The High Gain Zone

You Never Know Who'll Read Your Email Posts

2011-12-14T07:32:00.000-08:00

So, last Sunday night I was sitting in front of the TV multi-tasking and sending out random emails to amuse myself. I wound up on the WGN website for WGN Morning news. I thought I'd be clever and send a note to Larry Potash - I watch WGN every morning and they are hilarious...I told Larry he could reinvent himself by reading my new book "Take Back Your Career"..... here's the response to my email - http://www.wgntv.com/videogallery/66738358/Home/Voicemail-12-13 I didn't get to see it live...two Linkedin contacts sent me notes about it so I called WGN and asked for the link. They were great about getting me the info quickly....moral of the story....good things happen to people from Nebraska who are saving the adverb!

A Tribute to Stan the Man

2011-11-06T11:03:00.000-08:00

Today's is my father's birthday. He would have been 103 years old. And even though he's been gone for more than ten years, I think about him every day. I think about how he hated flies because "he knew where they'd been". I think about him every time I leave my back door open because he'd tell us to "close the door...were you born in a barn?".

He was born Stanley Edgar Echternacht. He changed Edgar to Edward because he didn't like Edgar. He fought in Burma in WWII; went to pharmacy school on the GI bill; owned a small-town pharmacy for more than fifty years and loved Nebraska. He knew the license plate number for every county. My father was brilliant. He worked crossword puzzles with a pen and took naps. He and my Mom Rita raised five children. He and my grandfather built several Sears kit houses in my home town and they also built our first house. Stan was not a good visitor, but he was kind and loving and generous and my brothers and sister called him "Stan the Man" because he was the best man we ever knew and we were lucky to have him for our father.

Take Back Your Career

2011-11-04T19:37:00.000-07:00

I've taken back my career four times. The first time I was laid off I was completed devastated. I didn't see it coming and I wasn't prepared I didn't have a current resume. My network was nonexistent. I didn't know where to start a job search or who I needed to talk to about getting another position. My job search took several months. When I finally found another job, I promised myself I'd never been unprepared again. However, I soon forgot that promise because I was feeling comfortable...I couldn't get laid off again. Yeah, right! Little did I know I'd be laid off three more times. After the second time, I kept my promise. In today's market with restructures and buyouts, job security is gone. Do yourself a favor and update your resume, rebuild your network and begin building a strong personal brand. Better yet, buy my book-Take Back Your Career!

Stay Motivated!

2011-10-30T18:29:00.000-07:00

Five Ways to Keep Yourself Motivated During a Job Search

Staying motivated during a job search is always challenging…especially in today’s competitive market. I should know. I’ve survived four job transitions. After my last layoff, I decided to form my company-High Gain Companies, Inc-to help job transitioners. That was six years ago….Since then I’ve learned a lot about what it takes to stay motivated when you’re in transition. Here are a few tips I’ve learned from successful clients:

1. Set daily goals and structure each and every day. It’s essential that you measure your results so you can see that you’re making progress.

2. Find an accountability partner….someone who will help you stay focused. Choose someone you trust and someone who can be brutally honest with you. DO NOT choose your spouse, significant other or family member….they love you too much.

3. Volunteer your time. Helping others gets you “out of yourself” and gives you more energy and purpose. It feels great to help others.

4. Celebrate your accomplishments. Treat yourself to an ice cream cone or a Snickers bar….something special. Food always does the trick for me.

5. Keep your sense of humor. Read a funny book like “Bossy Pants” by Tina Fey and watch a funny movie. Keep your laugh muscles toned.

2011-10-21T08:46:00.000-07:00

Four Things to Keep Your Career Alive

Keep your network fresh and dynamic. Continuously expanding your network is essential in today’s business environment. If you don’t’ your career is doomed.
Maintain your professional personal brand. You are marketing yourself everyday. If you don’t have a personal brand, start building one. If you don’t, your career is double doomed.
Continue your involvement in professional associations and industry groups. Industry contacts are a great way to spot trends and opportunities. If you don’t, your career is on its last breathe.
Keep up with your social networking. Keep your name in front of people. You never know when you’ll be in job search mode. If you don’t, you can order a coffin for your career!

2011-10-13T19:28:00.000-07:00

7 Essentials You Need to Know About Your Career Transition

You can’t to go through it alone – join a local career transition group. It may take a couple of tries to discover a group that fits your needs, but it’s worth it. These groups help you with ideas and strategies. You’ll having an easier time figuring out what you want by talking to others.

Your successful transition rides on your plan – treat your transition like a project and put a detailed plan together. Set weekly goals and actions to move you toward reaching your goals.

You can visit pity city, but you can’t live there – everyone has problems. They don’t want to hear about yours. Feeling sorry for yourself and spreading your pity around doesn’t win followers. Practice keeping your head in a good positive place.

You need an accountability partner – find someone who’ll hold you accountable for reaching your goals. (Hint-spouses, significant others, family don’t make good accountability partners….they’ll let you slide)

You are the product – from today on, you are the product. What are your features? Most importantly, what are your benefits? What makes your marketable and what is your unique contribution?

You’re in charge – you own your career. The days of companies being responsible for your career growth are gone. YOU are totally responsible for your successes. Become a life-long networker and keep your network alive.

You must have a strong online presence. There are three places you want to be online: LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter. These services are free and let you develop a powerful personal brand. Also, I recommend using gmail for your email needs. Gmail offers many additional free services.

The High Gain Zone: The High Gain Zone: Take Back Your Career

2011-09-27T07:50:00.000-07:00

The High Gain Zone: The High Gain Zone: Take Back Your Career

The High Gain Zone: Take Back Your Career

2011-09-27T07:44:00.000-07:00

The High Gain Zone: Take Back Your Career

Take Back Your Career

2011-09-27T07:36:00.000-07:00

This was the expression on my face the last time I got laid off! I was angry and frustrated. Angry because I got laid off over the phone. Frustrated because I knew this call had been coming for a very long time.

This was the moment I knew I had to take back my career. I decided not to leave my future in the hands of others. I'd been coasting for years-telecommuting from my home. Hiding in my basement office. I've been miserable for years, but I didn't have the courage to do anything about it. I made myself a promise that day that I would take back control of my life and career and make things happen.

What I discovered in this process is that my main job is to "show up" every day. By that I mean I commit daily to moving toward my goals. Completing actions plans that keep me focused and driven to achieving success.

So, here I am today....President of my own successful personal branding company: High Gain Companies, Inc. I also wrote and recently published a book "Take Back Your Career" which is available on Amazon.com.

My next goal is to host a national TV show dedicated to helping others take back their personal power. I'm on a roll and nothing can stop me!

Feed Your Spirit!

2011-07-22T19:20:00.001-07:00

Our spirit is like a plant….we need to water and feed it regularly. Why? Your spirit takes a real beating during a job search or career transition. We call on our spirit regularly to keep us strong and optimistic. We use our will power and spirit to help us weather the daunting work of being at our best during the search process. However, our spirit can run out of stream. You’ll know your need to feed your spirit when you lose your sense of joy, your sense of humor and your sense of adventure. You need all three to win the career game searching for a new job is a big adventure which can give you great joy. You also need a sense of humor so that you don’t become grim, boring and unimaginative.

There will be times when you want to give up and bury yourself under the covers. Hiding is one option however replenishing your spirit and persisting in your job search is a far better option. We need you in the marketplace. We need your talent and ideas and energy and spirit!

Make a list today of ten ways you can feed your spirit so you’ll have it ready when you need it. Here’s my list and I don’t care if you steal the ideas…sharing is good:

1. Spend an hour in nature just listening.

2. Go to an art museum

3. Meditate

4. Eat ice cream

5. Take a walk

6. Read your favorite book

7. Sing or whistle

8. Look at your favorite photos

9. Play with your pet

Day drea

Feed Your Spirit!

2011-07-22T19:20:00.000-07:00

Make a list today of ten ways you can feed your spirit so you’ll have it ready when you need it. Here’s my list and I don’t care if you steal the ideas…sharing is good:

1. Spend an hour in nature just listening.

2. Go to an art museum

3. Meditate

4. Eat ice cream

5. Take a walk

6. Read your favorite book

7. Sing or whistle

8. Look at your favorite photos

9. Play with your pet

Day drea

Game Momentum Changers-Your Job Search

2011-07-03T08:43:00.000-07:00

You've applied to twenty companies and got no response. Or, you've gotten the interview, but didn't make the first cut. Or, you secured a phone interview and the call didn't go well. So, now you sit and fume about "if you didn't have bad luck, you wouldn't have any luck!" Your frustration level is off the charts and your confidence is badly shaken....and this is just the first month of your job search!

This calls for a game momentum changer - some event which will change the momentum of your job search in your favor. An action that will help you regain your perspective. It can be a huge victory like acing an interview or some small and significant win like creating a fresh, new cover letter. Here are a few other momentum changers:

Volunteer an hour of your time...you will contribute to others and feel good about yourself
Complete a project you've been meaning to finish and feel like you're accomplished something.
Help another job seeker who's asked for your help-helping others is a great momentum changer
Write down the five accomplishments you're proudest of...read them out loud. Notice how your pride of accomplishments builds
Write a hand-written note to a colleague just to touch base.
Call a friend and meet for coffee - talk about how well your search is going even if it isn't..."act as if"

You can change your job search momentum by positive actions and thoughts. Try some if out this week and let me know how well they worked for you!

Take Back Your Career-How To Play Today's Career Game

2011-06-01T18:05:00.000-07:00

In May of 1990, I was laid off for the first time. That was my introduction to the world of career transition—a world I have experienced three times since then. I wish I could say that with each merger or downsizing it got easier . . . but it didn’t. What I can say is that each time was different. Each time, I learned something new about myself—and the process of job hunting and career management. And each time, I kept saying, “There has to be a better way.”

For the past five years I’ve been on a mission to discover a better process for managing my career. I decided that one way to learn what was needed to devise a better process was to volunteer at the local community career center. I’ve also been a senior advisor and consultant to major outplacement firms. I’ve coached over fifteen hundred people who were searching for new jobs. I’ve learned so much from all of them, but one client in particular has always stuck with me.

Tim was a COO who told me that he wanted to “get back in the game.” He was tired of being on the bench. He said the longer he was out of the game, the more the game changed and he wasn’t in the thick of it. I didn’t understand what he meant until he explained that, for him, work and career were THE ultimate competition sport. He saw it as a competitive game where you had to stay in shape, continuously work your game plans, scout out the competition, know the field of play, and, above all, craft your winning plays.

Tim was so right in his sports analogy of career management. Once I started looking at the process from a competitive, contact sports angle it became obvious that the disciplines needed for sports are also necessary when managing your career. When you start to understand this concept, you see that you want to be able to lead and play on a team, remain marketable in a competitive environment, and develop and execute game-winning plays.

So, what happens when you look at career management as THE ultimate contact sport? First, you declare that you want to get into the game and win! Then you want to know the following:

How the game has changed
What the playing field looks like
The rules
How to form your winning team
What uniforms and tools you’ll be using
How to get into peak shape
What plays you’ll run
How to keep up a winning streak

I’m writing this book to give you a better understanding of the new career management game. Because here’s the thing: Everything about this contact sport has changed in the last few years. There are new rules, new playing fields, new team members, new competition. I’ve always believed that learning a new sport from an expert is crucial; for this game, I’ll be your coach. This book is your playbook. It will supply you with the necessary information, exercises, and examples to guide you in creating your personalized career management game plan. You’re closer to a breakthrough career than you think.

Ready? Game on!

New Book - "Take Back Your Career"

2011-03-26T16:01:00.000-07:00

"Take Back Your Career" - Available Soon

Today's career game is very different than it was five years ago. The rules, playing field, scrimmages and winning plays have changed dramatically. Social networking, life-long networking and personal branding are now essentials.

As companies continue to change to meet the demands of a global marketplace, we are all being affected. You may find yourself in a job search or you may be stuck in a job you hate. Either way, "Take Back Your Career" shows you how to position yourself for career success. You'll learn how to develop and implement a game-winning plan. You'll read about the real-life experiences of others who have become star players and continue their winning streaks. You'll also learn how to develop and implement a dynamic career plan enabling you to "Take Back Your Career"!

Confidence - A Tricky Trait

2011-03-12T14:05:00.000-08:00

Pam is a Human Resource professional who specializes in labor relations and performance management. She is in a career transition that has lasted ten months. The job market has been very tight and although she's had lots of interviews, Pam still doesn't have an offer. For some people this situation can be a real confidence killer; not Pam. She is always confident, professional, and ready to tackle whatever comes her way. I asked her how she keeps her confidence up. She replied there are three things that help her through the rough times:

Use positive affirmations/self-talk. When Pam starts to hear those negative messages in her head, she stops them immediately. She reminds herself of her self worth and personal power.
Volunteer to help others. She has daily contact with others. Pam explained that helping others takes her "out of my self pity" and she feels like she accomplishes something through her volunteer work.
Reviews accomplishments - identify the situation, take action, and most importantly remember the results achieved. This exercise reminds her of her unique skills and successes.

So, what's your confidence level? It may be time to claim your confidence. Remind yourself you are successful and significant!

Your Sales Pitch - You're Up!

2011-02-16T11:22:00.001-08:00

Selling yourself can be the easiest or the hardest thing you ever do. It’s up to you. Think about it. Most of us have never really been encouraged to talk that much about ourselves and how talented we are. Clients tell me so many times about how hard it is to clearly state their value and accomplishments. Pam for example said the interview question she dreads is "tell me about yourself." She says she's always tongue-tied when she begins to answer. She knows that she's missing out on great opportunities to let others know what value she can bring to the market; however, the nagging word that creeps into her mind is “bragging”.

Let me give you the lowdown on this whole bragging notion......

If you were born and raised in the Midwest, you know exactly what I’m talking about. If not, chances are somewhere along the line parents or teachers drilled into your head that bragging about yourself was bad form. It was showing off and tooting your own horn and parents or teachers were on a mission to put you in your place. It's now time to understand and believe that telling the truth about yourself is a good thing. You've worked hard and you have every right to let the marketplace know! Start putting the marketing of yourself in a new context. Ask yourself; “What do I bring to the market?” “ What is my value to a company?” How do I impact the bottom line? What results have I delivered? Develop your marketing pitch based on the answer to those questions and you'll be ready to hit it out of the park!

"Lost in the Headlights"

2011-02-04T09:17:00.000-08:00

New Job Realities

I met Vince for the first time at a networking event last year. He had that “lost in the headlights” look about him as he shyly introduced himself.

It was painful to listen to him stammer through his qualifications. I didn’t know anyone could blush that many colors of red. He told us that his specialty was “utilizing geographical analysis to develop corporate strategy”. None of us had any idea of what that meant and no one asked. The meeting broke up and I ran into Vince in the parking lot. I asked him exactly what his profession was hoping I’d get a better description and this time I did. He explained that he used geographic information and demographics to select store sights of his company i.e. where to put the next McDonald’s or Walgreen’s or Costco. He’s just been laid off and this was the first time he’d looked for a job since college.

He said this was the first networking event he’d ever attended and he was very uncomfortable introducing himself to people he didn’t know. He leaned against his car and shaking his head said that he was highly regarded in his industry, but he’d been in the job market for three months and still hadn’t gotten an interview. He said that people kept telling him that the rules had changed for a job search, but he couldn’t get a handle on what the new rules were. You can probably identify with Vince.

Chances are that the last time you thought about the Career Game, the rules were very different. If you are in a job search you could call the last recruiter you used or answer an ad online and get an interview. The recruiter probably remembered you and even had a file on you. You could get the pertinent information about the position and get scheduled for a face-to-face within a reasonable amount of time. You could probably interview once with the HR manager and once with the hiring manager and that was it. No more!

To be continued.....

YOU are the product

2011-01-24T17:28:00.000-08:00

YOU are the product is the message we hear. It sounds good. Promoting yourself makes perfect sense in today's marketplace. Yet, when we sit down to actually put a marketing piece together for ourselves, it's one of the hardest tasks ever!

There's a process I've used that's helped a great deal. Every product has features. Think about your smart phone. It's features include: easy-to-read screen, small size, multi-functional, great connectivity. Those features are what the product does. Your phone also has benefits....that's what the product does for you. So, the features of your smart phone would be that it allows you to communicate on different media. You can work from anywhere and you are more productive.

So, what are your features? Your education, experience, industry knowledge. people skills, communication skills, special training and talents all qualify as features. What are the benefits of these features to an organization? Your educational benefits are that you have reasoning and decision-making skills. Your experience means you can "hit the ground running". Your industry knowledge means less on-the-job training. People and communication skills means you are a team player and can explain ideas.

So, sit down and write a list of your features and benefits and create your marketing piece. You're a great product and we need you!

New Year's Resolutions

2011-01-11T11:09:00.000-08:00

Our guest blogger is Pam Waits. Pam is an HR executive who is passionate about her work. She's very good at it! Pam is expanding her reach through writing and as you'll discover she's an excellent writer as well. Enjoy!

This blog is directed to all of you employers out there and it’s from those of us who are seeking new employment.

There are a lot of us in the market and we have great ideas so please pay attention. The list is comprehensive and I invite you to take a few minutes to read these resolutions. They could help you discover an incredibly talented, loyal batch of new employees who will help you outpace your competition. Here goes.

I, Employer, will:

1. Treat you with respect. I will never lose sight of the fact that even if I don’t hire you, you could be my customer. And while I’m at it, I will be sure to treat the people who already work for me with respect, too.

2. Keep you the job seeker informed throughout the process. I know that your timetable is different than mine. You have a greater sense of urgency and I shouldn’t keep you hanging. Specifically, here is what I plan to do:

A. Acknowledge receipt of your resume/application. At the very least, I will use some form of auto response. I know that you often feel like you are sending information into a black hole and I want you to know that your effort has been successful.

B. Let you know after completing a phone interview if you are moving on to the next step or if it’s the end of the line. By doing this, we can both move on and you won’t need to take your time or that of my recruiters by leaving messages.

C. Provide as much information to you as I can if I decide to interview you face-to-face (e.g., job description, work environment, company culture). In return, I expect you to review this information before the interview and withdraw your candidacy if you aren’t qualified for or interested in working for me.

D. Provide you a status report if you go through face-to-face interviews. I will let you know if there’s another step, what that looks like, whether you will be participating and the expected timeframe.

E. I will notify you even if you didn’t get the job so you can move on. I will make every effort to do this on the phone instead of e-mail as a sign of my professionalism and respect for you. I think this will enhance my reputation as a top employer.

3. Return your calls and/or e-mails if I somehow fail to keep the lines of communication open. If nothing else, I will let you know that I got your message and that I don’t have an update to give you. This demonstrates that I am courteous and respect you. I expect you to show me that same courtesy and respect in return.

4. Start and end appointments (phone and face-to-face interviews) with you on time. If there is a schedule change, I will let you know as soon as I know.

5. Keep the interview process as simple as possible. If I need multiple interviews with you, I will only ask if you are one of my finalists.

6. Interview you only if I am interested in hiring you – not to tap into your expertise or benchmark your salary.

7. Not interview you until I have approval to fill a position or until I know what I want. I don’t want to waste my time or get your hopes up.

8. Not check your references unless I intend to make you an offer. To do otherwise wastes my time and the time of your references. It also sets an inaccurate expectation with you that I intend to make an offer and that just isn’t fair.

9. Consider you if you meet my qualifications, even if you don’t have experience in my industry. I will be open to the fact that you could bring a fresh perspective that would benefit my organization. I will even take that one step farther and start interviewing people from “outside the box” to see what new dynamism I can bring into my organization. I think I have been missing talent and opportunity by limiting myself given that many talented people are trying to transition to new careers and news areas of expertise.

10. Not discount you just because you are currently unemployed. I will be mindful that many people are out of work through no fault of their own and that the talent pool of the unemployed is very rich.

11. Not take advantage of the fact that you are unemployed. If I make you a job offer, I will compensate you fairly in line with your experience and qualifications.

12. Talk to you about my opportunity if I think there might be a fit, even if I think you are overqualified or the pay I am offering is too low. I will have an open discussion with you about my concerns and give you the opportunity to respond.

13. Vow to be realistic in my requirements and to make a decision. I won’t keep positions posted for months trying to find the candidate who “walks on water”. I will choose the candidate who meets my qualifications and will fit in with the culture of the organization.

14. Broaden my sources for filling positions to include networking (both formal and informal channels). I realize that in many cases posting jobs on Internet job sites only seems to create work for my HR staff. Many times the best candidates are found through referrals, not online.

Thanks to the people who contributed to and inspired this list of resolutions - may we inspire the employers who read it!

Staying Ahead of the Curve-Communicate

2010-12-07T06:48:00.000-08:00

I love to read. Normally I read business books or fiction. But recently I took a detour and read Stan Romanek’s book entitled Messages: The World's Most Documented Extraterrestrial Contact Story.

In this book, Stan recounts his encounters of alien sightings, abductions, implants, and conspiracies. Understandably, Stan expresses fear over who the aliens are, what they want, and why they targeted him. There is no clear communication so he doesn’t understand what’s going on, let alone the rationale for what he is experiencing.

As I was reading his book, I thought that Stan’s story is very similar to many employees in today’s workplace:

· How many times have you felt that you didn’t know what was really going on?

· That you didn’t trust the messages that were being conveyed or the people who were communicating them?

· Have you ever learned important information about your company through the news or a customer and felt the company should have told you directly?

· You may not have personally experienced the feeling that you were being targeted, but I bet you know someone who has felt that way.

I doubt very many companies would take pride in comparing their workforce to Stan Romanek’s alien encounters.

So what can companies do to make sure employees don’t have a Stan Romanek encounter? Good communication! Sounds easy enough but is it? No! If it was easy, we wouldn’t talk about it so much.

I learned something early in my career that definitely helped me with communication and maybe it will help you, too. One of my former bosses asked a question in every staff meeting – “what rumors are you hearing?” The first few times he asked the question, no one was prepared. But we were a bright group and quickly started going out and talking to employees to see what was going on so we could report it to our boss. When the rumors were serious or pervasive enough, we would take action to address them. The simpler ones would be corrected on the spot – if they weren’t true. This practice helped us stay ahead of the curve.

If Stan had access to good information, he wouldn’t have been afraid, distrustful or suspicious and his book would likely have had a very different message. The same holds true for employees.

· Listen to your employees,

· Talk to them,

· Communicate information that you can, and

· Be honest with the information that you share.

It’s very easy to identify the need for good communication, but it’s not always easy to accomplish. Because we don’t listen as well as we should, important messages may have to be repeated.

Because we don’t listen as well as we should, important messages may have to be repeated. (Made you pay attention, didn’t it?)

With that in mind, I close with a quote from Robert McCloskey, an author and illustrator of children’s books:

“I know that you believe you understand what you think I said, but I’m not sure you realize that what you heard is not what I meant.”

Moms, Birthdays, Parades & Costumes

2010-12-02T09:25:00.000-08:00

My Mother's 85th birthday was November 16. The last "big birthday" she had was her 80th and my sister and I decided to hold a parade in our home town in her honor....of course we didn't tell her so when we showed up with a pickup truck, over-sized chair in the back of the truck and crown with a bouquet of roses, she was mortified. We had the police block off main street and all the local merchants had a little glass of schnapps for her as she drove by. The high school band played "Happy Birthday" and a huge football player kinda kid sang "When Irish Eyes are Smiling". The local newspaper came to take photos for the front page of the local paper. My Mother swore that she would never speak to us again. She did speak to us that night at dinner and explained that her reputation was ruined and her friends probably wouldn't speak to her again. They did. In fact, one of them called me a week before her 85th to see what we were doing this year....nobody wanted to miss the fun.

We did surprise her by coming home unannounced a few days before the big day. We had a murder mystery dinner and raided the local costume shop for our outfits. The party was fun...still I know she was waiting for that last big surprise. It's hard to top a parade, but this year's big surprise was excellent too - her granddaughter Maggie became engaged during our mystery crime dinner.

Happy Birthday Mom, We're already planning the 90th!!!!

2010-11-03T09:22:00.000-07:00

Today’s Career Management Game is very different from that of just a couple of years ago. The social contract between employee and employer has been eroding for at least a decade, and the latest recession has been the last straw; companies have laid off 25-year veterans in droves.

One of my clients had been employed with his company for thirty-five years, lastly as CFO. It never crossed his mind that his job would be eliminated, but it was—and he was not remotely prepared to face the fact that he might never find another job. He didn’t have a current resume. His networking skills were non-existent. He hadn’t interviewed in twenty-five years. By the time he came to see me, he felt desperate, without a way to turn.

This is a classic example of how The Career Game is played today. My client felt that the company owed him a career because of his lengthy service. The company, in turn, felt that he was too expensive to keep and that they owed him nothing.

My client eventually went on to another CFO position fifteen months later, but not before learning some hard lessons and new strategies which we can summarize this way:

· Be prepared.

You can be prepared by staying on top of what’s happening in your industry and particularly your employer. Monitor the competition as well and follow trends like mergers and acquisitions, and customer buying patterns. If there are merger rumors within your organization check them out immediately. Waiting on the sidelines won’t position you to be picked up by another team.

· Keep your Playbook updated.

You will create your Playbook when you complete the exercises in this workbook. Your Playbook is then a guide to use and refer to throughout your career. As the marketplace changes, so will the play you’ll being executing. Your continued competitiveness depends on it! ·

· Stay in touch with your network.

Your network is your lifeline to the “outside” world. You may have a tendency to become very cocoon-like when you have a job. We all do this because we want to feel secure and just the thought of being laid off scares us. So, we forget about our network and let it die. Fight the urge to ignore your network. Set a goal to stay in touch with twenty-five of your “A” contacts. These contacts are former managers, colleagues, and search firm executives.

Today, the Career Management Game demands flexibility and courage. Flexibility is necessary because The Game changes quickly. Being flexible helps players change their game plan when necessary. It helps players change direction when situations call for it. It takes courage because we must now take ownership of our careers and our actions. Accountability takes courage. Are you ready for the challenge?

Waiting for Something to Happen

2010-10-12T08:26:00.000-07:00

I used to spend hours waiting for"something to happen" in my life. I guess I thought I'd get a note from above saying "go write a book" or "be in Chicago in front of the John Hancock Building at 9AM-the answer will be there". I kept searching for the answer to what I was supposed to do next. I always looked for external signs-someone or something had the answer.

I've discovered it doesn't work that way-the answer has and is always been in me. I figured out that if I starting "listening" to myself....quietly and gently...the answers started coming. When I was agitated and negative or angry, I didn't get any information.

Try this....go to a quiet, peaceful, positive place in your mind. Pay attention to ideas that come to you. Notice what you're thinking about. What options start to appear? What people start coming into your life? Start asking for what you want. Ask for guidance. Remember that everything happens for a reason...nothing is happenstance -the universe is very orderly and has wonderful experiences waiting for us.

One last thought: using your personal power for positive results lifts the universe on the whole. We are all one. So when one of us contributes, all of us share!

Lessons Learned As a Job Seeker

2010-08-26T11:45:00.000-07:00

Linda Sondgeroth is an HR professional with experience partnering with senior management of small to mid-sized companies to provide HR leadership that supports the goals and objectives of the organization.

As an HR professional I believed I understood the recruitment process. As a job seeker, I now know that I had no concept of how hard this part of my professional life would be. In the last year I have discovered that:

1. I’m not alone. I know a lot of very talented people who are in the job market through no fault of their own, and they have been in the market for extended periods of time.
2. I need a support network of friends, acquaintances and colleagues. And, I need to maintain these connections. I feel better and have a more positive attitude if I’ve been around other people.
3. I need to give my network permission to be honest. Tell me that my resume needs work and know that I will accept constructive criticism without taking it personally.
4. I need to pursue multiple avenues in my job search. The internet is only one tool. (See #2)
5. I need a professional identity. I have associated who I am with what I do for so long that I don’t feel whole without my professional identity. I’m filling this need by volunteering with my professional association and with a community group that let me practice my profession.
6. It’s not me, it’s them. When I apply for jobs and receive rejections, or worse, hear nothing I must remind myself that I’m not doing it wrong, there are just a lot of other people also doing it right. (See #1)
7. I can learn new things (new to me anyway!). My LinkedIn profile is 100%, but I keep refining it, adding connections and participating in groups. Heck, I’m even blogging!

There is a lot that’s good in my life. I need to focus on the positives; my health; my family and friends; and, the value I bring to my relationships. When I focus on the good, the loss of one job doesn’t seem quite as important. (Although, I still want another job!)
It’s not all about the job search. I need to do something productive every day, but it might not take 8 hours every day. As long as I have done everything I can do that day, it’s OK to spend time on other things too.

My hope is that the lessons learned from this job seeker experience translate into transferable skills that will make me a better HR professional the next time I’m recruiting.

Effective Onboarding for New Employees

2010-07-29T12:26:00.001-07:00

Pam Waits is our guest blogger. Pam is a human resources executive skilled in all aspects of HR. "It’s my passion and I’m great at it!" Check out Pam's Linkedin profile at http://www.linkedin.com/in/pamwaits

Have you ever been around a blind dog? I have. As a matter of fact, I live with one.
About a year ago, Ariel, one of my Italian Greyhounds, suddenly went blind from glaucoma. When this happened, we did a number of things to help her adjust to her new world.

· We used scented oils around the house on corners and other objects she might bump into, using a different smell in each room. She learned to identify each room by its unique scent. This helped her to map her environment.
· We bought her a custom made vest that read “I’m Blind” so others would know to watch out for her when we were in public.
· My husband even invented a visor for her to wear that would protect her head when she bumped into things.

All of these actions improved Ariel’s mobility and helped her more easily adjust to being blind. You could say, in a sense, that we provided onboarding to ease her transition. Hmm, see where this going?

I’ve learned a lot about easing transitions over the course of my career. Like with Ariel, there are a number of things companies can do to make the adjustment easier for new hires, aside from the standard new employee orientation.

· It helps to provide an easy to understand overview of the business and to include how the new employee’s job fits in with the organization. This is especially true for entry level positions where the candidate may not have done much company research prior to applying.

· It also helps when tenured employees know who the new people are. They can make them feel welcome, show them where the restrooms are located, and eat with them in the lunchroom. You get the idea.

· For senior level employees, you might want to provide a list of key people to meet. In some cases, providing a standard list of questions is also appropriate.

As Ariel experienced in adjusting to a world without sight, the more assistance you provide up front, the faster new employees will assimilate and become productive members of your team.
· Use “scented oils” to help them map the new terrain,
· Provide a “custom vest” so others know they are new to the organization, and
· offer a “visor” to guide them in the right direction and provide a cushion when they stumble.

The key is that you should do whatever you can to help new employees understand the organization, how they fit in, and who they should meet. Everyone will benefit from these proactive measures – including you.

When Your Ego Takes a Hit

2010-07-13T14:36:00.000-07:00

There are several things that can happen when you lose your job. One of the most subtle is the affect it has on your self confidence. Here are a few tips to keep your ego healthy and your self confidence in tact. Ask yourself the following questions:

What do you like most about yourself?

How much do you trust yourself?

When you start doubting yourself try to remember that you've been very successful and part of that success comes because of your trust in yourself. When you start doubting you start selling yourself short and second guessing your decisions . You can become paralyzed and analyze every decision you make.

Try this exercise and keep things in perspective. Repeat these phrases several times a day....

"I am not my job."

"I am a talented, intelligent, educated person."

2010-05-26T14:48:00.000-07:00

Conquer Career Insanity.....Four Rules for the New World of Work

You know the definition of insanity….”doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results”......that’s how many professionals are managing their careers today. Resumes are quickly saved in a file somewhere on the C drive. Recruiters are neglected. Networks are allowed to fade away and die. Occasionally, Linkedin is checked….and Twitter might be used after the Cubs win the World Series while Facebook is reserved for friends and family.

While most of us have been working 60+ hours/week, becoming more and more isolated from anything other than our job, the work world has been transformed and the playing field and rules are almost unrecognizable. If you’re feeling uneasy and uncomfortable, join the club – Welcome to the new world of working and careering. Here are some tips to help you keep your sanity:

Brand Yourself! You’re the product. You’re in sales. You are a “marketeer”. You have a compelling story to tell about why you are THE BEST and no one can deliver that message like you. Continued visibility is important. Tell your story on Linkedin and become a SME through Twitter.

Bring purpose to your work! We’ll be working fulltime or part-time longer than any of us planned. Purposeful work helps us find balance in our lives.

Network for the rest of your natural life! Keeping your networking going and growing really pays off. In today’s market it’s both what you know AND who you know. Set a goal to add one new “A” contact a month.

Be the solution! Out-of-the-silo thinking enables you to compete in the new world of work. Creating solid practical solutions gives you the edge. Practice your leadership skills. Claim your personal power. Be a High Gain producer

High Gain Nuggets -"3 Reasons Why Personal Branding is Esstential"

2010-05-01T11:57:00.000-07:00

In today's marketplace YOU are the product. Your Personal Brand sells you and will continue selling you throughout your career .

Your Personal Brand focuses on who you are and what you stand for. Clients want to work with and buy from people they trust and who hold the same values they do.

Your Personal Brand highlights your unique talents and sets you apart from the competition.

Building a Personal Brand starts by knowing who you are and what need you fill in today's marketplace. Your Brand is about the perception people have of you. Personal Branding also involves emotions. What one word would you use to describe your Personal Brand? Contact me (jan.highgainco@gmail.com and we can build your Brand so you can start living it!

High Gain Nuggets - Book Excerpt - Personal Power

2010-04-11T17:14:00.000-07:00

"Personal Power starts with how you feel about yourself. If you feel positive about yourself, your personal power is very strong. If you feel negative about yourself, you are not claiming your personal power. Sounds good, huh? So why do we seem to consistently give away our power? For me the answer lies in the fact that most of the time I'm in Automatic Pilot mode. I dissipate my personal power when I'm on automatic pilot- it’s easier to operate by rote every day- it’s safe to do the same routine every morning. It’s comforting to hand over control of MY life to “the company”, "the family", etc.

Showing up – being fully present in the “now” - not in the past or the future, but now- this moment helps us reclaim personal power. Here's how to start:
1. Make decisions to be present now
2. Practice and reinforce your decision
3. Trust yourself and your decisions

Know that you are part of a bigger picture. Your life has meaning and everyone you touch is affected positively or negatively by your actions. Positive interactions increase your positive power- you have a great impact on the universe and contribute to the good.

People are waiting for your contribution- you may not know what it is right now – don’t worry- ask for guidance- still your mind- close your eyes and trust that the answer will come to you- practice this every day for 10 minutes- the answer will come and it’s then up to you to trust yourself and give your thoughts form. We are waiting for you- now is the time."

Recruting Backlash

2010-02-22T06:06:00.000-08:00

David Kagan is our guest bogger this month. He has been a recruiter for nearly 15 years in a variety of industries, including several years consulting for major corporations. He has filled hundred of positions, managed campus recruiting, lead diversity initiatives, reorganized recruiting processes and organized an internal outplacement program for displaced employees. David has functioned mainly as an IT Recruiter with additional experience in Retirement Services and Investments. He’s had the unique opportunity to experience the various waves of recruiting from the days of sourcing resumes through newspaper ads to the internet revolution. He lives in NY and loves watching his beloved Yankees.

The Recruiting Backlash
By David Kagan
A few years into my recruiting career, the big topic of conversation was around the great hope of the internet. We talked about how it would be a great tool to improve how we recruit and engage candidates. It seems like a lifetime ago that our primary source of resumes was running classified ads in the Sunday employment section. Though we had to open hundreds of envelopes at least we were guaranteed to see each resume. Yes, more work for us but candidates knew their credentials were being reviewed and at the very least it gave them a shot to get a call back. The process was cumbersome but we were very engaged.
Fast forward almost 15 years and the idea of receiving snail mail resumes seems like something out of the dark ages. Undoubtedly technology has made recruiters more effective in many ways, except it has all but killed the candidate dialogue. How many times have we heard from candidates about the dreaded “black hole.” You know, that not so mythical place where resumes go to die while applicants wait for a response they likely won’t get. This mythical place turns out to be our own ATS databases. It seems obvious that we would make the best of those resumes, when in reality recruiters often overlook their ATS, and often in favor of some unproven new sourcing methodology.
It’s not only about resumes; the larger issue at play is how we communicate with candidates on an on-going basis. It’s also about how we keep talent engaged in a dialogue about our business, our industry, our new products and services, big wins and acquisitions so when we’re ready to work together the relationship exists. Keeping candidates informed keeps candidates interested. Recruiting is about the relationship with candidates, the candidates we need today and the candidates we’ll need tomorrow. I’m not writing this from some ivory tower, I’ve been in the trenches dealing with hundreds of resumes for each vacancy. I know how daunting it can be but it’s high time that we figure out how to use technology to communicate in a two way dialogue and without feeding the “black hole.”
A candidate backlash is well underway. They are fed up with organizations that are unresponsive. If you’re thinking it’s a buyer’s market and you can dictate the terms of the game, think again. Hiring is increasing and candidates are savvier than ever. Your organization can not afford a bad reputation about how you recruit. It’s not just word of mouth you have to worry about, it’s word of internet. Web sites dedicated to candidates dishing about everything from unresponsive recruiters, to broken recruiting processes to bad interviewers are popping up everywhere. Take back control, communicate with your candidates and set expectations. There’s no doubt recruiters are swamped, we’ve become a catchall for everything in staffing. However, with the use of smart technology and engaging talent in a two-way dialogue we’ll be on our way to creating a sustainable, winning recruiting culture.

Our Old Friend "Telecommuting"

2010-01-16T16:24:00.000-08:00

Telecommuting Trail Tips

Here are the new workplace realities I see everyday as a personal branding expert: Less Job Security - More Freelancing - Delayed Retirement - Generational Diversity - Increased Telecommuting.

Of these realities, increased telecommunting gets very little attention because it's been around since the late 80's and 90's. We assume that workers know the "ins and outs" of the work-from home option. Telecommuting can be our best friend or our worst enemy....so here are practical trail tips I learned as a telecommuter for six years:

1. Secure a designated space in your home for an office....the kitchen table isn't the best place camp out. Choose a space that is your place and customize it for you and your needs i.e. shelves, printer and laptop space, dedicated phone line, unless you're like me and have gone strickly cell, good lighting, window if possible, sunbox if not, ergonomic chair, whiteboard and above all a "keep out" sign (unless you're in a Les Nesman situation like me-then take over the basement).

2. Get organized and keep a schedule and become very disciplined. Depending on your job, expect to spend a lot of time of conference calls....endless conference calls....boring, droning on-&-on conference calls where they completely forget you're on the line....so learn to multitask.

3. Make it a habit to stay in touch with your organization on a regular basis. "Out of sight, out of mind" is very true when it comes to telecommuting....lots of "things" go on in the corporate office...like project assignments,etc...remind your colleagues you're still on the team. Calls or emails, LinkedIn whatever works.

4. Get dressed every day - business casual is good....ratty workout clothes aren't not. Wearing ratting clothes all day made you feel grungy and crabby....crabby telecommuter's aren't good.

5. Try to keep regular hours....you can work all the time and not realize that you haven't left the house in days - honestly. Take regular breaks.

6. Fight the isolation by moving the office to Panera's one day a week.

7. Remember that you'll be having very interesting conversations with your dog or cat and they always have the best answers!

"I have to Network - OMG!"

2009-12-17T13:28:00.000-08:00

A life time of networking.....OMG!!!

I hardly ever hear any clients say "I can hardly wait to start networking.....it's so great and I'm really good at it!" In fact, never have I had a client say that! I'm talking about face-to-face networking...the kind where you have to make eye contact and conversation....usually in a room full of people you don't know, wearing a name tag that keeps falling off, trying to figure out what you did to deserve this torture....THAT kind of networking. Here are some trail tips to help you get started:

Decide before you attend an event what your goal is -

mingling and drinking

hanging out where everyone's eating

meeting as many people as you can

make three quality contacts

Decide what a quality contact is-

a very "connected" person

a person who is willing to make introductions for you

the first person who talks to you at an event

the best dressed person at the event

Topics to talk about-

what you want from them i.e leads

what they want from you i.e. leads

what you have in common

how you can help them

How do you introduce yourself?

"Hi, my name is Jan Marino and I'm was a CFO. I'm in transition and I'm looking for a new opportunity.

"Hi, I'm Jan Marino. I'm an executive in transition.

"Hi, I'm Jan Marino. I'm a CFO with successes in taxation, risk management and strategic planning.

What networking events will you attend?

as many as I can

the one nearest my house

an event suggested by someone I know and trust

the event that best fits my networking goals and strategy

Here's a few more tips from clients who are very successful networkers:

Enlist the help of an accountability partner
Practice at events when you first start
Be persistent and keep asking for feedback so you can improve
Remember to breathe
Write down and post what works best for you

Remember, networking is the ultimate contact game!

2009-11-14T07:41:00.000-08:00

“I Am” Statement

This is one of the most important pieces of information you will use throughout your job search. The “I Am” statement tells people who you are, what your values are and what you can do for them in two simple sentences. You’ll use it when you introduce yourself, when you network, when you interview, in your bio, resume, in your Linkedin profile, for your Twitter profile…..basically whenever you talk about yourself. So, you want to spent time and get this statement down so it becomes part of you.

"I am an engineer who saved my last company $75K on one project. I could increase your cost savings."

"I am a marketing professional who knows how to increase brand awareness. I re-introduced a product line and increased sales by 25%."

"I am a senior marketing executive who has extensive corporate and non-profit experience including the auto industry, financial services and most recently the ABA.
I bring my corporate expertise for streamlining and pricing to non-profits."

"I am a data-driven marketing professional who has been both the CIO and CMO simultaneously for a global corporation. I could increase your RIO and provide your organization with cutting edge data management and marketing leadership."

You'll be surprised how this statement will help you clarify your goals and how often you'll use it. So, take time right now to write your "I Am" statement...if you want feedback or help let me know!

The Big 60

2009-11-05T08:53:00.000-08:00

My birthday was November 2. I’m 60! It’s a milestone and great because:

 Partying with my 84 year old Mom on Rush Street and being proud of how well we party hardy isn’t surprising.

 Not having to do anything I don’t want to do or work with people I don’t like is liberating.

 Looking in the mirror and seeing a 20 year-old who’s reinventing herself is AB FAB.

 “Acting as if” and “making up as I go along” with even more conviction is way more fun.

 Deciding to work until I’m 87 is an easy decision.

 Giving back through volunteering and serving on the Board of Directors of the Community Career Center is even more fulfilling.

 Learning from all generations in the workplace is more fun than ever because I finally understand that we all can help each other.

 Embracing chaos is much easier than when I was 30….I understand it’s only temporary.

 Having fun with social networking and building my brand as THE Career Management Expert is easy.

 Trusting myself and my abilities and knowing that I’m surrounded by a great husband, family and friends pushes me forward fearlessly.

 Happy 60th to me!

I’m So Over Being “In Transition”

2009-09-16T15:11:00.000-07:00

Vicki Znavor is an executive in "transition" who desires to make the most of this time by exploring and writing about people, process and performance and how they deliver bottom line performance. Vicki has graciously contributed this blog - Check out Vicki's blog - http://bottomlineperformance.blogspot.com...enjoy.
Tonight I was reading a biography of Kristin Chenoweth, most famous for her role as Galinda the Good Witch in Wicked and something she wrote struck me as fascinating. She wrote “Human beings – and let me just interject here that I love being part of a species whose name is a verb – human beings…” When I read those words I finally understood why I get irritated by the term “in transition”. It makes “transition” a noun and it really must be a verb. So today I claim that I am “transitioning” as in deliberately and thoughtfully moving forward.
Thinking of “transition” as a verb puts a whole new spin on it, doesn’t it? For me, it reinforces the goal of moving forward because where I am is temporary; it’s not a destination. It’s in my court to direct my destination and it means I’ve got work to do (and believe me, I’ve been working) to get there. None of us can control who will offer us a great position or when we’ll land but there are so many things we can control. Jan Marino’s blog offers a lot of great tips such as showing up everyday or being open to contract work. We can control our attitudes, our willingness to learn, our ability to encourage and support others and we can control the amount of energy we give to this effort.
Tony Robbins recently shared the following quote on Twitter: “There are two mistakes one can make along the road to truth…not going all the way, and not starting.” I am transitioning to my truth, moving forward and it feels good

Linkedin Trail Tips

2009-09-03T15:14:00.000-07:00

An important element of your personal branding strategy is to keep your name in front of others. Here are a few tips on using Linkedin....it's a very powerful tool!

Complete your Linkedin® profile and use a professional photo.

Check Linkedin® daily – make it a habit, put it on your calendar.

Customize your public profile i.e. http://www.linkedin.com/in/janmarino and include it in your email signature

Keep your summary brief and interesting so people will read it.

Update your profile regularly – an update message goes to your connections and keeps you in front of them.

Let people know in advance that you will be sending them an invitation to connect with you on Linkedin®.

Change your “Tell Your Network What You’re Doing” info weekly to increase your visibility.

FLASH: New Career Rules

2009-08-14T16:37:00.000-07:00

If you're in career transition, here's what you need to know: the rules have changed dramatically since the last time you were in the job market. Here’s what’s new:

The biggest change is that we are now a "gig-to-gig" workforce. Because of the state of the economy, companies are reducing costs by using contractors for projects. These assignments usually last 3-6 months. You may be looking for a full time position, but be open to contract work. The days of long-term employment with one organization are long gone and so is company loyalty. Today's workplace dictates that you are responsible for your own career so re-invent yourself.

The second concept to thoroughly understand is that you are the product/service and leveraging your uniqueness puts you ahead of your competition. Figure what sets you apart from others in your field. Know what makes you the best and capitalize on it.

Number three change is taking time to “chill out and recover” after the layoff is a really bad idea. Because competition is fierce, develop your search plan and hit the road running immediately. If you're lucky enough to receive outplacement services, take advantage of it.

The last major change is that networking is THE way you’ll find your new position and using online social networks in your job search is a must. Use Linkedin, Plaxo and Facebook to serve as your mini-websites. You can put together your marketing message and write your profiles around that message. Social networks expand your ability to connect with more people and increase your networking. They don't take the place of face-to-face meetings so working your network and setting up personal meetings is still critical. The good news is that people are very open to networking because they know they'll probably soon be part of this new workplace world.

Twitter twips

2009-08-08T17:20:00.000-07:00

I'm addicted to Twitter. I know it can be a major time-suck, so I've been waiting until the end of the day and use social networking as a reward when I complete daily goals....and I cheat and tweet even when I haven't done everything on my list. Anyway, I've come across some great sites and wanted to share them with you. The list covers the gamut of ti
ps, how to's, and trivia. Enjoy!

www.twitterwatchdog.com/2009/06/16/creating-a-powerful-twitter-bio
www.alltop.com
http://www.chrisbrogan.com/
www.mentalfloss.com
www.twitterbusinessbook.com

"So, tell me....."

2009-07-28T19:27:00.000-07:00

“Tell me something I don’t know”

This is a command MSNBC’s commentator Chris Matthews gives to his Sunday morning guests each week. I like it because the information coming back is not the usual spiel you hear from reporters everyday. It could be something under-reported i.e. President Obama’s phone call to Mark Buerhle after his perfect game.

This same technique can be used when you’re interviewing. The interviewer may know lots of information about you from your resume, handbill, LinkedIn, etc., but think about a piece of information, an accomplishment, an article you just read, an experience you’ve had that would inform the interviewer and help set you apart from other candidates.

So, “Tell me something I don’t know!”

Showing Up Everyday

2009-07-22T15:53:00.000-07:00

I wish I'd gotten the email about "showing up everyday" years ago. As it was, I got it from a great manager who saw right through my daily BS. She took me aside and explained that work and life in general would be much happier for me and all around me if I'd show up everyday. What she was talking about was attitude, body language, voice tone, and a giving heart. I was one of those people who made sure everyone had a bad day if mine started out that way. My body language and tone of voice dared somebody to cross me...just once. Sometimes it was boyfriend problems, too much partying the before or just a nasty mood. However, I was a customer serice rep so feedback from customers and co-workers weren't glowing. So, I got fired. Looking back at this period of my career, I understand now that this was one of the best learning experiences of my career. I learned the world doesn't revolve around me and my problems and one but my dog wants to hear about them.

Topics in The High Gain Zone

2009-07-17T19:56:00.000-07:00

Ok, I'm stepping up to the plate with some very compelling posts in the next 10 weeks. These topics are timely in today's market with must-know observations and practical trail tips:

1. "Showing Up Everyday"
2. "Tell Me Something I Don't Know"
3. "The Breakthrough"
4. "What Makes You Unique?"
5. "New Job Search Tools"
6. "Meditating and Your Job Search"
7. "Keeping Your Sanity During the Job Search"
8. "Take the Chaos Out of Your Career"
9. "What Your Dog Knows About Career Success"
10. "Redefine Yourself"

Thanks, Chuck!

2009-07-10T14:37:00.000-07:00

I want to take this opportunity to thank my brother Chuck for reminding me that he’s following my blog and there haven’t been any updates lately. You’re right, Chuck. I’ve been lazy and put off writing…..I have to practice what I preach and change my procrastinating ways.

So, here’s what I’m going to do:

1. Make a list of 10 topics and list them on the blog by the end of next week.
2. Write at least 2 paragraphs on each topic and throw in some little known facts to keep it interesting – I can make them up if I want cuz it’s my blog.
3. Put due dates on my calendar and meet those dates.
4. Thank the Universe daily for my brother who keeps me focused and honest.

"Once Upon A Time...."

2009-06-10T22:03:00.000-07:00

So, what’s your story? You’re in a career transition and networking…and it’s essential that you create your story:the information you give people when you first meet them. It’s also called your “elevator speech”; your “30-second commercial”….it’s a short statement about who you are and what your benefits are.

Here’s mine: “I’m a career management expert. I know how to survive and thrive career changes. I’ve been down-sized, right-sized, and had my position eliminated. Because I’ve made all the mistakes you can possibly think of, I know how to guide clients through change and reduce transition time by 50%.”

Start your story out with an “I am” statement and then focus on what makes you unique. Here are some questions to help you create your customized story.

 Why should someone be interested in you and your service or product?
 What makes you unique from your competitor?
 What can you tell the person that they don’t already know?
 What will you do for them and their company?
 How will you make them look better?
 How do you contribute to the greater good?
 Why should they trust you?

These are questions that go through your head when someone approaches you with their product or service. The same questioning process occurs when you interview for a job. Because you ARE the product, you want to have a concise, interesting explanation to answer these questions. This can be a real challenge for most of us because it feels like we’re bragging and promoting ourselves…..which we were taught not to do.

Here are 3 tips to help you create an interesting, concise, honest break through story:

1. Make a list of your top 3 career achievements. Prioritize them. This allows you to decide which achievement you want to highlight in your story.
2. Make sure that your achievements are measureable. Use action verbs like increased sales by a percentage or use actual dollar amounts.
3. Determine what you’ve learned in the course of your career that will help others. It could be leadership style, communication, team building, sales, etc.

Make your story memorable and interesting!

A Checkup from the Neck up

2009-05-23T18:29:00.000-07:00

Stinkin’ thinkin’ kills! It zaps your energy, stunts your growth and makes you an all around dull, boring person. We all tell ourselves incredibly stupid lies about ourselves, especially when we’re stressed….like during a career transition. When you need to be at your best, you may find that you’re letting that peanut gallery in your brain take over. Your brain doesn’t know the difference between those lies and what’s real. So when you create negative thoughts and messages, it’s reality to you. When you tell yourself things like “I’m really not that good; “I was just lucky.”. “If they only knew how stupid I really am.” “I’ll never get what I really want.” – you’re re-enforcing negative thoughts about yourself. This thought process sabotages your confidence.

Here’s a few ways to change your “head trash” to “head treasures”

1. Create 2-3 positive statements and repeat them daily; i.e. “I am successful. “I am valued.” “My business is growing.”
2. Begin to act “as if” and project yourself as being confident and successful.
3. Avoid negative people and people who don’t believe in you.
4. Pay attention to your thought process and when you find yourself taking a negative turn, mentally stop the negative conversation.
5. Expect the best to happen. Be optimistic.

How does being positive benefit you? You achieve success faster and easier. You have more energy. You are happier and people want to help you. You have greater personal power and people respect you. Life is fun and you are a powerful, positive force in the world.

Our Own Rules For Cold Calls.

2009-05-01T16:20:00.000-07:00

You're finally at the stage in your job search process where you've talked to all your personal contacts twice. You've reached your goal of getting at least three names from them to follow up with. You've also completed everything on your "things to do around the house" list and cleared the entire backyard for your a new garden..

But now you realize that you've put it off as long as you can and find yourself perilously close to stating to enter into the cold lonely, cave called the "cold call" zone. Anyone who's gone through a job search, knows this lonely place. You become paralyzed, dry mouthed, stuttery, dull, boring and generally uninteresting. You shuffle toward the phone, punch in the number and become, anything but the confident, focused, accomplished professional are you. Your mind starts racing, you're sweating, and wishing no one will answer.

Cold calling is even more dreaded than networking and rightly so. For some people, cold calling can be heart stopping. Any yet, cold calling is definitely a short cut to connecting with the people who can help you move forward toward your next position quickly. So, given that we know we're going to make these calls - let's set up some different rules for ourselves and because they're our rules, we can change them whenever we want. The only rule that's etched in stone is: Make The Cold Calls!!!

Our Rule #1 - Stand up while making your phone call. Chances are good that the person you're calling will be sitting down, so standing up puts you in a place of power psychologically. Your voice delivery and confidence is enhanced. Believe that the person you're talking to interested in taking to you. Smile while you're talking and try not pace.

Our Rule #2 - Know what your goal is for the call. Your goal is NOT to ask the CEO for job.... your goal is get a personal meeting i.e. take the CEO out for lunch and find out what challenges the company is facing. Research the company and get the latest news about new products, services, acquisitions, mergers, etc. Even better ask one of your contacts who knows the CEO to make an introduction for you. The CEO isn't expecting your call, so you have about 7 seconds to get their attention and want to listen to you.(For all you busy CEO's out there, please take at least one call cold a week. You could very well be on the other end of the line one day soon and hoping someone will take your call!)
Our Rule #3 - Practice making these calls. Decide what you're doing to say i.e. "Hi, my name is Jan Marino and I was referred to Mr Ward by Dan Harris. Does he have a few minutes to talk to me? If you don't get through to the CEO be sure that you get the email so that you can send an email referring to your earlier call and asking for a meeting.

Our Rule #4 - When you do get to meet with the CEO ( and you will) make sure you ask them "What keeps you up at night?" Make sure you follow up on the answer to see how you can help this poor person get some sleep!

Motivation....Sneaky & Elusive

2009-04-22T16:24:00.000-07:00

Author & speaker Daniel Pink (http://www.danpink.com/) sent me a Tweet today about his latest project. He’s the author of “Free Agent Nation”, “Johnny Bunko” and "A Whole New Mind". He’s got a new book coming out in January. This time his focus is motivation. Anyone who’s ever been through a career transition knows how sneaky and elusive motivation can be. When we’re not getting interview, our networking sources seem to dry up….so does motivation.

Until Daniel's new book comes out here are some tips to keep yourself motivated and tide you over:

1. Write down your vision of what your ideal job is – what type of organziation is it. What products/services your company represents. What types of customers and co-workers you have. What you contribute and why it’s important. Put this vision somewhere where you can see it and read it daily. Reviewing your vision regularly helps keep you focused and open to opportunities.

2. Find an accountability partner. Someone you trust (not spouse or significant other-trust me on this) who will hold you accountable for doing what you say you’re going to do for your search. Meeting with you partner weekly for 30-45 mins and having a set agenda will help you keep moving forward

3. Get out of yourself. Give your time and talents to a cause or project you believe in. Volunteering two hours a week is a great motivator. It helps you to remember that you have talents and knowledge that people welcome and appreciate. It gives you purpose and you’re giving back so it’s a win-win.

4. Start blogging and sharing your experiences and knowledge. Blogs are free and easy to create and maintain. Once you’ve set your site up, send out emails to your contacts letting them know about it and asking for feedback/comments. Encourage them to recommend it to others. Blogging becomes a marketing tool for you and motivates you to share your expertise.

5. Create two affirmations for yourself: "I am successful!" "I am very good at my profession." "I deserve to be happy". Repeat these affirmations several times a day and post them on your bathroom mirror.

6. Set your networking sites high. Choose two people you want to meet i.e. the CEO of one of your target companies or the founder of a target company. Choose people who will help you in your job search. Then start asking EVERYONE you talk to if they know these people or could recommend someone you could talk to and get an introduction., This becomes a “mission” for you and you’ll be surprised at how small the world becomes.

"Just let me do this one thing....:"

2009-04-15T14:33:00.000-07:00

CBS Sunday Morning had a great story on procrastination this week. The point of the piece was that the time you're using to procrastinate can be very productive. The most interesting and king of putting things off was Leonardo DaVinci. Rather than working on the projects Pope Leo had commissioned him to do he created his notebooks and made drawings of helicopters, tanks, solar powered machines, automated bobbins. I know I put stuff off that I don't want to do or am not in the mood to do.....like this posting tonight. Since starting it several hours ago, I've written my Mom a rambling email, sent out 5 brilliant Tweets, checked my three email boxes, Accepted four Linkedin invitations, watched an episode of "Bones", eaten a baked potato, let my dog out twice, filled the bird feeder, come up with a list of 18 topics for future blogs and discovered a new website: OpenZine. So I agree - procrastinating can be VERY productive!

2009-04-08T16:45:00.000-07:00

NEW Job Search Rules

Searching for a new job? Here's what you need to know: the rules have changed dramatically since the last time you were in the job market. Here’s what’s new:

The biggest change is that we are now a "gig-to-gig" workforce. Because of the state of the economy, companies are reducing costs by using contractors for projects. These assignments usually last 3-6 months. You may be looking for a full time position, but be open to contract work. The days of long-term employment with one organization are long gone and so is company loyalty. Today's workplace dictates that you are responsible for your own career so re-invent yourself.

The second concept to thoroughly understand is that you are the product/service and leveraging your uniqueness puts you ahead of your competition. Figure what sets you apart from others in your field. Know what makes you the best and capitalize on it.

Number three change is taking time to “chill out and recover” after the layoff is a really bad idea. Because competition is fierce, develop your search plan and hit the road running immediately. If you're lucky enough to receive outplacement services, take advantage of it.

The last major change is that networking is THE way you’ll find your new position and using online social networks in your job search is a must. Use Linkedin, Plaxo and Facebook to serve as your mini-websites. You can put together your marketing message and write your profiles around that message. Social networks expand your ability to connect with more people and increase your networking. They don't take the place of face-to-face meetings so working your network and setting up personal meetings is still critical. The good news is that people are very open to networking because they know they'll probably soon be part of this new workplace world.

One good book

2009-04-07T18:28:00.000-07:00

I believe we all have one good book in us and mine is "The Re-invention Chronicles". I want to chronicle how people successfully re-invent themselves and their careers. Re-inventors have learned how to read the workplace, spot trends, find a unique way to contribute and quickly make the changes needed to move forward.
Here's the kicker though.....I never got around to writing this book and had given up on it until today. I figured out how I could get these stories written....finally. For some reason, I called the local newspaper this afternoon and asked if they would be interested in stories about local residents going through career change and what they're learning. They are. I am. Stay tuned.

We deserve it!

2009-04-06T17:37:00.000-07:00

I've been dancing around and "playing the part" of being an entrepreneur for a couple of years now. Committing....sorta. Believing I could do it.....sorta. Coaching clients to take the risk....sorta. Getting new clients, networking, but not really connecting. I came up with every excuse I could think of and they "sorta" worked. "I wasn't ready." "The market was too tight." "I didn't have a unique service."

Then, a couples of years ago I was having a conversation about my struggling business with a good friend. I was complaining about lack of success. My friend interrupted me and said "You don't really want to be successful, do you?" That comment woke me up and forced me to face the truth: I didn't think I DESERVED to be successful!

Admitting that my struggles weren't about being ready, the market or the product was hard. Admitting this was about my self worth and how I really saw myself was hard. However, it was well worth it! Once I gave myself permission to be successful - I am. Giving myself permission to take risks, charge what I'm worth (I'm not cheap), be the best and be the expert gets easier everyday.