10 Lessons Ive Learned About Career Reinvention (In Celebration of My 15th Anniversary as a Career Coach!)

10 Lessons Ive Learned About Career Reinvention (In Celebration of My 15th Anniversary as a Career Coach!) Its hard for me to believe, but this past Sunday marked my fifteenth year in business.  In some ways, it seems like only yesterday that I was a coaching newbie with a freshly-stamped masters degree in hand and jitters in my heart; I was nervous about how to find clients and terrified about whether I could help them once I found them! But come they did, and it wasnt long before the jitters left, my nerves subsided and the business began to grow.    It hasnt always been a smooth ride, but after fifteen years of working with remarkable people and enjoying the immense satisfaction of helping clients explore, discover and customize more meaningful career paths, I feel truly blessed. One of the things I love about most about my work is that every day I get to learn something new, and even at this juncture, there is still much left for me to discover about career reinvention. But all these years of working with clients has taught me a few things about what works (and what doesnt) when you try to make significant changes in your career, and now Id like to share some of those lessons with you: 1  Its never too early to begin to plan for your future: Real reinvention takes time, and no matter how carefully you plan, the unexpected twists and turns in life make it difficult for this process to unfold according to a definitive timetable.  Knowing this, I urge you to start this process sooner rather than later, before you are forced to operate in crisis mode. The more space you allow for researching and testing options, the greater your opportunities for customizing a strong long-term solution. Begin by taking small steps: talk with friends, attend a workshop or simply make it a point to consciously ponder your next moves in a structured manner. BIt by bit, solutions will emerge as you try new things, meet new people and merge old realities with new opportunities. 2.  Frugal living aids career flexibility:  Ive had clients successfully make career changes in a wide variety of situations.  But all things being equal, it is always easier for clients to reinvent when he/she has some savings in the bank. Unfortunately, when youre worried about paying your bills, it is difficult to create the positive mindset needed to brainstorm new options.  From a purely practical level, a healthy savings reserve provides you with a financial cushion that enables you to have breathing room before you need to generate income. Try to make saving for your success a priority starting today, even it you can only save a few dollars each week. 3.  Consistency creates momentum: The career reinvention process can be overwhelming, but clients who work the process on a consistent basis, taking small actions several times a week, are able to build momentum that results in meaningful change.  Little actions, even those that require just ten minutes each day updating LinkedIn connections, reading articles or researching new ideas on the Internet add up to big results over time.  Dont feel like you need to do everything at once, but do keep doing. 4.  Plan for serendipity: After 15 years as a coach, I am still amazed by how frequently magic plays a role in moving clients forward. A well-planned vision attracts opportunity in the least predictable of ways; it works like a metal detector that is able to ferret out coins from underneath millions of grains of sand. As the Roman philosopher Seneca wisely noted, Luck is what happens when preparation meets opportunity. 5.  Be true to who you are: Ive had the great pleasure of interviewing hundreds of clients over the course of my career and I have yet to meet two people with the same mix of talents, skills, interests and values. Honoring who you are and what makes you unique is the first step in aligning yourself with a career that allows you to shine and radiate your brilliance to the world. Perhaps Steve Jobs summed this up best when he addressed the graduates of Stanford University in 2005 and said, Your time is limited, so dont waste it living someone elses life. 6.  What you think you want is not always what you really want:  All too many of us fall into the trap of allowing society to define success for us in terms of money and prestige. But knowing and claiming what you really want, as opposed to what society claims you should want, is a critical link to success in the reinvention process.  Its not easy to come clean with yourself, but when clients are willing to let go of the glossy trappings of their careers in favor of more personally significant paths, amazing transformations happen. 7.  Attitude trumps ability: Mary Kay Ash, founder of Mary Kay cosmetics once famously quipped, If you think you can, you can. And if you think you cant, youre right. When you believe in yourself, you find the power to try new things, take risks and better weather the inevitable disappointments along your journey.  Of course, maintaining a positive mindset is easier said than done, but thanks to the growing field of Applied Positive Psychology, there are proven methods we can practice to improve our performance in both life and career.  Here is a post about one of my favorite resources for doing just that. 8. We all need support: One of the biggest problems I see when people try to change their careers is that they feel like they need to go it alone.  But as career guru Barbara Sher laments, Isolation is a dream killer.  When you think back to the major transitions in your life graduations, marriage or new jobs   chances are that you had a network of friends, family and mentors who guided, cheered and supported you through the process.  If you are considering making changes in your career, please find either a professional, a friend or a support group to help you stay focused, accountable and moving forward. 9. Dont despair if you dont have a PASSION: There is a lot of buzz in the reinvention world about finding your passion.  Obviously, as a career coach, I am a big believer in doing what you love.  But sometimes doing what you love can be as simple as finding a great group of people to work with or joining a company with an admirable mission or working at a job that allows you to use your favorite skills.  So stop apologizing because you dont have a burning passion, and instead look for opportunities that allow you to do things you like, be around people you enjoy and feel good about the contributions you make. 10. You dont need to be Mother Theresa to do work that matters:  Clients often sound apologetic because they feel that their careers havent been worthy enough.  But you know what?  You dont need to feed the homeless or cure cancer in order to help the world be a better place. My clients make a difference in hundreds of different ways every day by sharing their unique gifts to help others succeed.  My client Gilda, a presentation skills coach, made a big difference last week when she coached one of her clients to testify in front of a U.S. Senate committee, my client Soni makes a difference each time she teaches her young students how to play piano, and my client Shannon makes a difference when parents read her wonderful book about communicating with their children. There are dozens of ways you too can make a difference in the world sharing your special gifts through your work. In the words of Leo Buscaglia, What you are is Gods gift to you, what you do with yourself is your gift t o God. Before closing this post, I want to say thank you to everyone who helped me reach this milestone.  Thank you to my incredible colleagues in the careers world for their wisdom and support.  Thank you to my readers for your input and suggestions.  Thank you to my family for cheering me on.  And most importantly, to the best clients in the world, thank you for allowing me to be part of your journey; you have inspired me with your courage, dazzled me with your brilliance and honored me with your trust. Related articles that you might also enjoy: 10 Dirty and Divine Career Reinvention Lessons (#1) 10 Dirty and Divine Career Reinvention Lessons (#5) 4 Career Reinvention Lessons Learned From a Cat Wrangler 5 Career Reinvention Lessons I Learned From a Pumpkin Career Reinvention and Nude Shoes: Lessons Learned From Oprahs Team

10 Ways To Improve Your Work-Life Balance

10 Ways To Improve Your Work-Life Balance You’ve heard of the saying ‘work hard, play hard’, but what happens when all you seem to be doing is working? Today, many of us work long hours, which leaves us feeling too exhausted to do anything else. Are you feeling overworked? Are you conscious that you’re missing out on seeing people, or letting your interests slip by the wayside? If so, this guide can help. Follow these ten simple steps to achieve a fairer work-balance. Adjusting the way you work and switching up your schedule will ensure you devote time to your passions and the people you love, as well as your job. Plan ahead Effective planning enables you to get to grips with what needs doing at work and what you’ve got on at home. If you’ve got a busy week ahead or deadlines approaching, organise social activities for the week after. Note down important dates in your diary and update your schedule as soon as new commitments are confirmed. Set your own deadlines Every day, write yourself a list of things to do and finish once you’ve ticked everything off. In the modern world, when people are contactable 24 hours a day, it can be tempting to work around the clock. However, it’s essential to cool time on work when you step out of the office. By all means, if you’ve got a horrendously busy few days ahead, take an hour or so at the weekend to relieve a bit of pressure. But don’t have your work head on constantly. Once you’ve finished, switch your attention to seeing friends, spending time with the kids of simply chilling out. Get into a routine It’s wise to try and impress your boss and do a good job, but don’t let work take over your life. If you are paid to work 9-5 each day, you don’t need to stay behind until 7 or 8 o’clock every night. It’s fine to work overtime from time to time to do your bit for the company, but draw a line. If you feel like you’re doing too much, and you’re not getting any recognition for it, speak to your boss. If you are busier than usual, try to start earlier. Most people are more productive in the mornings and there’s a higher chance of leaving on time. Be willing to say no If you’ve got a special dinner or a family birthday celebration planned and you get asked to work overtime, don’t be afraid to say no. Sometimes, you have to put other people first. Explain that you’ve already got plans and offer to help out another time instead. If you feel uncomfortable talking to your boss or they are making you feel guilty about your decision, seek advice from blogs such as chartcons. If problems persist, speak to your line manager. Make the most of your weekends For many of us, the weekends are sacred. This is a time to devote to hobbies, travelling and catching up with friends and family. When you have time away from the office, spend it wisely. Don’t sit in bed checking emails or thinking about what’s going to happen at work in the coming week. Get out and about, socialise or enjoy the freedom of staying in your pyjamas all day and watching movies. Switch off when you get home It’s essential to differentiate your home and work environments. When you arrive home after a long day at work, turn your mind to your partner, kids or pets. Take at least half an hour every day for yourself. Run a bath, read a book or catch up on the soaps. Try not to talk about work-related issues or grumble about people or problems at work. If you’re stressing out about your job or a meeting, this is likely to make it difficult for you to get to sleep. Take your holidays Everyone is entitled to days off and holidays. Booking a trip gives you something to look forward to and aim for in the weeks ahead. Get organised so that you can everything done in advance. You can then start thinking about exploring or zoning out and recharging your batteries. Book holidays in advance to prevent last-minute work stress. If you’ve been under pressure, taking a break will help to revive you and make you feel refreshed. When you get back, you’ll probably be much more focused and energetic, once you’ve got over the first couple of days of holiday blues. Set time aside for activities When drawing up your weekly schedule, make sure you include some activities or outings. Arrange dinner with the girls or a trip to the cinema with your boyfriend. Take time out to go to a yoga class twice a week or join a book club. Give yourself events to look forward to and stick to your plans. You don’t want to be that friend that always cancels at the last minute. If you find that you can’t get home fast enough after you leave work, get up earlier. Go for a run with a friend, meet for breakfast or enjoy an hour to yourself with a coffee and a paper. Save yourself time Technology offers us the chance to save time on many activities. If you’re always frantically rushing around, think about simple jobs you could eliminate. Do your food shopping online, for example. If you struggle to fit in household or gardening chores, consider paying for a cleaner or a gardener to come once a week. Narrowing down your list of tasks will enable you to spend time doing things you actually enjoy. Find time to exercise Exercising is not just essential for good physical health. It also helps to boost your mind and make you more productive. Half an hour of physical exercise every day will stimulate your mind, release tension and help to eliminate stress. Exercising on a regular basis reduces your risk of heart disease, strokes and some forms of cancer. You’ll also find that you sleep better. Achieving a perfect work-life balance can be tricky, but it is doable. Hone your time management skills and devote time to your work and your downtime. Image Source; Image Source; Image Source; Image Source

Three Things You Must Have Done By Half-Time - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career

Three Things You Must Have Done By Half-Time - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career In a few weeks, it will be half-time. Most of us set forth new goals or resolutions on January 1st or we account for our business success and objectives from January 1st to December 31st.  If you do this, then “half-time” is on June 26th.   That’s the halfway point between the two dates. Are you halfway to your goals and objectives for this year? To be successful in achieving your goals you need the following three things done by half-time (just a few short weeks away)! Know where you stand on your current goals â€" accountability.   If you’re not measuring or keeping track on how you’re doing on your goals, then how do you know if you’re actually doing things that achieve them? In whatever way you define success, you need to know the key elements that measure if you’re on the right track to achieving that success. Most of achieving goals is measuring and adjusting and in order to do all of those things you must know what you’re measuring. Today, take a moment to jot down what your goals are.  Write seven things that are necessary to make the achievement of those goals inevitable. Then ask yourself How many of those seen things have you accomplished to date? What are you focusing on to move them forward strategic plan. Then, it’s time to assess what you need to do to move forward on those goals or the adjustments (course corrections) you’re making to achieve those goals. Best Practices from National Inspiration and Motivation Day It’s important to ask yourself the following (interestingly enough these are questions normally asked at border crossings and it’s profound that you would ask these as you cross the border from one reality to another as you achieve your key objectives. 1. Where are you coming from?   Know exactly where you’ve been and acknowledge what you’ve accomplished so far. 2. How long have you been there?   Know how long you’ve been at the last stage or step towards your goal. Was it just “as planned” or where you there longer? 3. Where are you going? What’s the next destination in your journey towards success. Date and steps to make these happen One of my favorite saying is, “a goals is a dream with a date on it.” [tweet this!] Without a date on the next steps, how will you be able to gauge and plan your success?  Earlier when you took each goal and wrote down the seven steps necessary to make the achievement of that goal inevitable,   did you put a date that you will achieve each of those steps? Date it then get it.

STOP Saying Candidate Control!

STOP Saying “Candidate Control”! I’ve recruited for some of the top companies in the third party recruiting industry. And no matter what company it was upper management loved their buzzwords “Forward Thinking”, “Deep Dive”, “Manage Expectations”, “Synergy”  the list goes on and on I don’t disagree with all of them that are out there, sometimes you really just can’t find a better phrase  to describe your thought process. However here is one we need to throw away right now: “Candidate Control”. In fact I petition that not only do we throw this term out, I think we need to start fining people for using it. What is candidate control? First let’s look at the word it’s pretty simple, the first word Candidate, the second Control, meaning you have control over the candidate. Managers use this term to justify coming down on you the recruiter for a mistake the candidate made. I can’t recall exact situations where this has happened to me, but I do know how the conversation went anytime one of my candidates messed up: “You know Chadd, you really should have had better candidate control on this one.” Candidate shows up late for an interview? Candidate Control Candidate lies on their resume? Candidate Control Candidate falsifies education experience? Candidate Control I do agree that we should limit these issues because recruiting can be a pretty expensive service, however, to think you can control another human being is almost laughable. Ask any parent with a toddler see how much “control” they have in the house. The same goes for candidates! They are going to act, think and handle situations how they see fit. If you assume you have control over your candidate you need to re-evaluate things, and fast. And if your manager uses this term to you, I think it is in your best interest to challenge them and their position in the company. But this article is not written to complain. I always say if you have a problem with something you better come to the table with a solution. So I present the industry with a resolution to this issue. Candidate influence: I would like to officially coin the phrase:  â€œCandidate Influence”. Candidate showed up late for an interview? Did you send them the exact address and tell them to arrive 15 minutes early? If you did not, then yes that is your fault. If you did and they still showed up late, minus you physically driving them to the interview yourself, you did all you could. Candidate lied on their resume? Did you check references and verify the information? If not, again shame on you. If so, shame on them. And so on and so on. It is our job as a recruiter to do our due diligence with our candidates. If you aren’t talking about money, job location or any other major factor that will ultimately play a role in a candidates decision making process from the first time you meet them than you are not doing your job. We compile all of this information so we can influence the candidate’s decision. At the end of the day a candidate will make the decision that is best for them and there isn’t much we can do about it if it doesn’t agree with what we want. But if you know your candidate wants 65K, a 15% Bonus and a 20 minute commute, than you should be able to play a major influencing role in the decision that the candidate makes. Hence, “Candidate Influence”

The Paradox of Higher Education - Part 2

The Paradox of Higher Education - Part 2 http://www.cistudy.com/photo_galleryIn Part 1 of this article, we reviewed the benefits of Higher Education for both the individual and society.In this post â€" The Paradox of Higher Education â€" Part 2 we will discuss the demerits or disadvantages of Higher Education.No Guarantees of EmploymentevalDuring the early 1960s only a handful of youth , There is also a huge mismatch between the jobs of recent graduates perform versus their obtained degree â€" also known as underemployment. Many of the millennials attended university with the hopes that their Expensive degrees would directly translate to guaranteed employment and higher income.2. Inflated Education CostsRecently Ronald Nelson made the news when he turned down admission from 8 American Ivy League Schools. Ronald Nelson had one of the most envious positions a high school student could ever imagine. He had numerous achievements Do you know why? Ronald did not want to incur the financial strain from the higher cost of education from the Ivy League Schools.A recent article by Bloomberg shows the cost of education from the 6 Ivy League schools â€" ranging anywhere from $43000 to $63000. The cost of education has soared about more than 500% since 1985.On the contrary the average household income has only doubled We have all heard the scary statistics about the risks of entrepreneurship â€" about 95% of businesses fail within the first 5 years. For venture-backed startups the success rate hovers around 7%.Despite the stats and the odds of success â€" more people are venturing into entrepreneurship â€" more than 500000 small businesses are started each month in the United States. With the democratization of the Internet and Globalization, more people are starting to strike it on their own because of the upside potential.Today almost anyone can be self-employed. Companies such as Etsy,Ebay,Amazon,etc. make it is easier for anyone to start and run a business. Many individuals are ditching their corporate jobs an d degrees to venture on their own.In 1996 Thomas J Stanley and William Danko published a book- The Millionaire Next Door. An interesting finding from the book was that close to 70% of self-made millionaires were either self-employed or Entrepreneurs.The traditional path of going to college, getting a degree and gaining steady employment â€" does not correlate to financial business success.evalWe have discussed the two sides of the coin. We learnt about the benefits of Higher Education for the individual i.e. Higher Income Potential; and the benefits for the society is a lower crime rate, stability and progress.We also discussed the disadvantages of Higher Education â€" increased unemployment among millennials, underemployment, ballooning education costs and the mismatch between success vs education.My personal opinion about Higher Education.Is it mandatory?My answer is that it totally depends on the individual. If someone has the mettle to be an Entrepreneur â€" it is best not to g et deep into student debts obtain a graduate degree.For such individuals it is in their best interest to become self-employed. In this case, higher education is not necessary.If someone is risk-averse, wants a stable career over the course of his/her lifetime â€" then it is imperative to obtain a college/university degree follow the traditional path.Before making the decisions â€" today’s youth must take a step back to learn more about their motivations strengths. Based on that they can make the best personal decision whether to pursue Higher Education or not.Feel free to share if you found the article insightful !!

Fun and games in meetings - The Chief Happiness Officer Blog

Fun and games in meetings - The Chief Happiness Officer Blog Check out this comment from Cindy: I made up a game for my weekly department meetings to refresh and train the staff in a fun and competitive way.(I was managing a despatch department in a manufacturing company) The Game I made a list of questions relating to the department, it?s procedures and the stock etc. I purchased a bag of lollies and treats (a couple of dollars taken from petty cash) I gave each person at the meeting a bell and the first one to ring the bell and get the question right got a lollie or treat. The overall winner was the person who scored the most lollies/treats. This game created excitement because the staff had to beat each other to the buzzer and that got them thinking at the same time. It made them all feel like a winner in the end because everyone ended up with some prizes. However the best benefit from this game was that if they did not know the answer or couldn?t remember the answer (sometimes a person may have their facts wrong and you have been trying to enforce the correct answer ? usually someone who has been there a while and think they no longer need training) that person walked away from the meeting having learnt something they will probably remember because it was taught in a fun environment.A fun way of refreshing and training. The staff grew to love the weekly quizzes and became quite competitive about it. Try it at your next meeting Cheers What do you think could this work in your workplace? Whats the weirdest thing youve done in a meeting? Original post: Five weeeeeeeeird tips for great meetings. 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

Fees For Executive Resume Writing Services

Fees For Executive Resume Writing ServicesFees for executive resume writing services is a common practice in the executive industry. In the United States, it's not unusual to find freelance writers who charge a fee based on services rendered.As an individual with a high school diploma or certificate in a certain profession, you may consider yourself a candidate for a position in that sector. You may have been given a job offer or interview in your line of work, but you don't have an excellent resume and can't seem to get into a call for more information.If this is the case, you may consider that a good idea to approach an organization that offers executive resume writing as a service. This is a good idea because they will offer you a fee for your services and an impressive-looking resume at the same time.Besides, they offer other types of promotional services. They often provide testimonials of individuals who have used their services, along with sample resumes to show that you are n ot alone.Some organizations also have set up membership fees. For example, if you pay to become a member of their executive resume writing service, you will be charged a yearly fee. These fees may range from fifty dollars to five hundred dollars, depending on the level of the service.As you can see, it is possible to find a fee for executive resume writing service that can suit your needs. Don't feel like you're being sold a product or that you're getting ripped off by others who are seeking profit.When choosing an organization to provide your services, find out if they're going to charge you a fee for their services. You'll be sure to find one that is appropriate for your needs. Remember, you may need their services for many years to come.You may want to search for a fee for executive resume writing service online. That way, you will be able to compare prices and benefits, to see what fits best. It's just another way to find the perfect executive resume writer for your needs.