Not A Good Decade, Say "The People"
According to The Pew Research Center For The People & the Press, as the current decade draws to a close, relatively few Americans have positive things to say about it. By roughly two-to-one, more say they have a generally negative rather than a generally positive impression of the past 10 years. This stands in stark contrast to the public's recollection of other decades in the past half-century. When asked to look back on the 1960s, 1970s, 1980s and 1990s, positive feelings outweigh negative in all cases.
Happy to put the 2000s behind them, most Americans are optimistic that the 2010s will be better. Nearly six-in-ten say they think the next decade will be better than the last for the country as a whole, though roughly a third think things will be worse.
Impressions Of The Decades (% of Respondents)
Overall Impression of the Decades:
General Impression 1960s 34% Said it was positive/ 15% said it was negative
1970s ... 40% positive/ 16 % said it was negative
1980s 56% positive/ 12% said it was negative
1990s 57% positive/ 19% negative
2000s only 27% said it was positive and 50% said their overall impression was negative
2010s EST
Expectation For 2010s
Better 59%
Worse 32
Same 4
Don't know 5
Source: Pew Research Center, December 2009
By a wide margin, the 9/11 terrorist attacks are seen as the most important event of the decade, with Barack Obama's election as president a distant second - even among his political supporters. And the sour view of the decade is broad-based, with few in any political or demographic group offering positive evaluations.
Clear majorities see cell phones, the internet and e-mail as changes for the better, and most also view specific changes such as handheld internet devices and online shopping as beneficial trends. Most see increasing racial and ethnic diversity as a change for the better, as well as increased surveillance and security measures and the broader range of news and entertainment options.
But the public is divided over whether wider acceptance of gays and lesbians, cable news talk and opinion shows, and the growing number of people with money in the stock market are good or bad trends. Reality TV shows are, by a wide margin, the least popular trend tested in the poll; 63% say these shows have been a change for the worse. Tattoos are also unpopular with many - 40% say more people getting tattoos is a change for the worse, though 45% say it makes no difference and 7% see it as a change for the better.
Opinions of Tech and Social Changes (% of Respondents)
Technologies that have made a Change For The Better
Cell phones 69%
Green products 68%
Email 65%
Internet 65%
Increasing racial/ethnic diversity 61%
Increased surveillance/security 58%
Blackberry/iPhone 56%
Online shopping 54%
News & entertainment choices 54%
Genetic testing 53%
Acceptance of gays and lesbians 38%
Social networking sites 35%
Internet blogs 29%
Reality TV shows 8%
More people getting tattoos 7%
Source: Pew Research Center, December 2009
The breadth and depth of discontent with the current decade is reflected in the words people use to describe it. The single most common word or phrase used to characterize the past 10 years is downhill, and other bleak terms such as poor, decline, chaotic, disaster, scary, and depressing are common. Other, more neutral, words like change, fair and interesting also come up, and while the word good is near the top of the list, there are few other positive words mentioned with any frequency.
There is no significant generational divide in impressions of the current decade: Roughly half in all age groups view the 2000s negatively, while less than a third rates the decade positively. This is in stark contrast to generational differences in views of previous decades.
The biggest generational division of opinion is in retrospective evaluations of the 1970s. Baby Boomers - most of whom are between the ages of 50 and 64 today and were between 20 and 34 in 1979 - view this decade in an overwhelmingly favorable light, with positive impressions outnumbering negative views by 48 points (59% positive vs. 11% negative). By contrast, people who were younger than 20 at the end of the 1970s - who are currently in their 30s and 40s - offer a less positive assessment; just 28% view the decade positively, 20% negatively, and 52% say neither or offer no opinion.
Most Americans (59%) think the next decade will be better than the current one for the country as a whole, and this perspective is widely shared across most political and demographic groups. But a significant minority - 32% - is of the view that things will be worse in the 2010s than in the 2000s. Generationally, Americans between the ages of 50 and 64 are the most pessimistic about the 2010s.
Expectations Of 2010s (% Respondents by Category)
Next Decade Will Be
Better Worse Same/DK
Total 59% 32 9
Age
18-29 65 29 7
30-49 60 31 9
50-64 50 42 8
65+ 62 26 13
Family income
$75+ 64 32 4
$32-75K 61 33 6
<$30K 58 30 12
Source: Pew Research Center, December 2009
Along religious lines, white evangelical Protestants take a far more pessimistic view of the next decade than other major religious groups. Just over half (52%) of white evangelicals predict that the coming decade will be worse than the current one, far more than the number of white mainline Protestants (29%), white Catholics (24%) or unaffiliated (28%) Americans who take this view.
The internet, perhaps the seminal technological development of recent decades, continues to be widely seen in a favorable light. About two-thirds (65%) say the internet has been a change for the better, while just 16% say it has been a change for the worse; 11% say it hasn't made much difference while 8% are unsure. This largely mirrors the balance of opinion at the close of the 1990s - the decade that saw the widespread adoption of the web.
Email is viewed as favorably as the internet itself. By an overwhelming margin, more say email has been a change for the better (65%) than say it has been a change for the worse (7%), while 19% say it hasn't made a difference. Very few young people, just 1%, say email has been a change for the worse, but a quarter of those who came of age in the current decade, with ever-increasing options for real-time, wireless communication, say email has not made much of a difference.
Cell phones are broadly embraced by the public as a change for the better. Nearly seven-in-ten (69%) call cell phones a change for the better compared with just 14% who call them a change for the worse. Overall, the public's take on cell phones is slightly better than it was ten years ago.
The public is ambivalent when it comes to evaluating social networking sites such as Facebook. About a third (35%) call them a change for the better, 21% say they have been a change for the worse, while 31% say social networking sites have not made much of a difference and 12% are unsure. In fact, even among young people, fewer than half say social networking sites have been a change for the better.
And when it comes to internet blogs, the plurality opinion (36%) is that the emergence of blogs has not made much of a difference. Slightly fewer (29%) call them a change for the better, while 21% think they have been a change for the worse.
The public is divided about the effect of cable news talk and opinion shows; 34% say they have been a change for the better, 31% think they have made no difference and 30% say they have been a change for the worse. More young people think these shows have been a change for the worse than people 65 and older. Similarly, more college graduates say cable news talk and opinion shows have been a change for the worse than those with some college education or with a high school education or less.
The public overwhelmingly thinks that reality television shows have been a change for the worse; A plurality in all age groups says these shows have been a change for the worse. Even though a majority in all education groups says reality television shows have been a change for the worse; college graduates or those with some college education are more likely than those with a high school education or less to say they have been a change for the worse.
Source: Pew Research Center, December 2009
I wish you a better year in 2010!
Patty DeDominic
Coach to High Achieving Professionals
Thursday, December 31, 2009
Wednesday, December 30, 2009
The Job Goddess on Mapping Out a Career Strategy
Mapping Out a Career Strategy: The War of the Jobs and What the Brave New World of Work Commands.
The world has morphed into something so complex, you need a roadmap to figure out a career path and how to get somewhere, but the journey consists of constant movement from point A to B and perhaps Z before you wend your way back to C, D or E.
Twenty years ago, reports from the world of media and employment stats revealed that most people would change careers—not jobs—five to seven times in their lifetimes and sometimes wear two hats at once. These truths we hold to be self evident.
The working landscape demands multitasking and constantly acquiring and upgrading occupational skills with formal training. On the job training, learning a job inside and out and then adapting to changes in that workforce, are no longer adequate. Most new jobs require and translate into a total career makeover. Some job titles haven’t even manifested themselves yet! O the possibilities!
Today, the worker must be a job warrior, think outside the box and then keep going, stretching, moving, turning and adapting to change skin like a chameleon…
It may sound like a simplification to say, do a self assessment and transfer your skills.
In depth, what that truly looks like, is a plan to assess what skills you already have and what skills in which you need to take a course to complete the roadmap.
That roadmap encompasses something like the thinking strategy illustrated in this example…
Think of all the elements and functions of a construction manager. Big projects, especially in some colleges in the region that are expanding their medical science and environmental science buildings, need project managers who know how to read blueprints. That might mean they should have a course in AutoCAD. That means having a course in drafting under your belt. Budgeting is another necessary skill for a construction manager. A course in QuickBooks might do the trick to upgrade former experience in that area. If you don’t have bookkeeping/accounting type experience, join a volunteer group and establish trust. Volunteer to assist the club’s treasurer. And think ‘green.’ Green careers in building materials, solar panels and construction compliance for eco-friendly, environmentally sound buildings are springing up all over the world. Perhaps you might pursue LEEDS Certification (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design). (As with all new skills training, the government may provide funds. See your local One Stop Career Center: http://www.servicelocator.org/).
If you apply to a college for a part time adjunct professor (provided you have a Masters Degree and some area of work expertise in the subject), parlay that into opportunities to gain courses free of charge at the college in which you teach.
Go to job fairs and present what you have. Lay it on the line but explain how each area of expertise intertwines with one another to make the job complete so you demonstrate an understanding. Read journals and current business and news magazine issues to get a flair for what is new, what is old and what is yet to come.
You must think about how every required duty and accompanying skill will come together to create success in this field. Augment your toolkit with the specifics you need and draw upon past talents and experience to draw a complete picture…the perfect blueprint for success!
You are your product to market. Just like the advertising/marketing world of commodities, services and consumer goods needs to keep reinventing and branding themselves to stay fresh and vital in the world marketplace, so do you.
Use every past, present and future skill to draw patterns to strategize and commute your career. Make your own “map.” See how the roads connect, intertwine, fork, bend and curve around. One should build on another. There will be unexpected “merges” and road construction here and there. This career path is a continuing journey that lasts as long as your work life.
There are chips beginning to erode away at the concrete wall of unemployment in certain hiring areas and fields and slight sunlight beams stream through the cracks of a rusty, old tanked economy that lies like an old car wreck on the side of a road. People are reclaiming employment status in jobs such as IT, marketing and environmental products and services. See what your desired field wants and set about getting it. Someday the job world will revive itself but it may be an entirely different animal. Don’t be afraid to think out of the box—and way beyond it. Use today well and make the idle time count. You want to be ready for work while opportunities are on the drawing boards and before they actually materialize. Do not stand still but keep moving forward in the New Year and beyond.
-By The Job Goddess Who Won’t Rest Till Everyone Is Put To Work!
Read about more helpful resources from The Job Goddess
here.
http://www.the405club.com/post/306468518/brave-new-world-of-work
The Job Goddess's Brave New World of Work
The world has morphed into something so complex, you need a roadmap to figure out a career path and how to get somewhere, but the journey consists of constant movement from point A to B and perhaps Z before you wend your way back to C, D or E.
Twenty years ago, reports from the world of media and employment stats revealed that most people would change careers—not jobs—five to seven times in their lifetimes and sometimes wear two hats at once. These truths we hold to be self evident.
The working landscape demands multitasking and constantly acquiring and upgrading occupational skills with formal training. On the job training, learning a job inside and out and then adapting to changes in that workforce, are no longer adequate. Most new jobs require and translate into a total career makeover. Some job titles haven’t even manifested themselves yet! O the possibilities!
Today, the worker must be a job warrior, think outside the box and then keep going, stretching, moving, turning and adapting to change skin like a chameleon…
It may sound like a simplification to say, do a self assessment and transfer your skills.
In depth, what that truly looks like, is a plan to assess what skills you already have and what skills in which you need to take a course to complete the roadmap.
That roadmap encompasses something like the thinking strategy illustrated in this example…
Think of all the elements and functions of a construction manager. Big projects, especially in some colleges in the region that are expanding their medical science and environmental science buildings, need project managers who know how to read blueprints. That might mean they should have a course in AutoCAD. That means having a course in drafting under your belt. Budgeting is another necessary skill for a construction manager. A course in QuickBooks might do the trick to upgrade former experience in that area. If you don’t have bookkeeping/accounting type experience, join a volunteer group and establish trust. Volunteer to assist the club’s treasurer. And think ‘green.’ Green careers in building materials, solar panels and construction compliance for eco-friendly, environmentally sound buildings are springing up all over the world. Perhaps you might pursue LEEDS Certification (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design). (As with all new skills training, the government may provide funds. See your local One Stop Career Center: http://www.servicelocator.org/).
If you apply to a college for a part time adjunct professor (provided you have a Masters Degree and some area of work expertise in the subject), parlay that into opportunities to gain courses free of charge at the college in which you teach.
Go to job fairs and present what you have. Lay it on the line but explain how each area of expertise intertwines with one another to make the job complete so you demonstrate an understanding. Read journals and current business and news magazine issues to get a flair for what is new, what is old and what is yet to come.
You must think about how every required duty and accompanying skill will come together to create success in this field. Augment your toolkit with the specifics you need and draw upon past talents and experience to draw a complete picture…the perfect blueprint for success!
You are your product to market. Just like the advertising/marketing world of commodities, services and consumer goods needs to keep reinventing and branding themselves to stay fresh and vital in the world marketplace, so do you.
Use every past, present and future skill to draw patterns to strategize and commute your career. Make your own “map.” See how the roads connect, intertwine, fork, bend and curve around. One should build on another. There will be unexpected “merges” and road construction here and there. This career path is a continuing journey that lasts as long as your work life.
There are chips beginning to erode away at the concrete wall of unemployment in certain hiring areas and fields and slight sunlight beams stream through the cracks of a rusty, old tanked economy that lies like an old car wreck on the side of a road. People are reclaiming employment status in jobs such as IT, marketing and environmental products and services. See what your desired field wants and set about getting it. Someday the job world will revive itself but it may be an entirely different animal. Don’t be afraid to think out of the box—and way beyond it. Use today well and make the idle time count. You want to be ready for work while opportunities are on the drawing boards and before they actually materialize. Do not stand still but keep moving forward in the New Year and beyond.
-By The Job Goddess Who Won’t Rest Till Everyone Is Put To Work!
Read about more helpful resources from The Job Goddess
here.
http://www.the405club.com/post/306468518/brave-new-world-of-work
The Job Goddess's Brave New World of Work
Tuesday, December 29, 2009
Patty DeDominic's Top 4 Tips for 2010 Employment Enjoyment
I did an interview not too long ago that was focused on New Opportunities for a New Ways of Working Article series.
New Ways of Working" article:
1. What is flexible working and is it right for every business?
The beauty of flexible working is that it can be customized for almost any industry and lots of job skills, not just computer engineers
Or freelance writers! Many people find working from home enables them to be more productive and it can enable companies to attract
Talent that might not be geographically convenient. Sometimes commuting will still take place, but the employee might just have to go into the office one or two days a week or event a few times a month to maintain face time. Some businesses, like a bank with tellers and customer service personnel, still need people to punch the time clock, but we are seeing far more industries utilizing virtual work forces.
We also see many people having several part time gigs instead of one full time job.
2. What are the issues that companies face as they embrace new working methods? What cultural issues need to be overcome?
How does employer/employee trust change?
There are many cultural and practical issues that still need to be addressed.
• One of the most critical for independent workers who are no longer attached to one employer are (formerly employer supplied) health and educational reimbursement benefits. USA needs more portable plans, and health care reform is coming just in time to give more flexibility to people who will need coverage in the future.
• Some employers are still in “old think mode” believing they need to ask their employees to punch time cards and keep chairs warm. These businesses are the ancient relics of the 90’s not the future. Productivity and results are the name of the game
• Overtime laws and some states work rules as well as independent contractor and employee definitions need formal updating.
• You need mentors and the old ways of getting them at work from your long term supervisor may not work anymore, consider getting a job or executive coach! I wrote an article not too long ago on Getting a Great Coach
http://patty-thenewnewworldofwork.blogspot.com/2009/07/patty-dedominic-on-why-you-need.html
3. Does the notion of a conventional job/employee still exist?
David Harder, of Inspired Work wrote in the New New World of Work recently that “The End of Jobs as We know it is Here”:
Please click on this link for his full article: http://patty-thenewnewworldofwork.blogspot.com/2009_10_01_archive.html
Is it the end of the road for the job?
We really believe it's a good to start preparing for it.
In 1970, Alvin Toffler wrote the groundbreaking book, "Future Shock."
In it, he talked about how technology would so transform the workplace that one day, we'd look back a hundred years and feel badly for those poor people that felt jobs were the best way to work and make a living. He described how, "Future shock is also the shattering stress and disorientation that we induce in individuals by subjecting them to too much change in too short a time."
4. Are modern technology and communications services helping to deliver effective and sustainable new
ways of working? Who is leading the field in this and why? Are certain industries best suited to it? What can tangible advice/leaning can business decision makers take from this and apply to their own company?
Yes, Google for One
Social enterprises for another….
One lesson is that we hope that Corporate greed is dying (just in the nick of time) and that social conscience is growing.
We love how KIVA distributes microloans all over the world via technology, www.kiva.org
We love how Las Cumbres Telecope Network http://lcogt.net/en/science is enabling kids to see space 24/7 and want to empower them in science
I am also a board member of the International medical assistance organization. www.directrelief.org They have used sophisticated technology to deliver medicines all around the world: Aiming Help Where People Receive Care
Direct Relief focuses on strengthening existing, fragile health systems in poor areas with resources that enable the trained health workers already there to address the tremendous needs. The effect is that doctors, nurses, and midwives can care for people who are sick or hurt and have no money and, in turn, give these people in vulnerable situations the chance to survive and realize their inherent human potential. It is in these effects that the value in human terms is realized for the money spent.
Direct Relief’s medical assistance programs equip health professionals working in resource-poor communities to better meet the challenges of diagnosing, treating, and caring for people without regard to politics, religion, gender, race, or ability to pay.
In Malawi, for example, Direct Relief has worked for several years with the Dean of the Medical College, who has trained the small cadre of Malawian doctors running the health system (about 250 physicians are working in a country of 13 million people). Those physicians, and their health worker colleagues, care daily for many HIV positive and AIDS patients – but they also deliver babies, set broken bones, and do everything else. The targeted, medical-material support Direct Relief provides enables them to work, in itself important for the broad goal of public health. But “public health” requires that real people get health services. This happens when the doctors are able to diagnose and treat patients who are sick or hurt, have little or no money to pay, and otherwise would go without.
Strengthening frontline clinics in poor areas, both around the world and in the U.S., also creates a network for responding to disasters, which often hit poor people hardest and stress these very same health facilities caring for newly impoverished people.
We love how Jane Goodall’s Roots & Shoots, youth program is empowering kids in 90 countries to make a difference at home and in Africa.
5. Can you offer any specific tips for making the most of new ways of working?
My 4 top tips for making the most out of the new ways of working:
1. Give your life some added dimension, if you work at home enjoy the comforts but don’t forget to stay stimulated by being involved in your community.
2. Make new contacts, friends, links etc, but remember that your long term relations, grown with experience and credibility are like gold.
3. Learn from everyone you come in contact with/ consider a job or success coach!
4. There is power in focus…..decide what your passion is and pursue it to make the world a better place.
New Ways of Working" article:
1. What is flexible working and is it right for every business?
The beauty of flexible working is that it can be customized for almost any industry and lots of job skills, not just computer engineers
Or freelance writers! Many people find working from home enables them to be more productive and it can enable companies to attract
Talent that might not be geographically convenient. Sometimes commuting will still take place, but the employee might just have to go into the office one or two days a week or event a few times a month to maintain face time. Some businesses, like a bank with tellers and customer service personnel, still need people to punch the time clock, but we are seeing far more industries utilizing virtual work forces.
We also see many people having several part time gigs instead of one full time job.
2. What are the issues that companies face as they embrace new working methods? What cultural issues need to be overcome?
How does employer/employee trust change?
There are many cultural and practical issues that still need to be addressed.
• One of the most critical for independent workers who are no longer attached to one employer are (formerly employer supplied) health and educational reimbursement benefits. USA needs more portable plans, and health care reform is coming just in time to give more flexibility to people who will need coverage in the future.
• Some employers are still in “old think mode” believing they need to ask their employees to punch time cards and keep chairs warm. These businesses are the ancient relics of the 90’s not the future. Productivity and results are the name of the game
• Overtime laws and some states work rules as well as independent contractor and employee definitions need formal updating.
• You need mentors and the old ways of getting them at work from your long term supervisor may not work anymore, consider getting a job or executive coach! I wrote an article not too long ago on Getting a Great Coach
http://patty-thenewnewworldofwork.blogspot.com/2009/07/patty-dedominic-on-why-you-need.html
3. Does the notion of a conventional job/employee still exist?
David Harder, of Inspired Work wrote in the New New World of Work recently that “The End of Jobs as We know it is Here”:
Please click on this link for his full article: http://patty-thenewnewworldofwork.blogspot.com/2009_10_01_archive.html
Is it the end of the road for the job?
We really believe it's a good to start preparing for it.
In 1970, Alvin Toffler wrote the groundbreaking book, "Future Shock."
In it, he talked about how technology would so transform the workplace that one day, we'd look back a hundred years and feel badly for those poor people that felt jobs were the best way to work and make a living. He described how, "Future shock is also the shattering stress and disorientation that we induce in individuals by subjecting them to too much change in too short a time."
4. Are modern technology and communications services helping to deliver effective and sustainable new
ways of working? Who is leading the field in this and why? Are certain industries best suited to it? What can tangible advice/leaning can business decision makers take from this and apply to their own company?
Yes, Google for One
Social enterprises for another….
One lesson is that we hope that Corporate greed is dying (just in the nick of time) and that social conscience is growing.
We love how KIVA distributes microloans all over the world via technology, www.kiva.org
We love how Las Cumbres Telecope Network http://lcogt.net/en/science is enabling kids to see space 24/7 and want to empower them in science
I am also a board member of the International medical assistance organization. www.directrelief.org They have used sophisticated technology to deliver medicines all around the world: Aiming Help Where People Receive Care
Direct Relief focuses on strengthening existing, fragile health systems in poor areas with resources that enable the trained health workers already there to address the tremendous needs. The effect is that doctors, nurses, and midwives can care for people who are sick or hurt and have no money and, in turn, give these people in vulnerable situations the chance to survive and realize their inherent human potential. It is in these effects that the value in human terms is realized for the money spent.
Direct Relief’s medical assistance programs equip health professionals working in resource-poor communities to better meet the challenges of diagnosing, treating, and caring for people without regard to politics, religion, gender, race, or ability to pay.
In Malawi, for example, Direct Relief has worked for several years with the Dean of the Medical College, who has trained the small cadre of Malawian doctors running the health system (about 250 physicians are working in a country of 13 million people). Those physicians, and their health worker colleagues, care daily for many HIV positive and AIDS patients – but they also deliver babies, set broken bones, and do everything else. The targeted, medical-material support Direct Relief provides enables them to work, in itself important for the broad goal of public health. But “public health” requires that real people get health services. This happens when the doctors are able to diagnose and treat patients who are sick or hurt, have little or no money to pay, and otherwise would go without.
Strengthening frontline clinics in poor areas, both around the world and in the U.S., also creates a network for responding to disasters, which often hit poor people hardest and stress these very same health facilities caring for newly impoverished people.
We love how Jane Goodall’s Roots & Shoots, youth program is empowering kids in 90 countries to make a difference at home and in Africa.
5. Can you offer any specific tips for making the most of new ways of working?
My 4 top tips for making the most out of the new ways of working:
1. Give your life some added dimension, if you work at home enjoy the comforts but don’t forget to stay stimulated by being involved in your community.
2. Make new contacts, friends, links etc, but remember that your long term relations, grown with experience and credibility are like gold.
3. Learn from everyone you come in contact with/ consider a job or success coach!
4. There is power in focus…..decide what your passion is and pursue it to make the world a better place.
Robert Half Offers Salary Guide for 2010
Robert Half Legal Salary Guide Identifies Practice Areas, Positions in Demand for 2010
Though the economy is showing nascent signs of recovery, many law firms and corporate legal departments are taking a cautious approach to adding staff. They are basing hiring decisions on the need to manage costs and improve efficiencies, and are building flexible legal teams that can quickly adapt to changing business conditions. These and other findings are featured in the 2010 Salary Guide from Robert Half Legal, a leading staffing service specializing in positions in the legal field.
"To retain existing clients and grow revenue, law firms are focusing on improving service levels and seeking associates with experience in high-demand practice areas, such as litigation and bankruptcy," said Charles Volkert, executive director of Robert Half Legal. "Our research also shows that corporate legal departments are bringing more work in-house and hiring staff who possess specialized skills in an effort to control spending on outside counsel."
Volkert added that legal project professionals can help law firms and corporate legal departments manage unexpected workloads, such as those related to electronic discovery and document review, allowing core employees to pursue other top-priority projects. "Using a mix of full-time and interim professionals affords law offices the flexibility to expand and contract their legal teams as necessary, and keep personnel costs in check."
Following are in-demand practice areas and positions for 2010, according to Robert Half Legal:
•Litigation - A surge in litigation is generating work for experienced attorneys who can represent corporate clients in areas such as insurance defense and commercial litigation, among others.
•Regulatory and compliance - The global financial crisis is expected to result in greater government regulation, increasing demand for attorneys with regulatory backgrounds.
•Energy/environmental law - As "green" initiatives make gains, attorneys with expertise in these areas will remain marketable.
•Bankruptcy/foreclosure - The economic downturn has heightened the need for lawyers with experience handling complex bankruptcy and foreclosure matters, including restructuring and litigation.
•Healthcare - The healthcare sector is expected to remain active, due in part to new reform legislation, generating demand for attorneys and paralegals with biotechnology and pharmaceutical expertise.
•Corporate transactional - As legal departments reduce their spending on outside counsel, there is an increased need for attorneys and paralegals with transactional, litigation and regulatory law experience.
The Robert Half Legal Salary Guide is based on an analysis of the thousands of job orders and placements managed nationwide by account executives with Robert Half Legal. The guide includes an overview of the current hiring environment and national average starting salary ranges for positions in the legal field. Because compensation can vary significantly by geographic area, the guide also includes an analysis of hiring trends and compensation variances for local markets.
Call 1-800-870-8367 for a complimentary copy of the 2010 Salary Guide
Robert Half Legal Salary Center at www.roberthalflegal.com/SalaryCenter.
About Robert Half Legal
Robert Half Legal is the legal staffing division of Robert Half International. The company provides law firms and corporate legal departments with highly skilled professionals, including attorneys, paralegals and legal support personnel, on a project and full-time basis. Robert Half Legal offers online job search services at www.roberthalflegal.com.
Though the economy is showing nascent signs of recovery, many law firms and corporate legal departments are taking a cautious approach to adding staff. They are basing hiring decisions on the need to manage costs and improve efficiencies, and are building flexible legal teams that can quickly adapt to changing business conditions. These and other findings are featured in the 2010 Salary Guide from Robert Half Legal, a leading staffing service specializing in positions in the legal field.
"To retain existing clients and grow revenue, law firms are focusing on improving service levels and seeking associates with experience in high-demand practice areas, such as litigation and bankruptcy," said Charles Volkert, executive director of Robert Half Legal. "Our research also shows that corporate legal departments are bringing more work in-house and hiring staff who possess specialized skills in an effort to control spending on outside counsel."
Volkert added that legal project professionals can help law firms and corporate legal departments manage unexpected workloads, such as those related to electronic discovery and document review, allowing core employees to pursue other top-priority projects. "Using a mix of full-time and interim professionals affords law offices the flexibility to expand and contract their legal teams as necessary, and keep personnel costs in check."
Following are in-demand practice areas and positions for 2010, according to Robert Half Legal:
•Litigation - A surge in litigation is generating work for experienced attorneys who can represent corporate clients in areas such as insurance defense and commercial litigation, among others.
•Regulatory and compliance - The global financial crisis is expected to result in greater government regulation, increasing demand for attorneys with regulatory backgrounds.
•Energy/environmental law - As "green" initiatives make gains, attorneys with expertise in these areas will remain marketable.
•Bankruptcy/foreclosure - The economic downturn has heightened the need for lawyers with experience handling complex bankruptcy and foreclosure matters, including restructuring and litigation.
•Healthcare - The healthcare sector is expected to remain active, due in part to new reform legislation, generating demand for attorneys and paralegals with biotechnology and pharmaceutical expertise.
•Corporate transactional - As legal departments reduce their spending on outside counsel, there is an increased need for attorneys and paralegals with transactional, litigation and regulatory law experience.
The Robert Half Legal Salary Guide is based on an analysis of the thousands of job orders and placements managed nationwide by account executives with Robert Half Legal. The guide includes an overview of the current hiring environment and national average starting salary ranges for positions in the legal field. Because compensation can vary significantly by geographic area, the guide also includes an analysis of hiring trends and compensation variances for local markets.
Call 1-800-870-8367 for a complimentary copy of the 2010 Salary Guide
Robert Half Legal Salary Center at www.roberthalflegal.com/SalaryCenter.
About Robert Half Legal
Robert Half Legal is the legal staffing division of Robert Half International. The company provides law firms and corporate legal departments with highly skilled professionals, including attorneys, paralegals and legal support personnel, on a project and full-time basis. Robert Half Legal offers online job search services at www.roberthalflegal.com.
Saturday, December 26, 2009
Job Seekers Advice: Learn From Small Business Brand Building Tactics by Patty DeDominic
Job Seekers
Learn From Business
Brand Building Tactics
Patty DeDominic
Coach to High Achieving Professionals
Santa Barbara, California
Go WITH the flow and let things work for and with your job hunting efforts!
Eager to market your professional skills and stand out from the rest?
By now, you probably have a professionally written resume and you made sure you have included plenty of key words so the search engines and night crawling robots can easily find you. Still want to set yourself apart from the newly six million unemployed in the USA? Try taking a page from the Small Business Bible, specifically Branding Secrets for small business. These are tailor made for you too, the extraordinary job seeker.
USAToday Small Business Columnist, Steven D. Strauss wrote the Small Business Bible a few years ago and he's devoted quite a few pages to Branding 101. There are 3 Key Tips he gives small business owners which I feel will take you a long way to standing out in the crowd. They are common sense, but believe me, they are NOT common practice!
1. Do What You Do Best Again and Again
2. Offer Superior Customer Service
3. Be a Mench
Since our goal here is to help you market "You, Inc" it is helpful to apply successful small business branding techniques and tactics to your job search.
Let me elaborate on each point as Steven D. Strauss laid it out. My comments for job seekers in red.
1. Do What You Do Best Again and Again
A brand is a promise that essentially boils down to: "If you buy this products, you know what you will be getting because our copany stands for X, Y or Z" that is, Volvos are safe. Nordstrom's offers great customer service, that sort of thing. This kid of branding takes time and derives fro a company doing what it does best and then making sure that everything else they do supports that value proposition. Consistency is key. On Your resume or portfolio, be sure to include samples and specific examples of work you love to do and that YOU are good at. Go back to past employers and colleagues at those work places or educational institutions and renew your network. It could help you a lot to do a little fond recollection with former class or work mates. Yes, you will want to appear flexible and eager to learn and do new activities in your profession, but you also want to leverage your finest achievements and your best skills. You only need ONE great referral or job offer to really make your day!
2. Offer Superior Customer Service
This is a theme that is duscussed in detail in his book... but suffice it to say that all your hard work creating that cool brand will be a waste of time and money if it isn't reinforced by happy customers. Customers should find it easy to work with you or buy from you. Happy customers refer business to you too. How does this translate to job hunters? Thank your references, your referral sources and anyone who took the time to give you some advice or a leg up along the way. Be sincere, yet generous in your gratitude. Take time to plan your calls and meetings. Don't just ask for referrals, informational interviews or meetings.... ASK WHAT YOU CAN DO FOR THEM? Executive recruiters remember people who send thanks and gave feedback after the interviews and they LOVE former candidates who refer business or even just leads to them too. Ask for feedback and give it too. When you do go for that interview or for meetings be sure to dress for the part. A good rule of thumb on your attire is to dress like the person who might be doing the hiring or supervision for your position.
3. Be a Mench
Mench is a Yiddish word that basically means " a good person." If your business practices mench ethicds, your brand grows. While good looks may get you a date, being a mench witll get you a mate. So too, your business. Flash may bring people in the door once, but caring for them, and your employees, and your vendors, gets more people to stick with you for the long haul. Do more than asked of you. Do things when not asked. help out in the community. That really builds your brand.
The bottom line is that you want to constantly reinforce the image you are creating with actions. Remember, the two keys to establishing a strong brand are developing a specific identity, and then communicating that identity consistently. Do that and your brand has begun.
Mr. Strauss wrote these tips for small business owners but I know the time has come for all "intrapreneurs" and future high performers need to think of their income generation potential just like a small business. Building your brand is a good habit to get into and could pay big dividends to those who have set their sights high for 2010. Patty De
Write to me at patty@dedominic.com or leave comments on these articles please!
Learn From Business
Brand Building Tactics
Patty DeDominic
Coach to High Achieving Professionals
Santa Barbara, California
Go WITH the flow and let things work for and with your job hunting efforts!
Eager to market your professional skills and stand out from the rest?
By now, you probably have a professionally written resume and you made sure you have included plenty of key words so the search engines and night crawling robots can easily find you. Still want to set yourself apart from the newly six million unemployed in the USA? Try taking a page from the Small Business Bible, specifically Branding Secrets for small business. These are tailor made for you too, the extraordinary job seeker.
USAToday Small Business Columnist, Steven D. Strauss wrote the Small Business Bible a few years ago and he's devoted quite a few pages to Branding 101. There are 3 Key Tips he gives small business owners which I feel will take you a long way to standing out in the crowd. They are common sense, but believe me, they are NOT common practice!
1. Do What You Do Best Again and Again
2. Offer Superior Customer Service
3. Be a Mench
Since our goal here is to help you market "You, Inc" it is helpful to apply successful small business branding techniques and tactics to your job search.
Let me elaborate on each point as Steven D. Strauss laid it out. My comments for job seekers in red.
1. Do What You Do Best Again and Again
A brand is a promise that essentially boils down to: "If you buy this products, you know what you will be getting because our copany stands for X, Y or Z" that is, Volvos are safe. Nordstrom's offers great customer service, that sort of thing. This kid of branding takes time and derives fro a company doing what it does best and then making sure that everything else they do supports that value proposition. Consistency is key. On Your resume or portfolio, be sure to include samples and specific examples of work you love to do and that YOU are good at. Go back to past employers and colleagues at those work places or educational institutions and renew your network. It could help you a lot to do a little fond recollection with former class or work mates. Yes, you will want to appear flexible and eager to learn and do new activities in your profession, but you also want to leverage your finest achievements and your best skills. You only need ONE great referral or job offer to really make your day!
2. Offer Superior Customer Service
This is a theme that is duscussed in detail in his book... but suffice it to say that all your hard work creating that cool brand will be a waste of time and money if it isn't reinforced by happy customers. Customers should find it easy to work with you or buy from you. Happy customers refer business to you too. How does this translate to job hunters? Thank your references, your referral sources and anyone who took the time to give you some advice or a leg up along the way. Be sincere, yet generous in your gratitude. Take time to plan your calls and meetings. Don't just ask for referrals, informational interviews or meetings.... ASK WHAT YOU CAN DO FOR THEM? Executive recruiters remember people who send thanks and gave feedback after the interviews and they LOVE former candidates who refer business or even just leads to them too. Ask for feedback and give it too. When you do go for that interview or for meetings be sure to dress for the part. A good rule of thumb on your attire is to dress like the person who might be doing the hiring or supervision for your position.
3. Be a Mench
Mench is a Yiddish word that basically means " a good person." If your business practices mench ethicds, your brand grows. While good looks may get you a date, being a mench witll get you a mate. So too, your business. Flash may bring people in the door once, but caring for them, and your employees, and your vendors, gets more people to stick with you for the long haul. Do more than asked of you. Do things when not asked. help out in the community. That really builds your brand.
The bottom line is that you want to constantly reinforce the image you are creating with actions. Remember, the two keys to establishing a strong brand are developing a specific identity, and then communicating that identity consistently. Do that and your brand has begun.
Mr. Strauss wrote these tips for small business owners but I know the time has come for all "intrapreneurs" and future high performers need to think of their income generation potential just like a small business. Building your brand is a good habit to get into and could pay big dividends to those who have set their sights high for 2010. Patty De
Write to me at patty@dedominic.com or leave comments on these articles please!
Monday, December 21, 2009
Bravo to Plaza Cleaners........
Some People really "get it".... my prize for wonderful spirit
goes to the PLAZA Cleaners this week.
I will also give a prize to the person who can tell us which city they are in. Look closely at this photo and the the good samaratin here.
Patty DeDominic, Santa Barbara based business coach. Helping Achievers Soar
goes to the PLAZA Cleaners this week.
I will also give a prize to the person who can tell us which city they are in. Look closely at this photo and the the good samaratin here.
Sunday, December 20, 2009
Goals are Important.... Wisdom from Heather Villa and Patty DeDominic
It's the Thought BEHIND and in PREPARING to set your goals that counts!
Patty DeDominic, DeDominic & Associates - Business Consultants
Santa Barbara based Business Coach
Heather Villa is a coach and connector who has written a lot about goal setting and about
how to accomplish more in shorter time spans. She loves to take short bites of time and break
big goals down into shorter steps, which will help to make them less daunting, and certainly more
accomplishable. Those of you who tend to procrastinate.... or who put things off till you can do
them completely or perfectly, will find her tips quite useful. She knows that follow up is critical...
and we all know that it is easier to do if you break some of the bigger jobs down into small
bite sized pieces.
For example in the following example she is showing entrepreneurs how to overcome a resistance
to creating a Twitter marketing plan. Yes, it IS new to all of us, even veteran marketers, but
the short steps to getting something done are easy enough so that we all could do it if we
choose to.
Put some extra thought into which goals YOU would like to accomplish in the first quarter
of 2010 and let's work on them together.
In creating action steps and plans for accomplishing bigger goals in unknown territory, Heather showed you how to take 10 minutes each week (okay, a little longer the first time you do it) and determine what your roles are first and then build your goals from that. Heather says "This will help you to find the balance you want in life and it will also help you to identify some of the priorities that were getting swept under the carpet. Oh, and if that wasn't enough, it will also help you to get more done because you put durations beside each goal."
Please read this article from Heather's free newsletter.
Now I want to help you achieve your goals even more easily. Another thing I mentioned in the last issue was that smaller goals were better. The goal "implement Twitter marketing plan" isn't nearly as good as the more granular goals here:
• Open Twitter account. Duration: 5 minutes. Due on the 20th.
• Download TweetDeck. Duration: 5 minutes. Due on the 21st.
• Set up TweetDeck columns. Duration: 5 minutes. Due on the 22nd.
• Tweet 5 times on day 1. Duration: 10 minutes. Due on 23rd.
These smaller goals are more likely to get achieved. The reason is not necessarily because they are smaller but because they are reduced to an achievable and measurable end.
When you set a goal like "implement Twitter marketing plan", it's hard to know when it starts and when it finishes and what exactly needs to happen in between and what exactly needs to happen first. But when you break it down into the 4 goals mentioned above, it becomes so much easier.
You've probably heard of the concept of SMART goals. Using SMART goals can help you accomplish more.
SMART is an acronym which stands for the 5 things that every goal needs to be:
• Specific
• Measurable
• Actionable
• Realistic
• Time-sensitive
If you actually do the work I recommended in the previous issue - create granular goals and add a duration - you're already filling in some of the blanks.
Every goal needs to be a SMART goal. Here's what they mean:
Specific: You need to make sure that the goal is specific (which is why we prefer the above-mentioned four Twitter goals to the "implement Twitter marketing plan").
Measurable: You need to make sure it's measurable. In other words, you can't just say "I'm going to jog today", because you could theoretically jog in place for 30 seconds and cross it off your list. Instead, you need to say "I'm going to jog 20 minutes today". That's measurable.
Actionable: You need to make sure that the goal is actionable. That is, it needs to be something that you can actually do. There should be a verb associated with each goal. In other words, your goal shouldn't be "roses" but should be "buy roses". With something like roses, it might seem obvious but if your goals get bigger or your list gets longer, those verbs will come in handy (and they'll also contribute to the measurability of your goals).
Realistic: Your goal needs to be something you can actually do. "Earn $1,000,000" might be specific and measurable (the actionable part is debatable, even if it does have a verb) but it is probably not realistic. Your goals need to be achievable!
Time-sensitive: Your goal needs to have a duration and it should have a deadline. Often, SMART goals are considered time-sensitive if they have a deadline only but I'd strongly recommend a duration because developing a sense of how long things take can help you fit work in where you can and it can also contribute to the sense of whether something is realistic.
So, let's put the concepts from the last issue and from this issue together:
1. Start by outlining your roles. (That's something that you'll already have and it rarely changes from week to week - it's a one-time ten minute effort).
2. Then, list all of the things that will enrich your relationships with those roles (and be sure to include the work you have to do for your individual clients). This is your list of goals.
3. In that list of goals, review each one and break it down to a granular level so that complex goals are made up of simpler goals. Make sure each goal is a SMART goal.
4. Now slot those goals into your calendar around your already-scheduled meetings and appointments.
You should end up with a balanced calendar that includes all of your important activity as well goals that will address other (non-business) relationships in your life as well as personal enrichment and education.
With me so far? Good. Now here are a few tips to help:
• You'll probably find that your calendar looks busier than it used to. However, there are a few positive reasons for this: Your personal calendar and your professional calendar are now blended, and have more granular, accomplishable goals, and your calendar includes intentional relationship-building time with the important people in your life. So those are all good things.
• Make sure you include some extra room for "uh-oh" time. "Uh-oh" time includes those tiny disasters we face in life or those times when things take longer than they're supposed to. It's the unexpected things: Flat tires, a head cold, traffic jams, spills that require a new shirt, you forgot to get milk at the store, or a project needs to be redone. Sometimes it's a short-term issue or sometimes it might cause delays that last for a week. But if you can build in some uh-oh time - just a little each day - you'll help to stay saner. It might include adding 10 minutes to your travel time or adding 15 minutes to a large project. You might not need it all but it's there if you do. (And if you don't need it all, remember: you have some duration-estimated projects that can probably be accomplished in that time!).
This might seem to take more than 10 minutes so let me point out how this works best:
Toward the end of the week (Thursday or Friday) spend 10 minutes and evaluate how your week went.
• Did you accomplish the goals you wanted to accomplish?
• Did you miss anything that can be done in the "uh-oh" time that is still remaining?
• What needs to be carried over to next week?
Then, after that (Thursday, Friday, or Saturday) spend 10 minutes to create your SMART goals for the week.
Then, after that (Friday, Saturday, or Sunday), spend 10 minutes to slot your goals into next week's calendar around your already scheduled meetings and appointments.
There you go! In just a few ten-minute steps each week, you can increase your productivity by setting appropriate goals and prioritizing them in a way that makes sense.
Heather Villa, MBA, CMA, MSM
http://www.heathervilla.com/
Patty DeDominic, DeDominic & Associates - Business Consultants
Santa Barbara based Business Coach
Heather Villa is a coach and connector who has written a lot about goal setting and about
how to accomplish more in shorter time spans. She loves to take short bites of time and break
big goals down into shorter steps, which will help to make them less daunting, and certainly more
accomplishable. Those of you who tend to procrastinate.... or who put things off till you can do
them completely or perfectly, will find her tips quite useful. She knows that follow up is critical...
and we all know that it is easier to do if you break some of the bigger jobs down into small
bite sized pieces.
For example in the following example she is showing entrepreneurs how to overcome a resistance
to creating a Twitter marketing plan. Yes, it IS new to all of us, even veteran marketers, but
the short steps to getting something done are easy enough so that we all could do it if we
choose to.
Put some extra thought into which goals YOU would like to accomplish in the first quarter
of 2010 and let's work on them together.
Patty DeDominic - Business Coach, Los Angeles and Santa Barbara, California
In creating action steps and plans for accomplishing bigger goals in unknown territory, Heather showed you how to take 10 minutes each week (okay, a little longer the first time you do it) and determine what your roles are first and then build your goals from that. Heather says "This will help you to find the balance you want in life and it will also help you to identify some of the priorities that were getting swept under the carpet. Oh, and if that wasn't enough, it will also help you to get more done because you put durations beside each goal."
Please read this article from Heather's free newsletter.
Now I want to help you achieve your goals even more easily. Another thing I mentioned in the last issue was that smaller goals were better. The goal "implement Twitter marketing plan" isn't nearly as good as the more granular goals here:
• Open Twitter account. Duration: 5 minutes. Due on the 20th.
• Download TweetDeck. Duration: 5 minutes. Due on the 21st.
• Set up TweetDeck columns. Duration: 5 minutes. Due on the 22nd.
• Tweet 5 times on day 1. Duration: 10 minutes. Due on 23rd.
These smaller goals are more likely to get achieved. The reason is not necessarily because they are smaller but because they are reduced to an achievable and measurable end.
When you set a goal like "implement Twitter marketing plan", it's hard to know when it starts and when it finishes and what exactly needs to happen in between and what exactly needs to happen first. But when you break it down into the 4 goals mentioned above, it becomes so much easier.
You've probably heard of the concept of SMART goals. Using SMART goals can help you accomplish more.
SMART is an acronym which stands for the 5 things that every goal needs to be:
• Specific
• Measurable
• Actionable
• Realistic
• Time-sensitive
If you actually do the work I recommended in the previous issue - create granular goals and add a duration - you're already filling in some of the blanks.
Every goal needs to be a SMART goal. Here's what they mean:
Specific: You need to make sure that the goal is specific (which is why we prefer the above-mentioned four Twitter goals to the "implement Twitter marketing plan").
Measurable: You need to make sure it's measurable. In other words, you can't just say "I'm going to jog today", because you could theoretically jog in place for 30 seconds and cross it off your list. Instead, you need to say "I'm going to jog 20 minutes today". That's measurable.
Actionable: You need to make sure that the goal is actionable. That is, it needs to be something that you can actually do. There should be a verb associated with each goal. In other words, your goal shouldn't be "roses" but should be "buy roses". With something like roses, it might seem obvious but if your goals get bigger or your list gets longer, those verbs will come in handy (and they'll also contribute to the measurability of your goals).
Realistic: Your goal needs to be something you can actually do. "Earn $1,000,000" might be specific and measurable (the actionable part is debatable, even if it does have a verb) but it is probably not realistic. Your goals need to be achievable!
Time-sensitive: Your goal needs to have a duration and it should have a deadline. Often, SMART goals are considered time-sensitive if they have a deadline only but I'd strongly recommend a duration because developing a sense of how long things take can help you fit work in where you can and it can also contribute to the sense of whether something is realistic.
So, let's put the concepts from the last issue and from this issue together:
1. Start by outlining your roles. (That's something that you'll already have and it rarely changes from week to week - it's a one-time ten minute effort).
2. Then, list all of the things that will enrich your relationships with those roles (and be sure to include the work you have to do for your individual clients). This is your list of goals.
3. In that list of goals, review each one and break it down to a granular level so that complex goals are made up of simpler goals. Make sure each goal is a SMART goal.
4. Now slot those goals into your calendar around your already-scheduled meetings and appointments.
You should end up with a balanced calendar that includes all of your important activity as well goals that will address other (non-business) relationships in your life as well as personal enrichment and education.
With me so far? Good. Now here are a few tips to help:
• You'll probably find that your calendar looks busier than it used to. However, there are a few positive reasons for this: Your personal calendar and your professional calendar are now blended, and have more granular, accomplishable goals, and your calendar includes intentional relationship-building time with the important people in your life. So those are all good things.
• Make sure you include some extra room for "uh-oh" time. "Uh-oh" time includes those tiny disasters we face in life or those times when things take longer than they're supposed to. It's the unexpected things: Flat tires, a head cold, traffic jams, spills that require a new shirt, you forgot to get milk at the store, or a project needs to be redone. Sometimes it's a short-term issue or sometimes it might cause delays that last for a week. But if you can build in some uh-oh time - just a little each day - you'll help to stay saner. It might include adding 10 minutes to your travel time or adding 15 minutes to a large project. You might not need it all but it's there if you do. (And if you don't need it all, remember: you have some duration-estimated projects that can probably be accomplished in that time!).
This might seem to take more than 10 minutes so let me point out how this works best:
Toward the end of the week (Thursday or Friday) spend 10 minutes and evaluate how your week went.
• Did you accomplish the goals you wanted to accomplish?
• Did you miss anything that can be done in the "uh-oh" time that is still remaining?
• What needs to be carried over to next week?
Then, after that (Thursday, Friday, or Saturday) spend 10 minutes to create your SMART goals for the week.
Then, after that (Friday, Saturday, or Sunday), spend 10 minutes to slot your goals into next week's calendar around your already scheduled meetings and appointments.
There you go! In just a few ten-minute steps each week, you can increase your productivity by setting appropriate goals and prioritizing them in a way that makes sense.
Heather Villa, MBA, CMA, MSM
http://www.heathervilla.com/
Friday, December 18, 2009
DeDominic Poscast: HR Watches the OFFICE -When the company might be imploding
Listen to Patty and HR Watches THE OFFICE.
Dundler Mifflin faces potential plant closure or bankruptcy. What should the employees do
to protect themselves.
When the company might be imploding
Posted using ShareThis
Dundler Mifflin faces potential plant closure or bankruptcy. What should the employees do
to protect themselves.
When the company might be imploding
Posted using ShareThis
Patty DeDominic on Finding Your Priorities in a Noisy World
Calls need to be returned.
Bills need to be paid.
Family needs attention.
You need attention too.
Seems most people are scurrying around trying to make everything on their "to-do list" disappear or get done. Many career navigators are assessing their current employment, underemployment or, alas, over 6 million Americans, their recent event of unemployment. Plenty of people are getting discouraged and I hope you are not one of those who are near to losing hope. Hang on ....there are some tips employed by sustainers and winners alike to tide them through the toughest times. It's important to remind yourself of your priorities when the world seems most chaotic or bleak.
Focus on What YOU CAN DO... and on WHAT YOU care most about. As the flight attendant tells the passengers before every flight " in the event of an emergency, put your own air mask on first" and only then can you begin to help others.
Step One: Relax a bit.... and make a conscious effort to reduce your stress level.
Take a few deep breaths.... or a few days of Breathing for you first.
Step Two: Reflect on your Personal Priorities, reconfirm your true values, needs and wants.
Most professionals I know also worry about how to give back in this ever faster moving world.
They want to make a contribution in their field, to others and in their community. But it is becoming more difficult to sit quietly or to "see" your priorities amidst all the noise. How to the best of us keep it all together? First it is important to realize that NO ONE can "have it all" all the time. Nor can we have it all together all the time.
Next, the goal should be Progress...NOT pursuit of perfection.
Progress toward our Worthy goals.
Please notice I said worthy goals.....I did not say "bus-y-ness".
Progress... period.
Let's Stay REAL...... and try to keep our goals REALISTIC.
Let us not put incredible stress on ourselves and others to accomplish the impossible every day. (I know you often do accomplish the impossible, but you are the super achiever and even gold medalist-super achievers need a rest from time to time to perform their best).
Let's Keep our VALUES... and never lose our quest for the highest integrity in all we do.
AND to seek it and reinforce it in our colleagues and friends.
Choose your friends carefully.
You can't choose all your work collegues or companies clients by the moral compas - some things are out of your control. But you don't have to let the marginal players inside your inner circle.
Sometimes pursuit of the mighty paycheck, contract or fear of losing a job makes people forget their core values, enables them to "look the other way" when moral or legal wrong is being done. Please don't become one of those people. Choose Your Friends and keep the good ones close. This is hard... not easy, but in the long run you will be able to sleep better at night and there is less chance of one of your former "colleagues" stabbing you in the back if you sort out the bad players earlier on.
Don't Worry about Trying to HAVE IT ALL, or Do IT All.... shoot for having the most value or doing your top priorities first. Remember Progress, not perfection.
It is not unusual for us to find days and weeks where all our spinning plates look like they are about to tumble down. Just last week a CEO I know told me that all his "plate spinning techniques" were no longer working as they had in the past. He said everyone on his team, including his board had to look at the fundamentals of their operation from the ground up and see what was working and what needed to be changed. This CEO said they were going to start with their mission, vision and their actitities and work to come up with creative new ways to accomplish their mission. He told me "the past is the past and I cannot change that but I know we can impact our future and we do want a better future. First we are going to agree on what we want our future to look like, then we will reinvent new ways to deliver on those goals.". I congratulated him for recognizing this and for being ready to do the work...but first to take the time out to revisit their vision and mission.
This bring me to you and the questions I would like to ask you.
What is your Vision for Yourself? What is your professional and personal Mission?
When you take your personal goals and priorities into account you will be more decisive, focused and effective. You will accomplish more for yourself and for others and when "you put your own mask on first" you will make a more impactful and sustainable contribution to your profession and to your community.
Progress..... progress. Practice, practice........ try try again. You know this stuff and sometimes it is helpful to get back to basics after clearing out the noise and chaos.
If things are not working as well as you would like them to then it might be important for you to take a time out to reflect on your personal priorities. Where are you now? Where, how and with whom do you want to go in the coming year? This is a good time to sit for a few hours or take a few days if that is possible and let the quiet overcome you....... and listen to what you heart is telling you.
I did this recently and I was reminded that my family is the most important priority for me. That I love them with all my heart and I owe them the best care I can take of myself in order to be the best mom, wife and friend I can be.
When I take care of myself, then, and only then, I can take better care of others too.
Then, I can concentrate on my professional abilities and my continuing education and growth.
I can be open to new experiences and learnings when I am clear about my priorities:
family and taking care of my own health too.
Here are some of mine:
- continuous growth, in business and in spiritual education
- integrity in all my activities
- passion for all living things, people, animals and mother earth
- staying physically active
- "playing" with others of integrity (in work and in life)
At this holiday season I encourage you to sit down and revisit your personal priorities.
Make sure you think about the people, the opportunities and the activities you are grateful for.
Gratitude is one of the secrets of a happy life. Being grateful for your life...just for being alive is a good first step. Then, being grateful for all the advantages that you are enjoying in life if you can read this article. If you are reading this, then you are one of the people who indeed does already have many advantages over the rest of the world - you can read and you take time to educate yourself in ways beyond physical survival.
Gratitude for the people in our life is a self generating emotion. There are big dividends when you express your gratitude to the people who matter to you: for them and for you.
.
Please take some time this week to let at least five people in your life know know that you are grateful for their presence in your life. Try to do this in person or on the phone if possibly.... it has a bit more impact than a quick email. Just do it...however you need to in a personalized way - no form letters please! This activity has multiple personal and spiritual benefits for you and those you reach out to.
When you are clear about your own passions you will be in the best shape to make meaningful
contributions to others and to your professions.
Happy Holidays......... and now... for one more expression of gratefulness from me. I am grateful for the ten years I had to develop a friendship with a wonderful woman who left us recently. She blessed my life and others with her special spirit and her generosity. Patty DeDominic
I dedicate this article to my dear friend Michell Rochwarger who was always clear about her family and personal and professional priorities. She gave so much to this world and never wavered in her commitment to integrity and to her family...in business and in the community. Michelle passed away due to a fatal automobile accident in Orange County on Dec. 12, 2009. She will be deeply missed. Most importantly she lived each day with love and integrity. Her three beautiful children had a magnificent mother who was totally committed to them and who touched them with values and integrity which will serve them all the days of their lives. Michelle may have left the physical world last weekend but the contributions she made to others will always be remembered with deep love and respect. Patty De
Monday, December 14, 2009
Chetan Dhruve's new E-book, Why Your Boss is Programmed to be a Dictator
YOUR BOSS.
I have an interesting statistic for you. A Gallup poll of more than 1 million U.S. employees reveals that the number 1 reason people quit their jobs is their boss.
Chetan Dhruve has published an e-book called Why Your Boss is Programmed to be a Dictator, which suggests an idea on putting out a voting system for choosing leaders by subordinates. Sounds like a radical idea, isn't it? I am pretty sure you are dying to find out Dhruve's thoughts behind this suggestion – that is why this e-book is for you, for for FREE!
In this e-book you will see how Dhruve describes some examples of why elected people can be true leaders but appointed ones will lead these managers into dictators. I am making a good guess that at least at one point in your career, you have experienced reporting to a manager you who was so manipulative that it prevented you from bringing out your best skills.
Read this e-book now! This will be help you recognize a potentially harmful supervisor and prevent you from letting this person get in the way of achieving a successful and fulfilling career. Get this FR3E e-book now!
Click Here for Free e-book on Your BOSS
I have an interesting statistic for you. A Gallup poll of more than 1 million U.S. employees reveals that the number 1 reason people quit their jobs is their boss.
Chetan Dhruve has published an e-book called Why Your Boss is Programmed to be a Dictator, which suggests an idea on putting out a voting system for choosing leaders by subordinates. Sounds like a radical idea, isn't it? I am pretty sure you are dying to find out Dhruve's thoughts behind this suggestion – that is why this e-book is for you, for for FREE!
In this e-book you will see how Dhruve describes some examples of why elected people can be true leaders but appointed ones will lead these managers into dictators. I am making a good guess that at least at one point in your career, you have experienced reporting to a manager you who was so manipulative that it prevented you from bringing out your best skills.
Read this e-book now! This will be help you recognize a potentially harmful supervisor and prevent you from letting this person get in the way of achieving a successful and fulfilling career. Get this FR3E e-book now!
Click Here for Free e-book on Your BOSS
Wednesday, December 2, 2009
Candace Davies on Updating Your Objectives and Resume
Following are several tips you can follow to ensure your resume is up-to-date and top-notch:
1. Check your career objectives. Are they the same as they were during your last job search?
Ensure that your resume will reflect the industry or profession that you are seeking. It is important to remember that a resume is not just simply a history of your employment. The resume and cover letter needs to reflect and target the position that you are seeking.
Most career changers have a tough time with this, that is why they seek the help of a certified resume writer.
2. Is your resume format outdated and uninspiring?
It is important to remember that as you grow in your profession, you must also have a resume that will reflect your professionalism. There are so many great sophisticated formats today that will allow you to highlight your achievements. The days of the old boring standard resume formats are history. You need to stand out from the hundreds of resumes that are received by an employer on a daily basis. Creativity, eye-catching formatting, and the ability to use keywords effectively is what will get you in the door. You can review our samples by clicking on this link:
http://resumes-for-teachers.com/teacher-resume-examples.htm
3. Have you added new employment, skills, and accomplishments?
Keeping your resume fresh and up-to-date is essential; you never know when an opportunity will arise. Do you really want to miss out because you were not prepared? Ensure that your added responsibilities or even promotions have been reflected on your resume. Accomplishment are critical to include in your resume, don't miss this important ingredient.
4. Job lingo and keeping your keywords up-to-date.
It is probably unbelievable to most people, but industry jargon, buzzwords, and technology changes almost daily. Make sure that your resume is peppered with these keywords. It helps to review job postings and even school district web sites. This will keep you updated on the latest trends in keywords and even in interviewing techniques.
Keeping your resume and cover letter updated and “ready to go” is a great way to ensure that you do not miss out on opportunities that may arise.
Need help putting your resume together? Would you like an expert to polish your resume and cover letter, or ensure your presentation skills are top-notch? Do you want to learn how to be more proactive, more relaxed, or communicate more clearly or slowly during interviews?
A+ Resumes for Teachers guarantees 100% satisfaction
We offer a free complimentary 15-minute consultation and assessment. We can then talk about your current career objectives, how your present resume (if you have one) has been working, and what career services would be appropriate. Don’t hesitate, call me, Candace, the owner of A+ Resumes for Teachers today, toll-free at 877 738-8052 or send me an email at candoco@telus.net!
All questions are welcome, I enjoy talking to job seekers and helping them get the dream job they desire and deserve. Have a Great Day, it's important!
Candace Davies ACCC, CARW, CIC, CPRW, CEIP, CECC http://resumes-for-teachers.com/
Dedicated to advancing your career, easily and quickly!
Toll-free: 1-877-738-8052
International / Local: (780) 513-0010
Thursday, November 26, 2009
Greg Satell on Turn A Rounds....
As an ex-pat active in emerging markets, I’m usually called in when things look pretty bad. I’ve had my fair share of distressed situations over the years, and I know there’s no shortage of turnaround situations in this environment. So I thought I’d share some of what I’ve learned from some hard experiences.
The following is a 5 step process that has produced results.
1. Identify Heroes, Holdouts and In-Betweens
- Heroes: Every company has a group of committed, talented people who love what they do. They are usually frustrated by the events that led up to the crisis and have been holding on, hoping things will change. These people will be the key to your turnaround strategy and the first thing you need to do is identify some of them.
- Holdouts: These people don’t want anything to change and will fight you every step of the way. Fortunately, they are a small minority, but they can do a lot of damage. Figuring out who these people are is never very hard. They are usually proud of their role as a “status quo evangelist.”
- In-Betweens: Most people are fence-sitters and will go along with whatever seems easiest. They don’t really mind the status quo that much, but would like to see things improve. Usually, you are just the newest “change initiative” so they are going to wait and see how things will go. Unlike Heroes and Holdouts, In-Betweens are trying not to be noticed.
2. Start small and easy
The most common turnaround mistake is to try to change too much at once. Usually people are exhausted, demotivated and frustrated. Moreover, you haven’t proved yourself and probably don’t understand the business or its problems very well yet (even if you think you do). Trying to do too much too soon will inevitably end in failure and you will lose your momentum even before you really had any.
Your first initiatives should be relatively small and play to your strengths. Although it might seem that you don’t have time and need to move quickly, overreaching will not make things move faster, it will only set you back and you will lose valuable time that you really don’t have.
3. Fire away!
Within 3-6 months (and sometimes faster), you will need to do your first round of firings. This is usually surprisingly easy, since the people responsible for the poor performance of the company are usually still around and quite proud of their role as a thorn in your side. These “holdouts” are invariably incompetent, nasty and fighting you every step of the way. Moreover, they are not usually well liked outside a small circle of loyalists and most people are happy to see them go.
4. Re-organize and build momentum
At the same time you are doing your first round of firings, you need to start building momentum. Hopefully, by this time you have had some small successes, identified some heroes and solved some of the problems that were destroying value. Now you can start moving your heroes into key positions, bringing in some new talent and start solving some tougher problems.
5. Formulate a long-term strategy
By the end of the first year, you will need to formulate a real long-term strategy. The tendency is to want to do this first, but that is always a big mistake. When you come into the company you do not understand the business or its problems well enough to know what its long-term strategy should be. Besides, you will spend most of the first year fighting fires, so formulating an “eye level” strategy is not something you’re going to have the time or energy to do.
The key to formulating a long-term strategy in a turnaround is to identify the unexpected successes within the company. Most companies have people, processes or products that can create enormous value, but have been overlooked. Usually, the company is so focused on its failure, that it has been blind to the potential for success. Get your heroes together and build a strategy to move the company forward.
I hope you have found this helpful. Please let me know your comments.
The following is a 5 step process that has produced results.
1. Identify Heroes, Holdouts and In-Betweens
- Heroes: Every company has a group of committed, talented people who love what they do. They are usually frustrated by the events that led up to the crisis and have been holding on, hoping things will change. These people will be the key to your turnaround strategy and the first thing you need to do is identify some of them.
- Holdouts: These people don’t want anything to change and will fight you every step of the way. Fortunately, they are a small minority, but they can do a lot of damage. Figuring out who these people are is never very hard. They are usually proud of their role as a “status quo evangelist.”
- In-Betweens: Most people are fence-sitters and will go along with whatever seems easiest. They don’t really mind the status quo that much, but would like to see things improve. Usually, you are just the newest “change initiative” so they are going to wait and see how things will go. Unlike Heroes and Holdouts, In-Betweens are trying not to be noticed.
2. Start small and easy
The most common turnaround mistake is to try to change too much at once. Usually people are exhausted, demotivated and frustrated. Moreover, you haven’t proved yourself and probably don’t understand the business or its problems very well yet (even if you think you do). Trying to do too much too soon will inevitably end in failure and you will lose your momentum even before you really had any.
Your first initiatives should be relatively small and play to your strengths. Although it might seem that you don’t have time and need to move quickly, overreaching will not make things move faster, it will only set you back and you will lose valuable time that you really don’t have.
3. Fire away!
Within 3-6 months (and sometimes faster), you will need to do your first round of firings. This is usually surprisingly easy, since the people responsible for the poor performance of the company are usually still around and quite proud of their role as a thorn in your side. These “holdouts” are invariably incompetent, nasty and fighting you every step of the way. Moreover, they are not usually well liked outside a small circle of loyalists and most people are happy to see them go.
4. Re-organize and build momentum
At the same time you are doing your first round of firings, you need to start building momentum. Hopefully, by this time you have had some small successes, identified some heroes and solved some of the problems that were destroying value. Now you can start moving your heroes into key positions, bringing in some new talent and start solving some tougher problems.
5. Formulate a long-term strategy
By the end of the first year, you will need to formulate a real long-term strategy. The tendency is to want to do this first, but that is always a big mistake. When you come into the company you do not understand the business or its problems well enough to know what its long-term strategy should be. Besides, you will spend most of the first year fighting fires, so formulating an “eye level” strategy is not something you’re going to have the time or energy to do.
The key to formulating a long-term strategy in a turnaround is to identify the unexpected successes within the company. Most companies have people, processes or products that can create enormous value, but have been overlooked. Usually, the company is so focused on its failure, that it has been blind to the potential for success. Get your heroes together and build a strategy to move the company forward.
I hope you have found this helpful. Please let me know your comments.
Making Most Out of The New World of Work
The Author, "At Work"
Today I was thinking about many things to be thankful for and had a chance to review material submitted recently for a Green publication on making the most out of technology. Another friend lamented his wishes to return to the good old days when things were simpler. I reminded him that while things did seem simpler, slower and more sincere, they were also more limiting for many people.
I love that technology enables us to be connected 24/7 IF we choose to be and that for increasing numbers of us, connectivity enables us to smell the flowers AND work flexibly when WE choose. That is what I have tried to do these past few years since I sold my large firm and became a "micro-enterprise" with only virtual employees. Not just to smell the flowers...... but to take time to learn their names and discern which ones have fragrances that I love and which ones don't even have a smell to me!
Here are a few tips to remember about the New World of Work:
1. Give your life some added dimension, if you work at home enjoy the comforts but don’t forget to stay stimulated by being involved in your community. Your growth has got to be internal and externally stimulated to be maximized.
2. Make new contacts, friends, links etc, but remember that your long term relations, grown with experience and credibility are like gold.
3. Learn from everyone you come in contact with/ consider a job or success coach! Executive, artistic and life coaches are a fast growing profession. Reach out and find those who can make a big difference in your enjoyment of your work and your life.
4. There is power in focus…..decide what your passion is and pursue it to make the world a better place. This is a key that all top performers and CEO's know about...... being busy is not a good solution, being Effective is much better. You are more effective when you have prioritized your opportunities and focus on the 20 percent of the activities which bring 80 percent of the desired results.
Wednesday, November 25, 2009
Candace Davies on Tips for Teachers
Learn from your teachers! Even if you are not applying for a job in education or training, this
example is wise advice. Candace Davies has an active website and advises teachers, professors
and administrators about the best opportunities in Education.
Presenting a Sample Lesson During a Job Interview
When applying for a teaching job, you may find that some
employers will ask you to conduct a sample lesson. This is
something that some hiring committees like to include as part of
the interview process, it get an understanding of your classroom
presentation skills.
In order to prepare for a sample lesson, the first step is to
practice at home. If possible, ask a friend or family member to
watch your presentation so they can give you feedback on your
performance. Ask them to be completely honest, hiding areas for
improvement are not going to help you. If there is something that
you do or say which needs improvement, you can correct it before
you get to the interview.
When you get to the interview, conduct your lesson exactly as
you would in a real classroom; your actions will show the
potential interviewers exactly why you are the right person for
the job. Ensure you show passion and enthusiasm.
Are you ready for the job interview? It will either make or
break your chances of a job offer. If you fail to plan… you
plan to fail. This is true and I have seen it happen to extremely
qualified educators. You don’t need to let the same thing happen to you.
So… get ready to ace the interview by clicking on the links below.
TEACHERS
http://resumes-for-teachers.com/Teachers-Interview-Edge.php
example is wise advice. Candace Davies has an active website and advises teachers, professors
and administrators about the best opportunities in Education.
Presenting a Sample Lesson During a Job Interview
When applying for a teaching job, you may find that some
employers will ask you to conduct a sample lesson. This is
something that some hiring committees like to include as part of
the interview process, it get an understanding of your classroom
presentation skills.
In order to prepare for a sample lesson, the first step is to
practice at home. If possible, ask a friend or family member to
watch your presentation so they can give you feedback on your
performance. Ask them to be completely honest, hiding areas for
improvement are not going to help you. If there is something that
you do or say which needs improvement, you can correct it before
you get to the interview.
When you get to the interview, conduct your lesson exactly as
you would in a real classroom; your actions will show the
potential interviewers exactly why you are the right person for
the job. Ensure you show passion and enthusiasm.
Are you ready for the job interview? It will either make or
break your chances of a job offer. If you fail to plan… you
plan to fail. This is true and I have seen it happen to extremely
qualified educators. You don’t need to let the same thing happen to you.
So… get ready to ace the interview by clicking on the links below.
TEACHERS
http://resumes-for-teachers.com/Teachers-Interview-Edge.php
Monday, November 16, 2009
3 Word Phrases Make All the Difference in the World by Sheikh Sajid Javed
The Most Powerful 3 Words Phrases
Sheikh Sajid Javed, ACMA APA
The following three-word phrases can enrich every relationship.
These are just three little But Very Powerful words:
I'll Be There
If you have ever had to call a friend in the middle of the night, to take a sick child to hospital, or when your car has broken down some miles from home, you will know how good it feels to hear the phrase " I'll be there. " Being there for another person is the greatest gift we can give. When we're truly present for other people, important things happen to them & us. We are renewed in love and friendship. We are restored emotionally and spiritually. Being there is at the very core of civility.
I Miss You
Perhaps more marriages could be saved and strengthened if couples simply and sincerely say to each
other "I miss you." This powerful affirmation tells partners they are wanted, needed, desired and loved. Consider how ecstatic you would feel, if you received an unexpected phone call from your spouse in the middle of your workday, just to say "I miss you."
I Respect You / I Trust You
Respect and trust is another way of showing love. Its conveys the feeling that another person is a true equal. If you talk to your children as if they were adults you will strengthen the bonds and become close friends. This applies to all interpersonal relationships
Maybe You're Right
This phrase is highly effective in diffusing an argument and restoring frayed emotions. The flip side to "maybe you're right" is the humility of admitting maybe "I'm wrong". Let's face it. When you have a heated argument with someone, all you do is cement the other person's point of view. They, or you, will not change their stance and you run the risk of seriously damaging the relationship between you. Saying "maybe you're right" can open the door to further explore the subject, in which you may then have the opportunity to get your view across in a more rational manner.
Please Forgive Me
Many broken relationships could be restored and healed if people would admit their mistakes and ask for forgiveness. All of us are vulnerable to faults and failures. A man should never be ashamed to own up that he has been in the wrong, which is saying, in other words, that he is wiser today than he was yesterday.
I Thank You
Gratitude is an exquisite form of courtesy. People who enjoy the companionship of good, close friends are those who don't take daily courtesies for granted. They are quick to thank their friends for their many expressions of kindness. On the other hand, people whose circle of friends is severely constricted often do not have the attitude of gratitude.
Count On Me
A friend is one who walks in when others walk out. Loyalty is an essential ingredient for true friendship; it is the emotional glue that bonds people. Those that are rich in their relationships tend to be steady and true friends. When troubles come, a good friend is there indicating "you can count on me."
Let Me Help
The best of friends see a need and try to fill it. When they spot a hurt they do what they can to heal it. Without being asked, they pitch in and help.
I Understand You
People become closer and enjoy each other more if they feel the other person accepts and understands them. Letting your spouse know in so many little ways that you understand them, is one of the most powerful tools for healing relationship . This applies to any relationship.
Go For It
We are all unique individuals. Don't try to get your friends to conform to your ideals. Support them in pursuing their interests, no matter how weird they seem to you. Everyone has dreams, dreams that are unique to that person only. Support and encourage your friends to follow their dreams. Tell them to "go for it."
I Love You
Perhaps the most important three words that you can say. Telling someone that you truly love them satisfies a person's deepest emotional needs. The need to belong, to feel appreciated and to be wanted. Your spouse, your children, your friends and you, all need to hear those three little words "I love you."
Patty De says: All the way from Pakistant.....Thank you Sheikh!
Let me tell you a little more about his background:
I am working as “Deputy Director Finance” in “Pearl Continental Hotel, Lahore” for the last 7+ years.
I started my career in March 2002 as a “Payable officer” and then based on my performance and qualification I got 5 promotions in 1st 4 years which has given me immense in depth knowledge and experience of all related areas of Finance and Accounts.
“Pearl Continental Hotel” is the leading 5 star hotel in Pakistan and in the hotels’ top ranking it is considered as number 1 in Hotel Industry. “Pearl Continental Hotel” is owned and operated by the “Pakistan Services Limited” which has its’ registered office in Karachi and the group is known as “Hashoo Group” which has 43 big Subsidiary and Associated Companies in Pakistan and all over the world.
In Hotel line it has Pearl Continental Hotel in 7 cities (Lahore, Karachi, Peshawar, Rawalpindi, Muzaffarabad, Gawader, Faislabad) and “Marriott Hotel” in 2 cities (Karachi and Islamabad)
The following three-word phrases can enrich every relationship.
These are just three little But Very Powerful words:
I'll Be There
If you have ever had to call a friend in the middle of the night, to take a sick child to hospital, or when your car has broken down some miles from home, you will know how good it feels to hear the phrase " I'll be there. " Being there for another person is the greatest gift we can give. When we're truly present for other people, important things happen to them & us. We are renewed in love and friendship. We are restored emotionally and spiritually. Being there is at the very core of civility.
I Miss You
Perhaps more marriages could be saved and strengthened if couples simply and sincerely say to each
other "I miss you." This powerful affirmation tells partners they are wanted, needed, desired and loved. Consider how ecstatic you would feel, if you received an unexpected phone call from your spouse in the middle of your workday, just to say "I miss you."
I Respect You / I Trust You
Respect and trust is another way of showing love. Its conveys the feeling that another person is a true equal. If you talk to your children as if they were adults you will strengthen the bonds and become close friends. This applies to all interpersonal relationships
Maybe You're Right
This phrase is highly effective in diffusing an argument and restoring frayed emotions. The flip side to "maybe you're right" is the humility of admitting maybe "I'm wrong". Let's face it. When you have a heated argument with someone, all you do is cement the other person's point of view. They, or you, will not change their stance and you run the risk of seriously damaging the relationship between you. Saying "maybe you're right" can open the door to further explore the subject, in which you may then have the opportunity to get your view across in a more rational manner.
Please Forgive Me
Many broken relationships could be restored and healed if people would admit their mistakes and ask for forgiveness. All of us are vulnerable to faults and failures. A man should never be ashamed to own up that he has been in the wrong, which is saying, in other words, that he is wiser today than he was yesterday.
I Thank You
Gratitude is an exquisite form of courtesy. People who enjoy the companionship of good, close friends are those who don't take daily courtesies for granted. They are quick to thank their friends for their many expressions of kindness. On the other hand, people whose circle of friends is severely constricted often do not have the attitude of gratitude.
Count On Me
A friend is one who walks in when others walk out. Loyalty is an essential ingredient for true friendship; it is the emotional glue that bonds people. Those that are rich in their relationships tend to be steady and true friends. When troubles come, a good friend is there indicating "you can count on me."
Let Me Help
The best of friends see a need and try to fill it. When they spot a hurt they do what they can to heal it. Without being asked, they pitch in and help.
I Understand You
People become closer and enjoy each other more if they feel the other person accepts and understands them. Letting your spouse know in so many little ways that you understand them, is one of the most powerful tools for healing relationship . This applies to any relationship.
Go For It
We are all unique individuals. Don't try to get your friends to conform to your ideals. Support them in pursuing their interests, no matter how weird they seem to you. Everyone has dreams, dreams that are unique to that person only. Support and encourage your friends to follow their dreams. Tell them to "go for it."
I Love You
Perhaps the most important three words that you can say. Telling someone that you truly love them satisfies a person's deepest emotional needs. The need to belong, to feel appreciated and to be wanted. Your spouse, your children, your friends and you, all need to hear those three little words "I love you."
Patty De says: All the way from Pakistant.....Thank you Sheikh!
Let me tell you a little more about his background:
I am working as “Deputy Director Finance” in “Pearl Continental Hotel, Lahore” for the last 7+ years.
I started my career in March 2002 as a “Payable officer” and then based on my performance and qualification I got 5 promotions in 1st 4 years which has given me immense in depth knowledge and experience of all related areas of Finance and Accounts.
“Pearl Continental Hotel” is the leading 5 star hotel in Pakistan and in the hotels’ top ranking it is considered as number 1 in Hotel Industry. “Pearl Continental Hotel” is owned and operated by the “Pakistan Services Limited” which has its’ registered office in Karachi and the group is known as “Hashoo Group” which has 43 big Subsidiary and Associated Companies in Pakistan and all over the world.
In Hotel line it has Pearl Continental Hotel in 7 cities (Lahore, Karachi, Peshawar, Rawalpindi, Muzaffarabad, Gawader, Faislabad) and “Marriott Hotel” in 2 cities (Karachi and Islamabad)
Sunday, November 15, 2009
Never Underestimate the Power of Your Personal Presentation by Drs Neal and Jan Larsen Palmer
They remind us that Over 90% of your communication is nonverbal (positive or negative).
They ask us,
"What messages are YOU sending?"
If you're out looking for a job, meeting a client, or just wanting to make a better first impression with anyone, you're about to learn the “skinny” about what makes for a great handshake.
Get a Grip (but not too hard!):
The Anatomy of a Great Handshake
Of all the aspects of communication we inherit bad information about from our parents, relatives, and friends growing up, it's how to give a proper handshake. We don't shake hands with our parents. We may hug them, but we don't shake hands. And even if we did, most of them wouldn't know how to teach us anyway.
The proof is in the following common poor handshakes:
The “Bone-Crusher”
This is the most dangerous of all the handshakes. If you're on the receiving end, you feel like your hand is in a vise. It's usually accompanied by a vigorous pumping action. Not only does it hurt people in our own culture, but it's especially painful in cultures such as Hispanic, where handshakes are much lighter. It's also excruciating to anyone with arthritis or another condition of the hand. This one is definitely to be avoided.
The “Fingertip” Handshake
This is the handshake we get from childhood, when we obviously can't grip someone's hand very hard. Women get it from outdated social expectations, when they were expected to shake hands softly. Men can even get it from the “continental” practice of kissing a woman's fingers as part of the handshaking ritual. No matter the source, it conveys weakness, uncertainty, and affectation.
The “Wet Fish”
Universally disliked, this one looks just like it sounds: a floppy sloppy, often damp, attempt at a grasp that leaves the other person only guessing how to return the gesture. Along with conveying the feelings of the “Fingertip,” this one adds a kind of smarminess and even disdain. You wouldn't offer this handshake to your worst enemy!
Note: Speaking of dampness, some people have moister than normal hands. What to do, if this is you?
Just discreetly carry a handkerchief and use it to dry your hands just before doing significant handshaking.
The “You Poor Thing”
Otherwise known as the “two-handed” handshake, this variety involves engaging one hand with the other person's hand, then placing the other hand on top, creating a comforting enclosure. Common at funerals, this handshake is meant as solace for the bereaved. In any other setting, it means “I want something more than just a business relationship with you.” While there's a good motive behind this handshake (being warmer, friendlier, and sympathetic), in business, avoid it at all costs.
The “I'm the boss, applesauce”
This one has the initiator grasp your hand then turn his or her hand over, pushing your hand underneath. This is a naked power gesture masquerading as friendliness. Another one to avoid.
The “I'm the boss, applesauce” has a variant frequent in politics, and is a favorite of our current President. A person starts to shake hands in the normal way, then grasps your lower or upper arm with his or her other hand. Just another way to assert control and dominance.
So much for the familiar poor handshakes. Now let's look at the anatomy of a great, warm handshake.
Start by aiming the web between your thumb and forefinger toward the other person's web
Then be sure to get the two webs contacting one another (sometimes we have to wiggle our hands a little to work our way into good contact).
Finally, gently press your bottom three fingers against the back of the other person's hand.
This handshake has several advantages over the others.
1. You get a good grip on the other person's hand, sending messages of confidence and strength.
2. You convey warmth with a “wrap-around” feel.
3. You easily adjust to handshakes from cultures that don't practice the typical American crusher handshake.
4. You avoid making people uncomfortable who have arthritis or other medical conditions in their hands.
5. You can shake more hands without getting tired. (Lyndon Johnson could have used this one. It was reported that his hands actually bled from shaking many hands in rapid succession.)
Try this handshake and you'll be blown away by how well it works!
Yours in good communication,
Jan and Neal Palmer
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
We've published a DVD of our classic presentation “BEYOND WORDS: Building Your Personal Credibility Through Nonverbal Communication.”
In the spirit of this issue, we're suggesting this as a great help for anyone you might know who's now interviewing for a new position or a step up in their current organization.
This 1.5-hour seminar with PowerPoints was presented to a group of 60 CEOs of corporations in Southern California. We think you'll like it, and it could be of great help for building rapport and better relationships.
For those of you who have seen this presentation before, we hope it offers you a great refresher. For those of you who have been waiting for our most popular speech to come out on DVD, here it is!
It's available on our webstore at http://www.talk2cei.com/store/
Here’s our message on the back of the box:
Become more successful with clients, prospects, and colleagues!
Over 90% of your communication is nonverbal (positive or negative).
What messages are YOU sending?
What makes some people able to get their ideas enthusiastically accepted, while others are bypassed? Why are some people more believable than others? How do smart leaders gain people's confidence? The answer is...by harnessing the power of nonverbal communication! People in your business and professional life are far more influenced—positively or negatively—by how you communicate nonverbally than by the words you say. In this presentation, Dr. Janet Larsen Palmer and Dr. Neal Larsen Palmer, principals of Communication Excellence Institute and nationally known experts on nonverbal communication, share practical techniques you can use to stand, gesture, and reach out to others nonverbally for greater impact and persuasiveness.
You'll be excited to try out everything you learn in this highly interactive presentation.
The Palmers coach university presidents, lawyers, business leaders, expert witnesses, politicians, fund raisers, and motivational speakers to use their nonverbal communication to make the greatest persuasive impact.
If you'd like to order our DVD, please click this link to our web store:
http://www.talk2cei.com/store/
You can either enter your credit card information directly into our secure site,
or select “print and call” if you would prefer not to enter credit card information.
Just call our office at 800-410-4CEI (4234).
Our staff will be happy to take your order over the phone.
The cost of our DVD is $29.95 plus tax and shipping and handling.
Patty's Note: Our firm utilized and recommended the team and the leaders at CEI many
times over the years. We highly recommend them and feel that this is an extra ordinary value!
Friday, November 13, 2009
Mark Schoeff Jr. on Unemployment Benefits News
Congress, Obama Extend Benefits as Unemployment Rises
On a day that brought more bad news about the number of Americans searching for work, President Barack Obama signed a bill Friday,
November 6, that would extend unemployment benefits for up to 20 weeks.
The measure, which was approved unanimously in the Senate on November 4 and by a 403-12 in the House on November 5, would provide 14 additional weeks of unemployment checks to all jobless workers and six more weeks on top of that to people who live in states where the unemployment rate is greater than 8.5 percent.
The House passed a narrower version of the bill last month. It was held up in the Senate as the unemployment benefits were expanded and other provisions were added, such as business tax cuts and a renewal of a tax credit for homebuyers.
The additional unemployment benefits are financed by extending a surtax on employers through 2011.
The bill marks the third time that Congress has increased unemployment benefits since the recession started in December 2007. Previous legislation added up to 53 weeks of benefits to the normal 26 weeks.
But as the recession has endured, the safety net has frayed.
The National Employment Law Project in Washington estimates that
600,000 workers exhausted their unemployment benefits in September
and October and that 1.3 million will run out of support by the end
of the year.
The Economic Policy Institute says that more than one-third
of the 15.7 million jobless Americans have been out of work
for more than six months.
Obama enacted the legislation on a day when the government reported that the unemployment rate had reached 10.2 percent, its highest level in 26 years. He framed the measure as a way to boost the economy by increasing consumer spending.
“Although the extension will help over 1 million Americans, it won’t
just put money into the people’s pockets who are receiving the benefits,” Obama said in a statement in the White House Rose Garden. “Economists tell us that when these benefits are spent on food or clothing or rent, it actually strengthens our economy and creates new jobs.”
Lawmakers said the bill would help ease the pain and anxiety that the economy is inflicting on many of their constituents.
“We know that when an economy recovers, the unemployment rate is one of the last numbers to rebound,” Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nevada, said in a November 4 statement. “So even as our economy begins to turn around, jobs are turning around slower, and it is our responsibility to ensure the out-of-work are not left out in the cold.”
Reid portrayed Republicans as having needlessly delayed the legislation before voting for it as a bloc this week. Senate Democrats and Republicans slowed down the original House bill as they enhanced the unemployment benefits and added the tax amendments.
—Mark Schoeff Jr.
Stay informed and connected. Get human resources news and HR features via Workforce Management's Twitter feed or RSS feeds for mobile devices and news readers.
On a day that brought more bad news about the number of Americans searching for work, President Barack Obama signed a bill Friday,
November 6, that would extend unemployment benefits for up to 20 weeks.
The measure, which was approved unanimously in the Senate on November 4 and by a 403-12 in the House on November 5, would provide 14 additional weeks of unemployment checks to all jobless workers and six more weeks on top of that to people who live in states where the unemployment rate is greater than 8.5 percent.
The House passed a narrower version of the bill last month. It was held up in the Senate as the unemployment benefits were expanded and other provisions were added, such as business tax cuts and a renewal of a tax credit for homebuyers.
The additional unemployment benefits are financed by extending a surtax on employers through 2011.
The bill marks the third time that Congress has increased unemployment benefits since the recession started in December 2007. Previous legislation added up to 53 weeks of benefits to the normal 26 weeks.
But as the recession has endured, the safety net has frayed.
The National Employment Law Project in Washington estimates that
600,000 workers exhausted their unemployment benefits in September
and October and that 1.3 million will run out of support by the end
of the year.
The Economic Policy Institute says that more than one-third
of the 15.7 million jobless Americans have been out of work
for more than six months.
Obama enacted the legislation on a day when the government reported that the unemployment rate had reached 10.2 percent, its highest level in 26 years. He framed the measure as a way to boost the economy by increasing consumer spending.
“Although the extension will help over 1 million Americans, it won’t
just put money into the people’s pockets who are receiving the benefits,” Obama said in a statement in the White House Rose Garden. “Economists tell us that when these benefits are spent on food or clothing or rent, it actually strengthens our economy and creates new jobs.”
Lawmakers said the bill would help ease the pain and anxiety that the economy is inflicting on many of their constituents.
“We know that when an economy recovers, the unemployment rate is one of the last numbers to rebound,” Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nevada, said in a November 4 statement. “So even as our economy begins to turn around, jobs are turning around slower, and it is our responsibility to ensure the out-of-work are not left out in the cold.”
Reid portrayed Republicans as having needlessly delayed the legislation before voting for it as a bloc this week. Senate Democrats and Republicans slowed down the original House bill as they enhanced the unemployment benefits and added the tax amendments.
—Mark Schoeff Jr.
Stay informed and connected. Get human resources news and HR features via Workforce Management's Twitter feed or RSS feeds for mobile devices and news readers.
Tuesday, November 10, 2009
Kay Stout on The "Practice" of Finding that Great New Job
Finding that Great New Job Takes Practice
Kay Stout
A noted Human Resources Consultant offers tips to help job-seekers practice their interview skills and sharpen their resumés.
Anyone who wants to improve themselves or their position, be they football or piano players, must practice to reach their goal. And, if your goal is to find a new job, you should apply that same discipline to your employment search, according to Kay Stout, Executive Advisor, with Oklahoma Professional Search.
“In this competitive job market, the interview is more important than ever, since the employer won’t be able to actually see you performing the job,” Stout said. “You’re judged on your resumé and the impression you make during your interview so, just as you can sharpen your resumé, a little practice on your interviewing skills can help you advance in the hiring process.”
Stout suggests job seekers practice their interviewing skills with a business colleague, preferably someone who’s been in a hiring position. If the interview process makes you too nervous, consider a career advisor or career coach. “Just as we hire tutors to improve performance in school or personal trainers to enhance our fitness, a career coach is often the best way for a job seeker to perfect their interview skills and land their dream job.”
If a job hunter wants to practice on their own, there are a number of resources available, Stout noted. “If one wants to practice the answers to the most common interview questions, there are plenty of helpful tips and suggestions online and in a myriad of books. And don’t forget to research the company before the interview. Look at the company website, Google, and even the local newspaper’s business section.”
The final practice drill is perfecting the resumé. “Tailor your resumé to the job functions of the position,” Stout added. “With a solid set of interview skills, company knowledge, and a great resumé, your practice can lead to a perfect position for you!”
About Oklahoma Professional Search:
Oklahoma Professional Search has offices in Oklahoma City and Tulsa, Okla., offering human resource consultation in the areas of career transition, outplacement, and executive search. The company is a member of The State Chamber, The Employer’s ERS Council, the Oklahoma Association of Personnel Consultants, and is accredited by the Better Business Bureau. For more information please visit www.oklahomaprofessionalsearch.com/
Kay Stout
Oklahoma Professional Search
Oklahoma City, OK 73112
kstout@okpsearch.com
http://www.oklahomaprofessionalsearch.com/
Kay Stout
A noted Human Resources Consultant offers tips to help job-seekers practice their interview skills and sharpen their resumés.
“In this competitive job market, the interview is more important than ever, since the employer won’t be able to actually see you performing the job,” Stout said. “You’re judged on your resumé and the impression you make during your interview so, just as you can sharpen your resumé, a little practice on your interviewing skills can help you advance in the hiring process.”
Stout suggests job seekers practice their interviewing skills with a business colleague, preferably someone who’s been in a hiring position. If the interview process makes you too nervous, consider a career advisor or career coach. “Just as we hire tutors to improve performance in school or personal trainers to enhance our fitness, a career coach is often the best way for a job seeker to perfect their interview skills and land their dream job.”
If a job hunter wants to practice on their own, there are a number of resources available, Stout noted. “If one wants to practice the answers to the most common interview questions, there are plenty of helpful tips and suggestions online and in a myriad of books. And don’t forget to research the company before the interview. Look at the company website, Google, and even the local newspaper’s business section.”
The final practice drill is perfecting the resumé. “Tailor your resumé to the job functions of the position,” Stout added. “With a solid set of interview skills, company knowledge, and a great resumé, your practice can lead to a perfect position for you!”
About Oklahoma Professional Search:
Oklahoma Professional Search has offices in Oklahoma City and Tulsa, Okla., offering human resource consultation in the areas of career transition, outplacement, and executive search. The company is a member of The State Chamber, The Employer’s ERS Council, the Oklahoma Association of Personnel Consultants, and is accredited by the Better Business Bureau. For more information please visit www.oklahomaprofessionalsearch.com/
Kay Stout
Oklahoma Professional Search
Oklahoma City, OK 73112
kstout@okpsearch.com
http://www.oklahomaprofessionalsearch.com/
Nov 13, 2009 Writing Powerful Cover Letters by Wendy S. Enelow CCM
Use Your Power to Customize and Connect
Training Program:
Writing Powerful Cover Letters & Thank-You Letters
Date: Friday, November 13, 2009 - 11 am to 1 pm Eastern (or listen to the audio recording after the event)
To Register: http://tinyurl.com/yk2f9mf
Writing cover letters and thank-you letters can be as challenging as writing resumes.
In fact, sometimes it is even more daunting. What can you write in a cover that hasn't
been written before? How can you reiterate what you've said in the resume without
repeating the same language? What can you write in a thank-you letter that will guarantee
your client will be called back for a second interview?
In this two-hour E-Summit, you'll learn how to write:
*Powerful ad-reply letters that differentiate your clients from the competition
*Effective cover letters that encourage recruiters to reach out to your clients
*Cold-call letters to top corporate executives that clearly position your clients as high-value candidates
*Networking letters that incite your clients' contacts to help them
*Unique email cover letters that encourage the reader to want more
*Innovative introductory sentences and paragraphs that truly distinguish your clients from other job seekers
*Meaty middle sections that convey the most essential information about your client as it relates to their current objectives
*Closing sentences and paragraphs that encourage action
*Thank-you letters that powerfully position your clients as the candidate of choice
Perhaps most importantly, you'll learn when different letter styles work best and why (bullet-style letters, paragraph-style letters, and T-style letters). You'll also receive more than 35 pages of handouts and sample letters!
We've made this program easy to access - all you need is a computer with an Internet connection!
*If you plan to attend the live event, you'll listen to the live audio portion through your computer so there's no long-distance telephone charges. There's a box to ask questions that we'll answer in real time. And, of course, you'll also get the audio recording link so that you can listen to the program again, as many times as you'd like.
*If you plan to listen to the audio recording after the event, you'll find the MP3 audio recording posted on our website. Just click and listen as often as you'd like.
*All of the handouts are already posted on the website link you'll receive in your confirmation email. Please visit the website and download the handouts so you're prepared to take notes when the class starts.
*If you're interested in other E-Summits on writing resumes for clients in Sales/Marketing, Technology, Finance, C-Level positions and more, click here: http://www.resumewritingacademy.com/esummit.php
That's it! Louise and I hope to "see" you in class on Friday. Again, the registration link is: http://tinyurl.com/yk2f9mf
Thank you!
Wendy
Wendy S. Enelow, CCM, MRW, JCTC, CPRW
Author, Trainer & Career Consultant
******************************
Co-Founder & Director - Resume Writing Academy www.resumewritingacademy.com
******************************
President - Enelow Enterprises, Inc.
www.wendyenelow.com (Bookstore)
******************************
Executive Director - Career Thought Leaders Consortium www.careerthoughtleaders.com www.careerthoughtleaders.com/conference
******************************
Training Program:
Writing Powerful Cover Letters & Thank-You Letters
Date: Friday, November 13, 2009 - 11 am to 1 pm Eastern (or listen to the audio recording after the event)
To Register: http://tinyurl.com/yk2f9mf
Writing cover letters and thank-you letters can be as challenging as writing resumes.
In fact, sometimes it is even more daunting. What can you write in a cover that hasn't
been written before? How can you reiterate what you've said in the resume without
repeating the same language? What can you write in a thank-you letter that will guarantee
your client will be called back for a second interview?
In this two-hour E-Summit, you'll learn how to write:
*Powerful ad-reply letters that differentiate your clients from the competition
*Effective cover letters that encourage recruiters to reach out to your clients
*Cold-call letters to top corporate executives that clearly position your clients as high-value candidates
*Networking letters that incite your clients' contacts to help them
*Unique email cover letters that encourage the reader to want more
*Innovative introductory sentences and paragraphs that truly distinguish your clients from other job seekers
*Meaty middle sections that convey the most essential information about your client as it relates to their current objectives
*Closing sentences and paragraphs that encourage action
*Thank-you letters that powerfully position your clients as the candidate of choice
Perhaps most importantly, you'll learn when different letter styles work best and why (bullet-style letters, paragraph-style letters, and T-style letters). You'll also receive more than 35 pages of handouts and sample letters!
We've made this program easy to access - all you need is a computer with an Internet connection!
*If you plan to attend the live event, you'll listen to the live audio portion through your computer so there's no long-distance telephone charges. There's a box to ask questions that we'll answer in real time. And, of course, you'll also get the audio recording link so that you can listen to the program again, as many times as you'd like.
*If you plan to listen to the audio recording after the event, you'll find the MP3 audio recording posted on our website. Just click and listen as often as you'd like.
*All of the handouts are already posted on the website link you'll receive in your confirmation email. Please visit the website and download the handouts so you're prepared to take notes when the class starts.
*If you're interested in other E-Summits on writing resumes for clients in Sales/Marketing, Technology, Finance, C-Level positions and more, click here: http://www.resumewritingacademy.com/esummit.php
That's it! Louise and I hope to "see" you in class on Friday. Again, the registration link is: http://tinyurl.com/yk2f9mf
Thank you!
Wendy
Wendy S. Enelow, CCM, MRW, JCTC, CPRW
Author, Trainer & Career Consultant
******************************
Co-Founder & Director - Resume Writing Academy www.resumewritingacademy.com
******************************
President - Enelow Enterprises, Inc.
www.wendyenelow.com (Bookstore)
******************************
Executive Director - Career Thought Leaders Consortium www.careerthoughtleaders.com www.careerthoughtleaders.com/conference
******************************
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