Tag Archives: Positive Psychology

Power of Intention in the Job Search!

Over the last couple of weeks I have been writing about my college-age daughter’s summer internship quest through the streets of New York City.  Barbara’s journey has given me wonderful material for this blog and allowed me to share with you the multiple complex steps of going through an intense job search.  And it’s been at an amazing pace!

What we all can learn from Barbara is the power of intention.  Early on, Barbara knew what she wanted . . . and she was determined to make it happen.  Being a strong “J” on the Myers Briggs Personality Inventory (MBTI), Barbara figured out what she needed to do: when she needed to do it, and then (with a bit of help from Coach Mom) how to move through these steps quickly but effectively. The result . . . a summer internship at a prestigious firm in New York City for the summer.

This is what Barbara did . . . not alone because a savvy job seeker pulls in all the resources they can.  So she had  excellent help from the Career Center at Syracuse University,  New House School of Communication, and late night help from her ever faithful Coach Mom.

It’s a Journey – Not for the Faint of Heart

It’s tough and not for the faint of heart.  But this list of the “must dos” of a job search will give you some ideas if and when you start thinking about a delicious new career chapter for yourself – or maybe for one of those family members who are also itching for a change.

These were Barbara’s 12 job search steps . . .

  • Clarified exactly what she wanted – the who, what, where, when & why
  • Maximized networking contacts & references to open doors
  • Used professional resources and offers of help appropriately
  • Designed an eye-catching resume specific to the PR industry
  • Created targeted cover letters that matched need to value
  • Personalized follow-up emails to ensure a prompt response
  • Complied a “I Can Do” mini-portfolio
  • Rehearsed telephone interview strategies and questions (& debriefed afterwards)
  • Prepared physically, emotionally & mentally for on-site personal interviews (& debriefed afterwards)
  • Sent personal thank you letters after every interview
  • Graciously handled final offers & negotiated hiring terms/days/responsibilities etc.
  • Celebrated!

Is It Worth It?

If you are ready for a brand new career or to take your career up to that next level the answer is a solid YES. But it takes work, perseverance and a belief in yourself that you can make something happen. It might take longer in this tough economy but don’t give up . . . just give it time. And if you get stuck, call me!

 

Posted in Career Tips & Strategies, Career Transition Skills, Navigating Change, Networking | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Preparing for Behavioral Based Interviews

What is behavioral interviewing?  This relatively new interviewing strategy is based on the premise that relevant past behavior in a work setting can be a very good predictor of future performance in a similar work environment.

It makes perfect sense . . . and for experienced professionals this kind of interviewing allows them to shine by highlighting their experience, accomplishments and expertise through short, powerful stories.

What Does This Mean for Me?

It means that you can relax a bit.  Behavioral based interviews tend to have more of a conversational feel to them.  You’ll see that they flow naturally and logically as the interviewer looks for your concrete examples of what you have done in the past and how that relates to what you could do for them in the future.

A close cousin of these “past-focused” questions are “future-focused” questions which are looking for your ability to handle a new situation.  These are often called competency-based questions because they are looking to future behavior specifically.  You will probably be asked both kinds of questions throughout the interview.

First Step in Preparing for Behavioral-Based Questions

The hiring manager will be asking targeted questions tied directly to the desired knowledge and skills competencies usually detailed in the job description.  So that’s where you start . . . take the job description and yellow highlight the key compentencies they are asking for.

You will usually see they are looking for this five compentencies:

  • specific knowledge
  • demonstrated skills
  • interpersonal skills
  • proven experience and
  • accomplishments in the chosen area

In my next blog, I’ll teach you how to tell a powerful story using C.A.R to illustrate each of these areas.  It’s an easy way to remember and tell an interviewer your career strengths.  You will be surprised how easy it is!

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The Power of Money

I finally got my daughter’s old IPod to work and I’ve been using it while pounding along on the trend mill at the gym these past few mornings.  Just by chance, I uploaded the keynote address of author Lynne Twist, The Soul of Money from the International Coach Federation (ICF) conference in St. Louis, MN 2006.

I closed my eyes and remembered what an incredible presence Twist was on that stage in front of 1,400 coaches from around the world.  And she was talking about this funny subject of money.  It’s a subject near and dear to the hearts of all us entrepreneur coaches but Twist put a whole different perspective to it.

Money Was Invented

Money doesn’t grow in our natural world.  It is an human invention and was originally created to facilitate the sharing of goods and services.  But somewhere along the way we started to give immense power to money – even over human life.  People will go to the extreme all in the name of money – damaging personal relationships; destroying natural resources and always their own soul, values, time, energy and spirit.

Now, rather than relating to money as simply a tool that was invented to make life easier we have come to assume that money is everything –  it has control over our lives and happiness.  Interesting . . .

A Coach’s Perspective

Recently, I met an accomplished young woman executive that was looking to fast track her career into an area that really didn’t interest her.  “Why?” I asked.  “To make more money”.  She gave many reasons around having more material possessions but more happiness?  This conversation was a powerful confirmation of what Twist was talking about.  The power we give money . . . do we really want to give away our heart and soul?

Posted in And a Bit More, Career Tips & Strategies, Inspirational Leadership, Personal Development | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

Fire & Ice Again in Northern Nevada

I’ve been writing about resiliency, hope and optimism in this blog weaving in real life stories.  Here is another example of how our routine lives can suddenly be changed forever.  Here’s what happened.

Fire . . . just when we thought Northern Nevada was through with its share of community crises another huge wild fire hit Reno last Thursday afternoon, January 19th. The winds were blowing at 80 miles an hour with gusts of over 100 miles an hour – not terribly unusual for our upper desert.  But one accidental spark over in Washoe Valley was enough to begin a fire that burned 3,700 acres of rugged sagebrush; ranch land, horse pastures and 20+ houses.

As a wall of fire crested the ridge right above our local high school and just down from our house my husband and I zipped over to help our good friend, Yvonna Estep, evacuate her home.  Within minutes Yvonna, along with all her neighbors, was packing up her dog, cats and personal belongings into her car as the police were going door to door enforcing the mandatory evacuation.  We left a hastily scribbled note on the door saying the house had been evacuated – important for the final sweep.  As for us there was no time to waste . . .

Ice . . . the irony was that it was snowing so hard on the Donner Summit that it was difficult for the California Interstate Fire Services to make it over the mountains to help Reno.  After all, fire trucks usually don’t carry snow chains.  I never heard the end of the story but I’m sure they finally made it – they always do.

So later that night, over a glass of wine, we huddled around the news to learn that temperatures had dropped and with the beginning of a snowstorm down here in the valley the fire was being contained.  It took another full 24 hours for the highway between Reno and Carson City to be reopened up for local residents to return to their homes.  When I drove through on Sunday morning the rebuilding had already begun.

This is our 5th major community crisis for Northern Nevada in as many months.  We’ve been on national news too many times.  But no doubt Nevada is resilient and will rebuild.  That’s hope and optimism.  And there’s truly never a dull moment in Northern Nevada.

 

Posted in And a Bit More, Inspirational Leadership, Navigating Change, Personal Development, Your Time & Energy | Tagged , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

“Resiliency” at Friday’s Beer Club

It’s Friday night at our regular beer club gathering and we’re having a lively conversation about a recent workshop I had given on “employee fatigue”.  Several people were weighing in on the complexities of today’s work world and the resulting stress of trying to keep up in order to keep one’s job.  Lots of ideas were being tossed out along with the rounds of beer.

I introduced the idea of teaching ourselves resiliency.  One of our colleagues, who had had a tough day at work, questioned what resiliency really was – did it even exist?  I assured him that yes, it does and what a gift it is for those that have it.

What is “Resiliency” Anyway?

Emotional resiliency is simply the ability to successfully respond and adapt to difficult life situations.  Resiliency is a subtle, quiet quality that one might not notice or appreciate unless they are looking for it.  Resilient people often don’t even know they possess that quality – it’s just the way they’ve learned to see and cope with life.  Resiliency is actually a learned skill that improves with age, practice and experience.

Learning How to be Resilient

The best way to learn how to develop your own resiliency is to watch others.  In my workshops, I ask people how  they learned to be resilient.  Almost always they say it came from watching someone close to themselves – maybe a parent, grandparent or someone in a mentor role. .They may have also learned by going through multiple tough times themselves.  Additionally, they do these five things:

  • Acknowledge the Reality & Move On
  • Expect Change & Be Ready to Adapt
  • Stay Connected with Others Everyday
  • Learn From Past Experiences
  • Find a Bigger Meaning & Purpose in Life

It sounds like alot.  How does one do this?  it takes self-awareness and the willingness to practice seeing and living life from a different perspective.  And a key component is emotional optimism.  A resilient person is an optimist person.  See my next blog for my favorite tips on how to self-coach yourself to be more optimistic and therefore, more resilient over the long run.

 

 

 

Posted in And a Bit More, Career Tips & Strategies, Navigating Change, Personal Development, Your Time & Energy | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment