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Have you ever
tried to take 20 years of experience and represent it in 10 web
pages that are concise and focused toward the future? This is the
challenge I am engaged in as I create a website for my consulting
and coaching services. What I have discovered about people who
might find the new site valuable is that they seem to fall into
distinct groups--each group having within it a unique set of
concerns, trends, differences and similarities. Each of the next few
issues of Elements will highlight and explore one of these groups:
- Established and
New Independent Consultants
- Managers and
Project Managers
- Job/Career
Changers
- Executives
What I have found
from working with people in these groups is that they all share some
desirable traits and accomplishments. They all:
1. Have a desire
to Learn
2. Have achieved
a certain level of success
3. Have a
willingness to change
4. Actively seek
objective and alternative perspectives on their situation as they
strive for movement to the next level.
This month's
article will focus on trends observed from successful Job and Career
Changers that I've coached. My observations about this group were
reinforced recently by a panel of industry professionals made up of
a successful Search Recruiter, a Director of HR, and an individual
Job/Career Changer. Next month's Elements will contain observations
about what managers in corporations are facing today. Any opinions
or experiences you might like to share about the current challenge
for managers would be most welcome.
Thanks to all who
made the switch to my new email,
StarS@StarDar.com
In gratitude and
appreciation,
Star
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Despite today's
gloomy and uncertain employment market and economy, there ARE
successful job and career changers! First a few words about the job
market itself. In Massachusetts alone 170,400 jobs have been lost
in the last two years, one billion dollars over what was taken in
from unemployment taxes has been paid out, and the unemployment rate
is over 5%--the highest in the past seven years. It is an employer's
market, with hundreds of candidates competing for the same job. I am
aware of instances concerning job openings posted on the Internet
for which hundreds of resumes flooded in, so many that servers shut
down and the job postings had to be removed.
Over the past two
years, I've had the select opportunity of coaching many job and
career changers. What I have observed is that the ones who
successfully make it into new work and new careers are people who
realize they can't do the same things in the same way anymore. They
recognize that many, if not all of the components of their job
search (their skills assessment and acquisition, resume
construction, interviewing focus, search strategies, etc.) may now
have to be done using different attitudes, tools, and methods. Each
individual defines "success" in their own way and each is entitled
to modify it however they wish along the way. Successful career and
job changers are comfortable with this flexibility and make it work
for them.
The list I've
noted below is a summary of my observations about similar
characteristics that individuals in this group possess. Though the
meaning and application/adaptation of my observations, of course,
will be different for everyone, you may recognize some of the
characteristics I observed in yourself!
KNOW YOURSELF
AND BE YOURSELF
The successful job/career changers I've partnered with have a
realistic view of themselves, they know how others see them, know
their strengths, weaknesses, passions, likes and dislikes. Because
they know these things, they are in a much better position to start
a targeted and focused employment change.
How well do you
know those things about yourself? Knowing where you're strong
and where you might be uncomfortable--whether it's interviewing,
networking or making cold calls--is one of the first steps in a
successful job or career change process.
HAVE A VISION
AND A PLAN
Individuals in this group know what they want and keep their vision
or plan for what they want in front of them all the time, referring
to it frequently. They know that the only way to get where they
want is to know where they want to go!
Knowing what you
want can make almost all of your subsequent decision-making and
prioritizing easier. Create your vision in whatever way is
comfortable to you, written or sketched out visually, and keep it in
a prominent place. Using that vision then, create a written and
realistic job plan, no more than two pages. Refer to your vision and
job plan often and update them as needed. If you find you are
struggling to create a job plan, it may be because it isn't fully or
truly aligned with your vision. Suggested topics to explore as you
create these maps for yourself are: Job Scope, Milestones Tasks,
Resources and Skills, Challenges, Assumptions and Dependencies.
INVEST TIME
AND MONEY IN YOURSELF
Successful job/career changers expect that they will be constantly
engaged in Learning that is focused toward the vision and plan they
have created.
Being proactive
about your own learning and taking responsibility for it adds to the
"checklist" of your qualifications and can also keep you on top of
information/developments/news in areas related to your employment
shift. Build skills and practice them often, whether it's skills
related to landing the job or career such as interviewing, or skills
related to the actual content of the job or career you are seeking.
Many successful job/career changers use this time to pursue
long-held or sidelined dreams, finally start or finish a degree,
volunteer in areas of skill or interest, take enrichment or
skill-based courses, or develop the expertise to become known or
recognized as a specialist in an area of interest.
TARGET AND
FOCUS
An interesting trait that successful job/career changers share is
that they actively (even aggressively!) prioritize their time,
actions, behavior, and learning every day to get closer to their
targeted goal. This kind of focus ensures that they make measurable
progress toward their goals.
How well are you
doing in meeting your own goals? Plan a date to take stock and
reassess your vision and plan. Examine how your daily activities and
learning's are helping (or not helping!) you reach your goal.
Determine whether your vision, job plan, or even criteria for
"success" need to be modified or retuned. And don't forget to build
in a time in the future to reassess these areas again. Ultimately,
this journey is yours and the quality of it is always yours to
decide.
NETWORKING
Successful job/career changers understand the value of networking.
They know that networking is not about following a prescribed
formula and simply attending networking events. It's about making
connections with people based on shared interests. Successful
job/career changers realize that because good networking connections
are based on sincerity and goodwill, they are sustainable beyond
just the job or career search they may have in front of them at the
moment.
HAVE A LIFE
AND BALANCE IT
The successful job/career changers I have worked with all plan
around the inevitable fact that a job search requires dedicated time
to plan, prepare, build skills, research and make contacts. They
keep things manageable by creating a daily, weekly, or monthly
schedule of job-related activities and then hold themselves
accountable to it. Because they organize their career-related
activities, they are also able to plan in the other important parts
of their life. Knowing that it's important to strike a balance in
your life can help keep the sometimes-overwhelming process of a
job/career change focused and manageable. Because it's so important
to be in a confident, energetic, and positive state when you are
interacting with potential employers, you need to know what kinds of
things get you in that optimal state (exercise? music? a nature
walk? a call to your coach?). Use those things to help shift you
into that positive frame of mind.
Also, in a
different life-area, having a realistic understanding about what
your current and future financial forecast is can help you to make
decisions as you weigh and balance the different areas of your life.
Typical areas to check for balance are: Job/Career, Money, Fun,
Family/Friends, Physical Environment/Surroundings, Health, Self.
"When we do what
we are meant to do, money comes to us, doors open for us, we feel
useful, and the work we do feels like play to us." Julia Cameron,
The Artist's Way, A Spiritual Path to Higher Creativity |
Coaching is a
tool that can assist in the creation of something new. It is a
multi-purpose tool that is adapted to serve each person differently as
they pursue their different goals. Like any good tool, it must be
maintained and kept updated. When it's used properly, reaching goals
can be faster, easier, and more fun.
As part of
maintaining my coaching tools, I will soon begin formal coaching.
This means I have chosen to make a considerable investment of time and
finances over the next year to professionally maintain and expand the
set of tools that I bring to the coaching process. During this time I
will be critiqued by other coaching professionals, must log over 100
hours of coaching within the certifying process itself, and also have
to pass a test before I am awarded my formal certification.
Some people are
natural coaches and may have been engaged in coaching others their
whole lives. Coaching involves essential communication and
human-relation skills such as genuine interest in people, good
listening ability, insight, benevolent curiosity, and the ability to
skillfully support each client in changes that are meaningful for
them. Doing the work to maintain and strengthen these skills and
build new ones is how I have chosen to continue to serve individuals
and groups in the coaching process.
If you would like
to experience a complimentary session of coaching, please contact me.
I would be very happy to explore how I might be able to help in
transitions you may be going through, or projects you are working on! |
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No-Fee
Decision-Making Teleclass –
Decisions Business
Decision Making ---Tuesday, October 22, 12-1
Personal Decision
Making - ---Wednesday, October 23, 12-1
To participate in
any of the sessions listed below, please call this number at the time
listed as the start of the class -- 305-503-1852 X245
RSVP by phone or
email in advance to receive session materials:
stars@stardar.com
Business Decision
Making: ---Wednesday, September 18, 7:30-8:30pm Personal Decision
Making ---Wednesday, September 19, 12:00-1:00pm
Description
–Business Decision-Making Teleclass
"Leaders are made
or broken by the quality of their decisions." Find out who said
this, and learn strategies for business decision-making from the
Harvard Business Review. In this Teleclass we will explore long-and
short-term inquiry-based decision-making in the context of business.
See if these strategies from the experts can work for you!
Description
–Personal Decision-Making Teleclass
Making a decision
implies choices and cannot fail to have an impact on the area in
question.
Can you easily make
a decision and stick to it?
Do you find yourself having to make the same decisions over and over
again?
How clearly do you articulate what the decision to be made really is?
How do you make decisions—from your heart, your gut or from a
spreadsheet? Come have fun and explore this topic with others.
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Elements Early
Autumn 2002 Written by: Star Dargin Edited by: Diane Johns
Advertising will be
accepted. Contact Star for rates at:
stars@stardar.com
Personal
submissions will only be published with permission from the submitter,
who is responsible for ensuring rights to the material. Based on your
preference, submissions can be published anonymously.
To subscribe or
unsubscribe send email to
stars@stardar.com
The opinions
expressed in Elements are the author's viewpoint. While every effort
has been taken to verify the accuracy of the content, such information
is subject to change without notice. Elements is not responsible for
inadvertent errors.
Star Dargin is an
independent coach, consultant and trainer and is a partner of Shared
Learning International:
www.sharedlearningint.com As a professional coach and consultant,
she collaborates with individuals and teams to provide focus and
balance in achieving personalized results.
Diane Johns is a
freelance editor and writer with longstanding interest and experience
in the human potential movement. She has been involved with business
publishing & marketing, as well as instructional design for many
years, and considers her work with words--especially how they can
allow others to shine--as the way she makes a difference. She can be
reached at dianeji@usa.net
Star Dargin
StarS@StarDar.com
Coach, Consultant,
Trainer
Biz: (978) 486-4603
Fax: (978) 742-9889
Cell: (978)
852-6771
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