The last time I wrote for 6 Figure Career Management in April, the title of my article was Light at the End of the Tunnel.

In it I described how I believed that whilst we should brace for the reality of the tough times that lie ahead, eventually there would be some good news amidst all the doom and gloom.

I concluded with the comment, “Although it may be difficult to see it now there is light at the end of the tunnel and positioning yourself ahead of recovery will be crucial to ensure that you can grasp the opportunities that will likely emerge once you find the light. It is not too late to position for these opportunities especially as now more than at any time since the crisis began there are plenty of signs of recovery or green shoots. The main question is whether these shoots are allowed to blossom or left to wither.”

At the end of last year it looked distinctly like the global financial system was on the verge of meltdown, and that the global economy was about to implode. The change in market sentiment since has been dramatic. Various banking sector bail-outs, massive stimulus packages and the G20 nations agreement pledging $1 trillion for the world economy were major events over the first half of the year which helped to turn sentiment around and stabilize financial and economic conditions. More interest rate cuts by many central banks and expansion of unconventional monetary policy measures provided a further boost to recovery efforts.

These efforts appear to be paying off as confidence has returned to markets and economic data releases, especially in the second quarter of 2009, have revealed a much smaller pace of deterioration. Indeed, economic data has been rather better than many had expected, with those same analysts that had downgraded growth forecasts only a short time ago, now scrambling to revise their expectations upwards.

The good news has also extended to the banking sector, with many banks reporting a stellar performance in the first quarter of 2009. In addition, some US banks have even felt confident enough to pay back government funds, marking a turning point for the US financial sector.

Markets reacted to all of this news positively once it became clear that a systemic crisis had been avoided; most US and European stock indices, with the notable exception of the Dow Jones, ended the first half of 2009 with positive returns. However, their gains were less impressive when compared to the strong performances of some emerging equity markets, with indices in China and India registering gains above 50% this year as recovery efforts in emerging markets echoed those in the developed economies, but with the advantage of far less severe banking sector problems.

The second half of the year will not be so straightforward. Market relief that there will not be a collapse of the global financial system is not sufficient to keep the momentum going into the second half of the year. Until now there has been plenty of less negative news or green shoots but little information to judge the magnitude and speed of recovery going forward.

There are plenty of factors that will dampen recovery in the months ahead. Higher unemployment, massive wealth loss and increased savings will provide a clear downdraft to the global economy. Banks will be increasingly laden with bad loans due to credit card delinquencies, commercial real estate defaults and other sour loans and are unlikely to step up lending in a hurry. In addition, it is still unclear how quickly toxic debt will be removed from banks’ balance sheets, which will act as another impediment to recovery.

The European economy is a particular risk to global recovery, with only a gradual recovery expected. In particular, the biggest Eurozone economy Germany is struggling in the wake of a collapse in exports and a lack of domestic demand. Moreover, banking sector issues remain unresolved especially as there has been little information on European bank stress tests. The relative strength of the Euro and inability of some countries in the Eurozone to devalue their way out of the downturn will also dampen recovery prospects. These factors suggest that Europe will lag behind the recovery in other countries such as the US and UK, where the policy response has arguably been more aggressive.

Unfortunately the jobs market will lag behind the recovery process seen in the wider economy, as is usual in any economic recovery, as employers continue to cut costs and rationalize their labour force. Nonetheless, even here there are signs that things are becoming less severe. The pace of job losses in many countries is lessening. In the US for example, the closely-watched non-farm payrolls report revealed that average monthly job losses in the second quarter of 2009 were much lower than job losses in the first quarter and this trend is likely to continue until into 2010 when hiring becomes positive again.

The bad news however, is that unemployment rates continue to rise. In the US the unemployment rate is likely to head to around 10% from 9.5% currently and this will be echoed in Europe where the unemployment is at a 10-year high of 9.5% currently. In the UK the pattern will be similar and the unemployment rate is set to rise further. Unemployment will likely peak early in 2010, but it’s not all bad news until then. There are already signs that employers are taking advantage of the bigger supply of labour to recruit talent which would otherwise be more difficult to do when the jobs market is frothy.

Overall, recovery will continue but markets will need more than just less negative news to keep them moving upwards. I am cautious about the pace of recovery because I think there are still many roadblocks, but massive government stimulus measures will eventually do the trick even if the pace of economic recovery is a slow one. Now is the time to be well-positioned to take advantage of the upturn in economic conditions as long as your expectations remain realistic.

—————————-

Mitul Kotecha is Managing Director and Global Head of FX Strategy for a large European Investment Bank. To follow Mitul’s views on the global economy and financial markets visit his personal blog, “The Econometer” by clicking here.

Other Popular Posts

• How To Recession Proof Your Career By Developing Your Network
• 3 Reasons To Network Yourself Into Your Next Job
• The Power of Less – An Interview With Leo Babauta
• Focus On Reinvention, Not Recession
• Work-Life Balance? - What Nonsense

Well here’s some advice for you - stop looking.

That’s right, stop spending your whole week job searching and instead spend part of your week doing something completely different. And I don’t mean watch TV or ‘do lunch’ with friends.

Instead, go and do something of value, something that would make a difference to someone else. By spending more time helping others, and less time on your own search, you’ll paradoxically find that you improve your chances of finding work.

If you’re out of work, here are 10 suggested projects for you:

1.  Volunteer your time and skills to a charity or non-profit

2.  Start a blog and share your opinions on a topic or subject you care about

3.  Teach your kids, neices or nephews something of value (e.g how to manage money, how to cook, about other cultures and religions)

4.  Learn how to play that musical instrument you’ve always wanted to learn - and then entertain a small audience for free

5.  Enter a charity walk or run

6.  Give a talk at a local college or university about a subject you have expertise within

7.  Share everything you’re learning about job searching with other job seeekers who are out of work

8.  Teach your parents/grandparents how to use the internet, email and SMS text messaging (it will give them a new lease of life)

9.  Help an immigrant family to improve their English (or whatever the main language is in the country you’re in). You’ll help improve their lives and enable them to make a bigger contribution to the community and wider economy

10. Create and share something that would bring joy to others - e.g. a poem, a script, a dance, a sketch, a sculpture or a painting maybe

The costs to you?

Nothing.

All that’s required is your time, some focus and the right intention.

The benefits to you?

- You’ll have a sense of purpose and achievement each week (something that’s difficult to achieve if your whole week revolves around chasing leads, applying for jobs and handling rejections).

- You’ll consequently see your self esteem increase (which often gets crushed when you get laid off). Increased levels of self esteem improve your chances of securing a job.

- You’ll meet new people and widen your network. The wider network improves your chances of finding a job (particularly in a recession when a large percentage of roles are being filled via contacts and referrals)

- You’ll have a unique answer to that interview question: “So what have you been doing with your time since you finished your last job?”

- You’ll become a much more interesting person to be around - after all, there’s only so many times friends and family can ask “So how’s your job search going?”

- You’ll develop some new skills (e.g. speaking, writing, mentoring, teaching) which can give you another edge in the job market

- You’ll develop some new hobbies and interests for the future

- You’ll look back at this period with few regrets. You’ll know that you didn’t waste the time you had between jobs and that instead did something of value.

- You’ll enjoy some good karma. What goes around, comes around.

The benefits to the world?

Huge.

Just think what would happen if every single person that was laid off invested part of their week (or month) to at least one of the 10 projects listed above? And then inspired other people to do something similar. What impact would that have?

If you’ve been made redundant in recent months, you may be low on cashflow, confidence and job opportunities. But one thing you do have is that commodity we all crave: *TIME*.

So go put that time to good use and, who knows, in addition to changing a small part of somone else’s world, you may also change yours - by landing that elusive job.

See related posts:

5 Ways NOT To Find A Job

10 Ways To Avoid Sabotaging Your Job Search By Being Desperate

The Key To Finding ONE JOB During A Recession

10 Ways YOU Stop Yourself Getting The Right Job

Other Popular Posts

• How To Recession Proof Your Career By Developing Your Network
• 3 Reasons To Network Yourself Into Your Next Job
• The Power of Less – An Interview With Leo Babauta
• Focus On Reinvention, Not Recession
• Work-Life Balance? - What Nonsense

Instead, how about embracing the recession and taking some time off to relax, have fun and veg out?

Just think, you could watch day-time telly (Oprah, Loose Women or the sports channel), go play some golf, visit the gym and sit in the sauna (but tell everyone you’ve been working out), play online poker, have fun on Facebook, hang out in coffee shops and “do lunch” with friends.

You could stay up late to watch trashy “made for TV” films whilst eating a tub of Haagen Dazs and corn chips. Maybe buy some completely useless items from the late night shopping channels and wake up the next day when…..well, whenever you like.

With such a lifestyle, why would you want to spend time looking for a job?

Oh yes, I forgot - it’s not socially acceptable is it? You’ve got to at least “look” as if you’re trying to find work.

So why not bluff your friends and family into thinking you are working really hard at the job searching but sabotage it?!

Here are 5 great ways NOT to get a job (but which make it look like you’re trying):

1. Live in the past

To ensure you don’t find a job, just stay focused on the past. Keep talking about all the things you’ve done, all the experience you’ve had. Don’t think for a second that this may be futile in a new world and a different climate.

(By the way - if you decide you’d actually like to find a role, you may want to think less about what you’ve done and focus more on the value you can create in the future for employers and clients, the problems you can solve, the results you can deliver, the transferable skills you can offer. But if not, just stay in the past - it’s a great way to enjoy the benefits of being footloose and fancy free!)

2. Play the blame game

To guarantee you can continue enjoying lazy lunches and some ‘”me time” (even though you’ve no idea what it means) just blame someone - anyone!

After all, it’s not your fault you’re struggling to find work - it’s the government, the greedy CEOs of the major banks, your incompetent employers, the hopeless recruiters, your mother-in-law, the next door neighbour’s dog and of course …….”The Recession” - the very best excuse for 20 years to play the blame game and do nothing!

(Oh, if you get a bit tired of blaming others and being miserable, you may want to quit blaming the rest of the world and take personal responsibility for your situation - you’ll probably find a job much faster and be a much nicer person to be around. But if not, just stay there - at least the blame game allows you to take the summer off - much more fun than working.)

3. Hide behind your computer

This is a great one. If you’d rather play online poker or poke a few people on Facebook (ooh err) than get back to work, hide behind your computer for 7 hours a day pretending you’re job searching.

You can sit in your PJ’s in front of your laptop, apply for a few random jobs, send your resume/CV to the same recruiters and job sites that everyone else is emailing and then sit back and say “Oh, I’m working sooo hard on my job search - but there’s simply nothing out there!” Genius.

(But if you get bored or broke sitting at home playing online poker all day, you may want to come out of hiding and get serious about finding work. The internet, email and social media are just “tools.” Ultimately it’s your relationships with people, not technology, that will help you find a job. Getting out there, speaking, meeting and engaging with people in the real world. But only do that if you really want a job.)

4. Wait 3 days before following up a lead

You’ve seen a job ad or been given a warm lead. Damn it - your plans to relax and do nothing seem scuppered.

OK, here’s an idea. How about you procrastinate, put off the call for a few days until you’ve perfected your resume/CV or put off making the call until tomorrow when you feel better about yourself. That way, by the time you apply, the warm lead is cold, the job advert is inundated with other people so you don’t get to interview stage at all. Brilliant - you can then continue enjoying some more time on the couch with Oprah!

(If, on the other hand, you fancy giving up the couch and decide to get serious about finding a job, you need to be quick. In a tight job market, speed is of the essence - so act NOW, not later. You can improve, perfect and course correct later. But only if you want a job. Maybe Oprah’s much nicer than a boss so why bother hey?)

5. Be desperate

This one always works. Be really really desperate, needy and annoying. Just enough so that it puts people off. That way you can look like you’re trying really hard but just not getting the breaks. That way you can justify taking a break from the job searching - you know, just to “take a step back and review my options”. Perfect plan!

(But if you decide that you actually want to get a job - stop trying so hard. Be open-minded and flexible, but also be confident and self-assured in the way you conduct yourself).

So there you go - 5 ways NOT to get a job this summer. 5 ways to ensure you can spend more time improving your golf swing, watching reality TV and seeing how many juicers and useless knives you can buy from those awful shopping channels.
 
(But if you’d like to find a job in less time and with less stress, do the exact opposite of these 5 points and you’ll stand a much better chance of succeeding).

Other Popular Posts

• How To Recession Proof Your Career By Developing Your Network
• 3 Reasons To Network Yourself Into Your Next Job
• The Power of Less – An Interview With Leo Babauta
• Focus On Reinvention, Not Recession
• Work-Life Balance? - What Nonsense

“Miserable in your job?

Let Careershifters help you figure out WHAT you want to do and show you HOW to make it a reality”

So you want to change career? What’s stopping you?

• Don’t know where to start?
• No idea what you want to do?
• Know what you want to do but not how to get there?
• Can’t seem to find the time?
• Finding it hard doing it alone?
• Need guidance but haven’t been able to find it?
• Haven’t got the money to do it?
• Friends and family think it’s a bad idea?
• It scares the living daylights out of you!…

If you’ve ticked any of these, then this is for you

Other Popular Posts

• How To Recession Proof Your Career By Developing Your Network
• 3 Reasons To Network Yourself Into Your Next Job
• The Power of Less – An Interview With Leo Babauta
• Focus On Reinvention, Not Recession
• Work-Life Balance? - What Nonsense

I’ve just got off the phone from delivering a teleseminar about how to find a job. Whilst, on the whole, it went well - my self critical mind went into over drive straight after I finished.  

Immediately after the call, I started focussing on all the things that didn’t go well (we had some technical problems with the phone line at the start of the call, I over ran by 10 minutes at the end, I spoke too fast towards the end as I was trying cram in all the content and forgot to mention some stuff I’d planned to cover) – all of which began to make me feel a little ‘flat’ and, in that split second, decide that I didn’t want to deliver any further teleclasses I have planned.

I realised it was completely irrational and hit the pause button quickly so that I could walk my talk and follow the same 5 steps I ask my clients to follow after an interview: 

1. Write down the top 5 things you did really well during the interview 

2. Write down the biggest lesson you learned (only ONE)

3. Decide on the one or two things you will do differently next time you interview (the one or two things that will make the biggest difference to your success)

4. Go and do something completely different that’s unrelated to interviews so that your brain gets to switch off

5. Share your lesson with others so that you create some self accountability in following through with it

When you go through these steps after an interview, it allows you to:

- Stop over focussing on all the things that didn’t go so well (e.g. a question you answered badly)
- Take confidence from all the things that went well
- Be rational in putting errors and lessons into context
- Ensure you are continously learning and improving until you’re successful

I can assure you that if you followed theses 5 steps after every single interview, you will get better and more effective at interviews before finally landing the right role. It’s a science.

The same thing applies to me and the teleclass. When I went through these steps, I realised that whilst it could have been better in parts, the content and delivery was generally good - I had offered some really valuable job search ideas and advice that most people would get some value from.

That instantly motivated me to think about doing more teleseminars and keep working on improving myself and the content. I did a complete 180 degree turn within 10 minutes – which is exactly what happens when people follow these steps after interviews. Done the right way, it’s that quick.

Having now shared the lesson with you (step 5), I’m off to the gym to complete step 4 - do something completely different!

Enjoy the weekend

(By the way, don’t worry if you missed the teleseminar “My Top 10 Recommendations To Ramp Up Your Job Search This Summer“,  - the AUDIO will shortly be posted ready for you to listen to at your convenience.

Just go and register for the teleseminar and you will be sent the MP3 audio recording next Tuesday. Click here to register for your audio recording)

Other Popular Posts

• How To Recession Proof Your Career By Developing Your Network
• 3 Reasons To Network Yourself Into Your Next Job
• The Power of Less – An Interview With Leo Babauta
• Focus On Reinvention, Not Recession
• Work-Life Balance? - What Nonsense

“Sital’s Top 10 Recommendations To
Ramp Up Your Job Search This Summer!”
 
F.R.E.E Teleseminar
 
Saturday 16th May

You still have time to reserve your spot for my F.R.E.E. one-time only call - (here’s your link to lock in your place before it’s too late).
 
TOMORROW AT 3pm (UK Time), I’ll share my personal Top 10 Recommendations on how you can turn this summer, typically a “slow” season for job hunters, into a time to ramp up your job search.
 
These are the same recommendations I share with my private clients whilst they look for work during these challenging times. And best of all, it’s all on a complimentary one-time teleseminar that’s my gift to you, and one that’s also a content-rich preview to some further resources I will be offering in the coming weeks.
 
If you’re getting concerned about finding work as we approach the summer when the job market slows down during the holiday season, then I encourage you to join the call.
 
(Don’t worry if you’re not available for the live call - register and we’ll send you an MP3 audio recording of the call early next week).
 
Whether you’re out of work and struggling to find your next role, or someone who is concerned about their job security, you’ll get at least TWO NEW job-search ideas from this call. I guarantee it!
 
“My Top 10 Recommendations to Ramp Up Your Job Search This Summer!”
 
On this 60-minute call, you’ll discover: 
 
* the 2 invisible barriers that most job searchers unknowingly hit, and how to break through them starting RIGHT NOW
 
* my top 10 personal recommendations to help you find work in the toughest job market for at least 20 years, including…
 
* my top 3 strategies to help you overcome the set backs and rejections you’re enduring
 
* the 2 biggest mistakes which cripple many people’s job search - and how you can avoid falling into the trap
 
* the 3 marketing strategies to ensure you avoid becoming just another number ‘lost in the crowd’ of job searchers
 
* the secret to putting your job search on auto pilot whilst you enjoy the summer with friends and family
 
If you’re struggling to find work - or are concerned about losing your job in the coming weeks, this call is for you.
 
Everyone that registers will receive an audio recording of the call early next week -even if you can’t make it to the live call. Sign up now here to reserve your space on this complimentary call.

Other Popular Posts

• How To Recession Proof Your Career By Developing Your Network
• 3 Reasons To Network Yourself Into Your Next Job
• The Power of Less – An Interview With Leo Babauta
• Focus On Reinvention, Not Recession
• Work-Life Balance? - What Nonsense

I love hanging out in cafes and coffee shops - well actually anywhere with sofas: hotel lounges, swanky bars, the gym. In fact, I do most of my writing on the Blackberry whilst sitting on a sofa somewhere.

A few days ago I was sitting in a very nice central London cafe enjoying my cappuccino and newspaper when I saw a fly a few feet away from me by the window. It caught my eye as it was furiously trying to get out of the coffee shop by constantly smashing against the window.

Every time it hit the window it fell to the window sill before buzzing and rolling around madly. It would crawl around for a few seconds and build up some energy before flying up at the window determined to get out, only to smash into the glass once again with same result.

“Are you insane?” I thought to myself. Doing the same thing over and over again and expecting to get out was, to me, ridiculous.

But if Freddie the Fly (I’m sure it was a male fly) shifted just 4 feet to the side, he would have been able to fly out of the coffee shop effortlessly through the open door!

After watching him for 5 minutes I decided to go over and help Freddie out the door (I partly felt sorry for him, but also his buzzing was driving me nuts).

So I went over and gently helped steer him out of the coffee shop through the open door with my newspaper. After initially resisting my help by buzzing furiously and staring at me in a stubborn ‘leave me alone, I can do this myself’ way (…see, I told you it was a male fly!), he realised I was trying to help him and gave in to my support.

Within a few seconds, he was flying out the front door effortlessly into the sky.

Faced with same glass window, what the poor little fly needed wasn’t more determination and hard work, but a different strategy and a little bit of help.

I see lots of people doing exactly what Freddie the Fly did. They keep doing the same things over and over again in the false belief that they’ll get different results if they just work hard.

But despite trying so hard to achieve a career goal, they keep hitting glass windows and ceilings. They get frustrated, angry, disheartened, but then get back up and try the same strategy and tactics over again in the misguided belief that being determined, focused and trying hard is what will deliver the results.

Sound familiar?

Instead of doing the same insane thing over again, what you could is:
 
1. Step away from the window or problem
Step away from your situation. Go for a walk, take a weekend away - just stop trying and do whatever will help you temporarily switch off.

2. Calm down
My best ideas come effortlessly when I’m relaxed and stress free. Which is why I end up doing most of my writing in relaxing environments like coffee shops. Being stressed and frustrated instantly kills your ability to be creative in finding solutions.
 
3. Look for a different route
Whether you’re looking for a new job, career change, freelance work or simply trying to be more effective in your current role, there is always a different route. And often it’s effortless - like the open doorway for Freddie.

4. Allow others to help you
When we’re frustrated, we often let our pride and ego take over. But when we allow others to help us like the fly eventually did with me, it often allows them to gently guide us towards a doorway that we can’t see because we’re so close to the problem.
 
5. Think about a different destination or goal
Sometimes the glass window teaches us that it’s time to change direction completely. A different kind of job, a different kind of career, a different kind of client. The fly could have turned around and enjoyed the coffee shop full of sticky cakes and pastries before flying out the back door.
 
Can you maybe look at a different direction?
 
It was very easy for me to look at the fly and think it was insane. But that’s because I could see the problem from a different perspective and so couldn’t understand why the fly was having such a hard time.

If you get caught up in a similar pattern, just stop and look at taking a different approach and try to find someone who may have a different perspective on your predicament.

As Einstein would say, to keep doing the same thing is just insane.

During this complimentary 60-minute call, I’ll give you 10 recommendations to help you avoid hitting the same window so that you can effortlessly fly in the direction you want.

To reserve your place, click here now and register

Other Popular Posts

• How To Recession Proof Your Career By Developing Your Network
• 3 Reasons To Network Yourself Into Your Next Job
• The Power of Less – An Interview With Leo Babauta
• Focus On Reinvention, Not Recession
• Work-Life Balance? - What Nonsense

Yet there are still people finding opportunities and finding jobs. It’s hard work and taking much longer to find roles, but people are still finding them.

So I’m ready to share my personal Top 10 Recommendations - the same ones I share with my private coaching clients who have been successful in finding work despite the market conditions.

And best of all, it’s all on a complimentary one-time teleseminar that’s my gift to you, and one that’s also a content-rich preview to some further resources I will be offering in the coming weeks.

Whether you’re out of work and struggling to find your next role, or someone who is concerned about their job security, you’ll get at least TWO NEW job-searching ideas from this call. I guarantee it!

“My Top 10 Recommendations to Kick Start Your Job Search This Summer!”
(In a hurry? Here’s the link to sign up.)

On this 60-minute call, you’ll discover:

* the 2 invisible barriers that most job searchers unknowingly hit, and how to break through them starting RIGHT NOW

* my top 10 personal recommendations to help you find work in the toughest job market for at least 20 years, including…

* my top 3 strategies to help you overcome the set backs and rejections you’re enduring

* the 2 biggest mistakes which will cripple their job search – and how you can avoid falling into the trap

* the 3 marketing strategies to ensure you avoid becoming just another number ‘lost in the crowd’ of job searchers

* How to put your job search on auto pilot whilst you enjoy the summer with friends and family

If you’re struggling to find work – or are concerned about losing your job in the coming weeks, this call is for you.

Sign up now here to reserve your space on this complimentary call.
Best Wishes,

Sital

Sital Ruparelia
6 Figure Career Management
www.6FigureCareerManagement.com

P.S. Who else would benefit from this complimentary teleseminar? Please feel free to forward this email onto anyone else that may be interested.

Other Popular Posts

• How To Recession Proof Your Career By Developing Your Network
• 3 Reasons To Network Yourself Into Your Next Job
• The Power of Less – An Interview With Leo Babauta
• Focus On Reinvention, Not Recession
• Work-Life Balance? - What Nonsense

Do you often hear people quoting such cliches?

The thing with some cliches is there is often some truth in them. The truth in these ones lies in the notion that you should give what you yourself want - and when you do that, the thing you want most shows up.

So what is it you most want right now?

* Want more money?
- Give what you can by means of a donation or assistance to someone else
- Help someone else with their investments or money making ideas

* Want more time?
- Give some of your time to others
- Share some time management or productivity tips with someone else

* Want more contacts?
- Connect others to people in your network

* Want more clients?
- Help others find clients by sharing contacts, referrals and advice 

* Want a new job?
- Provide some kind of employment to someone: a student intern, a book keeper, a cleaner. It can be paid, barter or unpaid 

* Want better career opportunities?
- Help create opportunities for others

* Want some help with your job search or career?
- Go help someone who needs help with looking for a new job

* Want a better CV or resume?
- Help someone improve their CV / resume

* Want better relationships with your colleagues?
- Go help a friend or colleague improve their professional relations

* Want to do more meaningful work?
- Help someone else find meaning in their work

* Want a better boss?
- Start being a better leader to your own team. If you don’t lead a team, become a better leader to stakeholders, your community, your kids, or  even your cleaner / maid

* Want to have more fun at work?
- Make work more interesting and fun for your team and the people around you

* Want to be inspired?
- Go and inspire someone else. Your team, your colleagues, your kids

* Want to feel good about yourself?
- Go give someone else a lift and help them feel better about themselves

* Want to be valued and respected?
- Start valuing and respecting others more
- Better still, start valuing & respecting yourself more and others will follow

When you do this, a few things happen:

1. You learn more about how to get the thing you want

e.g I learn just as much about managing careers by writing these articles as the readers - it forces me to organise my thoughts and ideas which helps me too

2. You immediately feel good about yourself. Giving and helping others gives most people a natural high - which helps you in moving forward with your own goals

3. You strengthen your bonds with other people. Stronger relationships make you much stronger and more effective

4. The thing you most want starts to show up - and just like a boomerang, very often from a completely unexpected direction

It may seem completely counter-intuitive to give away the thing you most want - but it works.

Give it a go….

Other Popular Posts

• How To Recession Proof Your Career By Developing Your Network
• 3 Reasons To Network Yourself Into Your Next Job
• The Power of Less – An Interview With Leo Babauta
• Focus On Reinvention, Not Recession
• Work-Life Balance? - What Nonsense

For a brief period as a child, my dream was to be a professional footballer (soccer player) when I grew up. My childhood hero was the Scottish and Liverpool footballer, Kenny Dalglish (pictured here). In my eyes, ‘King Kenny’ was a genius with a football at his feet and I wanted to be just like him.
 
But then one day when I was 9 or 10, a school friend called John Ryan (wow, I still remember his name) told me “hey Sital, you can’t be a professional footballer, Indian people aren’t allowed to! That’s why there are no Indian footballers in the league - they’re not allowed. You’d better do something else.”
 
There was no malice or racism in his comment. It was just what he believed, based on the fact that there were no Indian footballers in top-flight football.
 
He was right. There were no Indian footballers on television so maybe Indian’s weren’t allowed to play professionally. I was devastated. (Well OK, devastated for about a week before deciding I’d become a pilot instead!).
 
The Early 1990s Recession
 
Talking of pilots, let’s fast-forward to the recession of the early 90’s when I worked for British Airways for 12 months. 

Before finding the 12month work-experience placement during my degree, many of my peers thought it was “impossible to find work in such a tough market.” After all, we had little or no work experience and the “market was awful.”
 
I chose not to listen to the noise and instead focussed on working my socks off, learning from people who had found jobs and applying everything I learned to my own job search. In the end I found a great job as a buyer for British Airways - not quite as a pilot, but my desk overlooked a 747 hanger which, for a 21 year old, was very cool.
 
By the time I graduated after my degree, there were 3 million people unemployed in the UK (compared to 2 million and rising in April 2009). Once again, people were saying “there are no jobs out there”, my academics weren’t strong enough, big firms weren’t hiring etc. 
 
Again, I didn’t listen to anyone. I was, after all, only looking for one job - and knew that there is always ONE JOB out there - even in a recession.
 
I sought out role models who had succeeded and found work despite what was happening to the economy. From them I learned to market and sell myself, and I was oh-so-very persistent. ‘
 
After more than 6 months’ hard work, I secured a job with a top-10 listed firm as a graduate trainee and began my corporate career.
 
Am I trying to impress you? Not at all.
 
I’m trying to impress upon you that to fulfil a career goal against the odds, we all need role models to give us the belief that it can be done.
 
The Roger Banister Effect
 
Runners needed Roger Banister to break the 4-minute mile before they believed they too could do it. Mountain climbers needed Sir Edmond Hilary to conquer Mount Everest before believing that they also could do it.
 
You’re not climbing Everest (even though it may feel like an uphill struggle at times). People have found jobs in downturns before. People are finding jobs today. People have made successful career transitions and people have dealt with uncertainty.
 
Yes, the exact market conditions may be different, but the impact on people is not. This is not completely virgin territory we’re in. There will be people who have had similar challenges, similar goals - and succeeded.
 
So seek out role models and mentors. They’re the ones that will give you the belief and inspiration to keep working towards your career goals.
 
Your Field Work
 
Answer these questions:
 
1. What’s your number one career goal for this year? If you could achieve only one thing with your career by December 31st 2009, what would it be?
 
2. Who do you know that has achieved a similar goal in similar market conditions? If you can’t think of anyone, who do you know that may know someone?
 
3. How can you tap into their knowledge and experience to help you achieve your goal? How can you use their story to keep you inspired and motivated?
 
4. What’s the next step? (e.g. Can you send an email or make a call right now?)
 
 
Looking back at my childhood goal of becoming the next Kenny Dalglish, I’m not really sure if I was ever good enough to become a professional footballer. But I’ll never know because I gave up before I gave it a chance. Listening to a 10 year old ‘career advisor’, along with the lack of role models, meant that I didn’t have the self-belief to give it a go.
 
What I needed in those days was my own role models; successful Indian footballers who I could look to for inspiration. People that could give me the belief that it was possible. But they didn’t exist. (And interestingly enough, 25 years on - they still don’t exist).
 
Right now, that’s what you need - role models - individuals who have successfully navigated their careers through uncertain times, people who have changed careers and found jobs despite the state of the economy.  Fortunately for you, these people do exist. So go seek them out now - successful role models are the key to succeeding in a tough economy.

Other Popular Posts

• How To Recession Proof Your Career By Developing Your Network
• 3 Reasons To Network Yourself Into Your Next Job
• The Power of Less – An Interview With Leo Babauta
• Focus On Reinvention, Not Recession
• Work-Life Balance? - What Nonsense