Atlanta Career Coach

Personal Branding with Focus, Consistency and CREATIVITY

2012-01-17T10:09:00.007-05:00

Check out the creative ideas and resources surrounding personal branding from W. Arruda. This two part series presents insightful and innovative ideas to build, support and promote your brand. Your job search campaign MUST combine focused personal branding with pro-active networking to market your most valuable product...YOU! Personal Branding Trends for 2012, Part I & Personal Branding Trends for 2012, Part II

Resilience - a KEY Business & Life Skill

2012-01-11T12:22:00.003-05:00

From Stressed out to Resilient. Using the MBTI Stress Management Report to identify stress triggers, stress reactions and engage strengths to build resilience!

FREE e-Book on How to Really Use Linkedin!!!

2012-01-07T13:44:00.008-05:00

Linkedin is a must for professional networking, career development and a pro-active job search. Don't be intimidated by all the elements and features in a Linkedin profile. Start out slow and consistently build a winning profile to promote your brand and professional presence. Check out the FREE e-Book... How to Really Use Linkedin, 2nd Edition, by Jan Vermeiren and Bert Verdonck

Appearance on 11Alive (WXIA Atlanta): Making New Year's Resolutions

2012-01-01T17:52:00.006-05:00

It was a pleasure to participate in a panel discussion on Making New Year's Resolutions at 11 Alive (WXIA-Atlanta). Whether you call them resolutions, intentions, goals, or commitments, be determined to embrace positive changes to enhance your life throughout the year. Resolve to make 2012 your best year yet!

Outstanding Strategies and Tools at CareerTipster!

2011-12-10T08:35:00.007-05:00

I encourage you to check out the wealth of information, ideas and resources provided by career coach Robert Starks Jr. at CareerTipster. Thank you Robert for offering this amazing site.

Best~Great Places to Work...with Job Openings

2011-11-02T10:56:00.010-04:00

From CNNMoney - These 25 Best Companies to Work For have at least 700 openings each, totaling nearly 137,000 available jobs. What are they looking for? See what their recruiters say.

Look for a new Professional Home by researching organizations that peak your interest using lists and directories. Career coaching can help you identify your career values - what you're looking for in the next better/best fit career role and organization. Check out these resources to jump start your career search:

1. 100 Best Companies to Work For, from CNNMoney
2. Best Places to Work in the Federal Government, by Bestlacestowork.org
3. Top 50 Best Places to Work, by GlassDoor.com
4. 2011 Best Small & Medium Workplaces List, from GreatPlacetoWork.com
5. 25 Best Multinationals List, from GreatPlacetoWork.com
6. Best Places to Work 2011, from the Human Rights Campaign
7. Atlanta's 2011 List of Best Small, Medium & Larges Places to Work, by The Atlanta Business Chronicle

CAREER & LIFE Inspiration from Steve Jobs...please Enjoy!

2011-09-21T11:24:00.002-04:00

Timeless words of wisdom on LIFE & CAREER from Steve Jobs. Revisiting the commencement speech Mr. Jobs delivered to the graduating class at Stanford University in '05.

9/11 Remembered

2011-08-15T10:41:00.004-04:00

How We've Changed - Stories of a Nation Transformed.

September 2011 marks the 10 year anniversary of 09/11/01. Yahoo News has compiled a wonderful collection of profiles on those who were lost and the loved ones who honor and celebrate the legacy of their friends and family members. These are inspiring stories of resilience, strength and growth!

Hidden Job Market .mov

2011-08-04T01:56:00.003-04:00

Unlocking the Hidden Job Market: 6 Steps to a Successful Job Search When Times Are Tough. A ten minute highlights video of author, Duncan Mathison's talk about essential techniques to understand and win in the hidden job market.

2011-07-22T09:45:00.011-04:00

I'm pleased to share a wonderful collection of 2011 TOP LISTS of CAREERS, courtesy of Heather Mundell from life@work. I hope this information inspires you to explore viable options for your career path or career transition. Remember to focus on how your strengths/skills, personality, interests, and values will fit a role, a team and an organization to identify better/best fit career opportunities.

Changing Careers

2011-07-18T09:35:00.009-04:00

Baltic Publications (UK) publishes a wonderful e-magazine entitled CHANGING CAREERS, The information & opportunities magazine for career changers from all walks of life. You may register for a free account to access the magazine and view/download past and current editions. I hope you find the information beneficial to your career development.

Perhaps Now Is One of Those Times!

2011-06-10T23:54:00.019-04:00

Enjoy a brief inspirational break, courtesy of David Ault. Is NOW one of those times to reflect, to act, to embrace change?

Jump Start your Job Search with Positivity

2011-03-29T10:05:00.008-04:00

Author and Speaker Nan Russell offers a simple and inspired recipe to jump start your job search with positive, proactive steps in just 7 days. As Nan states, "Forward action, no matter how small, fuels motivation, builds energy, and ignites job search creativity. It enhances perseverance, and gets results."

I want my clients to consistently combat worry, fear, self doubt, and frustration by making a committment to take action each day to advance your strategy. Whether it's company research, networking, informational interviewing, professional development, volunteer work...the key is to act and manifest positive change.

Check out Nan's full article and take action TODAY: 7 Steps to Re-Start Your Job Search Momentum with Positive Actions

2011-02-04T11:12:00.008-05:00

As a career coach who believes in a pro-active search, I whole heartedly agree with Ford Myers of Career Potential. He shares some crucial advice for individuals engaged in the job hunt.

"Many people make significant job search mistakes and never even know about it. These blunders are easy to make, and they can cost you the job offer or lose you thousands of dollars.
10 Mistakes job seekers make...and how to avoid them!"

In Search of the Purpose Driven Career

2011-01-16T20:32:00.009-05:00

Eve Troeh of Marketplace tells us an all too familar stoy on the job search.

"With unemployment in the U.S. near 10 percent, many job seekers are settling for jobs that are lower paid and of lower status. But Eve Troeh reports that a better approach may be to keep your high standards in place, and to strive for purpose in a career." Read (or listen to) the whole story at Marketplace on NPR.

Money and Holiday Stress

2010-12-01T13:48:00.007-05:00

I wanted to share some thought provoking information from Shawn Bakker at Pyschometrics Direct (a leading company for career and personality assessments).

Shawn...
The holiday season is fast approaching, and brings an extra level of busyness with school pageants, social gatherings, work parties and family get-togethers. Based on my own experience, and the stories that I hear from others, it is common to feel run off your feet.

Each year at this time we have presented a list of stress relieving activities. This year I have taken a slightly different tack, but believe it will take you to the same destination - a more enjoyable holiday experience. Below are two articles that discuss research about happiness; one is from the New York Times and the second is from Money Magazine. I found them interesting and insightful and I hope you do as well.

But Will It Make You Happy?

Can Money Buy Happiness?

And here are some wonderful tips on Holiday Stress Busters from Mercy College. Enjoy a happy and healthy holiday season...celebrating the blessings in your life.

Lists, Lists...and More Lists!

2010-11-05T22:23:00.005-04:00

I am such a big fan of researching companies of interest as a strategic approach to the job search. Rather than sitting at the computer hunting and pecking for relavent postings on job boards, why not go to the source. Reviewing the opportunities on the "Careers" page of company websites is the modern day equivalent of pounding the pavement with your resume in hand.

My coaching clients hear me sing the praises of the Atlanta Book of Lists (at your local library or alumi career services office). Check out the Lists of Top Companies at INC. and see who may have your next career position listed on their "Career's" page. The lists are organized by category, including Metro Atlanta.

7 Surprising Reasons You Didn't Get a Call Back for that Job

2010-10-20T11:15:00.003-04:00

I'm pleased to share some very powerful, common sense advice from Heather Huhman.

It’s natural to wonder why you didn’t get an interview – or perhaps make it to the second round – for a job you thought was a perfect fit. While I always feel it’s best to ask the hiring manager what went wrong, do a little self-analysis first. Perhaps you made one of the following mistakes:

Check out the full article!

Anyone Can Build a Career Network

2010-08-10T08:41:00.004-04:00

In their article, "How to Build a Career Network", Bob Rossner and Sherrie Campbell offer an outstanding common sense approach to one of the top job search strategies. Here is an excerp:

Have you ever asked yourself why networking is important to your career? Studies show that the number one way to get a job is by career networking - and when it comes to starting or advancing a career, your career network should be the first place you look. So rather than asking why networking is important to your career, start with asking, "How do I network?"

I encourage you to read the full article (link below) to immediately start beefing up your networking strategy. http://www.payscale.com/how-to-build-a-career-network-recession

The Motivation Behind DRIVE

2010-06-25T10:29:00.007-04:00

Daniel H. Pink, the author of the bestselling A Whole New Mind, offers a bold new perspective on what truly motivates us and how we can use this insight to work smarter and live better.

Here is an excerp from Dan Pink's website. "Most of us believe that the best way to motivate ourselves and others is with external rewards like money—the carrot-and-stick approach. That’s a mistake", Daniel H. Pink says in, Drive: The Surprising Truth About What Motivates Us, his provocative and persuasive new book. "The secret to high performance and satisfaction—at work, at school, and at home—is the deeply human need to direct our own lives, to learn and create new things, and to do better by ourselves and our world."

Even Ben Stein Says "Follow your Heart!"

2010-06-20T08:01:00.008-04:00

Some great commentary from Ben Stein on CBS Sunday Morning...

"A few days ago, I asked my shrink, a super-smart guy, how he would generally divide up the people who were happy in life from those who were not. He answered like a shot."

Watch CBS News Videos Online

Click to read the full story.

INTROVERTS and the Job Search

2010-05-27T22:24:00.007-04:00

From Psychology Today Blogs: The Shy Job Seeker - Can Introverts Succeed in this Job Market? A great perspective offered by Katharine Brooks, Ed.D., the Director of Liberal Arts Career Services at The University of Texas at Austin.

Don't Hold Back with A Job Search

2010-05-11T10:13:00.006-04:00

Don't let flip-flops in the job market hold you back from pursuing a pro-active job search. I am constantly being asked "John, is this a good time to be looking for a new job?" And my answer today is the same as it was 3, 4, 5 years ago. You should look for a new job when you need one and when you want one! Don't allow the evening news to derail you from your search strategy. The top two ways of finding a job, decade after decade, remain networking with a very clear message and pro-actively reaching out to employers with a very clear focus on the value that you can bring to their organization).

The sun does seem to be poking through the clouds a bit. Check out this recent TIME article. More confident employers stepped up job creation in April, expanding payrolls by 290,000, the most in four years. The jobless rate rose to 9.9 percent as people streamed back into the market looking for work. Read more at TIME Magazine online: Jobs Up 290,000; Unemployment Up to 9.9%

SEARCH FOR A COMPANY NOT A JOB!

2010-04-19T10:43:00.006-04:00

How do most people approach a job search? Well is often goes like this…

As human beings we are subject to emotional reactions and our career can often trigger these reactions. At any given time, we may become frustrated, angry, disillusioned, bored, burned out, etc. with either our employer, our role in the organization, or both. In the “heat” of the moment, we jump on the Internet and resolve to find a new job! We dust off the old resume and start using Internet job boards to look for that new opportunity that will make us feel engaged and energized in our work once again.

If this sounds like you, then you’ve already made three crucial mistakes! First, you are searching for a new job based upon an emotional decision, rather than an informed, creative decision. Second, you've convinced yourself that with a few tweaks your resume will be in grest shape. And third, you jumped on the web to start looking for a job that looks and sounds very close to the job you had.

Your job search should be fueled by a mix of self assessment, information, strategic thinking, and creativity. Invest time, effort, and money if necessary, to develop a targeted, robust resume that clearly communicates the value (skills, strengths, credentials, accomplishments) you will bring to an organization. And I highly recommend that you search for a company, not a job. By seeking out organizations that represent a solid match with your work style, preferences, values, and the type of people you enjoy interacting with, you are setting the stage for a positive job change.

Use lists and directories to ignite and inform your job search. Consider the following resources: (a) web based databases of company information, (b) The Book of Lists for your area of the country, (c) directories from your area chamber of Commerce, plus (d) lists published in magazines such as INC., Fortune and Forbes of Top and Great places to work. When you uncover organizations that you believe are a nice fit, dig deeper. Learn all you can about their culture, how they treat their staff and what openings exist on the Careers page of their website – opportunities for you to add your strengths and expertise.

Get creative and move beyond your comfort zone when searching for the next opportunity. STOP looking for a job and start identifying the new home for your career.

The Workforce: Where Will the New Jobs Come From?

2010-03-29T09:11:00.001-04:00

TIME Magazine March 29, 2010: Coming out of the recession, employment will rebound differently across the U.S. Gain a stronger understanding of where the jobs will come from, based upon region, industry and sector.
The Workforce: Where Will the New Jobs Come From?