FUN – A PART OF YOUR JOB SEARCH STRATEGY

Most of the time, the strategy people use in getting a job is to go after what ever is advertised or available.

Strategy is important, and moving forward is important. However, consider adding a vital element in your job search strategy –FUN.

It is not against the rules to look for a job where you can have fun and enjoy your job. Fun comes in many sizes and shapes. A job you can enjoy is one of those. Ask yourself the following questions:

• When you think of jobs you have held, when did time fly by for you? That is one clue to finding the kind of  job that contains an element of fun.
  

• In jobs you have held, when did you feel exhilarated and full of joy? This is another clue to finding the the kind of job that is best for you.

• In jobs you have held, what tasks were you doing that made you feel strong? This is another clue to finding the kind of job that is best for you.

Fun is not just hobbies or after-work activities. Your job can be fun too!

Discover and find the job that is fun for you. Now, go after it with all your best efforts. Best to you in your job search.

Sandy Prock M.Ed, JCTC (ExpertResume.com)

Listening is a genuine asset in interviewing (and in life).

Are you one of the few people who really know how to listen? Great listeners naturally elicit good will and set the stage for collaboration. They set themselves apart. There has never been a more important time for you to stand out than now.

Good listeners know how to mine for the essential and important details in a conversation. They invite genuine communication, understanding and good will. People hire people they like.

The key to good listening and communication is curiosity and authentic interest. Show your interest with affirming behaviors and facial reactions. That comes naturally if you are authentic and you care. There is a side benefit to great listening; it reduces the stress of interviewing. If you focus on the company and learning how you can help them, you are focusing on something outside of yourself. Voila, you feel less stress, because you are thinking about something other than worrying if you get the job.

When appropriate, ask open-ended questions. Ask questions that relate to what the other person said. Engage in an ongoing conversation.

Dig for details in the interview. Important details give you more information about the job.  Then, tailor your follow-up letters and later interviews with specific information related back to the initial interview. When you tie in your expertise with what the company needs, you place yourself in a much better position to land the job, no matter what your age. Show the company and the interviewer precisely how you will fit in and benefit them. This promotes a genuine feeling of collaboration.

People hire people they like. Companies hire problem solvers and collaborators. Listening creates opportunities for great relationships. Listening and responding lead to connections that more easily lead to employment.

Be a great listener and help yourself cut through all the competition. We wish you the best in your career and job search.

Sandy Prock M.Ed JCTC (ExpertResume.com)

Keep Your Memory Sharp

From a recent article in the Harvard Medical Report, recent research finds that losing our memory is not a normal process of aging, but is “due to organic disorders, brain injury, or neurological illness.”

The good news is there are ways we can care for and hone our minds. Here are the 7 recommendations from Harvard Medical School:

1.     Keep learning. Learning fires up individual brain cells and enhances communication between the cells. Pursuing hobbies or engaging in learning something new stimulates brain cells. Volunteer at work or pursue something new and different you have not tried before. Keeping our brain healthy and our memories sharp is a lifelong process.

2.     Use all your senses.  Try guessing the ingredients in a new dish you tried at your favorite restaurant. Try creating something with your hands, like pottery or sculpting. Get creative.

3.     Believe in yourself.  Don’t believe the negative stereotypes about aging and memory. If you believe in yourself and your abilities, your mind will remain sharp.

4.     Economize your brain use. Save your mental energy for the important things. Use calendars; make lists, use maps and address books etc.

5.     Repeat what you want to remember. When you first hear someone’s name, use it immediately. This improves recall.

6.     Space it out. Repetition is a powerful learning tool and it is best to space out this learning too. Do not repeat something many times in a short period. Space it out. Research shows that spaced repetition improves recall.

7.     Make a mnemonic. This is a creative way to remember lists. Such as RICE for a Rest, Ice, Compression and Elevation for treating injured limbs.

It is great news to hear that we can build our memory muscles like any other muscle in our body.

Best to you,

Sandy Prock, M.Ed., JCTC (ExpertResume.com)

Tip on Using Social Media

February 3, 2010 tip from Harvard Business Review for managers is to allow, even encourage employees to check and use social media. The tip originated from “The Uber-Connected Organization: A Mandate for 2010” by Jeanne C. Meister and Karie Willyerd.

The Harvard Business Review states that studies show that time spent on Facebook and Twitter benefits companies. It improves productivity, and enhances decision-making and connectivity. Younger employees see this type of communication as a regular part of their life and are attracted to companies who allow this use of technology. Studies show that employees who take breaks to surf the Internet are more productive than employees who do not.

If you are older, check out these applications and learn something new. It will keep you connected and more up-to-date.

It is never too late to learn something new. Stay on top of what is current. At least understand what is important to younger employees.

If you are younger, you may want to check out companies that encourage the use of social media.  It shows that these companies are in touch with what is current and important to their employees - A good sign for you and any perspective employee.

Take your career into your hands and look for the best and most attractive workplace.

Sandy Prock M.Ed, JCTC (www.ExpertResume.com)

Good news – from a January 25, 2010 Harvard Business Review and the McKinsey Quarterly Report– Executives globally say they expect economic conditions to improve within the first six months of 2010.

That is good news for you. However, the best news is that when you prepare yourself and arm yourself with a great attitude, you will win in any market.

Preparation works because it eliminates fear. Fear is often the result of not knowing or understanding something. Understand your strengths, limitations and what kind of job you want and you are leagues ahead of most people. Fear is crippling. To release fear, reflect and decide what you want in your life. To release fear, gather the facts about your background and create a great resume and cover letter.  To release fear, take five deep breaths. This activates relaxation. To let go of fear do something you love.

When you are relaxed ideas flow. When ideas flow, you will naturally feel  you are back in the driver’s seat of your life.

Take advantage of the good news and be a part of the economic upturn.

Whether or not you decide to use our Resume Writing and Cover Letter Service put your best foot forward and land the job of your dreams.

Sandy Prock M.Ed, JCTC (ExpertResume.com)

Make 2010 Your Best Year Ever

For many people 2009 was a challenging year. Pessimists saw the economic changes as predictors of doom and gloom. Optimists rose to the occasion and saw the year as filled challenges and silver linings. Optimists lost jobs and then found the jobs of their dreams. The change in their employment situation ushered in something new and better.

Sometimes people don’t trust happy or optimistic people. That’s why it takes courage to be optimistic. However, the courage is more than worth it. It is heroic to be happy in your life.

Optimism and happy feelings like appreciation, awe/wonder, gratitude, inspiration, hope and amazement create positive responses in your body and contribute to longevity. What do you appreciate in your life? What creates feeling of gratitude for you? What inspires you and generates hope.

Bad things happen, and so do good things. Scientists discovered that we need a ratio of five positive experiences for every negative experience in our lives to create long lasting fulfillment and remain successfully intact.

No matter what your circumstances, you have the power to change the way you look at the situation. If the situation is impossible, you have the power to get out. You may say that you need to stay in the job to put food on the table. That may be true. Then look for work while you continue in your current position. This puts you in the driver’s seat of your life, giving you the power and creating an inner environment for happiness and optimism to bloom. With an optimistic attitude, you create an atmosphere for landing the job you want.

If you need a new job, think about what would be best for you. Make a list. Imagine the type of environment that would be best for you. Imagine what type of people you would like to work with in your new place of employment. What are your strengths? Where do you excel?

Look at what tasks bring you the greatest joy. Track your feelings and experiences and notice when you feel strong. What are you doing? Who is with you? This will tell you exactly what kind of job and environment you need to be your personal best.

May 2010 be your best year ever! It is up to you. Go for the job where you feel strong and become your personal best.

Sandy Prock M.Ed. JCTC (ExpertResume.com)

Why didn’t you land a second interview?

There are two ways to look at this question. One is that you did something wrong and the other is that you did something right. How could you do something right and not get called in for the interview? If you are honest and looking to find a good match, then maybe the job was not a good match for you. If you did not recognize that fact right away, the interviewer did.

If you want to just get a job, then yes, you did something wrong. The interviewer decided not to call you in for a second interview.

Which path do you want to take? Do you want to find a way to fit the mold? Or, do you want to find a place where you fit. Your answer to those questions can vary depending on your circumstances.

If you want to fit the mold, than you need to observe whom you are interviewing with and change your communication style, based on who they are. If you are talking to someone who is energetic, be energetic. If you are talking to someone who is controlling, be submissive. If you are talking to someone who is passive, be gentle. You get the idea. Find a way to fit the conversational style of the interviewer.

If you want to find a job that is a good match for you, then yes, you still need to observe the environment and your interviewer. However, you should observe and follow the interviewer, not so much to fit their mold, but to create the best atmosphere for the most productive conversation. Yes, when you follow the conversational style of the interviewer, you are creating a congenial atmosphere. You are gaining insight into the job. You are deciding if the job is a match for you. You help to create cohesion during the dicussion. You make the decision as to whether or not you want the job.

Of course, there are no guarantees. People have their personal likes and dislikes. Just like in dating, there is chemistry and mystery. There is the unexplainable. So don’t beat yourself up if you didn’t get the second interview or the job. Move on. There is the perfect job waiting for you. Go get it.

Reflect on your interview. If you made a mistake, no problem, learn from it and you will do better next time. Or, just accept the fact that the job was not for you and the door closed for a reason and maybe a very good reason. Count your blessings and knock on the next door. Some doors close for good reasons.

Cheers to you in your job search,

Sandy Prock M.Ed (ExpertResume.com)

Your New Year’s resolution: Are you ready for change?

If you fear change, or feel frustrated, join the crowd. Change can be scary and frustrating; however, it doesn't have to be. How can you successfully manage change, particularly a job change?

Be prepared and start with evaluating what you want.

There is a great movie called "Up in the Air" with George Clooney. After the George Clooney character fires a businessman, he asks him, When did you first let go of your dream of cooking."

Have you let go of your dream? Do you have a dream? What do you really want to do?

Start by asking yourself what you really want. Maybe you just want a job rather than a dream vocation at this point. That’s OK. Is there anything else you want and why? If you are clear on what you want, start to build a stronger set of goals and these goals will build a stronger presence within yourself.

Positive energy attracts positive responses. Positive energy is not just thinking positive thoughts, it is also clarity of thinking. Clarity comes from understanding exactly what you want and why. When you know what you want and why,  wishy-washy thinking evaporates. Wishy-washy thinking steals your energy, and vitality. Wishy-washy thinking steals your thunder and drains your potency for goal setting.

Clarity is strength. What do you most value? In the movie "Up in the Air" the man who left behind his cooking dream for a position that paid more money said he valued what his children thought of him. George Clooney’s character asked him why he thought kids adored athletes. He said kids love them because they follow their dreams.

Follow your dreams, whatever they are and you will build your self-esteem. If you do not know what you want, take some time to sit and talk with someone you trust or take some time for yourself to sit and think.

I just read some advice from a six year-old. Someone asked him what he does when he gets frustrated. He said something on the order of - I sit, breathe and think. That is great advice.

Follow your dream whatever it is and have your best year ever.

Sandy Prock M.Ed. (ExpertResume.com)

Do you really need a cover letter?

That depends if you really want to get the job. Sure, occasionally you could get a job without a cover letter. And possibly, on a rare occasion, you could even get a job without a resume. However, a cover letter and resume do more than get you a job. Your resume and cover letter are constantly selling you, or at least they should be.

Advertisers know that when you read advertising copy and the copy pre-sells you, you are not only a happier customer, you are a happier buyer during the process and after you buy the product. The same principle applies for you in your job search. If your potential employer is sold on you before you even walk in the door, just imagine how much easier your interview will be.

With your potential employer pre-sold, think about how much better your position is for negotiating all aspects of your job, including salary.

A resume and cover letter has a big job to do. It represents you and must sell you during every step of the process. Why cheat yourself out of your best potential to get just what you want.

A resume and cover letter and all the other written documents you need for your job search are not just fluff, they are essential and important tools that must not only present your qualifications, they must sell you and catch the attention of potential employers.

Invest in yourself. Make sure your documents represent you well and give you the best opportunity to negotiate the new job and salary you want.

Best to you in your job search

Sandy Prock (ExpertResume.com)

Secrets to Happiness and a Successful Job Search

You can you be happy while you are looking for a new job!

“As a man thinketh in his heart, so is he” turns out to be a physical reality, in our brains. How we think can change the neural pathways in our brain and change our happiness set point.

·         Thinking about an event that you feel good about for fifteen seconds creates new neural pathways in your brain.

·         Age is not a factor. You can change even your most entrenched behaviors at any age. An old dog can learn new tricks.

Norman Vincent Peale was right. There is a power of positive thinking. It is the power to change your mind, change your life and increase your happiness set point. How cool is that.

·         In this competitive job market, your attitude plays an important role in the selection process.

·         If you want to stand out from the ground, think positive, remember yours accomplishments and your strengths. Let your light shine. Focus on your successes, making sure they are a part of your resume.

·         Be the captain of your ship. Land your dream job. Be happy in the process, no matter what.

You may be saying to yourself, yes but you don’t understand “my” life. Yes, sometimes-bad things happen to good people. Maybe that’s your experience right now, but your experience can change quickly.

If you want to work to change your happiness set point, here is an overview from some tips I heard  Dr. Rick Hanson (neuropsychologist) mention in an interview:

·         Think of times when you were happy (for at least fifteen seconds.)

·         Think about your accomplishments big and small. Relish your good memories (for at least fifteen seconds).

·         Be present for your good experiences and savor them (for at least fifteen seconds).

·         Remembering the heartening moments in your life creates new neural pathways, resetting your happiness set point.

Change your mind, change your thoughts, remember the good times, and change your life. Focus on your successes. Then take action every day and create the life of your dreams.

Best to you in your career development,

Sandy Prock M.Ed (ExpertResume.com)