Are you the kind of person that when asked ‘JUMP’ the reply is always ‘HOW HIGH’? And there you go jumping all along everyday at the beat of what others instruct you to do. Or, are you the workaholic that does a zillion things one after the other without reasoning the sense of all that work?
I go to a HRM class every other Saturday at Rice University where a wonderful professor, Mr. Davis, is always opening discussions about day-to-day HR matters. He empowers the class to be strategic on their thinking; therefore, more efficient in their decisions and definitely more aligned to the business needs.
He said something in one of the classes that has resonated with me since I’ve heard it. If you do a lot of things all the time, everyday with no strategic planning and no reflection (review) on the results, then you are repeating yourself constantly, so what happens when you just do, do, do stuff all the time? You become a do-do!!!!
Isn’t that obvious? Yes, you need that vision to align your action to and the space to check they are moving you on the direction you want to go. But lots of folks have become precisely a ‘do-do’ type of professionals and even worse, ‘do-do’ persons.
Organizations are laying off people resulting in much more work for those keeping their jobs and those who are job transitioning feel such a pressure that keep applying to job after job without thinking or assessing what resources are more effective in their search.
I can think of many disadvantages of being a do-do, such as:
1. Level of stress is much higher. I know someone whose health has been jeopardized a few times by the obsession of doing too much with no planning. Every week is the same story, level of stress, same old complaining talk of how time is never enough. How many trips to the emergency room will take for this individual to realize a CHANGE is needed?
2. Lack of joy. What pleasure is there to complete one thing after the other without celebrating any success, completion or closure of any of it? I couldn’t believe these days when I got a letter from my daughter’s school notifying the report card would be sent this Friday and reminding the parents the need to celebrate their kids’ achievements instead of focusing on what did not work on this period. Whoao! Are people even going so far in their obsession to do things that they do not even celebrate anymore their kids’ accomplishments? Then, where is the joy in the day-to-day living?
3. Routine kills creativity. If you assume your day is what you get and there is no sense to change any of it, can you imagine the level of boredom? Not counting the mechanical reaction towards every request to JUMP and keep JUMPING. There is a Charly Chaplin movie I love that makes a parody of a factory worker that does a manual activity with his hands all day and that when leaving work his hands keep moving on the same way no matter what he is doing or who he is with. Hilarious and sad, so are you out of ideas already?
4. A network disabler. Who wants to be around a ‘do-do’ or hire one? Yes, I know it depends on the job but when you have three interview candidates for a job and 2 out of 3 are ‘do-dos’ and there is that one that takes the time to reason and learn from previous experiences, who do you think will get hired? . Also, if you see someone who repeats itself all the time and no matter how long you see that person there is no change, what value would that person add to your network?
Now, use your ‘life brakes’, stop and start thinking on your vision, that strategy you need to make some sense of your actions and creativity to effectively achieve what you really want to have.
At the end, it is about how you decide to spend everyday what will make your life/job what you want it to be.
So, get rid of the ‘do-do’ spirit and awake the amazing person who hides beneath the covers of ‘too much work to do and too little time to think on anything else’.
Be an enabler of your life and career! BE!
Your coach,
Mariela
Wednesday, November 11, 2009
Tuesday, November 10, 2009
Are you on a diet these days?
Have you met those folks (not you, of course!) that when being a bit overweight and eating a big slice of pizza speak about the wonderful diet they are thinking on starting on Monday? And then, Monday comes; the diet is broken on Tuesday by that piece of candy nobody can refuse to have. Even if your diet last a whole week, it is a horrible week filled with cravings for everything you are missing that you want to have. You become a ‘foodaholic’, somebody whose life turns into an obsession with whatever cannot be eaten instead of enjoying the pleasures of other healthier foods available right at your table.
So, what does all this diet talk have to do with your career transition and/or development plan?
Easy answer, most people when looking for either a job or a career switch tend to focus in what they do NOT have, they get obsessed on that particular skill that they have NOT mastered and which according to their expectations they should be better at. Then, there they go ready to move into a whole world of opportunities thinking and hoping nobody out there finds out they do not have that, yes, that particular thing they have created and built into their minds as a barrier, an obstacle that will decrease their chances to be noticed or selected to what they want. They become ‘gapholic’ people that only see the gaps and the holes they believe make them incomplete.
What chances have somebody like that to be successful on this ‘career diet plan’? What do you think? Almost none. Frankly, there is nothing more appealing than precisely the opposite.
Have you met those ‘health gurus’ that when talking to you resemble precisely the image of everything you would expect from somebody that eats and lives healthy in the inside and outside. They do not seem to deprive themselves to what they need but to move forward with such a level of clarity to what they want. Have you got friends like that? They are attractive and inspiring. They truly walk the talk on what they believe it is best for them.
The same could apply to your career. What if you could live the dream and embrace who you are? Your achievements, your skills, your competencies, your built network, your own goals and acceptance of the potential you have to drive yourself to the top of that high mountain instead of the bottom of a high wall.
An effective career diet plan requires guts to believe you can and preparation to make you more effective in your path, it does not take away what you enjoy but takes you closer to what brings you joy: that job you have always wanted or the corporation you think you’d be perfect for. Can you imagine going to a networking event or talking to an interviewer with the passion that comes from the clarity on your own ability to conquer and do beyond what anyone else in your shoes could do?
Doors will get open; people will notice you and you’ll be happier managing your own ‘career diet’.
So, step out of that pile of applications you have waiting for you on the job board you face everyday and start making phone calls to meet the people that will see what you bring with you on that amazing portfolio of attributes, achievements and competencies called: YOU!
Dare to do your best, dare to enjoy who you are and beat your competition while you do so. Walk the talk and BE!
Best success,
Your coach.
So, what does all this diet talk have to do with your career transition and/or development plan?
Easy answer, most people when looking for either a job or a career switch tend to focus in what they do NOT have, they get obsessed on that particular skill that they have NOT mastered and which according to their expectations they should be better at. Then, there they go ready to move into a whole world of opportunities thinking and hoping nobody out there finds out they do not have that, yes, that particular thing they have created and built into their minds as a barrier, an obstacle that will decrease their chances to be noticed or selected to what they want. They become ‘gapholic’ people that only see the gaps and the holes they believe make them incomplete.
What chances have somebody like that to be successful on this ‘career diet plan’? What do you think? Almost none. Frankly, there is nothing more appealing than precisely the opposite.
Have you met those ‘health gurus’ that when talking to you resemble precisely the image of everything you would expect from somebody that eats and lives healthy in the inside and outside. They do not seem to deprive themselves to what they need but to move forward with such a level of clarity to what they want. Have you got friends like that? They are attractive and inspiring. They truly walk the talk on what they believe it is best for them.
The same could apply to your career. What if you could live the dream and embrace who you are? Your achievements, your skills, your competencies, your built network, your own goals and acceptance of the potential you have to drive yourself to the top of that high mountain instead of the bottom of a high wall.
An effective career diet plan requires guts to believe you can and preparation to make you more effective in your path, it does not take away what you enjoy but takes you closer to what brings you joy: that job you have always wanted or the corporation you think you’d be perfect for. Can you imagine going to a networking event or talking to an interviewer with the passion that comes from the clarity on your own ability to conquer and do beyond what anyone else in your shoes could do?
Doors will get open; people will notice you and you’ll be happier managing your own ‘career diet’.
So, step out of that pile of applications you have waiting for you on the job board you face everyday and start making phone calls to meet the people that will see what you bring with you on that amazing portfolio of attributes, achievements and competencies called: YOU!
Dare to do your best, dare to enjoy who you are and beat your competition while you do so. Walk the talk and BE!
Best success,
Your coach.
Monday, November 9, 2009
I love your accent!
What happens when your communication gets impacted by your belief that your accent makes you incompetent of telling others your story? What are the consequences of having a second language but feeling unsecured about your ability to speak it without an accent to make your point effectively go across?
So, is it the accent or your lack of self-confidence the one jeopardizing your networking skills and a successful job transitioning process?
On my former corporate life I was exposed to a diverse platform of clients that were from everywhere you could think of, even from places I did not know existed in our global geography. The meaning was that I worked in a particular organization with a very inclusive culture in which accents were taken as part of the day-to-day communications and where everyone was able to ask, if not understanding somebody else's words due to this reality. It was not a barrier but a cultural enabler that made it cooler, funnier, more relaxed and certainly inclusive to the point in which you would feel at ease and at your best by the acceptance of it. No offense was taken as no offense was intended. There was a global management team that felt like the Miss Universe contest but without the looks!
Certainly, though we experience everyday the consequences of a global market, we also live mostly in a domestic/local job culture in which we'll likely face what is called 'minority' or 'majority' tagging games. Does this matter when we talk about your accent and your level of confidence to market your brand? Do you feel a 'minority', I mean, less that something bigger and greater called 'majority'? Hopefully, you don’t.
You make your own brand with your history and then, you reveal it to tell the story that will connect you to those wanting to hear it and buy it.
So, do I believe in Accent Reduction programs? Certainly, if it is going to help you make yourself understood and at ease under any circumstance, then go for it but if what you are having is not an accent problem but a self-confidence issue, then you are looking at the wrong resource to get you on the right track.
First, let me give you some very old news, everyone, yes, EVERYONE has an accent. It is part of your roots and who you are. The trick is not to let the accent determine your professional identity but your own brand to be the one that speaks by itself with its own attributes. Do not misunderstand my words, I believe that if you live in a host country and you call it home, wouldn't it make sense for you to learn the language of it? However, there is a big difference between the accent and the lack of language proficiency, don't you think?
Second, TRUST yourself, your own guts and instinct more than anything else. I get quite often clients that have forgotten their STAR which is the inner talent that made them successful in their career journey to a point in which they can list the value of what they did with clear and tangible contribution. How can you go to an interview if you do not believe you've got what it takes and blame it to your own 'minority' sense or 'accent' image? It is just an image you made with words that does not tell the whole story of who you are and your previous successes. Life is no accident, so do not make your career a matter of coincidences when it's always been a matter of preparation, hard work and readiness to take on the next steps.
Third, yes, some people suck! But at the end, it is how you react to what they do what gets you closer to your goal or takes you away from it. I confess I have an accent! Ops! Now you know, I share this amazing ‘unique’ attribute with you and guess what? I looove it. It is who I am and my story is to play with it. I speak faster at a social gathering and much slower at a professional one. It supports my openness to those willing to hear me and struggling to get me whenever my pronunciation does not come across in the way their listening is used to or my tongue is intending to. It also ensures my own willingness to be at my best squeezing every single chance to communicate. I learn everyday; I listen to the stories behind the accents to SEE the person that is telling it. I am amazed at the talent, the dreams, the goals, the possibilities, the incredible contributions people with accents have made and will keep making ensuring our world is a diverse and inclusive one in which we all do our homework to be open and to get what others are telling beyond the accents, beyond the biases and beyond the self-doubts.
Open up to the possibility that comes from your own self, your identity, your strengths, your own special and unique accent…your brand
And please, stay one more minute here to reflect on the amazing words shared by Rosamund Stone Zander and Benjamin Zander in their book The Art of Possibility (Harvard Business School Press):
‘We can make a conscious use of our way with words to define new frameworks for possibility that bring out the part of us that is most contributory, most unencumbered, most open to participation. And why not say that is who we really are?
So, is it the accent or your lack of self-confidence the one jeopardizing your networking skills and a successful job transitioning process?
On my former corporate life I was exposed to a diverse platform of clients that were from everywhere you could think of, even from places I did not know existed in our global geography. The meaning was that I worked in a particular organization with a very inclusive culture in which accents were taken as part of the day-to-day communications and where everyone was able to ask, if not understanding somebody else's words due to this reality. It was not a barrier but a cultural enabler that made it cooler, funnier, more relaxed and certainly inclusive to the point in which you would feel at ease and at your best by the acceptance of it. No offense was taken as no offense was intended. There was a global management team that felt like the Miss Universe contest but without the looks!
Certainly, though we experience everyday the consequences of a global market, we also live mostly in a domestic/local job culture in which we'll likely face what is called 'minority' or 'majority' tagging games. Does this matter when we talk about your accent and your level of confidence to market your brand? Do you feel a 'minority', I mean, less that something bigger and greater called 'majority'? Hopefully, you don’t.
You make your own brand with your history and then, you reveal it to tell the story that will connect you to those wanting to hear it and buy it.
So, do I believe in Accent Reduction programs? Certainly, if it is going to help you make yourself understood and at ease under any circumstance, then go for it but if what you are having is not an accent problem but a self-confidence issue, then you are looking at the wrong resource to get you on the right track.
First, let me give you some very old news, everyone, yes, EVERYONE has an accent. It is part of your roots and who you are. The trick is not to let the accent determine your professional identity but your own brand to be the one that speaks by itself with its own attributes. Do not misunderstand my words, I believe that if you live in a host country and you call it home, wouldn't it make sense for you to learn the language of it? However, there is a big difference between the accent and the lack of language proficiency, don't you think?
Second, TRUST yourself, your own guts and instinct more than anything else. I get quite often clients that have forgotten their STAR which is the inner talent that made them successful in their career journey to a point in which they can list the value of what they did with clear and tangible contribution. How can you go to an interview if you do not believe you've got what it takes and blame it to your own 'minority' sense or 'accent' image? It is just an image you made with words that does not tell the whole story of who you are and your previous successes. Life is no accident, so do not make your career a matter of coincidences when it's always been a matter of preparation, hard work and readiness to take on the next steps.
Third, yes, some people suck! But at the end, it is how you react to what they do what gets you closer to your goal or takes you away from it. I confess I have an accent! Ops! Now you know, I share this amazing ‘unique’ attribute with you and guess what? I looove it. It is who I am and my story is to play with it. I speak faster at a social gathering and much slower at a professional one. It supports my openness to those willing to hear me and struggling to get me whenever my pronunciation does not come across in the way their listening is used to or my tongue is intending to. It also ensures my own willingness to be at my best squeezing every single chance to communicate. I learn everyday; I listen to the stories behind the accents to SEE the person that is telling it. I am amazed at the talent, the dreams, the goals, the possibilities, the incredible contributions people with accents have made and will keep making ensuring our world is a diverse and inclusive one in which we all do our homework to be open and to get what others are telling beyond the accents, beyond the biases and beyond the self-doubts.
Open up to the possibility that comes from your own self, your identity, your strengths, your own special and unique accent…your brand
And please, stay one more minute here to reflect on the amazing words shared by Rosamund Stone Zander and Benjamin Zander in their book The Art of Possibility (Harvard Business School Press):
‘We can make a conscious use of our way with words to define new frameworks for possibility that bring out the part of us that is most contributory, most unencumbered, most open to participation. And why not say that is who we really are?
Sunday, October 25, 2009
Multiple Hats Career Development Plan
Are you a procrastinating indecisive person? Or are you one of the zillion ‘multiple hats’ professionals coping with tons of choices every day?
Most of the reasons people give me everyday to procrastinate their important choices/actions is the inability to commit themselves to choose what ultimately will make them not just more effective in achieving their longer term goals but meeting their final dream destination.
I was just talking about it today with not just one but quite a few people and the conclusion is that …mmmm! Well, the truth is that there is not conclusion on the ‘Multiple Hat Career Development plan’ but a way to be happier and cooler about it.
I know there seems to be an infinite horizon when you look at the number/variety of hats we wear and choices that come with them such as, subscriptions, volunteering responsibilities, professional affiliations, affinity groups, training, certifications, social interactions, family commitments, pets, etc. But I also know that if you have a clear vision, what stops you is just the inability to believe you CAN tackle the task ahead by repeating your successful past choices - with the ‘experience’ as an added value - in your future and narrow your options, so then you begin recreating the success feeling that comes out of working hard towards a dream that is aligned to a personal/professional vision.
And what if what you need is just some extra courage? Then, go and talk to that mentor you have not seen in ages or seek guidance in a career coach. Ask questions and allow yourself to be humble in your own reflexion while you re-energize yourself and prepare for success.
You know that you can quit some hats, right? You can also save some others for the next season and wear the ones that get the best from you, so then you move somewhere that is closer to the place you wanted to go from the beginning.
Have you seen the lady at the wedding reception that missed reading the dress code note on the invitation and came casually dressed? That could be any of us if we do not ‘read our external/internal’ clues that tell us how far (or close) we are from our desired destination.
Ok, I confess, I am one of you, I mean, I am a ‘Multiple Hat’ professional and I make my choices everyday. Some of them are hard to make, especially when the heart is involved but nobody said the journey to a dream was easy. So, it may be, you sacrifice a little bit here and now but you will be getting much more in the longer run and saving the best for that final mile that lets you move to the winning podium of your life once you take control of it.
Assuming ownership and accountability not just for your choices, but actions and consequences that come from them with a good compass will not just ensure your sense of direction but your focus and sense of fulfillment; therefore, happiness.
Just remember to choose your hats wisely!
Most of the reasons people give me everyday to procrastinate their important choices/actions is the inability to commit themselves to choose what ultimately will make them not just more effective in achieving their longer term goals but meeting their final dream destination.
I was just talking about it today with not just one but quite a few people and the conclusion is that …mmmm! Well, the truth is that there is not conclusion on the ‘Multiple Hat Career Development plan’ but a way to be happier and cooler about it.
I know there seems to be an infinite horizon when you look at the number/variety of hats we wear and choices that come with them such as, subscriptions, volunteering responsibilities, professional affiliations, affinity groups, training, certifications, social interactions, family commitments, pets, etc. But I also know that if you have a clear vision, what stops you is just the inability to believe you CAN tackle the task ahead by repeating your successful past choices - with the ‘experience’ as an added value - in your future and narrow your options, so then you begin recreating the success feeling that comes out of working hard towards a dream that is aligned to a personal/professional vision.
And what if what you need is just some extra courage? Then, go and talk to that mentor you have not seen in ages or seek guidance in a career coach. Ask questions and allow yourself to be humble in your own reflexion while you re-energize yourself and prepare for success.
You know that you can quit some hats, right? You can also save some others for the next season and wear the ones that get the best from you, so then you move somewhere that is closer to the place you wanted to go from the beginning.
Have you seen the lady at the wedding reception that missed reading the dress code note on the invitation and came casually dressed? That could be any of us if we do not ‘read our external/internal’ clues that tell us how far (or close) we are from our desired destination.
Ok, I confess, I am one of you, I mean, I am a ‘Multiple Hat’ professional and I make my choices everyday. Some of them are hard to make, especially when the heart is involved but nobody said the journey to a dream was easy. So, it may be, you sacrifice a little bit here and now but you will be getting much more in the longer run and saving the best for that final mile that lets you move to the winning podium of your life once you take control of it.
Assuming ownership and accountability not just for your choices, but actions and consequences that come from them with a good compass will not just ensure your sense of direction but your focus and sense of fulfillment; therefore, happiness.
Just remember to choose your hats wisely!
Sunday, October 18, 2009
Is S-T-R-E-S-S winning this battle?
According to the American Institute of Stress, surveys show that 75 to 90 percent of visits to primary care physicians are for stress-related complaints.
Then, a common element of the recession is the stress caused either by losing a job and the uncertainty of the unknown regarding what to do about it (like if we ever knew our future, anyway!).
Though I am not playing the Doctor's role in here I can certainly coach you about re-thinking how to cope with your level of stress on this uncertainty. The trick is staying resilient through the challenges of these life changing events. After all, we never know what challenges or difficulties lay ahead.
Then, if Resilience is about taking action to make the future better, may I suggest...?
I. Re-discover a vision to commit to.
Where is your passion? Where is that destiny you feel you belong to and the strategy and goals that indicate you are getting closer to it? When was the last time you thought of it?
II. Stay positive.
Yes, it is easier to say than to do it, but nothing works better for a healthy mind than a busy day full of things to do that are aligned to that vision. After all, optimism is a skill than can be learned.
If you lost your job and are 100% focused in finding a new one, find some fulfilling activities that complete your job hunting strategy and energize your spirit. E.g. talk to a mentor, volunteer in a non-profit group or schedule some needed friends' night out after a long week.
III. Think like a winner and act like one.
No, I am not telling you to move to 'fantasy island' when you still have bills to pay and a job to find to be able to meet your obligations, but your level of energy is perceived by those who interact with you on daily basis = your network!. What about listening to your favorite music when going to that professional networking meeting and getting there ready to promote the attributes of your brand instead of complaining about the cost of living and how hard the economy is? Does that sound like something dummy to do? Well, I've witnessed that kind of behavior and how it repels others. Then, instead of feeling sorry, switch your mood for grabbing that piece of pie that belongs to you. Be the owner of your own life by choosing to be a doer, not a complainer. Your successes are not the result of a series of accidents but the outcome of your talent and competency put into action.
IV. Take care of yourself.
Have you seen the fellow next door who always looks like he never washes his face even if it is 2:00 pm in the afternoon? Having a full agenda committed to your success means taking care of its most important asset: YOU! What about eating healthy? Exercising a little? Enjoying the small things of life and share a smile with others? Turn off that TV, leave the computer behind and take a walk. Refresh your mind and come back fully creative to face a new way to fulfill that career aspiration. Depression may be a serious matter for some not to be taken lightly, so pay a visit to that Doctor that you have not seen in ages and put your own mental and physical health as #1 priority.
V. Be Ready for Change.
You have no choice, as Charles Darwin figured this out: “It is not the strongest of the species that survive, nor the most intelligent, but the one most responsive to change".
And do not forget to laugh a little "...the fastest way to change is to laugh at your own folly - then you can let go and quickly move on."
- Dr. Spencer Johnson, Who Moved My Cheese?
Then, a common element of the recession is the stress caused either by losing a job and the uncertainty of the unknown regarding what to do about it (like if we ever knew our future, anyway!).
Though I am not playing the Doctor's role in here I can certainly coach you about re-thinking how to cope with your level of stress on this uncertainty. The trick is staying resilient through the challenges of these life changing events. After all, we never know what challenges or difficulties lay ahead.
Then, if Resilience is about taking action to make the future better, may I suggest...?
I. Re-discover a vision to commit to.
Where is your passion? Where is that destiny you feel you belong to and the strategy and goals that indicate you are getting closer to it? When was the last time you thought of it?
II. Stay positive.
Yes, it is easier to say than to do it, but nothing works better for a healthy mind than a busy day full of things to do that are aligned to that vision. After all, optimism is a skill than can be learned.
If you lost your job and are 100% focused in finding a new one, find some fulfilling activities that complete your job hunting strategy and energize your spirit. E.g. talk to a mentor, volunteer in a non-profit group or schedule some needed friends' night out after a long week.
III. Think like a winner and act like one.
No, I am not telling you to move to 'fantasy island' when you still have bills to pay and a job to find to be able to meet your obligations, but your level of energy is perceived by those who interact with you on daily basis = your network!. What about listening to your favorite music when going to that professional networking meeting and getting there ready to promote the attributes of your brand instead of complaining about the cost of living and how hard the economy is? Does that sound like something dummy to do? Well, I've witnessed that kind of behavior and how it repels others. Then, instead of feeling sorry, switch your mood for grabbing that piece of pie that belongs to you. Be the owner of your own life by choosing to be a doer, not a complainer. Your successes are not the result of a series of accidents but the outcome of your talent and competency put into action.
IV. Take care of yourself.
Have you seen the fellow next door who always looks like he never washes his face even if it is 2:00 pm in the afternoon? Having a full agenda committed to your success means taking care of its most important asset: YOU! What about eating healthy? Exercising a little? Enjoying the small things of life and share a smile with others? Turn off that TV, leave the computer behind and take a walk. Refresh your mind and come back fully creative to face a new way to fulfill that career aspiration. Depression may be a serious matter for some not to be taken lightly, so pay a visit to that Doctor that you have not seen in ages and put your own mental and physical health as #1 priority.
V. Be Ready for Change.
You have no choice, as Charles Darwin figured this out: “It is not the strongest of the species that survive, nor the most intelligent, but the one most responsive to change".
And do not forget to laugh a little "...the fastest way to change is to laugh at your own folly - then you can let go and quickly move on."
- Dr. Spencer Johnson, Who Moved My Cheese?
Saturday, October 17, 2009
The Mind Reading Syndrome
An interview is a chance to probe who the best candidate for a job is, isn’t it?, so what happens when you believe to be that perfect match and once you leave the interview you never get a call back.
It may sound quite too much when you hear ‘prepare, prepare and prepare’ for the interview as it seems obvious, but in real life most people seem to prepare in their minds while going through their different resume versions and job description and never really rehearsing or role playing for the interview, hoping as a result what I will name as the ‘mind-reading syndrome’ outcome.
Now, take a look at some questions I’d like you to ask yourself to check whether you are a ‘mind-reading syndrome’ victim:
1. When you go to an interview, you:
a. Hope the interviewer will ask the easy open questions that provide the best freedom to choose what to say at your best
b. Dress for success and hope they like what they see
c. Have clarity on the key professional Brand messages you are ready to sell
2. When talking to the interviewer, you:
a. Focus in telling your story
b. Listen to what the interviewer wants to know and read between lines
c. Ask proactive questions that show how prepare you are for the interview and the job
d. Share some personal stories ‘to connect’ to him/her
3. When leaving the interview, you:
a. Shake hands, thank the interviewer and leave the office hoping for the best
b. Do not leave the place until you have clarity on the next steps, decision making process and feedback on your own questions regarding the open position relationship map and career development for it
c. Go straight back home to send that thank you letter that will put you on the right spot
Now, what do you think? Have you got what it takes to learn from the experience and figure out what happened to that perfect job you were so ready for but never heard anything back on? Are you doing your homework to verbalize while role-playing with one of your allies what you’ve got to tell while in the interview? Have you identified what distinguishes you from the other candidates? Have you done your research on the company, networked among your key contacts stories about its corporate culture, business dynamics and decision making process? Have you worked on your virtual brand to ensure once you are done the interviewer will find a remarkable profile on the web that tells a positive story about your track record with referrals included (e.g. LinkedIn)? Are you ready to thank the ones that not just interviewed you but potentially referred you to it?
So, what about switching for a minute the syndrome and making it your responsibility, so then you are so prepared in a way that gets you to proactively respond with tangible and concise examples what makes you not only competent for that job but a perfect fit for it.
And what if that calls you never got did not have anything to do with you but with the fact that there may have been another preferred candidate selected?
The fact is that I could give you lots of excuses (or reasons) to push you to be under the ‘mind-reading syndrome’ for a looong time, but I will do you a favor and just tell you that learning from your own stories and growing your Brand in between will not make you a mind-reader but a successful job seeker that knows how to move on to get to a goal and achieve a career vision.
“It is not only what we do, but also what we do not do, for which we are accountable.“- Moliere
“Success seems to be largely a matter of hanging on after others have let go.“ William Feather
It may sound quite too much when you hear ‘prepare, prepare and prepare’ for the interview as it seems obvious, but in real life most people seem to prepare in their minds while going through their different resume versions and job description and never really rehearsing or role playing for the interview, hoping as a result what I will name as the ‘mind-reading syndrome’ outcome.
Now, take a look at some questions I’d like you to ask yourself to check whether you are a ‘mind-reading syndrome’ victim:
1. When you go to an interview, you:
a. Hope the interviewer will ask the easy open questions that provide the best freedom to choose what to say at your best
b. Dress for success and hope they like what they see
c. Have clarity on the key professional Brand messages you are ready to sell
2. When talking to the interviewer, you:
a. Focus in telling your story
b. Listen to what the interviewer wants to know and read between lines
c. Ask proactive questions that show how prepare you are for the interview and the job
d. Share some personal stories ‘to connect’ to him/her
3. When leaving the interview, you:
a. Shake hands, thank the interviewer and leave the office hoping for the best
b. Do not leave the place until you have clarity on the next steps, decision making process and feedback on your own questions regarding the open position relationship map and career development for it
c. Go straight back home to send that thank you letter that will put you on the right spot
Now, what do you think? Have you got what it takes to learn from the experience and figure out what happened to that perfect job you were so ready for but never heard anything back on? Are you doing your homework to verbalize while role-playing with one of your allies what you’ve got to tell while in the interview? Have you identified what distinguishes you from the other candidates? Have you done your research on the company, networked among your key contacts stories about its corporate culture, business dynamics and decision making process? Have you worked on your virtual brand to ensure once you are done the interviewer will find a remarkable profile on the web that tells a positive story about your track record with referrals included (e.g. LinkedIn)? Are you ready to thank the ones that not just interviewed you but potentially referred you to it?
So, what about switching for a minute the syndrome and making it your responsibility, so then you are so prepared in a way that gets you to proactively respond with tangible and concise examples what makes you not only competent for that job but a perfect fit for it.
And what if that calls you never got did not have anything to do with you but with the fact that there may have been another preferred candidate selected?
The fact is that I could give you lots of excuses (or reasons) to push you to be under the ‘mind-reading syndrome’ for a looong time, but I will do you a favor and just tell you that learning from your own stories and growing your Brand in between will not make you a mind-reader but a successful job seeker that knows how to move on to get to a goal and achieve a career vision.
“It is not only what we do, but also what we do not do, for which we are accountable.“- Moliere
“Success seems to be largely a matter of hanging on after others have let go.“ William Feather
Tuesday, October 13, 2009
Great Networking Rewards Program
'Get Great Networking Rewards by Earning Points with Thank you notes '...wouldn't you like a program like that?
Though, ALL of us do some level of networking the basic rules of asking for what you want (need) by saying please and thanking properly your contact for getting back to you with a 'Thank you' seems not to be consistently applied across the board.
Your contact will never forget how appreciative you are of the time, effort or response generated by your polite request but will also NOT forget how you may obtain what you asked for and never bothered to come back with a simple 'thank you'.
During my career 'I've had both extremes' and I confess I've given much more to those appreciative of my time than the ones that got my attention, my referrals, my tips and never even bothered to thank me or update me on the success generated by that information.
The chances are it has happened to you!
How wonderful to have a Brand that reflects courtesy and kindness to manage effective relationships with your network. Even better a Brand that plays the networking game of 'give and take' at its best. Doing so will open you doors to wonderful and unthinkable opportunities that lie ahead of you if you dare not just to think bold but act kindly.
So, how many points have you earned for your Networking Reward Program this month?
Don't miss this opportunity to expand your job search network even when you may not be looking for a job at this time!
"To educate yourself for the feeling of gratitude means to take nothing for granted, but to always seek out and value the kind that will stand behind the action. Nothing that is done for you is a matter of course. Everything originates in a will for the good, which is directed at you. Train yourself never to put off the word or action for the expression of gratitude" Albert Schweitzer (Humanitarian).
Though, ALL of us do some level of networking the basic rules of asking for what you want (need) by saying please and thanking properly your contact for getting back to you with a 'Thank you' seems not to be consistently applied across the board.
Your contact will never forget how appreciative you are of the time, effort or response generated by your polite request but will also NOT forget how you may obtain what you asked for and never bothered to come back with a simple 'thank you'.
During my career 'I've had both extremes' and I confess I've given much more to those appreciative of my time than the ones that got my attention, my referrals, my tips and never even bothered to thank me or update me on the success generated by that information.
The chances are it has happened to you!
How wonderful to have a Brand that reflects courtesy and kindness to manage effective relationships with your network. Even better a Brand that plays the networking game of 'give and take' at its best. Doing so will open you doors to wonderful and unthinkable opportunities that lie ahead of you if you dare not just to think bold but act kindly.
So, how many points have you earned for your Networking Reward Program this month?
Don't miss this opportunity to expand your job search network even when you may not be looking for a job at this time!
"To educate yourself for the feeling of gratitude means to take nothing for granted, but to always seek out and value the kind that will stand behind the action. Nothing that is done for you is a matter of course. Everything originates in a will for the good, which is directed at you. Train yourself never to put off the word or action for the expression of gratitude" Albert Schweitzer (Humanitarian).
Monday, September 7, 2009
Surviving the crisis or creating opportunities?
It is amazing the entrepreneurial talent some people have when facing a crisis. Just go back in History and check info related to the new fortunes amazed by the Great depression (e.g. HP; Century Fox, etc) and Oil shock & market crash (e.g. Microsoft) and you’ll find some very inspirational stuff that will empower you to look at your current present situation with different glasses.
But beyond the radical measures you’ve got to make to simply survive how do you tune up your brain to create lasting opportunities?
1. Switch your definition of ‘insanity’. Have your menu changed! How can you lose weight if you keep having the same diet? Or how can you achieve your goals if you spend your time thinking and doing the same stuff in a cycling mode that repeats itself by following self-made steps previously marked with the no success sign?.
2. Dare to try something new. A leap of faith does not necessarily implies that you’ve got to risk it all to win when you can actually start making small changes along the way to grab your piece of pie or get closer to your goals.
3. Practice, Practice, Practice. Do you remember the story of the vacuum cleaner entrepreneur that took years and lots of failures to create an empire? Dyson is sure that the key to success in design engineering is all about making mistakes. According to him, each mistake brings you closer to a functioning design. Just don't quit.
4. Get out of the ‘fear hole’. Or like David Ramsey says, “Without a doubt fear drives you to mediocrity. Fear keeps you at a job you hate. Fear keeps you from going and living your dreams." Dare to live the live you want and be strategic and operational in working towards your dream job.
5. Be at your best everyday and no less! Do you remember the last time you lie on the grass looking at the clouds trying to figure out their different shapes? You were there connected to that moment in time, wasn’t that a fantastic moment to remember later on? What about remembering for a minute the times you were at your best, finding the pattern and recreating those moments in your present?
The power of creating knowingly the path you want by putting the pieces of your own puzzle together is valuable just because of your own acceptance to try it at your best today!
Go and grab some inspirations that lead to action..
Create, not just react.
Be at your best and not just survive.
If you did it before, chances are you’ll do it again!
But beyond the radical measures you’ve got to make to simply survive how do you tune up your brain to create lasting opportunities?
1. Switch your definition of ‘insanity’. Have your menu changed! How can you lose weight if you keep having the same diet? Or how can you achieve your goals if you spend your time thinking and doing the same stuff in a cycling mode that repeats itself by following self-made steps previously marked with the no success sign?.
2. Dare to try something new. A leap of faith does not necessarily implies that you’ve got to risk it all to win when you can actually start making small changes along the way to grab your piece of pie or get closer to your goals.
3. Practice, Practice, Practice. Do you remember the story of the vacuum cleaner entrepreneur that took years and lots of failures to create an empire? Dyson is sure that the key to success in design engineering is all about making mistakes. According to him, each mistake brings you closer to a functioning design. Just don't quit.
4. Get out of the ‘fear hole’. Or like David Ramsey says, “Without a doubt fear drives you to mediocrity. Fear keeps you at a job you hate. Fear keeps you from going and living your dreams." Dare to live the live you want and be strategic and operational in working towards your dream job.
5. Be at your best everyday and no less! Do you remember the last time you lie on the grass looking at the clouds trying to figure out their different shapes? You were there connected to that moment in time, wasn’t that a fantastic moment to remember later on? What about remembering for a minute the times you were at your best, finding the pattern and recreating those moments in your present?
The power of creating knowingly the path you want by putting the pieces of your own puzzle together is valuable just because of your own acceptance to try it at your best today!
Go and grab some inspirations that lead to action..
Create, not just react.
Be at your best and not just survive.
If you did it before, chances are you’ll do it again!
Tuesday, June 23, 2009
So...what's your brand?
Every time I am going to meet a prospective client I Google his/her name to find out more about that person. I am truly interested in understanding whether that individual is up to date in knowing and marketing his/her professional brand or what makes him/her distinctive. Or as William Arruda says: 'What makes you unique makes you successful'.
It is an evolutionary process that implies daring to dream BIG and self-explore and re-discover yourself with glasses that will go through every strength, skills, ability, previous successes, personal characteristics and lessons learned...your own expertise in that personal/professional self is what will make you successful in developing your own brand. There is just one single YOU! Once you have clarity on that dream and you have discovered what makes you unique, then there is time to design the path that will help you fulfill your destiny. And believe me, that path is brand-embedded and self changing.
All strong brands evolve with the times. You can read the current US automobile industry crisis in newspapers and their own critical evolution to adjust to a greener and a more fuel efficient demanding crowd.
Who does not know" 'Change you can believe in' as such a powerful brand backed up by not just words but facts. Independently of your political views you've got to admire the ability to put together such a powerful image in the voters' minds.
You MUST really know yourself, so you can have a successful brand.
If I ask you what makes you distinctive or what hiring managers ask a lot of times: Why should I hire you and you do not have an effective and passionate reply then, you are losing your momentum to distinguish yourself from the crowd, from those zillion applicants to the job you want...it is not what makes you right to a job what will get your foot into that office but what makes you the best possible fit for it.
Tom Peters in his marvelous way puts it this way: "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."
So, there you go, you either have a distinctive brand on these particularly competitive times or else!
It is an evolutionary process that implies daring to dream BIG and self-explore and re-discover yourself with glasses that will go through every strength, skills, ability, previous successes, personal characteristics and lessons learned...your own expertise in that personal/professional self is what will make you successful in developing your own brand. There is just one single YOU! Once you have clarity on that dream and you have discovered what makes you unique, then there is time to design the path that will help you fulfill your destiny. And believe me, that path is brand-embedded and self changing.
All strong brands evolve with the times. You can read the current US automobile industry crisis in newspapers and their own critical evolution to adjust to a greener and a more fuel efficient demanding crowd.
Who does not know" 'Change you can believe in' as such a powerful brand backed up by not just words but facts. Independently of your political views you've got to admire the ability to put together such a powerful image in the voters' minds.
You MUST really know yourself, so you can have a successful brand.
If I ask you what makes you distinctive or what hiring managers ask a lot of times: Why should I hire you and you do not have an effective and passionate reply then, you are losing your momentum to distinguish yourself from the crowd, from those zillion applicants to the job you want...it is not what makes you right to a job what will get your foot into that office but what makes you the best possible fit for it.
Tom Peters in his marvelous way puts it this way: "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."
So, there you go, you either have a distinctive brand on these particularly competitive times or else!
Monday, June 1, 2009
Creating, building and transforming an Affinity group to a Powerful network!
I have been fortunate to be part of the Founding committee of the V-AAT Professional network which first event was delivered VERY successfully last Thursday with 90+ participants and a growing waiting list. Having a great speaker like Dennis Tardan and its inspirational vision of what the future holds for a new network like ours was enough to get people raising their hands looking for an opportunity to share the words they never thought of sharing with other mostly Venezuelan professionals in the same room. A magical moment filled by pride, collaboration, openness, volunteering, knowledge sharing and willingness to keep the network moving on. Oh! A night I will never forget!
When I was approached by a V-AAT board member few weeks ago with quite a challenge to create something very unique and needed from nothing I had to rely in some few essentials:
1. Defining the common dream to connect our hearts to: Our Vision and goals for this network
2. Setting up the strategy to get to it (e.g. sponsorship and allies to connect people with the idea)
3. Resources available to open doors to a community used to work at their best by themselves but in need to be equipped more efficiently in how to share best practice/knowledge in the US with others wearing the same or similar shoes. This is the beginning of a transformational movement that will eventually switch all professionals involved from group members to Network members (and there is a BIG difference between the two!)
4. A challenging timeline!
We literally started from zero finding the speaker through a previous engagement he had at the HR Roundtable, then creating the opportunity in which the amazing happened when both of us - Dennis Tardan and myself - found out that we both were Appreciative Inquiry practitioners, in other words, the Power of Inquiry in full was proven once more on the execution of this beautiful 1st. time initiative.
Having a speaker made it easier to enroll sponsors (at least we thought so at the time!) and so, we knocked on all possible doors using all our professional and personal influences to impact with our words the perception that the future will not be less than magnificent for the evolution, development and growth of the network.
Networking made the difference and it was the key of success for the event! It made possible that we were able to speed our learning curve by the mentoring of folks like Angela Moretti of Houston Coaches and attract the attention of our next meeting speakers - Mike Demarest and Kevin Blasco - who as Senior Intn'l Recruiters at Conoco-Phillips will share some 'insiders' information' with the participants for the August 27th event.
A happy ending story that translates in a wonderful beginning that will prove:
1. A clear vision that connects the emotional intelligence to the intellects of those to share the journey with does wonders!
2. A strong professional brand that empowers people to give you a 'leap of faith' for a dream (or a cause if you feel more comfortable calling it that way) due to a proven track record of always delivering what's been promised!
3. A team that gets the best of its members, non-judgmental but open to new ideas and volunteers to make them happen!
4. The best that people have to offer when you expect the best they can provide! If you know you can and you share your belief on what others can do, the synergy magic will occur!
I am thrilled to be part of this team to share a wonderful journey that promises a future of changes for a community that is mostly composed by first generation professional immigrants to a Country that we have adopted as home!
Now, it is time to start the whole cycle again by recruiting sponsors and allies for the next event!
Do you want to be part of this V-AAT Professional Network and work with us by being a sponsor or volunteering your services? And do you want to get news/invitations for future events? Then, E-Mail to vaat_texas@yahoo.com .
Best success!
When I was approached by a V-AAT board member few weeks ago with quite a challenge to create something very unique and needed from nothing I had to rely in some few essentials:
1. Defining the common dream to connect our hearts to: Our Vision and goals for this network
2. Setting up the strategy to get to it (e.g. sponsorship and allies to connect people with the idea)
3. Resources available to open doors to a community used to work at their best by themselves but in need to be equipped more efficiently in how to share best practice/knowledge in the US with others wearing the same or similar shoes. This is the beginning of a transformational movement that will eventually switch all professionals involved from group members to Network members (and there is a BIG difference between the two!)
4. A challenging timeline!
We literally started from zero finding the speaker through a previous engagement he had at the HR Roundtable, then creating the opportunity in which the amazing happened when both of us - Dennis Tardan and myself - found out that we both were Appreciative Inquiry practitioners, in other words, the Power of Inquiry in full was proven once more on the execution of this beautiful 1st. time initiative.
Having a speaker made it easier to enroll sponsors (at least we thought so at the time!) and so, we knocked on all possible doors using all our professional and personal influences to impact with our words the perception that the future will not be less than magnificent for the evolution, development and growth of the network.
Networking made the difference and it was the key of success for the event! It made possible that we were able to speed our learning curve by the mentoring of folks like Angela Moretti of Houston Coaches and attract the attention of our next meeting speakers - Mike Demarest and Kevin Blasco - who as Senior Intn'l Recruiters at Conoco-Phillips will share some 'insiders' information' with the participants for the August 27th event.
A happy ending story that translates in a wonderful beginning that will prove:
1. A clear vision that connects the emotional intelligence to the intellects of those to share the journey with does wonders!
2. A strong professional brand that empowers people to give you a 'leap of faith' for a dream (or a cause if you feel more comfortable calling it that way) due to a proven track record of always delivering what's been promised!
3. A team that gets the best of its members, non-judgmental but open to new ideas and volunteers to make them happen!
4. The best that people have to offer when you expect the best they can provide! If you know you can and you share your belief on what others can do, the synergy magic will occur!
I am thrilled to be part of this team to share a wonderful journey that promises a future of changes for a community that is mostly composed by first generation professional immigrants to a Country that we have adopted as home!
Now, it is time to start the whole cycle again by recruiting sponsors and allies for the next event!
Do you want to be part of this V-AAT Professional Network and work with us by being a sponsor or volunteering your services? And do you want to get news/invitations for future events? Then, E-Mail to vaat_texas@yahoo.com .
Best success!
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