Explore the tips, resources and strategies on our new Career & Life Coaching Blog!
Showing posts with label career transition. Show all posts
Showing posts with label career transition. Show all posts
Tuesday, October 30, 2012
Monday, May 14, 2012
Embrace New Experiences
Friday, June 10, 2011
Perhaps Now Is One of Those Times!
Enjoy a brief inspirational break, courtesy of David Ault. Is NOW one of those times to reflect, to act, to embrace change?
Monday, August 3, 2009
Try Asking What? not Why?
When you’re feeling boxed-in or stuck, it is often a good idea to start looking at things a bit differently and with more objectivity. A simple but often powerful way to make a positive change in your perspective is to start asking different questions. You may currently be asking questions like:
“Why is this happening to me?”
“Why is this happening now?”
“Why isn’t my plan working?”
“Why can’t I reach my goal?”
“Why am I feeling this way?”
“Why?” is one of the first questions we learn to ask as children. As a child I can remember watching movies with my family, who would inevitably become quite irritated with my barrage of “why” questions. Even today friends and family will frown at me for asking too many questions! We ask “Why” questions because we want to understand or reconcile a situation. But is the question being driven by a need to learn and grow or is it an emotional response? I sometimes refer to a “Why” question as the “Victim’s” question…“Why me?” This type of question may be good for reflection, but its focus is on the past or present. And we no longer have an opportunity to change the past or present. Not even Cher’s plastic surgeons can truly turn back time!
Consider asking “What” rather than “Why.” In the coaching world, we refer to “What” questions as WAQs on the side of the head or Wisdom Access Questions. WAQs take you beyond information gathering, to concentrate on outcomes and solutions. With a goal in mind, you can then do the research necessary to make informed decisions that can propel you forward. And the future is where positive change and goals reside. Here are some examples of essential, compelling “What” questions:
“What needs to change?”
“What’s blocking my path?”
“What negative patterns am I repeating?” ex. Job Hopping
“What do I need to demonstrate to be seen as a leader?”
“What do I need to learn / accomplish?”
Think of a common scenario, for example a conflict with your boss. You might ask questions such as “Why doesn’t my boss like me,” “Why does my boss treat me this way” or even “Why is my boss such an ass?” I’ll admit that these questions are good for bitching and whining. But the fundamental problem with these questions is that they have much more to do with the other person and their behavior than they have to do with you. You can’t spin your wheels trying to figure out the other person’s thoughts and motives. So try asking something like, “What can I do this week to improve my relationship with my boss?” A “What” question allows you to be proactive and to seek out a solution.
Next time you’re feeling stuck or need to view life a bit differently, try asking “What?” rather than “Why?” I also highly recommend “Now What?” and more great resources from life coach Laura Berman Fortgang.
“Why is this happening to me?”
“Why is this happening now?”
“Why isn’t my plan working?”
“Why can’t I reach my goal?”
“Why am I feeling this way?”
“Why?” is one of the first questions we learn to ask as children. As a child I can remember watching movies with my family, who would inevitably become quite irritated with my barrage of “why” questions. Even today friends and family will frown at me for asking too many questions! We ask “Why” questions because we want to understand or reconcile a situation. But is the question being driven by a need to learn and grow or is it an emotional response? I sometimes refer to a “Why” question as the “Victim’s” question…“Why me?” This type of question may be good for reflection, but its focus is on the past or present. And we no longer have an opportunity to change the past or present. Not even Cher’s plastic surgeons can truly turn back time!
Consider asking “What” rather than “Why.” In the coaching world, we refer to “What” questions as WAQs on the side of the head or Wisdom Access Questions. WAQs take you beyond information gathering, to concentrate on outcomes and solutions. With a goal in mind, you can then do the research necessary to make informed decisions that can propel you forward. And the future is where positive change and goals reside. Here are some examples of essential, compelling “What” questions:
“What needs to change?”
“What’s blocking my path?”
“What negative patterns am I repeating?” ex. Job Hopping
“What do I need to demonstrate to be seen as a leader?”
“What do I need to learn / accomplish?”
Think of a common scenario, for example a conflict with your boss. You might ask questions such as “Why doesn’t my boss like me,” “Why does my boss treat me this way” or even “Why is my boss such an ass?” I’ll admit that these questions are good for bitching and whining. But the fundamental problem with these questions is that they have much more to do with the other person and their behavior than they have to do with you. You can’t spin your wheels trying to figure out the other person’s thoughts and motives. So try asking something like, “What can I do this week to improve my relationship with my boss?” A “What” question allows you to be proactive and to seek out a solution.
Next time you’re feeling stuck or need to view life a bit differently, try asking “What?” rather than “Why?” I also highly recommend “Now What?” and more great resources from life coach Laura Berman Fortgang.
Thursday, May 7, 2009
How About a Little Career Exploration?
Looking to explore career options? Maybe you're about to graduate from college Or maybe you're a seasoned pro interested in making a transition. Take a little time to explore some ideas and options on the types of occupations that might represent a better or best fit career for YOU.Move well beyond the stereotypes of what you have heard and read about on the life of a teacher, doctor, lawyer, accountant, nurse, etc. And wrap your mind around the very real fact that most of us do NOT have stereotypical career roles. Most of us have HYBRID careers. What's a hybrid career? It is a composite of skills, strengths, interests, knowledge and responsibilities that crosses many traditional boundaries. For example, take the title of Project Manager, which exists at almost any company. You would be hard pressed to find an occupational description for project manager in any major career publication. This title represents a hybrid role; and the description (duties, experience, credentials, etc.) for this job will be unique because it will be defined by the organization.
So allow your mind to wander a bit, brainstorm and explore. You might just come across a few ideas for your next career move.
And you'll need some quality information to help with the exploration. iSEEK is a tremendous web site and offers an array of articles and resources on a broad variety of career topics. Check out these links to get started:
Monday, March 16, 2009
It's Time to Invest!
Maybe you have recently been downsized from your company - or you're worried about the next round of lay offs - or you're thinking it's time for a change. Now is a great time to invest in something that has the potential to pay dividends for years to come. Look it up, the ticker symbol to use is (InsertYourNameHere)! Make a committment to yourself to do something this month/this week, as a solid investment in your career.What development activites have you participated in lately (and the grumbling begins across cyberspace)? I pose this question to my clients each and every week because I truly believe it is a damn good question. The opportunities are all around us in the form of for-credit college classes (classroom & online), continuing education classes, seminars, workshops, conferences, webinars, teleclasses, audio books...and the list goes on. But time and time again I hear the excuses...My company won't pay for that. Money is tight right now. I don't have the time. Seminars are boring.
If your company won't pay to send you to a class or seminar, here's an idea...pay for it yourself and consider it a great investment. But pick an activity that you are truly interested in and one that has received rave reviews from past participants. It seems that we still have the time and funds for premium TV channels, NetFlix, an upgrade to an iPhone, gourmet coffee, the salon, gym memberships...blah, blah, blah. Here's the reality check people - the way to compete for good jobs at good companies is to demonstrate that your knowledge and skills are current and you can bring new thinking, creativity and results to an organization. Now if you haven't taken a class since receiving that college degree 5, 7, 10 or more years ago...good luck with that approach. And if the last seminar you attended was "Tips for Debugging Windows ME", I suggest you avoid the topic of professional development at your next interview.
My point is this...skip the gourmet coffee, movie theatre or dining out for a month or two, or maybe even cancel HBO for the time being, and use that money to attend a class or a few targeted seminars. Look to professional associations, the continuing ed divison of local colleges, http://www.findaseminar.com/ to target and engage in learning that will peak your interest and give you latest and greatest info for your career.
Set yourself up for success by investing in the skills and knowledge you need to land a better fit, hopefully best fit career position.
Saturday, February 21, 2009
Still on Target: Let's ReVISIT ~ ReFOCUS on Some Excellent Advice from '08
Check out this SlideShare Presentation: Take a few minutes to review these SIX fundamental Career Lessons from Dan Pink's book, "Johnny Bunko-The Last Career Guide You'll Ever Need". It's a fun approach to a serious topic. And while this will probably NOT be the last career guide you will ever need (that comment was in my Career Coach voice) I think it helps to get back to basics! EnjoyWednesday, January 28, 2009
Recent News on Job Search & Career Transition
These articles have some great advice (and action steps) surrounding the JOB SEARCH process and on mapping out a CAREER TRANSITION! Check them out at:
Job Search Strategies in Volatile Times – from Job-Hunt.org
Tool up for Mid Career Job Hunt – from the Wall Street Journal Online
6 Tips on Planning a Second Career – From US News & World Report
And remember you don't have to go it alone. If you believe you would benefit from some objective feedback and targeted input available from a career professional, contact a career coach TODAY!
Job Search Strategies in Volatile Times – from Job-Hunt.org
Tool up for Mid Career Job Hunt – from the Wall Street Journal Online
6 Tips on Planning a Second Career – From US News & World Report
And remember you don't have to go it alone. If you believe you would benefit from some objective feedback and targeted input available from a career professional, contact a career coach TODAY!
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