I spoke on Radio Gloucestershire last week on why it's important to have something to look forward to.
Yes, the outlook is bleak: problems in the middle east, the economy, and the day I spoke was, for many, their first day back at work for 2 weeks.
If we focus too much on the negative, it's likely to be how we will feel. So think about more positive things, things you can look forward to. Not just the long term of summer holidays, but also smaller things to happen in the short term - meeting friends, going to watch live music or a film. Perhaps looking out for mini moments of happiness: a blue sky, reading a great book, stroking your cat, having a manicure?
Why not try and list 50 things you can do to make you happy, then whenever you feel down you can do something off your list. Do this when you are feeling good and upbeat, not when you are feeling a bit down.
I also think it's important to have these mini moments as if you spend too much time looking too far forward you miss out on what is happening right now.
So what can you look forward to over the coming week?
Featured Service: Job Search Support
I help people with job search in a number of ways:
CV writing and review - If you are getting to interview your CV has done its job, but if it doesn't you need to make changes. This could be a full rewrite or a review. The cheaper option is to follow my CV open learning book and then have a series of reviews where you do more of the work yourself thus learning the skills and keeping the costs down.
Covering letters - The covering letter is 50% of your sales pitch and needs to focus on the requirements of the job. I review letters against the ad, job description and person spec and can advise what needs to be done to increase your chances of being shortlisted. This can include actual redrafting.
Answering competency based questions - It's hard to get this right, especially when limited to a set number of words. I can help focus your examples so they are clear, and within your set word limit.
Interview practice - Get yourself into peak state with a practice interview. It's supportive and effective. Answer a question, get some feedback, be coached how to improve and repeat.
Making a difference at second interview - there are many ways I can help you stand out. I know what will impress the interviewer and will work with you, and your job to greatly increase your chance of success. Lindsay wowed them in December and was "stunned" to get the job offer.
Ongoing motivational support - making sure you do the right things at the right time and keep doing it.
The difference with working with me is I'm an experienced interviewer, assessor and recruiter and a sought after consultant by companies, so I know what they want. I've also been working with individuals for 10+ years so have plenty of success stories. I also charge a very fair price, I make sure I'm accessible to the people who need me. London based firms can charge well over double my fees, probably why I have so many London and south east based clients take the train to Tewkesbury to see me. I've clients from York as well.
3 of my clients got jobs last month and I'm supporting others to make effective applications - from internal promotions, to brand new jobs. Refocusing CVs and helping people answer competency based questions effectively.
Get in touch to discuss how I can help - costs start at £60 depending on your requirements.
Article 2: Don't waste your talent - helping you understand who you are to make a career decision - book review for Amazon
I've been a highlands affiliate since 2003 and my clients believe the Highlands Ability Battery is the most effective piece of information in helping them make a career decision.
The Highland Ability Battery helps people understand their natural abilities. Once you know what you are good at you can then choose a job which uses your abilities and plays to your strengths.
This book takes you through the 8 success factors - unlike other programmes it doesn't just take interests or personality into account but a holistic view which helps you to review a wide perspective to really understand who you are and what will be the best fit. It includes a number of exercises, Thought Experiments, to complete.
The first step is to understand your talents. You then need to find the right place to use your talents.
Chapter 1: Escaping the Lemming Conspiracy. Most of us lead stressful lives, working hard to buy possessions we don't actually need. We are willing to put up with long hours for career success, but most never achieve this, no matter how hard we try. Others achieve career success at the expense of relationships with their family. If we are lucky one day we realise we are following someone else's dream.
Chapter 2: The Stress Cycle and the Balance Cycle. The stress cycle is where we rush around from project to project without taking the time to think about what to do. We strive for the next promotion, the new car, the second house. Working too hard but leaving aside any thought of meaning to the work we do. It starts at a young age, achieving good exam results; getting into a good university, a great first job without thinking what we actually want to do. We need to get into balance, between the person we are and the work we do. |
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