Pay Forward!

The Holiday Season is a time for celebration and hope but for the 15.1 million unemployed in the US is a time of deep growing and reflection. Among them, there are 1.3 million discouraged workers. These are the ones that believe no jobs are available for them. Going beyond geographic bounderies there are more than 50 million jobless folks around the world.

What are YOU going to do about that during the Holidays? How are you going to help someone getting out of the statistics?

Most of the clients I talked to throughout 2010 shared a common concern: the unavailability of some of the high level contacts they had working at key jobs in big companies.


I have also heard the other side of the story which is the impossibility to refer a colleague with a poor resume to anyone or how the hectic business schedule makes helping others on this situation a not very feasible task on the daily to-do-list.

I have an answer for that. Choose to pay forward.

1. Extend your expertise to a contact. We all know people who are job transitioning on the current economy. Choose to believe in the potential of at least one of them to switch his/her situation. When we support someone to get closer to a goal is because we actually believe that person has what it takes to make it happen with some help.

2. Construct positively to add value to the person’s resources. Some of these folks feel beaten down after having applied to many jobs and contacted lots of their acquaintances with no feedback or response. This does not mean you won’t tell them what needs to be changed but also remind them that they have some strong and valuable talents/capabilities they are failing to articulate effectively into the current job market needs.

3. Be a mentor. Do not just leave it to a meeting to expect that a person will successfully launch but commit your time to follow up with him/her periodically to check on progress and offer advice and resources.

4. Provide a public positive referral. Recruiters are using social media intensively to source key candidates to their positions. Those who happen to have profiles with +5 referrals by strong advocates (e.g. LinkedIn) will have a better chance to land those jobs than their competitors. Also, refer the individual to at least 3 potential key contacts or employers.

5. Refer to appropriate resources. It may be that the person has financial constraints (e.g. pending home foreclosure), legal or emotional issues due to the length of the unemployment that go beyond your expertise or comfort. Feel free to offer community resources available on the area to facilitate a solution to the individual’s problem. Do not just leave it to the person to do it on her own but offer a list of potential resources that could be used to ease the situation.

Dare to be good! It is the Holidays after all. It is not about feeling sorry for them but to act upon the belief those people are qualified and deserve a change in their situation. They’ve got what it takes and as they’ve done it before they’ll repeat their successes if you intervene to help.

Be inspired by our own success story. I am sure you have been helped along the way by mentors, friends, relatives, neighbors and even strangers that surprised you with a great opportunity.

Move on and enjoy the joy what the kindness and generosity to others provide to your soul. After all, what most of these 15.1 million people want for Christmas is a job!

Happy Holidays!

Your Career Coach,
Mariela Tinoco-Aramburu
25 positive referrals available at www.linkedin.com/in/marielatinoco

P.S. If you still need additional inspiration to act, go and click on any of these links below:
A Real life story: http://www.wral.com/news/local/story/8806478/
Good deeds for the unemployed: http://tinyurl.com/jobless-yoga
http://preview.tinyurl.com/jobless-surprise
Ideas to help: http://hubpages.com/hub/No-Christmas-This-Year

Bullied at work? How are you coping with the ‘mean kids’ in your office?

According to the 2010 WBI U.S. Workplace Bullying Survey 35% of the U.S. workforce (an est. 53.5 million Americans) report being bullied at work; an additional 15% witness it. Half of all Americans have directly experienced it. Simultaneously, 50% report neither experiencing nor witnessing bullying." Even worse, the Institute reported that 54.6% of employers did nothing after receiving complaints from victims of bullying, and 28.2% of bullies were actually promoted or otherwise rewarded in the face of such complaints. Even though, the data may not be totally accurate, bullying seems to have growth as a "silent epidemic".

Bullying is present behind all forms of harassment, discrimination, prejudice, abuse, persecution, conflict and violence. When the bullying has a focus (e.g. race or gender) it is expressed as racial prejudice or harassment, or sexual discrimination and harassment, and so on. When the bullying lacks a focus (or the bully is aware of the Federal and State laws), it comes out as pure bullying; this is an opportunity to understand the behaviors which underlie almost all reprehensible behavior.

There is a bias to think that the bullied at work are uneducated or unskilled workers that do not know how to interact effectively at the work environment.

The truth is far from the above. According to a WBI 2003 online survey the five top reasons individuals are targeted for bullying, in rank order, were: (1) refusal to be subservient (being independent), (2) being more technically skilled than the bully, (3) being liked by co-workers/customers (being the go-to expert), (4) being ethical and honest, and (5) not being sufficiently political.

But what can you do about it?

1. Break your silence. Tell co-workers, friends, and family. Ask for help. Put your health first. There is a lot of data that shows how harmful to your health is the continuous exposure to stress from bullying.

2. Expose the bully You've got to go as high up as you can. Talk to HR and your manager. Try to keep proofs that bullying is actually happening. Facts talk by themselves. Look for outside legal counseling, if needed, to understand your rights if the work environment does not offer you a way-out. The Workplace Bullying Institute estimates that only 20% of bullying is legally actionable, but that estimate may be low. Laws prohibiting discrimination on the basis of sex, race or other protected status may prohibit bullying, and state common laws frequently prohibit bullying behavior like harassment, infliction of emotional distress and interference in business relationships. It can be expensive to defend a lawsuit based on bullying, and the damages awarded to injured employees can be significant.

3. Keep your Brand intact. Your professionalism will be the one you’ll take with you, either you stay or leave. Record your performance goals, achievements, success stories and proofs you are the one doing what is right.

4. Be informed on what bullying means, so then you can do something about it.
Bullyonline.org offers a great chart to distinguish between harassment and bullying. Even though, the Country and State regulations’ differences, this table offers you a glimpse on what may be actually happening to you or someone you know at work.
Harassment has a strong physical component, e.g. contact and touch in all its forms, intrusion into personal space and possessions, damage to possessions including a person's work, etc.

Workplace bullying is almost exclusively psychological (e.g. criticism), may become physical later, especially with male bullies, but almost never with female bullies.

Harassment tends to focus on the individual because of what they are (e.g. female, latino, disabled, etc).
Workplace bullying: Anyone will do, especially if they are competent, popular and vulnerable

Harassment may consist of a single incident or a few incidents or many incidents.
Bullying is rarely a single incident and tends to be an accumulation of many small incidents, each of which, when taken in isolation and out of context, seems trivial.

Often the harassment is for peer approval, bravado, macho image etc while Workplace bullying tends to be secret behind closed doors with no witnesses.

5. Share best practice. Research on what other organizations have done to prevent and stop bullying. Feel free to offer proactive data on potential savings (e.g. absenteeism rate) achieved when the right measures are placed.

Bullying is far from over when we end our school years. It is a phenomenon happening to many everywhere. There is no sense to turn your head to the other side when it is very likely you’ll be subject to this situation at one point or another throughout your career.

Be smart, proactive and ready to face it if happening to you!
Recommended Sources:
http://www.workplacebullying.org/research/WBI-NatlSurvey2010.html
http://www.bullyonline.org/
Best Success,

Your coach,
Mariela
www.linkedin.com/in/marielatinoco
+20 positive public referrals at your service.

Your own job search sabotage! Is it a conspiracy theory or are you the one to be blamed?

I have seen him in LinkedIn and I have got notes from him. I am sure you have met him, too. His words and tone tell you how good he could be for any job you may consider him for but he fails to articulate how he’d actually add value to you or your corporation.


He places notes on affinity group discussions offering his services to anyone willing to ‘give him a chance’.

He calls all his contacts and friends asking them for a job in any range fitting into his very generic field of expertise.

He talks non stop about how recruiters do not reply his notes or how the job market is tough these days.

He comes into a room and you feel the urge to run away to the opposite direction before he comes with the inevitable job question that he just asked you a few days ago.

Some people may feel inclined to help but very few know how to do so not knowing exactly what he could be good at!

What can you do not to be forgotten/avoided by those who have the power to open your next job opportunity but a talented professional who would be a great addition to a business?

1. Define and Sell your Brand and not just a resume. You are a whole package that goes beyond a sheet of paper; therefore, having the ability to articulate the best you have to offer to the job market in a professional way will open doors to you. Once your contacts know what you’ve done successfully they will believe in your potential and refer you more likely to a potential employer.

2. Do not burn your bridges. Unfortunately, many job seekers miss the point that networking needs to be a 2-way street to be effective. It is "getting acquainted beyond the business card" what will build the real connection to your network and empower success to all who share it. Pay forward! Be Thankful and courteous!

3. Use social media to share best practice and knowledge. You want for others to see your unique talents and the best you have to offer. Get public referrals and ensure you have a strong profile that includes your top career highlights. Be a top talent to look out and not one more profile whose status says: ‘Looking for a job’.

3. Be on time and keep your word. Do not run late for meetings even if they are held over coffee. Everyone wants an employee who is dependable and a good representative of the company. Someone who's tardy to a meeting is neither.

4. Dressing for the wrong motives (or wrong job!). Appearances matter in the job market and you should dress for what's appropriate in your field. Find out what the dress code is before you show up to a networking event or interview. You're better off erring on the side of too professional than too casual.

5. Broadcasting to your network you are all up for the right career opportunity. It is correct to assess that you have a minimum salary expectation but it is wiser to be discreet on that topic with your contacts. Talking about money too soon may close potential opportunities coming on your direction.

6. Be Open to learning and advice. When making contact to share best practice, please remember to ensure your appreciation of the information you are given and ask a lot of questions in an assertive way.

7. Keep it Positive. One of the key traits I observe when interviewing a candidate is his ‘locus of control’. I want to be able to know the perfect candidate has what it takes to cope with the job/business fluctuations to motivate himself to deliver. Negative energy scares allies and potential employers away.

8. Get out and do some face-to-face networking. Face-to-face contact and telephone conversations are essential to connect. Do not rely only on your computer to network!

9. Keep a strategic job search plan. It is not just applying through a series of never ending job posts what will land you that job but how you are articulating your job transitioning process what will make you successful in achieving your vision.

10. Rely on the power of a strong network of family and friends. They may not be able to provide you with useful job leads or referrals … but they can give you something even more valuable: friendship, unconditional love and support.
“ Success is not final, failure is not fatal: it is the courage to continue that counts.” - Winston Churchill

Best Success!

Your coach,
Mariela
www.linkedin.com/in/marielatinoco
+20 positive public referrals at your service

Job scams…what actually happens to professionals like you!

Leo is a highly specialized engineer with +15 years of experience in the Oil and Gas Industry who e-mailed me a few weeks ago to check on a job offer he had got from a well known company in the UK. He was excited after having exchanged some e-mails with a recruiter from that company and thrilled there was a job offer for him to be relocated to the United Kingdom. The ‘catch’ and what created discomfort on him was a payment in advance to be made to this company in order for them to process the immigration paperwork on his behalf. He e-mailed me the notes and websites provided and everything seemed ‘legitimate’ until I noticed the employer’s originating e-mail address which ended on ’@yahoo.com’. That was the obvious sign that this was a job scam.


When I performed a quick research on Internet it was obvious this company was one of the many job scams that are taking advantage of the recession to take money from those highly educated professionals that would be willing to relocate to a different country in order to make a living.

From Jan. 1, 2010 to August 31, 2010 the US Better Business Bureau (www.bbb.org) received 2,431 complaints from consumers on work-at-home scams

Leo’s case is not unique. Job scams are on the rise. Be careful not to trust too easily a potential job offer when:

1. It is too good to be true. High salary potential and excellent benefits for little work and no experience necessary should be enough to make you suspicious.

2. The  corporation’s use of ‘generic’ email addresses, like Gmail, Yahoo or Hotmail, rather than a specific business email address.

3. The employer offers the convenience of working from home and getting rich by doing it. While millions of entrepreneurs will earn their income from enterprises run from home offices nationwide millions of others will fall victim to work-at-home scams that are spread through classified ads, direct mailings, and the Internet and e-mail.

4. The hiring company asks for money upfront. On Leo’s case it meant some 'needed' money to fix immigration paperwork in the UK. Even the internet links shared by the employer can be potentially ‘hacked’ in order for you to provide personal financial information and/or make a payment.

5. The employer wants your credit report from the beginning. Though, it is true that employers may require this information to candidates that have been interviewed and who are most likely on the final stages of the selection process, it is unusual to get an e-mail from the potential employer that in order to be considered for the job, the applicant has to check his or her credit report through a recommended website. Beware of releasing confidential social security or financial information.

There is also a recent and fantastic article related to the Top 10 Job Scams That Target the Unemployed - See full article from DailyFinance: http://srph.it/9DBZB6 - that I invite you to visit to get more information.

Remember that it is your job search process which means YOU are responsible for doing your own research. Use the public library, newspapers, the Internet, and your state employment office to find info on your potential employer and ensure you get the job that’s right for you.


Best Success,
Your Career Coach,
Mariela Tinoco-Aramburu
+20 public positive referrals available at www.linkedin.com/in/marielatinoco

Your Career World Cup: Where have all your goals gone?

What can the world soccer cup teach you about your Brand and what employers want? I bet you do not want to be one more job market player nobody remembers!

I am a big soccer world cup fan which means I follow the games played by my favorite teams. I laugh, scream and talk about the moves with anyone willing to share the excitement of it. I also think about how great the game turns to be when there is a dynamic goal striker and a strong goal keeper.

For a winning team you must have both players in it, but what does it mean to your career vision fulfillment?  You MUST be able to switch between those two roles in order to achieve it.

The Goal striker is a human machine ready to follow on the agreed strategy to kick that ball straight to where it is supposed to go. It plays with the elements the game brings and keeps the adrenaline moving full of excitement for the crowd to CONNECT and FEEL that ball as if it were theirs! She is proactive, aggressive, strategic, dynamic and a true heart for the vision when moving along all obstacles in a ‘dance’ that brings passion to a game that can’t exist without her participation. She plays with others in order to conquer; she uses her counterparts’ failures and strengths as opportunities for her next move to get closer to her destination. She moves forward while working alongside her team and competition.

A Goal keeper is the one that keeps the ‘net’ free of balls. He’s got a vision that goes across the whole soccer field anticipating every move with enough premeditation to stop any ball. He is patient, self-controlled, mindful, defensive and sits ‘alongside’ observing/analyzing all the moves before stopping right on time any threat from the competition. He puts together the game’s puzzle while watching and deciding how to keep his vision intact.

You are a goal striker when you consciously follow the path you choose would be the most beneficial to get you closer to your career vision. You deal with the competition while obtaining what their attributes are, what your allies can do for you, what you also do genuinely and generously for them, what you understand must be learned and applied in order to get successfully to your goal. You are immersed in the field using the power of your network with everything it brings, its faults allow you to grow into a stronger player and your passion for the game connects you to your contacts/allies in a way that makes impossible for them not to believe in your unique Brand.

You are a goal keeper when you sit aside to carefully observe the trends your job niche brings. You analyze the competition, the moves your desirable target employers make. You are preparing with anticipation the required moves not just to prevent potential cracks in your Brand but to proactively assess the required attributes you need to bring to the game in order to successfully stop the risk of looking like one of the zillion copy-cats of the market. You know what the market wants and you are so ready to bring it to them. You are nothing more and nothing else that the BEST possible YOU!

You must be both a GOAL STRIKER and a GOAL KEEPER in order to be successful in being that memorable player everyone wants on their field.

You are the best of your past articulated in such a powerful present Brand connected to what the market needs in such a proactive way that your network is empowered by your moves and connected to your vision allowing your chances for success to be significantly increased.

You are THE PLAYER everyone wants to have in their winning teams, a visionary, a leader of your own Brand, a distinctive professional that is unafraid to watch and play the game at its best to meet his vision.

So, there you go and strike that goal. Hire that coach to help you identify the traits that will make YOU the exceptional player, because as Bil McCartney wisely said “All coaching is, is taking a player where he can't take himself”.

Best Success,
Your Career Coach,
Mariela Tinoco-Aramburu
career4change@yahoo.com
www.linkedin.com/in/marielatinoco

Brand's Integrity Vs. What you did not mean to…but you still did

Branding is everything even if you do not know what it is, but what you know is when someone or something generates a noise in your system that does not sound quite right.


I can tell when a politician is talking without saying anything concrete on what people really need to know (I am sure you know what I am talking about) or when I get that e-mail telling me how someone I do not know in a very distant country wants to give me many millions out of nowhere for a very silly reason. It is not real; it is either a fake or a lie. People and Businesses do that all the time, don’t they?

I am sure Tony Hayward - BP CEO -did not mean to disappoint us with what he’s said to the media during the last few weeks but it seems he seemed to do so to many out there. I also believe that the Motrin manufacturers did not mean to sell an unsafe medicine for our kids, but they still did and a recall was generated. Or Toyota did not mean to hurt its Brand by contradicting messages about the issues/problems with the Toyota cars but they did!

I trust that you did not mean to mislead that potential hiring manager on your level of expertise in that particular software, but maybe you still did so! Or that you did not mean to sell that defective product to a client, but you did! Or that you did not mean to work on a contract that collided closely with your business ally's territory but you did, anyway!

Things happen! Bad thing happen to everyone. What can you do to mitigate being the originator of that noise or the ‘victim’ of it?

Decision Making is an art to master in a lifetime. A wrong turn and you are ‘history' until you manage to make a come back - if you can! One of the key evidences of your own Integrity is an open and transparent decision making process.

What distinguishes most of us is that we do not have the PR professional to define the communication strategy for our Brand or that Sales Department to handle sales. We are the CEOs of our Brand and as such we must confront the consequences of our actions whatever intended or unintended they are.

Acknowledgement is a first step on that direction. It is easy to say that others attack your Brand and because of it, your Brand gets hurt but it is wiser to say that the cracks in your Brand allow others to get in to see its weaknesses. Sit down and confront what is there in your own Brand that generates so much noise. There is a saying in my home country that states that if the river is noisy is because it brings stones meaning that if your audience is saying the ‘wrong’ things about your brand it may be you are the one to be blamed as the originator of that sound. Understand your vision and create your own Brand’s ‘white noise’ generating positive visibility and impact in those that cross paths with you.

Accountability in your decisions and their consequences. Unintended impact is always a risk, specially, when decisions are either not-well thought of, a result/product relies in a chain of providers/services or decisions are driven by emotions or quick delivery. When blaming starts getting into the picture your Brand's credibility gets highly impacted. If you are your own Brand’s CEO there is nobody else but YOU that others look at when your reputation is ‘at-risk’. When Mattel did a series of recalls with some of its toys I believe parents trusted mistakes were committed unintentionally and measures were taken for those not to be repeated, but when a famous furniture franchise business denied recalling a particularly popular bunk-bed after some kids were injured, then their Brand's integrity got damaged along the way. The same goes when your job is terminated and you blame your former manager for letting you go first or you reflect someone else’s Brand in your resume falling short on selling your own unique attributes to a potential hiring manager. You do not want to be any can of soda on that ‘job-supermarket’ aisle but the Brand that everyone wants to get in their business. Clear examples on how you can hurt your own Brand are available when you Google the key words ‘fired over Facebook’at  http://tinyurl.com/24365b5.

Learning Mode On. We can all remember some very ‘popular’ class lawsuits filed against major manufacturers. We also notice news’ headlines when bashing out famous household names/personalities for potential wrong-doing. We have access to the news everyday. What about if you got the control wheel on your Brand and you could incorporate some of the big lessons available out there? It may be you are worried about equal employment opportunity, you are discriminating or feel discriminated against, or you are writing those passionate e-mails without further thought unaware that anything you do or say reflects your Brand everyday 24 hours a day! Learning is a key element in anyone’s Brand for it to survive and get into a growing mode. Go and research your own unique attributes. Clean your act, if needed. Learn from your past to build a better future.

There you go, live up to the words your Personal Brand means...Say it, do it, own it…mean it!

"Regardless of age, regardless of position, regardless of the business we happen to be in, all of us need to understand the importance of branding. We are CEOs of our own companies: Me Inc. To be in business today, our most important job is to be head marketer for the brand called You."
Tom Peters in Fast Company, 1997

Best Success,
Mariela Tinoco-Aramburu
Your Career Coach
'Because YOU can change what happens next'
+20 referrals available at www.linkedin.com/in/marielatinoco

Be strategic in your career path time investment and turn off that TV now!

Are you using Internet/Data strategically in your job transitioning and market research? How deep is your understanding in what’s available and the changes you need to make in your life/career to get you closer to your vision? According to Nicholas Carr* on his book ‘The Shallow’ a constant Internet use ‘impedes the sort of comprehension and retention “deep reading” engenders’. Therefore, you develop a sort of photographic memory that stops any meaningful reflection on how the information you access impacts your path or not. Even worse, if we consider a Nielsen Wire report*, ‘the typical American consumes almost 35 hrs of TV, 2 hrs of time shifted TV, 4 hrs of internet, 22 minutes of online video and 4 minutes of mobile’.


Are you hooked in an unproductive monthly routine? Are you paralyzed and victimized by your own choices? Is it Friday already and you have achieved not even 50% of what you've planned for the week?

What about stretching out of your comfort (or TV) box and do what you know you can’t postpone any longer?

There is a big number of networking events in each town. We are more aware than ever that the biggest piece of that job success pie relies on networking. Creating and building relationships with others is key. Not just business but personal relationships. The Networking impact is much higher than the use of job boards or anything else you can think of. If you decided to switch your time wisely and spend 40 hours of your week choosing actions leading to a change in your life towards the future vision you are looking to fulfill, then you could consider creating your own agenda. An example on what a more productive monthly agenda could look like is:

- A weekly networking meeting = 8 hours a month
- Playing/exercising with others 2 times a week = 8 hours a month
- Using online networking strategically - e.g. LinkedIn - for your job search= 12 hours a month
- Watching out for job market trends while applying actively on job boards = 8 hours a month
- Having a nice date with your significant other once a month= 4 hours
- Having time to choose the life you want to have = PRICELESS!

This would still give you more time to do what’s better for you rather than just following the distraction trends most choose to follow when overwhelmed by changes/potential changes in their lives/careers.

Using technology wisely is not about having 5-6 Internet windows open at the same time in your computer screen and knowing it all but actually connecting yourself to the content in a strategic mode that allows you to make best use of the information gathered to incorporate it effectively to your action plan.

Can you commit yourself to stop the someday syndrome and begin a journey that YOU know is the one that will drive you to your VISION fulfillment.

Can you start running your own statistics and choosing wisely how you invest your time everyday?
‘Television has proved that people will look at anything rather than each other.’ ~Ann Landers
Best Success!

Mariela Tinoco-Aramburu
Your Strategic Professional Branding and Career Coach
'Because YOU can change what happens next'
 + 20 Positive Referrals are available at www.linkedin.com/in/marielatinoco
* Nielsen Report: http://tinyurl.com/32tezj3
* Nicholas Carr's Blog: http://www.roughtype.com/

A Miracle Maker on the way

Make some room for this amazing miracle maker. This individual can make anything happen when committed to it. That person can be YOU!


These last weeks have been incredibly busy and full of successful stories. People that have worked hard – and smart – to achieve a vision. People who have not given up and have made lemonade out of the lemons thrown at them.

I’d like to share a couple of these stories that clearly probe that 'YOU can change what happens next’.

One of the stories is about a marvelous high potential corporate employee who was severed after having demonstrated his performance at his best all around the world. He felt betrayed but not defeated when he made contact with me the first time a year or so ago. He had a clear vision and went for it. He built a stronger network and became a familiar face in the affinity professional group he chose to be active part of. He got a job offer very soon at a mid size company and kept doing what he knew how to do at his best. A couple of months ago I was contacted again by him to run a Branding Interviewing session. He was being pursued by a major corporation. Not long after he started the screening process with this company he was also approached by a second major organization. What can be better than having a job and two potential job offers at great multinational corporations? He had the luxury of choosing what he believed was the top employer of the two and the one that offered him the opportunity of continuing his career progression.

My second story is not about a client but a role model for all. I connected a few weeks ago with someone in LinkedIn I though had quite a distinctive Brand. As I do sometimes, I asked him to meet and then, we had lunch. He is a +30 years experience professional that has changed his career 3 times. He is not quite ready to retire but to face a new adventure, a challenge that allows him to feel the thrill again of re-inventing himself while being at his best. A dedicated community volunteer with a big network and an incredible track record of achievements.

There are some elements these fellows have in common:
- A clear VISION. Knowing where you want to go makes a definitive statement on the direction or re-direction you take on your career. It is about that ultimate place you’d like to see yourself in the future. There is a popular expression: ‘All roads lead to Rome’. If you know you want to get there, then what are you waiting for?
- A strong Network and a distinctive Brand. These folks have created and extended a network that relies on the quality and distinctive elements of their Brands. They are trusted resources for those who know them.
- Community advocates. Both of them have volunteered successfully in organizations and generated visibility in not just their technical abilities but their willingness to take that extra step to support a cause when is needed.
- Sense of FUN. One of them is quite an athlete and the other is an explorer. Both enjoy life, have a strong family/friends support system and look forward to what may comes next knowing they have the power to grab that wheel and control the result.
- Work/Life Balance. They have personal goals. Not everything is 100% job related when you talk to them. They actually have a fulfilling life that determines their Brands and not a Brand that depends on a particular job to be successful. It may be one of the reasons they can so easily move from job to job when needed.
These are ‘Miracle Makers’. They do not wait for the opportunity to knock on their doors but move their actions aligned to their values in the direction their future vision to be is placed.

A Brand with a heart is more authentic than anything else you may see on paper. They walk the talk, their actions fulfill their words and they create/make/grow their own world.

But remember, their successes did not happen overnight because ‘even miracles take a little bit of time’.

Best Success!

Your Coach,
Mariela Tinoco-Aramburu
‘Because You Can Change What Happens Next’
www.linkedin.com/in/marielatinoco
http://www.career4change.com/
Visit me at my Career4Change Facebook Page: http://tinyurl.com/2fg627g

Have you been tagged into a job or occupation you hate and ready to take control on a Career4Change?

Wilbert Rideau reinvented himself as a winning award editor for a high security prison when sentenced to death and later on to life term in prison. What can be a most radical re-definition on what you decide you want to do for the rest of your life but this? He was the editor of an award winning prison newspaper and he lived beyond the horror of the stories he covered to be released and write an autobiography. What a paradox to find the job of your dreams when you are incarcerated. (NPR's story: http://tinyurl.com/29ncgq8)
I’d like to ask you the following question: how many times have you been cornered by your own circumstances to react by changing jobs or leaving behind a very unfulfilling career? How many is ‘too many’ jobs in a lifetime?

A BLS news release published in June 2008 examined that the average number of jobs that younger baby boomers held from age 18 to age 42 was 10.8. (www.bls.gov/news.release/pdf/nlsoy.pdf). However, this study does not tell anything beyond this sample which does not include those that immigrated to the US after the survey began in 1979.

Let’s assume this applies to all and we can expect an average of 10.8 jobs in our lifetimes. Do you know how to find your next job while you still have one? Have you mastered your Professional Brand’s marketing strategy and tapped into the best resources to sell it?

Now, what about changing careers? The Department of Labor does not offer statistical data on this matter. What we know for sure is that most working people will make numerous career changes during their lifetime of employment. However, Studies show that people are making 3 to 5 major career changes - not just job changes - in their lifetime. And the newest predictions are that people will make at least 5 to 7 major career changes in the near future, if not more.

But how do you do this in the current environment?

1. What’s your motivation? Is it a matter of changing jobs, finding your dream job or just getting any job? Whatever it is please make up your mind and be very CLEAR on it. It is not unusual to find people at networking events that tell you upfront they’d be willing to do any job which is not something that will make them attractive for a potential hiring manager right now. Even if you were desperate enough to get anything, you’ll have to be smarter than that to play by your Brand and sell it at your best for that ‘whatever’ job you’d be looking to get.

2. What are your transferable skills? You may title your resume with a very specific job title missing the relevant competencies related on the content of it. Read the related market job descriptions and analyze what competencies you have applied consistently throughout your career that can be effectively transferred.

3. What’s your strategy? Have you consciously studied your market and its trends? Are you an Oil and Gas Onshore professional trying to find a job dominated by Oil and Gas Offshore openings? Have you identified key sources of information to tap into the market to move you ahead of the competition? Are you making the calls, making best use of your existent network while extending it successfully by a very well defined distinctive Professional Brand? What conferences are you volunteering for? What professional networks have you identified and are consistently participating at? Are those Networks the most indicated to lead you closer to your career vision? Why? What else is out there? Have you talked to those successful in achieving your goal?

4. Rehearse, role-play and get the job. How does the job you are looking for look like at a given day? Are you aware of its challenges, requirements and priorities? How close are you to be able to demonstrate yourself at a similar job? Can you volunteer your time in a non-profit organization that allows you a ‘break’ to probe what you can do in it? Do you manage the technical terms? Are you working towards that certification or software that will make the difference between you and someone else?

5. Networking and Unique positioning statement. Most people are unaware of how important is to be able to effectively articulate a good entrance that sells your Brand at a networking event. Even worse, many candidates fail to answer the very basic, yet challenging question: WHY YOU? Or why should I hire YOU? What’s your take on it? Are you ready to handle your unique positioning statement in less than a minute? What about 30 seconds?

If you are effectively considering either for personal reasons or job market trends to change your occupation, you will have to be open and flexible about your negotiation terms and conditions – contract type, relocation and salary. Be positive but set realistic goals with setbacks and difficult challenges. Make sure you look at the bigger picture and consider all your options including a potential lateral move or starting your own business or consulting practice as alternatives.
Remember, “Often people attempt to live their lives backwards: they try to have more things, or more money, in order to do more of what they want so that they will be happier. The way it actually works is the reverse. You must first be who you really are, then, do what you need to do, in order to have what you want.” Margaret Young

Your Coach,

Mariela Tinoco-Aramburu
‘Because You Can Change What Happens Next’
www.linkedin.com/in/marielatinoco
http://www.career4change.com/
Visit me at my Career4Change Facebook Page: http://tinyurl.com/2fg627g

Could you repeat Mr. Cinderella’s story in your career exploration process?

Scarcity-thinking generates an attitude that prompts you to seek to acquire more for yourself no matter how much you have and to treat others as competitors no matter how little they have. It goes totally against the Abundance thinking that generates a universe of possibility.

A great example aligned to the power of inquiry is Paul Harding, an indie writer who won the Pulitzer price for fiction last week for the novel “Tinkers”. As per an interview the New York Times published today ‘his manuscript languished in a desk drawer for nearly three years”, but in what the NY Times called a dramatic literacy Cinderella story he not only found a publisher but won the Pulitzer. His work was rejected by all major publishers while getting feedback that he had to add action to a story that was too quiet while moving throughout the minds of the characters. He believed in the story and did not change a bit of it. The words his teachers shared while at school kept strong on him by fulfilling his own definition of good.

Are you fulfilling your own definition of good? Have you got clarity in your own distinctive professional brand?

It disturbs me to see the façade many people play when networking and marketing their Brands. It is so obvious for the viewer to see when the script is real and when it is just a charade. Have you watched a performance when the actor is completely wrong for the part? Branding in order to be effective has to be authentic, real, and extraordinary.

You could be Mr. Cinderella (or Mrs. Cinderella!) if you also played by your own Professional Branding definition of good.

It is not about what others can take from you.

It is not about what others can give to you.

It is not about what they do have that you don’t.

It is about making an authentic and meaningful contribution to what you do.

Your career progression is not an obstacle course. There are landmarks to achieve. Be PRESENT and grow with them, incorporate the experiences consciously to your thinking and create possibilities. Once you are willing to ‘get over it’, then you can move on to what’s out there waiting to be achieved.
Write your own story with your own words!
“There is vitality, a life force, an energy, a quickening, that is translated through you into action, and because there is only one of you in all of time, this expression is unique. And if you block it, it will never exist through any other medium and it will be lost. The world will not have it. It is not your business to determine how good it is nor how valuable not how it compares with other expressions. It is your business to keep it yours clearly and directly, to keep the channel open".
                    - Martha Graham, quoted by Agnes De Mille,
                      Martha: The Life and Work of Martha Graham.

Visit me also at my Career4Change Facebook Page: http://tinyurl.com/y2pep8k.


Best Success!
Your Professional Branding and Career Coach because…you can change what happens next!
Mariela Tinoco-Aramburu
www.linkedin.com/in/marielatinoco

Are you flying blind in your job hunting journey?

How do you empower yourself to learn new things at work or while you are job transitioning? How do you progress your career to the next level? Love for learning or love for money?.

What if you did not know how to achieve success? Could it be lack of talent or lack of effort? What if it’s just that you are merely flying blind?
It is like if I offered you a million dollars nuclear energy job right now but as you had no experience on it, you would not be able to take it; therefore, no job, no million dollars in sight.
But, what if I still paid you for something you did not know how to do? Would you be able ‘to do the math’ and learn a new skill or transfer your acquired competencies to the new situation successfully, would you be able to do so?
I have job transitioning clients that when coming to me had been doing everything they believed was right to land them the next job, the truth? Most were literally flying blind!

Competition is harder and recruiters are being stricter in the specific competencies they’d like to have in a successful job candidate, but how can you ensure you know what you are doing when everyone tells you contradictory stories? how can you transfer what you know and what's best out there to apply it successfully to your own process?

1. Identify qualified sources of information. Friends are good supporters but not subject experts. Go to career related sites and take the time to read what they’ve got to say about your job transition process. Talk to the qualified experts. Schedule a talk with someone that went through the same process and got a job. Hire a Career Coach and/or ask tons of questions to the ones that have the accurate and down-to-earth answers that would make a difference!

2. Get a Free Resume Critique. Do you know that MOST coaches offer you a free of cost resume critique with no obligation on your side? You can e-mail me your resume at career4change@yahoo.com and I’d do the same. It is a great way to get an experts’ assessments on what you could do to be more effective. I read scary statistics on the horrifying resumes that do not pass the recruiter’s screening process due to very basic mistakes such as poor formatting, lack of relevant job related content and spelling mistakes. Is your resume one of those?

3. Your Brand is not your friend’s Brand. Recruiters see literally zillions of resumes in a given week. That is why they are paid for. Their ability to screen, to blink and know who’s the one for which job and have that perfect candidate that just nailed it at an interview is vital for a successful job hunting process. What’s your unique positioning statement? Do you have a unique answer that tells them: Why You?. What have you got that make you the absolute BEST person for the job? Are you distinguishing yourself? Are you being referred to that key hiring manager/recruiter for that perfect job? Are you ready to sell your brand and close the deal or are you still struggling to articulate your key messages? Career4Change can help you go through that process, so then you are the S-T-A-R that shines above your competition.

4. Networking yourself to the top. There is a quote I absolutely identify this process with shared by Jeremiah Owyang at Web-Strategist.com:“Those who ignore the party/conversation/network when they are content and decide to drop in when they need the network may not succeed. It’s pretty easy to spot those that are just joining the network purely to take – not to give. Therefore, be part of the party/conversation/network before you need anything from anyone.” Well, do I have to say more? This is a red flag for those who got the job and think networking will have a long break in their career lives until the next roller coaster shake things up or for those that prefer handle their search in job boards. Statistically speaking, networking increases chances of success +60 to 80%!

5. Be courteous and Pay forward. I can’t emphasize enough the power of kindness on this process. Give and take is a reciprocal game. It is kind to use thank you letters but not good enough. Offer to make connections to those that help you along the way and go for it. Send that e-mail to those two contacts that do not know each other but who could potentially get some benefit if they did. Make referrals to the ones that have exceeded the task given even if they have not asked for it.

6. Be Visible, be there, be found. Use social media. Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter among others are fantastic resources to keep track on the trends moving the job market. Participate actively in groups’ discussions. Get referrals posted on your profile. Dare to sell your Professional Brand at your BEST.

Mariela Tinoco-Aramburu at Career4Change counts with +15 public referrals that support a track record and service you could count on if you just e-mail us at career4change@yahoo.com.

Find out what I can do for YOU in a very personal, customized and approachable way.
Visit me also at my Career4Change Facebook Page: http://tinyurl.com/y2pep8k.
Best Success!

Your Professional Branding and Career Coach because…you can change what happens next!
Mariela Tinoco-Aramburu
www.linkedin.com/in/marielatinoco

What’s the Recruiter’s Job?

Last week I was asked by a client what was the difference between recruiters and head hunters and if there was a way that she could get a recruiter to help her finding a job. Well, it is not very often I get this question but she has not been the only one to ask this.

There are corporate recruiters and third party recruiters. The first ones are those hired by the hiring organization to do recruiting for them in full time basis while third party recruiters are subcontracted by a company for the purpose of finding and qualifying potential new employees for the organization. You can have retained recruiters who are paid a portion of their fee upfront with the balance paid when the search is over and contingency recruiters who are paid a fee only if the company hires a candidate discovered through them.

A recruiter does not get back to you after you have applied to that perfect matching job for several reasons but fundamentally because a day happens to have just 8 working hours and there are many vacancies to fill in busy times.

But what do a recruiter’s do for a position (not for you!)?

First, sit with his corporate clients to close the deal on job requirements, budget and timing constraints in filling the position.

Second, he searches for referrals and/or his data base. This is where you want to be. If you have already created and extended a successful network the chances are you get to put yourself in a favorable spot for consideration.

Third, he navigates the Internet. That means he spends time on the web posting his clients’ vacancies at different job sites while checking on the applicants he has already got for the positions he placed out there earlier. Social media is clearly becoming a resource for recruiters to use. Make sure you are visible and have a strong not-to-be-missed profile in a site such as LinkedIn.

Fourth, he’s got to go through a huge pile of pre-qualified applications, resumes forwarded by other recruiters interested in making a split placement while arranging interviews/screening phone calls with those that make the cut. Here’s the thing: Recruiters know that a resume rarely gets you inside a company unless they include a summary of your value that targets the hiring manager's needs. In other words, most resumes leaves it up to employers to figure out how you can add value to their organization and that gets you obviously nowhere closer to your goal. Come ready to bring ideas to the table and clear examples on how you have successfully overcome similar challenges. Research the organization, its culture and if possible, talk to someone already employed there to get some insider’s information.

Fifth, set up interview between the hiring manager and the already screened applicants. On this one, it is literally a blessing to have the luxury of administrative assistants to ‘some times’ do this piece for you. On this piece it is important to notice that a real top notch recruiter will never set you up for an interview unless you are clearly qualified for the job. Most candidates practice an interview forgetting to do what they are going to be measured on: ‘Practice doing the Job’. If your focus is only on what you’ve done and you leave to luck the connectivity between your potential and future added value to the hiring manager then, you’ll be lost in the system.

Sixth, follow up with corporate client and candidate after the interview is over. Consider that there will be likely a minimum of two rounds of interviews, if not three or four, based on the position seniority and other parameters. It is key on this part that candidates remember their business manners. That is what ‘thank you’ notes are for!

Seventh, making reports. Key performance indicators are essential to keep track on the efficiencies and bottle necks related to vacancies to fill and a resource to offer to a potential client when reports probe a high level of satisfaction or a valuable trend to the market.

In conclusion, be clear that a recruiter does not work for you but for the hiring company. It is the company that pays their fees and the one they have to please in order to be paid for their hard work.

Have you eaten your career transition’s frog, yet?

I just watched a short video inspired on the Eat that Frog’s book by Brian Tracy and I couldn’t help relating it to all the frogs most people keep everywhere that drain their energy and stop them to release their full potential and achieve their goal.


The idea behind the book is that by procrastinating what you would prefer not to do your energy switches in a way that prevents you to get the important things done.

These are the most common frogs I’ve seen in my clients that stop them to be at their best and release their full potential to the job market:

1. Networking. Isn’t it true that some of you get extremely uneasy about the whole networking setting? You know there are huge benefits in sharing best practice and extending your network but you still leave it as a last priority finding always a very reasonable excuse not to do it. You even complain your career transition would be over if you only knew those key contacts in the companies you know you are perfect for. The truth? It does not happen overnight, it does not happen if you hide under the blankets of your busy agenda, it does not happen when you stay behind your computer. Now, eat that frog first and select that affinity group you feel most likely aligned to your vision and go for it.

2. Asking for help. I have talked so many times to other entrepreneurs, professionals and executives about this concept. We all get approached by people wanting to meet us but once they are gone, most of the times they have failed to actually ask for what they needed from us to move on. There is a silent expectation that help will be given even if it is not asked for. Well, most of the times that is not the case. So, put that vision together and identify the people that could help contributing to your action plan implementation. The sources of expertise will be very likely flattered by a well structured and professional request. Now, eat that frog!

3. Social Media's active use. I get hired by clients to go through the social media concept, advantages and potential uses in the job search process. Most of them decide to do so after procrastinating it for a long time. They are afraid they will not be good at it and that it will be very difficult for them to get up to speed with what Facebook, LinkedIn or Twitter –among others – have to offer to speed up their career transition journey. Eat that frog and go on to start enjoying the benefits social media can offer to get you closer to your vision.

4. A well aligned professional brand. Almost everything can look good on paper, but how to ensure you are selling your unique brand in a resume and not just a format copied from a cheap website? I was having lunch today with a couple of amazing recruiters who mentioned how they get turned off by resumes that contain fancy words not connected to the applicant’s track record. They also stop looking at resumes that provide looong wording sentences with no real meaning, connection or added value to the former employer’s business. Most recruiters who use social media have also found horrifying stories or pictures of those potential candidates for a job not aligned at all with the information given on the application form. Prepare and eat that frog to do your homework in order to sell consistently your Brand at your best with all what it takes!

5. Lack of a clear vision. Any job is not a job. When I get approached on networking events by job seekers with no specific goal I know their chances of succeeding are very low as they are not taking themselves seriously enough to put together a vision to drive them forward. Not having a vision will turn off most of your contacts that will very unlikely refer someone who does not even have a career goal, not enough confidence in selling connected competencies and highlights to the job market; therefore, no exceptional substance to work with. Eat that frog!

6. Grateful and mindful. How many have you forgotten to thank that contact who gave you that key tip for the job you were looking for? It is never too late to be thankful. What goes around comes around. I got recently a very rare thank you note from someone who I met while job transitioning and that after finding his job was thankful enough to e-mail all the people that helped him to be successful on it. That does not happen as often as it should. Eat that frog and show gratitude to your network and give back!

Best Success in your new diet and for those looking for the video here’s the link that I have also placed on my Facebook Career4Change page that you are welcome to visit anytime for a bilingual career coaching experience.

Video’s Link:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0W7GB5Fh2XM


Career 4 Change Facebook Page:
 http://www.facebook.com/pages/Katy-Texas/Career4Change/353305821256?ref=ts

"Procrastination is opportunity's natural assassin." ~Victor Kiam

Are you committed to your job fulfillment? Are you making a difference?

Have you read the news on Jaime Escalante’s cancer? This is the teacher that inspired the ‘Stand and Deliver’s’ movie. His strong belief on his students’ potential as well as his undefeatable commitment towards his vision generated such a difference in the school in which he taught calculus that the passing rate went from zero to a noticeable higher than Beverly Hill High.


He made the conscious choice of not just doing a job but taking actions to fulfill his vision. His students and the community he belonged to connected to him once he led by example. He did not wait for the school system to change but he generated the change.

What about you? What changes are you 'waiting for'? There are so many reasons not to be happy at work. It may be you are not connected to your company, managers and co-workers but most importantly, are you connected to your own vision and what it takes to get there?

I have a client who jumped from one job after another feeling unfulfilled and unsatisfied at every company she worked for. Once we explored into her inexistent Vision she actually discovered her need for one and we worked together in putting an inspiring vision to guide her through her career development. She re-gained a sense of her ‘wants’ beyond her ‘needs’ and after this realization she was able to stay long enough in a job to grow and get closer to her destination. Was she into her ideal job? Was her manager the best one in class? I don’t think so. But once she had clarity on what she wanted and needed to go through in order to get there, then her whole career took a whole different meaning. It was her choice to grab that career driving wheel.

It was Jaime Escalante’s choice to go beyond the Latino stereotyping proving himself beyond any self-given boundaries and breaking any limitation given to a Bolivian immigrant in the USA.

He now needs our help to help paying for his treatment. He is an icon to the Latino that have come to this country to make a better living adding value to society and generating a significant change in that journey.

Please, click on the link below for further details on how to help and while you do that, then start thinking about how you can generate a change.

http://www.ktla.com/news/landing/ktla-jaime-escalante-cancer,0,3839418.story

'Do what you can, with what you have, where you are' - Theodore Rooselvelt

Coach sends Kramer on embarrassing wrong turn...what’s your wrong career turn?

Can you believe what happened to this guy? A speed machine that with no doubt was the best on his field and deserved gold, but as the end of the race approached he got the wrong signal from his coach to do what got him disqualified! It was a very expensive mistake that cost him not just a gold medal but some important financial losses. What if he had kept doing what he was doing already at his best?
Have you taken a wrong turn when you’ve almost got it? Though, I am a very open minded individual I coach myself – and clients – not to be blindly folded by others’ opinions and connect to one's inner voice to know when to follow your instincts and not somebody else’s. So, where to draw the line between what others tell you and your own instinct?

There are so many different stories related to what people wonder only if they had made a different career choice. Speed is key for the ambitious kind of people and making it to the top at a certain point for them is all what matters to win. For others it is about wondering what if they had not rejected a job offer that opened a wonderful career opportunity for the one that took it. But many are still wondering what they would have done if life had given them apples instead of lemons.

How many of you live in the ‘if’ of a moment?

What matters to me is the clarity of a vision that allows you to take some calculated chances with the unknown. Entrepreneurs have a business plan while individuals have their own career/life plans. Do you have one?

Do you know where you are going; therefore, are you ready to take risks and decisions that may get you closer to that destination?

Are you willing to invest your life, your time, your money more wisely, so then you can afford to live the triumph and growing experience that comes out of your decisions?

Because it is better to live up to your standards and your dreams than keeping your life wondering whether you could have done it differently if ….

Most of my clients when talking to me wonder what if they had come to me a year before, what if they had listened to really qualified people on their field instead of their well intentioned friends, what if they had began doing networking at the beginning of their career transition instead of relying mostly on the web, what if they had taken the time to understand the ‘host Country’ business culture in order to adjust their brand effectively, what if…

What if you stop wondering now and take the courage to assume the consequences of your decisions and control your life and career from now on.

What if you decide you do not have all the answers and start looking for mentors and/or coaches to facilitate your success in that journey?

What if when you go to your network you have a level of clarity in your own brand that allows yourself to sell it effectively?

What if you have a job search strategy that combines multiple resources aligned to a vision linked to a unique brand?

What if you take the time not just to ask, ask, ask to your network but decide to actually share best practice with them and give back?

‘People are always blaming their circumstances for what they are.
I don't believe in circumstances.
The people who get on in this world
are the people who get up and look for the circumstances they want.
And if they can’t, make them.’               
                                        - George Bernard Shaw

Google me, Google you...Ah, ha!

One of the first things I do when getting a potential client is to Google his/her name to see what comes out of it. It is not as boring as you could expect. It’s been an amazing, surprising, shocking and even fun – at times – process.


Recruiters are using social media to look for passive candidates and to even screen a bit beyond what’s on paper to what actually those potential candidates may be like.

Do you have any control on your online professional brand?

A lot of people tend to think that celebrities are the ones in TV, but not anymore. Internet and social media have knocked our walls down to expose a lot of our private matters to the public scrutiny – if not careful -.

The first time I actually ‘googled’ myself I remember finding only my Bachelor’s degree thesis. I just could not believe there was nothing a bit more exciting than that. A few years later and I am in control.

So, what’s out there for you… or not? How does that personal piece may expose your profile? Hopefully, you are doing Ok so far, so good but you can take some precautions and there are some hints I’d like to share with you:

1. Google yourself. Play a bit with your name on the web at www.googlism.com and/or www.pipl.com.

2. Analyze your results and try to measure relevance on them. Is there too much information out there, well, then that means is time to start restricting the privacy setting on your social pages (e.g. Facebook) as well as the access your contacts have of your pictures and personal information. Do you have nothing? Think if that is what you want and then,

3. Market yourself at your best. Create a professional profile out there to sell your brand effectively. How about LinkedIn or Nayms? What have you got in Flickr? Believe me when I tell you that there are things out there that some wouldn’t want the world to see so freely. But, having said this, there are things you do want the world to know.

4. Control your Brand. Google results are no accident as many may think. You can actually create and set your distinctiveness straight in the web. You can even rate your presence and ‘play’ with it.

5. Do not obsess with it. I’ve heard there are people out there even paying for their names not to ever show up in any website listing results.

6. Google your potential hiring manager and interviewer. What comes around goes around. Find their professional profiles and affiliations. Wouldn’t it be great to find you share a strong affinity that is not listed in your resume before that interview?
Do not underestimate the power of Social Media and its potential to get you closer to your Vision.

“How can you squander even one more day not taking advantage of the greatest shifts of our generation? How dare you settle for less when the world has made it so easy for you to be remarkable?”

– Seth Godin, Seth’s Blog (http://sethgodin.typepad.com)

How are you supposed to prepare for a telephone screening?

Yes, today is a bright and shiny day in your job transitioning journey. You’ve got an e-mail to schedule a telephone screening/exploratory talk to the hiring manager/recruiter of that company you really want to work for. You wish it was a face-to-face talk, don’t you? You’ll probably have no way to get reactions over the phone as there is not a face to read in front of you. You may be nervous that your accent may come too strong for the interviewer. But, you want to be prepared.

Here are some tips that could facilitate your success on this matter:

1. Show energy and enthusiasm through your voice. As the interviewer will not see you, your voice will be your main resource to sell your brand. Having said this, remember to be careful not to over do it and mindful on your volume and environment under which you’ll have this talk. If you are a visual person, have your resume and charts with your highlighted achievements in front of you. Sometimes the only info you’ll be asked for is the one already reflected in your resume which makes easy to handle the conversation, but some other times the recruiter may want to inquire on a particular set of competencies required for the job and you must be ready to perform at your best during the telephone screening process by providing clear examples that demonstrate you are effectively the person for the job.

2. Minimize/avoid interruptions before they happen, so then it is easy to hear you. Get that beautiful dog somewhere else, so its barking is not annoying for your interlocutor during the conversation.

3. Keep yourself 100% in the moment! It is important to ensure it is a good time for you to talk to that interviewer. If the call comes without any notice, feel free to provide a very business related excuse to re-schedule it at a better time and ask for a phone number or e-mail to call back. You do not want that beautiful child to make baby noises in the middle of a job screening talk and you do not want to be distracted by the fact that the most undesired interruption may ruin your moment at anytime.

4. Use clear diction. It is more obvious over the telephone and can affect the interviewer's perception of your professional/executive image. If English is your second language, please do not rush in responding. Speak at a slower speed, so then the right words come to your mind and get to make it effectively to your mouth. It also gives you a little bit of a break to gain confidence in your message and articulate your response effectively.

5. Request contact information. If you don't have the interviewer's contact information, be sure to request their email address, so that you can send them a thank you e-mail.

Prepare, prepare, and prepare to sell your Brand! Remember as well to ask for a job description in advance of that telephone screening in order to ensure you understand the job requirements and how they relate to your background and competencies

There are some common questions you can expect to get and role playing with a career coach is a wonderful way to get ready to be at your best.

Best Success!

"You must know that in any moment a decision you make can change the course of your life forever: the very next person stand behind in line or sit next to on an airplane, the very next phone call you make or receive, the very next movie you see or book you read or page you turn could be the one single thing that causes the floodgates to open, and all of the things that you've been waiting for to fall into place.” - Anthony Robbins

Mom, do you have to go to work?

Lately, I’ve been getting more job transitioning Moms looking to get back to work. There are the ones whose super domestic engineering duties are almost gone; therefore, they’re looking forward to transfer their skills into an office environment. On the other hand, there are the Moms whose financial household situation is requiring them to do what they know how to do best: multiple tasking between a job and the duties of raising a family.

I am a true fan of Moms and their working potential as they probe constantly their amazing commitment to do the job that needs to be done while organizing multiple priorities into a scheduled scheme of tasks that generate tangible results.


I think our society has evolved and it’s getting a deeper understanding on the transferable skills Moms have to offer to this job market; however, the market is tougher for everyone these days as there are less jobs for more qualified people. This element has an impact in the emotional side of many transitioning professionals and Moms returning to work are not the exception. I have listened to their worries about their adequate offer to the market (e.g. do I have what it takes?) or not having enough skills to sell (e.g. I may not be that qualified after all). At the end, professional branding’s clarity with a vision is the key to nail it.


40 percent of American women are now the primary earners in a household and this number keeps growing, though, we all know there are obvious salary disparities in what women make vs. men doing the same job.


The chances are most Moms out there are actually adding further value in their activities beyond the Mom duties by doing fund raising and volunteering at a local non-profit group or PTA. Knowing what to do with it and how to capitalize your resume is essential.


Highlight the competencies that you have demonstrated on these volunteering activities with no embarrassment or apologetic sense such as:

•  Developed a donor prospect list of individuals and groups with the capacity and propensity to give for further research while rating prospects in categories of giving potential in order to plan solicitations (Did you organize all the previous donors and worked on that master list for this year’s event? Well, here you go!)
• +25% contributions’ increase in less than a year by leading a fund raising drive for a +800 community members (It may be you actually organized a successful school fund drive)
• Designed and conducted training programs for +50 young volunteers using various training methodologies in order to increase fund raising events’ success (you have led and facilitated a meeting with all volunteers to go through expectations, roles and accountabilities, as well as deliverables and safety procedures to be kept during the event…isn’t this training?)

The point is to focus in what you have and not what you may think you are missing because the chances are that if you own your Brand, then you’ll be able to land an offer by networking yourself effectively among your contacts.


It is not a matter of luck but a matter of self-confidence, branding, networking and vision to succeed.


“The hand that rocks the cradle is the hand that rules the world.”- W.R. Wallace


Your coach,
 
Mariela

What a lovely accent, where are you from?

If you are like most, you may be flattered by the compliment and replied back with no second though on your country of origin, but….Oh, well…
Interviewers are not those mean people looking to get you at your worst as some may think. These are folks that are looking to fill job requirements in order to deliver what is asked from them, so they can meet their client's performance expectations. They need the BEST individual they can find to do the job, don’t they? But who are those so-called ‘top quartile’ candidates? Are the best candidates those that meet the job requirements or the ones that resemble the interviewers’ personal traits?

The challenge for the recruiter is to instill in hiring managers an objective sense to select that PERFECT candidate for a job; however, some may fall into illegal questioning to get the answer they need for the job requirement they have.

But what do you do when you are faced with a situation like that? Do you attack the interviewer for illegal questioning or do you play a smart act?

Let’s say you are asked: Where are you from? The right line of thought is that they should not care about your nationality but your ability to work for any employer in the US. You could volunteer or not your Country of origin (though, you shouldn’t feel forced to it) but the best response would be the one satisfying the job requirement which is your legal status to work in the United States.

One of my favorites is hearing how some may actually intend to compliment the family they are guessing you have, so then you fall for it and volunteer details on your kids, etc. Don’t! Even if the interviewer does not have a purposeful intention to discriminate against you wanting to be friendly, the chances are that once the screening is done and the decision is between you and Joe Doe, well, your personal cards may play well against you.

Be mindful when you go to an interview. You are going to sell your Professional Brand at your best. Your objective is to demonstrate your competencies by providing clear examples of your added value, so then you can be considered as the candidate for the job. You are not there to make a new friend but to position yourself at the top of the pile.

Don’t be someone you are not and do not fall into a ‘pleasing attitude’ under the belief you will impress the potential employer and get the job.

It is not just how legal the interviewer may be but how honest you are being to yourself and the potential hiring organization in wanting to give your best to them in order to add value and move your career forward.

It is great to be prepared and understand the legalities of the interviewing process in the US but it is even greater to assume your own set of values and expectations in order to match them with the best possible ‘qualified’ potential employers out there.

A good recruiter knows the difference between the authentic candidate and the one that ‘fakes the act’ to get the job. But an experienced job seeker knows how to distinguish ethical job probing questions Vs. the illegal ones.

Call it a ‘blink’ instinct or the voice of the experience.

So, go on and prepare for that interview with the best you’ve got to offer and the level of awareness to handle those illegal set of questions you may – or not –face, but be authentic in your promise of value.

'The most important words that have helped me in life-when things have gone right, or when things have gone wrong-are Accept Responsibility. . . Dream, act and lead. '  - Billie Jean King