Don't feel left out! We've taken the very best of what we learned from this summer's Empowerment Tour and compiled into a handy eBook: The Career Coaches' Book of Wisdom: Tips from the Empowerment Tour . Download it today – it's free! – and let us know what you think. Enjoy!...
You’ve found a scholarship that looks right for you, you meet all of its requirements, and you’ve decided to throw your hat into the ring. Now there’s just one more little matter; that of writing a scholarship essay that will knock their socks off and ensure that when they write out that check it has your name on it. Nervous? You’re not alone – many people feel uncertain...
Follow the Clues to Discover Your Passion: Many people come for coaching and initially say they want to do something else with their life but they have no idea what they want to do. When I ask them to describe their passion, they are often at a loss and say they have been doing the same thing all of their life and don’t know what else is out there. I have found most people who have reached adulthood...
Q & A: I’m unemployed and new in town, what do you suggest? Obviously, you like a challenge. Since 90% to 95% of jobs come through networking, not through job sites, and you are new to the area, you need a network, fast. First, be clear what work you want, because you will need to be focused. Second, consider who needs to know about you? This is your target. These are the companies, associations...
The mind can do amazing things. It has been proven if one imagines doing a task successfully, i.e. hitting a golf ball, improving a serve in tennis, it has a significant impact on the results. Why not use this same technique when going on a job interview? Cynthia came to the coaching session hunched over, eyes looking down and speaking so softly I could hardly hear her. It was clear that she was lacking...
Susan has a goal of become a Human Resource Manager for a School District and is presently pursuing a Master's of Education Administration. She believes she would be good at this because she had experience substitute teaching and feels her understanding of what it takes to be a teacher, along with her organizational ability and experience taking on leadership opportunities in her church would help...
Alisha, after 3 semesters, has decided on a degree in music therapy, but her school doesn't have one. Should she transfer? Few students realize they can mix and match programs and customize their degrees. Here are your tools: 1. Interdisciplinary study 2. Independent study 3. Transferring credits 4. Exchange programs You can mix courses from other departments and other schools to create the degree...
I'm asked this question almost every day on the tour, "Is online really as good as going to school?" Long before the internet, the world had correspondence classes and schools. Students would buy books and receive assignments through the mail. (Not email, but the mail with stamps, envelopes, and carriers: your basic “snail mail”). Students returned their work for review and grading...
When Barry introduced himself to me, he described himself as unemployed. As we talked, I learned that to survive, he is generating income helping people with computer repair and setting up web sites. When I suggested that he was a Free Agent, in business for himself, I could see an immediate shift in his confidence. Even if the goal is to get a job in a corporation, the way we think and label ourselves...
This is the most common question people ask me when they learn that I'm touring the US coaching job seekers. As of July 8th., I've been to Denver, Dallas, New Orleans, Mobile, Pensacola, Tampa, Miami, Jacksonville, Atlanta and now Nashville. Up until a few days ago, I didn't have a single answer for this question. Everyone's life and circumstances is unique, how could there be one, big, common mistake...
As a college student or a recent graduate, you might already have served on school or community committees or even been appointed to a position on an organization’s board of directors. But have you ever thought about creating your own board of directors? It’s sort of like mentoring on steroids. The idea is similar to turning to a group of life coaches — people you respect and can...
Now that we are in the age of social media, it is easy for prospective employers to find out a full range of information about you. You want to come across as someone that is responsible and trustworthy, someone they would be proud to have on their team. On whatever network you are on, I recommend that you delete photos of yourself drinking, drunk or in any sort of compromising position, as well as...
In our fast paced, stress filled world, most job candidates don’t take the time to follow up with a thank you note. Receiving one can be a welcome surprise these days, particularly if it is hand written or typed on professional stationary. Here are some perspectives on the value of this form of follow-up: It demonstrates that you are conscious of etiquette It reinforces the fact that you are...
“Oh Susanna Oh don’t you cry for me. For I come from Alabama With my banjo on my knee” Lyrics written by Stephen Foster in 1847 Whenever I think about Alabama , I recall a man that I met years ago who wanted to prove to me that he was from Alabama ; he rolled up his pant leg to show me the tattoo of a banjo on his knee. Although we didn’t come across anyone playing the banjo...
Driving into New Orleans, one can't help but think about Katrina, recalling all of the pictures and stories of the flood, wondering what it must have felt like. Several years later, it is still part of the consciousness in most conversations: " I was going to school for my AA but since Katrina, I haven't continued.", " I am writing a book about my experience during Katrina and the stories...
A major element of the job search, is the opportunity to be rejected. It is likely to happen to most, if not all of us. Rejection can be incredibly powerful. It can stop you in your tracks, get you to give up on finding what you want and lose sight of what you have to offer. OR, it can be used to motivate you to keep at it, to continually get out there without giving up. It can motivate you to prove...
On my first radio spot of the morning, I chose to share this advice: stop talking about the past. How ironic, my next job seeker was a "past expert". As soon as Charlie was greeted by two young women, he starts talking about his past. He tells them that he has 40 years of experience driving trucks. He has driven trucks all over this country; he has driven every type of truck, and he knows...
Two days, two very different experiences. Monday we started out the day an interview on Good Morning Texas. The cameras caught site of myself and Michael coaching. Waiting in the "green" room we met a young man who was demonstrating a new fitness technique called body rolling: a series of progressive moves on a large exercise ball. It looked like fun! Turns out he grew up in the circus.....
Are you at a crossroad in your career where you want to or need to change and you have no clue how to go about it? A strategy that my clients have found useful is to have a detective mindset. Rather than focusing on the sales aspect, see yourself as Sherlock Holmes or Nancy Drew. Look for the clues that can lead you to the best match: First, look for the clues that might suggest a direction that would...
One of the best things you can do for yourself while unemployed is to volunteer at a non-profit. Yes that’s right, work for free. Here are seven reasons why: You can gain valuable leadership experience that expands your skills: marketing, membership drives, event planning, treasurer, etc. Board members and committee personnel often are well connected people. You get to work side-by-side and develop...
I had never traveled in an RV. Being someone who typically does not enjoy traveling by car, I was surprised by how much I enjoyed the experience. I think it had something to do with the interesting, congenial people on our crew. It already feels like a team, though since we are in an RV, perhaps more like a rock band. This was a long trip – 1000 miles in one day; leaving at 6AM , driving through...
Have you lost your job? Is the work you have been doing for years disappearing? Are you angry? sad? frightened? Perhaps you are at a loss of what to do next? This is normal. You may be feeling that a piece of your identity has been taken away. Once the initial shock is over, you may want to look at this time as an opportunity to have a fresh start, to reinvent yourself. Several of the people that I...
Skyline Park: a grassy knoll set among the tall buildings of downtown Denver. Wondering who would show up, what would happen, would we be able to make a difference. The day demonstrated that the changes happening in the world of work has an impact on the broad range of humanity: From the highly successful executives and professionals who have lost their jobs and wondering what to do next, to people...
Men and women can expect to hold more than 10 jobs over a lifetime, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. While it comes as no surprise that younger workers hold multiple, short-term jobs, workers of all ages are changing what it means to have—not one—but many—careers. Older workers are retiring from lifetime careers and starting new part- or full-time jobs. Mid-career individuals...
When many people think “internship” they think of a fresh-faced kid whose primary duties are bringing their boss coffee and manning the Xerox machine. What can get lost in that stereotype is that at its core an internship is supposed to be an educational experience, and not just that, but an important experience that bridges the gap between what one learns in school and how it's applied...
Career change is a tricky endeavor. And today’s job market doesn’t make it any easier. Whether you’re downshifting, ladder climbing, or looking to make a lateral leap, you’ll have your work cut out for you. But don’t get discouraged! Job experts confirm it’s never too late to reinvent your career. Countless, professional success stories prove that hard work leads...
Thinking of changing your career? Financial security is always an issue when beginning something new—and leaving something old. Before you make the change, consider financial issues other than your earned income. Retirement is probably the most important of all financial considerations. Are you vested with your current employer? Many employers offer a monetary match to the employee’s retirement...
One of the toughest parts about leaving a job is the sinking feeling that you have to “start over.” Like a losing Chutes and Ladders turn, you see yourself sliding back to square one – a new boss, a new set of colleagues, a new adjustment period. You worry that your resume is limited, that potential employers won’t recognize your abilities, that you’ll have to prove yourself...
Remember the Great Bye Week Fiasco of 2006? Your wife complained about the hours you spent scouring the waiver wire for a second running back, but she probably didn’t realize you were honing transferable business skills… It’s true! When it comes to job skills, most career-changers overlook their own hidden potential. They assume that strengths and abilities earned outside the office...
The Old Rules: Scouring online job boards is the most efficient use of your time. It’s not what you know, it’s who you know. Years of experience open doors. The resume is your most important tool. Old Rule New Realities 1. Online job boards are efficient. According to futurists, most professional careers will see a major overhaul within the next 5 years. Technological advancements combined...
A finely crafted resume used to be your best weapon in a job hunt. But in this overcrowded market, a great resume is not enough. Most of today’s jobs are being filled through referrals and internal recommendations. In fact, many openings never publically surface because employers don’t want to be flooded with applications. That means your stellar resume probably won’t see itself into...
Career advisors always talk about “networking,” but what exactly do they mean? Ah, networking – that business buzzword with the notoriously bad rap. Except for a few fearless extroverts, most people are less than thrilled by the suggestion. They have the false impression that networking involves a lot of glad-handing and bogus shoptalk, which understandably turns them off. But networking...
Career change is an emotional event. Whether you’re quitting your job or being let go, cleaning out your desk can be painfully reminiscent of a breakup scene. After all, you invest time, effort, and yes, heart, into your job – just as you’d invest yourself in a serious relationship. When a job ends, it’s common to feel hurt, discouraged, even lost. Fortunately, change can be...
