1st Place in the Job Search Race

Happy New Year! It’s time to make Ch-ch-ch-ch-Changes!

David Bowie’s song , Ch-ch-ch-ch-Changes, Turn and face the strain, Ch-ch-Changes…is playing in my head.  Now, anyone that knows me is reading this  entry and is shocked that I would even know about David Bowie’s songs, especially my husband who is a musician and thinks that I am musically challenged in every way possible. I would have to agree with him.

Because it’s a new year I wanted to share some interesting facts with you about job searchers and how  they think when they find themselves without a job or in a career transition.

1) They always visualize themselves in last place in the job search race.

Ok what does t his mean? It means that they feel that because they are unemployed that they have to take $10-20K less.

It means that they feel rejected, devalued, lost, and most of all insecure about their skillset. They will make a lot of concessions to hiring managers just to get their next job. It’s normal to feel this way but it won’t help your job search.

I ask my clients to do the following to overcome this type of thinking and behavior.

1) Visualize yourself in 1st place in your job search race.

What do I mean by this? When I was a kid  I loved to play sports. I wasn’t very good but I wanted to be.  I tried out for every sport in elementary and middle school. I loved to run track, play baseball and basketball.

I had a great attitude but I was an average player. I wasn’t a fast runner but I had a lot of spirit. I loved to swim and joined the Gilroy Gators swim team. Once again I was average. But when I stepped onto the block to dive into the water,  I always visualized myself finishing in 1st place. When I started running in the race and passed the baton to my running partner I always visualized myself finishing in first place. I ran as hard as I could. I never finished in first place in sports but that didn’t matter because I always believed in myself and never gave up.

So what does this mean to you and your job search? Don’t visualize yourself in last place when you start your job search.

1) Know that you deserve and can get the right job for you at the right time.

2) Know that you will get the right salary and earn your market value.

3) Know that you will find the right hiring manager and team to work with at your new company.

4) Know that their is a company out there waiting for you and ready to make you an offer.

5) Know that you can reject job offers.

6) Know that you are interviewing them and that you deserve to work with smart, kind, intelligent, professional and compassionate people.

7) Don’t give up!!!

I wish you success in 2011!

Rebecca, Career Coach/Advisor and your partner in this Job Search Race!

HOW TO GET NOTICED by the HIRING MANAGERS and Stay Positive during your job search!

Differentiate yourself during your job search!

I know times are so tough for people right now in their job search and most people are barely hanging on regarding their search. But remember, what is needed now more than ever is to STAY FOCUSED, POSITIVE, and never never GIVE UP. Most of you need to DIFFERENTIATE YOURSELF from other job seekers. Ok, so you ask, how does one do this? See the list below.

1) When you get scheduled for a telephone interview, ask the hiring manager or recruiters if you can meet the interviewer in person.

2) Don’t Panic and Don’t Quit your job search during December

3) Make sure your resume is professional, strong and a factual representation of your true professional experience.

4) Call Recruiters, HIring Managers, and Human Resource Professionals and ask them if you can stop by for 5 minutes and introduce yourself in person. Tell them  you will be in their area.

5) Send all Recruiters, Hiring Managers, and Human Resource Professionals holiday cards and wish them a happy holiday season.

6) Send out 8 resumes per day through www.indeed.com.

7) Contact at least 3 staffing agencies and schedule face to face interviews with them.

Don’t isolate and attend all the holiday parties you can. Network with everyone you know.

9) Go to at least one professional association meeting to meet people in your current profession.

10) Take a class that you need to take for your future job.

11) Exercise, meditate, get rest and eat healthy.

12) Don’t forget to write a gratitude list.

13) Don’t forget to write your career affirmations.

14) Contact your nearest One Stop Career Center in your city and sign up with them and take free classes and get free career coaching and advice.

15) Don’t forget to sign up for your extended unemployment benefits.

16) Do something nice for someone else at least once a day.

Write a Job Search and Career Gratitude List from A-Z

I was talking to some of my friends and colleagues this past weekend and someone suggested that we “write a gratitude list” so we could stay positive and really get through these hard times. Well since I am a career coach and always trying to find creative ways to help my clients, I just applied this exercise to my career and thought I would share it with all of you and of course I will be sharing it with all of my clients.

Please continue to share helpful ways that you have found a job this year.

The Job Search Gratitude List:

A: All the resources that I have at my finger tips, ie: internet, coaches, etc.

B: Browsing the internet

C: Career Coaches, career tips and techniques

D: dear jane dialogues.com :)

etc. etc. etc.

Career Affirmations

Hello everyone, I wanted to share some thoughts with you. I work with clients everyday that really need to keep their positive thoughts forefront in their mind. Please see the affirmations below. You might want to start using these as you continue to job search. Good luck.

Career Affirmations:

The most fantastic job is on its way to me now. The well paying, rewarding, and fulfilling job supports the life, home, and geographic location where I want to live. I accept, I accept, I accept, thank you.

Any employer would be lucky to hire me.  They will show great wisdom and intelligence by doing so, because I am the best candidate for the job!

I know my job search process will flow and I will have GREAT KARMA throughout this process.  The transition into a new position will be smooth and natural.

I accomplished things that other people couldn’t have accomplished. I took on challenges and completed them.  These experiences position me extremely well for my next career step.

My team members loved working for me.  People miss working with me.  They realize that I brought a lot of talents to the table and they regret that I am not there anymore.

I created wealth for each of the companies I worked for. I turned around both companies.  I am a successful and accomplished senior finance executive.

I know I will find a job where I am valued for the unique and broad skill set that I bring to the table, and this will happen in the next 6 months. I am very secure about my company research and interviewing skills.  I am lucky because owing to my experience I have many options, and I will listen to my inner guidance and make the perfect job choice for my career.

Tips for Domestic Engineers – Stay at Home Moms and Dads re-entering the workforce

I have coached many domestic engineers and all of them have gotten hired and are making great salaries. Some of them get hired within 1 week of posting their resume (extremely lucky) and some take up to 6 months to find a job.  Here are some tips for your job search. 1) You need to value yourself. So whatever you need to do for yourself to feel better, like getting a new hairstyle, buying new clothes for interviewing, or conducting your research before you start your job search will help you feel more up-to-date and confident. SO JUST DO IT!

Career Affirmations…Try them, they work!

I started asking my clients to write career affirmations and it has been helping them overcome their fears during their job search process. One client in london wrote the affirmation below.

“I know I will find a job where I am valued for the unique and broad skill set that I bring to the table, and this will happen in the next 6 months. I am very secure about my company research and interviewing skills.  I am lucky because owing to my experience I have many options, and I will listen to my inner guidance and make the perfect job choice for my career.”

She is now a CFO for a Venture Capital firm and is very happy, content, and received a great compensation package.

hint: just ask yourself what your two biggest fears are in job search and write them down and then rewrite them as career affirmations and make them very positive. Try it, it works!!