Archive for the ‘Career Coaching’ Category
Tips For Acing a Telephone Interview
Telephone screening interviews are becoming more commonplace as companies seek to cut hiring costs and streamline the selection process.
The telephone interview can be either a brief screening interview or surprisingly in-depth. Whichever you encounter, it is better to be thoroughly prepared to reach your goal and to obtain a face-to-face interview.
Phone interviewing is unique. You can’t count on visual stimuli such as good looks or power suits, eye contact or body language, to aid your presentation. Neither can you rely on visual signals to interpret the interviewer’s response. In this context, faceless conversation takes on an added dimension of importance. Both strengths and weaknesses, as conveyed by voice, are magnified through the phone. Your voice personifies everything about you.
HR professionals and hiring authorities listen for a relaxed style that communicates confidence, enthusiasm and intelligence. This is reflected in a smooth conversation flow devoid of clichés or verbal catchalls to stall for time as well as other negatives.
The more convincingly you make your case over the phone will determine further interest in you as a job candidate.
The following techniques will help you prepare and handle any type of telephone interviewing situations.
If you’re currently employed, arrange for a phone interview in the evening rather than during the workday. Confidentiality and discretion may be at risk if you interview during working hours; you never know who might barge into your office unannounced or overhear something by accident. In the privacy of your home, you can be more at ease and in control of your surroundings. You should always make sure you will not be interrupted.
Before the actual interview, it will help to know the topics to be covered, objectives to attain and the basic information regarding the position to be discussed. It also helps to rehearse: Try to think as the employer, what key information is the interviewer looking for? What questions is he likely to ask? What things do you hope he doesn’t ask?
Time Management: Focus on Only What is Important
Do you have enough time to do all the things that you really should be doing today? Or, like most people, do you find yourself laboring under a mountain of “to dos”, never getting through it and then find that you simply haven’t done some of the things that you really wanted to or should have done? Are you a slave to others’ demands at work? Are you trying to juggle job and family responsibilities and finding that you’re getting neither done properly? Are you one of these people who has to take home work at the weekend to “catch up”?
One of the biggest problems with the modern pace of life is that we don’t seem to have enough hours in the day to get everything done. One of the most frequent questions that I am asked, when I propose that people slow down, “smell the roses” and give themselves the space and time to be inspired is “are you seriously suggesting that I slow down when I don’t even have the time to do what I’m supposed to be doing at the moment?” Yes, I am – we all need to give ourselves extra time to do the important things and let the things that you should not be doing just pass us by. How much time are you wasting on stuff that should never be given your attention in the first place? How many emails do you read that you shouldn’t bother reading at all? How many emails do you receive that don’t require your attention – as you know, particularly in large organizations, the majority of emails you receive are either not worth reading or shouldn’t have been sent in the first place – how many emails in large companies are CCed to everyone in existence in what amounts to compulsive ass-covering! And how many of us get a kick out of feeling important because of the number of emails that we have to deal with?
Many years ago, in the days before mobile ‘phones or emails, a good friend, the Executive Chairman of a well-known company, went through a difficult divorce which left him, one Friday afternoon following the final court hearing, with sole custody of two children aged 9 and 11 years. That Sunday evening he decided that his children were his first priority. He called his fellow Board members and told them that he wouldn’t be in on Monday – for three months! Three months later, he arrived back to an office piled high with paper (remember, this is pre-email), left the office again, returned with a roll of trash bags and dumped every single thing. Of all the paper in that room, only one issue came back to bite! The moral of the story – he spent most of his time on things that did not require his attention.
Not only do we allow others waste our time, we’re experts at wasting our own time. How much time do you spend on negative gossip – the sort where you revel in others’ bad news or misfortune? I will readily admit that chit-chat is useful – we often learn important things at the water cooler that we’d otherwise never find out. But negative gossip is a waste of your time and energy. How much time do you waste wallowing in the bad news on the inside pages of the newspaper – who murdered, assaulted or raped whom? Not only is this a waste of your time, it actually confirms to you that your normal “not-too-bad” life is OK! How much time do you waste surfing the ‘net or joining groups on Facebook like “I’s sick of people cheering every time I go out on my balcony”?! How much time do you waste channel-hopping at night? How much time do you waste thinking negative thoughts, worrying, imagining the worst scenarios? How much time do you waste bitching about work colleagues, maneuvering or jockeying for position in your organization instead of doing what you’re paid to do?
Cut out the crap and you’ll find that you’ve got lots of time to do the important things – with some left over for a little reflection, meditation, self improvement and, most importantly, to do some of the things that really turn you on. How will you know what’s crap and what isn’t? Well, a clear and present mind is as sharp as a razor’s edge – it knows the difference between something worth doing and something that you should simply let pass. Indeed, a clear and present mind is the one sure way of ensuring that, not only do you cut out the crap, but that, while you’re doing what you’re supposed to be doing, you’re fully doing it.
In other words, you should fully do one thing at a time. The female of the species often says to me “but what about multi-tasking” (perhaps, as modern neuro-psychology progresses, we’ll find out that this gendered ability is more myth than fact – but that’s another day’s work)? Well, when you’re multi-tasking you might be doing three things in one minute. That means, perhaps, one thing each twenty seconds – that means that, for those twenty seconds, you fully attend to what you’re doing.
Life is made up of moments – each moment a unique opportunity to fully do what you’re doing, to fully focus on that moment and to disregard the things and people that have a habit of diverting us from the opportunity of the moment. The opportunity? To live life to the full, be fully present, be more effective, more productive and more turned on, moment to moment. When you do that, not only will you get all the important things done, you might just find that there are even more important things that the universe can do for you.
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Willie Horton, an Irish ex-accountant and ex-banker, has worked as a success coach to business leaders and sports people since 1996. He moved to the French Alps in 2002, from where his free weekly Self-Help video seminar is sent to thousands of people worldwide. His Online Personal Development Self Help Workshop is used all over the world, clients say it’s life-changing. Info: http://www.gurdy.net
Career Coaching – Job Interview Tips
Preparing for a job interview
Job interviews can be a scary but rewarding experience, no matter the outcome. Going into it, there are many things you need to remind yourself of, bring, and do when you’re speaking with the employer. Job interview coaching can correct your performance and your presentation skills, but really effective job interview coaching will address the content of the interviews, as well.
Dress appropriatly for the occasion. When you drop off a resume it is a good idea to make note of the attire other staff members are wearing. You want your employer to see you fitting in within the organization. Keep conservatively within the dress code of the company. This is not the time to be flashy or seductive. You want to be remembered for your abilities, not your cleavage. Wear something that both makes you feel confident and comfortable. Looking great is no good if you are fidgeting with an uncomfortable outfit.
Prospective employers want to see people who think on their toes and are interested in the position as much as possible. Write out a few quick questions that you can ask at the appropriate time of the interview so that you are not trying to think on the spot of what to ask. Employers don’t want to know why you can’t do the job, they are concerned most with what you can do for them. Focus on your ability to tackle new situations, your communication skills, interpersonal abilities, analytical thinking talents, and other skills developed while in college or experience from previous positions.
Preparation is the key to success. Preparing for the interview enhances the quality of your interaction skill. It helps you to empower yourself with confidence in your own abilities.
Research the company beforehand so that you can showcase that knowledge during the interview. This will boost your credibility with the interviewer and will help you to formulate intelligent questions to ask him or her. Research an opportunity as much as possible. Seek out company/officer profiles, news clips, past and present company projects, current issues and events relating to an agency’s specialty. Research about the company’s background, the work you are applying for and the work environment and ponder about these matters. Stereotypical questions must be answered intelligently and with conviction.
How to Write a Cover Letter
When should I send a cover letter?
Pay attention to times when you need to send a cover letter to a potential employer or contact. If you are conducting a job search sending a cover letter will provide the employer with helpful information to complement the resume. A cover letter can convey your interest for a position and indicate that you are a “match” for the position.
What should my cover letter say?
- Why you are writing and how you learned about the organization or opportunity
- Why you are interested
- Why you are qualified and would be a good “match” for the position
- How you plan to follow up with the employer
- Do not restate what is on your resume
- Emphasize personal attributes/strengths related to qualifications for the position
How do I begin to compose the letter?
Use your own words! Resist the temptation to compose your letter simply by replacing a few words of a template. Remember, the purpose of your letter is to showcase your individual strengths and your own written communication skills. Use a template as a guide, but be unique.
To whom should the cover letter be addressed?
If possible, address the cover letter to a specific person, not “Dear Sir/Madam” or “To Whom It May Concern.” If contact information is not available on, use a position title (e.g. Dear Internship Coordinator or Dear Recruitment Manager). Make sure to use current information.
How long should a cover letter be?
Cover letters should not exceed four paragraphs or one page in length. They should be clear and use concise sentences and short paragraphs. Use proper business format when constructing your cover letter.
What is the best way to print and send my cover letter?
Print the cover letter in the same font and on the same type of paper as your resume. The cover letter and resume may be folded for mailing. Use envelopes that match your cover letter and resume. Make sure to use good-quality paper with a good-quality printer.
Career Coaching – Overcoming Procrastination – Part 1
Overcoming Procrastination – Part 1
Almost all of us are guilty of procrastination at one time or another but when it becomes a habit and interferes with our progress or productivity it can be a harmful habit. When we recognize that it is just that, a habit, we know that these behaviors can be changed with a little coaching and guidance.
Definition of Procrastination: the habit of putting off or delaying or deferring an action to a later time.
For many people, there are underlying reasons for procrastinating. In this series, I will discuss them and help you find the motives behind your behaviors and offer advice on how to overcome them.
Feeling Overwhelmed
Information overload can lead a person to putting off a task. Your mind can only process so much information before it begins to feel overwhelmed and unmotivated to take any action.
If this seems to be your problem, here are some simple solutions to beating that over-worked and overwhelmed feeling when presented with a task.
- Write down the benefits of completing the job and assign yourself a small reward for following through to completion.
- Break the whole thing down into smaller steps or tasks. Performing the task in smaller increments will allow your brain to process the information and workload one step at a time and it will relieve the stress when you can see it as a series of tasks instead of one big job.
- Write it down. Many of the reasons people feel overwhelmed are because they think “I will never remember all of this”. Put it on paper and keep it handy while you work.
- Check it off. Check off each one of the tasks as you complete them. This will boost your motivation and it will give your mind a visual of the progress you are making.
- Enjoy the benefits and rewards you have earned!
Set aside time to really enjoy your accomplishment and the associated rewards. Do not spend that time worrying about the next task you will be presented with. Clear your desk, clear your mind and just celebrate a job well done.
By recognizing just how good it feels when you finish, you will soon begin to associate THAT feeling with any new tasks instead of the apprehension that you have experience in the past when presented with a challenge.
Career Coaching – Is Your Career Having a Mid-Life Crisis?
Do you find yourself looking toward retirement with much more enthusiasm than you look at your job? Do you often feel like you are just putting in time until you can finally leave your career behind? If that is the case you may very well be suffering from a career mid-life crisis.
When you first embark on your career journey you are fresh-faced and innocent to the ways of the working world. You are idealistic and enthusiastic and excited about becoming a part of adult life. You are ready to change the world!
This zest for life can carry you through many years and, if you are lucky, will result in achieving many of your career goals as you begin climbing the career ladder. After a few years you remove your rose colored glasses, wake up to the real world and realize that your job choice may not have been as wonderful as you first thought. It is more difficult to get up everyday and go to work. Work has become boring and unfulfilling.
There is no passion or joy left in the workplace. You would like a divorce from your job but what alternatives do you really have? You have put a lot of time and energy into your career. Is it wise to just throw away the seniority and stability of your current employment?
Even if it was a wise choice; what’s next? How do you even begin to plan for a career change at this stage of your life? The first logical step would be to contact a certified career/life coach. A good coach will help you see your life more clearly. Maybe a small change in your personal life can have a significant enough impact on your existing career that it no longer seems in need of a change. Maybe your career really does need a switch up. A career coach can help you identify your dream job and guide you into a position to make it happen for you.
She will help you evaluate your existing skills. You would be surprised at just how many skills you have acquired that are easily transferrable into a new career. You may already be qualified for that dream job and she will help you not only find that job but coach you through negotiating the best possible salary with your potential employer.
Do you need to adjust your financial strategies to handle a career change? Your certified life coach can help you make those adjustments and help you make any necessary changes to your lifestyle in order to make your dream job a reality.
A good career coach will discuss your options and to help you understand whether a career change makes sense for you right now. She is the best investment you may make in the rest of your life.
Coaching for Life – Are You Single And Loving It?
You are a strong willed individual with a clear sense of independence. You are self confident and devoted to experiencing life on your own. You have made the decision that marriage is not one of your life goals and you celebrate that fact. So why can’t people be happy for you?
Unfortunately, people who have not made the same decisions as you cannot phathom wanting to go solo through life. They assume that you are single because the right person has not come into your life yet. They assume you are lonely. Quite simply, they just do not understand that you are single by choice. We all have heard the term “happily married” but how often have we heard she’s “happily single”? That is because the concept is so foreign to anyone on the outside.
One of the biggest obstacles that individuals who are committed to the single lifestyle face is not having a reliable person, who understands your situation, to go to for advice. You can’t turn to your parents because they are too busy still trying to find you “Mr. Right”. A life coach may very well be your best ally when it comes to making informed decisions that will effect your career, your finances and your personal growth.
Finding a certified life coach who specializes in coaching singles is not always easy though. This person will be your mentor who will guide you through all of the plans you have for your life so you need to be very sure that you choose wisely. She must specialize in helping individuals reach their goals, she can also be a great source to network with other people who, like you, are committed to the single lifestyle.
Have you found a certified career/life coach out there who is as happily single as you are? If so, she will be the best one to guide you. She is a rare find because she understands the difficulties you face as an unmarried person in a corporate world. She has faced the same situations you will encounter in your career and can help you deal with descrimination that singles often come up against in their corporate life.
So if marriage is not one of your life goals, celebrate it and rely on those who truly understand.
Career Coaching – Think It, See It, Be It – Visualizing Your Success
Visualization is a very important key to achieving success. If you have a vision of the goals you wish to attain they are more real and more attainable. It is a way to train and focus your thinking to be driven to succeed.
The first step in visualization is to seriously consider exactly what you want out of life. Maybe you want financial freedom. Maybe you aspire to make a difference in society. Perhaps you desire the prestige of being considered the best in your field. Whatever your passion is you need to clearly define it in your mind.
The next step is to find someone who, in your mind, represents your goals. You can learn how to be successful from studying others who have achieved what you desire. If possible, meet with that person. Explain to them that you consider them to be a role model of yours. You would be surprised to know that many people whom you hold in high regard are very willing to speak openly about how they got to where they are. People love to talk about their accomplishments, especially to an attentive audience. Learn as much as you can from this person.
If it is not possible to actually meet your mentor then study them intently. I don’t suggest becoming a stalker, but make note of who they keep company with. Read anything they may have written. Read any bios or profiles you can find on this person. Study their behaviors. Contact them by phone or mail to try to strike up a mentor/student relationship.
Keep a picture of this successful person visible, preferably in your closet or dressing room. Every day before leaving your home look in the mirror and imagine yourself as their equal. When faced with a challenge, think to yourself, “How would my mentor handle this situation?” By emulating a successful person’s behaviors you are training yourself to also become successful.
Studies have proven that extraordinary people all tend to have many things in common. They were not just born exceptional. They learned the behaviors necessary to succeed and they all have a vision. By studying and imitating you too will learn those patterns.
Now visualize yourself having attained your goals. What exactly does it look and feel like to have that financial freedom? What vision do you have of yourself having made a difference in society? How does it feel to be the best in your business?
You must first have a very clear vision of yourself as a successful person in order to achieve your goals in life. Once you have that vision, you are learning the behaviors, you can now go ahead and map out the plan that will make your visualization a reality.
Career Coaching – Fast Tracking Your Career One Step at a Time
Career Coaching – Time Management
If you are a career oriented individual setting goals should be a routine you are very familiar with. Reaching those goals is another matter. Time management is a challenge that many people struggle with.
You know the path you want to take. You know what you have to do to reach your ultimate destination in life. You just need to learn how to prioritize and focus on implementing the steps you have set out for yourself. There are not enough hours in the day to work on everything at once. Trying to do it all at one time will cause undue stress and will actually be counter-productive in the long run.
The old saying “The hurrier I go the behinder I get” applies when you have set a pace that is impossible to maintain over a long period of time. Be realistic in what you can comfortably accomplish. Remember that life is a journey and it should be a pleasant trip. I like to think of goals as ladders. If you have 5 ladders that you are trying to climb all at one time you will climb one or two rungs on the first one,hit a bit of resistance,jump off and climb one or two on the next. If you continue on this course of action you will never reach the top of any of those ladders. Instead you need to choose one ladder and climb it to the top before tackling the next one.
Take a good look at your ladders. Decide which ones require immediate action and which ones require ongoing attention. It is possible to tackle more than one at a time but only if they are related or do not conflict. For example, if one of your goals is to continue your education by taking a 10 week night class you could combine that with your goal of becoming more physically fit by walking at least part of the way to class. These two goals do not conflict and are very doable without causing more stress. I would, however, not consider adding a goal to attend a weekly networking event to the mix. This might interfere with the homework you may need to complete and create a feeling of being overworked.
Remember to keep your life in balance. You have to schedule in some downtime for relaxation and recreation. This is just as important to your success as hard work is. Maintaining relationships with friends and family, performing well at work and striving to improve yourself and your situation is a great balancing act that requires careful coordination. Do not allow your focus on one area to upset the balance of your life as a whole. If you are having difficulty managing your time or prioritizing your goals a life or career coach can help you achieve your goals while keeping your life in balance.
Setting Goals – Following the Road to Success
Career Coaching – Goal Setting
When setting goals, many people get so caught up with the final destination that they lose their focus on the road they need to take to get them there. Once they lose the road map, the destination seems to get further and further away and often times it feels like arriving at their goal has become an impossibility. This generally results in frustration and eventually giving up on their dreams altogether.
Instead, if they had only focused on the road map they would have progressed steadily toward reaching their ultimate destination one step at a time. This focus on smaller achievements not only will give you a greater sense of accomplishment to reinforce that you are on the right track, it is also a measurable means to evaluate your progress.
Here are a few tips to help you set and reach your goals:
- Set a daily plan of action. Do at least one thing every single day that will advance you toward your next goal. End your day by reading your goals and setting your plan of action for the next day. Put it on your night stand so it is the first thing you see in the morning and the last thing you see at night.
- Give every goal a deadline. Unless you have a set date to reach each step you will have a tendency to procrastinate.
- Do a weekly, monthly and yearly evaluation of your progress. Were all of your goals met? If not, why and what can you do to change it?
- Make sure your goals are measurable. If your goal is to make more money, put a dollar amount to it. If your goal is to lose weight, specify how many pounds. Be very specific and make sure you can monitor your progress in a very real way.
- Hold yourself accountable. If you miss a goal do not find ways of blaming it on other people or circumstances. Instead, look to see why it was missed and how you can prevent yourself from being distracted from your goal in the future. If you did not get your plan for the day accomplished because a neighbor dropped in for an unexpected visit do not blame it on the neighbor. Recognize that you allowed yourself to be distracted. You could just as easily have told your friend that you are happy to see them but that you need to get 2 hours of work done that evening so you will need to cut the visit short and maybe make plans to get together at a later date.
- Forgive yourself. There will always be occasions when we do miss goals for one reason or another. Do not allow yourself to focus on the failure. Forgive yourself, put it behind you and focus on getting on track again.
Goal setting is the map to success. Without it you cannot possibly reach your full potential. Be realistic, be consistent and be proud of your achievements.