Successful Blog

Securing the Needed Education to Finance the Right Career

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leave-364178_640If you take a moment to look at where your career is currently headed, are you happy with what you see?

For many individuals, today’s job challenges are not always so much tied to employers not offering them. In fact, it is oftentimes a case of not having the necessary qualifications to meet the needs of companies.

Although some individuals will have each and every qualification needed, they will still be turned down. In the end, the majority do find work when properly qualified.

With that in mind, what are you doing to be as sure as possible that you will get the career you want and deserve?

Are You Properly Qualified?

So that you have all the qualifications deemed necessary to get the job and ultimately career you want, make sure the following are checked off:

  • Attitude – First and foremost, do you have the right attitude when it comes to the job search? Unfortunately, some individuals go into a job hunt feeling like they are all but entitled to a position. In the real world, however, that attitude won’t get one too far. When you have the attitude that exudes positivism, you stand a much better chance of being where you want. Take it from the approach of things work out for a reason, but you’re going to stay positive no matter what;
  • Education – When it comes to your educational background, are you as educated as is deemed necessary? Whether looking for an accounting degree, acquiring an online master of science in finance degree, perhaps a communications degree, be sure to get what you need. Although hands-on training goes a long way in whether or not you get the position you seek, your educational background certainly can’t be discounted;
  • Skills – As you look at the skills you currently possess, are they enough to get you in the door for the interview of your choice (see more below)? In an ever-changing world, recent skills can prove outdated in a short period of time, so never assume what you have is enough. Also take the time to look at your overall social skills, notably as to how you act online and offline. When it comes to the former, more and more employers are looking at prospective candidates (along with current employees), checking to see what they say and do on social media. It would definitely behoove you to be as professional and cautious as possible. Never lash out socially about a current or former employer or co-worker.

Positive Personality is Always Worthwhile

  • Personality – Whether it is in the workplace or outside of it, a positive personality should always be by your side. In the workplace, customer service is always a focal point, something that can determine how successful (or not for that matter) a business can be. If you are in a current job or interviewing for one (perhaps both), make sure your personality comes across as positive. As for outside the workplace, being personable pays dividends too. Always keep in mind that you never truly know who you are talking to at many times in your life. As a result, a general discussion in a coffee shop, restaurant, doctor’s office etc. could in fact be with someone you will refer to as your boss one day;
  • Goals – Finally, for both your sake and the sake of any employer you work for, having goals is crucial. Yes, some employees just go through the motions in the workplace on a daily basis. For whatever reason or reasons that is, it really doesn’t help anyone, notably the worker. By being ambitious and looking to accomplish more in life in terms of your profession, you will stand out in a positive way for all to see.

If you feel like something is missing in your career i.e. enough education, the right position to grow in etc. will you do something about it today?

Photo credit: Pixabay

About the Author: Dave Thomas covers business and personal growth topics on the web.

 

Is It Wrong or Different?

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Do you know the difference between wrong and different?

When I first became an editorial manager, it took me a while to realize how subjective editing can be. The fact is if I ask 15 editors to revise an essay, I’ll get back 15 versions, each uniquely worded by the person who did the work.

Allowing that no mistakes were made, not one of the revised versions would be exactly as any other. Possibly even more important, not one of those revisions would be exactly I would do it. The choices made by other editors weren’t wrong. They simply were different from how I would do it.

It can be disconcerting when we ask for help or delegate work and what we get is something other than we expected, a different solution than ours would have been. But, if we’re willing to stop for a moment and consider the new approach on its own merit, we’re likely to find that what separates the two is how we were taught to do it or what we personally prefer.

Old recordings in our head tend to tell us that being different is wrong. We search for the answer our teacher wants us to parrot. We’re supposed dress like, and act like, our peer group. Don’t buy it!

What makes each of us valuable is the difference we bring to the table. When someone brings you something different than you expect, do all you can to understand the new solution. You might just find that the new solution solves the problem in a more interesting way. If new solution doesn’t suit your intended purpose, still do all you can to express respect for the new solution before you set it aside. Leaving room for other solutions opens the door to learning those new tricks old dogs aren’t supposed to be able to learn

.… And when you have a different solution, don’t seek disruption, but find a low-stress opportunity to ask about trying it. Bring your idea gently, but please bring your difference. We need it.

Be irresistible,

Liz

Put Your Mind to It

The next time someone brings you a solution that’s different from what you expected, try to catch yourself before you show them the right way to do it. Instead, ask that person why they chose to do the task as they did. You might find the thinking behind their method is stronger than the thinking behind the way you do it.

More from Liz . . . about Wrong and Different:

The Difference Between Wrong and Different

The Minute I’m Sure I’m Right, I’m Most Certainly Wrong

Express to Impress: Expert Tips for Professional Communication

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To realize your professional potential and reach your goals, your communication etiquette needs to be on point. The details of how you get your message across can make a huge difference in the way you are perceived in the workplace.

Tanya White-Earnest, Director of Trident University International’s Center for Career Planning & Workforce Strategies, believes that communication skills can make or break professional opportunities and relationships. She put together an outstanding webinar called Professional Communication Etiquette to help job seekers and employees be more successful.

Below are some helpful and insightful tips from that expert webinar. We’ve broken them down into things that work well and things that don’t work so well in a professional setting.

“Whether you’re applying for a job and want to be sure you communicate well with recruiters and hiring managers or if you’re already in a position where you want to present yourself well to superiors, coworkers, and clients, these tips will help,” said White-Earnest.

Things that Work

According to White-Earnest, there are some things you can do when dealing with professional contacts that help make your interactions more positive, polished, and easy. These are a few:

  • A hand-written thank you note after a good interview. This helps you stand out as a candidate and shows your sincere desire to earn the position. Some people are tempted to text after a job interview because they want to get in touch immediately. While immediacy is important, you can accomplish this by sending an e-mail and then follow up with your hand-written letter.
  • Use good posture and smile when talking on the phone. The person on the other end of the conversation may not be able to see you, but scholars of communications find that these behaviors make a real difference in the way you are perceived. By sitting up straight and smiling, you can help ensure you leave a positive impression. You can even put a mirror in front of your face when on an important call to ensure you convey your meaning with the appropriate expression.
  • Make sure your personal phone is job search/office ready. Ensure you have a basic ring tone and voicemail greeting that projects an image of professionalism.
  • Turn your personal phone off whenever you are in interviews, meetings, or other professional settings. Not doing so is disruptive and makes you seem unorganized.
  • Fully read all of your e-mails and reply appropriately. Do not skim! Address each point that is brought up. If a person brings up three issues, don’t address only two. If you cannot answer all of their questions, tell the person you will find out the information they are seeking and get back to them.
  • Use autoresponder when on vacation or at a conference. That way if you don’t get back to someone right away, they will not be left to wonder why you didn’t respond or assume you are nonresponsive and unreliable.
  • Be sure to have an e-mail signature. This should include all of your contact information and a link to your LinkedIn profile. That way the person will be able to easily contact you in terms with which they are comfortable.
  • Respond even when you’re not interested. If you receive an e-mail requesting an interview for a position you’ve decided you do not want, don’t ignore it. Write the person back, thank them, explain that you don’t think it’s the right position for you, and if you know someone who might be a good fit, mention that person and put them in touch. That way, if an opportunity that does suit you opens up within their company, they will remember your courteous communications and helpful attitude. If you ignore them, consider the bridge burned.
  • Make sure all of your social media profiles are up-to-date and thorough. You want to be sure that anything they check really shows what you bring to the table. And they will check!

Things that Don’t Work

Just like there are things that help your work image, there are also actions that can harm it. Below are some to avoid:

  • Initiating text messaging. Generally speaking, you should never initiate texting with a professional contact. They should text first and then it is okay to answer them. However, just because they texted first, this time, doesn’t mean it is okay to use text the next time you need to communicate with them. E-mail or phone should still be used. Texts should be on a response-only basis in the professional sphere, unless specified otherwise by the contact.

Note: About 60% of recruiters use text. This is because 98% of texts are opened and 90% are replied to in 3 minutes. They know if they text they will probably hear back from you quickly, which is an advantage when they are scheduling multiple interviews. While it is obviously fine to respond to these texts, it is important to remember that other communications should take place via e-mail or phone – never text.

  • Text talk, social media abbreviations, and emoticons should not be used in job search materials. These are simply too casual and personal. Plus, many people will see you as juvenile, LOL. 😉
  • Misspelling the contact’s name or addressing them as the wrong gender. These types of mistakes are a great way to make a bad impression. This is especially important when the stakes are high, as in job search e-mails or when writing to a superior. If you are writing to that person, chances are you want them to help you in some way. Take the time to find the person on LinkedIn or their company website to determine their correct name spelling and whether they are male or female. Note: never assume you know gender by name!
  • Emails without subject lines. Always make sure to write a clean, accurate subject line for your e-mail. Emails without subject lines sometimes end up in spam folders. Subject lines also help your e-mail to stand out and be searchable if someone wants to reference the information in it later.
  • Applying to jobs for which you are unqualified. Recruiters get hundreds and hundreds of applications. Wasting their time by applying to a job for which you don’t qualify is a surefire way to ensure that company never hires you. Of course, more qualifications are possible with an online bachelors degree.
  • Not proofreading and spellchecking. Errors will project an image of carelessness when you want to come across as detail-oriented. Sending sloppy communications is also somewhat disrespectful as it indicates you don’t care enough about them to ensure your communication is correct and professional.
  • Following up more than once or twice per week. If you’ve written your follow-up e-mail clearly and appropriately, you will probably not have to do this anyway. But if you find yourself attempting to contact a company on a more than bi-weekly basis, you should probably realize this opportunity is not for you and move on.

In addition to these dos and don’ts, White-Earnest says there is one thing that will help you earn favor more than anything else in business communications: “The most important thing is to make connections and build relationships,” she said.

In the words of Maya Angelou, “people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.” If you made your contact feel friendly, at ease, and confident in your abilities, then you are well on your way to success.

Good luck!

Photo credit: Pixabay

 

 

Five Apps That Support Mindfulness

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Have you ever caught yourself holding your breath during the day?

Take a moment right now, and notice your breathing, your posture, the tension in your shoulders.
What do you smell?
What is sitting in front of you?
Are there sounds in the room?
How many devices do you have sending notifications while you’re reading this post? (Yes, I saw you just sneak a peek at your phone.)

In this go-go stressed out world, we all need resources that will help us zero back in on this moment. After all, that’s all we have. A series of moments strung together to make a day, month, year, life.

In the immortal words of Ferris Bueller, “Life moves pretty fast. If you don’t stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it.”

Here are some apps that will support your efforts to stop and look around once in a while.

5 Apps That Support Mindfulness

1. Breathe for Apple Watch

It’s not good to hold your breath, according to experts. It’s a sign of stress, and can lead to problems. If you have an Apple Watch, you now have a breathing buddy. I scoffed at this one when I first saw it, but after using it steadily for a week, I noticed a difference in my general state. Here’s a great article that goes in-depth on how Breathe works. The animated graphic, along with the haptic feedback, give you an oasis of calm whenever they appear. You can set the frequency and length as well. The beautiful simplicity of this one makes it a winner.

2. Calm

I’ll admit to being a meditation newbie, and the Calm app was a good entry point for me. It comes with some free mediation sessions, and then offers additional paid sessions. They have a beautiful desktop app in addition to the mobile and watch apps, so you can get centered no matter where you are. If you’re using an iPhone with the Apple Health app, your Calm meditation sessions will integrate and count toward your “mindful minutes” each day.

3. Mindful Mynah

It doesn’t get much simpler than the Mindful Mynah app, which plays a brief sound on a schedule you set. The idea is that hearing the sound (which you choose) will remind you to refocus on the task at hand, or get aware of your present moment. You can use it for any purpose, including remembering to take a brief break and stretch! It’s only 99 cents in the app store; there’s a desktop and a mobile app available.

4. Headspace

The Headspace app is more like a personal trainer for meditation. The application will take you through meditation sessions you choose based on your mood or lifestyle. They have a user community on the website, so you can connect with other Headspace fans and get support. There is a free 10 day trial, with paid plans thereafter, starting at $6.40 per month.

5. Buddhify

If playfulness is your thing, Buddhify will appeal to you. Its colorful wheel-style selector will help you choose the appropriate guided meditation for where you are and what you’re doing. Can’t sleep? In pain? There’s a session for you in the Buddhify app. The app provides stats and charts to track your progress, and has both guided and solo timed options, in case you want to just go it alone. It’s $4.99 in the app store (not free, but won’t break the bank either).

BONUS: I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention a member of our GeniusShared family, Bija Bennett, who has amazing wellness resources on her website, including this great video on breathing awareness.

Have you tried any of these apps yet? Did I miss any good ones you’d like to share?

 

Author’s Bio: Rosemary O’Neill is an insightful spirit who works for Social Strata — makers of the Hoop.la community platform. Check out the Social Strata blog. You can find Rosemary on Google+ and on Twitter as @rhogroupee

It’s Not Your Passion, But Your Purpose

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Everyone feels lost sometimes.

Everyone feels lost sometimes.

I don’t think I know anyone who hasn’t been lost in their head at one time or another — even those folks overachieving all over the Internet. We all find those moments that we wonder about who we are and what we want. But the question is not whether everyone gets lost, but how we get ourselves back on the road to the life we want.

Ask everyone how to get back to moving forward, and soon enough someone will say, “Follow your passion.” Follow your passion? What if my passion is sitting on the beach, listening to music?

When faced with the questions of who we are and what we want, the road to moving forward follows your purpose. Passion is only half the story. However you define success in business or in life, a critical component is finding your purpose — your unique ability to help others that involves both your mind and your heart.

Purpose is both credibility and passion. Credibility is at the heart of knowing who we are. To find your credibility, ask yourself what you’re already known for, what you’re good at, what you’ve accomplished. Passion is at the heart of knowing what we want. To find your passion, name what you talk about, think about, and do every day — without payment — simply because it makes you feel like you’ve got a contribution to make. In other words, concentrate on combining what you do well with what you really like.

If you’re an ex-lawyer fascinated by marketing. You might find your crossroads showing lawyers how to market their business. If you’re a mother who wants to start a small business, research small businesses for mothers or by show mothers how they might get started in business. Then help others who feel lost find their unique space.

It’s hard to feel lost when you’re helping people find their own way.

Be irresistible,

Liz

Put Your Mind to It

Set your mind to find the crossroads of your credibility and your passion. You’ll find a problem that you have solved for yourself in your own, unique way. Consider how you solved that problem for yourself. Then go solve that problem for everyone else.

More from Liz . . . about Not Passion, But Purpose:

Are You Seeing the Things that Make a Difference to Your Business and Your Life?

Choosing and Deciding: How Do You Sort a Path to Opportunity?

How I changed the story I was telling myself

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On Stories & Taking Risk

It was another day of meetings — the last — of what had been three full days for an important advisory committee I was serving on. We were in the wrap up stage of the day; the time where each member of the committee was to share key closing thoughts and advice for government officials.

Luckily — or perhaps unluckily — the feedback started at the opposite side of the room. This meant that I would be close to the last to share my thoughts. I knew that I had things to share; critical feedback. Ideas and suggestions that would help the key officials who were there to listen. I believed my words could make a difference.

Yet, as I listened to those who were speaking before me — I became concerned that my feedback would not be “good enough.” Even worse, I began telling myself that there was no way I was as smart or as informed as all the others who were at the same table I was.

By the time, it was my turn to speak — the story I was telling myself — was that my expertise was non existent. And that the words I wanted to share — my words — were of little importance. Amazingly I still, somehow, managed to stumble through my thoughts and get my words out. As I did this, I was overwhelmed with fear. And, silently, I began comparing every word I spoke out loud to all the others words that had already been said. As you might imagine, nothing profound emerged from me. And my words sort of hung in the room with what seemed like an eternal silence, long after the fact. Nobody said anything. In fact, I was sure I saw a few sideways glances between folks. To say it was awful — just doesn’t begin to describe how I felt.

On that day, I left that meeting room with the story I had told myself — that I was not as smart or as informed as all the others — fully cemented in my mind. And guess what? I chose to let that story stick with me — for more than 10 years. It hung over me every time I went into meetings that were with more than a few people. It was with me when I met in team meetings with clients. And when I attended other committees I was also serving on. In time, I began avoiding such meetings — and narrowing my circle of clients — as well as friends and colleagues. I did all this — because of a story I told myself.

I carried that story — and all the subsequent thinking that came with it — until the winter of 2011. It was then; that something happened and that made me realize the story I had been telling myself was a lie. And that I — Jane Boyd — was every bit as smart and informed as the next person — and — that yes, my words and my voice mattered. In fact, they mattered a whole lot.

So — what happened? What made me realize I had been telling myself a story that was a lie?

In hindsight — it seems so simple — but here it is:

I got tired of being quiet. Of not saying what was truly in my mind. So I took a risk.

I decided to stop being quiet.

What followed, set me on a journey that led to me learning about the power of the stories we tell ourselves. And that eventually enabled me to slay a great many of the stories that had been holding me back. The more stories I eliminated and reframed — the stronger my voice and my words became. Not only in person, but in writing too.

The truest stories are the ones that don’t hold you back or keep you quiet. They are the ones that not only empower you — but — reinforce all the good things about the very person you are.

Be brave,

Jane

Put Your Mind to It

Think of a moment when you began telling yourself a particular story.

  • What is the story?
  • Is it beneficial to you?
  • Is it really your true story?

Life affords us the opportunity to keep, reframe or throw away every story we tell ourselves. What do you want to do with this particular story?

More from Successful-Blog. . .

about Stories & Taking Risk

You’re not “just” anything. Dare to dream.

  • by Rosemary O’Neill, Co-Founder/President of Social Strata, Managing Editor of Successful-Blog and GeniusShared community member.

Jane Boyd is a Partner in GeniusShared. She is also the CEO of 45 Conversations Media & Education Ltd, a Canadian education and training company based just outside of Vancouver Canada. She works with educators, business, community and government in the areas of early learning, work-life, community development and employee engagement.