Is your job search a hobby or a job?

     According to my financial adviser the IRS considers a hobby an activity that does not generate significant net income while a job does.  Net income is the difference between your income and expenses.  Some activities ie photography are very expensive and therefore to difficult to generate income unless you have a good marketing program and regular clientele.  We could apply this concept to your job search/career exploration.  
    The net result of your job search should be employment in your chosen career.  You define what constitute employment.  For some people the goal would be an internship or volunteer experience at in a new company or different career.  This is an appropriate goal if you are still in school or attempting to change careers.  It could be part-time employment for a variety of reasons.  Perhaps you are retired, have other obligations or have physical limitations.  It could be full-time, seasonal, or temporary or permanent. 
     The expenses that you incur will fall into three major categories.  They are time, money and relationships.  Time is the number of hours per day that you devote to seeking another career.  This includes, research, travel, etc.  The financial cost include stationary, postage, phone calls, special attire/equipment, etc.  Many people do not realize that there are emotional costs to a job search or career change because it is not easily measured or tracked.  This cost will effect your relationships.  The most obvious cost is the emotional overflow you experience by being unemployed.  Your spouse/significant other, children and/or parents would experience or observe this overflow.  Your relationship with co-workers can be affected if they believe you are attempting to advance your career at their expense.  They may also avoid you if you were downsized and they are feeling survivors guilt.  They may perceive you as "not pulling" your weight if they believe you are no longer dedicated to the company's mission or field.   Friends could also become victims of your job search if they become overwhelmed by listening to you vent your frustration at not being able to secure suitable employment or if they feel that you are using them to secure employment with their organization.  You can also begin to question your own abilities and value.  There is a financial cost.  This is reflected in obtaining a resume, transportation, having appropriate interview attire and having phone/Internet access. 
      In theory, the more time you invest in your search, the more likely that you consider your search a full-time pursuit and will be successful.   Theoretically this should keep you motivated.  Initially it does however as time progresses they spent less time in the process.  This is attributed to a loss of  interest or depression.  I believe the loss of momentum can be attributed to increasing emotional or relationships costs. 
      So how do you keep your job search expenses down.  The financial cost should level off once you obtain stationary, an interview suit and other tangible items.  The emotional costs can be mitigated by developing multiple support groups or networks.  Other options include developing an exercise routine, maintaining daily schedules and grooming habits as well as new hobbies.  Be prepared for the loss of friends and acquaintances.  Try to reach out and understand their concerns.  If this is an important relationship seek professional help in order to mediate the break.  Be prepared to accept the fact that not all of your relationships will be able to tolerate the stress of a career transition and judgement should not be assigned to either party. 
      If you would like more information on this subject please contact me at chartingyourcoursewithcoaching@gmail.com.   

Take your career to new heights by going green!

         You are in the process of revising your resume and possibly re-evaluating your career objectives  You might be considering the option of exploring an alternative occupation.  But what does this have to do with going green?  The process of re-inventing yourself requires you to recycle your present skills.  Understanding life cycles will provide you with valuable information that will facilitate this process.   Why?  Occupations are like all other living organisms.  Everything is born, grows, matures and then declines.  It is important for you know which stage your vocational field is in process, to make a sound decision. 
         As an employee, you also have a work cycle which is determined by your attitude about employment.  People that are described as being on the "fast track"  have a work cycle similar to:

1. 1st year master skills to perform job (growth)
2. 2nd year provide outstanding performance and take on challenges that foster professional growth (growth)
3. 3rd year continue outstanding performance while seeking promotion (rebirth) 

This growth cycle is similar to the life cycle of single cell organisms.  They grow to a critical size and then split in half.  Like single cell organisms these employees continues to growing and seek new opportunities. 

Other employees' career cycle can be described as:

1. 1st or more years to acquire skills to perform job (growth)
2. 2nd+ year perform job duties at satisfactory level (maturity)
3. 3rd begin retirement planning (decline)

Which one of those scenarios more accurately describes your employee work cycle?

        There are several theories for business life cycles.  The most popular are the Kitchen Cycle, the Juglar Fixed Investment Cycle and the Kondratieff Wave or K-Wave.  These theories are used by investors and managers to understand the business environment and to predict future trends.  A small business life cycle is described as establishment, growth, expansion, maturity and decline.  Manufactured products have a four stage life cycle.  The four stages are:

1. creation
2. public awareness with increasing profitability
3. brand definition which ends with declining profitability
4. market saturation with diminished sales

Personal products such as clothing follow a similar life style but profitability could peek either before or after the growth phase.  Items that peek prior to the growth phase are called "fads".  Could you describe your occupation as a fad?  What about your attitude?  Is your peek performance prior to you acquiring all of the skills necessary to perform the job?  Not certain what constitute a fad occupation - then consider llama farming.   Llama wool in the 1980s was supposed to become very popular but it never did.  Therefore, llama farming became popular but never grew/matured befored it declined.
           Occupations are created, grow, mature and decline.  Each phase could last a few years or multiple generations.  They can transition from one phase to another slowly or very abruptly.  As you consider your career direction you need to know if your current occupation is growing, matured or is on the decline.  This is not a new concept and is not related to the current economy.  As baby boomers, we remember the TV repairman.  During the 1950s and 60s this was considered a very technical job and paid well.  No one would pursue that occupation today.  The computer industry has generated a series of occupations since the 60s.  Many of those occupations no longer exist or have significantly evolved.   
         What affects the life cycle of an occupation?  It starts because there is a change in society that generates a need.  There are multiple sources for change including advances in technology, medicine or cultural values.  There is a demand for people with the skills that can fill that need.  In the begining there are no specific credentials, training programs or professional organizations. As it matures, formal training and employment criteria becomes available.   People that are actively working in the industry but might not meet the educational criteria that is being esablished and are "grandfathered" for a limited time.  As the industry grows, everyone is expected to meet the established criteria and grandfathering is no longer an option. Finally, there job market becomes saturated with potential employees the demand for greater skills increases while the number of positions and salaries decline.
         What should you ask yourself to determine your occupations life cycle status?

1. Is there a demand for the product or service I provide?
2. Is the demand (number of positions) increasing, stable or decreasing?
3. Are the salaries for someone with my skills increasing, stable or decreasing?
4. Can my product or service be automated or consolidated with another task?
5. Do institutions of higher learning (IHL) provide training in my field?
6. How difficult is it for someone to acquire the education to perform my job?
7. How do IHLs help student secure employment? 
8. What is their graduation rate?
9. What is job placement rate?
10. Has there been any scientific, economic or social developments that affect how my product/service is percieved?
11. Where is the market for my product or service?

If your answer to these questions, are negative then perhaps you are in an occupation that has matured and is facing decline.  Remember, needs stay the same but how they are met changes.  A new product  or service delivery methods will emerge to replace the current one.  In order to be employable you will need to recycle yourself. by having the current skills and lexicon. Reading professional journals, magazines and books will help.  Your goal is determine what is "cutting edge" in your field and convey that image.  Another option is to relocate to where the market continues to be stable or is growing.  Finally, you have the option is to pursue employment in a different field.

Job Inteview 101

      Recently, a friend asked my advice about a job interview.  They were told that it was going to be a 'behavioral interview"  and did not know how to prepare for it.  I am going to share the answer to the question.

     Behavioral interviews and performance interviews are based on the job description and duties of the posted position.  They are designed to determine the best candidate for the position based on the psychological premise that past behavior is the best predictor of future behavior.  Because they are asking about specific, verifiable events, there is also the believe that the respondent will accurately describe their abilities, duties and outcome.  Since they are based on actual job duties, the potential employer reduces the possibility of being accused of bias or not obtaining enough information. 

     All jobs duties have the elements of quantity and quality.  In other words, how often are you expected to do something and how well you do it.  By asking behavioral questions, you are expected to address both issues.  Ideally, you should use an experience from previous employment however you can use any experience that is relevant. Structure your responses using the STAR format.  STAR stands for situation, task, action and results.  

• SITUATION - Answers the questions where did this occur (ie ACME Factory), when (ie., last year, at the annual marketing summit), why (ie potential loss of revenue due to new competition) who (presentation to company president by me).  State the relevance of the project to your company's or department's mission.
• TASK - Describes your assignment and role in the creating the solution to the problem.
• ACTION - What steps did you take to resolve the problem.  Make sure you use action words ie., developed, created, designed, that clearly indicate how you behaved. Include the number of people you supervised, duration of the project, the project budget so that the interviewer has a precise image of your work behavior.
• RESULTS - What was the outcome of your actions (ie., revenues increased by 10%, reached new target market).  If your results were not positive, then demonstrate that you analyzed the outcome and learned from this experience by stating why the plan was not successful and what would you do differently.  Since you are describing a situation in which you were the key player, do not blame someone else for failure because this implies you lack leadership skills and are not a good team player.  This is a good time to mention any award or recognitions that you received for your role in resolving this situation. 

     How should you prepare for this type of interview?  Carefully review the job description and determine the critical elements, (knowledge, skills and abilities) that are needed for the position.   Identify two or three situations for each element.  Consider the corporate culture and personal attributes that you would like to present and select the best examples.  Using the STAR format develop describe each example.  Finally, do mock interviews in order to be able to present yourself in a relaxed, organized manner.

If you would like some assistance with job interviewing skills, please contact me at chartingyourcoursewithcoaching@gmail.com.   

Fit For Duty?

      As a Baby Boomer,  we are are standing at the corner of  Coronary Disease Drive and Cancer Alley waiting for the Diabetes Type II bus.  It is a standing joke, that we check the obituaries on a regular basis to make sure that our name isn't in it.  When you add the stress of underemployment or unemployment, caring for aging parents and children that are unable to leave home, life can really seem overwhelming and/or depressing.   So what does this have to do with your job search?   Plenty!

      Our physical and mental health impacts the way we approach the job search process.  If we have health issues, your baggage  includes: having the stamina to perform the job, explain gaps in employment, qualifying for health or life insurance, need for time off, obtaining accommodations and disclosing information about yourself.   Your physical health does affect your mental health.  Several medical conditions ie hypothyroidism can affect your memory, concentration and emotional stability.  Other conditions, such as diabetes, and arthritis can result in chronic pain, which impacts your memory and can contribute to feelings of depression.  The net result is that you might be reluctant to apply for work because you are not certain that you will be able to perform all of the job demands.  You could be apprehensive about learning new material because you realize that your mental acuity is slipping.  

      In this day and age of drug testing, you are going to have concerns about taking medication.  Driving and operating machinery should not be done with many prescription and over the counter medications.   Disclosing information about the need for medication on the job is a source of stress for several reasons.  Requesting work accommodation is embarrassing and conflicts with our sense of work ethic because we do not appear ill.  Secondly, we often forget that perform certain activities (ie operating heavy machinery) are contra-indicated until there is an accident and the issue of liability has to be addressed.  Many people assume, that they will be left twisting in the wind if it becomes known that they were performing a task that was against medical advice.  Finally, we came of age in a time, when it was expected to have a drink with your co-workers on payday.  Imbibing alcohol is contra-indicated with many medications especially those for hypertension while  some drugs scan amplify the effects of alcohol so we become intoxicated sooner.  So how do you explain your drinking situation to yourself, friends and co-workers?

      The final insult to our middle age pride comes in the area of sexuality.  Yes, we came into our own during the age of Aquarius.  We knew about the pill and free love.  However, this does not mean that we will readily share our sexual exploits with someone that is young enough to be our child even if they are the human resources representative.  In other words, who wants to tell someone that looks like their kid that they now have to take medication for erectile dysfunction?  Again a physical condition, now is a source of emotional turmoil at work. 

       As a career coach, I can not give a one size fits all solution to this dilemma.   The first step is to have an open and honest conversation with your health care provider.  If you have been unemployed for a prolonged period you might be dependent upon a clinic for services and do not have the luxury of developing a relationship.  In that case, consult you religious or community center to determine if they have a nurse or medical social worker with whom you could discuss your concerns.  They can advocate for you should there be any questions about your treatment regimen at work.  Educate yourself about your medical condition and discuss your concerns with your union representative or human resources department prior to  being selected for random drug testing or other mandatory situation.  Know your rights and responsibilities by consulting the licensing board for your industry as well the state employment office.  Make sure you take your medication as prescribed.  Try to gain the support of your family and friends. 

      Being fit for duty, according to the Americans with Disabilities Act does not mean that you have to be able to perform every element of the job.  You only need to be able to perform the essential duties.  The number of medical conditions that are covered by this legislation as well as by the EEOC is extensive.  You can go to their websites to determine if you are protected under either bill. 

Career advise from my mom.

      Our parents have a tremendous impact on our career choices, goals and work habits, but, have you considered how they impacted your job search?   In honor of Mother's Day, this  week I am going to share some pearls of wisdom from my mom. 

1. No one will know how good you are if you don't bang your own drum.
2. Nothing beats a failure but a try.
3. Be polite.
4. Respect your elders (more mature people that you supervise and young people in managerial positions).
5. You want your boss to love you.  Always do your best work.
6. God gave you a mouth - ask questions.
7. Wear clean clothes.
8. Sit up straight.
9. Keep your focus.
10. Keep learning to keep earning.
11. Be friends with everyone on your job.
12. Mind your mouth (don't gossip).
13. Remember where you came from and who you are.
14. Just because everyone is doing it doesn't make it right.
15. Ask God to bless your efforts
16. Be mindful of the little people (or be respectful of all people including the cleaning people)
17. No job is too little for you (all assignments deserve your full attention)
18. Be true to yourself
19. Come early - stay late
20. You can't fall if you are sitting on the ground.
21. Be helpful.
22. Think!
23. Be thankful for your job.
24. Smile!
25. Ask God to guide your steps.
26. A dollar has four corners.  Pinch a corner for charity, a rainy day, to invest in yourself and one to live on.
27. Have pride in yourself because you are standing on the shoulders of your forefathers but never be over confident
28. You can learn with your eyes, ears as well as you hands. 
29. Take pride in your work.  Always do your best!
30. Look people in the eye when you talk with them.
31. Beauty comes from within not a jar.
32. Help others because someone helped you.
33. You are never alone.  Someone is always watching you even if it just your own conscious.
34. Aim for the stars, if you miss you'll catch the moon, if you miss the moon you'll catch the clouds, if you miss the clouds you'll land in a tree and if you miss the tree you'll still be on the ground. 
35.  If the Devil closes the door,  God will open the window but you need to climb out.

Amazing!  My mom knew the importance of networking, branding, self care, faith and optimism in order to keep and maintain a job.    



    

Staying Positive While Changing Careers

       A very useful tool, to stay motivated while changing careers is to read biographies of successful people.  “Miracles Happen” by Mary Kay Ash describes her life and the issues she had to address in order to launch Mary Kay Cosmetics.  She faced discrimination and her share of family drama.  However, rather than becoming complacent or despondent, she made a decision to be somebody.  “Miracles Happen” is full of vignettes that stress the importance of faith in you, a kind word, networking and servant leadership.  Mary Kay Ash is a terrific example on how to reinvent youself. 

      So how did, Mary Kay Ash reinvent herself?  First, she had to be honest with herself.  This means she had to critically assess her situation and recognize both the good and bad.  She had to identify what works and what was a waste of resources.  Secondly, she set priorities and developed a plan.  Third, she worked long and hard on her plan while being enthusiastic.  Does this sound overwhelming?  Complicated?    Exhausting?  You are absolutely right! 

       Mary Kay Ash lived by simple rules that anyone can adopt.  Her priorities were clear – first God, then family and then career.  She lived her motto which is the Golden Rule, or treat others as you would like to be treated.  She surrounded herself with positive, supportive people that shared her values and work ethic.  She was not afraid to ask for help.  She kept her word.  She had a vision and broke into smaller achievable steps and she celebrated these achievements.   None of these concepts are novel but they are very easy to break when things get difficult. 

     One of the primary reasons, she established Mary Kay Ash Cosmetics was to empower women while they balanced work, family and civic obligations.   Yes, she recognized the need to make sacrifices at times however, it was imperative to maintain balance in your life.   This takes insight and discipline.  Is your life in balance?  Do you know what your values and priorities are?  Do you have a clear vision of what you want to accomplish?  If you answered no to any of these questions, then you should consider obtaining life or career transition coaching.  Call me at 402.965.1496 for a complimentary session.   

Networking during the holidays.

The holidays present terrific opportunities for you to network.  You have a built in excuse to contact former employers, co-workers, classmates, military buddies and extended family.  However, have you considered how religious and cultural events could help you expand your network?

      From November to February there are a plethora of cultural and religious activities that are sponsored by colleges, museums, religious and civic organizations not to mention bookstores, grocery stores and wine galleries that are designed to enlighten the public.  The costs of these events are usually free or minimal.  By attending events that are not reflective of your heritage, you increase your chances of meeting someone that you don’t know as well as demonstrating your ability to function in the global market.  The newspaper and library will have information about public events for Chanukah, Christmas, Kwanzaa, and Feast of the Three Kings, Ramadan and Chinese New Year.  Your goal should be to attend at least one event every day.

      So how can you take advantage of these networking opportunities?  Holiday networking is like speed dating.  Prepare for these events, by learning a little about the sponsoring organization, identify key people that should be in attendance that you want to meet and learn the purpose of the celebration.  This information will also help you determine how you should dress.  Have 5 to 10 questions designed to keep the conversation light, interesting and moving.  If possible, practice using your questions so that you will feel comfortable.  You can chat up people in the buffet line and during intermissions.  Knowing a few key phrases in the language that will be used will impress people.  Just like in speed dating, you are only making the initial contact and will follow-up with an actual date.

    Focus on your potential “date” by listening attentively.  Ask questions about them, their reason for attending and the role their company plays in these events.  Do not linger with one person; because they came to have fun and you came to meet people.  Before you end the conversation, exchange business cards and let the person know that you would like to talk with them again.

     Personal business cards should be no more than four lines.  The purpose of the card is for your contact to remember you and reach you.  If you plan to introduce yourself as Bob then list that name rather than Robert on the card.  Do not assume the person will make the connection because they might have been drinking or focused on other issues while you spoke.  Your phone number and email should be listed.  Credentials can be tactfully included i.e. Bob Smith, BSW.  Jot notes about the person/event on the back of their card.  You can also do this on the back of blank cards.  Invest in a nice card case and pen in order to make a professional impression. 

     Just like in dating, the sooner you make that follow-up call the more likely the other person will consider you a serious contender.  Remind them who you are and where you met before asking for an appointment.   You are requesting an informational interview in order to get to know their company better.  Expecting a job interview is akin to expecting a marriage proposal after the first date, so go slow.

     As a life coach, I encourage people to balance all aspects of their life.  Networking during the holidays should not take you away from your family.  Many activities are designed for families with children, so feel free to make this a family event but make sure your children are a positive reflection of you.  They should be well behaved and not ill.  Relax and have fun but getting intoxicated is a definite no-no.  For obvious reasons, avoid eating foods that are dripping sauce, could affect your breath or stick in your teeth.  Times are hard but be prepared to make a donation.  Ask for a receipt for your taxes, this will put you on their mailing list as well as give you a deduction.  One thing, that all of these religious and cultural events have in common, is  the concept of gratitude and hope for the future; I want to encourage you to embrace this positive energy.  If you want more information or would like help preparing for holiday networking call or email me.