Unemployment hovers just over 8% – and may not fall much next year- the jobless rates for many positions in accounting, finance, legal, advertising, marketing, and technology ranges from 2% to 5%. Salaries in these fields are projected to grow in 2013. For larger raises, you may have to switch firms or companies or at least look at a new one to gain leverage. The good news is that employers  are increasingly looking outside: 60% made external hires for open slots, up from 50% the past 2 years, according to the recruiting consultant CareerXRoads. With employee turnover up 30% companies are investing in career coaching and pay increases. Even if you plan to stay in a job, a new job  offer could advance your career.  How to find fresh opportunities in 2013:Target Companies In Growth Mode: Find companies with multiple job postings.Scour The Right Sites: Job boards are making a comeback as they accounted for one in five recent hires. There are many specialized boards and companies say niche sites tied to your industry are a good source of qualified candidates. Companies will have an easier time finding you through targeted industry sites such as Salesjobs.comWork Multiple Channels: A third of hires still come from referals. Check into sites like LinkedIn and Facebook to find contacts at companies you’re targeting. Then reach out to them directly to refer you to a hiring manager or a HR person. Getting your resume into the right hands can be the difference between an interview and the circular file. Here’s to your Financial Health!Brenda

We identify your leadership behavior in eight critically important leadership practices and offer a simple yet comprehensive approach to become more sophisticated in the application of each of these competencies. We provide you with an accurate picture of your current performance and what you can do to maximize your leadership effectiveness. Interested in finding out what type of leader you are? Contact us for a complimentary assessment. Call us at 321.221.1106 or visit us at http://www.executivecoachingorlando.com/.

So – why the resume?

Obviously, it is the document, cyber or otherwise, that one submits to apply for a particular position.  Every reader of this blog knows that.

Other uses, however, might be where the fun begins.  Here are some that come to mind for me:

• your introduction at a job fair (take at least a dozen with you)
• a networking tool (after our brief conversation, I am taking the liberty of sending… for your perusal)
• a bio to send someone who will be introducing you as a speaker or workshop presenter,
• a document to bring to a job interview (in case they have lost yours already),
• an essential part of your portfolio, to be used for internal applications and salary negotiations.

True story:  While negotiating the pay for a week-end workshop, I attached my resume to some correspondence.  The party at the other end was able to obtain a higher pay rate for me because of additional experience they had not known I possessed.  Wow – that was easier than I thought!

What about you?  Have you had success using your resume in an unexpected way?

Then my mind turned to the exciting message I received yesterday from an old flame. He’ll be in town in two weeks and we arranged to meet up for dinner.  It’s been 10 years since the last time we saw each other.  I know there’s a reason that relationship never worked out but I couldn’t stop my mind from wondering and feeling those little pangs of unrequited love.  And then I thought about my husband, who I’ve been married to for almost 7 years,  and the line Mr. Knightly says to Emma, “our imperfections make us perfect for one another” went through my mind and I’m so thankful  I met my husband and know that I love him very much.  Tears of shame on my running shoes.

As all these thoughts were running through my head, I rounded a corner on the trail and came upon Max, the adorable neighborhood black pug and his owner out for a walk. It would take a whole other blog to explain what joy comes over me when I see pugs but suffice it to say, after seeing Max, I’m sure I saw a rainbow appear in the distance. Thanks Max! Here’s to seeing many more rainbows after the rain. Tears of joy on my running shoes.

City        Portland

State        OR

Zip code    97223

Phone        503-954-4118

Email ID    info@northwestcoachinggroup.com

website        http://northwestcoachinggroup.com/

Hours       :    M-F 9 to 5

Payment       :    AMEX, Discover, Visa, MasterCard, Cash, Check

Year       :    2009

With the urgency people are feeling to find employment and the sheer numbers in the market, you do need to ensure you stand out from the crowd. Now the question is, what will make the employer or recruiter take interest in your application over any of the others?

Now the positive part, here are some of my simple tips to ensure you stand out from the crowd.

The job

So you have just searched some job boards or social media and found what looks like an ideal role. Reading over the description, you are thinking, I could do this job. You read the requirements they want and in your mind you are ticking off each point, yes Yes YES!  Now what do you do?

Contact them first

Make contact with the recruiter or employer. Ask questions, find out more information that may not be in the position description or advertisement and show a genuine interest in the position. This also ensures they might keep an eye out for YOUR application when it comes through or at least have a connection to your name over candidates who do not call.

Follow up

I cannot emphasise this enough. Follow up and check on your application’s progress. As a general guide, leave it a couple of days before you first follow up, and chase up unanswered messages – but not too often. You want to show an interest in the position without getting in the road of recruiters doing their day-to-day work.

Get the person’s or company name right

Its important to take the time to get the basics right. It’s hard to make a good impression if you haven’t taken the time or effort to double-check who you’re speaking with or how to pronounce the company name. This includes ensuring your cover letter is addressed correctly.

Tailor your resume

Your resume is the most critical part of the application process.  It will determine whether or not you get an interview. Tailor your previous history around responsibilities and achievements to highlight what the organization is looking for in their position description. Listing specific industry related information like projects, methodologies, technologies, frameworks, functions, qualifications and trainings do make a different.

Make your resume catchy

Remember this is your pitch, your glossy sales brochure, selling you to the client. You want to spark an interest in your skills and experience. Focus on achievements and use short but sharp summaries for each position that draw the reader in.

Prioritise information

You need to engage the reader in the first couple of pages so a strong executive summary at the beginning of your resume and cleverly thinking about the layout will ensure they continue reading. Make sure everything in your resume is relevant to the job you’re applying for.

Apply early

Getting your application in early shows a number of positive traits, and if you beat the pack of applicants who leave it to the last minute, your application will be one of the first they see.

If you need more information about resume preparation we have more information available on our website.  http://www.edenritchie.com.au/contracting/resumes_coverletters.php

The narrator said, “You can’t make a flower bloom more quickly.” It reminded me how often I want and try to hurry things along. I wonder…if we are like a seed under ground or a butterfly still in its cocoon, if perhaps things are happening under the surface to prepare us for what will come.

I think change can come to us externally, like a new job offer you didn’t expect, a layoff, or the death of someone close to you, or it can come from internal changes, by steady effort to make a change happen. Either way, there is a necessary adjustment period, as our perspective shifts to adjust to a new reality.

If you’re finding yourself in the midst of change, whether it’s by design or by surprise, I encourage you to relax, to let the river of change carry you to your new destination. You may feel like resisting it, and for a while, you may feel like that’s working. But there’s a freedom in letting go of the resistance, of accepting the change and trusting in the process. Trust that things are happening under the surface and that they are happening FOR you, not TO you.

Career Coaching is designed primarily for people wishing to:

• verify the professional career,
• develop their own potential and skills in the present work,
• improve the working relationship (difficult situations with your supervisor and / or colleagues),
• reduce stress associated with work,
• establish balance between work, personal and family life,
• change their job,
• begin a career,
• return to working life after a break.

Career Coaching is particularly useful for those wishing to plan their professional future. It supports the client in planning a career according to his/her values, needs, and skills. Career Coaching can objectively evaluate the present situation, new professional goals and their implementation, as well as set a plan of action that will lead to improved employment situation.

 Coaching is not professional advice – the coach does not provide advice and answer questions. Through proper stimulation, the customer finds solutions independently. They are much more effective and usually implemented.

• How can you ensure that your relationships with your spouse,  partner and other family and friends become a lasting source of happiness for you?

• How can you  hold true to ethical imperatives and not take shortcuts that will leave you vulnerable?

These are the questions that  Clayton M. Christensen discusses in his 2010 article describing his lecture to the Harvard Business School’s Class of 2010.

Christensen mentions  organizational  behavior guru  Frederick Herzberg who theorizes that the powerful motivator in our lives is not money, but to learn, grow in responsibilities, contribute to others and be recognized for our achievements.  I have  discussed this in many of my blog posts.  Money is a resource – that’s all it is.  We need money  to meet our obligations and provide for ourselves and our families. But you cannot expect to be a happy person if you are  focused solely on making more money.

Christensen tells a story describing how when he was running a company, he pictured a woman leaving for work feeling a high level of self-esteem. Then he envisioned  her racing home after a 10 hour day feeling frustrated , underappreciated and demeaned.  How is she able  to have positive interactions  at home? I often am contacted by employees who feel unhappy in their work for a variety of reasons, and then describe how it  negatively affects their home life and relationships. Doing deals does not yield the profound rewards that come from the good management skills that grow and develop employees, putting them in the ‘best fit” jobs, and encouraging their own career development.

Christensen reports that Jeff Skilling of Enron fame was a classmate of his at HBS.  He  was a good guy that went  astray and it landed him in jail. He also mentions the many  HBS classmates who come to reunions divorced and alienated from their children.  They did not intend these things, but they happened perhaps as a result of their failure to  develop and keep keenly focused on their life strategy and  purpose.

It’s about  knowing  what you want to get and contribute in this life, and  reviewing daily how you will allocate your resources to demonstrate your commitment to your values and life  strategy.

If you haven’t already done so, I encourage you  to do a values/priorities exercise, like the one I give my clients. Then develop a written life strategy that you can review as you go about your busy day.

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Oh the trouble we could avoid if everyone moved with good intentions and factually correct information.  We are left to gather our own facts in life.  The sources and resources we use to educate ourselves (or not) have a great bearing on why and what we think, and in turn, how we react to the world. “But the upside of painful knowledge is so much greater than the downside of blissful ignorance, ” (Lean In, Sheryl Sandberg).

Strong, effective, open communication is the foundation to empowerment and a trusting, healthy relationship. In its absence, individuals are left to surmise, second-guess, and create wildly imaginative scenarios to navigate their worlds. You’re drawing your own conclusions now, right?

Sobering examples comprise The Presidents Club:  Inside the world’s most exclusive fraternity by Time Magazine’s Executive Editor Nancy Gibbs and Washington Bureau Chief Michael Duffy. The exclusive fraternity happens to be former United States Presidents.

Despite being a political science major this book taught me more than I wanted to know about how much US history has been shaped by male egos, the desire for election and legacy, inclusion and exclusivity.  “It’s hard to imagine a more obviously fascinating prism through which to look at American history… ex-Presidents have a penchant for morphing from consummate team players into irascible rogues, sometimes within weeks, as they strive both to remain relevant and to shape their own legacies,” (Amazon review).

One passage written about Daniel Ellsberg was especially telling:

“…it was Ellsberg…who tried to warn Kissinger about what happens when a new president and his team suddenly come into office and have access to the top secret intelligence reports. “First, you’ll be exhilarated by some of this new information, and by having it all – so much! Incredible! – suddenly available to you,” he told Kissinger after the election. “But second, almost as fast, you will feel like a fool for having studied, written, talked about these subjects, criticized and analyzed decisions made by presidents for years without having known of the existence of all this information, which presidents and others had and you didn’t, and which must have influenced their decisions in ways you couldn’t even guess.”  You’ll be amazed that the insiders tolerated the bleatings of the outsiders without divulging what they knew, he explained, and you’ll feel like a fool. But soon, “after you’ve started reading all this daily intelligence input…which is much more closely held than mere top secret data, you will forget there ever was a time when you didn’t have it, and you’ll be aware only of the fact that you have it now and most others don’t…and that all those other people are fools.” The warning captured perfectly how presidents become isolated, their circle of trust constrained by knowledge that is theirs alone.”

Consider the ageless friction and tension in relationships. The level of conflict is in exact proportion to how much (if any) detail you choose to conceal or provide, the level of trust in the relationship, the source of the information, its impact on the receiver, and what your intentions and motivations are. Information is a powerful tool. It can save lives, nations, reputations. It can destroy them. Information and feedback go hand-in-hand with transformative change, good or bad. Does all this make navigating the world in a blissful fog tempting?

“When the culture of an organization mandates that it is more important to protect the reputation of a system and who’s in power than it is to protect the basic human dignity of individuals or communities, you can be certain that shame is systemic, money drives ethics, and accountability is dead. This is true in all systems, from corporation, nonprofits, universities, and governments, to churches, schools, families, and sports programs. If you think back on any major incidents fueled by cover-ups, you’ll see this pattern,” (Daring Greatly by Brene Brown).

Whether the provider or  receiver, avoid the use of personal ego; it can eliminate conflict.  Avoid the use of your vivid imagination; save it for writing great fiction. With intention use a rational focus and sensibility for all things good and kind, for the well-being of all that is true and good. That’s the power tool that moves the world forward with honesty and integrity.

~From the desk of Becky Morlok~

My mom has a special memory taking me to visit my Grandpa when I was just 1-2 years old. We were having a picnic and Grandpa had been showing me rocks along the way. At one point I stopped eating my giant cookie (a rare thing then) and I picked up a rock and showed it to my Grandpa! I wish I knew now the words he said to me explaining the rocks. The picture is below.

Well, my curiosity was peaked so after my coaching, I ran over to The Fossil Cartel in Pioneer Square and started looking around at all the amazing rocks, minerals and crystals they have in their store. Naturally I was drawn to the aquamarine crystals and the stones for a Pisces. According to legend, Vikings wore aquamarine on their long sea voyages. Today, metaphysically, aquamarine is used to bring peace and calm to its user.

If you’re interested in learning more, Caryl Haxworth has a website with all kinds of interesting information about jewelry, gems and birthstones. Here she lists the unique qualities of aquamarine: http://www.charmsoflight.com/aquamarine-healing-properties.html

What’s your birthstone? Have you ever thought about what it signifies?

Easter Eggs

Easter is the most important time in the Christian calendar, the time of resurrection and New Life in Christ. Many of our more secular traditions, such as Easter eggs also symbolise new life. And of course in Europe Easter time coincides with Spring, new lambs and seeds sprouting (though there is more sign of Winter than Spring at the moment).

Whether you are Christian or not, take time this weekend to consider if you need a new life. What is going well? What needs work? What concrete steps can you take to reach your goal? Write them down, and crystallise them.

And if career coaching or life coaching can help, contact us on 0121 429 8583 or using the contact form here

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First of all, consider your goals. Ask yourself, “What do I want to accomplish by going back to work?” It is money? skills? purpose? being a part of a team? Whatever your answer is, understand what is driving the call to action.

Next, consider what type of role you want. Do you want to return to your previous career or try something different? Know that if you are re-entering your previous career, things have changed.  You need to find out what has changed.  Keep in mind that trying something completely different is not impossible, but certainly a more difficult road to take.

It might be a little to late for this bit of advice, but do not let your network dry up while you are on the mommy-track.  Keep in touch with your business contacts.

Most schools are begging for volunteers, so it is likely that you have done lots of volunteering.  Write out how that volunteer work tied to business results.  Take on some leadership volunteer roles, work on a team, raise funds etc.  Ensure there are transferable skills from all your hard-earned volunteer hours!

Keep up your resume.  I worked with someone recently that had not updated their resume in 10 years!  Yikes!  By keeping it current, you are always ready for a potential gig and by having to update your resume consistently, you are reminded of all those business-related skills you are using.  And when you are updating your resume, think about accomplishments, quantifiable numbers and successes.

Keep up your LinkedIn profile.  What?  You don’t have one?  Yikes!  Get to work on it immediately. Linked In is a very important recruiting tool.

Related to LinkedIn, you need to keep up with technology.  What are the productivity tools being used in the workplace?  You need to know, and further more, you need to know how to use them.

Hopefully you have been doing this all along, but make sure you are subscribed to (and reading) industry magazines.  Again, you need to have current information on the hot topics in your industry (or the one you aspire to make a leap to).  On that note, read at least one business book a year.  Again, you need to speak the current business lingo and know the hot topics in today’s competitive market.

Working with temp agencies are a great way to make a foray into the working world while you are trying to figure out your next step.  Make some calls and schedule some informational meetings so that you can learn what types of jobs and skills are in demand.

Hopefully,  I have given you plenty of ideas to get you started.  Feel free to contact me if you want to hire me for some one-on-one coaching.

1. Work Ethic
2. Positive Attitude
3. Communication Skills
4. Time Management
5. Self Confidence

If you meet all of the job qualifications AND effectively convey your “fit” within the organizational culture, you will augment your chances of receiving your dream job offer!

To read more about showcasing your soft skills in an interview, click here.  If you would like to schedule a mock interview to practice demonstrating your soft skills, please contact me today.

My coaching sessions also include essay writing components. I want to empower the people I work with to write about themselves, their goals, plans, and dreams more vibrantly and more effectively. Doing so will equip them to write better cover letters, statements of purpose, artist statements, business plans, and more.

Curious about how working with me can help you? Contact me.

(And you don’t have to be in Houston to work with me. I conduct sessions via Skype or phone as well.)

As I pulled out all the pieces and started looking at the enclosed directions, all I saw were Chinese characters that had no meaning for me. There were no English translations. However, I persevered and tried to match up the pieces as best I could using the drawings only. I was able to get it to work…sort of. The robot would go clockwise but not counterclockwise. Having only one wheel that worked, it definitely wouldn’t go straight. I also had an odd number of screws left over, and I was unsure whether they were intended extras or I had missed something. The novelty of directing the robot soon wore off, as it only spun in a circle one direction, and I was overwhelmed by the thought of deconstructing it and starting over.

Isn’t that just like life? Sometimes we want so badly to have directions, to learn exactly how we are supposed to find success, fulfillment and happiness. So we search for mentors, teachers, gurus. We watch how others find success and read self-help books. We take quizzes that promise to reveal that special something.

But the reality is that none of us came with directions. We all have to stumble through, trying to read the signs as best we can, making sense out of what we’ve been given. And sometimes we find that we are spinning in a circle, seemingly going nowhere. We have to take time to slow down, deconstruct what’s not working, chart a new course and make a plan to get us there.

For me, it makes it easier to enjoy the journey, knowing there is no one “right” way. And it helps to have wise mentors, teachers and coaches who can help me find my way back to my path when I feel like I’m lost.

The diversity of MBA students means exposure to a vast range of nationalities, industries, functions and individuals at different stages in their career – an amazing challenge which means that no year, week, or day is the same.  We will never please all of the people all  of the time, but we are constantly doing our best.

One of the aspects of this job I particularly enjoy is interaction with the global MBA careers community, including company representatives, exchanging information, news and best practice.

Dealing with the ups and downs of a number of economic cycles and constant changes in visa regulations I’ve realised that the criteria which lead to success in a competitive job market are the same: good education, good quality of experience but, above all, a good understanding of your own strengths, skills and competencies and how the complete package will fit in the market…………….that’s what we’re here to help you achieve.

It’s a new era for careers support at SBS with my new colleague, Frances, and we have plans to make some significant changes…………watch this space.  I’d better step up my running programme to find the energy!

Frances Porter is the new Career Coach and Employability Advisor for the MBA Department and here she tells us a little more about her role and background.

Although this is only my second week, I’m glad to report that it has been fantastic so far. Firstly, everyone in the Department has been so welcoming and friendly, and secondly I have sourced a Starbucks on the floor below my office… what more could a girl want?

Over the coming weeks and months, I will be working with the MBA Students to deliver Career Coaching and Career Management Advice. I am also excited to be working with Irene on a new updated and improved Careers Portal so don’t forget to look out for this.

My background is in Executive Recruitment and I have run my own company  for a number of years, focussing on international career moves for individuals in the accountancy professions. I also work on a voluntary basis with the Prince’s Trust in Scotland delivering Employability Training and Mentoring Sessions,   so I have a range of skills which I am looking to put to good use in my new role. When I get any spare time I can be found running after a lively 8 month old puppy or attending gigs and music events.

Pop in and say hello to me or drop me an email, I can’t wait to meet you all.

I’m asking my readers for help:  have you ever used one of those reference check services?  Are they discreet?  Are they helpful?

I await your testimonials.

• Did you pay money for a reference check?
• Did you ask a buddy to call on your behalf?
• Any other ways to get feedback?

This was my dream the other night. Lately I’ve been reading about dreams and the immense power they have if we’re listening to them. Dreams are our unconscious telling us things our consciousness isn’t seeing and they can often be a metaphoric communication of answers we’re looking for or deeper understanding about a situation. In his book, Callings, Gregg Levoy states that, “dreams point us toward what we need for growth, integration, expression, and the health of our relationships to person, place, and thing. They point us toward a kind of equilibrium. They’re the imagination at work while we sleep. They are meaning machines and they never lie.”

Now, when I look back at my dream, I get a strong message that I’ve stopped going in circles and have started a journey. It’s not going to be quick and easy. I’m going to need patience and perseverance but I know where I’m going.

According to scientists, those who claim they don’t dream or seldom dream are wrong. “Everyone dreams, and we typically have half a dozen dreams a night. The problem is that we forget most of them or lack interest in them.” My challenge to you is to keep a notepad by your bed and the next time you wake from a dream, write it down before you forget. Go back to sleep and read what you wrote when you awake. There may be some nuggets of wisdom there. You might even realize that’s it! That’s the answer to what I was trying to figure out!

I know I’m going to start paying more attention to my dreams and I’m going to write them down and share them with people. If you’re open to sharing a recent dream you’ve had, I hope you’ll leave a comment. Let’s wake up to our dreams!