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IN THIS ISSUE =================================== A. Inspirational Quotes For the Month B. How To Create Opportunity C. Is Self-Employment an Option? D. Practical Steps for Optimal Interview Results =================================== A. INSPIRATIONAL QUOTES OF THE MONTH "...the way I see it, you can either run from it, or learn from it." -- Rafikki to Simba in Disney's The Lion King "The harder you fall, the higher you bounce." -- UNKNOWN "If you can DREAM it, you can DO it." -- Walt Disney ==================================== B. HOW TO CREATE OPPORTUNITY The typical job seeker will try to make themselves look and act like a candidate that a potential employer is seeking. A better approach to finding opportunity is to ask the following question. "Given my talents, skills and potential, what problems can I solve or what benefits can I bring to an organization, my community, or the world?" Everyone has unique talents that the world can use. Taking time to discover what these talents are, is the first step in creating opportunity. Here are a few questions to answer.
So now, look at your list of talents and skills. Who could benefit from the utilization of these talents and skills in a way they have not yet imagined? How would they benefit? Answer these last few questions in the form of an employment proposal. This is a one-page cover letter for a job that does not yet exist. In the employment proposal, there are three elements you must cover.
By thinking outside of the box, opportunity can be created. There is a need that you can fill. If you aren’t a good idea person, then talk to people who are. Don’t be limited by scarcity thinking. We do live in an abundant world. Believe it and go for it. You will find the opportunities! ====================================== C. IS SELF-EMPLOYMENT AN OPTION? The only thing that we can be certain of today and in the future is constant change. So how can today’s adult worker capitalize in this chaotic and ever-changing world? How can you thrive in challenging and uncertain times? As we head into the 21st century, I see more and more people getting tired of being reorganized out of a job. I see people wanting to gain greater control over their lives. I see people wanting greater balance in their lives -- time for work, family, creativity, and recreation. We know that businesses are relying more and more on automation and less on people to manufacture their products, organize information, and perform daily activities. The global economy is encouraging more and more companies to produce their product overseas in order to remain competitive, thus eliminating many jobs in America and in particular, the manufacturing industry. So let’s say you’ve done everything right in your job search, but still don’t have any offers. Or you do have offers, but they are way below your expectations. Or you have a job, but are just not happy with what you are doing now. What are your options now? I believe one area that we will see substantial growth is the development of small business and self-employment. This is a great time to launch a small business. For one thing, our government is beginning to encourage it. Twenty to thirty years ago, entrepreneurs were frowned upon, but today there are about 23 million small businesses in the United States and it’s growing every year. Before taking this big step, however, some careful assessment should be done. You need to engage in some personal soul-searching and review your pluses and minuses, your strengths and weaknesses to determine if you are a suitable match for the challenge. Without the needed ingredients, a business can fail quickly. You should decide if you have an entrepreneurial personality giving you a more likely chance to succeed. Beyond that, you need to assess your financial situation, your family and personal needs, and the product or service you intend to provide. There is no ideal entrepreneurial personality. Successful entrepreneurs can be analytical or intuitive, risk-averse or thrill seeking, or gregarious and reserved. However, experts have documented research that indicates that successful small business entrepreneurs, whether male or female, have some common characteristics. So what is the entrepreneurial personality? Following is a test developed by Rieva Lesonsky, the Senior Vice President/Editorial Director of Entrepreneur magazine. This test will not give you a definite measure of success, but may show you where your strengths and weaknesses are in terms of self-employment. Answer the following questions with a "yes" or "no".
====================================== D. PRACTICAL STEPS FOR OPTIMAL INTERVIEW RESULTS Interviewing can be very stressful, especially if you haven’t interviewed very much in the recent past. Here are a few steps to take to help you minimize nervousness and the associated stress of looking for a new job. 1. Practice and Prepare First, write a list of all possible interview questions you can think of that may come up. An example of an important question you should prepare for is "Tell me about yourself." This question almost always comes up; it’s usually the first question asked and most people feel it’s also the most difficult question to answer. Know in advance how you want to answer this question, so you aren’t thrown off balance at the beginning of the interview. Second, practice answering the interview questions by setting up a "mock" interview. Give your list of questions to a friend or relative, and have them ask you all of them to simulate a live interview. Another excellent way to get the practice you need is to set up interviews for jobs you are not particularly interested in. There are several advantages to taking this step. First, you really get the opportunity to get the taste and feel of a live interview that a mock interview can’t. The more real interviews you go on, the more comfortable you will begin to feel, and the more likely your interview will go well enough to get an offer. Also, interviewing for jobs you probably wouldn’t accept an offer for provides a valuable networking opportunity. Just be honest with your interviewer. Tell them you are exploring possibilities, and describe what you think you really want. I’ve known of cases where an interview for a less than desirable job became an interview for a more desirable position and an eventual job offer. 2. Schedule your interview at a good time When you schedule your interview, remember you don’t have to accept the first offered time. If they ask for a morning appointment and your best hours tend to be in the afternoon, politely ask them if they could meet with you sometime later in the day. It’s important that you feel your best during the interview, so try to schedule your interview at a time when you are normally at your best. Also, be sure to schedule your appointments so that you won’t feel rushed to be somewhere else right after the interview. You want to have your full concentration available during the interview. If you are watching the clock and thinking of another place you need to be soon, you will likely be distracted and not make a great impression. 3. Know where to go Get clear instructions from the company you are interviewing. Don’t depend on an internet-supplied map for directions because they are frequently wrong. Get the building number, suite number, parking instructions, the name of your interviewer and their telephone number from the company. If you have a cell phone, have it in your car. If you are unexpectedly held up in traffic, you can call the company and let them know you will be late and why. You might even drive to the company prior to the interview to pick up product information and other public materials. By doing this, you will be certain of where you are going, and how long it takes to get there. You will be able to gather more information about the company to help with your interview preparation. Your enthusiasm will also leave a great impression. 4. Motivate yourself An excellent way to motivate and "psyche" yourself into a winning attitude is to adopt a motivational theme song, and then visualize a successful interview. Music can have a really great impact on your thoughts and feelings. A couple excellent inspirational songs are the themes to "Rocky" and "Chariots of Fire." Play this or any song that really picks you up, and visualize yourself calm and relaxed during the interview. See yourself enjoying the interaction with your interviewers, answering every question effectively and eloquently. Imagine receiving an offer and then your first paycheck. This will not only motivate you, but will also relax you. Do this exercise the day before and the day of the interview. 5. Relax before the interview Once you have completed all of your rehearsal and preparation, and have visualized the outcome you desire, then just before the interview, quiet your mind. Arrive ten minutes early and just sit in silence, letting all of your thoughts go. Concentrate on your breathing, or imagine a lovely sunset or sunrise. Take your mind completely off the interview and onto whatever is pleasing and relaxing. You can also bring some pleasurable reading material to read while waiting for the interview to begin. By taking your mind completely off the interview, you will begin to relax automatically. 6. Don’t get too personal during the interview Don’t make the mistake of getting too personal during the interview in an attempt to establish rapport. The interviewer’s personal life is their business. He or she may feel put off by any inquiries into that area.. Establish rapport on superficial topics such as the weather or traffic conditions. 7. Follow up during and after the interview At the conclusion of the interview, ask the interviewer when they might make a decision, whether they will invite candidates for a second interview, and how they intend to follow up. Be sure to get your interviewer’s business card or at least their direct phone number, email address, fax, and/or mailing address. Then, within the first 24 hours, be sure to send a thank-you letter, and let them know of your interest in the position. If anything of concern came up during the interview that you didn’t feel you addressed properly, you will have a chance to do so in your thank-you letter. Also, because not many people send thank-you letters, you will stand way above the crowd and will make a very favorable impression with the company. 8. Let go of the outcome Finally, after the interview is over, release the outcome. Realize that having been invited to interview with a company is an accomplishment all on its own. This is just one of many interviews to come. If you don’t get this offer, then there is a better offer around the corner. ============================================ CAREER CROSSROADS is dedicated to helping people move forward in their careers. It is for Professionals, Executives, and other people in career transition. This newsletter contains information regarding job search, interview preparation, career transition assessment and planning, self-marketing, high-impact resumes, new services and related topics. Please forward this to friends who you feel might benefit from this information. Denise Lidell, MA, JCTC, RPCC Career Consultant / Life Planning Coach Career Crossroads Website: http://www.careercr.com =========================================== |
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