• He gets his CV/ application approach reviewed and improved. I can see some significant enhancements to his CV and he could implement some of these himself using the advice in my book – How to get a job in a recession.
• He looks to enhance his CV by demonstrating that he is keeping up to date on his professional area, such as getting qualified, doing short courses, attending professional meetings, reading journals and writing reviews on Amazon of business books. The later will also enhance his online profile.
• He gets an online presence, starting with LinkedIn and my eBook How to use LinkedIn to find a new job will help.
• He increases the amount of time he spends on job hunting, and he could do this by getting up an hour earlier and doing an hour each evening, this would double the amount of time he is spending on job search.
• Finally he decides if he actually wants to return to his desired field. If he is comfortable where he is then he won’t have the impetus to really give as much as it takes to get a new job. He really has to want the new job. It would be easier (I don’t mean easy) if he really disliked the job he was doing or didn’t have a job. Then he has the pain to escape from, so now he has to concentrate on the pleasure he will get from being successful and to make sure that every day he is doing something that moves him slightly towards his goal.

Follow me on Twitter for your daily motivational quotes – Recently I’ve written

• Sometimes it’s good to take things slow and enjoy the journey – you don’t need to do everything at super fast speed
• Why not step outside your comfort zone – you may be surprised by the outcome
• Small differences add up to big changes – what small changes can you make today?
• It doesn’t matter how long it wil take as long as you start taking steps towards it now, and set some sub goals!
• Why not do a random act of kindness to someone you meet today?

Too many people spend Sunday evenings dreading the week ahead. It’s awful to be in a job you don’t like but there are things you can do to make it more bearable.

Often we have nothing to look forward to at the start of a week, so why not schedule something you could do – an evening class, out bowling with friends, or an evening at home with a DVD.

Also, why not remind yourself why you took the job.

If it really is so awful, despite the recession you can still plan for a new job – it might take time to work out what you want to do, so why not schedule 2 evenings a week so you can focus on your job search or career decision making..

A really good start would be to sign up for the 10 steps to a job you love eProgramme, available by using the sign up box to the right of this page or visiting www.amazingpeople.co.uk

Many people have had an extended break over christmas, so coming back to work today feels like returning after a 2 week holiday.

But it’s different

Returning after a summer holiday means we are feeling chilled and well rested, but is that so after this break?

You probaby spent the first few days getting ready for Christmas, shopping and baking, and then a week of time with family – sometimes these are people that we want to spend time with but too often it is more of a chore.

The weather has been cold so we probably havent had as much exercise as previous years, so we may be feeling sluggish with our clothes tight.

And we don’t want to be back at work, we have to crank outselves up to feel more motivated, especialy if there is a worry over a possible loss of job for yourself or your loved one.

But are back at work, so what can you do to make this a great day and week? Why not look to pay someone a compliment, help someone out, review some of your work to look for ways to improve it.

I’m not going to suggest you make resoultions but i would like to suggest you plan to think and act positive, just one day at a time

Let me know your thoughts

Denise x

A recent report by Ashridge has found that over half (55% of managers do not feel motivated by their organisation and colleagues.

This research is confirming what I read about motivation when studying occupational psychology, organisations think that performance related pay and incentive schemes are the number one motivator whilst the results from managers is that they want is challenging and interesting work.

But this is generalisations; managers want to be treated as individuals. Managers should ask their staff what motivates them and, ideally people should feel able to tell managers how they want to be motivated.

The survey included some interesting facts – despite the European Union work time directive, over half of managers are working over 60 hours a week and 63% are taking work home with them. So the 48 hour maximum working week is being exceeded by many.

So what does motivate you – money, status, interesting work, flexible working? Why not be clear what you want and then you may stand a better chance of getting it.