Career Consulting Services

Help Your Network Help You

As you start the new year, are you looking for your next job or considering a new career field? If so, here are some tips for engaging your network, from my book, Nourish Your Career:

Let your network know about your goal and be able to share a summary of how your background, skills, interests and experiences support that goal (especially any relevant pieces they would not be aware of). Invite them to share any information, feedback, and specific suggestions they may have to help you refine or expand your search, including organizations and people they might suggest you contact for additional information or possible opportunities. 

 

Be sure to follow up on suggestions that match your goal and thank your network for all ideas offered. It is especially important to follow-up on a referral to a contact and to keep the person who referred you updated on the status of your follow-up. 
 

Keep in touch with members of your network, providing them with periodic updates on your progress. Remember to let them know when you have reached the goal so they can join you in celebrating your success! Most people are happy to help someone else, and they appreciate learning how their help has made a difference. 

Finally, don’t forget to give back! Be a resource to others, and actively look for opportunities to stay connected, help, and share periodic tips, ideas or interesting/useful bits of information with those in your network.

 

Copyright © 2012. Shahrzad Arasteh. All Rights Reserved.

Cinderella and Joan of Arc - Career and life lessons

Photo Credit: DC Public Library Commons (Flickr)

 

A while ago I came across an article about women and their careers. One of the people quoted in the article asked “Do you want to be Cinderella or Joan of Arc?” – suggesting you’re either taking charge or waiting to be rescued. When I mentioned the quote to a friend and HR pro, she said “Hmm, I don’t know. A castle, prince charming, and happily ever after…or, being burned at the stake. I think I’d rather be Cinderella.” Her witty response (she has a delightful sense of humor) made me take another look at that example and the lessons we can find in it:

1. Yes, given a choice between happily ever after or a tragic death, most of us would take happily ever after – thank you.

2. Both Cinderella and Joan of Arc have valuable lessons to teach us. Being true to who you are is one of them.

3. When it comes to your career and life, believe in your dreams and passions and pursue them in your own way. Finding the path that aligns with your personality, strengths, and values allows you to enjoy the journey and makes it more likely that you’ll succeed in reaching your goal in a way that honors who you are.

4. Finding your community is important. People who share your goals and values (or give you the gift of supporting you and respecting your values, though theirs may be different) help you sustain your vision and move forward – even when you begin to have doubts.

Remember, it took a whole team (and their diverse skills and resources) to help Cinderella reach the ball. Let those who know and like you share their strengths with you…and do the same for them. The right community and a collaborative approach help you and those around you experience a more purposeful and uplifting career and life journey.

5. We don’t always know how things will turn out (for example, when we apply for a job, factors we don’t control play a part in the hiring decision). The part we can impact is to work and live in a way that reflects our passions, values, and allows us to be at peace with the choices we’ve made – even if the outcome is different than we would prefer.

6. It isn’t about which role model is better or more effective. It’s about who resonates with you and inspires you to consider what you want and how to work toward it with energy, enthusiasm, and authenticity.

What would you add to this list? 

Shahrzad is a holistic career counselor and trainer (http://www.careerconsultmd.com). She provides training and career and professional development services to individuals, groups, and organizations; particularly those interested in making a positive and meaningful difference. She specializes in career exploration and transition, assessment, effective career search planning and strategy, meaningful/encore careers, and social media for job search and career management.

Copyright © 2011. Shahrzad Arasteh. All Rights Reserved.

Celebrating where we've been, and our new beginnings

Graduation season is here. I don’t know about you, but I love commencements and the opportunity they provide to both reflect on the past and look with hope and excitement (and yes, sometimes a bit of nervous anticipation) toward the future. The great thing is it doesn’t even have to be your own graduation! You can just use it as a reminder to create the space (and time) to reflect on where you’ve been in the past year, what you’ve learned, how you’ve contributed, experiences gathered, and relationships built and nurtured.

Graduation finds those who have played a part in our journey celebrating as we earn a diploma and get to move the tassel over—the ritual announcing our achievement. We can’t help looking back, appreciating how we got here, and thinking about what’s next. Hopefully, we’ll also be filled with enthusiasm, inspiration, and the knowledge that we’ll craft a fulfilling, purpose-filled(and happy!) life.

No matter how long it’s been since your graduation, use this time of year to create your own personal commencement. Set aside a time and place for thoughtful reflection on where you are now and what you are transitioning from and to. How have you moved toward your chosen goals and dreams this year? Celebrate those successes and include all who have been a part of making them happen.

As you begin to move forward (after all, commencement means beginning), how well do these goals reflect who you are and what you want in your life? Perhaps they did fit you well once, or maybe they were never really your dreams (and yours are waiting just inside you). Either way, give yourself permission to choose the ones that truly inspire you to take action, resonate with you, and reflect who you are.

As a Turkish saying suggests, “No matter how far you’ve gone down the wrong road, turn back.” If you find the path you’ve been on is not right for you, this might be the perfect time to look for the one that is, and to start walking toward it. Do this thoughtfully and use the resources that will help you choose well (e.g., a career professional or quality books and workshops), but do start. Create your new beginning. Happy Commencement!

In job search, it's what you say...and how you say it

A marketing executive from an internet radio company contacted me recently to discuss hosting a career program on their network.  Pretty early in the conversation it was clear their approach and philosophy was not going to be a fit.  He was proudly telling me their goal is to “crush the competition.”  Far from being a selling point, this statement and the aggressive tone used to express it highlighted what a poor fit this company would be for someone in a helping profession who loves working with clients who change the world for the better!

 

Two key points from this encounter that apply to your job search are:

 

1)  Know your audience and customize your approach and message to them. 

 

Do your homework and know something about your audience (if the radio exec had done just a bit of research, he might have avoided using the “crush the competition” motto).  The way you’d prepare your marketing materials (e.g., résumé) and approach the interview for one company or sector versus another would likely need to be different.  If you haven’t done enough research to know at least a little about their values, goals, culture, and norms, you could either fail to show how you match these or end up highlighting their opposites!

 

   2)  Any interaction, especially the interview, is an opportunity to evaluate “fit.”

 

In your interactions with the potential employer pay attention to the way they ask questions, describe their desired qualifications/ideal candidate, and the culture of the company.  These will give you a sense of what matters to them, their vision, and the expectations for the position.  Remember, the interview and consideration process isn’t just about them deciding if you’re a good fit (your skills, personality, etc.).  It’s also your chance to think about whether this company and position match your values and preferences.  Could you happily picture yourself working in this environment several hours each day?  Do their goals and values align with yours? Would you be energized because of what you get to do each day (and how you get to do it), or drained by it?

 

Taking a bit of time to learn about potential employers early on allows you to present your information in a way they can relate to and find relevant, and can help you decide how well they’ll fit you.    

   

     

 

 

Internships…they’re not just for students and recent graduates!

 

When you are exploring a potential career or working on transitioning to one you’ve selected, gaining experience in the field of your interest can help you in many ways.  Internships are one of the best ways to get this experience.  If you are exploring a career field, an internship is a relatively low-risk, low-cost way to try it out and see if the reality of the work (including the culture of the field, the day-to-day work,…) matches your expectations.  If you know this is the field for you but are trying to figure out how to transition to it, create a network of contacts within the field, or meet the “previous experience” requirement many employers have, an internship can give you relevant work experience, people who can serve as references in your new field, and might even lead to a position with the very employer who is hosting your internship.  Internships are also a great way to try out a company you may be interested in.  It could confirm your interest in that particular organization and your view of who they are and how they do the work that they are engaged in.  Or, it could help you realize they are not really a good fit for you (in which case, much better to find this out as an intern!).     

Luckily, regardless of economic conditions, employers do host interns (in paid and unpaid capacities) and continue to consider proposals from potential interns who wish to bring their qualifications to the organization in exchange for the opportunity to gain new skills, knowledge, and experience.  At a human resources and recruiting presentation, I recently heard an expert verify that... Read the rest here:   http://careerconsultmd.com/Articles.html#anchor_63 

 

Shahrzad Arasteh, M.A., helps people create and pursue their career search plan using 10 years of experience and a holistic approach to career counseling.  She is a Certified Myers-Briggs Type Indicator Practitioner, a Certified Professional Résumé Writer, and a Certified Global Career Development Facilitator.  If you are ready to create your career search plan and find the work of your dreams, visit http://www.careerconsultmd.com/Sample-Job-Search-Schedule.html to sign up for a free copy of her sample weekly job search schedule and tips, resources and articles.  

Copyright © 2009.  Shahrzad Arasteh.  All rights reserved.

 

Job Search and Your Online Presence - Part 2

If you are job searching or self-employed, chances are potential employers and clients research you online before making a decision about working with you.  You should have at least as much information about your online presence as they do.  In part one of this two part series, I touched on how to find the information a web search would yield about you (including any negative information or misinformation) and how you might avoid having a negative online presence.  Part two will focus on how to highlight positive information online.

 

The sources of online information which will portray your professionalism are generated, in part, by others.  Examples of such content include an article referencing or quoting you, which is written by a colleague or posted through a professional association you belong to, as well as published lists of association members or conference attendees containing your name.  Such information can serve you well by highlighting your professional memberships or expertise.  However, whether it is generated depends primarily on the person or organization selecting the content.  So, how do you increase the likelihood that a search of your name will produce information reinforcing the message that you are the right candidate for the job?

 

What you write and share on the web can help to support your position as a desirable candidate (vs. giving the potential employer a reason to eliminate you from consideration).  Choose what you write (and where you post it!) carefully and assume your potential employer will read it.  These tips apply whether or not there is content on the web about you that is less than favorable.  However, if search result do bring up anything negative that cannot be removed, it becomes particularly important to ensure links to professional, positive information show up in at least the first few pages of any search of your name.  This will require thinking carefully about how and where you post content online.  Select appropriate sites that have a high ranking on search engines. 

 

LinkedIn is an excellent example of a site with a high search engine rank and professional content.  If you haven’t explored this site already or created a profile on LinkedIn, it’s a good idea to do so now.  How LinkedIn works, and why you should consider using it are the subjects of a separate article (several books have also been written about it, including Jason Alba’s excellent book I’m on LinkedIn — Now What???).  Read the rest of this article here: http://careerconsultmd.com/Articles.html#anchor_52

 

 

Job Search and Your Online Presence - Part 1

Most of us have a web presence – whether or not we are aware of it – but we don’t always know what information (or misinformation) exists about us online.  Your online presence is part of your brand (your image, who you are, what you stand for and how you and your essence are perceived by others).  With more and more employers researching potential job candidates, you need to know what they’re likely to find in an online search of your name and how to increase the likelihood that what they find highlights your professionalism and qualifications.

 

1) Google yourself.  The first step is to do an online search on yourself.  Using search engines such as Google and Yahoo! type your full name and review at least the first few pages of the search results.  Since you are likely to get results that differ slightly from one search engine to another, try at least two of them.  Look for anything that is inaccurate or negative (including anything you think would be inappropriate for your potential or current employer to see).  Also explore what information comes up that showcases your skills, accomplishments and professional values, and communicates the message you want to potential employers or clients.

 

2) What to do if you find negative information?  Let’s say your search shows information that mistakenly links you to an organization you would not want to be associated with (first ensure it refers to you and not someone with the same name).  Try contacting the site’s webmaster and asking that they remove/correct the inaccurate post.  If you uncover information that is accurate, but not something you’d want an employer to see (say, something you impulsively posted online in a fit of anger and now regret), you can still request that it be removed.  Keep in mind that this request may not necessarily be honored, and even if it is, you have no way of knowing for certain where else this information now lives on the web.  In a future article we’ll look at tips for highlighting positive information in search results.

 

3) What about social networks?  Some of the content about (and by) you may come from the many social (and professional) networking sites available today.  Sites such as LinkedIn and Twitter can be a great resource for staying in touch with your network, learning new things, meeting others with similar interests, and sharing your knowledge and expertise.  Social networking sites can also provide the “opportunity” to post comments or information you might later wish you’d kept private – or at least not made visible to everyone on the online community.  Get to know the privacy settings (and limitations) each offers and decide which sites fit your interaction style, personality and needs.  You may also want to ...Read the rest of the article here http://www.careerconsultmd.com/Articles.html#anchor_49

 

 

 

Shahrzad Arasteh, M.A., helps people create and pursue their career search plan using 10 years of experience and a holistic approach to career counseling.  She is a Certified Myers-Briggs Type Indicator Practitioner and a Certified Professional Résumé Writer.  If you are ready to take charge of your job search and find the work of your dreams, visit http://www.careerconsultmd.com/Sample-Job-Search-Schedule.htmlto sign up for a free copy of her sample weekly job search schedule and tips, resources and articles.  

 

Copyright © 2009.  Shahrzad Arasteh.

7 Ways to Organize Your Job Search!

Whether you’re working full-time or part-time, have been laid off, or recently graduated, if you are job searching you’ll enjoy better results by organizing your search.  It doesn’t matter so much how you do it, as long as it is organized in some way and works for you (i.e., includes the right balance of all the elements that will lead to your next success).  Here are 7 key ways to organize your search.  Use them to create and tweak a plan to fit you, and help you effectively pursue and reach your employment goal.

 

1) Have a clear idea of the job/field you want!  This may sound simple or obvious, but

    many people begin looking for a job without first taking the time to be sure they can answer

    the question “What position are you looking for?”

 

    As Alice learns when she asks the Cat “̒Would you tell me, please, which way I ought

    to go from here?’  ‘That depends a good deal on where you want to get to.’”                

    –Lewis Carroll

    Start with the destination in mind and work back to create a plan that will get you 

    there (or closer to it).  Much of the rest of what we’ll talk about here depends on

    knowing “where you want to get to.” 

 

2) Create a weekly schedule with all 7days and either blocks of hours or morning/

    afternoon/evening sections for each day.  Use this to list activities that will be

    a regular part of your job search and note when you’ll typically do each.  These will be

    activities such as networking; reading job ads online and in print, creating and sending

    customized cover letters and résumés in response to the job postings; researching

    companies you may want to work for and actively identifying positions that offer a

    good match for your skills/passions; seeking effective ways to approach and connect

    with someone in these companies; attending job fairs and networking/professional

    development opportunities, and participation in professional social networking sites

    (e.g., LinkedIn). ...Click here to read the rest  http://www.careerconsultmd.com/Articles.html#anchor_44

Thankful for you career?

Hearing Maya Angelou talk about an Attitude of Gratitude on NPR yesterday, just a few days before Thanksgiving in the U.S., inspired me to write about this important concept (value, really) and how it can relate to so many aspects of our lives, including our careers. 

 

Chances are you've heard someone refer to having an Attitude of Gratitude before.  So, what is it and what does it have to do with you?  Everyone probably defines it a bit differently.  I think of it as recognizing and being grateful for all the good things in your life, as well as the ability to appreciate how where you've been and what you've experienced add value to and prepare you for the next steps in your journey.  You may naturally be able to adopt this attitude, or can welcome it by actively practicing it.  Look back on today.  What are you grateful for? Maybe it is the beautiful sunrise that greeted you and helped you start the day with a smile, or the knowledge that your ability to truly listen brought comfort to a friend.

   

Now think of your current or most recent job, and the one before that (keep going).  How has each enriched your working life or prepared you for your next opportunity?  Find at least one thing in each job that you are thankful about.  Think of the skills you've learned or honed, professional relationships you've developed, or specific accomplishments you have achieved while in these jobs.  If you are struggling with this exercise and can't think of anything, it’s okay.  Go ahead and try it with the one that is not going to make the “dream job” list (for whatever reason — your boss, responsibilities, or work environment).  Come up with one job-related thing you can feel grateful for.  Perhaps you found a trusted mentor while working in this job, developed a new skill that you can now build upon, gained enough experience to be competitive for the jobs you want, or learned what organizational culture does not fit you well (and therefore, what might).  Take it one step further and really look at the part each of these may play in helping you reach your dreams.  Without them would you be as well prepared as you are?

 

So even if we are not delighted with our current work situation, it is possible to learn to seek and acknowledge the opportunities that have resulted from it.  Then we can set about moving forward and working hard to refine and achieve our goals, with a grateful heart and mind for all the good we've experienced along the way.  Let's try it!  Let me know how it goes. 

 

Happy Thanksgiving and may you find a thousand reasons to feel deep gratitude.

 

If Careers Were Costumes...

Halloween has many thinking carefully about what costume to wear (and what "to be").  Dressing up can certainly be fun and lets us be someone else for a little while.  Why not use the same opportunity to explore what a different career would be like? 

Imagine you can try out a job as simply as trying on a costume.  Think about what you would like to be (remember dreaming about it when you were growing up?) and spend some time imagining you are in your dream job.  Create a clear picture that includes details such as how this work makes you feel, what you're doing (specific activities), where you're working (the physical environment -is it a grand office, a cozy tea shop, a forest?) and who or what else is in your work environment.  Let yourself fully visualize and engage in this experience.  Try not to automatically start telling yourself about all the "yes, buts" right now.  You know the ones, when we start to think about the reasons why we can't or shouldn't pursue our dream job (or any change from what we do currently ).  Later you will have plenty of time to choose to revise the dream to reflect your current goals, resources, and specific circumstances.  Right now I want you to give yourself the freedom to dream and to learn from your dream. 

Your dream, for example, may be to become a physician.  First allow yourself to picture this possibility and explore it.  You can then come back to it and see how it fits with your life, family, goals, etc.  You may either find you're willing and able to spend the time required for training to be a doctor, or that the years of intensive training would not fit well with your current family and caregiving responsibilities.  Even if you decide your dream career is not the option you want to (or can) pursue right now, this exercise can be valuable to you.  Think about why being a doctor is the dream?  Let's say you realize it is helping people and being able to see the results of your work that matter.  Now you can use that knowledge to look for other fields you'd enjoy that share these core values without requiring years of training.

I hope you will give yourself the gift of dreaming and begin to explore how that dream may be realized in a way that enriches your life.  I invite you to leave a comment here or through my website http://www.careerconsultmd.com .