Does Your Outside Match Your Inside?

Some may view personal image or how we dress as superficial or shallow. Others feel it’s an unnecessary evil of society—having to “dress the part.” These perceptions are often voiced by people who don’t fully understand what personal image is about. It goes well beyond just clothes.

Personal image serves a similar purpose to a company’s brand—especially during a job search or when you’re working hard to gain respect and credibility at work. Personal image is an outward expression of what’s inside. It tells the world who you are, how to treat you, and where you’re going in life. More importantly, it tells the world how you feel about yourself.

People spend a great deal of time and money getting an education, certifications, paying their dues, and seeking personal growth. Yet their image says, “I’m insecure,” “I don’t matter,” “I don’t care.”  And for job seekers of a certain age, an outdated personal image says you’re not current, relevant, or up to date with what’s going on in the world.

Poor personal image is not just about clothes and hair. When you don’t feel you look your best, it’s reflected in your body language. You don’t easily make eye contact; you don’t hold your head up; you don’t walk with confidence or speak up. If YOU don’t have confidence in yourself and your ability, others won’t either.

Personal image can be a roadblock or an accelerator in every area of life.

Showing up every day like you mean it--as a confident and put-together version of yourself will help you gain the respect, credibility, and success you deserve. And the coolest part is, even when you don’t feel 100% confident on the inside, dressing like you are, actually changes your mindset. Everything is connected.

So ask yourself, what are you putting out into the world every day?

Dear New Grads......

I work with many grads who talk about "dream jobs" or a specific salary, which only sets them up for disappointment. It's great to dream, but knowing it's a process and not a one-and-done is the best advice I can give you.

I advise you to focus on a few things:

1. Culture fit--working in a place that supports who you are and what's important to you is worth more than money.

2. Find a position that will set you up for the next one. Create a career progression ladder and know that you have to start at the bottom.

3. Do more! Doing what's asked of you and "then some" will propel you ahead of others who don't.

4. Be willing to reevaluate and change paths. Just because your major is finance, doesn't mean to have to go in that direction. College is an exploration and if you've found your passion and interests are in a different direction--go for it. It serves no one to take a job doing something you dislike or one that doesn't bring you satisfaction.

5. Know that things won't go perfectly. Be resilient; give yourself grace and patience.

6. Don't pursue someone else's dream--not your parents, not your siblings, not your peers. You don't have to justify your career direction to anyone. Instead, be true to who you are and who you want to become.

7. Remember, your job is your job. It's not a social gathering or an entertainment venue. While your workplace should be enjoyable and comfortable, it will feel like work much of the time, and some days will be difficult. It's the nature of the beast. Remind yourself that you're getting paid, and your job makes the rest of your life possible.

So, new grads—go forth and conquer the world!

Ramp Up Your Professional Credibility

Letters of recommendation and references are a good way to validate your professional skills and expertise. The problem with these is that the only people to see them are the ones you give them to.

THERE’S A BETTER WAY!

LinkedIn gives you the opportunity to increase your professional credibility where everyone can see it—online! LinkedIn Endorsements and Recommendations are one of the best ways to show recruiters and hiring managers that you are as good as you say.

You can also endorse and recommend others as a way to “pay it back” or “pay it forward”.

Set a goal of spending a few minutes a week working on gaining and giving Endorsements and Recommendations. Help yourself and others move forward in your job search and career!

Dear??????

Names can be confusing. Terry, Shawn, Kris....male or female? What about those who identify as non-binary?

Traditional salutations Mr., Mrs., Ms. may or may not work so it's important to be culturally sensitive.

It's 2022--What Will you Do This Year??

YOU HAVE AN ENTIRE YEAR AHEAD.

MAKE THE MOST OF IT!

Look back—a year in review.

·       What was accomplished, and were those accomplishments intentional?

·       What should have happened but didn’t?

·       What did you aim for but missed?

·       What would you be passionate and excited about achieving in the coming year?

Decide what you want to accomplish—be very specific and write them down.

·       Do your goals align with your life or career goals.

·       Do your goals nurture you or make you stressed?

·       Are your goals truly yours or what others want for you?

Map out a strategy—the actions you will take.

·       What action will you take each day, each week, each month?

Visualize and stay focused.

·       How will you remind yourself every day of what you’re working toward?

·       What tool can you use to help you stay focused along the way--a vision board, a list, a planner, or bullet journal?

 

Surround yourself with people that will support and encourage you.

·       Who will be your champions and cheerleaders?

·       Who are the people that will support your journey and cheer your progress?

Track your progress.

·       How will you measure it?

·       How will you know you’re successful?

Be flexible and prepared to make adjustments.

·       Who might try to derail your progress, and how will you get them to support you?

·       What obstacles might be in your way, and how will you overcome them?

Celebrate small victories.

Don’t focus on the end but on the incremental successes that will support your motivation.

YOU CAN DO IT!

STOP DOING WHAT YOU’RE DOING!

It's almost time to start a new year, and I know what you're thinking. How can I be more productive next year? How can I get more done? What tools, tricks, apps, or processes will help me dig out of my never-ending to-do list.

Sounds like you need a "Productivity Hack." But do you?? A productivity hack might help you get more done in less time. But what if not everything on your list is actually worth doing?

What you really need is a "Prioritization Hack.  A method to help you take time wastes OFF your to-do list and not do them at all. I KNOW! It's a mind-blowing concept. Don't do more--do less and only what's important.

I can hear you laughing, but stick with me, embracing this concept will change your life.

So, where should you start? First, you start with understanding the difference between urgent, important, not urgent, not important, Habit 3, First Things First, from The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People. Use the quadrant to document your many to-do items.

Then I encourage you to go one step beyond. For every task you deem necessary, ask yourself, "WHY."

"Why do I need to stay up until midnight baking cookies from scratch. Is it to keep up with the other moms who stay home? Is it to impress them? Why aren't bakery cookies good enough?"

"Why do I need to attend every function I'm invited to? Will people think I'm anti-social? Will I miss out on something? Will my life be better or worse tomorrow if I skip the event and take some time for self-care, family movie night, or exercise?"

"Why do I take on more work than I can do in a reasonable number of hours. Is it so I can get a promotion? Is it so my boss will see me as valuable and important? If working an excessive number of hours a week in and week out is what I need to do to impress my boss and get promoted, will the personal sacrifice be worth it?

The only question you should be asking yourself when making your to-do list is, "will what I'm doing get me closer to or farther away from the life I want?" People are checking off too many things that do nothing but help them tread water.

Do these two exercises and answer this question, "what will you remove from your to-do list, so you have more time for what's meaningful and fulfilling?"

I can't wait to hear your comments.

PRIME TIME FOR JOB SEEKERS--JANUARY, FEBRUARY, MARCH!!

While you should never completely put your job search on hold, certain times of the year are better than others. Set yourself apart with an updated, polished, and powerful resume and LinkedIn profile.

Job Search Killers!

I often get requests for a resume that “shows my diverse skills”, “broad background”, “accomplishments throughout my career”.

PLEASE HEAR THIS!

Companies don't want to know about everything you can do. They want to know what, SPECIFICALLY you can do for them. What skills and experience do you have that will help their organization in the role they’re hiring for. It’s important to “show and tell” recruiters and hiring managers exactly where you fit within their organization.

A “jack of all trades” resume or LI profile will NOT entice recruiters to call you if they have to first dig for relevant information.

Your career target has to be front and center. And, if you have two different targets, you need TWO different resumes.

Your Next Move Doesn't Have to Be Your Last

You've heard it, "we are in unprecedented times." What does that mean? It means that something unexpected and unfamiliar is happening—and what's happening now, is COVID. COVID is impacting the medical community, the economy, and the job market.

But when you think about it, unexpected and unfamiliar things happen all the time—especially in the job market. There are mergers and acquisitions, department restructuring or downsizing, jobs become obsolete thanks to automation, entire divisions are dissolved, and a few or many people end up out of a job.

These things happen on a much smaller scale than COVID, but scale doesn't really matter when they happen to you.

Once the shock has worn off, you think about your next move—that next job. Your goal is to find a company that will pay you more than your last company--after all, you were totally underpaid. You want a company that offers a full benefits package, great culture, ample time off, work-life balance, flexible schedule, upward mobility, professional development, and more.

WOW! Those are some high expectations.

While it might be possible to find everything you want in a job, that takes TIME. When you're unemployed or looking at becoming unemployed soon, time is one thing you don't have.

So, what am I saying??

Make a list of your MUST HAVES for the next 6-12 months. List 1 might look like this:

LIST 1: WHAT I ABSOLUTELY NEED NOW:

·          Keep the money coming. Determine what cuts you can make in your living expenses and start there. What's the least I can make and still get by.

·          Health insurance

Then make List 2 for your longer-term career goal, which can include everything you want. Break your list into three sections. Here's how your List 2 might look:

LIST 2: IDEAL JOB:

·          Must Haves—competitive salary, medical insurance, ample time off, 401k, great culture.

·          Nice to Haves—professional development, upward mobility, flexible working hours, or telecommute option.

·          Deal breakers—commute longer than an hour, no time off allowed over Christmas, no cell-phone use during the workday…

You can conduct your job search based on list two but be realistic. If you're in an economic downturn where the job market is highly competitive and flooded with qualified applicants—BE FLEXIBLE.

Your next move doesn't have to be your last. If you're offered a good job, seriously consider taking it. Look at it as a life raft, a bridge, a passage that will keep you going until you can find a great job.

While I don't promote job-hopping as a strategy, taking a step like this may be necessary—a short term job might look better on your resume than a large gap and it will help you keep the bills paid. Bottom line: be realistic and flexible and don't hold out for perfect when temporarily accepting good-enough will keep you from becoming a casualty of the times.

For assistance with your job search:

https://www.drmthrive.com/

Or Call 515-314-2901

RECESSION PROOF JOBS—FACT OR MYTH

As a Career Coach, I ask my clients what they’re looking for in their next job. They provide multiple reasons but one that comes up frequently is that they want job security in a recession proof industry.

While that’s a nice idea, it’s not realistic. If COVID has taught us anything, it’s that we all need to be able to pivot. Something we should have already been aware of in today’s fast-paced technology driven world. Staying the same is just not an option—not for people and not for companies.

Red Flags!

Ø  Your role becoming is more automated making your skillset obsolete?

Ø  Your work is starting to be outsourced?

Ø  You’ve been in your current role for a length of time and/or you at the top of the pay scale for your position?

Ø  Your company is being acquired or restructured?

Acknowledging and embracing the fact that you might need to change jobs, sometimes unexpectedly, is the first step in making YOU recession-proof. My experience with clients in a wide variety of industries, from mid-level to executive, has given me keen insight on what it takes to be marketable, employable, and sought after in the job market.

And here’s a little secret. Yes, soft skills are important and transferrable but it’s the hard skills that will get you in the door for an interview. You might actually be a passionate, hard working, motivated, result’s oriented, career-minded, team player—so is everyone you’re up against. What you really need to stand out is hard skills backed up by achievements.

Now is the time to think ahead and ask yourself this question: If your current job was no longer available, what would you want to do next and where would you acquire the skills to be a viable candidate?

Questions to ask yourself as you map out long-term career plan?

·         Are certifications among my peers and leaders becoming more common?

·         Do more people in my field have advanced degrees?

·         What is the cutting edge technology (software and apps) in my industry?

·         What new industry standard programs and tools are being used in my specific discipline and are you highly proficient in them?

Don’t think that yesterday’s skills will take you into tomorrow’s workplace. Business and technology are changing at unprecedented speeds. Powering up your hard skills will help set you apart. Unlike years past, when you apply for a job today, you’re up against dozens if not hundreds of highly qualified applicants. Don’t get left behind.

 Many certifications and classes are being offered right now, at discounted prices (and some are free).

If you need help with your career or job search plan, please contact me at dmarshall@drmthrive.com.

Anyone Excited for Monday?

According to monstor.com, 76% of people get the “Sunday night blues”.  Really??  How sad.  Aren’t there enough things in life to feel sad about without living out a recurring sad situation that happens every week?

Things. Must. Change.

I know, I know. You say you’re stuck in your job.  But are you really?  Or is doing something about it just too hard to think about?

No worries, I’m here to help.

If you’re simply bored of your routine and in need of something fresh and different, there are things you can do to spice things up.

1.        Don’t put off until Monday, what you can do on Friday.  For most people, Friday afternoons are highly unproductive.  Instead, really dig in on Friday afternoon and work ahead.  Check a couple of things off of your Monday list.  Then….plan something fun for Monday that you can really look forward to.  A long lunch with a friend, time reading a book, taking a walk, or getting some exercise.

2.       Aesthetics are important.  If you haven’t done any “redecorating” to your work space, do it now.  Change out some pictures, bring in some color, add flowers or motivations quotes.  Get some plants. Plants add oxygen which helps you think. Give yourself a fresh new space to look at while you’re working. 

3.       Are you in the habit of taking Friday off when you’re in need of a long weekend?  Try taking Monday off instead.  Psychologically this gives you a boost on Sunday night because you’ve still got one more day off.  And, when you start work on Tuesday, you’ve got a short week in front of you.

4.       Ask your leader to let you stretch your wings with a new project or assignment that is not ordinarily in your scope of work.  Mental challenges go a long way to keeping things interesting and engaging.

If what you really need is a new job, pay attention.  Landing a new/different/better job is NOT impossible.  It may take effort and time but doing what you’re doing takes effort and time too.  Might as well use that energy to move toward something you really want.

1.       Carve out time once or twice a week to think.  Think about what you want to do next.  Think about what preferences you have for your next job.  DREAM about having a new job that you love!

2.       Check out the job postings.  See which ones spark your interest. 

3.       If your next job requires skills you don’t presently have, find a way to learn them.  Online courses, certifications, community ed classes, You Tube.  Embrace learning something new.

4.       Get yourself prepared.  To be most successful, you’ll need a current and ATS friendly resume, a killer LinkedIn profile (with a personal summary that tells your story), top notch interview skills, and a great job search strategy.  And most of all, a positive attitude and patience.  The job search is not easy or quick.  But it’s totally worth it when you no longer have those awful “Sunday night blues”.

5.       Hire a career coach with expertise in the job search.  Doing this takes a large portion of the work and stress off of your shoulders and sets you up for success.  A career coach can also help you figure out what you want to do next making that career transition smoother and easier.

TAKE YOUR MONDAY’S BACK..

IT’S ALL UNDER YOUR CONTROL.

PERSONAL OR BUSINESS – THE STRUGGLE IS REAL

Technology, automation, efficiency. We can do so many things without ever talking to anyone or leaving our house. Efficiency reigns. Companies like this model because they can push more work though with less people. Less overhead saves us money on the product or service we’re buying. That would seem like a good thing.

BUT IS IT?
For anyone who has ever been caught in one of the infuriating automated phone systems, automation can be quite the opposite. For customer service “push 1”. If you know your thirty-six digit account number enter it now”. Are they kidding??? And if you are fortunate enough to get a live person on the other end the frustration can get even worse. It’s no longer a conversation. It’s all about the CYA script.  Ask three different questions, you get the same scripted answer. Total frustration!

How about: to leave a nasty message “push 3”.  They never give you that choice do they?

Infuriation aside, the focus on automation, efficiency and the CYA scripts has robbed us of something important. Relationships. The benefit of human contact. The joy of real customer service. The feeling that you’re being heard and that someone understands you and cares.  That’s a human need present in all of us. But don’t take it personally.

How many times have we heard “it’s not personal, it’s business.”  You know what? I think that’s a load of crap! There, I said it. I know that’s what all of you were thinking.

This snippet from a Fast Company article makes a powerful statement.
“One of the most common mistakes people make when building relationships for career success and revenue growth is treating business contacts differently than personal friends. Just think for a moment about the people you work with on a professional level who are also close personal friends. Aren’t they always more forgiving when you slip up and more helpful when you’re in need than new acquaintances are? Of course! I guarantee your work will be easier, more joyful, and more successful if you make more of your business relationships personal.”

I’ve always believed that people are the foundation and lifeblood of every business. Whether you’re an employee, customer or vendor, you’re a person, not a number, not a sale, but a person. And that, my friend, makes it personal. Act accordingly.

Need help on your journey to success? Get me started!

WORDS OF WISDOM FROM CRASH DAVIS

“Your shower shoes have fungus on 'em. You'll never get to the Bigs with fungus on your shower shoes.  Think classy and you'll be classy. If you win 20 in the Show you can let the fungus grow back on your shower shoes and the press'll think you're colorful.  Until you win twenty in the Show, however, it means you're a slob.”

This is one of my favorite quotes from the movie Bull Durham.  When I was a leader, I used this quote when I had to give the “summer dress code” reminder speech, year after year.  In this situation the quote really hit home.  I find that when you need to clearly get a point across, refer to pop-culture—and make it funny.

This quote worked because it painted a picture for a team trying to understand why their funky, unusual, too casual, or skin bearing outfits (including flip-flops) were not right for the workplace.  It helped them see that their clothes were working against them and would ultimately hold them back in their career because of how they were perceived.  And how people perceive you has a definite impact on success, not just professionally but personally.

So, unless you’re the Steve Jobs or Sheryl Sandburg of your workplace and you’ve already made your mark, stick to looking polished and appropriate.  

The following guidelines don’t apply to everyone of course, but the vast majority will benefit from taking note.  If you work outside, build things, or get dirty, you have your own dress code and these aren’t meant for you.

What you wear and how you groom yourself sends a silent, yet loud and very clear message.  So, go ahead and look at yourself—take a good look.  What message are you sending? What message do you want to be sending?  If you aren’t getting the respect, recognition, promotion, raise, job, or relationship you know you deserve, it might be time for an image overhaul.  

If, one day in the future you’ve anchored yourself at the top of the ladder in life and work, then and only then, are you allowed to let “fungus grow on your shower shoes”.

Need help on your journey to success? Get me started!

FIND A GREAT JOB, THE “EASY” WAY

The importance of the right job cannot be underestimated.  Most people spend 8 to 10 hours a day at work.  Co-workers become like family.  In the best-case scenario, your job is motivating and provides a sense of accomplishment.  Development and growth opportunities are abundant.  Salary is in line with work performed.  You have a boss who not only respects you but likes you. 

HOW AWESOME WOULD THAT BE???

Unfortunately, many jobs don’t quite measure up, and some jobs are real nightmares.  So why are you willing to settle for less than you deserve?  Why do you stay in a position that makes you unhappy?  And, if you decide to make a move, why aren’t you willing to invest the time, effort, and money required to help you successfully reach your career destination?  What makes you choose the easiest and cheapest methods instead of investing in yourself and your future? 

Maybe you don’t realize that there is NO EASY WAY to navigate the job market alone.

I very often hear:

“I’m having a friend take a look at my resume for me.”

“I’ll just get my info off the internet.”

“I downloaded a resume and cover letter template, and I can just fill them in.”

“My sister did a practice interview with me.”

REALLY?  Are these “free” resources worthy of you and your future?

Complex and unknown obstacles are faced by job seekers today.  Unless you’re a recruiter or experienced career consultant, it would be nearly impossible to have a thorough understanding of how to navigate the process successfully. 

·         Can you really develop a compelling resume and cover letter that differentiates you from the rest of the applicants? 

·         Are you aware of how to get past the Application Tracking Software that has created a big black hole in the application process? 

·         Did you know that a complete LinkedIn profile is critical to job search success and that once it’s done, you need to be active? 

·         Do you know that the interview is not about you?

·         And, did you know that no more than half your time should be spent applying online?

So many obstacles to overcome yet job seekers look for free, cheap, and seemingly easy options.  From my experience, in most cases, these options do not work well, and they prolong the job search.  By the time a job seeker comes to me for help, they are highly frustrated and have spent months of their time going nowhere.  And they can’t figure out why!

Friends and relatives might have good intentions and want to help, but they don’t know any more than you do about how to land a great job.  The close relationship prevents them from providing an unbiased opinion.  Your mother, best friend, or co-worker will never tell you that your resume needs help, and you should get it done by a professional.   They won’t tell you that your interview skills need to be more polished and professional.  Those things are just too hard to say to someone you love, like, or work with.  It’s a no-win situation for both of you. 

“Do it yourself” might be faster and easier, but it’s not effective. Free resources aren’t really free when it takes months or years longer to find the right job. In the end, you get what you pay for. 

You will get the highest and fastest return on investment by investing in yourself and using a professional who will position you in the best light and set you up for success!

Need help on your journey to success? Get me started!

WOW, THAT’S A TOUGH ONE

You’re out there applying for jobs.  You’ve done your homework so you know you’re resume is in good shape.  It highlights your achievements, it’s concise, key-word rich, and follows the correct formatting to make it past Application Tracking Software.  It’s just a matter of time before you get called for an interview.

Then suddenly the phone rings.  You got the interview!  You’ve overcome a big hurdle in the job search process.  Out of the hundreds of resumes submitted for each job, YOU were selected to move forward in the process.  You pat yourself on the back and let out a sigh of relief…for a brief second.  Then you go into panic mode--because now you’re actually thinking about how to have a successful interview.

You’re head starts spinning.  How should I prepare?  How do I know what they’ll ask me?   How should I answer?

The answer is--there is not one right answer.  There are plenty of wrong answers to be sure, but there are a variety of right answers as well.  The question you should be asking yourself as you prepare is “why”.  Why are they asking me this question?  If you can figure that out, you’ll be way ahead of the pack.

When recruiters and hiring managers ask questions, here is what they are looking for:
They want to know if you’re a good fit for the company culture and team.
They want to know that you are knowledgeable about the company and how you can help them.
They want to know that you’re self-aware and able to compensate for your weaknesses.
They want to know how you solve problems, prioritize and manage time.
They want to know how you collaborate and get along with others.
They want to know that you’re open to different ideas.
They want to know what makes you different than the other applicants.
They want to know how effectively you communicate.
They want to know how you handle adversity and difficulties.
They want to know why you want to work for them—that they have what you’re looking for in a job.

For Example
Q: “What was the best thing about your last job?”
A: “You had a 37 hour workweek in the summer and loved being able to get off early on Fridays.”
Problem:  What if the company you’re interviewing with doesn’t offer a 37 hour workweek?  You’ve just told them you’re not a good fit.  Be sure to answer the question by stating something you liked about your last job that you KNOW they offer.

Q: “Tell me about a time when someone on your team didn’t want to follow the established process.”
A:  “I explained to them that it was important to follow the process that had been established as to not create issues.”
Problem:  What if the person that didn’t want to follow the process had a really good idea?  It’s best to find a situation where you were open to different ideas that had potential.  Whether the new idea was adapted or not doesn’t really matter.  What matters is that you’re receptive and understand that the world is constantly changing and business must change along with it.

Q: “Tell me about a time when something you were working on didn’t succeed.”
A: “I tried to launch a new process but it didn’t work because the software we had would not support it.”
Problem: No one cares exactly what the project was and you’re not being judged on the fact that it didn’t succeed.  What they’re looking for is did you research what you were doing and make smart decisions up front—not just jump into something without thinking.  And more importantly, how did you handle the failure—did you own it or blame someone else--and what did you learn so that the same mistake won’t be repeated.

When you’re practicing interview questions (and you should practice!), be sure that your answers address one or more of the points above.  Focus not so much on which answer comes to mind most easily or which one you think makes you look like a rock-star. Your goal is to clearly communicate that you think, collaborate, remain open to others, and learn along the way. 

Remember that the interview is really not about you.  That’s right, it’s not about you.  It’s about them—their company, their team, their NEEDS.  Be sure your answers reflect that.

Need help on your journey to success? Get me started!