are the Self Directed Search, the Strong Vocational Interest Inventory, or any number of on-line and hard copy exercises. Activities such as these are not tests that you can pas or fail, but rather a snapshot of you, your preferences, and values. These are not qualities that you can 'fail'. Generally, assessment processes will begin with your interests, values and passions in comparison to your needs, capacities, and resources.

For those with well-defined career goals, assessment may mean gaining an understanding of where you are in terms of reaching those goals. Sometimes, you may have a goal, and lack the knowledge or a plan to effectively work toward that goal.

Another part of career assessment is to understand the labor market of your prospective profession. Beyond understanding yourself, it is vital that the client know the realities of their goal. You could have all of the ideal characteristics of the perfect....Elevator Operator. Perhaps you are polite, able to stand for long periods, and realize that every job has 'Ups and Downs' (My apologies, I couldn't resist). The point is that interest, talent, ability and preparation have to be guided by the realities of what is needed in actuality. Helping you through that process is a part of what your Career Counselor provides.

As you can see, there is a very wide variety in assessment processes for each individual. Depending on the work that needs to be done, assessment can take from one day to several months. I strongly believe that the key point here is to begin, and make regular, consistent efforts to move forward.

In the interest of space, I have skipped major components of the assessment process. These 'neglected' elements include physical ability, academic potential, motivation, cognitive ability, and more. Which elements should be ignored, and which focused upon is a vital part of the service that your Career Counselor should offer to you.

Good luck and best wishes,

Chris

Links to my work, “Beyond a Career Crisis”:

Kindle Edition

http://www.amazon.com/Beyond-Career-Crisis-Find-ebook/dp/B0058TTCG6/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1329102151&sr=8-1

Paperback Edition

http://www.amazon.com/Beyond-Career-Crisis-Choose-Love/dp/1463683537/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1329102151&sr=8-2

The Jobs Process

The Jobs 'Steps'

One aspect of Career Counseling that I find personally fascinating is the process involved. Regardless of the perceived status, income or training of the job, from Janitors to Jewelers, the broad process is the same.

That process is simply this: Assess yourself; Research potential careers; Acquire needed skills (could be learned on the job); Seek employment; Get the job; Grow further.

For self-assessment, you should know your passions, interests and skills. You will also want to consider your priorities. Sometimes, you just need a job to pay the bills. At other points in life, you may have freedom to pursue your passions.

Potential careers should be researched from several different perspectives. First of all, there is published information. A great starting point is the Occupational Outlook Handbook, available free at http://www.bls.gov/ooh/ There you can find out about the labor market, skills and training needed, what people in that field do, and more. After the initial research, you may want to do a job shadow or an informational interview. This process provided 'real world' information. You may also want to consider working as an intern or as a volunteer in your prospective area.

Acquiring needed skills is a topic too broad to address in this post, but I would like to note that I know a young man who made applying for scholarships a full time job. In 180 days, he found enough scholarships and grants to more than pay for his college degree.

Seeking employment, like other parts of the process, is a large topic. In general, you have to have target-a specific job goal. You need tools such as an effective cover letter and resume. You need to understand how to apply on-line. And you need to know how to sell yourself to employers. The most important part of seeking employment? Often it is to have a written plan, with tasks, goals and dates to reach them.

Getting the job seems easy after all of the above. However, here again, developing a 'Core Message' or 'Selling What they are Buying' is important. These approaches help when you are in an interview.

And the last step in my jobs process is to Grow Further'. What I mean by this is really two things. On one hand, it is important that you grow in your job. Learn new things, meet new people, expand your skills. Beyond that, it also means to prepare for your next job search. In the past, a worker could count on his or her ability to 'move up the ladder' rung by rung. That is largely gone. Now, you have to be prepared to change ladders.

This article was intended to talk about the overall processes involved in careers. If you would like to look in detail at any given step, please see other articles on this blog, or you could purchase 'Beyond A Career Crisis'.

Good luck and Best Wishes,

Chris

Links to my work, “Beyond a Career Crisis”:

Kindle Edition

http://www.amazon.com/Beyond-Career-Crisis-Find-ebook/dp/B0058TTCG6/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1329102151&sr=8-1

Paperback Edition

http://www.amazon.com/Beyond-Career-Crisis-Choose-Love/dp/1463683537/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1329102151&sr=8-2

Interesting answers to boring interview questions

Interesting answers to boring interview questions.

Tell me about yourself. What are your greatest strengths and weaknesses? Where do you see yourself in five years? Tell me about a time when you had to think out of the box. Tell me about an achievement of which you are proud. Why should I hire you?

Everyone has heard these boring (some say stupid) interview questions. Did you realize that these stupid questions are a great opportunity to continue your Core Message? Think about it. Something you said resonated with the employer. Do more of that. You did some research, and found where your strengths and skills matched their needs. Keep that up in the interview.

Here is how to do that. Let's say that you are an electronics salesperson and are interviewing for a better position at Best Buy. You met or exceeded your sales targets all 14 months that you have been at your current job. You won a local contest for adding batteries to electronics purchases, and received a commendation for turning a huge customer return into a different sale.

So on to the interview. They say “Tell me about yourself”. Candidate Second Place would answer “I am an animal lover, I have 6 cats, and two goldfish named Mr. Precious and Jaws Jr. I collect antique Pokemon Cards, and I love unemployment.”

YOU answer”I am a goal oriented person. I met or exceeded my sales targets 14 months in a row, because I help the customer find the solution that best fits their needs.”

The Interviewer says “Tell me about an achievement of which you are proud”. Candidate Unemployment says “When I was 9, I helped my Girl Scout Troop sell 18,000 boxes of Thin Mints.”

YOUR 'achievement' answer? “A customer walked in with a large return of cell phones one day. The Sales Associate who had helped them before was off, so I handled it. They were disgusted, and ready to throw the phones on the counter, get a refund and go elsewhere. They were seniors, and they bought 6 brand new smart phones for themselves, their adult children, and some grand kids. All with unlimited data, texting, GPS, cases, spare batteries, all the bells and whistles. I took the time to listen to them, saved the sale, and found the right solutions for them. They still bought 6 lines, but this time it was the right six lines. I was proud of that, and I received a District Customer Service Award”

At any rate, what you have said has been effective enough to get you into an interview. So, when they ask you stupid questions, seize the opportunity to sell yourself.

Good luck and best wishes,

Chris

Speaking tips for job interviews.

Speaking tips for interviews.

The traditional job interview is based on your speaking ability. It is not only what you say, but how well that you say it. Just at a time that the job seeker may be feeling nervous, or a little off-base, their message and delivery are being evaluated. Here are some public speaking tips to help you in a job interview setting.

1. Relax and Smile. In your mind, imagine a picture of the best Real Estate Agent or Car Salesperson you have ever met. You probably imagined them with a smile on their face.

2. Practice ahead of time. Make a video. Get honest feedback.

3. Use notes as guides, not as a scripted presentation. Use notes, but don't read them word for word.

4. Speak slowly. Tension makes people speak more quickly than they realize.

5. Pause before you answer. Watch a Bill Clinton debate. Politics aside, he is great in a debate. He takes a breath before speaking.

6. Focus on the other speakers. Make good eye contact. Give attention to Get attention.

7. Use positive body language and gestures.

8. Keep it short. Speak in bullet points. More isn't always better.

9. Vary your tone and pace. Be enthusiastic, soft, or quiet as appropriate. Monotones are bad.

10. Mind your manners. Say 'please' and 'thank you' appropriately. Take turns speaking.

11. Incorporate their words into yours. For example, if you are a Janitor and they refer to the position title as that of Custodian, a response might be “I have a great deal of experience as a Janitor Custodian...”. Speak their language where you can without coming across as a phoney.

I hope that the above tips are helpful to you, and can help in your job interviews.

Good luck and best wishes,

Chris