A quick stop for your early morning break, or a quick pick-me-up before you start your hard day at work!
Tuesday, July 29, 2008
Help getting up early
1. Give yourself a good reason to get up!
If you don't know why you should get up early, then there's no reason for you to get up early. Write it down and keep it by the bed. When the alarm goes off, read what you wrote. And make it a good reason, like getting a making a healthy breakfast or spending a few extra minutes with your kids.
2. Get enough sleep.
If you are having a lot of difficulty getting up, it may because you're not getting enough sleep. Stop staying up (tape your favorite shows!); don't do work until just before you go to bed; go to bed on schedule.
3. Jump out of bed.
When the alarm goes off, DON'T hit the snooze button! Nope. Not even once. Hop up out of bed and start your day. No excuses. You'll actually get used to this if you do it regularly.
4. Consistency!
Go to bed at the same time. Get up at the same time. Don't constantly change things up.
1.Be clean. Shower 1 hour before, no perfume, no "statements" like punk clothing/haircuts/jewelry/nose or earrings/other body art. If you want to sell yourself, be relaxed and ready to kick butt.
2.Give yourself plenty of time to get to the interview. You don't want to be late or rushed--arriving early will allow you to enter the interview calm, cool and collected (and ready to answer questions).
3.Keep in mind that a job interview is not "just about you". It is also your opportunity to determine if the company is one you wish to work for. When the interviewer asks if you have any questions, the worst thing you can do is say no. Always have at least two or three job or company related questions ready.
4.Do a bit of research in advance of the interview and learn about the company's history and direction.During the interview, refer to things you've learned about the company. This tells the interviewer that you have an interest in the company and understand its mission, giving you an edge over applicants who simply "walk in".
5.Turn potentially negative answers into positive ones. A common example would be "What are your weaknesses?" The worst answer to give is that you haven't any. Find a weakness that you've improved upon and use that for your answer to this common question. "I learned in my previous position that my computer skills were not as strong as I would have preferred. I have since completed classroom training in that area, and have greatly improved." Remember, the question isn't meant to determine what the "weaknesses" are- it is meant to determine what you have done to correct them.
6.Always bring questions full circle back to your stated achievements and qualifications. When the interviewer asks a "How would you handle xxx?", a good answer would be "I had a similar situation in a previous position, and I handled it by.." Whenever a positive result was achieved, it is imperative that you note it. "My actions resulted in a decrease of operating expenses by 15% while increasing revenues by 25%."
7.Practice asking yourself questions in a mirror or have someone you know assist. Do what all US Presidents, court witnesses and executives do to prepare for tough questions: using a role-playing format, have someone ask you the same potentially tough questions, giving you the opportunity to practice your answers and delivery. Allow yourself practice to work through not only the best answer but one you're most comfortable delivering.
8.Use the STAR method when asked questions such as have you ever been in a group that did not work well together? Discuss the Situation, what Tasks you needed to achieve, what Actions you took, and the Results. It's okay if the situation ended badly. Discuss what you learned and how you would have handled the situation differently.
This really applies to disagreeing for specific valid reasons in almost all situations. It requires that the person you are disagreeing with be willing to engage you in discussion on the topic, and assumes they are not completely closed minded. Check back in the future for tips on dealing with a boss who just won't listen.
1. Start out by having at least one specific, valid & provable reason why you know this idea won't work.
2. Provide a suggestion or alternative idea and why.
3. Begin asking the person questions to help you understand their views on the idea you disagree with. eg: "for this plan, you are suggesting x?"
4. When they answer, follow up with another question which leads in the direction of your reason for disagreeing. eg: "x requires y, how will we make y happen?"
5. When you get to the point where you believe failure will occur, ask a final question eg: "y is square, but x requires round - how do we get around this?" Don't demand an answer - let the person think about it.
However, you must always keep in mind that you could be wrong; expect a dialogue with your boss and make sure you listen as well as you hope they do.
Being popular is important if you want to move up in the company. Yes, you also need to be competant but if people know who you are, and genuinely like you, then getting that promotion will be so much easier.
In an ideal world, promotions would be based solely on merit. We don't live in an ideal world, though, and office politics will often play a role in who gets promoted and who doesn't. Use and develop your people skills. Be kind and helpful to your co-workers, supervisors, and underlings. Develop relationships with people you work with, play golf with the boss, and get to know people (other than your immediate supervisor) who make decisions in the company. Be present at company events and network with people from outside your department.
Interview Control . . . It's Easy When You Set the Tone!
By: Paul Megan
Ok. So you got invited in for an interview. It's time for interview control. Maybe your resume did the trick. Or you were referred by an agency. Or maybe you used an alternative job search strategy and got introduced directly to a decision-maker.
Whoever it is you're going to meet with, you basically have one shot to make an impression. The result of your initiative will determine whether or not you proceed to the next step . . . or even get a job offer.
Notice, I said "your initiative."
This means you have to establish interview control. Gone forever are the days when you could dress nice and then passively sit and answer some questions. Unless you're content to be treated like just another number. Which means you're a good candidate for a TNT (thanks-but-no-thanks) letter.
Remember, interviewers at all levels see lots of prospects. You need to stand out from the rest. The secret is to present you in a memorable way.
Now, there are many proven tactics to help you attract attention and gain control of the interview. But I want to focus here on some whereby you set the interview control tone in the first three minutes. If you can't do this, your interview will be just another routine Q & A session. So, here are three important tips.
1. Greet the interviewer with a smile. Look directly into his/her eyes. Give a firm handshake (be sure to wipe your hands before you go into so they're not wet or clammy.)
2. When you're invited to sit down, move the chair a couple inches. This is a proven technique for breaking the spell and establishing your own space as well as a certain independence.
3. Take the initiative to talk first. And you do that by paying a friendly compliment. Say something nice about the organization that you've learned. Or about the interviewer. Or perhaps there's something in the office (like a picture or plaque) that deserves a friendly comment. The main thing is that you're prepared to speak up first.
Interview control is critical to your success. There are lots of books about how to conduct yourself in an interview. But if you can't get past the first three minutes, the rest of the session will become another routine procedure that turns you into another cipher.
Looking beyond the first three minutes, your interview control goal is to establish rapport and chemistry. For a very simple reason. Studies have shown that if an interviewer doesn't feel some connection with you, you'll never move forward. And interview control requires that you be prepared in advance to take the initiative.
Paul Megan writes for EEI, the world-class pioneer in alternative job search techniques and non-traditional career advancement strategies . . . since 1985. Grab our stunning FREE REPORT: "How To Lock Up A High-Paying Job In 14 Days (Or Less)!" And click on RSS! <>http://www.fastest-job-search.com/. Read More Articles at GiveMeArticles.com.
Career Changes for Baby Boomers: Ability, Not Age, Matters
By: Kelli Smith
Baby boomers. They're the generation born between 1946 and 1964. They came of age in the early 70s and early 80s. They're the generation that made changes and waves, worked harder and longer, put off marriage and children, did things differently than previous generations.
Whether because of financial necessity or because they have something to offer, baby boomers are staying in the workforce longer. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and projections indicate that by 2010 there should be 18.5 million boomers ages 45 to 49 in the labor force, as compared to 14.7 in 1995, and 16.8 million versus 10.6 million in the 50- to 54-years-old range.
They're still making changes. They're retiring later, or not at all. If not downsized or laid off, boomers often continue to work. When they don't choose to continue in the same career, it doesn't mean they're ready to stop contributing, and sometimes they're making transitions to new careers.
"On average there are three to five career changes in a person's lifetime and that's pretty common," says Kevin Gaw, Director of Career Development, University of Nevada, Reno. "It's pretty common that a layoff ends up being a great opportunity for someone to find something that's more suited to them, too."
But it can be challenging to a baby boomer to be suddenly confronted with a career change. They were raised in a world where you got your education, then got your job, and while you may not have stayed with the job until you retired, you would probably stay in the same profession. "It can be jarring to realize you have to transfer your skill set to another area," says Gaw.
In 2004, Gaw's office worked with 208 alumni. Nearly 7.5 percent were going through a career change, three percent because of a forced situation such as layoff or company closure or relocation. The rest of them just wanted to do something different. When you?re faced with an important career shift, there are things you can to do make it easier on yourself and achieve a more enjoyable, productive career change.
• Look at your skills. Determine which are transferable to other jobs.
• Find your passion. What do you love to do? "It's not about the money," Gaw says. "The money isn't what makes us happy. What makes us happy is doing something that's meaningful to us."
• Look at reality. If you want to be an astronaut but can't do math, Gaw says, the reality is it's unlikely. People need to work through that disappointment and maybe change that passion to a hobby rather than a vocation.
• Determine whether you want to make a radical career change? say from legal secretary to Web designer? or stay within the same profession.
• If you like the company you're with but feel the need for change, see if they can retain and retrain you. If it comes down to a complete career change, there are also some things you can do to help create a whole new career for yourself.
• Promote yourself rather than your age. Once you get into a position and can show off your skills, you'll be known for those skills rather than your years.
• Start slow. Before investing heavily in education, determine if it's the right career path for you.
• Network. Many non-entry level positions are found by references. Join professional organizations in the field you want to enter.
• Consider working for yourself. A job market survey conducted in 2005 by global outplacement firm Challenger, Gray & Christmas, Inc., quoted on thematuremarket.com, indicated that of 3000 job seekers, 13 percent chose to work for themselves, and 86.6 percent of them were over 40.
Another option is to leverage your experience and teach or train. Moving into training and coaching people just entering the profession you're leaving is a fairly informal move. Teaching requires state licensing, and there are programs helping place retiring workers into teaching positions. The University of Nevada Department of Curriculum, Teaching and Learning takes executives through a first-time licensing program and puts them in the schools in just a couple semesters, often teaching in high-needs areas like math, science and languages. Likewise, IBM unveiled their Transition to Teaching program in September, reimbursing them for tuition and providing stipends while they student teach. Many of their executives are highly trained in math and computer sciences.
Whether making a career change to a new profession or a new position, Gaw says such changes are a normal life pattern. "It's a good thing to be open to change. The challenge is recognizing skill sets and knowing how to capitalize on them and present them to the new opportunities." Author Bio Kelli Smith is the editor for Edu411.org, a career education directory for finding colleges and universities, training schools, and technical institutes.
Dr. Laura Crawshaw, 'The Boss Whisperer', explains how hostility and unpleasantness can be curbed in the workplace. If you hate your boss, or you hate your employees, this book is for you
Jon Gordon, author of "The No Complaining Rule: Positive Ways to Deal with Negativity at Work," tells Paul Lin that driving out the negatives in the workplace could save companies hundreds of billions of dollars a year.
Excerpted from The Truth About Managing Your Career... And Nothing But The Truth.
Someone once asked a Washington insider how to deal with important people whom you can't stand. His reply? "You put on your respectful face and you don't blink." This strategy is known in business circles as "kissing the ring." Its origins lie in a much earlier era, when royalty and clerics wore rings of office denoting their status. Bowing your head as you kissed their rings was how you showed respect for their office, while not necessarily feeling that sentiment towards the characters themselves.
Why go to the trouble to show deference to someone you don't personally like or respect? In the cut and thrust world of business, as in the political sphere, it's all about survival. Or, to look at it more positively, enlightened self-interest. Like it or not, the business world is structured by a strong sense of hierarchy. Why else would we be so fixated on gaining promotions and better titles? Those high up can have a significant impact upon your reputation and career: positive if they like you and see you playing by the rules, negative if they feel slighted by you in some way. Showing them the appropriate respect helps keep your career path obstacle free.
"Kissing the ring" might mean responding in a neutral to positive way when someone important says something off base in a meeting. Or staying positive with your boss when he or she doesn't understand what you're trying to do or say. However irritated or amazed you feel, keep your facial expression kind and free of negativity, a kind of poker face. It's worth practicing this in front of the mirror so that it's ready to put on when you need it.
"Kissing the ring" doesn't mean being sycophantic though. It's just about treading carefully around egos. There's nothing wrong with telling a senior person that you think there might be a better way of doing things, but just make sure that you think strategically and don't react there and then, especially if there are others present. If you are genuinely concerned about something you might want to bring it up in private in a neutral way but not make a big deal out of it. You do this by talking about it in a low-key way, tactfully introducing your point by saying, "By the way, what do you think of... " or, "Is there is a case to be made for this other point of view?"
Are there "don't kiss the ring" moments too? You bet. As soon as anything looks the slightest bit immoral or illegal you need to stop and think. Don't jump to conclusions, but once you've confirmed that something improper is up, do everything you can to extricate yourself from the situation before you get into trouble. If, for example, your company requires that the highest level person at a dinner should pick up the expenses then you might hesitate before paying for something so that your boss doesn't have to put it on his or her expense report. While illegality is something that you should always report, without exception. There are ex-employees of Enron or Health South, currently in jail, who probably wish they had spoken up, or even left their jobs, rather than keeping mum.
"Kissing the ring" is one of a repertoire of respectful behaviors that will serve you in good stead with high ranking people. At some point in your career you will have to suck in your gut and show deference to a senior person whom you can't stand. Be prepared for it.
Author BioDr Otazo is an author, consultant and global executive coach. She worked in multi-nationals in US, China, Indonesia, India, France. See more about Dr. Karen Otazo at www.globalleadershipnetwork.com
Hope you can check back every work day for a little pick-me-up before your 9-5 grind starts. These posts are funny, irreverent, irrelevant and weird ... but they should all be relatively safe for work. Good, (mostly) clean, innocent fun. Enjoy!
