If you are looking for work, you need to be sure about the kind of job you want. This is key to success. The clearer you are about what you really want; the more chance you have of making a good decision. Follow the link for ideas to help you make the right choice http://www.lifecoach-directory.org.uk/lifecoach-articles/looking-for-work-some-things-to-consider
Authenticity, Advantages and AwarenessTo do well in managing your career, and in job search, it helps if you keep in mind the three “As”; authenticity, advantages and awareness.
In any job search or work situation you are more likely to succeed if you can be authentic, understand and use the advantages you bring to a situation and know how to make others aware of those advantages.
Authenticity means knowing and showing who you are and your values. It depends on knowing what you want to achieve in life and to what you are committed. Spend time to be clear about
what you care about most and accept the implications of putting that at the centre of what you do and how you behave. Authenticity at a job interview means that your answers ring true and you are much more likely to form a constructive relationship with panel members.
Understanding what you are good at, your advantages, allows you to contribute fully in whatever you are doing. Hone your skills. Learn to be good enough at what is essential but be proud to excel at those things you do well. Accept that others are good at different things. If you are confident in your own abilities, you can accept what they have to offer. If you are job searching, be clear about the real advantages you would bring to any new job opportunity and how you will contribute to the team.
Look for opportunities to let the people who matter know what you have to give. Their awareness means you should be given the chance to use your gifts. How sad it would be to have them but not be able to use them. If you are job searching, think about getting your name out there by showing expertise through writing articles, speaking at meetings of your professional association or, perhaps, doing some voluntary work.
I wish all those starting out on or a continuing a job search this week every success.
Warm regards
Wendy
wendymason@wisewolfcoaching.com
http://wisewolfcoaching.com
UK: +44 (0) 2081239146
US: +1 262 317 9016
Mobile: +44 (0) 7867681439 IM: wendymason14 (Skype)
Let us take as read that employers expect to be asked to give a reference.
Don’t feel diffident about asking others who can vouch for your work or your character. People usually feel flattered to be asked.
Don’t give their names until they have agreed. Then let them know each time you mention them. Tell them a little about the vacancy and why you think you are a good fit. Make it easy for them to help you.
Don’t feel offended if they say no. Perhaps they just feel they don’t know you well enough.
Beware the Interview Bully!As a career coach, I hear all kinds of stories about the whims, fancies and bad behaviour of employers/managers. Often, the lack of imagination or self-interest exhibited appalls me. Why having taken the trouble to seek out a good employee, would you not want to manage them in a way that allows them to give their best?
Unfortunately, employers/managers can be as troubled as the rest of us by lack of confidence or self-esteem and the need to prove our power at the expense of others.
Often, people find themselves working for a poor boss in a job they otherwise love that pays well. And advising them is one of the greatest challenges I face as a coach. Leaving a good, well-paid, job to face unemployment isn’t the first choice for anyone.
I do think, though, you should think carefully about taking a job for an employer when it has been clear at the interview that there are may be problems.
Some potential bosses behave so badly during the interview that I don’t understand why more candidates don’t walk out there and then.
I hear a lot of stories about interviewers performing dubiously. The interviewer who doesn’t listen to your answers, may be the least of the challenges. Questions can verge on the edge of illegal discrimination, sometimes crossing the line. I have had heard reports of questioning so insistent and aggressive, it amounted to bullying.
In my view, in those circumstances, not only don’t you take the job, it is reasonable to quit the interview at that point.
I understand that people may be desperate to find work. But a potential employer, who behaves badly at an interview, is unlikely to turn into a good boss once you start the job. Think carefully before you decide the package is so attractive, you will take a chance you may live to regret bitterly.
You might want to see also my post on the jealous boss at this link
I wish all those starting out on or a continuing a job search this week every success.
If you are thinking about coaching, and we coaches really can add value to your job search, I would love to talk to you.
Warm regards
Wendy
wendymason@wisewolfcoaching.com
http://wisewolfcoaching.com
UK: +44 (0) 2081239146
US: +1 262 317 9016
Mobile: +44 (0) 7867681439 IM: wendymason14 (Skype)
Below is a link to a very useful post for the job seeker from Jennnifer L. Beightley, MNM, CFRE which appeared yesterday on LinkedIn
… I want you to think about why a company would be asking for your salary history. They do this for two reasons, that I can tell. First, they want to use your salary history as a way to weed you out if you are asking far above what they are willing to pay, thinking that you overvalue yourself, or they want to weed you out if you are asking far below what they are willing to pay, thinking that you undervalue yourself and therefore are probably not up to snuff. Second, if you are close enough, and they like you, and you get to the offer stage, they will base the offer they will make to you on your previous salary.
So what is the problem with this?…”
Find Jennifer’s answer at this link; http://www.linkedin.com/pulse/article/20141006135152-41404808-should-you-reveal-your-salary-history
Treat your CV/Resume as a living document. Don’t let its usefulness whither with neglect.
Even when you are in work, review your CV regularly. Take pride in what it says and bring it up to-date with new achievements. Take time to read it again for possible improvements.
Do the same for you LinkedIn profile – you never know when a headhunter might spot you for that special opportunity.
The time you invest won’t be wasted – you will find there is always an improvement to be made.
The Job Interviewer’s PerspectiveI’ve spent a fair amount of time being interviewed but I’ve spent a lot more time on the other side of the table. As a civil servant I sat on old style promotion boards for very large departments. Sometimes that meant two and, occasionally, three weeks interviewing from nine in the morning until 5.30 at night. More recently, I’ve also done my fair share of recruitment interviewing and interviewing people on promotion to particular jobs. The experience has been enlightening.
I’ve learned for example that it isn’t only the candidates who need to prepare for the interview. Of course, like candidates, not all interviewers do prepare. But it wise to do so if you and your organization are likely to suffer the consequences of a poor decision.
I didn’t expect so many interviewers to suffer from performance nerves before the interviews. Most interviewers are concerned to do a good a job and no one wants to look incompetent to candidates or fellow interviewers.
There is a unique internal dynamic to each interviewing panel. If the panel, and the candidates, are lucky there is an experienced panel chair who knows how to get the interviewers working together as a team. Chairing a panel requires leadership and management skills. Sadly, of course, many panels don’t have the benefit of good leadership. Individual panel members come to the interview with their own perspective on what is required. Good leadership means achieving a common view. It is almost inevitable though that there will be some differences of opinion.
So, now, there you sit, having had a discussion with your fellow interviewers about the competencies required for this role and how you will test them. In comes the first candidate and you get to work. What is it that marks someone out as special?
Well, if you ask the right questions, you’ll have the facts you need about competence. But there is something else. What you remember afterwards are the candidates who engaged with you and showed a real interest in the work and the organization. And, of course, they had done their homework. If you are serious about being good interviewer, you prepare for the interview, so, naturally, you expect the candidates to show that they have done the same.
I wish all those starting out on or a continuing a job search this week every success.
If you are thinking about coaching, and we coaches really can add value to your job search, I would love to talk to you.
Warm regards
Wendy
wendymason@wisewolfcoaching.com
http://wisewolfcoaching.com
UK: +44 (0) 2081239146
US: +1 262 317 9016
Mobile: +44 (0) 7867681439 IM: wendymason14 (Skype)
Do you know a job seeker? Would you like to help them?This is a request for your help!
First, here is an extract from the introduction to my new job search pocket book. It is more of a work book really!
“So what is it that marks out the successful job seeker?
Successful job hunting today takes commitment, confidence, flexibility, resilience and technique. And you’ll find tips on all those things in what follows.
Commitment
You’ll need to commit time and energy to your job search. Many successful job seekers spend 36 to 40 hours a week looking for work. Sounds just like work doesn’t it? But keeping a regular routine and having structure pays great dividends.
Confidence
If you are not already a very confident person, or the experience that brings you here has knocked your confidence, the work we will do to help you understand and appreciate your past successes can help you to feel confident again.
Flexibility
Being willing to adapt and to accept change opens up all kinds of possibilities. This is certainly easier with more confidence. You’ll explore flexibly meeting the needs of a potential employer in the pages that follow.
Resilience
Resilience, like confidence, is something you may have to work hard at. Finding work may take longer than you expect and you will probably have to bounce back from some knocks on the way. You will be in good company, though. Lots of good people have suffered the same kind of knocks only to bounce back and be very successful at their next attempt, or the one after that.
Technique
If you have been out of the job market for a while, there will be new techniques to learn and some you need to refresh. From writing a modern CV to wowing them at the interview, all the tips are here.”
The little book I’ve produced is based mainly on the experience of my successful coaching clients.
I believe working through it really can make a difference for any job seeker. It is concise, practical and very inexpensive. That means that neither I, nor my publisher, have a huge budget to spend on publicity. So, I’m relying on you, dear readers, to pass the message onto anyone you know who is looking for work and could benefit from some useful tips.
You can find “The WiseWolf Job Search Pocket Book: How to Win Jobs and Influence Recruiters” on my Amazon page at this link; http://ow.ly/BRSAL . You can find out more about it on the publisher’s website http://bluebirdhousebooks.com .
Thank you for your support.
I wish all those starting out on or a continuing a job search this week every success.
If you are thinking about coaching, and we coaches really can add value to your job search, I would love to talk to you.
Warm regards
Wendy
wendymason@wisewolfcoaching.com
http://wisewolfcoaching.com
UK: +44 (0) 2081239146
US: +1 262 317 9016
Mobile: +44 (0) 7867681439 IM: wendymason14 (Skype)
Dealing With Conflicting Priorities When Job SearchingWhen working with clients looking for a role. I usually ask them to work out a basic budget which covers how much money they would need to feed and house themselves and those who depend upon them. I ask them then to consider what resources and options are available to them to meet their financial commitments. Is there enough? If not, then earning more money quickly becomes the top priority. This might mean taking a part time or interim role in the short-term while they work on their career aspirations outside work.
But these conditions do not provide the optimum for successful job search.
Looking for work is best treated as a full-time occupation. And it needs to be at the top of your agenda. Sometimes even for those with enough financial resources can find this a challenge. While friends and family accept the priority you give to your job when you are in work, they are less likely to accept that you have the same level of commitment to looking for a job.
“Why can’t you come along to support my charity event now you are at home all day?”
But if you want to have the best chance of finding that special new job that is just right for you, or even one close to it, taking time out to please friends and family may not be your best choice.
If you do have to compromise make sure it is for the very best of reasons. Yes, that does include your kids’ sports’ day. But recognise that anything less than top billing for your job search gives you a lesser chance of successful job search.
I wish all those starting out on or a continuing a job search this week every success.
If you are thinking about coaching, and we coaches really can add value to your job search, I would love to talk to you.
Warm regards
Wendy
wendymason@wisewolfcoaching.com
http://wisewolfcoaching.com
UK: +44 (0) 2081239146
US: +1 262 317 9016
Mobile: +44 (0) 7867681439 IM: wendymason14 (Skype)
Pre-order “The WiseWolf Job Search Pocket Book: How to Win Jobs and Influence Recruiters” from my Amazon page at this link http://www.amazon.co.uk/Wendy-Mason/e/B00BEV22L4/ref=ntt_athr_dp_pel_1
I find the beginning of September is a great time to take stock, look over what has happened so far in both calendar and financial years, and commit to a fresh start.
Here we are at the beginning of the academic term, when most organizations go back up to full power having got over the holiday break period.
This is a great time to get out those objectives you signed up to a while ago and see whether they are still relevant. How about writing some new ones?
It is also a great time to review your continuing profession development plan or your personal development plan. If you don’t have either yet, now is the time to set them up. There is still time to sign up for many part-time and evening courses at further education colleges. How about setting up a reading list of books to read between now and the end of the calendar year?
If you looking for work or thinking about some kind of career change, now is the time to get organized and commit to the work you will need to do. Your networking contacts are likely to around now with some slots still vacant in their diaries.
If you have been looking for work for a while now, perhaps it is time to take stock and see if there is something you should consider doing differently. Look at our group posts over the last few months – is there something useful to you?
I wish all those starting out on or a continuing a job search this week every success.
If you are thinking about coaching, and we coaches really can add value to your job search, I would love to talk to you.
Warm regards
Wendy
wendymason@wisewolfcoaching.com
http://wisewolfcoaching.com
UK: +44 (0) 2081239146
US: +1 262 317 9016
Mobile: +44 (0) 7867681439 IM: wendymason14 (Skype)
Pre-order “The WiseWolf Job Search Pocket Book: How to Win Jobs and Influence Recruiters” from my Amazon page at this linkhttp://www.amazon.co.uk/Wendy-Mason/e/B00BEV22L4/ref=ntt_athr_dp_pel_1
Wisewolf Talking - Leadership and Change 