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Your #Career : 4 Ways To Get More Meaning And Value From Your Career Starting Today…The Ingredient that’s Absent from So many Thousands of People’s Careers is ‘Meaning’ – the Feeling & Heartfelt Sense that what They are Doing has a Strong Purpose, a Positive Impact in the World, & Offers Something to People that Will Make a Difference, & have Lasting Value.

I hear from scores of professionals each week with every complaint you can imagine about their jobs, work-life challenges, and their unfulfilling careers. Surprisingly, there is one ingredient these careers are missing that causes the most long-term pain and concern (excluding toxicity, abuse and mistreatment).

Free- Women walking on Narrow Bridge

The ingredient that’s absent from so many thousands of people’s careers is meaning – the feeling and heartfelt sense that what they are doing has a strong purpose, a positive impact in the world, and offers something to people that will make a difference, and have lasting value.

Most professionals believe that they have to chuck their entire careers and start over, in order to find more meaning in their work. They often fantasize about doing something creative or altruistic (like start a non-profit, join the Peace Corps, work on a communal farm, write a book, start a bed and breakfast, or move to another country entirely) to bring more meaning into their work.  But they are often mistaken. You don’t have to uproot your entire life and career to create more meaning and value. You can do it literally starting today, wherever you are.

In fact, I’d go so far as to say if you are thinking of running as far away as possible from your current career, to something radically different in order to create more meaning, you should stop in your tracks and do some powerful inner and outer work before you take the next step.

Here are four critical steps to creating more meaning in your work right now:

Dimensionalize “meaning” for you

Each and every one of us is different in terms of what we care about.  What matters to us deeply, and what brings us a sense of being valuable and helpful in the world, is shaped by many influences, including:

– your childhood

– your ancestry

– your cultural training

– the people you care for and respect

– the problems in the world that hurt your heart

– the traumas you’ve experienced and the triumphs in your life

– your special and amazing talents and gifts that come easily to you

– the way in which you operate in the world

– your personality (including extroversion or  introversion, positive mindset, action style, etc.)

… and much more.

You can’t create more meaning in your life and work if you don’t understand yourself intimately or know what matters to you personally, at a very deep level.

I’m always surprised when professionals can’t identify what matters to them, or what they’re great at. Often, this lack of self-awareness points to a significant internal block– that they were somehow suppressed in childhood, and/or punished for thinking for themselves. Overly-protective, critical or narcissist parents are highly threatened by children who try to act and think independently. And it can go very badly for the child or young adult who wants to strike out on his/her own.

If you’re blocked internally and can’t get to the heart of what you care about and what makes you you, then the way you were raised might have had a strong hand in your inability to understand yourself and what matters to you most. (Read more on how being raised by a narcissist alters our ability to think for ourselves).

 

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Don’t wait for meaning to fall in your lap – seize it

Step 2 in this process involves expanding your own accountability. It’s critical to realize that whatever you want in life won’t just fall in your lap – you have to go out and proactively get it. That takes clarity, confidence, courage and connection, and those four elements don’t just happen to us. We have to take the time to build our internal strength, and expand our repertoire of external behaviors in a way that will allow us to create and attract what we want.

So, to build more meaning in your work today, first identify the shortest avenue to doing more meaningful work, in your current situation.  Ask to join a new task force at work, start a new project, volunteer to be part of a team that is doing something you care about, research a new direction for the organization that you could oversee.  It’s easier than you think. Talk to your manager about what you’d like to get involved with, and get his/her support to pursue a new direction within your role that would excite you and offer something of value to the organization.

If you believe that’s not possible within your role, then start interviewing outside and networking expansively. Identify clearly what you’re looking to be a part of, and talk to anyone and everyone you can find who might be helpful. Get more clarity on exactly what you could be doing differently that would feel meaningful and purposeful to you, and start doing it.

As an example, I’m a trained coach and marriage and family therapist, and I’ve always had a therapeutic lens to my work. But this year, I decided to add a new healing dimension to my coaching, and am making strides to do that. It’s truly not hard, once you realize what you want, and muster the courage to go out and find new ways to bring more meaning into your daily life.

Ask for higher-level help – find mentors and sponsors at a higher level of thinking and operating

What keeps the majority of unhappy professionals stuck for years is that they’re trying to solve their problem on the level of consciousness that created it, and that’s impossible. You have to ask for help, but the “right” kind of help.  We hear constantly about the need and value of finding mentors and sponsors to support us, and this is not an empty cliché. It’s vitally important that you get help from people who are demonstrating a higher level of thinking and behavior than you’re currently accessing.

To find powerful mentors, don’t ask a stranger.  Put yourself directly into the circle (either in person or online) where these people are interacting and connecting, and make yourself valuable to them there.  Don’t reach out with your hand out – but connect from the heart, and find authentic, generous ways in which you can support their work and demonstrate your value to them. (Here’s more on how to find a wonderful mentor who will open amazing doors for you.)

Finally, stop procrastinating and making excuses, and start doing and being

In the past four years, I’ve witnessed a phenomenon that blows my mind around fatal procrastination. Here’s one example – I run online career courses and when they’re promoted, there are deadlines for people to enroll.  Each time I promote a course, a good percentage enroll within the last 5-10 minutes of the deadline. Five minutes. And still others write me days after the deadline, apologizing for their delay (with all sorts of excuses), asking me to extend the deadline. Then half of those people don’t end up pulling the trigger.

Procrastination is a fatal behavior, because you’re continually killing off important opportunities to grow and become who you want to be. Yes, it’s scary and intimidating to make change and stretch. That’s the human condition. But only when you can act in the face of your fears and insecurity can you ever build a life and career that is full of meaning for you.  Why? Because pursuing what is meaningful to you is a heart- and spirit-centered endeavor, and when our hearts and spirits are involved, there’s a lot at risk and we’re frightened of blowing it.  But those who have built great meaning in their life found a way to push through the deep fears and resistance, and pulled themselves out of their comfort zones.  They finally did something bold. But bold doesn’t have to mean throwing your entire life and career out. Bold can be one small but significant step.

In the end, if you continue to resist becoming more accountable — and taking concrete action — to create more meaning in your life, then you’ll persist in pushing away any chance of having it.

 

Forbes.com | July 18, 2016 | Kathy Caprino

 

 

Your #Career : Unemployed? Use This Trick to Deal with a Tough Job Search…Welcome to the Job Search Doldrums. The Longer you’re Out of Work, the Harder it is to Stay Positive & Keep your Motivation Up.

Being unemployed is a drag. Tales of “fun employment” aside, life after a job loss – especially one that comes without any warning – is often rough both financially and emotionally. In the days after you’re let go, you’re likely busy updating your resume, adding contacts on LinkedIn, and sending out cover letters. But after an initial spurt of activity, you may get frustrated if your job search efforts don’t seem to be yielding results.

If your résumé is hard to read, no one will.

After a few weeks of unemployment, your resolution to meet up with your old co-workers for coffee turns into a commitment to keeping up with the Kardashians. Your goal of applying for two or three jobs per day suddenly seems too ambitious – now you’re barely applying to two or three jobs per week. And you can’t remember the last time you put on real pants (no, pajamas don’t count) and left the house.

Welcome to the job search doldrums. The longer you’re out of work, the harder it is to stay positive and keep your motivation up. The unemployed are more likely to report being treated for depression than people with full-time jobs, a 2013 Gallup survey found, with the rate of depression increasing the longer someone has been out of a job. Those who’d been unemployed for half a year or more also reported being less happy and were more likely to be socially isolated than people who had jobs or hadn’t been out of work for months.

“Using cognitive behavioral skills, people can overcome some of the negative thinking that may be holding them back and making it less likely to succeed in their job search,” Strunk said.

It’s not clear whether unemployment triggers depression or other psychological problems, or if “unhappy or less positive job seekers are less likely to be able to get jobs in the first place,” according to Gallup. In either case, job seekers who are struggling to keep their spirits up need a way to turn things around. Now, researchers at Ohio State University have pinpointed specific skills that might help depressed job seekers find work.

Unemployed people who used skills taught as part of cognitive behavioral (CB) therapy for depression were more likely to find a new job, according to the study, which was published in the Journal of Clinical Psychology.

“Searching for a job is difficult in any circumstance, but it may be even more difficult for people who are depressed,” Daniel Strunk, an associate professor of psychology at Ohio State and a co-author of the study, said in a statement. “But we found that there are specific skills that can help not only manage the symptoms of depression but also make it more likely that a person will receive a job offer.”

Seventy-five unemployed people participated in the study. Each took two surveys, three months apart, completing a variety of questionnaires designed to measure symptoms of depression and other psychological variables, like brooding and a “negative cognitive style.” They were also asked how often they used cognitive behavioral skills, like rethinking negative thoughts or breaking up overwhelming tasks into smaller chunks.

The more a person relied on cognitive behavioral skills, the greater the likelihood of their depressive symptoms improving in the months between the two surveys. The unemployed people who used CB skills were also more likely to have received a job offer in the intervening months than those who didn’t draw on those coping techniques.

 

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“The people who got jobs in our study were more likely to be putting into practice the skills that we try to teach people in cognitive therapy,” Strunk said. The study didn’t ask whether people had learned their coping skills in therapy or not, but Strunk said most likely came by those skills without additional help or guidance.

“Some people just naturally catch themselves when they have negative thoughts and refocus on the positive and use other CB skills,” he said. “These are the people who were more likely to find a job.”

Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) teaches you how to overcome negative thinking so you can respond more effectively to life’s challenges and stressors. While it’s frequently part of the treatment for conditions like PTSD, obsessive-compulsive disorder, and depression, the techniques practiced during CBT can “help anyone learn how to better manage stressful life situations,” according to the Mayo Clinic.

In the case of the unemployed, relying on CB skills may make it easier to deal with common job search frustrations like hearing, “Thanks, but no thanks,” from a prospective employer. “Rejection is so much a part of the process of job seeking. Using cognitive behavioral skills are an important way one can deal with that,” Strunk said.

The researchers want to conduct more research into the link between CB skills, depression, and job search behaviors. For now, the study results suggest that job seekers, especially those who are depressed, may benefit from either drawing on their natural coping skills or working with a therapist who can help them learn new strategies to manage the stress of being unemployed and find a new job.

“Using cognitive behavioral skills, people can overcome some of the negative thinking that may be holding them back and making it less likely to succeed in their job search,” Strunk said.

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CheatSheet.com | July 7, 2016 | Megan Elliott 

Your #Career : Is Your Job Doomed By Technology?…Is Any Job Safe? The Answer is No. It’s Something We’re All Going to Deal With. However,That’s Not the Right Question. The Real Question is: How Will You & Your Field Adapt to Technology?

At the Milken Institute Global Conference I’m attending in Los Angeles this week, brilliant minds are debating some of the most important topics affecting society, from prospects for global markets to “the promise of the cancer moonshot.” One I went to yesterday was a doozy: “Jobs and Technology: Is Any Job Truly Safe?”

Free- Bench on a Lonely Beach

“Is any job safe? The answer is no,” moderator and self-employed journalist Dennis Kneale said opening the session, after noting he lost his Fox Business Network job two years ago. “I found the media had almost no jobs and no growth. What happened to me is coming to you guys next and every sector everywhere maybe. ”

But when the panelists were asked whether any job was truly safe, they said… That’s not the right question. The real question, according to the panelists, is: How will you and your field adapt to technology?

How Jobs Have Changed and Will Change

Wendy MacLennan, 54, knows that first hand, as a fantastic story about her by Sue Shellenbarger in yesterday’s Wall Street Journal (“An Engineer Returns to Work After Years at Home With the Children”) explained.

MacLennan had been a car designer at GM and Ford before taking 24 years off to raise her four children and teach at a home-schooling co-op. She was rehired at Ford in 2014 as a systems engineer and project manager designing hybrid vehicles. Because technology had changed so much, the new job, she told the Journal, “was way harder than I thought.” She described it as “like being dropped off in a land where you don’t speak the language.”

Goodbye overhead projectors, MacLennan found; hello virtual-meeting software. And the paper drawings she used to do had been replaced by computer-assisted design software. But MacLennan didn’t give up and neither did Ford, which gave her hours of online training and courses. Recently, the Journal said, MacLennan was named Employee of the Month in her 600-person department.

That story had a happy ending. But will yours? And what about other American workers?

Three of the panelists were hopeful, though hardly giddy — Alan Krueger, a Princeton economics professor and former chairman of President Obama’s Council of Economic Advisors; Michael Chui, a partner at McKinsey Global Institute; and Kate Mitchell, co-founder and partner of the Scale Venture Partners venture capital firm.

One — Martin Ford, an entrepreneur and author of Rise of the Robots: Technology and the Threat of a Jobless Future — was more downbeat, though not fatalistic.

 

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Pessimistic About Jobs, But Not Society

Ford, described by Kneale as “the most pessimistic on the panel,” said: “I am pessimistic specifically about the future of jobs over the long run, but not over the future of society or the economy.” Ford added: “A huge number of jobs, especially routine, predictable ones across the board in industries and occupations and skill levels will be susceptible to automation. Machines are encroaching on the fundamental capability that sets humans apart.”

Mitchell, a fan of the growing “gig economy,” disagreed. “I don’t think we’re doomed. Is any existing job truly safe? We all need to be concerned,” she said.

But, Mitchell added, “the National Association of Manufacturers says there are 600,000 jobs going wanting due to a lack of people who can handle the skills of those manufacturing jobs.” In other words: yes, there will be dislocations, but there’ll also be opportunities.

Technology Will Increase, Not Eliminate, Jobs

And, she said emphatically: “Is the goal of technology to eliminate jobs? Absolutely not. What technology can do is increase jobs.”

However, she added, workers need to tech up. “Eight of 10 jobs today require digital literacy,” said Mitchell. “Computer science and data analytics have replaced English as the language people need to know around the world.”

Chui said McKinsey looked at more than 900 occupations and determined that “less than 5 percent of occupations can be fully automated, but 45 percent of activities can be adapted by technologies.”

Krueger conceded that “the nature of work is changing dramatically.” What technology has done, he said, “is, along with globalization, diminish demand for workers with a low level of skills.” But, he noted, “throughout history we have always feared that technology will replace jobs.”

The Jobs We Don’t Know About Yet

Then he presented a stunning, encouraging statistic: “I did a project looking at job growth from the mid 1960s to 2005 and found that the vast majority of job growth came from jobs that hadn’t been invented yet in 1965.” With a nod toThe Graduate, Krueger said, “plastics” jobs grew below average. Job growth, he concluded, “is very difficult to predict.”

Mitchell underscored Krueger’s point about hot jobs being “new” types of jobs by noting that computer scientist is now the most popular job in Colorado, Utah, Virginia and Washington.

Krueger also noted that the Uberization of the economy has invented and ballooned the number of contractor jobs — what he calls “alternative work” — that didn’t exist a few years ago. Citing his research that appeared in The Wall Street Journal in March, since 2005, the number of workers in “alternative arrangements” has risen to nearly 16 percent of the workforce, up from 10 percent a decade ago. “All of the net job growth form 2005 to 2015 is accounted for by growth in alternative work,” he said.

Indeed, the number of UberX drivers — they’re the ones who drive their own, standard cars — has doubled every six months for the last four years, Krueger noted.

But, Ford responded, independent contractor work is not “reliable income”and doesn’t provide fringe benefits in many cases. “Technology enables all this freelance work and the gig economy. It may be just the fist step heading to full automation,” he said. ”Uber is investing very heavily in building self-driving cars.”

Forbes.com | May 4, 2016 | Next Avenue

 

 

Your #Career : Best Money Moves When You Get Laid Off…The First Quarter of 2016 saw 76% More Job Cuts than the Last Quarter of 2015

If you’ve ever been laid off, you know how it stings. I’ve been there, too, and, sadly, growing numbers of workers have lost their jobs lately. The first quarter of 2016 saw 76% more job cuts than the last quarter of 2015, according to global outplacement consultancy Challenger, Gray & Christmas.

fired-layoffs-let-go-box-leaving-work-3

If you become an unfortunate victim, you’ll have a myriad of financial decisions to deal with pronto. And they’ll demand clear thinking. So, just in case a job loss happens to you — or if it recently did — here are nine money moves you need to make:

1. Ask the nitty-gritty questions. Find out whether “any severance is being offered, whether the company has a written severance policy, when your insurance will be cut off, and — possibly most importantly — why you are being fired,” says Donna Ballman, author of Stand Up for Yourself Without Getting Fired. “You’ll need this information when you apply for unemployment, if you want to talk to an attorney about potential legal claims, when you apply for a new job and when you have your next doctor’s visit,” counsels Ballman.

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2. Get your employment-related financial stuff. If it’s not a quick shuffle out of the building with Security or HR, tap into your computer and make copies of: documentation of anything your employer owes you (say, commissions and bonuses); any employment agreements, confidentiality agreements and non-compete agreements you signed; your performance reviews, commendations, awards, disciplines, recommendation letters and anything else about your work that might be useful to a lawyer or to your state unemployment compensation agency, advises Ballman.

3. Scrutinize any severance agreement. It could contain a non-compete clause blocking you from working at certain places, for example. “Be clear on the restrictions you’re agreeing to in exchange for a severance payout. Be certain you aren’t giving up vested benefits. The agreement should clearly state the status and amounts of your 401(k), stock options or pensions,” says Ballman.

Your best move is to tell HR or your boss that you need some time to evaluate any severance agreement. If you’re being asked to sign something you don’t fully understand, don’t. First, talk to an employment lawyer; you can find one near you at the National Employment Lawyers Association website.

4. Examine your final paycheck. “You may be entitled to payout of all your accrued paid time off or vacation pay if the company doesn’t have a use-it-or-lose-it policy or if your state requires it,” says Ballman. If you’re paid by the hour, check to be sure you’ve been compensated for all the hours and overtime you worked.

5. Line up health insurance. Many employers cut off your health insurance the day you lose your job; some continue it to the end of the month. Initially, if you don’t have a spouse or partner’s health plan to fall back on, you might opt for landing coverage through COBRA (The Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act), which lets you to buy it under your ex-employer’s group plan, generally for 18 to 36 months.

Some employers subsidize or pay the entire cost of health coverage, including COBRA coverage, for terminating employees and their families as part of a severance agreement. You’ll have 60 days to decide whether to sign up for COBRA; the insurance is retroactive to your loss of coverage date.

Your other option: buy an individual health plan from your state insurance marketplace or directly from an insurer.

Losing job-based coverage is a “qualifying life event,” allowing you to enroll anytime, not just during the normal Open Enrollment period.

If you’ll need health insurance between the time you lose your job-based coverage and when a Marketplace policy starts (for example, you or a family member needs medical care), you may want to sign up for COBRA, since it’ll continue providing benefits until your Marketplace plan kicks in.

6. Consider replacing any employer-sponsored life or disability insurance you had. If you purchased either type of coverage this way, you may want to buy your own policy now. If so, compare prices by using online insurance brokers such as Accuquote.com, FindMyInsurance.com, andLifeInsure.com.

7. File for unemployment insurance. “Some people hesitate to apply,” says Ballman. “Why? It’s your money. What do you think they’ve been paying in from your paycheck all this time? It may not be a lot of money, but it will help tide you over.” Apply by contacting your state’s unemployment agency as soon as you are fired or laid off.

Whether you’ll qualify for unemployment benefits depends on your state. To check your local law, visit the “Find Local Help” area of the U.S. Department of Labor’s CareerOneStop site. Before taking any freelance assignments or a part-time job, read your state’s unemployment insurance rules; some work may reduce your benefit.

8. Be sure you get all your vested retirement funds. Any of your 401(k) contributions belong to you, of course, but your employer’s contributions (or matches) typically must be vested before they’re yours. You’ll vest, or own, a certain percentage of your employer’s contributions each year once you qualify for them.

9. Manage your retirement account. Chances are, when you leave your employer, you’ll want to transfer your accumulated retirement savings to aself-directed IRA that offers you more investment choices.

After you receive the funds from your employer plan, you have 60 days to complete the rollover to an IRA or other tax-deferred plan. Wait too long and the amount will be taxed as ordinary income; if you were younger than 59½ when the distribution occurred, you’ll face a 10% penalty, too. A direct rollover straight to an IRA or a plan at your next employer is best, so the money never comes into your hands. Ask your plan administrator to make the payment directly to another retirement plan or to an IRA.

You can, alternatively, leave the money in your ex-employer’s plan, and sometimes that’s more cost effective. Large corporations often negotiate with financial service firms for lower fees than you can get on your own in an IRA account.

My advice: Meet with a financial adviser to figure out what’s best for you. As a rule, I think an adviser should have the Certified Financial Planner designation, awarded by the nonprofit Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards.

Just don’t cash out your 401(k) balance. If you do, you’ll owe income tax on any withdrawals and possibly that 10% penalty. As I wrote in this Next Avenue post, extracting retirement money before retirement is a weighty problem; nearly 45% of workers cash out their retirement accounts when changing jobs, according to the Women’s Institute for Secure Retirement (WISER).

The last thing you need after losing your job is a wallop from the Internal Revenue Service.

Forbes.com | May 1, 2016 | Kerry Hannon, Contributor

Your #Career : 5 Essential Tips To Reinvent Your Career…Create an Action Plan to Reach your Job-Change Goal. The Plan Should be Tailored to your Particular Situation

At 50+, you’re less likely to make an extreme career change — from doctor to chef, for example — than to build on your existing skill set. Most career moves are subtle, Jansen says, and can be as simple as transferring from one department of your company to another.

Jansen, who started off as a radio and TV broadcaster, says she’s been fired, had her job eliminated and dealt with her share of “nasty bosses” and corporate cultures that were a “bad fit.” She tried recruiting and sales management before finding her niche as a career coach, author and speaker. “I was navigating to roles that were a great fit for my personality,” Jansen says.

Free- Lock on Fence

The lessons Jansen gleaned from her own career steps helped shape the new, third edition of her book, which reflects the tectonic shift of the job hunt to digital and social platforms.

Here, Jansen shares five tips to reinvent your career after 50 and findgratifying work:

1. Assess Yourself and Make a Plan

For anyone over 50 eager to change careers, either for full-time work or part-time work in retirement, Jansen suggests following this three-step process:

First, assess yourself. In her book, Jansen offers a series of quizzes and exercises to determine the source of your job dissatisfaction; identify your core values, personality preferences and skills and determine your ability to change.

To understand your values and apply them to your career search, Jansen offers a list of some 40 values from “Achievement/Accomplishment,” “Advancement” and “Autonomy” through “Status,” “Teamwork” and “Wealth,” urging readers to check off the ones that apply and rank their Top 10. The most important ones will help you decide whether to stay in your position or field or look for something new.

Next, she says, identify “opportunities” and “obstacles” towards making a job change. “People either get hung up unrealistically on an obstacle — ‘I’m too old to change, I don’t have a degree, I won’t make enough money,’ or they get hung up on an opportunity that’s not realistic,” Jansen says.

Finally, create an action plan to reach your job-change goal. The plan should be tailored to your particular situation, whether have, what she calls, “One Toe in the Retirement Pool,” are “Yearning to Be on Your Own” or you’re “Bored and Plateaued” with your career.,

For someone in the latter category, Jansen offers an 11-step plan that calls for asking yourself a series of questions, including why you’re bored, how you can re-activate interest in your job and whether you want to stay in your industry.

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2. Decide Between Making a Big or Small Change

At 50+, you’re less likely to make an extreme career change — from doctor to chef, for example — than to build on your existing skill set. Most career moves are subtle, Jansen says, and can be as simple as transferring from one department of your company to another.

“If you’re in a bad marriage, the whole marriage isn’t necessarily bad. You have to focus on the things that are good,” Jansen notes. “Maybe you love your company, but want to move to a different area. I had a client who worked in finance at ESPN. He wanted to move into talent management. It took him a few years, but he was able to do it.”

3. Network for an Employers’ Job Market

If you’ve worked at the same employer for quite awhile and want out, networking with people who don’t work there is key, says Jansen. And the sooner the better.

“People are very disposable at companies,” Jansen says. “It’s an employers’ market right now. It means most employers can treat people however they want. Companies don’t have as much of a moral compass when it comes to laying people off.”

That harsh reality underscores the importance of networking, whether in the real or virtual worlds.

Jansen says: Start by creating a list of everyone you know who could possibly be of use (even your dentist). Prepare a “script” for your email or telephone networking pitches. View any event — from a baseball game to a block party — as a networking opportunity. And, whether your networking meeting is online or at an event, always ask the person if there’s anything you can do to helpthem, Jansen writes.

4. Prepare for Today’s Interview Process

The job interview process has become an even higher hurdle towards getting an offer these days, says Jansen. If you clear the initial online screening, expect to have multiple phone interviews and in-person interviews, take personality and psychological tests and possibly be tasked with an on-site drill, such as being given a 15-minute deadline to assemble a PowerPoint presentation.

Prepare for this reality with friends or family by having them ask you the kinds of questions that often stump interviewees, Jansen advises. Examples: “Tell me about yourself,” “What are your weaknesses or areas of development” and “Tell me about a time when you failed at something.”

Whether you wind up speaking with one interviewer or eight, Jansen says, always write individual thank-you notes. “Be sure to customize each note based on your specific conversation,” Jansen writes.

5. Make Social Media Work for You

Whether you’re a LinkedIn dynamo with 500-plus connections, a 24/7 Twitter presence and your own blog or someone who maintains a minimal digital profile, Jansen says, ensure that your virtual self reflects and promotes your real-world accomplishments.

For anyone with little or no social media profile on places like Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn, Jansen recommends starting out by responding to other people’s blog posts; posting and answering questions on LinkedIn and tweeting “meaningful” comments on Twitter.

“You have to carefully monitor what you’re posting — visually or otherwise — because the first thing prospective employers are doing is Googling you,” Jansen says. “If you have any controversial or inappropriate information anywhere, that’s not a good thing. Or if you have no presence at all, that’s not a good thing, either.”

 

By Robert DiGiacomo, Next Avenue Contributor

Career coach Julie Jansen, who’s all about reinventing your career for the better, walks the walk with her advice. The author of the newly revised I Don’t Know What I Want, But I Know It’s Not This: A Step by Step Guide to Finding Gratifying Work,  has herself made several fulfilling career changes over the past few decades.

 

Forbes.com | April 25, 2016

Your #Career : 3 Important Things to Do Before you Leave your Job…So, Before Making any Rash Decisions, you Should Have a Plan in Place for Transitioning into a New Role.

In today’s world, it’s more common than ever for people to make fast career changes. You may not be looking to make any changes today, but at some point, you’re going to want to start a new venture.

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Whether you’re thinking about resigning or planning to sell your business, taking the first steps is the hardest part of your exit strategy.

Related: The 10 Telltale Signs It’s Time to Quit Your Job

So, before making any rash decisions, you should have a plan in place for transitioning into a new role.

Here are three things you can do before leaving a job:

1. Evaluate the risk and opportunities

There are a variety of reasons for leaving a job or selling a business. You might have other opportunities waiting on the horizon that you’re eager to pursue. Or possibly you’re tired of your current role. Maybe you’re looking for a change of pace.

As you begin to consider your options, make sure to evaluate both the risks and opportunities. Don’t forget that work is work, no matter what role you’re looking to move into. You will have both good days and bad days at your new job.

On the risk side of things, have you been saving up? Do you have a good amount of money stored away for a rainy day? A transition into a new role can be difficult and even costly. And in a world with no guarantees, that job you thought you had lined up may not pan out by the time you’re ready to pursue it. If you’re dependent on your employment income, then make sure you have a comfortable nest egg before putting in your notice.

As for opportunity, what exactly are you planning on doing next? Do you have a clear idea? Do you have a new job lined up, and do you have a backup plan in case it doesn’t work out? Will you be getting an increase in salary at your new position? Will your new job be more enjoyable and fulfilling than your last? Do you have a long-term plan for your career progression? Will you be learning new skills that will help you expand your opportunities?

Don’t get too caught up in the excitement of moving into a new position, as it can blind you to the potential risks and opportunities that exist.

Related: 9 Reasons to Quit Your Job As Soon As You Can

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2. Tie up loose ends

Many people tend to “check out” before they’ve even handed in their two weeks’ notice.

As hard as it may be, try to stay engaged in your work as you are wrapping up your term. Check in with a manager on a daily basis if you need some motivation. Also make a list of everything that needs to get done before you leave.

There is the possibility that your projects and tasks will be taken over by coworkers before you officially leave, but that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t take responsibility for what you’ve already started and agreed to do. If you have the opportunity, delegate smaller tasks so you can focus on your top priorities and see them to completion.

Keep a line of communication open with management and coworkers. There may be those who need to hear directly from you — don’t leave them in the dark about your decision to move on to new opportunities. Get in touch with clients if you need to, and share the news with coworkers or managers who need to be in the loop.

This should help you establish clarity around what you need to do before moving on. Your former employer will appreciate it if you leave your tasks in capable hands, instead of leaving a trail of incomplete assignments and appointments your co-workers need to chase down.

It’s also best to leave on a good note. If you game-plan and communicate who is going to handle your tasks while your manager looks for your replacement, you’re likely to form a lasting, positive relationship with your former employer — and you very well may need that for a good recommendation later on.

3. Clean, purge and organize

Make an effort to leave your office, desk or working space in good shape before making your exit.

Start separating out your personal possessions — family pictures, stationery, electronics — into boxes. Don’t forget about your personal files on your work computer. Back up whatever information you need: documents, music, pictures and so on — and save it on an external hard drive or thumb drive. Don’t touch sensitive company data or save it for personal purposes. Only keep contacts with whom you’ve personally built a relationship.

Get rid of old files or memos that no longer hold any relevance. Archive important documents that belong to the business. Pass on other relevant documents to your co-workers if they need them.

Throw away any trash and wipe away any dust and dirt. Discreetly remove T-shirts, mugs and other swag from your desk and put these items away.

There is the chance that you won’t have much time to clean, purge and organize. Sometimes, when people quit their jobs (particularly sales positions), they are escorted out of the building in fairly short order. If you don’t have much time, just prioritize what matters most to you so you can be on your way.

Even if your boss is away, he or she should be able to trust you to get your desk in order before you leave, so you can make a smooth exit. But “smooth” largely depends on the amount of trust you’ve built up with other people in the company while you were working with them.

There may be other steps you need to take to make a smooth exit from your job. The exact nature of your work is a factor here, as is your relationship with coworkers, management and your boss.

Related: 5 Steps to Take Before Quitting Your Job to Become an Entrepreneur

Don’t forget: It’s best not to burn bridges unnecessarily. It is possible to leave a job in an honorable way. You can also give your employer feedback on any issues that may be at the root of your departure. Providing this information at an exit interview is often valuable in improving the company’s operations, so long as it’s constructive and specific. After all, you never know when you might want to go back. 

Read the original article on Entrepreneur. Copyright 1969. Follow Entrepreneur on Twitter.

Businessinsider.com | April 22, 2016 | Thomas Smale, Entrepreneur

Your Career: 7 Ways To Get Noticed At Work…“It’s about Results… And Likeability,”

Over the course of my work as a career coach, I’ve had some exceptional clients. While I typically help eager job hunters get more clarity and job offers, I felt inspired to work with a young woman named Amy, who didn’t fit my usual profile.

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Amy wasn’t concerned about landing a job, she was becoming increasingly concerned about getting ahead in her job. In her words, she’d been doing “everything” that was asked of her, but no one was acknowledging her efforts, let alone rewarding them. Meanwhile, other entry-level employees were flying past her with promotions and raises.

Sound familiar?

We immediately got down to the specifics, assessing the culture and mission of Amy’s company. I learned that it was a small company with a very casual vibe, yet Amy couldn’t even get up the nerve to speak to the CEO when she saw her in the lunchroom. When I pointed out that her hesitation to communicate was hurting her chances of promotion, Amy was bewildered.

“It’s about results, right?” Amy asked.

“It’s about results… And likeability,” I shared.

How could Amy ever going to convince her colleagues that she cared about the business if she wouldn’t make any effort to engage with the people in it?

The truth is that the people who get promoted are doing more than just getting the work done.  Studies show that how we value an employee’s competence changes according to how much we like or dislike that person.

In other words,  being really good at your job isn’t enough.

For an employee to stand out, being likeable is a huge indicator for career success. The good news is that the biggest hindrance to likeability is apathy… This means you can change how others perceive you simply by making the choice to care.

There are steps you can take right now, regardless of your circumstances that will put you back on the promotion path, where you belong:

1. Take initiative. Are there any tasks that have been lingering on your boss’ to-do list for a few weeks? Have the office plants been calling out for water that everyone’s been too lazy to give them? A great way to get noticed is by taking on a project that no one wants to tackle, but that has to get done. I’ll never forget my last corporate job before becoming a career coach. One of my employees went out of her way to make a chart of the deliverables, and it just made my heart surge. It was a job that needed to be done but I hadn’t set aside any time for it, so when she took the initiative and presented it to me, it felt like Christmas morning!

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When you want to stand out at work use your job description as a starting point, not an end point.

2. Build rapport, everywhere. People who get big things done are people who know people, but the Amy’s of the world have a tendency to think that inter-office relationship building is too time-consuming and draining to be worthwhile. I teach hundreds of job hunters around the world the networking skills they need to create contacts out of thin air, and the truth is that it’s less complicated than people make it out to be. Start with a gesture: If you’re running out for Starbucks SBUX +1.03%, offer to pick up a latte for your coworker.

Networking is about kindness, mutual support and growth… Who’s in?

Every aspect of your professional life will improve if you get to know your colleagues and making them feel comfortable getting to know you. Once you’ve broken the ice, you won’t feel nearly as uncomfortable about initiating a conversation in the elevator.

3. Participate in the office’s extracurricular activities. Needless to say, I recommend minimizing the vodka cranberry cocktails during office happy hours, but know that the boundaries of good behavior don’t end with your sobriety. Back in my corporate life, I’ll never forget my company’s Halloween costume party, where a younger member of the team proudly showed up in an elaborately overdone get-up that was so tone-deaf and inappropriate. It distracted everyone else from enjoying the evening, and the mortified CEO “joked” that he’d never be able to take the employee seriously again.

The bottom line: When it comes to office events, never put more effort into your social persona than you’re putting into your professional persona, and when in doubt, always err on the side of maturity.

My colleague’s bad costume decision is undoubtedly going to show up in his bank account.

4. Do business development. Every organization has a bottom line, and if you’re bringing in new business opportunities, you will always be seen as an asset. It doesn’t matter if you’ve been hired for marketing; it’s all about contributing in a bigger way. This doesn’t mean you need to be a walking billboard for your employer, but you should maintain a keen awareness of the opportunities that surround you, whether you’re in a coffee line or a board meeting.

5. Be a team player. Sometimes you’re the star of the show, and sometimes you’re in the chorus. Being alert to your coworkers’ needs, and offering to help when their workload is overwhelming, is the best way to establish yourself as a team player.

You don’t need to be a martyr of self-sacrifice by staying late every single night to do someone else’s work, but stepping up without expecting any personal benefit will never go unnoticed or unappreciated.

6. Never talk smack. That’s the number one way to get noticed…and get fired. Your critiques may be spot-on and your impersonation of the boss might be the best in show, but don’t resort to gossip as a way of gaining popularity in the office.

It’s a universal truth that the person doing the trash talking always looks worse than the person who’s being trashed, even when the criticism is deserved. Stay above the fray at all costs.

7. Speak up. At 23 years old, I was hired to run a program for the Pentagon, and I’ll never forget my fear of speaking up as I sat in a sea of military leaders. The biggest shift in my career came when I took a quantum leap out of my comfort zone and started sharing my thoughts in staff meetings.

One day, they were trying to come up with a new approach for the program’s curriculum, and I sat there, mentally poking holes in all of their ideas. After they’d exhausted their options, I finally just let loose with my suggestions.

My input transformed the work we were doing, and my role on the team became more significant overnight.

It can be terrifying to put yourself out there, but the employee who’s still coming up with ideas long after the creativity fountain runs dry is a huge asset to any organization.

Over the course of a few months, Amy started to realize that having a voice in the workforce is like a muscle that grows stronger with frequent use. With each step forward, her self-consciousness loosened its grip and she became confident about seizing opportunities. She felt empowered to step up, regardless of whether it was to run a meeting or fix the copy machine.

The standout employees are the ones who behave like leaders, even when their title is Intern. The irony is that when you’re more focused on the results than the promotion, your title will change faster than you can even imagine.

If you don’t believe me, guess who’s now managing her company’s brand new office in London?

That would be—you guessed it—Amy.

 

Forbes.com | Arpil 3, 2015 | Ashley Stahl

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Job Seekers: What To Do If You Aren’t Getting Called For Interviews…Go Through this Process for Several Other Jobs for Which You’ve Applied. Do You See a Pattern?

When you’ve been actively applying for jobs, it can get really frustrating when you aren’t getting called for interviews. If this is happening to you, don’t give up; but take a short ‘time out’ to analyze the reasonswhy you’re not making it to the next round in the hiring process.

ChairsTable

First, look at how much of a ‘fit’ you are for the jobs to which you’ve been applying. Review several of the job postings for jobs to which you’ve applied. Read through one job posting and as you read each requirement, ask yourself the following questions:

  • Do I meet the minimum level of experience required for the position?
  • Do I meet the minimum level of education required for the job?
  • Do I have most of the required skills for the job?
  • Do I have the certifications required for the position? (if any are required)

For each requirement, write down whether you meet, partially meet or don’t meet that requirement. Once you’ve done this for the first job posting, look at what you’ve written. Do you meet the majority of the requirements?

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Then, go through this process for several other jobs for which you’ve applied. Do you see a pattern? The most common reason I’ve found when people don’t get telephone or in-person interviews is that there are other candidates who are a better ‘fit’ (more qualified) for the job. As a hiring manager, I look for candidates who meet at least 80 percent of the job requirements. One reason you aren’t making it to the interview round might be because hiring managers don’t see you as qualified enough for the position.

If you believe this may be your issue, look for ways you can obtain the education, certifications, skills or experience required – so that you’ll be a better fit in the near future. Then, before you apply for any more jobs, conduct this same exercise of analyzing yourself against the requirements listed in the next job posting. Pretend you’re the hiring manager and take a critical look at your resume. If you were the hiring manager, would you hire this candidate for the job?

Some people have a tendency to apply for higher-level positions than what they’re qualified for, which is why they don’t get called for interviews. In this situation, try looking for lower-level jobs that are the stepping-stones to get you to those higher-level jobs you’d like to have in the future – and apply for those.

Another issue I’ve seen is where someone has the relevant skills, experience or education, but forgot to include many of these on their resume. For every requirement in the job posting that you meet, somewhere on your resume, you should explain that you have that skill, experience or education. If you aren’t customizing your resume to include the appropriate information, then your resume won’t get the attention it deserves by recruiters and hiring managers – and you won’t get as many calls for interviews.

~ Lisa Quast, author of the book, Secrets of a Hiring Manager Turned Career Coach: A Foolproof Guide to Getting the Job You Want. Every Time.   Join me on Twitter @careerwomaninc

 
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Your Career: Job Hunting In 2015: 7 Things You Need To Know…Get Creative with Your CVs. Don’t just Opt for the Standard Words on a Page, Do Something Different to Stand Out

Work.  The dreaded, daily, servitude that burdens your already tired and weary shoulders. Beaten, bedraggled and crestfallen you slump out of your bed at 6am, ready for another day of instant coffee, TPS reports and habitual sighing.

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If any part of that sounds like you -or your daily routine – then there’s a good chance that it’s time for a change. Or, if you’re entering the workforce for the first time, and this is what you’re expecting from a job market that’s not too friendly to young people and graduates, then fear not – there are options.

If you’re so inclined, many of those options exist in the tech industry, which is experiencing an ever growing roster of successful companies, huge investments and even a Mike Judge TV show (the only true metric of success).

In response,young people, graduates and experienced employees are flocking towards either building their own startup or working for an exciting tech company. But the popularity of these companies means that you will need to stand out – in a big way.

So what can you do to land a top job in tech (or any other industry)? I asked some big tech companies, and some startups, what it takes to be the winning candidate.

Get Creative

Ann Pickering HR Director at O2,  suggests that people get creative with their CVs. Don’t just opt for the standard words on a page, do something different to stand out.

“Use your application as a chance to show what you’d bring to the role – and it doesn’t need to just be words on a page. People who bring a digital aspect to their application, whether that’s a well-crafted blog post or a snappy Vine video, will always leave a lasting impression.”

Pickering explained that it’s also important to keep your application succinct and to the point – explaining exactly what your skills are and why you’re suited to the role.

“It can be tempting to shout about everything you’ve ever accomplished, but this can sometimes mean doing yourself a disservice. No one wants – nor has the time – to wade through pages and pages of preamble, so make sure your CV gets straight to the point. Read the skills and requirements an employer is looking for closely, and ask yourself whether your application can link back to every point on the list. If not, change it – and cut out anything that’s not relevant.”

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Make a connection with the interviewer

Nedhal Alkhatib, Programme Manager for Motorola, told me that it’s not only important to make an impression during the interview, but also a connection.

“How the candidate’s personality comes across is extremely important to me.  I look for a ‘can do’ attitude – someone who is approachable, and consistent throughout the interview. It’s absolutely fine if they don’t know the answer to something; I just want to see a willingness to learn underpinned by a confidence and drive to succeed. I also want them to make a connection with me, I often interview many people for a role and so standing out is vital – if I leave happy and get on with the candidate I’ll remember them and be more likely to hire them.”

She continued: “How you present yourself in the interview is crucial – don’t come across as over keen or desperate – you want the interviewer to like you and your personality, not pity you. In the same vein, don’t forget to ask what the company can offer you in return – this should be a mutually satisfactory exchange and you should leave with your questions answered.”

 

Never stop learning and picking up new skills

Ben Medlock, co-founder of Swiftkey, is a big advocate of skills. If you want to contribute to a startup, then you’ll need to bring something fresh.

“The main thing not to do is stop learning or stop being curious. We rate people who are always teaching themselves and others something new. That gives you lots to talk about in an interview, too.”

Medlock continued: “We definitely look for an entrepreneurial spirit, the kind of people who’ve taught themselves new skills and challenged themselves. But starting your own business isn’t a requirement. You need many different backgrounds, personalities and experiences to build an effective team and we find our strength in our diversity – our team speaks 33 languages between them and everyone brings a fresh perspective and set of skills.”

Graeme Smith, Managing Director of Amazon’s Development Centre in Scotland, explained to me how important technical skills are.

“We’re solving hard problems and building systems that run at massive scale, we need people who are great at coding and problem solving.”

He added: “To push the boundaries of technology you need a solid base of theory, so we generally look for a Computer Science degree from a good university. On top of that, we work in close-knit teams so we need people with exemplary written and verbal communications skills.

Be comfortable with change

Leah Busque, founder and CEO of TaskRabbit, says that it’s imperative for people in tech to be comfortable with the rapidly changing industry.

“Be open to the possibility of not knowing. In Technology, we’re in the business of creating entirely new paradigms to advance the world and that can mean more experimenting and failing than knowing and succeeding. The more you are able to demonstrate your comfort in this perpetual state of change, the better.”

Rob Coupland, MD of TelecityGroup agrees that being adaptable is key to working in tech: “Be open-minded, be adaptable, and be flexible. Technology is an extremely fast-moving industry, and you should be open to all the opportunities that are presented to you. For example, there are now countless more creative roles in technology than there were just a few years ago. If you are self-motivated and always eager to learn, you will be perfectly placed to seize new opportunities as our industry continues to evolve.”

Be genuinely passionate about the job you’re applying for

Busque also suggests that those excited by an industry will generally succeed in landing a job in it.

“Targeting a company that you know well but that doesn’t align with what will ignite that daily fire to learn and grow will prove unsustainable and ultimately be a disservice to your career and even personal life. Every person I’ve seen succeed in the industry is excited by the promise of their product or company mission. Believe in what you’re working on and the rest will follow.”

Graeme Smith agrees and places a particular importance on a candidate’s visible passion for the industry.

“First and foremost we’re looking for people who are passionate about inventing for customers and passionate about technology. We’re inventing on behalf of our customers, so we need people who can think from a customer’s perspective and don’t just build technology for technology’s sake.”

Have an understanding of different areas of the industry

Coupland explains that understanding the industry you want to work in, from bottom to top, can really demonstrate multiple skills.

“If an applicant has spent time in a retail environment, or on a helpdesk, they can demonstrate that they recognise the importance of both customer service and technical expertise. For example, if you’ve had work experience at Apple AAPL -3.52% Store, you are demonstrating that you understand technology, that you are commercially competent, and that you are able explain technology in a way that everyone can understand.”

Get connected and get active

Sarah Wood, co-founder of Unruly, thinks that it’s important to fully immerse yourself in the industry by making contacts and showing off your talents.

“Get connected. On LinkedIn LNKD -1.65%, in tech forums and best of all in person. This way you’ll understand how the ecosystem works and where to find the most promising points of entry. Build a portfolio of outputs that you can show to prospective employers – a blog, a working prototype, a university project, a video of the Code Club you ran – visual, tangible proof that you won’t just talk the talk, you’ll walk the walk. Voluntary work as a teacher at code club will boost your resume and help kids improve their future prospects too.”

Graeme Smith also thinks it’s important to be as busy as possible: “Attend tech meetups to get to know people from your target companies, that’s often the best way in. Don’t wait for a job ad to apply for a job, many companies will respond favourably to speculative applications. The demand for talent is massive right now so don’t sell yourself short.”

Jay McGregor is a freelance technology journalist who writes for The Guardian, Forbes, TechRadar and is a tech correspondent for BBC’s James Hazel show. Follow on Twitter @_jaymcgregor

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Strategy: A Master Networker Shares His Top 20 Networking Tips…Appreciate That the Most Influential People Operate on a Different Level

At one of Jon Levy’s house parties you could find yourself, as we recently did, making fajitas with Grammy-nominated singer-songwriter Regina Spektor and leading snake venom expert Zoltan Takacs before watching live presentations from Bill Nye the Science Guy and break-dancing pioneer Richard “Crazy Legs” Colón.

jon levy

Jon Levy introduces one of his Salon guests in his living room.

Levy may not be a Wall Street billionaire or hotshot advertising executive, but over the past five years, he’s built the Influencers, a network of over 400 interesting and impressive people that includes everyone from Nobel laureates to Olympic athletes.

Twice a month, Levy holds private dinner parties and TED Talk-like “Salons” in the sprawling New York City apartment he inherited from his parents, who are successful artists now living in Israel. As an independent marketing consultant specializing in consumer behavior, a diverse, strong network is beneficial to his career. But beyond that, Levy has a genuine passion for connecting influential people from different fields and seeing what these relationships yield.

We asked Levy to share some of the tactics he used to go from a low-profile New Yorker to the leader of a growing network of power players. Here are his top networking tips.

1. Appreciate that the most influential people operate on a different level.

A Landmark Education seminar on personal success inspired Levy to start a network that became the Influencers. He says he left thinking about this quote: “The fundamental element that defines the quality of your life is the people you surround yourself with and the conversations you have with them.”

If you want to surround yourself with executives and successful entrepreneurs, you first need to understand and respect that the lives of high-demand people are fundamentally different from even most chronically busy people, Levy says. Their schedules are likely filled with travel plans and meetings, with scarce free time dedicated to family.

“Everybody’s coming to them for answers. Everybody’s asking them the same questions millions of times. You can begin to think about, ‘OK, what is something different that I could provide this person that would make it worth their time to speak with me or meet with me?'” Levy says.

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2. Add value without expecting anything.

On that note, you should be thinking of how you can add value to a potential connection without expecting anything in return, at least immediately. Levy is a proponent of Wharton professor — and Influencers member — Adam Grant’s theory on “givers,” those who seek out opportunities to help people they respect and appreciate.

“If you’re a giver, then you build quality relationships, and with those relationships you’re exposed to opportunity over the long term,” Grant told Business Insider last year. “You actually increase your own luck so far as you contribute things to other people.

3. Create memories.

Rahzel, former member of The Roots and beatboxing legend, joined the Influencers about a year ago and says that he’s amazed by Levy’s memory. “Jon can pinpoint people and the places and exact time he met them,” he says.

Levy says he’s boosted his memory with a simple trick. “For the most part our memory is visual, and it works based on novelty for something to really stick out,” he says. “If there’s somebody I meet that I really want to connect with, I try to create a moment that’s memorable and that can serve as tradition.”

This can mean sharing a special toast or asking a question that will elicit a unique response. For example, Levy met a Tinder exec recently and asked her about the first thing most people ask her. She said men who use the dating app often nervously ask if Tinder employees can read guys’ messages to other users. “Now I’ll never forget her!” he says.

4. Make your introductions more interesting.

Most people just aren’t interesting in the way they communicate, Levy says. He thinks that Americans, especially, apply their efficient approach at work to how they meet people, talking in boring, direct ways about themselves.

“When people ask me what I do, I try to be a little elusive just to create some interest. So I tell people I spend most of my life trying to convince people to cook me dinner. Which is true,” he says, laughing. “A lot of my time is really spent around logistics, phone calls, and emails and all that. But the benefit of [fusion_builder_container hundred_percent=”yes” overflow=”visible”][fusion_builder_row][fusion_builder_column type=”1_1″ background_position=”left top” background_color=”” border_size=”” border_color=”” border_style=”solid” spacing=”yes” background_image=”” background_repeat=”no-repeat” padding=”” margin_top=”0px” margin_bottom=”0px” class=”” id=”” animation_type=”” animation_speed=”0.3″ animation_direction=”left” hide_on_mobile=”no” center_content=”no” min_height=”none”][my introduction] is that it sounds so different and then it’s much easier to connect.”

You may be better off delaying the job-talk for as long as possible. Levy has his dinner guests spend the majority of the evening refraining from discussing any aspect of their occupation, and encourages Salon guests to do the same, so that they can get to know each other personally.

New Yorker writer and author Maria Konnikova found this endearing when she attended one of Levy’s dinners and Salons. “At the Salon, you’re just enjoying the evening and figuring out which people you actually like, regardless of whether they can be helpful to you,” she says.

5. Use the double opt-in system to introduce people to each other.

In keeping with being a “giver,” you should always be aware of which of your connections could be interested in meeting each other, and email is the easiest way to do so remotely.

Levy is comfortable connecting his closest friends through an email addressed to both of them, but he’ll use what Grant calls the “double opt-in” system for the busiest people in his network. If there’s a chance that the busier connection simply doesn’t have the time or desire to speak with the other person, a private email to both parties asking if they’d like to connect allows you to screen refusals without hurting anyone’s feelings.

And as Grant explains in an “Art of Charm” podcast, introduce people because you think they can add value to each other, not just because they happen to live in the same city.

6. Befriend gatekeepers.

You’ll find that many of the world’s busiest people have assistants taking care of their emails, phone calls, and schedules. If that’s the case, it’s in your best interest to be on cordial terms with them if you’re looking to connect with their boss.

“If you can make friends with [the gatekeepers], you will be on their schedule,” Levy says.

He says that once he’s met someone in person and gotten their personal contact information, he’ll first try them directly the next time he wants to reach out. And if they don’t respond, he’ll try again with their assistant looped in.

“There’s no ego involved,” he says. Don’t feel slighted if you have to go through an assistant even after you’ve met someone. Whatever works for their schedule will work for you.

7. Make cold calls.

To get in touch with influential people, you can’t be afraid of reaching out without precedent.

Levy recommends getting in touch with an executive sometime before 8 a.m. because it’s likely that they’re in their office but that their assistant isn’t. If you’re able to get access to their number, give them a call before their day becomes too hectic. There are databases like Who Represents that you can subscribe to that include the contact information of high-demand people and their gatekeepers.

And if you don’t want to use a database, you can try a free trick that Levy uses. Get just a single person’s email address from the company your target works for to determine the format (e.g. my email is rfeloni@businessinsider.com so it makes sense that my colleague Drake Baer’s email is dbaer@businessinsider.com). This sneaky tactic is actually how Levy recently got in touch with a Sony senior vice president.

Make sure, however, that if you’re reaching out you’ve actually got something of genuine value to share, as mentioned above.

8. Write emails that will get replies.

Sending an introductory email to someone is low-risk because the worst-case scenario is that your message gets tossed and your name forgotten. But you can significantly increase the chance that your email will get a reply if you follow these tips, Levy says:

  • Don’t be a salesman. “I don’t try to convince them of anything in my message,” Levy says. “It’s not, ‘Oh, I think it would be really good to do this because of X, Y, and Z.’ [It’s] ‘This is what I do… I think what you’re doing is fascinating, and I’d like to sit down with you and talk about what you’re up to.'”
  • Keep it as short as possible. You’ll want to have the recipient take a look at your message and be able to give an adequate response, even if it takes them 30 seconds on their smartphone. When Levy emails a high-demand person like a celebrity, he keeps his email down to a single sentence that cuts out any trace of filler. If he emails an executive, who make decisions based on available information, he’ll limit his message to three to five sentences and include some links they can click if they’d like to learn more about him and the Influencers.
  • Offer a clear next step. If your recipient is interested in you, let them know how you’d like to take things forward by asking a question or extending an invite they can email reply to.
  • Entice them with your subject lines. If you’re being referred by someone in their inner circle, mention their name in the subject. Levy likes the subject line “Quick Question” because it signals to the reader that they can open the email and remain on a path to a cleaner inbox.

9. Follow up.

Be sure to send a quick follow-up email either later in the day or the next day after meeting someone for coffee or lunch. It’s proper etiquette that will keep you from looking like you’re selfishly using the other person.

10. Organize your contacts.

If you’re looking to build a network on the scale of Levy’s, you could benefit from some simple organization.

Levy uses Google docs like a traditional phone book, but with contacts arranged by industry and ranked by the likelihood that they’ll do business together. He keeps separate lists for those in his Influencers community, potential members he’s reached out to, and those he’s interested in eventually connecting with.

jon levy

Levy gives a toast with his Salon guests.

11. Create a diverse network of givers.

Who should you be adding to your network in the first place? Generous people from a wide variety of industries, Levy says. Prioritize personality over perceived “usefulness.”

“It’s adding diversity to your network that truly helps it. The reason is, every time you add an additional person that’s in your industry, you’re not expanding your network very much because you all probably know the same people,” he says.

For example, Levy became friends with the founder of Wizard World Comicon, Gareb Shamus, someone completely unrelated to Levy’s industry. “Nobody would think that investing in that relationship makes any sense! He’s a wonderful guy, and one of the most generous people I’ve had the pleasure to know,” he says.

12. Stay away from drama.

“I’m in full support of providing value and helping people who are struggling, but I fundamentally will not allow my network to be exposed to people who are negative and have the potential to bring them down. It’s insidious, and it spreads through the network very quickly,” Levy says.

13. Don’t be afraid of making a fool of yourself.

If you’re serious about making a name for yourself, you’ll need to be willing to embarrass yourself in front of powerful people.

Speaking about himself, Levy says, “I think the only people who would probably embarrass themselves more over time are people who are far, far, far more successful. Like the [Richard] Bransons of the world.”

There are going to be times when you’re not going to appear as funny or impressive as you’d like, but as with anything else, you should make note of how your social interactions failed and improve the next time.

Levy actually plays with the way he tells stories and introduces himself either in person or over email to see how people react, and then adjusts accordingly.

14. Don’t impose yourself on others.

“One of the fundamental mistakes I made at the beginning was thinking that people enjoyed all the things I liked,” Levy says.

He would take an “older sibling” approach and try to get his introverted connections to behave like him, an extrovert. For example, if he tried to get a shy person to retell a story he enjoyed in front of a large crowd, he ended up putting that person into an incredibly uncomfortable situation.

Whether you’re introducing people or hosting them at an event, you should always be aware that it’s not your job to get people to behave a certain way.

15. Understand that not everyone will like you, and that’s OK.

“At a certain point, I realized that there’s a percentage of the population that no matter what you do or say, they’re just not going to like you, and it’s beyond your control,” Levy says.

“That doesn’t mean you shouldn’t work on yourself and develop yourself and learn to make people more comfortable, but at a certain point it’s like, what are you trying to accomplish?”

If it turns out that a coworker or even a childhood hero of yours doesn’t like your personality even when you’re at your best, then simply move on and spend time with someone else.

16. Have a topic prepared to start a conversation.

Everyone’s been in a situation where you’re stuck with a stranger and neither of you has anything to say. So instead of talking about the weather or your commute, says Levy, “I always have a story of something I’ve been doing recently or a book that I’ve been reading.”

“Otherwise I hate the ‘interview’ setting, which is what happens when it’s like, ‘So what do you do? I do this. What do you do?’ That’s sharing facts, not insights. It’s not connecting,” he says.

17. Tell a story that is clear and compelling.

When you tell a story, make sure it has a clear point and a punchline, whether it’s a takeaway or a joke. You should strive to be memorable when you’re meeting new people, and the best way to do so is through good storytelling.

18. End conversations gracefully.

“I used to be absolutely awful, really awkward, at ending conversations,” Levy says, laughing. “The last moments of a conversation will define how people remember you, so you want to get really good at a solid ending,” instead of being rudely (or strangely) abrupt.

Over the phone, wait for a lull in the conversation and then give an indication that you need to be excused for something else or are happy with how the conversation went. Tell them it was a pleasure speaking with them and that you’ll make sure to follow up on certain points.

In person, Levy says he always takes an extra beat to make eye contact with the person he’s finished speaking with so that it doesn’t seem as if he’s running away.

19. Keep meetings brief.

There’s no need to let an introductory meeting with a new connection last longer than 45 minutes, Levy says. And if you’re grabbing coffee or lunch, the ideal is probably a half hour.

“It’s better to leave the conversation having something to talk about and feeling like you need to connect again rather than feeling that the energy’s died,” Levy says.

20. Be open. People are ultimately unpredictable.

You can’t be uptight if you’re looking to become a great networker. Do what you can to connect with people who are interesting, and don’t waste time with those who don’t mesh with your personality.

“One of the fundamental issues that we face as people is we are acutely aware of the things we tell ourselves to be aware of and then are aware of virtually nothing else,” Levy says. “So we tend to overvalue specific people or experiences. And when you realize the diversity of exceptional human beings out there and opportunities and business deals and everything, you’re going to realize there are a lot more options than you’re giving credit to.”

Photographs courtesy of Rick Smolan, Influencers member, CEO of Against All Odds Productions, and author of “Inside Tracks: Robyn Davidson’s Solo Journey Across the Outback.”

 

Businessinsider.com |  January 27, 2015  |  

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