Job Search Tips

Reasons to Customize Your Resume

2012-01-24T09:28:00.001-05:00

Phil Rosenberg at ReCareered holds weekly free workshops and shares tips on resume building such as:

"Some of the reasons why individual resume customization rewards your job search:

1. Employers search resumes differently than we search Google: When you and I search Google, we search 1 or 2 criteria (3 – 4 if it’s a really detailed search) and we don’t mind that we get millions of possible matches. Most employers only want 50 matches, so recruiters/HR reps search for 7 – 10 criteria.

2. Stuck in the database: Even the most qualified candidates get stuck in the database if they don’t match employer search criteria.

3. ATS’ match exact words: ATS’ aren’t built to match different words with the same meaning.

4. ATS’ don’t keyword search cover letters: Executives from the top 10 ATS companies revealed that their clients install ATS’ to only keyword search one document – the resume. If you use a cover letter to show how your experience makes you the perfect candidate … you’re demonstrating it on the wrong document."

Read more here and sign up for his ezine tips and/or one of his free workshops

To your job search success

Fran
p.s. Need help with your job search? Click here

What IS Your Objective?

2012-01-13T17:01:00.000-05:00

How to write an objective for resume

When you are crafting your resume, you need to know how to write an objective for the resume. An objective is basically what you are hoping to achieve in the job or career field that you want to get into. It says why you got into this field, why you are so passionate about it, and what you can do for the company or the career area. It isn't "I want to work for your company so that I can develop my skills." What that says is that once I do this, I'm going to move on.

Some people feel like there is no need to include an objective on your resume. However, it can be helpful in showing your passion for your career field and can let a potential employer know why you are passionate about the job in the first place. Either way, knowing how to write an objective for your resume is a very important part of the job seeking process.

The first part you should know about in learning how to write an objective for a resume is that you must use words that are always positive but not too flowery. Speak from your heart and avoid using any euphemisms of any kind and be sure that your objective sounds very professional. "I would like to use the skills I have developed in ... to make a difference."

On the other hand, if you are switching careers, your objective statement should say why you wanted to get into another field and what makes you so excited to do so. You should state what you are hoping to accomplish in this new career and why you know you can accomplish it! "I am seeking a change in career and am looking to start at an entry level position."

When writing your objective statement, you should be brief. This is a sentence or two about why you want a job in this career field. It should show a potential employer why he or she should hire you even if you do not have a lot of experience in the field you are applying for.

Knowing how to write an objective for a resume is an important part of “putting your best foot forward” so that the person who is reading your resume wants to read the rest of it. It is kind of like when you begin a new novel. The first line is so important – it has to hook the reader and make them want to read on. The same applies to your objective statement on your resume. You should make your potential employer want to read more about you based on your objective statement.

Good luck in your job search

Fran

P.S. Need a little help? Click here

Job Search Survival Kit

2012-01-04T23:53:00.000-05:00

Today, I am giving you a

DAILY SURVIVAL KIT

to help you each day............

Toothpick ... to remind you to pick the good qualities in everyone, including yourself.

Rubber band ... to remind you to be flexible. Things might not always go the way you want, but it can be worked out.

Band-Aid ... to remind you to heal hurt feelings, either yours or someone else's.

Eraser ... to remind you everyone makes mistakes. That's okay, we learn by our errors.

Candy Kiss ... to remind you everyone needs a hug or a compliment everyday.

Mint ... to remind you that you are worth a mint to your family & Me.

Bubble Gum ... to remind you to stick with it and you can accomplish anything.

Pencil ... to remind you to list your blessings every day.

Tea Bag ... to remind you to take time to relax daily and go over that list of God's blessings.

This is what makes life worth living every minute, every day

Wishing you love, gratitude, friends to cherish, caring, sharing, laughter, music, and warm feelings in your heart in the
2012 year.

Fran Watson
www.franwatson.ca

Are You Unemployed?

2012-01-02T14:25:00.000-05:00

Job Search Tips

If you’re not sure what to do, here’s a list that might help.

1. Know thyself.

Identify what really interest and excites you. Understand that these traits define you and use it to explore career choices and opportunities.

2. Take a career assessment test.

There are a lot of career assessment tests available online. Find the time to take one. The test gives you a lot of insights about your core competencies and work preferences.

3. Ask others.

It’s actually quite difficult to see yourself as others do. It would be to your advantage to ask friends and family on your traits and skills. Your co-workers are also a good source of information. Knowing how they perceive you, what they like and don’t like about you and what skills or traits need to be changed can be helpful in determining your professional profile.

4. What moves you?

Would you be more interested in status or a six figure salary? Do you want to make a difference in your community and the world or just on your company’s net worth?

5. Take charge.

In the ‘80s, when you worked for a large company, you usually could conclude that you would be working there for your entire career. In those days, the corporation drove your career path, advancing as it saw fit.

At the turn of the century, times have changed. In the span of your career, you would probably work for at least five companies. In most cases, you will probably work for more than five. Know which career track you desire, and make sure that track brings you to where you wish to go.

6. Determine the company fit.

With the current emphasis on streamlined and productivity-focused companies, the cultural and company fit are just as important as the professional goals. Consider the values and principles of the company and compare them with your own. It is important that you feel comfortable and fit in with company.

7. Free your mind.

The career path you choose is about change and more change. It includes expansion and new opportunities. All of these changes require a desire to journey and discover.

8. Balance is the key.

A huge amount of time is devoted to your career when you are in your 20s and 30s. When you reach your 40s, your personal life might take precedence and maybe more important to you. Find a corporation that will provide you with a balance in your work and your life.

9. Don’t hang around.

If you’re not satisfied with the way your career is going, go do something. Always be in control of your career path to have a satisfying career.

Good luck in your job search

Fran Watson

Looking For Work?

2011-11-15T13:31:00.000-05:00

Why can’t I find work?

The first question to ask yourself is, “where am I looking?” If the newspaper is your only source, you are cheating yourself of some great opportunities. If you are searching on the internet, you are also short-changing yourself. Many companies do not use either of these methods for hiring; they use networking techniques. You have heard people say, “It’s who you know,” and this is true.

Think about it for a minute. Which would you choose, a complete stranger or a person referred by one of your employees or friends? If you had a choice between placing a job ad that costs $100 - $200 or paying an employee a bonus of $50 for a referral, which would you choose? It makes economic sense for employers to use networking, and it makes good sense for you to do it too.

How do you network? To start off you make a list of everyone that you know, even slightly – your barber/hairdresser, the bank teller, the cashier at the grocery store, your next-door neighbour. Keep writing until you can’t think of anyone else. Then look at your list again and try to figure out where each person works and what kind of information they could provide you with. These are probably not the people who will be hiring you, but they may be the link to the person who will.

Have you let everyone know that you are looking for work and the type of work you are looking for? Or do you just say you are looking for “anything.” People need to know more facts than that. Will you really do “anything” or are there some limits on what you are willing to do. Take some time to write down a short summary of your skills and experience and what you are looking for. Use this when contacting employers.

Is your resume up to date? Does it have all your skills and experience on it? Is it targeted for the specific work area you are looking for, or is it so general that people have to try to guess what it is you are applying for? Do you have extra copies that you can give to the people in your network? Or are you waiting until that perfect job appears before you write it up? You should always have a current resume ready as you never know when that perfect opportunity will arise.

to your job search success

Fran
P.S. Are you videotaping your interview practice? It's a good idea to see how you look to an employer. Click here to learn more

Action Plan

2011-11-12T10:39:00.000-05:00

WHAT IS ACTION PLANNING?

Action planning is a process which will help you to focus your ideas and to decide what steps you need to take to achieve particular goals that you may have. It is a statement on paper of what you want to achieve over a given period of time. Preparing an action plan is a good way to help you to reach your objectives in life.

An effective action plan should give you a concrete timetable and set of clearly defined steps to help you to reach your objective, rather than aimlessly wondering what to do next. It helps you to focus your ideas and provides you with an answer to the question ‘‘What do I do to achieve my objective?’’.

It’s OK to have several objectives, but you will need to make a separate action plan for each, otherwise things get confused.

Although here we are applying the techniques to careers, an action plan can be used effectively to help you to reach your goals in many aspects of your life, for example: to pass your driving test.

The following are all valid goals for an action plan:
 To get more involved in a student society to get to know more people.

 Deciding what skills I need to improve and deciding how I will improve them.

 To investigate the different tools available to help me to choose a career, such as computer-aided careers guidance.

When action planning in a careers sense there are likely to be three main areas in which you want to develop action plans. These are:

* Choosing the career you wish to enter.

* Working out a strategy to help you enter this career e.g. application and interviews.

* Developing skills that you need to acquire to allow you to enter the career of your choice and to be successful in it.

It's time to take action for your career. If you need help, click here

To your job search success

Fran

P.S. If you need someone to help you through the job process, click here

Interviews

2011-11-10T10:38:00.000-05:00

Common Job Interview Questions

By rehearsing interview questions, you'll become more familiar with your own qualifications and will be well prepared to demonstrate how you can benefit an employer. Some examples:

"Tell me about yourself."
Make a short, organized statement of your education and professional achievements and professional goals. Then, briefly describe your qualifications for the job and the contributions you could make to the organization.

"Why do you want to work here?" or "What about our company interests you?"
Few questions are more important than these, so it is important to answer them clearly and with enthusiasm. Show the interviewer your interest in the company. Share what you learned about the job, the company and the industry through your own research. Talk about how your professional skills will benefit the company. Unless you work in sales, your answer should never be simply: "money." The interviewer will wonder if you really care about the job.

"Why did you leave your last job?"
The interviewer may want to know if you had any problems on your last job. If you did not have any problems, simply give a reason, such as: relocated away from job; company went out of business; laid off; temporary job; no possibility of advancement; wanted a job better suited to your skills. If you did have problems, be honest. Show that you can accept responsibility and learn from your mistakes. You should explain any problems you had (or still have) with an employer, but don't describe that employer in negative terms. Demonstrate that it was a learning experience that will not affect your future work.

"What are your best skills?"
If you have sufficiently researched the organization, you should be able to imagine what skills the company values. List them, then give examples where you have demonstrated these skills.

"What is your major weakness?"
Be positive; turn a weakness into a strength. For example, you might say: "I often worry too much over my work. Sometimes I work late to make sure the job is done well."

"Do you prefer to work by yourself or with others?"
The ideal answer is one of flexibility. However, be honest. Give examples describing how you have worked in both situations.

"What are your career goals?" or "What are your future plans?"
The interviewer wants to know if your plans and the company's goals are compatible. Let him know that you are ambitious enough to plan ahead. Talk about your desire to learn more and improve your performance, and be specific as possible about how you will meet the goals you have set for yourself.

"What are your hobbies?" and "Do you play any sports?"
The interviewer may be looking for evidence of your job skills outside of your professional experience. For example, hobbies such as chess or bridge demonstrate analytical skills. Reading, music, and painting are creative hobbies. Individual sports show determination and stamina, while group sport activities may indicate you are comfortable working as part of a team. Also, the interviewer might simply be curious as to whether you have a life outside of work. Employees who have creative or athletic outlets for their stress are often healthier, happier and more productive.

"What salary are you expecting?"
You probably don't want to answer this one directly. Instead, deflect the question back to the interviewer by saying something like: "I don't know. What are you planning on paying the best candidate?" Let the employer make the first offer. However, it is still important to know what the current salary range is for the profession. Find salary surveys at the library or on the Internet, and check the classifieds to see what comparable jobs in your area are paying. This information can help you negotiate compensation once the employer makes an offer.

"What have I forgotten to ask?"
Use this as a chance to summarize your good characteristics and attributes and how they may be used to benefit the organization. Convince the interviewer that you understand the job requirements and that you can succeed.

Good luck in your job hunt

Fran

P.S. For more information or assistance, click here

Transferable Skills

2011-11-07T11:30:00.000-05:00

Identifying your skills and getting that job

When applying for a job, it is important that you identify your strengths and weaknesses and get prepared to address them. By knowing your advantages, the chances of getting the job that you want will become easier. But you should not get too confident since this is one of the common mistakes that plague job applicants. Appearing too confident or as somewhat of a "know-it-all" will only get you labeled by your interviewer as unfit for the job.

Identifying your skills

First thing's first. You should identify your skills. You should be able to articulate your abilities and expertise. Many people have a hard time telling their skills and abilities as this may seem to be bragging, or "blowing your own horn". But you should not be shy or afraid to discuss your skills. In fact, it is important that you are able to convey to your potential employer exactly what your talents are. You need to be able to sell your abilities to an employer. That is how you will get the job that you want.

It is important that you don't appear arrogant or condescending but you should also avoid selling yourself short. If the interviewer asks you about your strengths or what separates you from the other applicants, you should be able to readily give a good answer. But before you even get to the interview part, your resume should highlight your skills and talents for your prospective employer to see.

Type of skills

There are two main types of skills, hard skills and soft skills. Hard skills are tangible in the sense that these are things that you do such as: knowing how to operate different kinds of machinery, knowledge of a specialized computer program, ability to type quickly, skills on using many types of tools, credentials regarding special crafts, etc. Soft skills are skills that are rather abstract in nature like personal qualities. This may include: communication or interpersonal skills, being a good team player, having the ability to work on your own, being enthusiastic or organized and decisive.

The steps to follow

1. Begin by making a list of your previous jobs and experience acquired

Make a list of all the companies that you worked for and the things that you learned from these jobs. There will be a lot of things to list and you should be careful enough not to forget even the smallest things or activities that you were part of or organized. Often we forget skills because they are so muh a part of us that we do them without thinking. Take some time to itemize all the things you do in a day or a week. It is also a good idea to list the volunteer activities that you participated in.

2. Include a list of your hobbies

Although it might sound trivial at first, it is also very helpful to list some of your hobbies. There are a lot of abilities that your prospective employer may get from your hobby list and it will also give them an idea of your personality.

For example, if you were part of the school's debating team, then your employer may deduce that you have good analytical skills. If you were a champion chess player, then your employer will have the impression that you are good at making critical decisions. Think of your daily routine and the things that you do and often take for granted. Are you an organized person who always keeps your things in proper order? Are you an extrovert that can easily make friends in a matter of minutes? These may seem ordinary to normal things to you, but your future boss might think otherwise.

3. Deciding what career you want

After listing all your skills and all the things that you do well, you may now decide what field or career you want to take a crack at. Select the skills contained from your list and partner it with the employment you are seeking. Always take time to consider if your skills are relevant to the job that you are aspiring for. Don't worry if you have to cut out some of the skills from your list. It is important to focus on skills that the prospective employer will probably value.

4. Stand by what you write

You should be realistic about your skills and the level of expertise that you have with it. For example, if you indicate that you are a very organized person, then you should be able to show this to the interviewer by being able to organize your thoughts and effectively use the time that was given for your interview.

If you have someone prepare your resume for you, it is important that you be comfortable with what it says. Don't be pressured into putting skills on your resume that you are not confident about. The employer will be able to "read" your unease from your body language. Make sure that you have a "story" or example for each item of strength you list in your highlights.

It is important to know your skills every time you are job hunting. Always put your best foot forward and good luck!

Fran Watson

P.S. If you would like some help with your resume or job search, contact me

Job Applications

2011-11-03T18:17:00.000-05:00

Should You Apply for Non-Advertised Jobs?

Are you in search of a new job? If you are and if you are like most job seekers, there is a good chance that you would turn to the internet, namely job posting websites, or to your local newspaper, namely the employment section. While these are the best ways to go about finding information on available jobs, there are many job seekers who choose to submit resumes or job applications to those who are not hiring. Before you start taking this approach, you will want to examine the pros and cons of doing so.

Before examining the pros and cons of submitting a job application or your resume to a company that is not hiring, you may be curious as to how you can go about doing so. Many job seekers use two different options. In today’s society, many businesses have online websites. These online websites may give the mailing address for the company in question. There are many job seekers who will submit their resumes to that address in hopes of seeing success. Others will simply mail in or drop off their resumes or job applications to local companies that they know the address to.

As for the pros and cons of applying for non-advertised jobs, you will find that there are a number of pros or plus sides to doing so. One of the pros or plus sides to submitting your resume or a job application to a company that does not advertise or state that they have any current job openings is the jumpstart that you can give yourself. Many companies will choose to take out job advertisements when they have open positions, but others will just go through their current pile of resumes and job applications. If you play your cards right, one of those resumes or job applications may be yours.

Another one of the many pros to applying for non-advertised jobs is the impression that you may create of yourself. Many employers view the submission of job applications and resume as showing initiative. This is the type of impression that you want to create for yourself. You want a prospective employer to be pleased with your wants and your need to have a job, namely with their company.

Although there are a number of pros and plus sides to applying to non-advertised jobs, there are also a number of cons or downsides to doing so as well. One of those downsides is the impression that you can make. As previously stated, some employers may view the submitting of a resume or a job application as showing initiative, but you may be surprised how others feel about the same action. You may end up creating a bad name for yourself without meaning to do so. It is possible that some companies would view your submission of an unsolicited resume or job application as spam.

Another one of the cons or downsides to applying for non-advertised jobs is the response time. As previously stated, many companies choose to go through their pile of job applications and resumes. One of these job applications and resumes can be yours, but you never know when you may end up getting a call for a job interview. You could receive a phone call in a few weeks, a few months, or even a year later. This may not help you if you are looking to find a new job now. With that in mind, you may have nothing to lose by submitting your resume or job application anyways. You may be surprised with a quick response time.

As outlined above, there are a number of pros and cons to submitting your job application or resume for a non-advertised position or company. Since the decision is yours to make, you will want to proceed with caution, as your intentions can swing both ways. That is why you should take the above mentioned factors into consideration when making your decision.

To your job search success

Fran Watson

P.S. If you would like some help with your job search and resume development Click here

Unemployed? Looking for Work?

2011-10-30T14:18:00.000-05:00

Why can’t I find work?

The first question to ask yourself is, “where am I looking?” If the newspaper is your only source, you are cheating yourself of some great opportunities. If you are searching only on the internet, you are also short-changing yourself. Many companies do not use either of these methods for hiring; they use networking techniques. You have heard people say, “It’s who you know,” and this is true.

If you need help with your resume or your job search contact me

To your job search success

Fran Watson
Career/Employment Coach

P.S. You will also find some tips on interviews here

Need A Resume?

2011-10-14T16:20:00.000-05:00

How to write a resume

So you want to know how to write a resume? Maybe you are a recent graduate and are just beginning your job search with diploma in hand. Perhaps you already have a job and want to switch careers or companies some time down the road. Even if you already have a job, it is always a good idea to have a current resume in case you decide you want to change jobs or find yourself downsized. Learning how to write a resume can be one of the most important skills you can acquire in the business world.

Start by gathering together all the information you will need to construct the resume. This is the first step in knowing how to write a resume. When you have all of the information close at hand, the writing process will be much easier. You will need to know the names of the last three places you have worked at along with their address and telephone numbers. Take a moment and jot down the dates you worked there, your job title, and your job duties.

You also need to have your education information. It depends on where you are in life as to what you include here. You will put your most recent education and training, but do not include elementary education. You’ll need the dates and any diplomas received as well as areas of study and any awards received. Include the name of the school as well as the address.

The sections of your resume should include: Highlights of skills, job experience, education, skills, awards and achievements, and volunteer or community involvement. If you are a member of an organization or club, include it in this section. Unless you are specifically requested to provide references, do not include them. However, if the ad for the job you are applying for asks you to include references then state “References are attached” and include a separate reference sheet.

When learning how to write a resume, it is important that you be very professional and use positive words. Your resume is what a prospective employer will see first, so you want to make a good first impression! You have approximately 45 seconds to achieve this.

For more information check out this page.

To your job search success.

Fran Watson

P.S. If you would like help with your resume, please contact me for information.

Cover Letters

2011-10-05T15:09:00.000-05:00

How do you write a cover letter for employment

The job market can be very competitive which leads many people to ask themselves, “How do you write a cover letter for employment?” It is true that writing a compelling cover letter can often be a daunting task. A cover letter introduces not only your resume, but you as well. You want that cover letter to be interesting and make the person reading it not only WANT to read your resume but HAVE to read your resume.

There are some very specific things that should be in your resume. Start out by referring to the job that you are applying for and note where you found the position opening. Remember that if you found it in a newspaper, underline the name of the newspaper. Sometimes these little details really count! Employers like to know if their advertising dollars are paying off and what is giving them the best "bang for their buck". Then go on in your cover letter to say how excited you are to know that there is a job like this available and how interested in it you are.

Your resume should be concise, but your cover letter can be a little more in-depth. I have applied for countless jobs and experimented around with various formats for cover letters, during my career as an Employment Counsellor. That does not necessarily make me an expert but it surely has taught me a few things about what I shouldn’t do!

First and foremost, be brief in your cover letter. Introduce yourself, tell the employer why you want the job, let them know about your special skills that would make you perfect for the job, and then express your eagerness for a personal interview. You should ALWAYS include a telephone number at the end of the cover letter so that the employer knows how to reach you. They may not always pay attention to the top part of your resume, but they most likely will see your contact number in your cover letter.

So, how do you write a cover letter for employment? Just speak from the heart and let the person reading the cover letter know that you are truly interested in the job and that you have the qualifications to do the job. Be sure and let them know, too, that what you do not know, you are eager to learn.

Your cover letter should be professional, but it should also reflect your personality. That is what will get you the interview. Once you are face to face with the person doing the hiring, it will be all up to you. After all, it is your personality – as well as your abilities – that make you perfect for this job. When you are face to face, you can express that in ways that can never be shown on a simple piece of paper!

If you have your resume and cover letter prepared professionally or by an agency, make sure that you are happy with the results. You are the one who is going to have to defend whatever is on your resume. If you feel that it isn't "really you", then that is what is going to come across in an interview. You need to be comfortable with what is down on paper.

To your job search success

Fran Watson

P.S. For more information on cover letters, click here

P.P.S. If you would like coaching for your job search, please contact me.

Unemployed?

2011-09-30T10:31:00.000-05:00

Coping With Unemployment

The downturn in the economy has caused increased unemployment in our area and the lengthy delay in receiving benefits can make basic living tough. However there are a number of things you can do in order to survive financially.

Step 1: Apply for Employment Insurance as soon as you receive your Record of Employment, or at the end of 3 weeks if you have not yet received it, even if you are sure you will have a job soon. It could take 6-8 weeks before you receive a cheque for EI.

Step 2: Examine your budget or if you haven’t had one before, prepare one now. Cut back as much as possible on all non-essential items.

Step 3: Don’t use your credit cards as a source of funds on a regular basis, or you will be in worse financial shape. Use them only for emergencies.

Step 4: Consider talking to the bank about the possibility of deferring payments for a limited time if necessary.

Step 5: If you have a high debt load you may want to talk to your creditors about reduced payments for a time or consult a credit counselling agency for advice on how to handle your debts.

Step 6: Make sure that your resume is up to date, and that you have a copy on hand at all times.

Step 7: Network! Let everyone know that you are currently looking for work, and the type of work you are looking for.

Remember, losing a job is comparable to losing a loved one and it may take some time to get over the loss. It’s okay to be angry or sad or frustrated. Don’t try to keep it all in. Talk to someone about how you are feeling.

To your job search success!!

Fran
P.S. Check out my site for some free job search tips

Job Search Mistakes

2011-09-27T13:22:00.002-05:00

7 Biggest Mistakes Employment Seekers Make
By Dr Alicia Karwat, KeySteps Pty. Ltd. February 2011

Ron McGowan, the author of the book “How to Find WORK in the 21st Century”, has just sent us an email with his account of the seven biggest mistakes employment seekers make.

This is Ron’s way of advertising the book to career coaches, however as he is making a good point in all seven of them I want to share them with you. Review and reflect on your approach to the job search.

1. Ignorance about the impact of Social Media Networks
Recruiters and hiring managers are saying that up to 45 percent of the applicants they review are being rejected because of what they found out about them online. The warning that all social media experts give is: “If it’s online – it isn’t private.”

2. Ineffective use of Social Media Networks.
Getting hired today is moving in the direction of being found by employers rather than the traditional approach of applying for work. Employment seekers must learn how to use social media networks effectively.

3. Focusing on advertised positions.
At least 80 percent of the employment opportunities are never advertised and employment seekers must learn how to sniff these out.

4. Too much emphasis on jobs.
If the only option you give an employer is to offer you a job, you’re making it hard for them to hire you. This is especially true for small businesses, where most of the action is. Being willing to accept part-time, temporary and contract work – without reservations is essential.

5. Ignorance about marketing.
We’re a society that knows how to apply for a job. The challenge for employment seekers today is to become proficient at finding work. Anyone lacking this skill will be unemployed for a long time.

6. Too much focus on resumes.
Employment seekers must learn how to create a variety of tools that are marketing oriented and focused on the needs of the employer.

7. Living in the past.
We keep waiting for the Great Recession to be over and lots of jobs to come back. It’s not going to happen. For a growing number of workers the era of the traditional job and all the stability that came with it is over. In trend-setting California, only about 30 percent of the workforce have traditional jobs. That’s where we’re all headed. Accept it, adjust to it, and move on.

The articles appearing on this blog may be copied in full or in part and used in other sources provided the user acknowledges the author of the material, the name of their organisation and that the material was sourced from the CareerEQ blog site.

I hope this article saved you from making some of these mistakes.

Fran Watson
Career Coach

Cover Letter

2011-09-27T12:52:00.002-05:00

How do you write a cover letter for a resume?

When you are looking for a job, it can be overwhelming and it makes many people ask, “how do you write a cover letter for a resume?” There is no easy answer to this question, but we can give you a few tips on how you can write a winning cover letter for your resume that just might get you the interview that you desire.

When you are researching the question how do you write a cover letter for a resume, the first thing you need to consider is what type of job you are applying for. You are only given a certain amount of space on your resume (if you are writing it the way you should be) to showcase your experience and abilities. The cover letter is used to clarify and highlight different parts of your resume that you want your potential employer to look at.

How do you write a cover letter for a resume? Well, start by acknowledging why you are applying for the job and where you saw the advertisement for the job. If you are just inquiring about positions that might be available, your cover letter will look much different. You will tell them that you are here and available for work. Your cover letter should be something that makes your potential employer become intrigued. Just be sure to keep it professional.

When you are writing your cover letter, you should introduce yourself and then state where you found out about the job that is available. If you know someone in the company, make sure that you mention their name in the second or third sentence of your cover letter. While some people do not think it is wise to mention people you know, the truth and reality is that it could make a difference in getting an interview. After all, the saying is “It’s not what you can do, it’s who you know!”

When you are researching how do you write a cover letter for a resume, you should keep in mind what your final objective is. Then express that in the body of your letter. Make sure that you tell your prospective employer how excited you are at the opportunity to interview with them and that you are the perfect candidate for the job. Tell them that your experience and your qualifications are exactly what they need and then sit back and wait for that interview phone call!

Take a look at your current job and see if it fits your value system. If not, consider what changes you might need to make. If you are not working and you would like some help to choose the career that best suits your values or lifestyle, contact me.

To your career success

Fran Watson
Career Coach

P.S. Check out this free cover letter book
http://www.franwatson.ca/worlds_greatest_cover_letter.pdf

Resume Writing

2011-09-14T18:59:00.001-05:00

How to write a good resume

How do we define a “good resume”? In my experience, a good resume is pleasing to look at, easy to read, and contains all the information necessary to know whether or not the person represented by said resume can do the job in an effective and efficient manner. A good resume should look professional and reflect the abilities of the person it is meant to represent without a lot of fluff in between the lines.

Your resume is equivalent to a "sales flyer". It should have enough information that the employer wants to meet you, but not so much that he/she doesn't have to. You want to be called for an interview, so don't give too many extra details.

Knowing how to write a good resume could quite possibly be one of the most valuable business skills you can ever learn. Hardly anyone stays in the same job for years and years and years like days of the past. We are constantly looking for new challenges, more money, and more satisfaction, so having the skill of knowing how to write a good resume is something that you will always have. It can mean the difference between getting an interview and not getting an interview.

The employer wants to know 3 things: What can you do for me? How can you save me money? How can you save me time? They are making an investment in you and want to make sure they are getting their money's worth.

A good resume will include only pertinent information about you – the job applicant. It is written in a professional and positive manner focusing on abilities, skills, and talents that can benefit your future employer. Of course, that can be a little difficult to do on paper, but not when you know what words to use. A thesaurus can be a life saver here when you are looking for the right words.

Never, ever, make any job sound like it is a mundane, boring position. It doesn’t matter if you are standing behind the counter at your local Starbucks, you can still focus on the positive aspects of that job. For example, when you make the coffee, you are responsible for quality control. When you give it to the customer, you are insuring good customer service. When you ring it up on the cash register, you are responsible for cash flow. Any job can sound much better when you “flower it up” and be creative in doing so!

You can look on the Internet for tools and tips on how to write a good resume. Not only do they have examples of resumes to refer to, there are many articles on how to write a good resume and even resume writing services where you pay a professional resume writer to craft your resume from information you provide to them.

Want to know how to write a good resume? Just be honest, give as much information as possible in the space provided, and then let the resume talk for you.

Keep watching this blog for information on How To Ace The Interview.

Fran Watson
Career Coach

Choosing A Career

2011-09-12T09:25:00.002-05:00

Why Work

Why do People Work? Many people would say, “For the money”, but is that the only reason???

We cannot possibly do everything for ourselves, so we need other people to do things for us, and then pay them for their work. In order to do that, we must also do things for other people so that we can earn money. Therefore, you might say that “for the money” would be true. But what about personal satisfaction??? Would you do ANY job if it paid well enough? Or are there some jobs which you wouldn’t do, despite the salary.

The things which you value like income, location, and free time can play an important part in your career choice. Other values might include: friendship, enjoyment, loyalty, family, independence, leadership, achievement, self-realization, expertness, service, prestige, security and power.

Some jobs provide an opportunity for expressing what we believe and value, while other occupations may go against our values. A job which supports your value system will interest and motivate you far more than a job which goes against your values, despite the monetary rewards.

Many people choose careers that do not pay very well because they enjoy the work and get satisfaction from doing the job or perhaps because it allows them to be close to home and family.

Some people choose to work in an area they are good at or because they have discovered that they have the skills needed for that particular position. Still others may choose to work at a job which provides enough money to pay for extra curricular activities or luxuries, such as a boat or skidoo or yearly vacations to distant locations,.

Look at the following list of “rewards” that people might get from work and see what your priorities might be.

WORK:

* lets me use my special abilities, skills and knowledge
* makes me feel that I’m doing something useful
* keeps me busy and helps fill in time
* lets me be creative
* involves doing a variety of tasks
* allows me to meet a lot of people
* lets me experience new things and learn more
* lets me see something for my efforts
* allows me to be responsible
* gives me power/influence over others
* provides opportunities to make friends
* lets me help people
* provides money
* allows me to be with others
* provides physical activity for me
* allows me to contribute to the community
* lets me control my own time
* allows me to satisfy my other needs
* offers me chances for improvement and/or promotion
* allows me to be known and liked by many people

Take a look at your current job and see if it fits your value system. If not, consider what changes you might need to make.

If you are not working and you would like some help to choose the career that best suits your values or lifestyle, contact me. Let me help you with your career choices.

Fran Watson
Career Coach

Career Options

2011-09-06T11:55:00.002-05:00

Fortune Cookie

This is from the International Speech Contest - Toastmasters International and was the 2nd place speech. I loved it and wanted to share it with you.

It's up to you.... What will you do??

Fran Watson

P.S. For more information on Toastmasters Click here

Toastmasters District 61

Resumes

2011-09-05T11:31:00.001-05:00

A Resume Reference Guide

Are you in the process of finding a new job or changing careers? If you are, you may also be in the process of creating a resume for yourself. Although resumes can be complicated and nerve-wracking to develop, they are usually a lot easier to write than originally thought. With that in mind, there are still many problems or complications that arise. For many resume writers that problem has to do with references.

On your resume, there is a good chance that you will list references. These references can typically come in two different formats. These formats are personal references and professional references. You will find that many employers actually like to see a combination of them both. Also, on average, most hiring companies like to see at least three references on their job applications and resumes.

Now that you know what many companies look for, in terms of references on a resume, you may want to start listing your references right away. While this approach is one that you can take, you may want to proceed with caution. As previously stated, one of the many mistakes that resume writers make involves their references. Some of the most common mistakes, as well as ways to prevent those mistakes from happening, are outlined below for your convenience.

One of the biggest mistakes that a job seeker, possibly just like you, makes involves listing no references at all. If you are simply submitting your resume, you may be able to get away without having any references listed, but you may not want to take any chances. If you are currently still lining up your references, you may want to have the phrases “references available upon request,” under the heading of references on your resume. Should you fill out a job application and are asked to provide references, you will want to do so. Omitting information on a job application may cause your application to be overlooked.

Another mistake that many job seekers make, in terms of their resume references, is not asking to use a reference in the first place. In almost all cases, you will find that your references are checked. That is why it is important that you ask each individual that you would like to have listed on a resume or a job application before officially listing them as a reference. If you have already submitted your job application and resume, without asking first, you will want to let each individual know, as soon as possible, that you used them as a job reference and that they may be receiving a phone call. This is important, as you do not want your references to be caught off guard, as it may impact their responses.

As previously stated, most companies like to see a combination of professional and personal references on their job applications and on all submitted resumes. This is a mistake that many job seekers also make and one that you will want to not make. For that reason, you may want to consider listing four references on your job applications or resumes. This would allow you to have an even number of personal references and professional references.

The above mentioned mistakes are common mistakes that many job seekers make when writing a resume for themselves. By keeping these common mistakes in mind, you can ensure that you do not make similar ones. This should automatically improve your chances of landing the job of your dreams or at least a job interview.

Good luck in your job search

Fran Watson
Career Coach

P.S. Check out this Cover Letter guide

Toastmasters Builds Leaders by Developing Communication Skills

2011-09-01T16:10:00.000-05:00

How often have you heard the comment, “He or she is a born leader?” There are certain characteristics found in some people that seem to naturally put them in a position where they’re looked up to as a leader.

Whether in fact a person is born a leader or develops skills and abilities to become a leader is open for debate. There are some clear characteristics that are found in good leaders. These qualities can be developed or may be naturally part of their personality. Let us explore them further.

Seven Personal Qualities Found In A Good Leader

1. A good leader has an exemplary character. It is of utmost importance that a leader is trustworthy to lead others. A leader needs to be trusted and be known to live their life with honestly and integrity. A good leader “walks the talk” and in doing so earns the right to have responsibility for others. True authority is born from respect for the good character and trustworthiness of the person who leads.

2. A good leader is enthusiastic about their work or cause and also about their role as leader. People will respond more openly to a person of passion and dedication. Leaders need to be able to be a source of inspiration, and be a motivator towards the required action or cause. Although the responsibilities and roles of a leader may be different, the leader needs to be seen to be part of the team working towards the goal. This kind of leader will not be afraid to roll up their sleeves and get dirty.

3. A good leader is confident. In order to lead and set direction a leader needs to appear confident as a person and in the leadership role. Such a person inspires confidence in others and draws out the trust and best efforts of the team to complete the task well. A leader who conveys confidence towards the proposed objective inspires the best effort from team members.

4. A leader also needs to function in an orderly and purposeful manner in situations of uncertainty. People look to the leader during times of uncertainty and unfamiliarity and find reassurance and security when the leader portrays confidence and a positive demeanor.

5. Good leaders are tolerant of ambiguity and remain calm, composed and steadfast to the main purpose. Storms, emotions, and crises come and go and a good leader takes these as part of the journey and keeps a cool head.

6. A good leader as well as keeping the main goal in focus is able to think analytically. Not only does a good leader view a situation as a whole, but is able to break it down into sub parts for closer inspection. Not only is the goal in view but a good leader can break it down into manageable steps and make progress towards it.

7. A good leader is committed to excellence. Second best does not lead to success. The good leader not only maintains high standards, but also is proactive in raising the bar in order to achieve excellence in all areas.

These seven personal characteristics are foundational to good leadership. Some characteristics may be more naturally present in the personality of a leader. However, each of these characteristics can also be developed and strengthened. A good leader whether they naturally possess these qualities or not, will be diligent to consistently develop and strengthen them in their leadership role.

You can develop your leadership skills by becoming a more confident speaker. There are Toastmasters Clubs around the world and you can find one close to you by going to http://www.toastmasters.org and entering your information.

Rome was not built in a day and leadership takes time to develop as well.

Fran

P.S. For more tips on public speaking, Click here: http://www.franwatson.ca/publicspeaker.html

2011-08-25T12:45:00.000-05:00

Need a Laugh?

Need a Job? See link below.

http://bentobjects.blogspot.com/

Hope you enjoyed this and it made you think outside of the box about what you can do with your life.

Fran Watson
http://www.franwatson.ca/coach.html

Tips from Jack Canfield

2011-08-12T14:55:00.000-05:00

What do you want?

What are you going to do about it?

When are you going to do it?

Post your commitment below.

Fran Watson

Get More Interviews - Resume Real Estate?

2011-08-11T12:22:00.001-05:00

by Phil Rosenberg
Career Advice: Get More Interviews By Effective Use Of Resume Real Estate
Mar 16 2011 in Featured, Resumes, reCareered Blog by Phil Rosenberg

The real estate of your resume is one of the most important, and most over looked concepts of effective resume presentation. But most resumes I see have an poor idea of how the use of real estate affects the reader’s impression of your qualifications.

First, what in the world is resume real estate?

Resume real estate describes the use of space and placement on your resume. Not all spaces are created equal – that’s why resume real estate is today’s career advice topic.

Most resumes I see are clearly planned around paper. However, most interview decisions are made on a screen, not paper. This is makes a huge difference, because the human eye focuses on different information in the space of a screen, versus on paper. Most screens display only about half of a page, while readers focus on the whole first page of a paper resume. In the average “15 seconds” (http://www.recareered.com/blog/2010/10/01/15-seconds-2/) a recruiter/HR rep/hiring manager spends making an interview decision, if you don’t show why you are superior candidate quickly, you won’t make the cut.

Is your resume ever printed out? Sure, usually for review just before an interview, but most hiring managers typically make the interview decision from a resume they view on screen. Of course there are exceptions to every rule, but let’s concentrate on how the majority of decision makers work, since it applies to the majority of candidates.

Back to real estate…

In an online resume and in 15 seconds, the human eye scans what’s on the screen…typically the top ½ of the first page. This is your most valuable resume real estate. Press the page down key. This is your next most valuable resume real estate, typically the second 1/2 of your first page.

Your goal is to get your reader to press page down … if you’re successful, you have your reader’s attention for more than 15 seconds, and increase your odds dramatically that you’ll get an interview.

If you haven’t captured your reader’s attention in the top half of your first page and convinced them to hit page down, you’re probably not getting an interview with this reader. So if all of the sizzle to your resume is on the second page, you are asking your reader to hit page down, twice, to get to the really good stuff that is relevant to the company. How likely is that, in 15 seconds?

For today’s career advice, here are a few suggestions to maximize use of your resume’s real estate, and some traps to avoid:

1.Small Headers – Use small headers and top margins. No one other than you needs to see your name in 24 bold font in flashing lights. The thinner you keep your top header, the more room you have to show your reader why they should hire you. Make your header 2-3 lines max in 10 font.

2.Kill the summary – Avoid a summary and key accomplishments section at the beginning. Both are seller’s pitch, and your reader doesn’t believe them. Your hiring manager believes the bullet points contained within your work experience. These are your features and benefits and most corporate buyers make decisions based on features and benefits … not seller’s fluff.

3.Personal Branding Statement – Instead of a summary, use a crystal clear, very concise personal branding statement (see :How A Personal Branding Statement Can Help Job Seekers” at http://www.recareered.com/blog/2011/02/24/career-advice-how-a-personal-branding-statement-can-help-job-seekers/).

4.Don’t describe the company – Directly under your personal branding statement, list your experience. Don’t waste space describing your prior companies – your hiring manager isn’t hiring your past company…you are asking them to hire you.

5.Minimize the unimportant – If your most recent experience isn’t relevant to the job you are applying for – minimize it, by only listing where and when you worked keeping it to a line or two. If you spent the past two years at a non-profit, and you are trying to get back into your prior technology industry, make sure to draw your reader’s eye to what’s relevant – your technology industry experience, by expanding the relevant experience.

6.Maximize the important – Make the first three bullet points relevant to the specific company, department, and hiring manager. Do research (see “4 Killer Ways To Use Research In Job Search” at http://www.recareered.com/blog/2010/07/16/4-killer-ways-to-use-research-in-job-search-best-of-recareered/) to determine what the most burning problems are, and demonstrate how you’ve already solved them.

Emphasize the three things your reader is looking for on your resume (see “Three Items Employers Look For In Resumes” at http://www.recareered.com/blog/2011/01/07/three-items-employers-look-for-in-resumes/). Your reader’s attention will focus most on the first three bullet points.

7.Use short bullets – no more than 2 lines. The human eye doesn’t scan detail in bullets longer than two lines. Use bullets, not paragraphs. The human eye doesn’t scan details well in paragraphs.

8.Seal the deal – Use the second (and possibly third) page to seal the deal, to add additional evidence. If your reader has gotten to the second page, the interview is probably yours to lose.

9.Death to zoom – Don’t Zoom. About ½ of the resumes I get are zoomed to 150%, because they were saved while in zoom mode. Most resume writers use zoom for final reviews, to make sure that typing and spacing is correct. If you save in zoom, the reader pulls up the document in zoom. At 150% zoom, the reader doesn’t see ½ the first page, they see ¼ of your resume, drastically cutting your most valuable real estate.

10.Save as .doc – Most companies save resumes in word or text, and a good percentage haven’t upgraded to Office 2007 and the .docx extension. If you have Office 2007, save in 97-2003 compatibility mode. The majority of companies and recruiters want your resume in word format, not .pdf.
I get so many resumes from frustrated candidates that have their most compelling information that makes the candidate a good fit … on page 2. These same candidates couldn’t figure out why they weren’t getting interviews.

How will you change how you manage your resume’s real estate? Readers who try today’s career advice, please comment and share your success stories.
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To attend our next complimentary live webinar featuring action items to immediately improve your resume, hidden job search, and job search strategy plus live career Q&A with Phil Rosenberg of reCareered, register at http://ResumeWebinar.com .

Also, check out the complimentary Linkedin job search webinars sponsored weekly at http://LinkedJobSearchWebinar.com .

Join our mailing list to for newsletters, announcements of complimentary upcoming webinars and other job search resources. Sign up at http://www.reCareered.com/free-resources/webinar-registration/

For access to more information:
Follow reCareered on Linkedin: http://www.linkedin.com/company/recareered.com
"Like" reCareered on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/reCareered
Follow me on Google+: http://gplus.to/philrosenberg
Follow reCareered on Twitter: http://twitter.com/philreCareered
Join Career Change Central on Linkedin: http://www.linkedin.com/e/gis/1800872

There is a lot more really good information on Phil's website. I encourage you to check it out.

Fran Watson

First Impressions

2011-07-13T08:27:00.000-05:00

Now that your resume and cover letter have got you in the door, it is time to make a good first impression. Remember, the interviewer makes a decision within 2.8 minutes, so it is up to you to make sure that the decision is in your favour.

“The interviewer makes an immediate overall judgment about you within the first five seconds, and the next 25 seconds are spent checking the chemistry and verifying the initial impression”
–Ollie Stevenson, author of 101 Great Answers to the Toughest Job Search Problems

Your appearance is very important. This is the first thing the employer sees. Your appearance will reflect your attitude and give the employer an impression of what your work habits will be like – will you be neat or careless in doing your job? Will your appearance affect the customers that the business serves? How will co-workers react to you. In short, does your appearance indicate that you are conscientious about how you do your work?

Jewellery should be minimal and go with what you are wearing. Check your appearance in a mirror from as many angles as possible. Sit in a chair in front of a mirror to see how you look sitting down. Make sure there are no gaps showing. Body piercings are your choice, but they may impact the employer’s decision to hire you, particularly if you will be doing customer service.

The other important part of appearance is how do you smell? Many people are allergic to perfumes. Sometimes people try to cover up body odour or cigarette smoke by applying scented deodorants or colognes. It is hard to concentrate on interviewing someone if your nose is being assaulted. Some people may actually get headaches from the smells, and for someone who is a non-smoker, the smell of a freshly smoked cigarette is unpleasant.

So, ensure that you are freshly showered, hair clean and neat, teeth brushed (with or without mouth wash), nails clean, shoes polished, no perfume or cologne (or very little – basically, if you can smell it, it’s too strong), don’t smoke within 10 minutes of your interview and then use a breath mint before the interview.

Body language can play an important role in your interview. Much of what we say or think is reflected in our body language. That is one of the reasons why it is important to be able to defend everything on your resume. If you are unsure about any part of your resume, it will come across in your body language – in the way you hold yourself, your eye contact, or your voice.

Project the image that fits the job you’re going after
• Make eye contact, smile and trust your gut reactions
• If they sit, you sit; if they joke, smile
• Sit forward in your chair to show interest and enthusiasm
• Check out your posture and outfit in a full-length mirror before heading out to the
interview

Don’t slouch, play with objects, shift a lot, laugh nervously, cross your arms in front of your chest – these actions indicate nervousness

Good luck!

Fran Watson
P.S. Stop back for more job search tips

A New Idea

2011-04-13T09:01:00.000-05:00

Struggling with your job search? Is your struggle is related to your self-esteem? Do you want to change your circumstances? Watch this video...

To your job search success
Fran
www.franwatson.ca

What's Your Excuse??

2011-03-02T11:33:00.000-05:00

Found this cool video about a blind quilter. It really made me think about job searching and the types of things we can do if we change our attitude.

What is your excuse??

Fran

Video Job Application???

2011-01-30T22:05:00.001-05:00

Well, it's worth a shot....

This won't work for the general market, but if you are looking for a position in marketing, it might be what gets you in the door for that interview.

Remember, your resume is your sales flyer. It's job is to get you in to see the hiring manager for a face-to-face interview.

Make sure what goes on YouTube is something you won't mind seeing 10 years from now.

Best of luck in your job search.

Fran Watson

P.S. Want to make your own video? Click Here

Attract The Work You Want

2011-01-02T10:50:00.000-05:00

Need a Job or do you want to change jobs?

Over 400,000 people a day start a new job and it is estimated 47% of the people employeed, are looking to change jobs in the near future.

Excuse Me, Your Job Is Waiting online course approaches job-hunting from Lynn Grabhorn's philosophy of the astonishing power of feelings read by more than one a million readers. Laura George, the author of the course, applies the powerful Law of Attraction to the life experiences of both losing and getting a job.

Don't make the mistake of thinking this course is about touchy-feely concepts. It is NOT!

This course is stuffed with great, practical ideas for landing the job you really want. Laura George, the author of the course, has extensive experience as a human resources manager and consultant, as well as just as much practice being on the other side of the HR desk as a job seeker.

Laura George shows you the job market through the employer's eyes and offers insider information on:
résumés
cover letters
internet job boards
on-line applications
interviews
salary negotiation strategies
and much more.

Best wishes for a happy and prosperous 2011!

Fran Watson

P.S. Get started now... Click here

Job Search Questions

2010-12-01T21:25:00.001-05:00

Here are some excellent questions to consider from Tammy Mathieu's blog

• what brings you to what you do?

• did you end-up choosing your career / lifestyle or did it just gradually happen?

• how do your skills fit in?

• what interests do you have?

• what are some of the things you like (i.e. hobbies)?

• what types of places do you like?

• what makes you happy?

• what would you want to do?

• where would you like to go?

• what is the core of your career?

• what do you contribute?

• what is the Big Picture of what you do?

• how does what you do make a difference in other people's lives?

• what is the essence of what you do right now?

• what represents [love, happiness, fun, peacefulness, family, success, etc.] to you?

Why not post your answers below....

To your success

Fran
P.S. Want to make a video for your job search?
http://www.easyvideoproducer.com/clickthru.php?id=13200

Job Searching? Here's some help

2010-12-01T20:43:00.001-05:00

http://tammymathieu.blogspot.com/2010/09/using-soft-skills-to-create.html

Thought of the day: "I thought I already knew what I needed to do - however after talking to the fishing guide - I realized that I needed to make minor changes. And after making them, I started catching more fish with less effort."

Your career is the greatest investment you can make in yourself. When you are happy in your job, you see positive results in everything around you, from finances to relationships to personal health. So why stay stuck in the current situation if it doesn't completely suit who you are inside?

Easy to use to identify your key strengths and find the right career for you! Download a FREE copy of a 15-Minute Career Test >

http://www.careerjoy.com/news-and-events/events

Get the Right Career Right Now! FREE 1 Hour TeleWORKshop

Thursday, December 2, 2010 - 12:00pm - 1:00pm

Change the way we work. . .change the world! Creating a results-only workplace with best-selling authors Cali Ressler and Jody Thompson

Thursday, December 9, 2010 - 12:00pm - 1:00pm

To your success!!

Fran

Give Yourself An Edge In THe Interview

2010-11-23T01:14:00.001-05:00

Follow these steps to stand out in your next interview.

For an interview planning form, Click here

To your success
Fran
http://www.franwatson.ca/

P.S. Find out who's hiring:
Whos Hiring – Top employers week of 11-22-10 http://bit.ly/eP1Lmd #career #jobsearch

Searching for a New Job? Some Tips

2010-11-23T00:56:00.002-05:00

If you are looking for a job, there are some great tips in this youtube video. Take a look.

To your success

Fran Watson

Job Search Tips - Do You Know What You Want To Do?

2010-11-03T22:23:00.000-05:00

I was surfing the net today and came across this article which I thought I would share with you.

What Do You REALLY Want?
Written by Editor, Pick The Brain on December 7, 2007

The statement, “You can do anything you put your mind to,” leads us to believe that all you must do is imagine what you’d like to accomplish, set your mind to the task, and wait for success.

To a certain degree this is true. Focused intention combined with action is a powerful force. But the statement is misleading because it fails to mention the difficulty and necessity of focusing your mind on a specific goal.

Most of us don’t know what we want. We think we do, but we really don’t. We only know what we don’t want. We don’t want a boring job. We don’t want to be poor. We don’t want to disappoint our loved ones.

Knowing specifically what you want is much different than knowing what you don’t want. When you only know what you don’t want, your intentions aren’t focused. Consider this example.

Pete doesn’t want to be poor. He’s sick of earning less than his friends, and he’s determined to raise his status. To accomplish this goal, Pete could take many different paths. He could train for a high paying profession, such as doctor or lawyer. He could start his own company, go into real estate, or do many other things that would lead to acquiring wealth.

But Pete isn’t sure what he wants to do. He doesn’t know which path best fits his skills and personality, so he doesn’t resolve to follow any particular path.

Hoping to answer this question, he investigates a dozen possibilities, but as soon as he runs into adversity he decides that path isn’t for him and moves on to a new solution.

Pete’s actions aren’t focused. Although he works very hard, his efforts don’t build on each other. Rather than building one giant impenetrable sand castle, Pete has built twenty smalls ones that are easily toppled. He ends up confused and discouraged. Ultimately Pete’s lack of focus leads to failure.

Now, what if Pete had chosen a specific path? Suppose he decided on the law profession. His actions would have been clearly defined:

•Get a high score on the LSAT
•Attain letters of recommendation
•Get accepted to a good law school
•Decide on a field of law
•Earn a law degree
•Find a high paying job with a good law firm
A set of specific goals is much easier to achieve than a vague end goal like becoming wealthy. Being focused on a path gives Pete a logical set of actions to follow. Each accomplishment is one step closer to the final goal.

I think we can all agree that committing to a clearly defined path, regardless of which one, gives Pete the best chance of becoming wealthy.

But how can he choose a path if he doesn’t know what he wants? Maybe money isn’t his only goal. Maybe he wants to do something he loves at the same time. Maybe he can’t afford to go back to school. Reality is complicated, and Pete doesn’t want to commit too soon.

And that’s why he fails.

But I don’t think that’s necessarily a bad thing. Most people don’t fit neatly into a predefined path. Forcing yourself into one may lead to success, but it probably won’t make you happy.

This is the point. If you want to be conventionally successful, to attain wealth and status, you need to choose a specific path (preferably something mainstream) and follow it to the letter.

On the other hand, if you aren’t particularly concerned with wealth or success, you can take your time searching for that perfect niche.

Just don’t wait too long to decide. Each moment you deliberate, your already committed competitors sprint further ahead.

But, then again, maybe life isn’t a race, and maybe the most interesting people follow a path all their own.

To find out more about Pick The Brain blog, click here. There are some really neat articles.

To your successful job search.

Fran

Twittering For Jobs

2010-10-26T10:40:00.000-05:00

What is Twitter? How do I use it for my job search?

Twitter is a social networking and microblogging service that enables its users to send and read messages known as tweets. Tweets are text-based posts of up to 140 characters displayed on the author's profile page and delivered to the author's subscribers who are known as followers. .

Ok, so how can this help me with my job search?

Twitter has job listings – hundreds of thousands of them. They are posted by companies, by individuals, and by industry preference. You can check out company information using Twitter’s search engine (search.twitter.com) and you can search by topic using what is called a hashtag, (basically any term with a #in front is called a hashtag). So your search would look something like this: #jobs, #jobseekers, #job angels, #twitterjobsearch.

You can also use Twitter to keep current with your field and/or to develop a community with others who share your interests. You can find out about others who share your interests by visiting Listorious.org or TweepML.org.

Twitter forces you to be concise. Just like a 30 second summary, or an elevator speech, of your skills, you have only 140 characters available to you in a Tweet.

Another feature of Twitter is the free job search advice from recruiters, successful job seekers and career experts. You can check out the list of contributors at http://tweepml.org/Twitter-Job-Search-Guide/

Why should I use Twitter?

Twitter is a way to connect with others and move forward in your job search. It does not require you to change your life, just that you be open to new possibilities, such as making new friends, finding new job leads and staying up to date in your field.

Tips thanks to the “Twitter Job Search Guide” – www.twitterjobsearchguide.com/

To your successful job search

Fran Watson
tweet me at @franwats

Passion In Your Work

2010-06-10T14:41:00.000-05:00

Something to think about.

"If you're going to put 100,000 hours into your career, it should be something you care passionately about. People have to remember they have a choice and when they are true to themselves in those choices, good things happen." - Patrick & Adrienne Duffy, authors of Pathway to Freedom

Passion can be the fuel that energizes you when you need to put in long hours to complete a project or set up your own business.

What are you passionate about? Can you turn it into a career? Do you want to, or do just want to keep it for fun?

Need help with your job search?

I can help.

Fran

Are You A Zebra?

2010-05-10T17:19:00.000-05:00

STRIPES OR NO STRIPES; THAT IS THE QUESTION

I woke up this morning wondering if Zebras believe they are better than donkeys. (It is a good thing I did not have to work today because it got me thinking for a long time.)

Zebras seem like they always take extra care to look ‘just so’ and donkeys are frumpy in comparison. I still don’t know if zebras feel superior to donkeys, but I do know this: people judge other people by how they look all the time.

Case in point: last week, I held a first class ticket on Via Rail from Quebec to Montreal but was wearing jeans and a sweatshirt. As I approached the first class lounge, I was stopped and told to go to the back of the line for economy ticket holders. At the same time, a woman in a very smart business suit bi-passed the same line and let herself into the lounge, no questions asked. In this example, she was a zebra, and I was an ass.

Not convinced? Then ask 5 kids under four which they would rather be when they grow up and I will bet you dollars to donuts that at least 4 will say, “Zebra, I want to be a zebra.” Why? Because they know that zebras demand more respect just by how they look.

Do you want to go places? Then dress like a zebra and people will more likely clear a path for you. Sure a zebra is more likely than a donkey to be taken down by a lion or river croc, but that is the subject of another week’s newsletter.

Have a great week!

PAUL HUSCHILT'S FREE FLUFF AND OTHER IMPORTANT NEWS is a complimentary weekly newsletter. Forward it to a friend. To learn how you can, with permission and thanks, reprint in your own publication for free, simply email paul@paulhuschilt.com.

Paul Huschilt is an award-winning speaker who specializes in humour and workplace wellness. Visit www.paulhuschilt.com to see if he might be the perfect intervention at your next meeting.

**********************

Dressing For The Job is very important in your job search. Do you need a suit? Not for all jobs, but you make a good impression when you dress up to show respect to the person who is interviewing you.

Good luck on your job search.

Fran

Looking For Data Entry Jobs

2010-05-05T14:22:00.002-05:00

"Every day at least one person will ask if a particular data entry job is legit.

Every day at least one person will ask to find a data entry position.

Data entry jobs are the most desired, most favourable and most sought after position online. You will hear often data entry jobs are rare, few and far between and it’s true. If that’s the case, why do you see them scattered online so much?"

S. Mcintyre explains:

"Here’s the difference between data entry jobs and data entry programs."
Defining Data Entry Jobs and Data Entry Programs

To your success

Fran Watson

P.S. Looking for blogging jobs? Check out this site:
The ProBlogger Job Board is where bloggers looking for jobs and companies looking for bloggers to hire meet.

Resumes

2010-04-13T12:07:00.001-05:00

Peter F. Drucker wrote the following in the Wall Street Journal (March 29, 1995): “Most resumes I get … list the jobs the person has held. A few then describe the job that the person would like to get. Very few even mention what the person has done well and can do well. Even fewer state what a future employer can and should expect from that person. Very, very few, in other words, yet look upon themselves as a ‘product’ that must be marketed.”

Are you guilty of this error? Do you simply list your jobs in chronological order putting the name of the company in first place rather than what you did for the company? Do you dismiss some of your skills as worthless because you are not being paid to do them? Do you neglect to include all the skills you developed in volunteer positions, or while in school, or while raising a family?

Most people have serious misconceptions about what, exactly, a resume is meant to do. Prepare yourself for a shock: The vast majority of resumes are completely ignored.

A resume is not a single document that you can write once and consider “finished”. A resume needs to be targeted to a specific job and/or a specific employer.

A resume is not an affidavit. It is an advertisement, a marketing tool to get you in the door where you can impress the interviewer with your experience. Think about the flyers you see from furniture stores. They show you some of the items they have and let you know that there is much more, just “come on down”.

A resume is meant to be scanned quickly. Long, dense blocks of type are difficult to read, so it is important to present the information in a way it can be easily scanned such as bullet points. You only have a few seconds to make a good impression. Most people scan for key words and spend between 30 and 60 seconds on your resume. Check yours out. Ask a friend to take only 30 seconds to read it and then tell you what they know about your skills.

A resume is a convenience for the hiring official. Often it is used as a way to screen you out of the organization, particularly at job fairs. If they are looking for a certain level of education, they scan your resume and put it in the plus or minus pile. If they are looking for a particular skill set and don’t see it, then it doesn’t make the “interview” pile. Often they may not even accept it.

So, what is a resume? A resume is an opportunity for you to leave the reader wanting to learn more about you.

Fran

P.S. Contact me if you woult like some help in targeting your resume.

Resources used: WOW Resumes - Leslie Hamilton

Want to Work at Home?

2010-02-10T11:37:00.000-05:00

10 All-Time Best Work At Home Mom Tips
by S McIntyre

To work from home profitably it involves taking these top 10 work at home tips and implementing them into your business and life.

Organization
If you don’t know whether you’re coming or going in your home life, your home business or telecommute job is going to suffer. Being organized and having some structure is essential when you work at home. When it’s time to disconnect, do so without guilt. Being organized is finding a balance between work and play.

Preparation
Preparation and organization are the two most important steps in achieving success from home. Do you have an equipped and designated area to work your at home job or business?

Research
If you’re offering your own products, services or looking for a virtual employer, you have to do your research. Companies aren’t made the same and what’s suited for many people may not work for you. In a home business it’s imperative to know who your target market is, how well the product is perceived and if a service is needed. On the telecommuting front, there are a variety of things to look for like pay structure, employee or IC status, daily quotas etc.

Business Tools
What do you have to make your work at home job or business easier? Do you have the necessary tools to help you get ahead or to simplify your work? Is there ongoing training, monthly conferences, and mentoring etc.?

Patience and Perseverance
Growing a home business or searching for a telecommute job all requires patience and a lot of it. Success needs to be nurtured, tweaked and watered to make it grow. You have to work through the highs and lows before you find what you’re looking for. Mistakes and slow growth can only make you stronger and better.

Goals
Work on setting daily achievable, but flexible goals in your home life, business or in your job.

Support
It’s important for your family and friends to know your job at home is the same as a person who works outside the home. There should be set boundaries on the times you are working. It’s also important for your family to know exactly the kind of work you do at home. With this understanding they can then offer the support you need from them.

Ingenuity
While there are a lot of people willing to lend a helping hand and offer support, you must also meet them halfway. The more resourceful, creative and independent you are, the better you will grow as a strong business leader or a telecommute employee.

Passion
If you don’t love your home business or telecommute job then at least like it a lot. Like it enough that you are excited to work your business or job.

Belief
Having a YES and CAN do attitude will propel you to achieve greater things in life. Believe in yourself.

There are no secrets or shortcuts just hard work, determination, faith and these 10 tips to guide you to working prosperously from home.

About the Author:
S McIntyre is the founder of WorkAtHomeSpace.com, a free work at home resource focusing on work at home companies, daily telecommute job leads, articles, business resources and other work at home related topics. Sophia co-owns WorkAtHomeBusinessOptions.com, a comprehensive work at home business resource focusing on helping others who are looking for opportunities and ideas to work from home. You will also find tips and articles on how to balance work, family and play in your daily life. Article Source: http://www.wahm-articles.com

Videos

2010-01-29T18:09:00.002-05:00

Here are a few videos you might find helpful

http://video.success.com/experts/importance-remembering/

http://video.success.com/experts/john-maxwell-passion/

http://video.success.com/featured/define-success/

http://video.success.com/experts/connie-podesta-success/

http://video.success.com/experts/change-life-2/

Enjoy

Fran Watson

Are You Where You Want To Be?

2010-01-28T16:25:00.000-05:00

Take 100% Responsibility for Your Life - STARTING TODAY!
by Jack Canfield

This isn’t a trick question.

Certainly you know the answer—the person who has been responsible for the life you live right now: YOU.

Everything about you is a result of your doing or not doing... Your income. Debt. Relationships. Health. Fitness level. Attitudes and behaviors.

I've often said that you are either creating or allowing everything that is happening in your life.

I think everyone knows this in their hearts, but often times people convince themselves into thinking that external factors are the source of their failure, disappointment, and unhappiness.

External factors do not determine how you live. YOU are in complete control of the quality of your life, by either creating or allowing the circumstances you experience.
When I hear people complain about the state of their life (be it their problems with personal finances, weight, their jobs, or general dissatisfaction), I like to help them see things differently.

If they feel “stuck” and unable to move forward for whatever reason, I ask them to scrutinize both what is working well and what isn’t working well in their life and see how they’ve arrived at where they currently are.

For example, if a woman tells me she’s unhappy with her weight—she travels frequently, and has no to time to exercise or seek healthy foods—I point out that her weight is not a result of her travels and schedule. It’s an outcome of what she chooses to eat and how she chooses to move, regardless of her daily agenda. Why not make a conscious effort to pre-plan healthy meals and snacks, even if it’s on the go, and sneak in 10 minutes here and 10 minutes there to be physically active (hey, I know some frequent flyers that make it a habit of running through airports!).

If you’re frustrated with any area in your life, then it’s time to take a little inventory.
Certainly there are wonderful things happening, whether it’s your job, your romantic relationship, your children, your friends, or your income level. Your accomplishments are just as important as your missteps.

First, congratulate yourself on your successes; and then take a look at what isn’t working out so well. What are you doing or not doing to create those experiences?
Watch out! If you find yourself beginning to complain about everything but the choices you’ve made, then you need to take a step back. See if you can stop blaming outside factors for your unhappiness.

When you realize that you—and only you—create your experiences, you’ll realize that you can un-create them and forge new experiences whenever you want.
How empowering is that!

You must take responsibility for your happiness and your unhappiness, your successes and your failures, your good times and your bad times.

All too often we choose to claim the successes and blame the failures on others or other circumstances. When you stop blaming, however, you can take that energy and redirect it to focus on shaping a better situation for yourself. Blaming only ties up your energy. Imagine roping all the energy into a positive effort.

Some ideas to make this happen:

1. Believe, Believe, Believe! Have unwavering faith in yourself, for good and bad. Make the decision to accept the fact that you create all your experiences. You will experience successes thanks to you, and you will experience pain, struggle, and strife thanks to you. Sounds a little strange, but accepting this level of responsibility is uniquely empowering. It means you can do, change, and be anything. Stumbling blocks become just that—little hills to hop over.

2. Take no less than 100% responsibility . Successful people take full responsibility for the thoughts they think, the images they visualize, and the actions they take. They don't waste their time and energy blaming and complaining. They evaluate their experiences and decide if they need to change them or not. They face the uncomfortable and take risks in order to create the life they want to live.

3. Stop complaining . Look at what you are complaining about. I’m fat. I’m tired. I can’t get out of debt. I won’t ever get a better job. I can’t stand the relationship I have with my sister. I’ll never find a soulmate in life. Really examine your complaints. More than likely you can do something about them. They are not about other people, other things, or other events. They are about YOU.

4. Make an immediate change. Are you unhappy about something that is happening right now? Make requests that will make it more desirable to you, or take the steps to change it yourself. Making a change might be uncomfortable for you. It might mean you have to put in more time, money, and effort. It might mean that someone gets upset about it, or makes you feel bad about your decision. It might be difficult to change or leave a situation, but staying put is your choice so why continue to complain?

You can either do something about it or not. It is your choice and you have responsibility for your choices.

5. Pay attention. Looking to others for help and guidance is helpful, but don’t forget to stay tuned in to yourself—your behavior, attitude, and life experiences. Identify what’s working and what isn’t. If you need to, write it all down. Then…

6. Face the truth and take action for the long term . You have to be willing to change your behavior if you want a different outcome. You have to be willing to take the risks necessary to get what you want. If you’ve already taken an initial step in the right direction, now’s the time to plan additional steps to keep moving you forward, faster.

Isn’t it a great relief to know that you can make your life what you want it to be? Isn’t it wonderful that your successes do not depend on someone else?

If you need just one thing to do different today, than you did yesterday, make it this:

Commit to taking 100% responsibility for every aspect of your life. Decide to make changes, one step at a time. Once you start the process you’ll discover it's much easier to get what you want by taking control of your thoughts, your visualizations, and your actions!

© 2010 Jack Canfield
* * *

Article Used with permission:
Jack Canfield, America's #1 Success Coach, is founder of the billion-dollar book brand Chicken Soup for the Soul© and a leading authority on Peak Performance and Life Success. If you're ready to jump-start your life, make more money, and have more fun and joy in all that you do, get your FREE success tips from Jack Canfield now at: www.FreeSuccessStrategies.com
Are you "stuck" in this area? If you'd like me to personally help you clarify your vision for the year, align your goals with your purpose, and develop a detailed action plan to turn your dream into reality... www.TheSuccessPrinciplesWorkshop.com

Don't Let Procrastination Keep You From A Good Job

2010-01-27T12:33:00.002-05:00

Do you believe that you have to wait until things calm down a bit before you get your act together?

Do you keep telling yourself that tomorrow you will get at that chore you’ve been putting off, that course you’ve been wanting to take, that phone call you’ve been going to make, take some time to look after yourself, go to the spa, take a hot bath, etc. etc.?

Well then, you are normal. Most of us are waiting until tomorrow, but the truth is, as Sarah Ban Breathnach says, “life never calms down long enough for us to wait until tomorrow to start living the lives we deserve. Life is always movement, always change, always unforeseen circumstances.”

So, what are our options? How do we begin working on this life of ours to make it more satisfying? Sarah says “We can accept, bless, give thanks, and get going. “ Wow, what a concept. Accept things as they are. Give thanks for our circumstances and then just get on with things.

As I read the thought for January 25th from Sarah Ban Brethnach’s Simple Abundance, A Daybook of Comfort and Joy, I was struck by how many things I have let slide. How many times procrastination has crept in and how many opportunities this has cost me. How many times have you had a thought, “I should call so and so”, but then let it slide only to find out later that something happened to that person, they moved away, or they died and that opportunity will never come again. How many friendships have you let slide? How many times have you turned down the chance to do something just for yourself – taking a nice long bath for instance. I can hear you now - “Oh, I couldn’t do that, there is laundry to do, dishes to be done, the house to clean, etc., etc., etc.” Well, those things will always be there. It’s time to stop making excuses. You will NEVER FIND THE TIME to do anything. You need to MAKE THE TIME to do what it is you want to do.

Sarah encouraged me to “Call a friend for lunch, begin to read or even write that novel, organize your papers, try a new recipe for dinner, smile at everyone you meet, sit and dream before a blazing fire, pick up your needlepoint again, act as if you’re grateful to be alive, scatter joy.” Simple things to get us started on LIVING out life instead of letting it pass us by.

Now it is your turn. Think for a moment about one thing that you can do that will bring you genuine pleasure…and then do it.

Think about one thing that will move your job search forward…and then do it.

Think about one thing that will improve your relationship (if you are in one)….and then do it.

Simple things, and easy to do…IF we just go ahead and do them.

What will you do today????

Fran Watson

www.franwatson.ca/SFIsplash.html

Employee or Solution Provider???

2010-01-21T16:37:00.001-05:00

Are you an employee or a solution provider?
posted by: rich trombetta on 01/10/10

“I’m Winston Wolf. I solve problems.” - Harvey Keitel in Pulp Fiction
Are you an employee or a solution provider?

By Rich Trombetta
TweetMyJOBS
http://www.TweetMyJOBS.com
@tweetmyjobs

There is no question that the number of unemployed people in America is at a staggering number – 10%. Due to this situation, many job seekers are working on their resume, networking, and using new job tools to look for opportunities. There is one very important thing to remember when looking for a job – you need to position yourself as solution provider, not simply a potential employee.

One of my favorite scenes ever in a movie is in Pulp Fiction. John Travolta and Samuel L. Jackson have gotten themselves into quite a predicament (no need for the gory details here) and they need help badly. A couple of phone calls are made and within minutes Harvey Keitel arrives, he rings the door bell, the door opens, and Keitel says, “I’m Winston Wolf. I solve problems.”

That is what you need to be to an employer – Winston Wolf. Regardless of the position, you are being hired because there is a need. There is a gap. Someone needs help.

The more you realize that you are solving a problem or addressing a need, the more valuable you will be perceived. For example, I was once in a group exploratory interview where about 20 of us were involved with a question and answer session with some leaders at a company. Everyone was asking the typical boring questions. “What type of background do you look for?” “What makes a successful candidate.” Blah, blah, blah. I asked, “looking at things from a very high level, what are your three biggest needs? What if you could wave a magic wand and make these three things happen today. What would those three things be?”

There was silence.

The leader actually paused and said, “wow, that’s a great question.” Then after a few more seconds of silence, he went into all sorts of detail around competition, dealing with market changes, and needing new ideas.

Boom! The tables had turned. It was not about me – it was about HIM. And the more he talked about HIM, the more I identified ways I could help be a problem solver for his major issues. Could I help with all of them? No. But were there some that I could say, “Oh, I have done that.” You bet there were.

Just how impactful was the question I asked? The NEXT DAY I received a phone call from the company saying they wanted to meet with me to learn more about me and areas I could fit.

The lesson? Be Mr. Wolf. Solve problems.

Take this lesson to heart and improve your chances of finding a job.

Fran

How People Find Jobs

2010-01-07T22:25:00.004-05:00

The job hunt requires four families of skills: self-assessment skills, detective skills, communication skills, and skills for selling ourselves. Since some people have jobs which demand those same skills, if they are good at their job, they will probably be good at job-hunting. They may have a head start on the rest of us, but these skills can be learned.

How to conduct a successful job search campaign

1. Define your objective: Know what kind of work you most enjoy and perform the best. This requires self-evaluation, looking at your interests and abilities.

2. Write an effective resume: Focus on your qualifications for the type of work you want to do. Show where you are headed, not where you have been. Indicate your qualifications for the position you are applying for. Look at it from an employer=s perspective....what qualities do they need for the position.

3. Prepare your references: Call or visit each person and tell them exactly what you are looking for. Ask them to let you know if they hear of anything, or to make a referral for you.

4. Research: Make a list of potential employers and research each company. Check your library for information. Check the Renfrew County Resource Directory for a listing.

5. Network: Talk to everyone you know about the kind of work you are looking for. You never know what contact will result in a job offer. Consider neighbours, relatives, parents of friends, teachers, paper route customers, etc. You can even Tweet your job search information. Check out www.tweetmyjobs.com and look up information on how Twitter is helping employers and employees find each other.

6. Set up job and informational interviews: Either by phone contact or by sending a letter with your resume and indicating that you will follow up to arrange an interview.

7. Practice interview techniques: Plan what you are going to say. Discuss WHY you want to work for that particular company, WHAT you can do for them, and HOW you will fit in with the company, then practice, practice, practice. Get a list of questions and write down your answers to each one, then practice with a parent or friend. If possible, videotape yourself so you can see how you present to an employer. You can use your webcam, or a small video camera to do the job.

8. Send a follow up letter: Tell them again about your interest in the job or the company. Thank them for taking the time to interview you. Point out your special qualifications or mention something you forgot in the interview that is relevant.

9. Follow up: In person or by phone to check out the results of the interviews, and if you are not the successful candidate, ask how you could improve your chances for next time.

People who are good at job-hunting are willing to change strategies. They spend lots of time doing homework on themselves, researching organizations in detail, doing informational interviewing, building their contacts, and other methods that require work..

People who are good at job-hunting:
 can name their individual skills.
 can describe their favourite interests.
 target small organizations as well as large organizations.
 go after any place that interests them.
 approach organizations through their personal contacts.

If you need help, read some of the articles I've posted, and/or get in touch with me.

To your success

Fran

New Year's Resolutions

2010-01-05T14:10:00.002-05:00

Well, it's that time of the year when people think about changing their lives in some way. Some people opt for making a big list of things they are going to do and then find themselves so far behind by day 2 or 3 that they give up on everything.

Some people pick one or two small things to change and work at them for a few days, but then their old lives take over and they forget about their resolutions.

Others make one or two general resolutions that they can stick by the whole year such as; "doing things that make me feel better", so if they go for a walk, or have dinner with a friend, or watch a favourite show, they are successful.

The important thing is to have a goal, something to reach towards.

For job seekers, it is also important to have a goal. You need to know exactly what you are looking for in order to obtain it.

For instance; "I'm looking for a job." is just too vague. "I'm looking for a job as a mechanic." is much clearer and lets people know exactly what you are looking for. They are then more able to help you identify a particular employer who might be looking for a mechanic, or someone with mechanical skills.

If you are currently employed and thinking of leaving your job, you too need a clear cut goal. You need to identify what skills you want to use in your new job, the type of work you want to be doing and the type of employer you want to work for. Once you have done that, you can select two or three employers and then target your resume for them. You may need to send your resume more than once and follow up on a regular basis, but it will be worth it to get the job you want.

I challenge you to set a specific goal for the month of January and share it with me by making a comment below. Then follow up and let me know whether or not you achieved your goal. Then do the same thing for February. Set a goal, let someone know what it is and then follow up with them to let them know how you did. You don't have to face the whole year at once. Take it in bite sized chunks and you will be more successful.

To your success.

Fran

Time for a Career Move?

2009-11-02T17:32:00.001-05:00

Internet Business - Is it Time For a Career Move?

It's time for a career change, but to what? Affiliate Management is definitely the way to go! It is a growing and exciting career. It requires a combination of skills such as organization, creativity and leadership to work together in harmony. Best of all, it is a highly sought after position. A successful Affiliate Manager can create an enormous income stream for an internet business or offline companies and are handsomely rewarded. The top 3 benefits of being an Affiliate Manager are income level, networking and hiring demand both in internet business and offline.

Normally, affiliate managers get a base pay plus incentive income based upon performance. They usually get a bulk monthly payment, retainer, or base salary. Typically, the monthly base payment will range between $2,000-$5,000. Then, they also get paid a pre-determined percentage, usually 5%-10% for every sale that is generated through the affiliate program as a result of their efforts. As an affiliate program grows and gets bigger, it can become highly financially rewarding for both the affiliate, affiliate manager and the owner of the internet business or an offline company. This payment structure allows for the affiliate manager to have the best of both financial worlds; security from a base and increased financial opportunity due to performance.

As in most industries, including internet business, a quick way to climb the latter of success is to get in with the big dogs! It is important and beneficial to meet and network with lots of powerful people. The pure nature of affiliate management does exactly this. To run a successful affiliate program, it is required that the individual work closely with affiliate; those who own their own businesses. Many times, affiliates are already making sales which, prequalifies them as being someone with a level influence and success. As with any business, one's success is often times related to the people you know, can learn from and are influenced by.

Affiliate management is not just a position in internet business. It is becoming increasingly popular in the offline world due to the revenue generating power of the system. Most large offline companies have affiliate programs and need skilled affiliate managers. Take a look at monster.com or other job posting/seeking sites and you will see that companies are posting jobs and hiring affiliate managers all of the time. It is a position that is in high demand right now, both in internet business and offline.

Tellman Knudson, CEO of OvercomeEverything, Inc., is a master list builder and well-known for his List Building Club. Tellman teaches students how to build a successful online business. Create your successful business from his step-by-step videos at: http://listbuilding.com

Fran

Awesome Adventures

2009-10-28T16:59:00.005-05:00

"The Universe provides for us all every day, no matter how much we have or don't have. We deserve to feel that we are, have and do enough in our lives."
--SARK

If you have never heard of SARK, then you are in for a rare treat. Susan Kennedy (aka SARK) invites you to join her on an adventure!

What vibrant activies have you always wanted to try???? Try them now! Come along with us. See where the road leads. Click here to view more details

I have loved SARK since I found one of her books back in the late 1990's and she has been a part of my life every since. She is real and she encourages everyone else to also be real, to do and be who they truly are.

So, come along with us on our adventure. Take the road less travelled.

Fran

11 Things Your Boss Won't Tell You

2009-10-06T09:17:00.002-05:00

source Reader's Digest
Here are the 11 things your boss won't tell you.

1.The company is in trouble. There are rumours of redundancies and tough financial times ahead. Until things are really dire, we’re likely to remain tight-lipped.

2.You deserve a pay raise. If you feel you are due more money or a promotion, be proactive and ask for it. Don’t wait around for us to pat you on the back and make the offer. It’s not going to happen.

3.Dress to impress. Just because the workplace has a casual dress code, it doesn’t mean you should dress like a slob. If you speak with firm command, you will be seen as authoritative and if you arrive early and act keen, you’ll be perceived as a hard worker. So dress, act and talk for the position you want, not the one you’re in.

4.You’re too keen. Just as bad as lazy workers are the painfully over-eager ones. We don’t want to spend time listening to your wild plans to improve the company or find extra projects for you to work on.

5.Your best career move is not in my best interest. You may be well and truly ready for a step up the company ladder, but if you are excelling in your current position, we’d probably prefer it if you stayed exactly where you are.

6.You run your personal life from your desk. We will rarely pull you aside if you are always on Facebook, eBay or the phone organizing your personal life, but do you honestly think we don’t notice? Rest assured we do!

7.Solutions not problems. Don’t come marching into my office with a problem if you haven’t got any suggestions about how to fix it. That’s called whining. Come prepared with some ideas if you want change.

8.You smell. We detest having to pull an employee aside and tell them there have been complaints made about their scent. Remember the deodorant and avoid making us, or your colleagues, feel awkward.

9.Stand your ground. Don’t let people dump work on you. If you can delegate and are capable of being assertive, we’ll be impressed and see you as management potential. Respect is more important than popularity.

10.You should resign. Do you feel like you’ve hit a dead end in your current position? Unless you’re seriously underperforming, don’t wait for us to show you the door.

11.I’m busy worrying about me, not you. We’re busy doing our own job, so if you need help, training or support, then you have to let us know. Tell your boss what you need and take responsibility for your training.

You are your own employer...treat yourself well

Fran

Your Career Health

2009-10-01T11:00:00.002-05:00

"Somneone who hates details is not a good candidate for being taught how to scrutinize contracts. Somone who loves details is not a great trainee for sales. Being people-oriented is a characteristic that rarely goes hand-in-hand with being detail-oriented. It's not uncommon for companies to deal with the arduous task of training sales people to pay more attention. Telling a client to hire someone else is difficult, since detail-oriented people-persons simply don't exist. It may be a hard pill for HR to swallow, but accountants don't usually relish selling. What to do?" -- Roger C. Schank, President and CEO of Socratic Arts

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Test Your Career Health by Jim Clemmer

Many of us invest time once a year for an annual checkup of our physical health. But what about a regular career checkup?

Canadian author and literary icon, Robertson Davies, once wrote, "Weigh up your life once a year. If you find you are getting short weight, change your life. You will usually find that the solution lies in your own hands."

Here are six questions to help you discover whether your career is healthy — and, if it isn't, to help put it back on track.

Can I be real at work?
I am all for professionalism. I also like the assurance that whether I am working with colleagues in my field or buying professional services, I am dealing with a true pro that really knows his or her "stuff." But too often "professional" is another name for impersonal. We often equate professionalism with being unemotional or not showing our true selves.

While few people want us to throw a temper tantrum or break down in tears when we might really feel like doing just that, if we can't be real and bring our true selves to work we may be selling our soul (or at least our mental health) for a few bucks every two weeks.

When we can be open, transparent, and not put on a "professional" act, is often when we're the healthiest and most balanced.

A key element of "knowing thyself" is sorting out what's really important to you. Through study, meditation, contemplation, talking with close and trusted friends, consultation with your spouse, keeping a journal, taking a personal development workshop, or whatever works for you, develop a written list of your four to five top principles.

Reputation is what people think I am. Personality is what I seem to be. Character is what I really am. Our goal should be to break down the barriers between the three until they are one.

Am I growing with change?
The popular goals of security, stability and predictability can be deadly. They can lead to stunted growth and reduced learning. In today's fast-changing world, if we fail to change, it is we who will likely be changed. If we don't control our own future, someone else will.

Only a mediocre person is always at his or her best. If you are getting very comfortable with your expertise and skill levels, your learning may have leveled out.

You may not be stretching and challenging yourself enough. Your comfort zone could be fossilizing into a complacency zone. Are your personal habits stepping stones or stumbling blocks?

Use Benjamin Franklin's "method for progressing." He identified 13 virtues he wanted to develop. Each week he worked on one of the virtues for a total of "four courses (cycles) in a year." Each night before retiring, Mr. Franklin reflected on and recorded his progress on that week's virtue.

Join the Daily Reflect and Plan Club. You need at least 15 minutes and ideally 30 to 45 minutes each work day.

Use this time to read or listen to spiritual, inspiring, or educational material, write in your journal, day dream, review the previous day, set your priorities for the next day to sort out the urgent from the truly important, pray and meditate, continue developing your vision, values, and purpose, etc.

Experiment with many of these activities until you find the ones most meaningful for you.

Develop or join a network of colleagues who are as interested in personal learning and development as you are.

This can be a powerful source of learning from other people's experiences. It's also a great place for you to reflect on your own experiences and articulate your improvement plans.

Stretch outside your comfort zone a bit at a time. It will never go back to its original size.

You might try analyzing a problem in a new way, developing a new skill, meeting new people who operate at the performance level you're aspiring to, watching or listening to an educational television or radio program, or making that tough phone call right off the top. Daily or even just weekly small stretches accumulate into powerful new habits and ever stronger discipline muscles.

Skill building starts with assessment. Develop your skills performance gap by identifying what skills you need to fulfill your vision. Then get feedback on your current skill levels.

Have I become a victim?
It's so easy to get stuck in Pity City. Since misery loves company, Pity Parties become popular as everyone points fingers at their favorite targets on the other side of the we-they gap found in many organizations. Problems, setbacks, and disappointments are often wailed about in a rousing game of blame storming: "They're doing it to us again."

We can't choose the sometimes disastrous changes that whack us on the side of the head. But we do choose how to respond. We can try to change or influence the environment to navigate difficult changes. Or we can try to work around the situation and succeed despite "them."

Take the initiative to keep communication channels open with your boss or other colleagues. Outline your roles and responsibilities. Set your top three to five goals. Get your boss' input and adjust accordingly. Meet periodically to review progress and reset priorities.

Try to better understand the bigger picture that "they" are operating within. Do you know what keeps them awake at night? What their key goals and priorities are? How can we align our efforts?

Learn how your organizational game is played. Any organization of five people or more is political. Politics involve relationships, trust, power, persuasion, and influence.

Don't succumb to the "Victimitis Virus" by allowing more senior managers to disempower you. Leadership is action, not position. Be a leader. Make things happen. If you know it's right for your team and the organization, learn how to play the system to get done what needs to be done. Remember the Jesuit's Rule — It's always easier to get forgiveness than permission.

Is there a moose-on-the-table?
Imagine a team meeting around a conference room table. They are reviewing progress and making plans. Charts are reviewed, slides are projected, documents are handed out, and calculations are made. Now imagine that standing in the middle of the conference room table is a great big moose. No one says a word about the moose. Everyone carries on polite conversation as if this situation is very normal. Meanwhile the moose is eating papers at one end of the table while plopping out moose pies at the other end of the table.

The moose is a problem that everyone knows about but won't address. People are trying to carry on as if things are normal. Meanwhile, the problem is blocking progress and has caused some team members to tune out of conversations. By failing to confront the problem, they empower it. The moose grows bigger.

In some organizations, identifying the moose-on-the-table can be a career limiting — or ending — move. The most effective teams regularly ask such questions as: What should we keep doing? What should we stop doing? What should we start doing? These questions identify the moose and move the team forward.

Play with the moose-on-the-table concept. It's a powerful and fun way to get serious issues out in the open. You could get team members at a meeting to write down and hand in a few of the biggest moose they feel are present. Cluster the similar issues and hold a secret ballot on the top clusters. If you suspect people aren't being open during a discussion, ask: "Is there a moose-on-the-table we need to talk about?" Or if you see a potential issue emerging you might say: "I'd like to put a little moose-on-the-table."

Contribute to authentic conversations in an authentic workplace. Speak the truth as you see it. Obviously the time and place needs to be appropriate. Diplomacy and tact are also critical. Help others (especially your peers and those above you) to see the moose-on-the-table.

Is work a four-letter word?
Years ago, I worked in a company with an emotionally intelligent CEO. A favorite motto of his was: "If you love what you're doing, you never have to work again."

We all have our doubt days, when we're not sure we're in the right job. But our jobs aren't work unless those doubt days become as routine as getting up in the morning. If your work has become work, you've lost the passion. Meaningful work goes well beyond what you do for a living; it joyfully expresses what you do with your living.

Identify your strengths and passions. Assess how often and in what ways your current job is aligned with these. If the gap is large, look for ways to make changes in your work, change the work you're doing in your organization, or leave and find work that is in stronger alignment with your strengths and passions.

Our passion for what we do — or our lack of it — tells us if we're in the right place. To be passionate about our work, that work has to keep moving us ever closer to expressing who we truly are. The more closely "who we are" is aligned with "what we do," the deeper is our passion and commitment.

Flight attendants instruct passengers traveling with young children that should the oxygen mask ever drop from the panel above, put the mask on yourself first, and then help your child. Our parental instinct is to do the reverse. Assess whether you're so busy attending to everyone else's needs that you're failing to oxygenate yourself.

Ensure you plan and hold sacred the time to do those activities that recharge and revitalize you. It's the only way you'll have to maintain the energy for your work and to help others in your personal or professional life.

Do I have a job, career or calling?
In the movie "City Slickers," Billy Crystal plays Mitch, a middle-aged man in crisis who has lost his direction. He and his friends go to a dude ranch to participate in a real cattle drive and search for the meaning of life. Jack Palance plays Curly, a crusty old cowhand whose job it is to babysit the city slickers along the dusty trail.

In one memorable piece of dialogue, Curly asks Mitch: "You know what the secret of life is?"

"No, what?" Mitch responds.

Curly holds up his index finger. "This." Mitch looks confused. "Your finger?"

"One thing. Just one thing," Curly growls. "You stick to that and everything else don't mean sh-t."

"That's great," Mitch replies, "but what's the one thing?"

Curly smiles. "That's what you've got to figure out."

In typical movie fashion, of course, Mitch solves his problems by gaining new perspective on his life and knowing what changes he has to make. He learns that "it" — the one thing — varies for each of us. As Mitch tells one of his fellow searchers, "It's something different for everybody. It's whatever is the most important for you."

At least once a year, spend a quiet evening of uninterrupted time "daydreaming" with your spouse or life partner. Take turns fantasizing, seeing, and describing an ideal life together while the other person takes notes. Look at family, house or home, your careers, your physical health, your financial health, community involvement, spiritual growth, and social life. Now start setting goals and improvement plans to turn your fantasies into reality.

To find the core of your deepest and truest inner desires and vision, you may need to keep a running "dream list" for awhile. Record every dream, desire, or goal that pops into your mind. Once the list is complete and exhaustive, start sifting through it to look for patterns or clusters. Begin to group and prioritize your dreams until they're narrowed down to a manageable number. This is your personal source of energy and passion. The next step is unleashing that incredible power through visualization or imagery.

Build your confidence and reinforce your vision by keeping a private "blessings and brag list." It should contain every accomplishment, strength, or success you've ever had along with all the blessings you've enjoyed — no matter how small. Keep adding to it. Review it frequently, but especially when you're doubting or down on yourself.

Balance is a popular and elusive goal for many of us today. Well-balanced people pause periodically to review their progress. They know how easy it is to confuse busyness with effectiveness.

Jim Clemmer’s practical leadership books, keynote presentations, workshops, and team retreats have helped hundreds of thousands of people worldwide improve personal, team, and organizational leadership. Visit his web site, http://www.jimclemmer.com/, for a huge selection of free practical resources including nearly 300 articles, dozens of video clips, team assessments, leadership newsletter, Improvement Points service, and popular leadership blog. Jim's five international bestselling books include The VIP Strategy, Firing on All Cylinders, Pathways to Performance, Growing the Distance, and The Leader's Digest. His latest book is Moose on the Table: A Novel Approach to Communications @ Work.

Finding Energy

2009-09-16T15:42:00.003-05:00

How to Find Energy for Your Dream When You Work Full-Timeby Suzanne Falter-Barns
www.getknownnow.com

A recent Canadian study of 1,100 employees, polled across North America, found that one-third loathe their jobs. That’s loathe, as in detest, hate and otherwise despise. So here’s the good news: it’s entirely possible for these folks to overcome the usual obstacles, and actually find a more suitable line of work. The key is in managing energy – one of the key things people say keeps them from actively pursuing their dreams in life.

Here are some energy-saving tricks to help that process.

Dedicate your peak time of day to your dream. Are you a lark or an owl? Do you tend to spring out of bed or hug your pillow when the alarm goes off. Get clear on this key fact, then add an extra hour in this time zone for work on your dream. In other words, get up an hour earlier if you’re a morning person – or stay up an hour later if you thrive at night. Write it into your schedule and stick with it.

Indulge in a Four o’clock protein bar or shake. Replace the guilty candy bar in your desk drawer with a snack that’s actually got enough protein to tide you well into the evening hours. Protein bars, such as Balance, Clif, Luna and Power Bars have only slightly less sugar than conventional candy bars, but they’re loaded with soy protein that metabolizes more slowly for an even energy burn. (Ideally, the bars shouldn’t have more than 13 grams of sugar, say experts.) Shakes made with soyprotein powders available at health food stores work even better, and last longer.

Keep a lean office/work space. Nothing drains energy faster than clutter, especially that which accumulates on desktops. Jeffrey Mayer, author of the e-book, How to Win the Fight Between You and Your Desk, says that our energy is literally bogged down every time we see a pile of papers we have to deal with. So he advises parking everything out of sight in appropriate files. Then he suggests keeping a running to-do list on a pad, with items to check off each day as accomplished. This sense of order and accomplishment can breath new life into dreams that feel long in the tooth.

Stop working at least an hour before bed. Even if you’re a night owl who loves to create deep into the night, give yourself some true down time at least an hour before bed. Experts say this is critical unwinding time that will help you sleep better, and hence renew your energy for the next day’s tasks. Use the time to reconnect with your family or spouse, peruse some fun, non-work related reading, or sit in a room with low light simply listening to relaxing music. This is critical energy recharging time.

Avoid junk food; drink water instead. It’s an old saw, but it bears repeating. Nothing depletes your system quite like junk food. The excess sugars speed up your system so it eventually crashes; the excess salts just drive your thirst. They’re fun, but have not substance. Your body craves the good stuff: carrots, salads, light proteins, whole grains, because digestion of such is so much easier on the system.

Add large amounts of water, and you’ll be running at peak. Take your iron. Grains and vegetables provide us with only about seven per cent of their iron, while meat gives us close to 30 per cent. Added to that is the fact that drinking tea and coffee interferes with iron absorption. So, all in all, you're best off with a supplement, preferably about 18 milligrams per day. Author and nutritionist Elizabeth Somers says you'll see improvements in energy and mental clarity within three weeks.

Refresh your mind. On a regular basis, try to offer it something stimulating, fun and not work or dream-related. Consider playing an instrument, or going to a weekly dance or yoga class. Or taking a walk in an entirely new place. Museum exhibitions, browses through bookstores, hang outs in cafes and uninhibited strolls through the Web are all good for this purpose.

Take brainstorming walks. This is a daily exercise walk in which you clear your mind, and use the time for either a little reflection on what you’re creating, or for possible spiritual connection. As the exercise causes your brain to release feel-good endorphins, you can relax enough to really let your mind wander as your stroll. So this becomes a great time to work out little problems that crop up in your dream work. Be sure to bring along a small notepad, or electronic ‘instant messager’ for recording your ideas. If time’s tight, use this time to walk to or from the office, even if you have to park the car a few miles away.

Eat your lunch at your desk. It’s a simple solution, and remarkably effective. The simple act of bringing a sandwich to work, pulling it out, closing the door, and doing a little work on your dream mid-day can deeply increase your commitment to your dream. And that in turn can really fuel your dream, so making time for it becomes easier, not harder. If it’s hard to work at your desk, take your sandwich and dream work to a nearby café, your parked car, a public library carrel, or any public space where you can work.

Long to lead your own creativity workshops? You can with Suzanne’s Joy
Facilitator’s Training – the turnkey program that helps you create, book, fill and lead your own creativity workshops! Based on her best-selling creativity books, from Ballantine.

©2005 Suzanne Falter-Barns.. www.howmuchjoy.com & www.getknownnow.com

For information on how to find the time, energy, money to live your purpose in life, download Suzanne’s free workbook, The Living Your Joy Companion Workbook And get a daily blast of joyful tips from the Blast o’ Joy blog at www.blastojoy.com.

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Keep your energy at its peak to get the best out of life

Fran

Should You Quit Your Job For Your Dreams?

2009-09-16T11:23:00.003-05:00

Should You Quit Your Job for Your Dream?

A Questionnaire by Suzanne Falter-Barns

The next time you’re moodily sitting in your office, wishing you were living your dream instead, answer the following questions… or answer them now! They’ll give you a sense of whether or not now’s the time to make the break.

1.My job is making me crazy; so crazy I’d do anything to quit.
a) Highly agree
b) Mildly agree
c) Don’t really agree
d) Strongly disagree

2.If I left my job for my dream, I’m not sure what I’d do first, or even
how I’d begin it.
a) Highly agree
b) Mildly agree
c) Don’t really agree
d) Strongly disagree

3.My boss runs my life … or ruins it. I feel completely misunderstood and trapped by this job. I don’t even know if I could quit – how would I survive? Who would even hire me?
a) Highly agree
b) Mildly agree
c) Don’t really agree
d) Strongly disagree

4.I hate this job but I really need the money. I don’t see any other viable alternative.
a) Highly agree
b) Mildly agree
c) Don’t really agree
d) Strongly disagree

5.If I stay at my work just a little longer, I stand a good chance of getting a promotion and a raise. Then I could find my way clear to saving a little money for my dream.
a) Highly agree
b) Mildly agree
c) Don’t really agree
d) Strongly disagree

6.Yeah, I could quit my job for my dream, but I could run off to Tahiti, too. That’s way too much risk for my taste.
a) Highly agree
b) Mildly agree
c) Don’t really agree
d) Strongly disagree

7.My spouse/partner is okay with the thought of me quitting my job for my dream. We’ve talked it through and he/she sees it as the next thing I need to do.
a) Highly agree
b) Mildly agree
c) Don’t really agree
d) Strongly disagree

8.My spouse/partner fully understands what life will be like when I make the leap to begin my dream. He/she will be there for me, emotionally and even financially if necessary.
a) Highly agree
b) Mildly agree
c) Don’t really agree
d) Strongly disagree

9.I have a business plan for my dream all organized and ready to go. I’ve even scoped out sources for capital, and necessary space and materials to get to work.
a) Highly agree
b) Mildly agree
c) Don’t really agree
d) Strongly disagree

10.I have a savings account for my dream with enough to get started, plus an emergency savings account worth 6 months of my general living expenses. I’ve also scoped out alternatives to my current health care and insurance.
a) Highly agree
b) Mildly agree
c) Don’t really agree
d) Strongly disagree

11.I’ve been developing a systematic plan for leaving my job for a while now … I feel I’m almost ready to go.
a) Highly agree
b) Mildly agree
c) Don’t really agree
d) Strongly disagree

12.I have an adequate support system in place to really help me move ahead with my dream. It includes good friends and advisors, adequate child or elder care, a supportive spouse, and even a coach or mentor.
a) Highly agree
b) Mildly agree
d) Don’t really agree
d) Strongly disagree

If you answered mostly a) and b) to questions 1-4, you’re stuck. Your job has forced you to forget about essential pieces of yourself – it’s time to get some career coaching now.

If you answered mostly a) and b) to questions 5 and 6, you’re a borderline case. You haven’t yet decided whether your dream is all that important to the quality of your life. Just an experiment, you might want to sit with a blank piece of paper and really brainstorm what it would be like to live your dream.

If you answered mostly a) and b) to questions 7-11 … what are you waiting for? You’ve got a plan, you’ve set up the necessary support and you’re good to go; you should be able to weather the inevitable ups and downs. Be sure to allow your company enough notice to make the transition smoothly, so you can leave with glowing reviews. Congratulations!

Long to lead your own creativity workshops? You can with Suzanne’s Joy Facilitator’s Training – the turnkey program that helps you create, book, fill and lead your own creativity workshops! Based on her best-selling creativity books, from Ballantine.

©2005 Suzanne Falter-Barns.. www.howmuchjoy.com & www.getknownnow.com

For information on how to find the time, energy, money to live your purpose in life, download Suzanne’s free workbook, The Living Your Joy Companion Workbook And get a daily blast of joyful tips from the Blast o’ Joy blog at www.blastojoy.com.
***********************************

So, is it time for you to move on? Do you need some help? Contact me

Have a great week!

Fran

No Jobs???

2009-09-04T17:18:00.002-05:00

Think there are no jobs out there?
Think again

Are you reading the papers and thinking, “there are no jobs”?
Do you know that approximately 80% of the available jobs are not advertised.

Are you spending 40 hours a week on your job search?
If you are looking for a full-time job, you should be spending 30 – 40 hours a week on job search activities – reading, researching, networking, preparing resumes, practicing interview techniques, etc.

Do you know how to use the computer/internet to help you in your job search – to look up information on employers and careers?
If not, sign up now and attend a local free computer workshop.

Is your resume up to date and targeted to a specific job or employer?
If not, you may be losing out on jobs you are qualified for. There really is no "one size fits all" resume.
Some of the biggest mistakes made on resumes are: distortions or lies (be truthful in everything), too much information, messiness and typographical errors (typos), lack of specific information, irrelevant information, failure to list job accomplishments.
Proofread your resume carefully. A poll of Fortune 1000 executives revealed nearly one-third of them wouldn’t hire an applicant whose resume contains a typo.

Have you practiced your interview techniques with a friend or family member? Do you know what to say when the employer says, “Tell me about yourself?” If not, sit down and list all the things you have done in every job and every volunteer activity. You may be surprised by all the things you have accomplished and forgotten about. The next step is to summarize your accomplishments to target the skills the employer is looking for.

Put your best foot forward....good luck

Fran Watson

Lost Your Job?

2009-08-27T11:09:00.002-05:00

Check out Sam Crowley's new video

Click here

Follow your heart

Fran

P.S. Check out what else Sam has for you

Virtual Competence

2009-08-20T11:47:00.003-05:00

Are you virtually competent?

I just read an article by Jennifer Kavur in the August 17th issue of ComputerWorld Canada which talks about this term - Virtual Competente, the new softskill - a term coined by Haggerty and Wang from the Richard Ivey School of Business at the University of Western Ontario.

Virtual Competence consists of three skill sets:

- Virtual Social Skills or an individual's capability to build online social relationships

- Virtual Media Skills, which are the actual capabilities in using a range of tools and features, and

- Virtual Self-Efficacy or self-confidence.

If you don't have these skills, you might want to develop them as in the same issue, there was another article by Jenniver about employers seeking proof of Web 2.0 savvy in new recruits. She highlighted a recent job posting for Best Buy which requested a graduate degree and a "minimum of 250 followers on Twitter.

So, how virtually savvy are you? Do yolu Twitter? Do you use Facebook? Do you participate on any social media networking sites? If not, better start brushing up now!

Happy job hunting

Fran Watson

P.S. You can find me on Facebook

Amazon help

2009-08-19T14:12:00.001-05:00

Procrastination

2009-08-10T10:59:00.001-05:00

If you suffer from procrastination a good time management strategy for you is to make procrastination enemy number one in your life. Procrastination deprives you of satisfaction, success, and happiness. It causes unnecessary stress, frustration, and pressure in your life. Procrastination is the biggest unnecessary and controllable time waster that exists. So how do you know if you are a procrastinator, and what do you do about it if you are?

If you are a procrastinator, you have probably made procrastination a life-long habit. Your time management strategy is never do today what you can put off until tomorrow. You don’t even start something until it’s almost impossible to complete the project by the deadline. When you finally make the commitment to take action you are a whirl of activity and you don’t allow anyone or anything to interrupt you because you have a deadline to meet. If your time management strategy was to approach all your projects with that level of fury and commitment from the moment you were first aware of the project you would have it done far in advance of the deadline and could move on to other things without having to deal with all that unnecessary stress.

Your negative attitude may be the cause or source of your procrastination. Your attitudes drive your behaviors and your behaviors drive your results, so if a negative attitude is fueling your procrastination including affirmations in your time management strategy is a good plan. Affirmations are positive statements about your ability to do the task at hand, the value of the project, the speed with which you can complete the project etc. All re-enforcing the positive impact of successfully completing the project on time or even ahead of time in your life.

Have you ever found that sometimes you procrastinate because of your fear of failure? This one may not be one that you openly admit to yourself, but if you start thinking back to the times you didn’t follow up with a potential client or didn’t submit your work so it could be considered for an award or whatever you have put off in the past you may realize that part of you didn’t want to get things completed because of your fear of what might happen if you failed. A time management strategy for you is to ask yourself what the potential outcomes are when you take the action you are supposed to take, and then make sure you are comfortable with those outcomes.

The opposite of fear of failure is fear of success. Your fear of success can be another reason for your procrastination. You may worry what others will think of your new found success. As part of your time management strategy you may want to explore the impact of succeeding and prepare yourself for the consequences.

Do you find that its hard to complete things because they’re just never quite good enough? Perfectionism can really get in your way. Recognize that perfectionism can never be achieved and that you can only do your best. It is a better time management strategy to just do something than to just keep putting it off. Zig Zigglar is frequently quoted as having said, “anything worth doing is worth doing poorly”. Perhaps his advice is something for you to take to heart.

Do you ever find yourself just stuck because you aren’t quite sure how to handle the task at hand? Yet, as you think about when you were in those situations in the past, when you finally got started did you find that it wasn’t as hard as you thought it would be? Whether you think it will be hard or if you get stuck working on the project a good time management strategy is to reach out quickly and get the help you need rather than just hoping you will somehow be able to work through it on your own.

Would you like to learn more about your time behaviors? Try this Time Management Analysis and find out where your opportunities for improvement are. When you absolutely must have measurable results to consistently and predictably get where you want to go for Superior Success...visit CoachingMegaAgents to start on your journey for superior success.

Let's get started!!

Fran Watson

15 Things Not To Say To YouR Boss

2009-04-16T11:40:00.003-05:00

By Craig Segal

Are you professional and work-savvy in the office? Do you know how to work effectively with your superiors? If you’re not sure how to answer, here are 15 tips on what NOT to say to your boss.

Inadvertently, or within a heated conversation, we often say things to the boss that we know we will have second thoughts about on that long walk back to our cubicle.

Maybe we forget that it's the boss we're even talking to, or that bosses have strong powers of recall and that small words can leave lasting impressions. Below we offer sage advice from Ken Scott, an executive coach with Axmith, a Canadian career-development firm, and Karen Coe of TMP Worldwide Executive Search on what NOT to say to the boss if you want to be around for the company picnic next summer.

It's not my problem. When a problem in the business or within the team is identified that is not in your direct area but does concern your boss, bring your ideas and capacity to contribute when you can.

Silence. Saying nothing to the boss is just not helpful. Bosses expect input, information and ideas.

It can't be done or It's always been done this way. Make an effort to find out how it could be done. Help your boss to better define what he or she is looking for.

Want to know what my boss just did…? Saying something behind your boss's back that you have not already said to his face invites future trouble should the grapevine make it to his ears.

I'm happy where I am or I'm comfortable. Often such statements come from folks who are not willing to try a new assignment or in response to, "If you could, what would you change about your job?"

I'm too busy to take new training. Anyone who wants to succeed needs to continually balance the urgent (what's needed today) with the less urgent (what will be needed in the future).

I need a bigger title. In today's organizations, contribution and value to the business is not a direct reflection of title. Produce results first. Seek status last.

I don't do overtime. Professionals who are managing their careers do not count hours but invest in themselves and in training by learning more about the business and the customers. It’s often in the unofficial hours that conversations and information essential to relationships and planning occur.

I only know the people in my department. No man is an island. It’s essential to know who the key leaders are in the enterprise, their driving philosophies and key measures, and how your team links to them. Everyone has a customer or is serving the customer.

It’s my turn for a promotion. Entitlement is antique in corporate life. What you contribute, your unique skills and your ability to work with the business at all levels earn advancement. Time in the chair or waiting in line does not count.

Ask someone else. When you are approached for an opportunity or request, pull together ideas even if you cannot come up with them yourself; be a bridge to the solution, not a stop sign.

I booked my vacation for those days and cannot change it. Most bosses want to accommodate subordinates with time off, since fresh and recharged employees do their best work. However the reality today is that companies need flexibility to meet circumstances that do not always fit a personal calendar of preferences, such as mergers, new product releases, etc.

I've got nothing new to report. Staying too quiet about what you are working on can signal your boss that you are not engaged. Employers appreciate innovation and improvements in efficiency.

Yes, but I was having a bad day. Making excuses when you're confronted about a mistake only makes you look like a whiner. Own up to a mistake and reassure your boss it won't happen again.

Technology is not my thing. The world of technological tools and processes that enable us to become more efficient will continue to change the way we all work. Be a willing and proactive learner and be prepared to show others.

Hoping you haven't said any of these things!!

and wishing you "Good luck on your job search"

Fran Watson

P.S. Check out the free job search book listed below

Comfort Zones...

2009-04-02T11:39:00.002-05:00

I am currently reading some books I purchased from simple truths. I have discovered some fabulous information and I would like to share some of it with you. The following article is by Mac Anderson from his book Charging the Human Battery. These books are only available from simple truths. The books are hardcover with beautiful illustrations and they are easy to read in an evening.

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"Change comes bearing gifts." - Price Pritchett

Comfort zones put padlocks on doors to growth, discovery and adventure. As painful as it may feel, change almost always comes bearing gifts. As nerve-wracking as it can seem, it's "in the winds of change we find our true direction."

Change is not easy, but it is simple. Things will always change. We don't have a choice about that. But we do have a choice about how we react to change. It really boils down to this...eitehr we manage change, or it will manage us.

In the long run, however, sameness is the fast track to mediocrity. To grow, to get closer to your goals, you must get off the path of least resistance. Lace up your running shoes, tie a double knowt, and discover all the advantages you can uncover on a new trail.

Remember: To get what you've never had, you must do what you've never done.

To your positive changes!!!

Fran Watson
www.franwatson.ca/Counselling.html

P.S. That website again is simple truths Check it out, they have amazing videos, CDs, books, etc.

12 Steps to Recession-Proof Your Job

2009-03-25T09:41:00.002-05:00

Try the following strategies from Karen Coe of TMP Worldwide Executive Search and Ken Scott of Axmith to make yourself the No. 1 choice:

1. Be the best at what you do. Show others how to raise their skills, too.

2. Be the first to suggest cost-cutting ideas and track the return to the bottom line, even if it’s only in your area.

3. Examine how to redesign your own job to find ways to broaden its contribution.

4. Be prepared to put in extra hours to increase productivity and deliverables.

5. Keep a high profile in activities closely aligned with the company’s values, which includes volunteer work with charities and corporate causes that broadens your network and evidences contribution that is not self-serving and is team focused.

6. Don’t wait for the job vacancy. Pave the way by making sure your boss knows you want more responsibility.

7. Employees need to treat their own company as a client. In order to stay

8. Prepare for positions you’re interested in. If you’re gunning for a job in a foreign country, begin taking language classes before any opportunity presents itself. Think about portability.

9. Likewise, don’t let a company know you’re interested in a foreign post if you can’t do it. You could, though, tell them you can’t do it. That helps them know where they can promote you.

10. We are facing a severe management shortage in Canada with baby boomers retiring. Companies are deciding who their top talent is.

11. Opportunity comes to people who are dressed for it, so always be ready.

12. Follow through in every commitment made to your boss, colleagues or anyone else.

Do what you can!

Fran

www.franwatson.ca/resources.html

Job Finding Formula

2009-03-17T07:22:00.005-05:00

Hey Job Seeker, welcome to my blog site.

I have just been given permission to share a fabulous resource with you to help you with your job search.

Are you aware that approximately 80% of the available jobs are not advertised? See what you can do to find the one that works for you!

This resource can help you look at what will work for you, some really neat techniques you can use to land that job you really want, and show you how to use the Hidden Job Market.

Check it out right away.

Contents include:
- The Hidden Job Market,

- How People Really Get Jobs,

- Developing Your Resume,

- Powerful Interview Techniques

and much, much more.

Best of luck....happy hunting!

Fran Watson
www.franwatson.ca

P.S. Here's that link again: JobFindingFormula

How To Be A Leader At Work

2009-03-08T21:45:00.006-05:00

Most organizations have at least one person who is a natural leader. When it is announced she will be leading a new team, employees line up to join. When he asks for a volunteer for an assignment, people jump at the chance. Employees turn to her as a mentor, or look to him as a role model.

Meanwhile, others in the organization are struggling to do their job with too few human resources. So how do natural leaders do it? What is their secret to getting people to go the extra mile for them?

Although many effective leaders are naturally charismatic, there are a number of leadership behaviours that can be adopted by anyone who wants to have greater support from other people. While some leadership techniques may sound manipulative, a wise leader knows the best results come from having people provide their support willingly.

As U.S. President and General Dwight D. Eisenhower defined it:
Leadership is the art of getting someone to do something you want done because he wants to do it. -- Dwight D. Eisenhower

People naturally want to follow a good leader. After meeting with an effective leader it is not unusual to feel uplifted, inspired and motivated to work towards a common goal.

Effective leaders make others feel good about themselves as well as the work they are doing. The leader has a vision of what she wants to achieve and can communicate that vision to others in a way that makes people want to be part of it.

One thing a good leader typically does is to communicate the big picture, so that each employee can see how the particular role he plays makes a contribution to the final result.

In a recent study of employees at all levels in companies of all sizes, Beverly Kaye and Sharon Jordan-Evans, authors of Love ‘Em or Lose ‘Em, found that “meaningful work, making a difference and a contribution” was one of the top three reasons given by 90% of employees when asked why they remain at a company. (The other reasons cited among the top three were “career growth, learning and development” and “exciting work and challenge.”)

When someone understands why a job that might otherwise be considered menial is important, that person is likely to be both more committed and more productive.

People are also likely to follow leaders they see as positive role models. If a leader demonstrates a strong belief in something, it inspires others to work towards the leader’s vision, even when a situation might appear to be almost hopeless. An excellent example of a leader who faced this type of situation is Lee Iacocca. When Chrysler’s fortunes reached a low in the 1980s, he cut his salary to $1 per year to prove his conviction that things would get better. They did. Under his leadership, the company flourished.

Good leaders not only “walk the walk”, they “talk the talk”. When they speak about the future, they are positive and upbeat. Mark Victor Hansen, a successful motivational speaker and co-author of the Chicken Soup for the Soul books, said that even in the early days of his career, if someone asked how he was doing he always responded that he was doing fabulously. His enthusiasm won him plenty of supporters who helped make his vision a reality.

Yet some people feel the way to get support from others is by telling them how grim a situation is, hoping that will make them want to help turn things around. On the contrary, Eeyores (those who sound like the gloomy Winnie the Pooh character) may inspire people to start looking for another job, rather than work to improve the situation they are in.

If you have a tendency to be negative, but want to inspire others to support you in achieving a goal, resolve to focus on solutions rather than problems. If Plan A isn’t working, avoid bemoaning the situation and instead come up with a Plan B. If necessary, have Plan C waiting in the wings. Maintain a can-do attitude and you are likely to attract people who will support you in achieving your goals.

As well as communicating their vision, good leaders know they need to communicate “what’s in it for you” in order to have employees go the extra mile.
They also understand that different people are motivated by different things. For employees motivated by a need for achievement, a leader explains how the task offers an opportunity to take on a challenging but achievable goal. Those with a desire for power are told how their participation can bring them prestige and lead to greater opportunities. While employees who are motivated by affiliation need to hear how they will be part of a team of people working together.

Effective leaders also use techniques to communicate their belief that each team member is important, including remembering and using people’s preferred names (e.g. not "Rick" if someone prefers to be called "Richard"). As Dale Carnegie observed, “the average person is more interested in his or her own name than in all the other names on earth put together.” Keys to remembering names include paying attention when introduced to someone, mentally repeating the name and using it in conversation.

Good leaders will introduce employees by name first, rather than job title. They refer to employees as team members, associates, or colleagues – never as "subordinates" – and make no distinction between "essential" and "non-essential" staff or "professional" and "non-professional" staff. Words have power, including the power to make people feel whether or not they are important to the success of an organization.

Good leaders believe that every team member matters and foster an environment that makes everyone feel important. It is no wonder they attract all the support they need to help them achieve their goals.

Tag Goulet is CEO of Fabjob.com, a company that publishes e-books on how to break into a "fab" job. Visit www.fabjob.com for information

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Lead On!!

Fran Watson
www.franwatson.ca

Free Job Search Info

2009-03-07T07:33:00.004-05:00

Hi

I have uploaded some job search tips and information for you at this site: www.franwatson.ca/Employment

I will be updating this over the next few weeks to include more information and links.

Help yourself.

Fran

Do YOU Know these facts?

2009-03-06T07:23:00.002-05:00

Did you know that:

only 20% of all employers have application forms - almost all employers want to see a resume

80% of employers rely on personal contact - if someone they know recommends someone, they are more willing to take a chance on that person than a stranger

jobs stay open on an average of only 5 days - so it is important to get your resume in to an employer as soon as you see the job opening, don't wait until the last day of the competition

small businesses create the most new jobs in the economy each each year

smaller firms are reluctant to publish jobs because they can't handle the flow of resumes or they don't have the resources to deal with it - so don't assume they aren't hiring, if you think you would like to work for a company, take your resume in and talk to the manager about what you would like to do and what skills and experience you can bring them

Now that you know, make sure you have your resume ready, targeted for the specific job you are looking for, and get out there!

To a successful job search

Fran Watson
www.franwatson.ca

P.S. Drop by again soon as I will have some free job search tips for you to download

Identifying Barriers To Success

2009-03-05T20:48:00.002-05:00

Although a person may seem to have all the skills needed to perform a job or be successful, any real or perceived barriers may nevertheless jeopardize one’s chance of excelling. It makes sense to think ahead of time and identify any potential barriers so that we are in a better position to deal with the judgments that others (including ourselves) may make about us. Sometimes the barriers are in ourselves. We may not want to venture into something new or different because we are not sure if we will be able to do it.

Employment Roadblocks

Clearly identifying where you are in the job search process is half the battle in re-entering the work force. Understanding what information and skills you need to overcome roadblocks and gaining that information and skills is the other half.

Future Plans

It is important to write down your goals in order to achieve them. For instance:
 What do you want to do?
 Where do you want to do it?
 Can you travel or are you limited to the local area?
 How much do you want to be paid?
 How much do you need to pay your bills?
 Do you want to work for yourself or for someone else?
 How do you start?
 What do you need to do first?

You may find this an easy process, or a very difficult one. For help in setting your goals and action plan, you can set up an appointment to meet with a counsellor to discuss the steps you need to take to set up your personal action plan.

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Values

For each list, check off the values that are important to you. Once you have done this, evaluate your choices and list them in order of importance as follows:

A – very important
B – important
C – somewhat important

What are your Work Values?

High Income – finding a job that will allow me to make a lot of more
Prestige – having a job that will give me visibility or status in my community
Professional Recognition – earning the respect of colleagues in my field
Helpfulness – doing work that directly helps people in need or serves a cause
Fast Pace – having work that requires me to be thinking or doing almost all the time
Autonomy – being able to work independently and make choices about priorities and organization
Leadership – using my ability to motivate and direct others in a supervisory capacity
Time Flexibility – being able to set my own hours and arrange my day as I think best
Intellectual Challenge – having work that stimulates my mind and requires me to stretch intellectually
Physical Challenge – having work that involves physical effort to get the job done
Sense of Mission – using my job to make the world a better place to live
Creativity – having the opportunity to express myself through my work
Team Member – working in a group toward a common goal
Personal Recognition – working for a boss and/or organization that notices and rewards my efforts
Contact With Others – having a lot of face-to-face interaction with the public or co-workers
Sociability – being ale to enjoy camaraderie with others at work who share my interests
Pressure – working under the stimulation of deadlines
Diversity and Change – participating in work activities that are often different day to day
Security – being able to have a reasonable expectation that my job or skills will remain in demand
Problem Solving – finding solutions to significant problems as the main focus of my work
Influence – having work that allows me to have a direct impact on people’s lives
Excitement/Adventure – having responsibilities that often involve risk taking and/or a degree of excitement
Predictability – having a job with day-to-day responsibilities that hold few surprises
Power – knowing I’m “in charge” and that people look to me for direction and authority

What are your Life Values?

Accomplishment - achievement, aspiration for excellence

Aesthetics – appreciation of beauty, art, music

Affection – satisfying love relationships, caring, becoming close and intimate with another person

Appearance – physical attractiveness, sex appeal

Autonomy – independence, self-direction, freedom, the right to do what I want

Career – satisfying and successful

Creativity – using imagination, being innovative, problem-solving abilities

Devotion – strong spiritual belief, religious faith

Economic security – comfortable life, freedom from financial worry

Education – intellectual achievement for self, family, or others

Emotional well-being – peace of mind, contentment, freedom from inner conflicts

Excitement – adventure, new experiences, challenges, exploring, being enthusiastic

Family well-being – taking care of loved ones, good family relationships

Friendship – having close friendships, companionship

Health – physical well-being

Helping others – humanitarian desires, serving and working with others

Home – home as an anchor, having a lovely home in a beautiful setting

Leadership –influence, power, control over others, being persuasive

Personal growth – development, use of potential, self-realization

Play – pleasure, fun, leisurely life, travel, sport

Prestige – visible success, recognition, status

Responsibility – accountability, reliability, dependability

Stability – order, predictability, tranquility

Other _______________________________________________

Best of Luck in your job search......need help, contact me

Fran Watson
www.franwatson.ca

Be Careful What You Say

2009-03-02T23:08:00.002-05:00

You Are What You Say
by Carole Martin

The words you use to express yourself send a strong message about the person you are and what you know. Your vocabulary and how well you use it can say more about you than the message you're trying to communicate.

In the job search, the right words are essential to your success. Whether you're creating your resume or preparing interview answers, being aware of and using industry jargon is important. Industries use keywords or lingo. You will sound more knowledgeable and in-the-know if you use these words.

Wendy Enelow, who has written books to help job searchers as well as articles for Monster, has a passion for words and appreciates the power of keywords. In Best Keywords for Resumes, Cover Letters and Interviews, Enelow says, “Keywords are used to explain what is required by the employer. They are the buzzwords -- the hot words associated with a specific industry, profession or job function.”

Enelow gives four good reasons why you should use keywords:
1. To get noticed -- with electronic resumes, they're critical.
2. To demonstrate your knowledge of the industry and profession.
3. To talk the talk; be able to use the words with your interviewer.
4. To make interviewers' jobs easier. They can extrapolate information from the words you use.

“Most searchers don't know the keywords, how to use them or where to find them,” says Enelow.

Which Words Are Key?

Each industry uses common words to describe what's required for a job. Descriptions are a list of qualities and skills employers are looking for in a candidate -- the wish list. By using this information and keywords, you can reveal yourself as the ideal candidate.

Lingo differs from industry to industry. In the sales industry, words such as “territories” and “quotas” are used. In healthcare, the words are medically directed: diagnostic tests, therapeutic procedures, patient management plans, etc. Use the industry's lingo in your cover letters, resumes and interviews.

Where Are These Words?

A good place to start is with job postings. Print out and review multiple job postings for a specific position, and you will begin to see the keywords repeated over and over.

The Occupational Information Network -- O*NET OnLine -- is a complete list of occupation keywords along with related positions. This site also lists skills requirements and could give you a feel for a field's specific lingo.

Don't Be a Showoff

Researching words will pay off when you begin to write your resume or prepare your interview script. Of course, don't use a word solely to impress your interviewer. Fitting keywords in at appropriate times in the conversation is what will help your cause. Knowing the definition behind words is what will convince the interviewer that you know what you're talking about.

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Work with words wisely, while whispering, wailing, whimpering, or watching wonderful women wonder and wander wilfully with wistful writings :)

Fran Watson
www.franwatson.ca

Commit To Lifelong Learning for Personal Success

2009-03-02T00:17:00.002-05:00

Commit to Lifelong Learning to Achieve Professional Success
by Debra Pestrak

Being the best in anything requires long hours of practice and a commitment to lifelong learning. From the greatest athletes to the most talented musicians to the world’s prolific writers, these people dedicate themselves to their chosen profession and continually strive to improve themselves. They know that self-improvement is the key to success, and they make a daily effort to hone their talents.

Success in business is no different. In order to be an expert in your field, you must continually improve your business skills and stay on top of business trends. The more you commit to self-improvement and learning, the better you will become and the faster your career will excel.

In order to stress the important correlation between learning and business success, several Fortune 500® executives recently explained how self-improvement paved the way for their rise to the top. Their insights and advice go beyond traditional business school teachings and encompass vital learning's that all workers at any level should heed.

Learn From Those Around You

After spending anywhere from 12 to 18 years in school, many people embark into the business world believing they have all the knowledge under their belt that they’ll need. In reality, quite the opposite is often true. Real business learning begins your first day on the job and it continues until retirement. Those people who accept this fact master business trends and advance their careers faster.

One of your most vital learning resources will be your senior co-workers. They have experience you can learn from and can guide you to correct decisions. Jean Hamilton, Chief Executive Office, Prudential Institutional, cites her mentors and co-workers as her greatest teachers. She says, “I’ve been lucky to work with a number of people from whom I’ve been able to learn. I’ve used them as role models, carefully watching to see things they do well and thinking about how I can emulate them in what I do…. Listening to what others have to say, observing success, and then finding a way to personally incorporate that into your own set of goals and standards—all of that is critical.” By following the lead of these people, Hamilton was able to push past her limits and hone her business judgment.

Similarly, Ellen Hancock, former Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Exodus Communications, reveals that she acquired most of her communication, leadership, and influencing skills through on-the-job training. When she began her career, she made it a point to meet with her mentors monthly.

She believes having a mentor is vital to success because the learning “becomes more of a personal experience rather than just an assignment.”

To adequately learn from others, look around your current organization and find someone who represents your values. Align yourself with that person so you can continually learn how to best do your job and how to improve your business skills. As you discover the type of support you need to advance your career, you can build a support network of those people who can best assist you with attaining your goals.

Learn From Your Own Mistakes

While mistakes and failures are often painful experiences, they are wonderful learning opportunities that can guide your career and self-development. Too often, people are afraid to make mistakes. They prefer to take the safe route and don’t challenge themselves to achieve more. Those at the top of their field are not afraid of mistakes. They know the importance of risking and learning from their mistakes and are able to move on to achieve greater things with the lessons their mistakes teach them.

Anne Sweeney, President, Disney/ABC Cable Networks and President, Disney Channel, agrees that mistakes are vital to career success. As she says, “I believe that if you stay in jobs where you know you cannot fail, you will never grow. Along the way, you must be prepared to take risks and make mistakes. I mean big mistakes. Mistakes that people know about. Mistakes that people may even write about. Mistakes that will make you question whether you have in fact chosen the right path. This sort of risk-taking constitutes an act of faith in yourself.”

Learn From Training Opportunities

In order to advance your career, you must also take advantage of every training opportunity, whether it’s from your company or an outside source. Why? Within most organizations, knowing various areas of the business is a prerequisite for a move into the executive ranks. You may be able to move close to the top as a specialist, but most organizations will not give you a policy- or decision-making position without knowledge of other areas of the business. This is why you must expand your knowledge base and seek out new ways to gain useful information.

When it comes to learning, Shelley Broader, Senior Vice President, Hannaford Brothers, is a pro. Throughout her climb to the top, she took advantage of every training session she could. She now advises aspiring businesspeople to do the same. “Take advantage of cross-functional learning opportunities and don’t pigeonhole yourself with a single set of skills,” she says. “I’m not practicing what I learned in college by any means, technically. Yet, I have a marketable set of skills and I can learn any tactical function. I can manage people and manage process. I can learn the tactical function that I’m managing.”

To gain hands-on learning, volunteer for new teams and task forces. Read your company’s annual report. Also, look to outside sources, such as trade journals and industry newsletters, for up-to-date market information. The more you know about your company and your industry, the higher you’ll go in your organization.

Learn Something New Today

Career advancement is possible when you make lifelong learning one of your top priorities. As you gain new knowledge and insights, you can continually evaluate the path you’ve chosen to be sure you’re on the right track. By committing yourself to be an eternal student of business, you can rise to the top of any organization.
Read Only © Copyright 2002 Debra Pestrak Used with permission of copyright holder

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Debra Pestrak is an expert at helping people unleash their success, allowing people to be more productive and getting what they want out of life. She is an award-winning speaker, author, business consultant, educator and coach. Pestrak is founder and CEO of Success UNleashed, Inc.®, a company dedicated to delivering high-impact and empowering programs. Visit www.debrapestrak.com for more information on Debra and her programs.
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Article courtesy of Bob ‘Idea Man’ Hooey & Ideas At Work! Visit our webiste: http://www.ideaman.net/ for more downloadable Business Enhancement Success Thinking series of articles by some of North America’s top speakers and experts. If you’ve enjoyed this article, please let the author know, and tell them you read it on http://www.ideaman.net/ Bookmark this site as we add new articles as they are received.

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Bob has lots of great articles, check them out!!

Fran Watson
www.franwatson.ca

Expanding Your Horizons

2009-02-27T23:24:00.002-05:00

It's important that you take risks when you are job searching, that you try something new and different instead of just sticking with what worked in the past. This poem is something I wrote about taking risks in Toastmasters, but it works no matter what you are doing. Be willing to try something new - a new taste sensation, a food you haven't tried before, a job that seems interesting, a book you haven't read... The possibilities are limitless and your personal growth will be tremendous if you try one new thing each and every day. By the end of the year you will have tried 365 new things. Some you will like, and some you won't, but you will have enhanced your capabilities.

You may not have heard about Toastmasters, but if you haven't, you should look it up at www.toastmasters.org and find the club nearest to you. Go and attend a ocuple of meetings. You will learn many new skills there which will help you in your job search. Toastmasters is all about communication - both speaking and listening. Members learn how to think on their feet and come up with answers to spontaneous questions. You will be amazed at how well this prepares you for interviews.

Trying Something New

Expand my horizons?
Oh no, I’m too scared,
I don’t think I’d know what to do.
I’ve grown used to the comfort
Of just coming and listening,
And maybe doing timing, or ah counting or quizzing.
But take on a role of Toastmaster, no way.
I might make mistakes. What would I say?
And table topics is frightening, people might boo,
When I introduce a topic or two.

Expand my horizons
Do you really think I could?
The thought just scares me to death.
Well, ok, not quite, but almost, but then,
That’s how I felt before I began
My weekly sessions at Toastmasters.
So maybe I can.
Ok, yes I’ll do it.
Sign me up.

I did it, I did it, and I did ok.
I really expanded my horizons today.
And it felt so good I’ll do it again,
Just give me that schedule
And I’ll put down my name.
Perhaps next week I’ll give my next speech
Or maybe even the word of the week.

My confidence grows with every new step,
And I look forward to things that I haven’t done yet.
I’m expanding my horizons and I’ll continue to soar,
As each week I’ll do something and then one thing more.

I want to say thank you to all of the group.
It’s because of you I was able to do it,
Because you supported me all the way through it.
Thank you for being there when I was afraid.
Thank you for helping me to be prepared.
Thank you for showing me how it is done.
Thank you for sharing and for having fun.

So expand your horizons and try something new.
Or you’ll never know just what you can do.

Here's to taking risks and facing challenges head on!!

Fran Watson

www.franwatson.ca/publicspeaking.html

Your Prescription For A Healthy Career

2009-02-24T22:48:00.004-05:00

Although these statistics were quoted from 2006, the information contained in this report is as valid now as it was then, if not more so as several hundred thousand more people have turned 60 since then (including me). My mother is 88 and still living on her own, my boyfriend's mother is 75 and living on her own.

The Bureau of Labor Statistics says that eight of the 20 fastest growing occupations are in healthcare. In fact, more new healthcare jobs will be created by 2014 than in any other industry.

Why are healthcare careers so hot? Here are some of the major reasons:
 Baby Boomers turn 60 this year. The population of elderly persons, who have greater healthcare needs, are increasing faster than the overall population.
 In addition, Boomers' aging parents, whose life expectancies have increased in recent years, have caused the demand for home healthcare and residential care workers to increase significantly.
 With the recent advances in medical technology, lifespans have increased, and new technologies make it possible to treat illnesses and injuries that in recent years may not have been treatable.
 With federal law requiring that the healthcare industry technologically update its record-keeping practices and with health insurance becoming more complex, the need for administrative support in healthcare will also grow.

On top of these facts, many of those employed in healthcare will soon be retiring themselves, leaving vacancies in the industry. Now you can see why people interested in pursuing a healthcare career can be virtually ensured a lifetime of secure employment.
The Path to Healthcare
While it's not always necessary to complete a four-year degree program to work in the healthcare industry, the majority of occupations require completion of some kind of training program. Nurses, for example, may begin their careers with an associate's degree and Registered Nurse (RN) certification program.

According to CareerBuilder.com's Spring 2006 quarterly job forecast, nearly one in five hiring managers in the fastest growing industries, including healthcare, will be hiring administrative and clerical staff. That's especially true in healthcare. Medical assistants, pharmacy assistants, dental assistants, and other administrative positions, which only require training programs of two years or less, will be among the fastest growing occupations.

With such a healthy future in the industry, the prognosis is good for those considering a career in healthcare.

Sources
 "Health Care" - Bureau of Labor Statistics
 "Survey: More Jobs Expected in Spring '06" - CareerBuilder.com

To your health
Fran Watson
www.franwatson.ca

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Norman Patton
WA, UNITED STATES

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Create Your Own Economy? FInd out How!

2009-02-23T23:20:00.002-05:00

I have some exciting news to share. (And it might shock you a
little too.)

Are you ready? Here goes -- now is actually a FANTASTIC time to
start or expand a business.
Yes, really!

And to prove it, I want to invite you to a FREE teleseminar Ali
Brown is hosting on Thursday, March 5, called "How to Create
Your OWN Strong Economy This Year... With Online Information
Marketing."

(In a hurry? Just go here:)

You may have heard of Ali. She's really shaken up the Internet
marketing world by being honest and telling it how it is. And
now she's going to do the same about the economy, the recession,
and building a business.

On this FREE one-time-only teleseminar, Ali will be sharing her
secrets on one of the best business models in the world. It's
recession-proof, allows you to control your own income, and
hundreds of men and women just like YOU are using it to add
hundreds to thousands of dollars to their bottom line each
month. It's called online information marketing and you'll be
getting a crash-course so you can start implementing
IMMEDIATELY.

On this call you'll learn:

* The 5 ways you can recession-proof your business... starting
today.

* Why the Internet is still the BEST way to build a business
FAST, and how to get started.

* 3 mistakes entrepreneurs make when taking their business
online... and how YOU can avoid them.

* How to create easy information products that can generate you
passive income while you work or play.

* How you can claim $500 OFF Ali's brand new 2009 Online Success
Blueprint System -- featuring DVDs, CDs, and more!

You'll want to sign up NOW before you forget. Here's the link again

See you on the call!

All the Best,

Fran Watson
www.franwatson.ca

======================================

P.S. - If there's one thing you should know about Ali, it's that
her teleclasses are jammed-packed with information and this one
will be no different. She's sharing important, UPDATED
information about how to use information marketing to thrive
even in a recession. You won't want to miss this teleseminar!

Here's that link one mote time.

Life Is About Choices

2009-02-22T18:07:00.001-05:00

Life is About Choices and the Decisions We Make

In our journey through life we travel along many different roads and paths. There are long and short roads; smooth and rocky roads; crooked and straight paths. There are roads that lead to a life of single blessedness, marriage, and religious vocation. There are roads that lead to fame and fortune and roads that lead to isolation and poverty.

As we pass along these roads and paths we encounter various corners, detours, and crossroads. Some paths seem to easily lead us in a new direction, but often the most perplexing road that you encounter is a crossroad.

With four roads to choose from and with limited knowledge on where they lead, which road will you take? What is the guarantee that you will choose the right one? How will you make your decision?

First, it is important to remember that there are no guarantees.

You never really know where a road will lead you until you take it. This is one of the most important things you need to realize about life. There are so many possible outcomes, which you really cannot control. The only thing you have power over is the decisions that you will make, and how you react to different situations.

It is important to act

Since life offers no guarantee you might as well take the risk and decide on a direction. It is only after you have made a decision and reflected on it that you realize its soundness. If the consequences or outcomes are good for you, then you have decided correctly. Although it is true that one wrong turn could get you lost, it could also be that such a turn could be an opportunity for an adventure. It is all a matter of perspective.

Taking risks is not about being careless and stupid. Here are some pointers that could help you choose the best option in the face of life’s crossroads:

• Get as much information as you can about your situation.

Just like any news reporter, ask the 5 W’s: what, who, when, where, and why. What is the situation? Who are the people involved? When did this happen? Where is this leading? Why are you in this situation? Oftentimes, the reason for indecision is the lack of information about a situation.

• Identify and create options.

Discover what options the situation gives you? Sometimes the options may be few, but often they are numerous. But what do you do when you think that the situation offers no options? This is the time that you create your own. Make your creative mind work. Start brainstorming ideas - from the most simplistic to the most complicated, entertain all ideas. Do not shoot anything down when an idea comes to your head. Sometimes the most outrageous idea could prove to be the right one in the end. If you have difficulty doing this, you can ask a friend to help you identify options, but make sure that you make the decision yourself in the end.

• Weigh the pros and cons of every option.

Assess each option by looking at the advantages and disadvantages it offers you. In this way, you get more insights about the consequences of such an option.

• Trust yourself and make that decision.

Now that you have assessed your options, it is now time to trust yourself. Remember that there are no guarantees. So choose… decide… believe that you are choosing the best option for you at this point in time. You can always change your mind and take a different direction at a later date.

Whether it is the right decision or not, only time can tell. But do not regret making a decision, whatever the outcome. Instead, learn from it and remember that you always have the chance to make better decisions in the future.

When it comes to your job search, you don't have to stay in the same job year after year, you have choices. Assess your situation, brainstorm some ideas, and make your decision, then take action.

Work At Home Opportunity

2009-02-21T06:02:00.004-05:00

I have been involved with SFI for a number of years and it is a business that pays consistently, has LOTS of customer support and training and is a great way to get started working at home.

Here are some comments from others involved in this SFI Opportunity.

"Two years ago I clicked on a small, three-line ad for the SFI opportunity. Having been around the industry a number of years, I could see in SFI what I did not see in most other opportunities...I began marketing my gateways within days. I now own a business that reaches every corner of the globe."

The Fortune Builders Network
BC, CANADA

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Want to know more? Check it out here:
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"Getting up and going to the office every morning was such a hassle...With SFI, I no longer have that problem. Thank You SFI."

Kim Provanchie
NY, UNITED STATES

Read more testimonials

"I have owned my own business, or rather it has owned me, for more than 13 years. The freedom to take a vacation, spend time with my family, and have the financial security to take care of the future is still missing. I started looking at network marketing about two years ago, and after looking at several opportunities, I am convinced that SFI is one of the most duplicatable, professional, and viable opportunities in existence. If you follow the program and ask for help when you need it, you will succeed!"

Michael Bowman
AL, UNITED STATES

I've been in network marketing for a very long time and thought I had seen it all. SFI is the most incredible and absolutely best system I have ever seen to become financially free while helping other people do the same. Mr. Carson and all his associates who use his system will become successful and very, very wealthy! SFI is going to rock the world and bring every other business venture to it's knees! "

Michael J. Drummer
CO, UNITED STATES

SFI's Strong Future International innovation is very much in line with my own life philosophy: Trying to make a difference and leaving a legacy! I truly think Strong Future International is an instrument to not only leave a legacy but also create much needed awareness of our global responsibilities. And, almost as a side effect, it will help us draw from a new market of like-minded people out there who can now discover the awesome SFI marketing opportunity. Thank you, Gery for stepping up to the plate and making our business even more credible in an incredibly crowded Internet marketplace."

Andy Uhlig
GA, UNITED STATES

SFI is the best way to introduce yourself to money and a great opportunity for an improved future! This program really works if you put in the time required."

Michele Dunlop
ON, CANADA

Are you ready to see what SFI is all about?

Bravo, SFI! I'm a success-conscious Nigerian who is now an instant leader and on my way to financial independence after embracing SFI marketing and its residual-income earning program. Withing two months of coming on board as an affiliate, I have become an Executive Affiliate (EA) and have introduced 80 affiliates into my network...SFI possesses awesome, well-organized, and managed structure that produces the best ever imagined fortune for a committed affiliate in record time. "

Kabeer Sarumi
0, NIGERIA

Your Opportunity awaits you……….are you ready for it?

"I am very fortunate in finding a company like SFI to get myself on the road to financial freedom. I do not have to invest a lot of my hard-earned money, and I love the idea of doing all of my business on the Internet. SFI is about SUCCESS, not empty promises. I like that. You are surrounded by one big family from all over the world and when I need help, there is always someone from our team to answer my questions. Thank you for letting me be a part of the most powerful marketing network on the Internet. "

Dilip Ganatra
INDIA

Hoping to see you soon on the money side of SFI!!

Fran Watson

Work At Home

2009-02-11T13:40:00.003-05:00

Looking for an employment opportunity you can do from home?

Here are some resources for you to check out.

My Data Team Global Data Entry & Traditional Data Entry Jobs:

more to come soon...check back

Fran Watson

2009-02-05T11:16:00.003-05:00

Georgia Donovan: http://www.theclothesdoctor.com/index.html
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Has Business Casual Gone Too Far

Get rid of the tee shirt that has your life motto or philosophy statement written across it. A simple white or colored tee works best.
Get rid of anything dirty, worn, torn. If you wash your car in it or wear it to clean out your backyard it's not right for the office.
Get rid of anything tight. That goes for guys too. Loose the tight jeans, tank tops or anything that is suggestive or bare. Short shorts are a no no and are in very bad taste.

Get rid of the backpack and save it for weekends. Invest in a good briefcase.

Get rid of the baseball cap. Save if for the softball game.

Get rid of your favorite tattoo, I'm not saying that you should go to local dermatologist and get it burned off, but at least cover it. The same goes for body piercing.

Get rid of those dirty sneakers .

And women should never ever go braless! I don't care if you're a 32AA, you ALWAYS wear a bra to the office.

What works best: A basic blazer in navy, black or tan over a great pair of pressed jeans and a white tee shirt. Denim shirts with khaki pants or skirts.

The look you want here is professional yet casual . If you still haven't a clue as to how to put it together, here's a tip. take a look at your boss's, boss.

The above is from Georgia Donovan's blog. For more information on Fashion and Makeup, check it out here:

*******************

To putting your best foot forward in your job!

Fran Watson

Are you Good Enough... or Better?

2009-01-11T15:44:00.002-05:00

When we were in school, 50% was a pass and often many of us were content to just do enough to pass. many of us have carried this mentality on into our working lives. We do just enough to get by each day, to produce the minimum that we can get away with. If we make mistakes, we figure that someone else will pick up the slack. We never really think about what happens beyond our own doors. We forget that "no man is an island" and that every stone thrwon into a pond causes a ripple effect that affects everything around it.

You are the stone, you are cast into the waters and what you do affects everyone around you. What kind of an effort are you making in your job today. Are you content to be "just good enough", or are you striving to be better?

Consider the following:

If 99.9% is good enough, then...

12 newborns will be given to the wrong parents daily.

114,500 mismatched pairs of shoes will be shipped each year.

18,322 pieces of mail will be mishandled per hour.

2,000,000 documes will be lost by the IRS/Revenue Canada this year.

2.5 million books will be shipped with the wrong covers.

Two planes landing at Chicago's O'Hare airport will be unsafe every day.

315 entries in Webster's dictionary will be misspelled.

20,000 incorrect drug prescriptions will be written this year.

880,000 credit cards in circulation will turn out to have incorrect cardholder information on their magnetic strips.

103,260 income tax returns will be processed incorrectly during the year.

5.5 million cases of soft drinks produced will be flat.

291 pacemaker operations will be performed incorrectly.

3,056 copies of tomorrow's Wall Street Journal will be missing one of the three sections.

Think about the above as you go to work this week. Be the best you can be and do the best you can do. GIve all your effort to your work while you are at work, and all your effort to your family life when you are at home.

Have a wonderful year!

Fran Watson

Step Out of Your Comfort Zone

2008-10-20T16:09:00.003-05:00

Looking for something a little different? Click Here!
*****************************************

A comfort zone denotes the limited set of behaviors and environments that a person can engage in without becoming anxious.

The Comfort Zone is our living, work, and social environments that we have grown accustom too. It determines the type of friends we make or people we associate with. It determines a life style we accept or reject.

Most of us love the familiar. Whether we realize it or not, we put a lot of work into ensuring that certain things in our lives remain constant.This personal “comfort zone” is the invisible, but very real area that defines the boundaries of what we know and understand. By staying within this comfort zone we reassure ourselves that we are safe. And as long as we are safely held within the walls of what we know we feel secure and confident.

As we move closer to the edges of that zone we begin to feel a bit shaky and unsure of ourselves. But those edges are where we grow. And by stretching those boundaries we increase our ability to receive.

T. Harv Eker, the author of The Secrets of The Millionaire Mind has said that our comfort zone equals our money zone. In order to have more money in our lives we must expand our comfort zone.

I would add that our comfort zone equals our joy zone, our love zone, our fulfillment zone, our spiritual connection zone, you name it.

So if you want more of anything in your life, the place to start is with your comfort zone. By expanding your comfort zone you will get more of what you want. It’s that simple.

Now it sounds easy enough, but most of us have built up some pretty sturdy walls around our comfort zone. Pushing them out or breaking them down requires conscious, concerted effort. And I have found that it’s easier to expand the comfort zone in small, steady, steps than in great big leaps. But in order to do that, you need to intentionally take expansive action on a daily basis.

So to get you started, I’ve created a list of 50 actions that might expand your comfort zone.

Keep in mind that the parameters of everyone’s comfort zone are different. So if you already love to Scuba dive, number 30 on this list isn’t going to expand your comfort zone very much! But there are most likely other items on this list that will work for you.

Also realize that many of these can, and may need to be, turned around to work for you. For example, number 6 is “Be the first to say, “I love you.” But if you’re the one that always says I love you first, you’ll need to turn it around to “Let the other person say ‘I love you’ first.” For some of you that’s going to be quite uncomfortable, especially when the other person doesn’t say “I love you!”

This is not meant to be an all-inclusive list. It can’t be. Instead, it’s a catalyst and a reminder for you to take small steps each and every day that expand your comfort zone.

Here’s the list:

1. Try some new food.
2. Go on a silent retreat.
3. Ask for a raise.
4. Smile at strangers.
5. Say hello to people in the grocery store.
6. Be the first to say “I love you.”
7. Perform at an open mike night.
8. Eat at a local restaurant by yourself.
9. Take a day off from work to volunteer at your child’s school.
10. Go back to school.
11. Start a new business.
12. Moonlight as a waitperson.
13. Unplug the TV for a week.
14. Write in a journal every day.
15. Learn to surf.
16. Go to a different church/temple/mosque each week.
17. Get your news from different sources.
18. Live in another country.
19. Do a house-swap for a month.
20. Use public transportation.
21. Wear an outrageous outfit.
22. Meditate for 15-minutes a day.
23. Put your cell phone in a drawer for a full week.
24. Make a fool of yourself – on purpose.
25. Call someone you admire in your community and ask them out for lunch.
26. Ask someone you admire to be your mentor.
27. Switch sides (of the bed) with your partner.
28. Confront a phobia.
29. Jump out of a plane (with a parachute please!).
30. Learn to scuba dive.
31. Say I love you to your parents/children/siblings/friends.
32. Admit you were wrong.
33. Go to a movie by yourself.
34. Take responsibility for something you didn’t do.
35. Give away all one-month’s income.
36. Give a public talk on a topic you’re passionate about.
37. Join a networking group.
38. Disconnect the Internet for a week.
39. Ask for help.
40. Get a part time job as a checker at your local grocery store.
41. Enter an art show.
42. Forgive someone.
43. Join Toastmasters.
44. Start a blog.
45. Ask for a partial or complete telecommute arrangement at work.
46. Take lessons in something you’ve always wanted to try (art, music, woodworking, dancing, etc.).
47. Learn a foreign language.
48. Read a book in a genre you don’t usually read.
49. Delegate more of your work.
50. Get up an hour earlier than usual.
51. Try a therapy or modality that seems a bit “out there.”

Which of these have the most potential for expanding your comfort zone? Which ones made you gulp or start to sweat a bit?

Which actions did I leave off this list that, for you, are particularly effective at expanding your comfort zone?

*** from Evolving Times

Take a chance on yourself - step outside your comfort zone at least once every day. It will improve your self-confidence and make you a better employee.

Fran

P.S. If you want to read other's comments on this post, go to http://www.evolvingtimes.com/2007/09/51-ways-to-expand-your-comfort-zone.htm

How Do You View Life?

2008-10-13T21:36:00.000-05:00

PERCEPTIONS

How was your latest car wash experience?

Did you take your car to a do-it-yourself car wash where you could ensure that every spot that needed to be cleaned was clean?

Did you approach the car wash cautiously, checking your windows 2 and 3 times to ensure that they were firmly secure so that no water could come inside? Then carefully ease your car up to the marked line and then wait - feeling powers beyond your control begin to move your car forward and then feel trapped inside when the thunderous rush of water, soap and brushes hit your car from all directions?

Or did you cheerfully approach the car wash, deposit your coins and gently guide your car into the tracks calmly and serenely.

Did you wonder if you were going to get stuck in the middle and be unable to get out? Did you wonder if the machinery would break down? Did you wonder if your windows Or did you sit back comfortably in your warm cocoon, knowing that you were in good hands and that the machinery was there simply to wash away the dirt and the grime to leave your car clean and ready to go again?

I was at my mom's a couple of weeks ago. Mom likes her car clean, but doesn't feel comfortable doing it on her own - well, she is over 80, so I guess that's why. As I was taking her car through the car wash, I thought about the various car wash experiences, and realized how this experience applies to our daily lives.

Some people see their lives as out of their control. They feel buffeted about by the trials and tribulations of life. They approach it with fear and trepidation, wondering what will hit them next. They are constantly looking around, waiting for the next blow.

Others see that they have set things in motion, that they are on the right track as they pass through life, and that the forces that buffet them are simply there to clean away the debris, leaving them refreshed and ready to carry on with a clean slate.

For those that like the do-it-yourself car wash, and I confess, I am one, our lives are probably much more controlled. We are not content to be on a pre-set track. We may be highly competitive. We may have to be number one. We may have to, as Frank Sinatra said "do it my way." Some of us may not be content to work for someone else, we have to be entrepreneurs so that we can guide our life in the way that we want it to be go. And we ensure that all the specks are removed, that there is nothing hindering us, that there is nothing in our way. It's all in how we perceive our life.

The same situation is often viewed very differently by people in each of these groups. That's why even "eye witness" accounts vary so much. Everyone has heard the question - is the glass half full or is it half empty? Do we look at what's missing - what we don't have, or do we consider the benefits and blessings we do have? Now my oldest son likes to say - "It depends on whether you are filling it up, or drinking it". However, most of us would have a set response. For those who have the scary car wash experience, they may see the glass and their life as half empty and out of their control. For people who see the glass as half full, they probably have a good car wash experience. They are content, calm, ready to travel on with life.

The way we look at things changes how we feel about what goes on in our lives, and how we deal with things. When it comes to employment, some people have a perception that a person without a grade 12 education is not worth hiring, yet there are a number of very successful businessmen, some even millionaires, who have less than a grade 8 education, but more smarts than a university graduate.

In the job search - if you think you won't get a job, your body image changes and the employer's perception of you and your abilities may be affected by this. Try this: Let your shoulders hunch forward, hang your head a little and say "I feel great". It's almost impossible to feel great when your posture says I feel lousy. Next, take a deep breath, put your shoulders back, your head up, a smile on your face and say, "I feel great". This time when you say it, you'll mean it. When you change the image, you also change the perception - both for yourself and the employer.

Our perceptions of events are coloured by the way we think, by the way we perceive life. I know a woman who has a beautiful home, an expensive car, fairly expensive clothes and she owns a company. People perceive her as being very rich. What they don't know is that her house is heavily mortgaged and that she has extensive credit card debt, and the clothes that she is wearing are probably 15-20 years old, purchased at a time when she had a little more money. But it is difficult to change people's perceptions. Someone else might be seen as incredibly poor, living in a tiny shack of a house, not driving the latest car, but that person may be very, very content with what they have. So, while others perceive them as being poor, they may see themselves as very, very rich.

Think about your perceptions. Are you full of hope? Or hopeless? Even the worst situations can have a positive side if we look for the silver lining. For those with a hopeless perspective, this is much more difficult as all they can see are the storm clouds. These people may need help to see that the sun always comes out eventually and that there is always another day, another chance to change things, to wash away the troubles of life.

It's up to the hope full people to lead the way. I challenge you to view life with a positive perspective. To look for the lesson in life's difficulties so that you can share what you've learned with others, so they too can survive and grow from their car wash experiences.

Insight

2008-09-14T20:36:00.001-05:00

Points to Ponder

2008-08-09T18:01:00.004-05:00

What are three things you are doing regularly that don't serve or support you?

What can you do to change this?

What could you work on now that would make the biggest difference to your life?

What would be your ideal career - if you could do anything?

Fran

Pursuing Your Own Self-Direction

2008-08-06T13:16:00.003-05:00

Ambitiously Pursuing Your Own Self-Direction by Jim Rohn
(Excerpted from The Power of Ambition series)

What is the origin of true ambition? There exists really only one place to find true ambition and that is within you – in every thought, in every movement, in every motivation. Your ambition is an expression of who you truly are, your own self-expression.

Self-expression. Isn't self-expression really self-direction? How you think, how you move, how you motivate yourself. Ambition is a result of self-direction and self-direction is one of the six key principles necessary for building ambition. Positive self-direction says, "I know who I am and I know where I want to go. I'm accumulating knowledge and experiences and feelings and philosophies that will help prepare me for opportunities that I know will show up without notice or any help on my part." Because you know where you want to go, you have already been working on the parts of your personality that will make you better. Working on your attitude, working on your health, working on your time management skills. Putting it all down on paper. And you constantly see yourself in the place you want to be, going in the direction you want to go.

************************************************
Special - Jim Rohn's One Year Success Plan
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Direction determines destination. So here is a question you must ask yourself, "Are all the disciplines that I'm currently engaged in taking me where I want to go?" What an important question to ask yourself at the beginning of the month, the beginning of the week, the beginning of the day. Because here is what you don't ever want to do - kid yourself. Kid your neighbor, kid me and kid the marketplace, but don't kid yourself - fingers crossed - hoping you will arrive at a good destination when you're not even headed that way. You have to ask yourself often, Am I? Am I doing the disciplines that are taking me in the direction I want to go? Don't neglect to ask these important questions, questions that help determine your direction, the set of your sail, your destination.

Is this the direction I want for my life?
Is this someone else's direction?
Is this a goal I have been ingrained with since my childhood?
Is this goal my parent's, my spouse's, my boss', my children's or is it Mine?

Ask yourself these questions and then debate them. After you have answered these questions within yourself, then take it one step further and ask, "What am I doing that is working or not working?" Debate it all. Work with your mind to figure out the best possible direction for you - your self-direction. And then ambitiously pursue your own self-direction. Let the power of your own ambition take you where you want to go, to do what you want to do, to create the life you want to live!

To Your Success,
Jim Rohn

Credit Statement to be included in Reprints:

This article was submitted by Jim Rohn, America's Foremost Business Philosopher.
To subscribe to the Free Jim Rohn Weekly E-zine go to www.jimrohn.com or send a blank email to subscribe@jimrohn.com
Copyright © 2007 Jim Rohn International. All rights reserved worldwide.
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Special - Jim Rohn's One Year Success Plan

Work At Home

2008-08-03T20:57:00.003-05:00

Welcome to WEB Colleagues
The first question you must be asking is,
"What Is WEB Colleagues?"

We will first give you the exact definition of the word "Colleague":

Definition:
A fellow member or partner of a profession, staff, or academic faculty; an associate.

Now that you know the exact definition of Colleague, I will explain who we are and what we do to offer a great Work-from-Home opportunity.

WEB Colleagues is a group of REAL Type-at-Home Typists who are involved with thousands of companies on the Internet. We work directly with these companies and are paid for typing short articles and posting them to the Internet. In return for our service, we earn a very generous income.

When we tell you "REAL" Home Typist, we mean REAL, unlike many Web sites on the Internet that say they offer type-at-home jobs, but you find out it is really a deceptive way of saying they want you to type ads for their company, and the only way you will be paid is if someone joins their site off your ad. This sound familiar?

With our program it is very simple process. You type, and you get paid. The more you type, the more you get paid. This is not an e book, or a list of companies that you have to apply to and hope you get the job. This is an actual Type-at-Home Job. Our members receive complete online training and guidance. You are NOT paying for a job the job is paying you. There are NO HIDDEN COSTS for additional sign-ups, additional programs or tools to do this job. We provide you with everything you need.

For more information

Good Luck
Fran

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For more info on work from home jobs Click Here!

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Excellence

2008-07-27T19:23:00.000-05:00

author unknown

Excellence is never an accident. It is achieved in an organization or institution only as a result of an unrelenting and vigorous insistence on the highest standards of performance. It requires an unswerving expectancy of quality from the staff and volunteers.

Excellence is contagious. It infects and affects everyone in the organization. It charts the direction of a program. It establishes the criteria for planning. It provides zest and vitality to the organization. Once achieved, excellence has a talent for
permeating every aspect of the life of the organization.

Excellence demands commitment and a tenacious dedication from the leadership of the organization. Once it is accepted and expected, it must be nourished and continually reviewed and renewed. It is a never-ending process of learning and growing. It requires a spirit of motivation and boundless energy. It is always the result of a creatively conceived and precisely planned effort.

Excellence inspires; it electrifies. It potentializes every phase of the organization’s life. It unleashes an impact which influences every program, every activity, every committee, every staff person. To instill it in an organization is difficult; to sustain it, even more so. It demands imagination and vigor. But most of all, it requires from the leadership a constant state of self-discovery and discipline.

Excellence is an organization’s life-line. It is the most compelling answer to apathy and inertia. It energizes a stimulating and pulsating force. Once it becomes the expected standard of performance, it develops a fiercely driving and motivating
philosophy of operation. Excellence is a state of mind put into action. It is a road-map to success. When a climate of excellence exists, all things—staff work, volunteer leadership, finances, program—come easier.

Excellence in an organization is important—because it is everything.

Be excellent in all you do!

Fran

How are Your Telephone Skills?

2008-07-16T07:19:00.004-05:00

Polishing your telephone skills
By, Cecile Peterkin

Does the thought of a telephone job interview make you nervous? Do you dread making business calls? Does taking part in a conference call stress you out?

You are not alone! Many of us prefer face-to-face communication; however, telephone communication is becoming more popular than ever before. As more of us work from home, deal with global colleagues and clients, and apply for jobs overseas, phone usage is on the rise. Your telephone skills have become a marketing tool.

The first few moments on the phone are crucial. There are statistics that show people develop a perception about you within the first 30 seconds of a phone call and their final opinion of you in the last 30 seconds. With this in mind, make sure the first and last things you say are memorable. During interviews, business, and conference calls phone time is often tight – don’t waste it – keep your answers short and relevant. Use active listening so you are aware of not only what the other participants are saying but how they say it and make sure the person is with you at each stage. The way you speak over the telephone conveys 85% of your message. Focus your voice effectively.

Before the call:
· Make sure you are prepared.
· Have all materials at hand and know the key points you want to cover.
· If calling from home, dress smartly for the call. It will boost your confidence.
· Minimize distractions; close your inbox and call from a quiet & private environment.
· Check for phone clarity.
· Use a headset if you can, and make sure it’s comfortable.
· Have the correct name of the person you are calling.
· At the start of the conversation, set out what the objectives of the call will be.
· Visualize the person you are speaking to, even if you don’t know them. This is a reminder you are in a two-way communication.
· Smile - Smiling changes the tone of your voice. Try standing up - standing can help you feel more authoritative.
· Speak clearly, slowly, and purposefully.
· Take notes if you have to.
· Do not multitask; focus on the call.
· Use the other person’s name when appropriate.
· When you are listening make the other person aware you are there, use statements such as “I see”, “Right”, “Ok”.

Remember! The phone doesn’t have to be a nightmare.

Cecile Peterkin is the is the President and Founder of Cosmic Coaching Centre, and publishes “Recipes for Success”, a Free monthly ezine on living your best life both personally and professionally.

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Read the above tips carefully. Dress for success even if you are on the phone. Your attitude comes the telephone lines. Put a mirror near your phone if you need to in order to make sure you are smiling.

Good luck in your job search!!

Fran Watson

The Organized Job Search

2008-07-15T13:51:00.001-05:00

Start With A Resume Click Here!
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The Organized Job Search
By Janet Barclay, MVA

Many people, under financial or other pressures to find work quickly, feel they can’t afford to take the time to get organized. On the other hand, conducting your job search in an organized manner will reduce the amount of time you spend looking for information, following inappropriate leads, or waiting for your dream job to fall into your lap. It generally takes at least a month to find an entry-level job, and as much as nine months for one requiring a high level of skill and experience. Getting organized before you begin your job search can ultimately save you a lot of time and frustration.

You should take several preliminary steps before you even begin your active job search. Start by identifying your skills, interests, target market, and any child care, transportation, or other issues that you will need to keep in mind. A career or employment counsellor can be very helpful in this area, as well as with the preparation of your resume, cover letters, and any other job search materials you will need.

Once you’re ready to face the job market, there are three areas where you’ll find it beneficial to be well organized: your schedule, your workspace, and your contacts.

Your Schedule
First, you must decide how much time you can realistically commit to your job search on a weekly basis, and then create a weekly schedule of activities. Keep in mind that looking for a full-time job is in itself a full-time job! Some of your time will be devoted to reading and applying for advertised positions, but be sure to allow plenty of time for other job search activities such as making telephone calls, generating and researching new leads, reviewing old leads for follow up, writing thank you notes or other correspondence, and visiting placement offices, employment agencies, or other service providers. The percentage of time you dedicate to each activity depends on what is most effective for your field of work or geographical area, so it may be worthwhile for you to ask others what has worked for them.

Most people perform different activities more effectively at different times of day. Take your natural energy flow, as well as the availability of quiet time for conducting research and telephone calls, into consideration when planning your schedule. If quiet time is not available at home during the daytime or evening, an employment resource center can be an invaluable resource.

Keep your personal preferences in mind when planning your activities. For example, if you dislike talking on the telephone, it may be less stressful for you to get your calls out of the way before beginning your other activities, or to intersperse your phone calls between other activities so you don’t become overwhelmed.

If you’re planning to drop off unsolicited resumes, map out a route of targeted businesses that are in a particular area, and plan to cover the entire area in one day. This will cut down on your travel time and expenses as well as the number of times you need to dress up.

Keeping a log of the actual time you spend on each activity will allow you to see whether you are on track and to identify any problem areas. It’s not uncommon to become frustrated and depressed when you’re out of work, so be sure to schedule regular time for self-care and other personal activities like going to the gym or the hairstylist.

Your Workspace
At a minimum, you need a chair and a desk or table with plenty of space for you to work with your information, make and receive telephone calls, and plan your job search. All necessary supplies should be stored close by, including paper, pens, index cards, paperclips, staples, and your telephone directory. During your job search, you’ll likely accumulate various versions of your resume and cover letter, job postings, company profiles, advertisements, and business cards, but they will be of no value to you if you can’t find what you need. A binder or filing system, sorting the information into topics, will allow you to refer quickly to both the job posting and that specific application when you receive a telephone call from a prospective employer. It will also allow you to find easily any other information you may have gathered about the organization before your interview.

You may find it beneficial to have an alternate job search office such as your local library or employment centre, where you can research, read, and write without the distractions you may encounter at home. Many are equipped with computers that you can use for Internet job search as well as resume and cover letter preparation, which can be a great benefit if you don’t have a home computer or must share it with other family members. If you plan to use this type of service on a regular basis, you’ll a portfolio or briefcase to hold your job search material, including your resume in printed form and on a diskette, your calendar, and a notebook for jotting down leads and ideas. Most facilities do not allow you to receive telephone calls, so be sure that potential employers can reach you by voice mail, pager or cell phone.

Of course, you’ll need a calendar for marking down job interviews and other important meetings. You’ll also need a system for keeping track of your job applications. This information will help you to follow up on the contacts you make.

Your Contacts
During your job search, you will probably communicate with hundreds, if not thousands, of people, but in order to make effective use of the network you develop, you’ll need a way to keep track of all your contacts.

The simplest method is a card file system with a card for each contact. Each card should include the contact’s name, title, organization, address, telephone number, fax, and email address; as well as the source of the lead, and dates and details of any conversations, correspondence, or interviews. You may find it helpful to set up a recipe box with a set of dividers labelled with the days of the week and a set numbered 1-31 for the days of the month. You can file each card under the date you wish to contact that person. For example, you may speak with someone on the 10th who suggests that you call him or her in two weeks. After noting the information on the index card, file it in the section for the 25th where it will serve as a reminder for you to follow up.

There are wonderful software programs available that can help you with organizing your job search contacts. WinWay Resume, for example, has a section for storing contact information that you can merge with your cover letter. ACT! allows you to schedule tasks and reminders as well as perform mail merges. If you don’t wish to buy or learn a new software package, email address books in Outlook, Outlook Express or in free Web-based email packages are also an excellent way to keep track of your contacts. However, unless you have unrestricted access to a computer, or a portable system such as a Palm Pilot, you won’t be always able to access the information. The key features of any organizational system are ease of recording and ease of retrieval. If using an electronic system will make your job search more complicated and time-consuming, don’t use it.

Job searching can be overwhelming, but when you organize your schedule, workspace, and contacts effectively, you’ll be able to stay on track and find your new job more quickly.

Janet Barclay, Master Virtual Assistant and founder of Organized Assistant, provides administrative assistance and website services to career professionals and other small business clients. Learn more about Janet and her business by visiting her website http://www.organizedassistant.com and her blog http://www.janetbarclay.com. To receive monthly tips for Maximizing Your Time and Space, request a subscription to her ezine, The Organized Assistant Resource.

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Good luck in your job search
Fran

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P.S. Need a Resume?? Click Here!
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Working in Canada

2008-05-29T09:44:00.003-05:00

Did you know that 8,000 young workers are injured on the job every year? Do you know how to protect yourself? If you are a young worker in Canada, check out this website.

Did you know that WHMIS regulations require employers to provide proper training for anyone who works with or may be exposed to hazardous materials? These regulations also require warning labels and material safety data sheets (MSDS) for the various hazardous materials found in your workplace.

Hazardous Materials Training WHMIS regulations state that:
* Employers must develop and implement a hazardous materials Training Program for anyone handling or storing hazardous materials, and for anyone who may be exposed to hazardous materials in their workplace.
* The workplace JHSC should be consulted in developing and implementing the training program.
* The program must be reviewed at least once a year.

Hazardous Materials Information
Suppliers of materials must provide Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDS’s) and warning labels on products. These give you essential information about the hazardous materials you work with. They tell you what dangers each material poses, provide important storage and handling guidelines, and outline emergency and first aid procedures.

Check out Canada's National Centre for Occupational Health and Safety Information.

Stay Safe

Fran

Something to Remember while Job Searching

2008-05-28T15:34:00.002-05:00

Our behaviour and our degree of happiness equate to our self-image.

A poor self-image is the cause of most people's failure to reach their potential.

Don't compare yourself to others. Recognize your own strengths.

Pay attention to the things you do well without thinking about them. Listen when other people tell you what a great job you are doing. Most of us have skills we don't recognize.

Remember - if you always do what you've always done, you'll always get what you've always got. Unless you move from the place where you are, you will always be there.

Here's to moving on to better things!

Fran

Improve Your Results

2008-05-19T10:36:00.003-05:00

Although this talks about the year 2007, this information is never outdated!

Seven Ways to Improve Your Professional Results

While success certainly does not come from a checklist, we all can use checklists to remind ourselves of ways we can achieve more. And who doesn’t want to ‘resolve’ to achieve more, especially this time of year?

As you are looking forward and thinking about how you can make year-end 2007 even better than year-end 2006, here are seven specific tactics that address seven specific areas of our professional lives. Each of these tactics, when applied, can have a massive, positive impact on your professional happiness, satisfaction and success.

The Seven Ways

1. Create more energy in your life. The starting point for greater results is greater energy. Greater energy will allow you to be more productive and is required to apply any of the other tactics on this list. Coincidentally, energy often is cited as a major reason why people don't make positive change in their professional life as well. Three simple suggestions will get you on the path to greater energy:

eat better – consume healthier, more natural foods in smaller quantities;
exercise more – build your stamina and strength; and
sleep smarter – develop a “sleep routine” to ensure you get enough sleep to be alert and positive each day.

2. Commit to better working relationships. While we are typically hired for, or select our work based on, our technical competence, more often our success is defined by our interpersonal skills. Make the commitment to improving your working relationships. A quick reflection on your strengths and white spots in his area will reveal where you need to start. Improving your working relationships doesn't mean finding a best friend at work (although there's nothing wrong with that), but it does mean building relationships that create greater communication, connection and support.

3. Project a contagious, positive attitude. A positive attitude is contagious! (So is the alternative.) Ask yourself which attitude you want to promote in your workplace. Making the choice to be more positive, supportive and enthusiastic will make a huge difference in your productivity and will positively impact the productivity of those around you too.

4. Talk less, listen more. Nearly everyone will benefit professionally by this advice. Talking less and listening more will improve communication with customers, colleagues and everyone else. The value of this tactic cannot be overestimated.

5. Mentor someone. Make the time to help and support someone else on their professional development path. It might be someone in your department or in your organization, or someone external. In any case, you will be helping another person succeed by benefiting from your experience. At the same time, you will benefit greatly from the experience as well. The process of mentoring someone else will help you reflect on your own advice and help you reinforce those techniques and approaches within your own work as well.

6. Keep a journal. A journal is an amazing learning tool! It can be electronic, in your day planner, on a steno pad, in a dedicated book of your choice, or anywhere else you choose. Where you journal is less important than that you journal. Use your journal to jot down key ideas to refresh your memory, new ideas you want to capture, lists of the books you want to read, a list of the books you have read, a list of your goals – you get the idea. A journal is a tool for reflection and forward thinking that can become one of the most valuable development habits you'll ever create.

7. Set a big goal. Simply setting a goal would be a good tactic, but setting a big goal is a better tactic. Your goal can be related to one of the areas above, it can be about other skill development, or it could be related to a promotion. Your goal could be a financial one, or it could be something totally unrelated. Whatever it is, setting it provides you greater focus and raises your intention for success. But make it big. Stretch yourself beyond where you think you ‘should’ be to believe something big is worthy of your plans and then do it!

Reflecting on the Seven Ways

I brainstormed a list of far more than seven tactics before I pared it back to this final seven. My observation of the longer list, and of this final list, is that two themes prevail: relationships and learning.

Even if you forget my specific tactics, please remember that taking steps to build your working relationships and to be a continual learner will always result in significant and satisfying professional (and personal) development.

Here are two more observations about the seven tactics I’ve suggested – none of them have to cost any money, and all of them can be implemented right now, by making a choice to do so.

This should leave nothing in your way – there is no cost, no equipment or technology to acquire, and no specialized skills to master. The only thing these tactics require is your decision to implement them.

And there will never be a better time than right now.

A Bonus Tactic

Looking for one more way to improve your professional results in 2007? Hire us! Our consulting and training services can help you, your team, and your organization improve your results in a variety of ways. While the specific content will vary, our approaches will always be consistent with the messages in this article – we will help you improve your interpersonal skills and relationships and our work will always be connected to learning.

From this newsletter to books to learning products and services to consulting and training, there are many ways we can help you, and we look forward to learning with you in 2007.

For information on reprinting any of this information included in this issue of Unleash Your Potential, go to: http://kevineikenberry.com/uypw/reprints.asp

© 2006 The Kevin Eikenberry Group – All Rights Reserved

The Kevin Eikenberry Group
http://www.kevineikenberry.com
7035 Bluffridge Way
Indianapolis, IN 46278

What is Your Personal Style?

2008-04-25T18:02:00.002-05:00

Think about what you do when you have to learn something new. You probably approach the task in a similar fashion each time. Over time you have developed a pattern of behaviour that you use for new learning. This pattern is called a learning style.

People perceive and process information in a variety of ways. As adults our life experiences cause us to learn differently than when we were children. We are more independent and self-directed. More goal-oriented and problem-centered. We want to know why we are learning.

The fact that a person may have a preferred, most comfortable mode does not mean that he or she cannot function effectively in others. In fact, a person who has the flexibility to move easily from one mode to another to fit the requirements of the situation is at a definite advantage over those who limit themselves to only one style of thinking and learning.

There are various learning style assessments that can help you discover your preferences, but everyone is capable of learning under any style, no matter what your preference is.

Keep on learning!

Fran Watson

Technology and You

2008-04-25T17:56:00.002-05:00

Technology is growing in leaps and bounds. Every day we read about new companies starting up and the growth possibilities that are predicted. It is important that we take a look at this information to see if there is a potential for our services.

Not everyone has to be a computer wizard. Although there is a high demand for software programmers and web designers, there are also jobs for assemblers, mechanics, machine operators, trades people, health and safety professionals, clerical support staff and human resources personnel. It is, however, beneficial to have some knowledge of computers for most jobs. This knowledge can be gained by attending part-time or full-time courses or by reading help manuals and practicing on a computer.

You might want to check out some of the f*re*e courses offered via the internet such as those at the hplearningcenter.com

Developing computer skills is a good thing to do if you are looking for work.

Fran Watson

Interview Tips

2008-02-05T23:44:00.002-05:00

As a Career/Employment Counsellor and Workshop Developer/Facilitator who has been working in the employment field for the past 17 years, I can help you with some interview tips and techniques.

Perhaps it has been some time since you have had an interview. Perhaps you think you can ace an interview. Whatever your current status, you may find these tips helpful.

Your resume is like an advertising flyer. It is what gets you in the door. If you have been job searching for a while and have not been having any luck, maybe it is your resume.

However if you have been getting interviews, but not the job, then it may be your interview techniques.

Common Job Interview Questions

By rehearsing interview questions, you'll become more familiar with your own qualifications and will be well prepared to demonstrate how you can benefit an employer. Some examples:

"Tell me about yourself."

Make a short, organized statement of your education and professional achievements and professional goals. Then, briefly describe your qualifications for the job and the contributions you could make to the organization.

"Why do you want to work here?" or "What about our company interests you?"

Few questions are more important than these, so it is important to answer them clearly and with enthusiasm. Show the interviewer your interest in the company. Share what you learned about the job, the company and the industry through your own research. Talk about how your professional skills will benefit the company. Unless you work in sales, your answer should never be simply: "money." The interviewer will wonder if you really care about the job.

"Why did you leave your last job?"

The interviewer may want to know if you had any problems on your last job. If you did not have any problems, simply give a reason, such as: relocated away from job; company went out of business; laid off; temporary job; no possibility of advancement; wanted a job better suited to your skills. If you did have problems, be honest. Show that you can accept responsibility and learn from your mistakes. You should explain any problems you had (or still have) with an employer, but don't describe that employer in negative terms. Demonstrate that it was a learning experience that will not affect your future work.

"What are your best skills?"

If you have sufficiently researched the organization, you should be able to imagine what skills the company values. List them, then give examples where you have demonstrated these skills.

"What is your major weakness?"

Be positive; turn a weakness into a strength. For example, you might say: "I often worry too much over my work. Sometimes I work late to make sure the job is done well."

"Do you prefer to work by yourself or with others?"

The ideal answer is one of flexibility. However, be honest. Give examples describing how you have worked in both situations.

"What are your career goals?" or "What are your future plans?"

The interviewer wants to know if your plans and the company's goals are compatible. Let him know that you are ambitious enough to plan ahead. Talk about your desire to learn more and improve your performance, and be specific as possible about how you will meet the goals you have set for yourself.

"What are your hobbies?" and "Do you play any sports?"

The interviewer may be looking for evidence of your job skills outside of your professional experience. For example, hobbies such as chess or bridge demonstrate analytical skills. Reading, music, and painting are creative hobbies. Individual sports show determination and stamina, while group sport activities may indicate you are comfortable working as part of a team. Also, the interviewer might simply be curious as to whether you have a life outside of work. Employees who have creative or athletic outlets for their stress are often healthier, happier and more productive.

"What salary are you expecting?"

You probably don't want to answer this one directly. Instead, deflect the question back to the interviewer by saying something like: "I don't know. What are you planning on paying the best candidate?" Let the employer make the first offer. However, it is still important to know what the current salary range is for the profession. Find salary surveys at the library or on the Internet, and check the classifieds to see what comparable jobs in your area are paying. This information can help you negotiate compensation once the employer makes an offer.

"What have I forgotten to ask?"

Use this as a chance to summarize your good characteristics and attributes and how they may be used to benefit the organization. Convince the interviewer that you understand the job requirements and that you can succeed.

Here are some other job interview questions you might want to rehearse.

Your Qualifications

What can you do for us that someone else can't do?

What qualifications do you have that relate to the position??

What new skills or capabilities have you developed recently?

Give me an example from a previous job where you've shown initiative.

What have been your greatest accomplishments recently?

What is important to you in a job?

What motivates you in your work?

What have you been doing since your last job?

What qualities do you find important in a coworker?

Your Career Goals

What would you like to be doing five years from now?

How will you judge yourself successful? How will you achieve success?

What type of position are you interested in?

How will this job fit in your career plans?

What do you expect from this job?

Do you have a location preference?

Can you travel?

What hours can you work?

When could you start?

Your Work Experience

What have you learned from your past jobs?

What were your biggest responsibilities?

What specific skills acquired or used in previous jobs relate to this position?

How does your previous experience relate to this position?

What did you like most / least about your last job?

Whom may we contact for references?

Your Education

How do you think your education has prepared you for this position?

What were your favourite classes / activities at school?

Why did you choose your major?

Do you plan to continue your education?

Websites with Interview INFO

http://www.careercc.com/interv3.shtml

http://www.job-interview.net/Bank/JobInterviewQuestions.htm

http://www.danenet.wicip.org/jets/jet-9407-p.html

Free Resume Information

http://www.umn.edu/ohr/ecep/resume

http://www.edu.gov.on.ca/eng/career/resume.html

http://www.rileyguide.com

http://jobstar.org/tools/resume.index.cfm

www.ersumes.com

www.damngood.com/introjobseeker.html

www.scu.edu/careercenter/resources/publications/resumes.pdf

Here is a FREE article on Killer Cover Letters by Jimmy Sweeney with my compliments

Come back and check for updates.

It's A Matter of Attitude

2008-02-05T23:37:00.000-05:00

Some jobs can be very relaxed and some jobs can be very stressful, and sometimes your attitude is what can make the difference in whether you are content or discontent.

Our workplace, like many others, is going through some significant changes which have thrown the workers into a bit of a downturn with regard to morale. I have been one of those who has suffered some significant psychological distress over the situation, however this morning I remembered that the only one who can change my attitude is me.

I was thinking about a story that Zig Ziglar tells of a woman who hated everything about her job until he started asking her some questions such as, “Do you like getting a paycheck?” “Are you well paid for what you do?” and other questions which helped her to realize some of the benefits she had in her job. Now, some of the benefits that I had in my job have now disappeared and been replaced with tasks that must be performed, but I can either accept this and reduce my anxiety, or fight against it and suffer from increased blood pressure and more medication. My choice, which will it be???

What would you do??

Fran Watson

P.S. Looking for a job?

Personal Development

2008-02-05T23:18:00.000-05:00

To attract attractive people, you must be attractive. To attract powerful people, you must be powerful. To attract committed people, you must be committed. Instead of going to work on them, you go to work on yourself. If you become, you can attract.
We can have more than we've got because we can become more than we are.

The big challenge is to become all that you have the possibility of becoming. You cannot believe what it does to the human spirit to maximize your human potential and stretch yourself to the limit.

Pity the man who inherits a million dollars and who isn't a millionaire. Here's what would be pitiful: If your income grew and you didn't.

The most important question to ask on the job is not "What am I getting?" The most important question to ask on the job is "What am I becoming?"

It is hard to keep that which has not been obtained through personal development.
After you become a millionaire, you can give all of your money away because what's important is not the million dollars; what's important is the person you have become in the process of becoming a millionaire.

Income seldom exceeds personal development.

What you become directly influences what you get.

Credit Statement to be included in Reprints:
These quotes are by Jim Rohn, America's Foremost Business Philosopher. To subscribe to the Free Jim Rohn Weekly E-zine, go to www.jimrohn.com or send a blank email to subscribe@jimrohn.com Excerpted from The Treasury of Quotes by Jim Rohn. Copyright © 1994-2005 Jim Rohn International. All rights reserved worldwide.

The Right Time To Assume Leadership

2008-01-31T22:49:00.000-05:00

Do you have what it takes??

In everything you have to do - every decision you have to make or every action you have to take - it is always better to think twice before actually doing it. Sometimes, it becomes too late to know that what you did is not really the most perfect thing to do. And when this happens, there can be no turning back.

You may have the qualities, characteristics, and skills of a great leader. You may think that you can lead a group of people towards a common goal. But do you believe that you are the right person to carry out such a huge responsibility at the right time?

Effective leadership is more than being able to command your people into doing certain tasks. Rather, it is about increasing both your personal and organizational success by guiding, teaching, and directing your followers for the team’s benefit and their own, and eventually drawing out the leadership qualities in them.

Hence, before assuming leadership - accepting big responsibilities and influencing other people - one may have to consider a number of things. Think about the following questions:

- Am I physically, mentally, emotionally, socially, and spiritually prepared to accept leadership?
- Do I have a vision that will guide my team and me into bringing success?
- Do I possess strong character that I can use in facing and dealing with different problems that I might encounter along the way?
- Am I capable of influencing other people to do things for the team’s success?
- Am I ready to face competitions, accept criticisms, admit mistakes, or even accept defeat and failure?
- Will I be able to contribute immense benefits to the team other than drawing it towards success?
- Will I be able to produce other leaders among the team who can help me lighten the load?

If you answered “NO” to one or more of the above questions, then you may have to reevaluate your priorities in life. Don't worry, though, you have a lot of time to think over, prepare, and learn more. Remember, a true leader does not just give up. A true leader keeps on understanding what his/her weaknesses are, and tries to overcome them to become better and stronger for the team’s sake.

On the other hand, congratulations to you if you answered “YES” to all of the questions. A great leader is all that and more. If this is you, now, you knew it’s the right time for you to assume leadership.

All the Best!

Fran

Lacking required skills?

2008-01-13T11:28:00.000-05:00

Have you been looking for work only to find that there are some skills you are lacking? Perhaps your education needs to be updated, or perhaps your computer skills.

There are many places where you can obtain free upgrading or training, but first you need to take a close look at the reasons why you want or need the training. There may be government programs to help you once you decide, or you many have to foot the bill yourself. Either way, you need to take some time to evaluate just what it is you need.

If you need computer skills, there are places on the internet, such as www.hplearningcenter.com where you can get free training in software programs and webpage building as well as other items. You can also do a search for free computer training.

If you aren't sure what you want to do, you can search out some questionnaires to examine your personality and the type of work that might be enjoyable for your specific personality, such as this one.

Take some time to evaluate your skills and determine what it is you need to better succeed in your job search, then go and get what you need.

All the best
Fran

Special Report

2007-11-22T19:04:00.000-05:00

JUST $1.99- 'My Quick Money Ideas That Worked: What I Did To Pay Off A $1200 Loan in 36 Hours, Finance A $2700 Event In 3 Weeks and Earn $331 For 2 Hours of Work

I just finished reading Rob Toth's Special Report My Quick Money Ideas That Worked!

I got my copy for $1.99 and if you hurry, you might still be able to get yours for that price. Rob is increasing the price once he sells 2000 copies and he sold over 1000 the first day.

Check it out.

He's giving a GREAT chance to take a DETAILED look at how he's made some of his emergency money. Quick cash in just hours. And boy o boy is this detailed!! I couldn't put it down. Step by step instructions on how he pulled in some great money.

Hurry, go now

You won't regret it, I guarantee it!

Fran Watson

What Are Your Essential Skills??

2007-10-26T11:34:00.000-05:00

What are Essential Skills? They are the skills needed for work, learning and life. They provide the foundation for learning all other skills and enable people to evolve with their jobs and adapt to workplace change. Through extensive research, the Government of Canada and other national and international agencies have identified and validated nine Essential Skills used in nearly every occupation and throughout your daily life.

These skills enhance your ability to deal with change and they provide stepping stones for personal and professional growth. They may help to reduce the transition time between jobs. Do you want to know more about them? Then read on.

Essential Skills are the skills people use to carry out a wide variety of everyday life and work tasks. They are not the technical skills required by particular occupations but rather the skills applied in all occupations. For example, writing skills are required in a broad range of occupations.

The complexity and frequency of writing varies, of course. Some workers fill out simple forms every day, while others write daily or monthly reports.

Essential Skills are enabling skills that:
1. Help people perform the tasks required by their occupation and other activities of daily life.
2. Provide people with a foundation to learn other skills.
3. Enhance people’s ability to adapt to change.

There are 9 essential skills: Reading Text, Numeracy, Thinking Skills, Working with Others, Continuous Learning, Oral Communication, Document Use, Writing and Computer Use.

People who have the essential skills at the levels required for their desired occupations will have enhanced employability.

To learn more about Essential Skills and how they relate to Canadian occupations you can visit the website . You can also find out more information and do a test at www.towes.com.

These Essential Skills relate to jobs all over the world, not just Canadians, so check them out.

Fran Watson
P.S. Looking for a Work At Home Opportunity??

What would you do??

2007-10-18T14:38:00.000-05:00

IF I HAD MY LIFE TO LIVE OVER - by Erma Bombeck (Written after she found out she was dying from cancer.)

I would have gone to bed when I was sick instead of pretending the earth would go into a holding pattern if I weren't there for the day.

I would have burned the pink candle sculpted like a rose before it melted in storage. I would have talked less and listened more.

I would have invited friends over to dinner even if the carpet was stained, or the sofa faded.

I would have eaten the popcorn in the 'good' living room and worried much less about the dirt when someone wanted to light a fire in the fireplace.

I would have taken the time to listen to my grandfather ramble about his youth.

I would have shared more of the responsibility carried by my husband.

I would never have insisted the car windows be rolled up on a summer day because my hair had just been teased and sprayed.

I would have sat on the lawn with my children and not worried about grass stains.

I would have cried and laughed less while watching television and more while watching life.

I would never have bought anything just because it was practical, wouldn't show soil, or was guaranteed to last a lifetime.

Instead of wishing away nine months of pregnancy, I'd have cherished every moment and realized that the wonderment growing inside me was the only chance in life to assist God in a miracle.

When my kids kissed me impetuously, I would never have said, "Later. Now go get washed up for dinner."

There would have been more "I love you's." More "I'm sorry's." But mostly, given another shot at life, I would seize every minute...look at it and really see it ... live it ... and never give it back.

Stop sweating the small stuff.

Don't worry about who doesn't like you, who has more, or who's doing what. Instead, let's cherish the relationships we have with those who do love us.

Let's think about what God HAS blessed us with. And what we are doing each day to promote ourselves mentally, physically, emotionally, as well as spiritually. Life is too short to let it pass you by. We only have one shot at this and then it's gone.

*******

Take a few minutes today to tell someone you love them, call someone and tell them you were thinking about them, take some time for yourself - do something you like to do for at least 5 minutes.

BANABU - Building a New and Better Universe for each and every one of us!

Fran Watson

Job Related Questions to Consider

2007-10-15T14:04:00.000-05:00

1. What do you like most about yourself?

2. In the past 10 years, what 5 things have given you the greatest pleasure?

3. If you were working a four day work week, what would you do on the other days? What would you prefer to do?

4. Who would you like to be if you weren’t yourself? Why?

5. If you could replace a friend or relative in his or her job for one year, which one would you choose? Why?

6. What things did you like about your last job? Why?

7. Do you prefer working: alone / with others, outside / indoors, with tools or equipment, detail work, physically active work, having responsibility / not having responsibility, knowing what you will be doing each day / variety, being busy, other

8. Are any of the following things particularly important to you? Hours, salary, access to transportation, close to home, learning something new, independence on the job, approval of others, social status on the job, other

9. Make a list of the things that you don’t want in your work situation, and then list its opposite. It is often easier to think of what you don’t want to do than what you do want to do. For example, “I don’t want to work with people”. This may suggest either not working with the public or working in a large enough office or factory so that you would have little interaction with co-workers.

10. List as many occupations as you can think of that you were ever interested in and think about what it is about them that you like.

Fran Watson
www.franwatson.ca

Positive Attitude

2007-10-05T13:13:00.000-05:00

These days, getting and keeping the work you want is not as easy as it has been in the past. Downsizing and cost-cutting have resulted in more people searching for work. As a result, it’s more important than ever to develop your positives. Whether you’re searching for work or hoping to hold on to your job, your positive attitudes, beliefs and skills can give you a competitive edge. Attitudes are ways of responding to the world around us. We develop our attitudes based on what we learn and what we experience. Attitudes affect the way we think, act and feel. Positive attitudes can make the difference between success and failure.

If you’re currently searching for work, you might want to take some time to examine your beliefs and attitudes about work search. Positive beliefs can energize you for the hard work of searching for work. Positive attitudes can make all the difference in a job interview. Positive beliefs, values and attitudes can help you increase:

* your effectiveness
* your value to the organization you work for
* the likelihood you’ll keep your work situation
* your satisfaction and success.

Don’t be misled by people telling you “there aren’t any jobs”, or by the fact that there aren’t a lot of jobs advertised. Over 80% of jobs are not advertised. Keep a positive attitude towards your job search and target an employer you would like to work for. If you require assistance with your job search skills, you can contact a local employment service agency or check out your local library for resource books.

Planning your career goals is an important part of creating a positive work situation. If you’re unhappy in your present situation, your career goals will help you decide on your next step. Even if you’re happy with your current work, it’s a good idea to create some career goals. Your work situation might change or your needs might change. And of course, if you’re searching for work, your career goals will help you to focus your search.

When considering your career goals, you may need to consider learning opportunities. Learning, more than ever before, is for life. The world is changing so fast, that in order to stay current, one must keep learning. The information available worldwide doubles every few years, technology is part of virtually every workplace, and employers value knowledgeable employees who can work “smart”. Successful learners have positive beliefs and attitudes towards learning. Knowledge is power.

Learning does not have to take place in a classroom. There are a number of ways to learn:

* at work
* on your own
* from mentors and role models
* from co-workers and friends
* through magazines, journals, books and newspapers
* on the internet
* by volunteering
* by teaching others what you know
* through seminars, workshops and courses
* by attending classes at an educational institution

For assistance in determining your career and learning goals, contact a local employment agency and arrange to take some tests or personal inventories.

Need help? Contact me.

Fran

Job Tips

2007-10-05T13:11:00.000-05:00

Are you reading the papers and thinking, “there are no jobs”? Do you know that approximately 80% of the available jobs are not advertised.

Are you spending 40 hours a week on your job search?

If you are looking for a full-time job, you should be spending 30 – 40 hours a week on job search activities – reading, researching, networking, preparing resumes, practicing interview techniques, etc.

Do you know how to use the computer/internet to help you in your job search – to look up information on employers and careers?

If not, sign up now and attend a local free computer workshop or class at your local school.

Is your resume up to date and targeted to a specific job or employer?

If not, you may be losing out on jobs you are qualified for.

Have you practiced your interview techniques with a friend or family member? Do you know what to say when the employer says, “Tell me about yourself?”

If not, sit down and list all the things you have done in every job and every volunteer activity. You may be surprised by all the things you have accomplished and forgotten about. The next step is to summarize your accomplishments to target the skills the employer is looking for.

If you need help with your job search, contact me.

Fran

Job Search Tips

Reasons to Customize Your Resume

What IS Your Objective?

Job Search Survival Kit

Are You Unemployed?

Looking For Work?

Action Plan

Interviews

Transferable Skills

Job Applications

Unemployed? Looking for Work?

Need A Resume?

Cover Letters

Unemployed?

Job Search Mistakes

Cover Letter

Resume Writing

Choosing A Career

Career Options

Resumes

Toastmasters Builds Leaders by Developing Communication Skills

Tips from Jack Canfield

Get More Interviews - Resume Real Estate?

First Impressions

A New Idea

What's Your Excuse??

Video Job Application???

Attract The Work You Want

Job Search Questions

Job Searching? Here's some help

Give Yourself An Edge In THe Interview

Searching for a New Job? Some Tips

Job Search Tips - Do You Know What You Want To Do?

Twittering For Jobs

Passion In Your Work

Are You A Zebra?

Looking For Data Entry Jobs

Resumes

Want to Work at Home?

More Videos

Videos

Are You Where You Want To Be?

Don't Let Procrastination Keep You From A Good Job

Employee or Solution Provider???

How People Find Jobs

New Year's Resolutions

Time for a Career Move?

Awesome Adventures

11 Things Your Boss Won't Tell You

Your Career Health

Finding Energy

Should You Quit Your Job For Your Dreams?

No Jobs???

Lost Your Job?

Virtual Competence

Amazon help

Procrastination

15 Things Not To Say To YouR Boss

Comfort Zones...

12 Steps to Recession-Proof Your Job

Job Finding Formula

How To Be A Leader At Work

Free Job Search Info

Do YOU Know these facts?

Identifying Barriers To Success

Be Careful What You Say

Commit To Lifelong Learning for Personal Success

Expanding Your Horizons

Your Prescription For A Healthy Career

Create Your Own Economy? FInd out How!

Life Is About Choices

Work At Home Opportunity

Work At Home

Are you Good Enough... or Better?

Step Out of Your Comfort Zone

How Do You View Life?

Insight

Points to Ponder

Pursuing Your Own Self-Direction

Work At Home