June 2010

Welcome to my June newsletter, we've just had another bank holiday and I hope you were able to do something enjoyable over the long weekend. I love my music, so along with spending time with family and going to a gig I also spent time practicing my DJ mixing. It's so easy to get sucked into ongoing work tasks but we all need time to nurture the inner self as well.

My subscriber count is now at 2324 and I'm very pleased to have you all here, I intend the newsletter to be interesting so any suggestions for future articles and comments please let me know.

A couple of weeks ago I drove to Bristol to meet Alvin Hall, financial guru. We recorded an interview for about an hour, for a Radio 4 series due out in August. I'm not sure how much will get used, and will let you have more details once I hear. I was also a featured expert in The Times last Thursday, reviewing a graduate CV. You can read it via this link.

My work focuses into 3 areas - career discovery, often through one of my programmes, career management, and also job search coaching: I help clients with CVs, Interview coaching and all aspects of finding a job and making effective job applications. I encourage clients to sign up for LinkedIn, but most people aren't very effective. Hence me writing a straightforward guide to using LinkedIn which is now on sale and you can read more below.

At a personal level, my weight loss has slowed down, just 5lb lost last month, but it is still heading downwards and I'm just 2lb short of losing 5 stone, since my highly focused start in October.

In this months issue:

• How to use Linked In for job search
• Article 1: How to be successful in meetings
• Books by Denise
• Article 2: How to say no to a promotion
• In the media in May
• Twitter
• What Denise did last month
• In the Blog

Please don't hesitate to get in touch if you would like to discuss working with me or if you have any suggestions for my newsletter.

I look forward to talking to you again next time.

Kindest regards,

How to use Linked In for job search

I've been recommending LinkedIn to clients for months, but most don't want to take the plunge, or do it half heartedly.  So I've put together a comprehensive 24 page workbook to explain firstly why you should be on LinkedIn and also a straightforward guide on how to create an effective LinkedIn profile that will be of real benefit to you in your job search.

'Denise has made this guide very accessible and seems to have pinpointed all of the key areas. My LinkedIn profile has certainly been boosted by following her steps' Charles, Gloucester

Too many people have a partly completed profile without even a photo.  It gives a very poor impression and no wonder people think LinkedIn isn't worth pursuing.  You wouldn't send a half finished CV when you apply for a job, so make sure you get an 'almost completed profile' before you start approaching people.  To get 100% complete you need to also have at least 3 recommendations, everything else should be done first.

'As with all social networking sites, the key to getting the best from LinkedIn is to use it smartly. Denise's practical guide takes you from basic user to savvy networker, combining technical tips with sound advice. Denise takes the view of the outside world and helps you to see things from an external perspective, enabling you to maximise the impact of your profile, activities and networking. A very effective navigation tool for today's career managers'. Sarah, London

I'm going to guide you through exactly what you need to do to make LinkedIn an effective part of your job search campaign.

'I've been on LinkedIn for 18 months and never really saw the benefit. Within an hour of reading Denise's clear, comprehensive guide to LinkedIn, I was beginning to use it as a powerful aid to help me get my dream job. Apart from revising my own page to make it more relevant and attractive, I was actively using LinkedIn to seek out those working in my field of interest and to ask and answer questions about my chosen career, and the steps I need to take to get me where I want to go. Denise's guide is simple, easy to understand, and straightforward. It may sound silly, but after reading it and following her suggestions, I felt that I was taking charge of marketing myself and working towards a better future'.  Neil B, Oxford

Read more >>

P.S. I'm happy to connect with you on LinkedIn, but please send a personalised message. I don't connect to people I don't know or who don't explain why they would like to connect with me.

Article1: How to be successful in meetings

Position: Sit where you will have good eye contact with the chair person.  Don't be seen as an upstart by snatching the chair directly opposite, but a seat or two down on other side would still get you seen, ready to have your comments listened to.

In a brainstorming session: What should happen is a facilitator gets everyone making comments, but sometimes it can be a bit of a 'free for all' so look alive and alert and seek to make eye contact. Sometimes we aren't sure if an idea will work or not, brainstorming should be about all ideas, with nothing censored, but you can always preface a suggestion with 'not sure if this is totally what we are looking for but we could consider …'

When presenting: DO NOT be led by PowerPoint. Only use the slides as your crib and read them out if you want to switch people off and fail to get people involved. Create impact!  start with something that captures their attention, if you start saying my name is XXX and today I am going to talk about …. you've lost them before you start.

Negotiating: There are many different ways to negotiate so it is choosing the most appropriate style. Sometimes it works best to collaborate, at other times to be more competitive. Helps to understand what your preferred negotiating style is, and to develop at least one alternative (You can do this via an assessment such as the Thomas Kilmann). Always listen, you need to understand the other persons views  and look for ways you are willing to compromise, it can be worth compromising in small areas to achieve a bigger objective.

Don't wait till the meeting to seek to achieve your objective. it's best to sound out people in advance, discuss your plans, get their feedback and if you work well your objective can be almost met before the meeting starts.

How to disagree with someone: Focus on the facts, don't get too personal.  Speak from your perspective rather than be general. For example 'I understand that you feel XXX however I'd like us to discuss an alternative perspective. What we could do is XXX'

Body language tips and subtle tricks: There are lots of ways to develop rapport and good eye contact, but not staring at people and subtle mirroring of body language can help.  Outside of a meeting can be a good place to start to get to know someone as people work best with people they like.

How to wrap up and leave a good impression

• Summarise what has been agreed, say what you will do and when. Then make sure that you deliver! Aim to deal with your action points promptly.
• Thank people for their comments, and use their name, people like to be remembered.

To have an effective meeting

1. Have an agenda which is circulated in advance, along with any pre reading and time to read it. This gives the more Introverted people time to think through what they want to say.
2. Include a desired outcome for each agenda item, this keeps the session focused
3. Put timings on the agenda, so discussions don't drift
4. Not everyone is outgoing so look to bring the quieter members into the discussion
5. If someone is only needed for one agenda item, just invite them for that. Not everyone needs to give up e.g. half a day
6. The minutes should be concise and distributed as soon as possible after the end of the meeting. There is no reason why someone can't be typing them up during the meeting, checked by the chair at the end and then get them circulated within the hour
7. Check if a face to face meeting is really necessary, could it be done as effectively via a group phone call?
8. Review at the end of the meeting, what went well, how could we improve.

Know someone who needs a job? Books written by Denise Taylor

Article 2: How to say no to a promotion

We all get flattered by being offered a new promotion – more money sounds great but with it comes more responsibility and possible changes to your lifestyle.

Reasons you may turn it down:  

1. You may already be happy in the job you have
2. You may have concerns that your skills don’t match up/ you don’t deserve it
3. Status and more money may not be key drivers for you
4. The costs in terms of extra pressure, more travel, more responsibility aren’t worth it
5. You may have sufficient personal challenges that you don’t want anything else to potentially upset the home situation
6. The move may take you to a more generalist function when you prefer to have focus on an area of expertise 

How to turn down the offer of a promotion

1. Say thanks for considering me for promotion but say that you don’t think it is right for you at this time.  I wouldn’t refer to “because of personal circumstances” which can imply that you can’t cope with the work/home balance. 
2. Do provide a brief explanation –
1. due to some personal voluntary commitments, part time study or desire to see through a project
2. because it doesn’t play to your strengths.
3. Say how much satisfaction you gain from your current job and you wish to continue to develop in this particular role at the moment.  Remind them of aspects of the job you are currently doing that really contributes to business success.
4. Emphasise how much you enjoy challenges and look forward to further challenges in your current job.
5. Offer to get involved in other areas of work which play to your strengths.
6. Offer to help out in the short term until someone is appointed to the role.
7. Be sure to say that you will be interested in being considered in the future, if you are.

A while ago I was stuck at a crossroads in my career, I could have carried on doing a job I didn't enjoy or choose to make a change. I decided to work with Denise from Amazing People and after a few sessions, Denise's methods had helped me work out the path to my perfect job. I am pleased to say that I am now doing something I really enjoy and it wouldn't have been possible without Denise's help. Garry, Commercial Director. Sports industry

Colette - completed The Gold Programme

I cannot speak highly enough of the combination of assessments that you provide on the gold programme as pieced together they provide an amazing insight. This, mixed with your knowledgeable, helpful and patient coaching is a potent mixture for instigating change.
For the first time I feel assertive about who I am at work and, importantly, who and what I am not. I feel confident in my abilities and released from the need to be anything other than myself in defining and enjoying my future career. Click here to read the feedback letter

In the Media in May

• Featured expert in The Times, Graduate Career Supplement Would this CV lead to a government legal job? 26th May 2010

• Article Does the dream job exist and should you settle for second best? featured on Job Site, 19th May 2010

• Plus recorded a segment for us on a forthcoming Radio 4 programme presented by Alvin Hall

__________________________________________________________

Twitter

Here are a few of my interesting tweets - why not check them out? And why not 'follow me' on twitter or book mark this link so you can keep up to date with interesting short links

• DalaiLama - If we are truly concerned about the environment, we must think not only for this generation, but for future generations as well.
• Being featured in The Times is good for business, my books selling well on amazon today
• Happiness is when what you think, what you say, and what you do are in harmony
• Killer work out in the gym. Measurements day 27cm off my waist since Oct, 26.5 off hips and 25.5 off bust! Getting there :)
• Our mental state signficantly affects our performance - what do you need to make it strong?

http://twitter.com/amazingpeople

What Denise did last month

• Undertook 30 client sessions, including interview coaching, helping clients discover their ideal career, and CV rewrites
• Wrote 6 entries on my blog
• Wrote lots of Tweets
• Undertook development work for Zoom Interviews
• Met Alvin Hall to record a segment for a forthcoming broadcast
• Wrote a workbook on LinkedIn
• 2 festivals: All Tommorrows Parties with Iggy Pop and The XX; Bearded Theory with New Model Army and Dreadzone olus saw Pendulum and SubFocus in Cardiff
• Had my colours done! I'm clear and contrasting.

In the Blog

http://www.amazingpeople.co.uk/blog/

You can subscribe to the feed using this link:

http://feeds.feedburner.com/AmazingPeopleBlog

Here's a selection from what was on the Blog in May

• Is there a typical career coaching client?
• Does the dream job exist and should you settle for second best?
• Denise is going to get fit and healthy, week 31
• The Cover letter – advice from the career coach
• Make Your CV Come Alive – Identify Your Achievements and Keep them Updated