It’s your very first full-time job out of school, how do you excel is an important question to ask.  Unlike school, where excelling means getting a good grade or GPA, in a job, excelling means building a good work reputation, learning new skills, and getting promoted quickly.  

When it comes to climbing the career ladder, everyone has to start somewhere.  The top of the ladder might look very far away but remember, your present position is just the first step on your way to better things.   Here are 5 tips on how to excel on your first job.  

1.  Do The Best Job You Can

The first step to building a good work reputation and increasing your chances of promotion is to make sure you excel at your current job. Pay attention to the little details. Arrive early, stay late, and don’t be tempted to surf the internet during office hours. Make sure that you look presentable at all times. That might sound like a trivial detail but being well-groomed and keeping a tidy desk gives the impression that you are organised and take pride in your work.

When it comes to your duties, perform them to the very best of your abilities and put all your energy into each task. Make sure you meet your deadlines and be polite and respectful at all times. Don’t refuse a task, even if it means staying later than you want to. Think of the bigger picture – paying your dues is important in any new job but especially your very first job.   You can learn a lot by being humble, flexible, and eager to help.  It will be well worth it once you get that promotion!

2. Communicate

If there’s anything you’re not sure about, don’t be afraid to ask. Asking questions shows that you care about the job you’re doing and want to do it well. It will also help you to build a relationship with your superiors, which is important if you want them to notice your work. You should also aim to cultivate good working relationships with your peers. Doing this proves that you’re capable of working with other people – an essential quality if you want to achieve promotion.

3. Use your Initiative

Asking questions is great, but as you grow into your position, try to show your superiors that you can also stand on your own two feet. For example, if there’s a specific task that’s always performed on a certain day, don’t wait to be prompted by your boss. Just do it! If you have any ideas, don’t be afraid to voice them. Even if they don’t come to anything, they will prove to your superiors that you’re capable of thinking for yourself. Using your initiative is all about demonstrating that your confidence and skills are growing, and that you’re ready to take the next step.

4. Take on More Responsibility

Rather than asking directly for a promotion, ask for more responsibility.   As you get more comfortable performing your assigned work, it’s important to look for opportunities to do more than your job.  This shows that you care about what you can do for your company, and not just what your company can do for you. You will impress your boss far more by taking this approach. You’ll have to be prepared to work harder and longer hours without any extra pay to start with but if you do a good job, the rewards won’t be far behind.

5. Learn New Skills

Sometimes, companies offer their employees the chance to study for additional qualifications in their spare time. If you want to excel and advance, you should definitely take up such an opportunity, or even look for a relevant course on your own initiative. When it comes to promotion, your superiors will look favourably on those who demonstrate a willingness to improve their skills.

Those are our top five tips for excelling at your first job and achieving promotion quickly. I hope you found them useful, and I hope they bring you success. Good luck!

Your comments: What else did you do to excel at your first job?  Share with others in the comment box below

Guest Author: Georgina Stamp worked in the executive search industry and currently works for Marble Hill Partners, who help provide interim management.

This is a Guest post with edits in Italics by Lei Han.  If you would like to submit a guest post to BeMyCareerCoach.com, please follow these guest post guidelines.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3p9TqRA8APA

While I know it’s a brand ad for Linkedin (a very good one), what really stood out to me was how these nine people talked about what their job or volunteer work stand for and how they see themselves contributing to the world.  Each one of them says it with such definitiveness and confidence.  Here are four examples.

• “I want to be the voice of the under-served creative youth of the world” – Sr. Global Designer Director, Brand Jordan
• “I want to empower people to get outside and get their hands in the dirt” – Associate Garden Editor, Sunset Magazine
• “I want to make sure every one has a beautiful place to live.” – Volunteer Board of Directors, Berkeley Food & Housing Project
• “I am going to save the ocean.  I know I can’t do it alone but to be a part of it is something very gratifying. ” Marine Biologist

I played the video 3 times as it made me think about what I stand for and what I want to contribute to this world.   Here is my working draft:

“I want to empower people to work smart and achieve more in career and in life.” – Lei Han, Career Mentor, BeMyCareerCoach.com

This video reminds me that the Definition of success is less about the titles and money we earn and more about how we can positively affect others.  As part of achieving your dreams and finding happiness in life, you also have a tremendous opportunity to give to this world.  Wherever you are in your career, I ask you to step back and just envision the future for a second.  Don’t worry about how you achieve it.  Instead ask yourself, if you can do anything in the world, what would you do and how can it contribute to others?

I look forward to seeing your answers and comments below.  I am always in your corner

Lei

Happiness tips we know but have a hard time following

• #5 – More money will not improve your moment to moment mood. Your time and energy are better spent elsewhere.  We don’t need a lot of money to be happy.  But money can be very alluring and we over use it as a measure of success.  For example, what our salary offer is weighed heavily toward our decision to take an offer vs. other equally important aspects (nature of work, level of travel, do you have boss you respect and can learn from etc..).  I still struggle with this myself.  Being naturally competitive, I like my salary to be high although I know I live modestly enough to be able to accept a much lower salary but work in something I truly love.
  How to practice:  Go against your competitive instinct, put aside your ego, and take a job that may pay less but allow you to be happier.
• #2 - Spend as much time as possible with people you love and like.  It always seem like we don’t spend enough time with family or friends until it’s too late.  Why? Because we often prioritize them last or we think they can wait.  Perfectionist for example, will spend another hour or two at work aligning boxes or wordsmithing sentences on a powerpoint, when in fact, he or she could be home playing games with the kids.
  How to practice:   Prioritize non work time in the top 3 and use all your vacation time every year.  I think this tip also means it’s important to work with people you like.

Happiness tips about looking for the good in yourself, others, and life

• #7 - Be overconfident, with positive self-bias and positive illusions about how awesome your partner is. This is optimism and it is the key to everything.  I was raised to know how to self-criticize as self-praise in the Chinese culture is bad and equates to boasting.  Since growing up though, I have learned that if I can’t have a positive image of myself and my partner, no one else will either.
  How to practice:  Think of one positive aspect about yourself and your partner every day.  Even better, tell someone about it.
  
• #1 – Do what you are good at as often as you can (know your signature strengths).  This requires optimism and true self awareness.  Someone too humble will not actually know what he or she is good at.  How can that person then do what she is good at when she is not sure what that is
  How to pracitice:   Find out what you are truly good at.  Do a self assessment and ask at least 3 people (colleagues and friends)
• #4 – Savor the moment, don’t let your mind wander. When not in the moment, savor happy memories or look forward to something good.  This tip is about both being present and also looking forward to good things in the future.  It’s amazing how our moods can affect our motivation to do great things.  Those with optimism and a positive perspective on the past and the future are ones that will have more core energy to live life to the fullest
  How to practice:   Every week, ask yourself, what is the one thing you are looking forward to this week?

 Happiness tips that may be counter intuitive

•  #6 - Avoid doing what is easy and strive to master something ambitious. You will be happier working.  I think we often mistaken that happiness means life should be easy.  We have no worries about money, no stress, etc… Well, this tip highlights why an easy life will not lead to happiness.  If we are not challenging ourselves, learning and striving everyday, then we will feel like something is missing.  I struggle with this now.  I had made choices that gives me much more work life balance but my work is not challenging me.  Can I find better work that is challenging while still have time for family?  That’s the quest I am on right now.  Wish me luck.
  How to practice:   Forget about whether you can do it today, just answer the question – What do you want to master?
• #3 - Give to create a feedback loop. Helping others reach their goals brings you joy.  Many of us on the corporate ladder are takers – people who will only give if we get something equal or greater value in return.  We think that’s the way to success.  Well, perhaps not.  A new book called Give and Take by Wharton Professor Adam Grant says the opposite and agrees with this tip.  Givers are the rarer breed of leaders that will be more successful in the long run.  I have just read a few chapters and will let you know more when I finish
  How to practice:  Look for ways to give without expecting anything in return.

Tactical happiness tips – to be practiced everyday

• #8 – Get your sleep, you can’t cheat on it and it is vital because your mood in the morning affects your mood all day.
• #9 – Frequency beats intensity, so stop thinking about big events, live in the little things of everyday life and don’t bother to try and reduce the bad so much as you increase the good.

Your comments:  What are you doing to be happy?  do these tips help?  What’s the most challenging one for you to follow?  Share your comments below.

Best wishes to your career success.  I am always in your corner

Lei

Here are what these five regrets mean to me and what we can all do to live life without them today!

1. I wish I’d had the courage to live a life true to myself, not the life others expected of me – It’s amazing how hard this actually is.  The more of an overachiever we are the harder this is.  This is because we instinctively like to compare our achievements and career progression with that of others (e.g, my former classmates, siblings, even friends) or what others we care about may expect of us (e.g, my dad).  While common, the act of comparison is destructive and the more we do it the more we move away from knowing how to live a life true to ourselves.
   What to do to live life with out this regret:  Stop comparing!  Whenever you catch yourself comparing, stop and move on to more important things in life.
2. I wish I didn’t work so hard - I worked my butt off the first 12 years of my life and it affected my health.  So I already got this message from the universe that working too hard may not be worth it.  Luckily my healthy issues were temporary.  Yet even now, while I work 35 hours per week to have more balance, I occasionally feel guilty.  I think I grew up with the concept that if I am not working hard, then I am lazy and that’s bad.   It sounds a little ridiculous when I write it down.
   What to do to live life with out this regret:  Create a new concept that replaces the one above – Working hard will lead me to miss out on life, so don’t miss out. Work can wait but life does not.
3. I wish I’d had the courage to express my feelings - Many times we repress our feelings only to hold on to the hurt, frustration, etc.. too long.  It’s not good for us.  I am glad to say this is one that I actually do often at work and in life.  I hope you do too.  It’s liberating.
   What to do to live life with out this regret:  Learn to express yourself and then let it go.  This does not mean blurt out whatever you think.   Express yourself in a constructive way takes practice and finesse.   The first step is to let yourself do it and overtime, you can improve on the finesse.
4. I wish I had stayed in touch with my friends - As I get older and have a family, I am finding less and less time to stay in touch with friends.  It just seems like a year would go by and I would be busy everyday with work, family, blog, etc..   Well, I decided to change this and make keeping in touch with friends a priority as well.
   What to do to live life with out this regret:  Here is how I am doing it without too much effort.  1.  I created reoccuring lunch meeting requests on my work calendar to stay in touch with friends and contacts.  They may be every 4-8 weeks and sometimes gets cancelled or pushed but at least it’s set to reoccur, block out my time on the work calendar, and ensure that I take a decent lunch break once in awhile.     2.  I call friends when I am walking to or from work.  It takes me about 10-15 min each way.  I am sure you can think of other ways if you put your mind to it.
5. I wish that I had let myself be happier - this is is a big one.  As funny as the statement sounds, many of us, including me have a hard time allowing ourselves to be happy.  Why?  it’s because we are trained to want more as overachievers.  We almost instinctively see what else is missing in our lives as this is what drives us to achieve.  Unfortunately it is also what makes us unhappy.   Look back at your week and honestly assess what % of time are you appreciating what you have vs.  wishing you had something more.  If you are doing more of the latter, than you are not letting yourself be happy.
   What to do to live life with out this regret:  A good start is look at life with a glass is half full perspective.  Stayed tuned for my next post on 9 Tips for Happiness to learn more.

So, ask yourself, which of the 5 above would you regret if you are on your death bed?  If you know what they are already, what are you willing to do NOW so you can live life with no regrets TODAY?

Your comments:  What are you doing or willing to do to live life with no regrets?  Share your comments below.

I am always in your corner

Lei

Here are four more interview tricks you may overlook, gathered from personal experience, friends, and scientific studies that might come in handy for you on the big day.

Trick 1: Don’t Drink Coffee 

Something I’ve learned the hard way over the course of many interviews is that, on interview day, coffee is not your friend. The caffeine will make you sweat even more than the natural stress of being in a high pressure situation, and will exacerbate any jitters or nervous tics that you have. Most importantly, and very embarrassingly, it can push your kidneys into overdrive, which means that just 15 minutes into the interview you might be forced to excuse yourself to the restroom, which will make you appear unprepared. If your interviewer hands you a cup of coffee at the beginning of the interview, just accept it and warm your hands on it instead of drinking it, it won’t be obvious since you’ll be talking a lot anyway.

Trick 2: Practice Power Stance

This clever Ted Talk will give you an entirely new appreciation for the value of a bit of pretense. Standing in a dominant manner, for example with your hands on your hips with your head up, will actually change the hormonal balance in your body and make you genuinely less nervous, more confident, and more leadership oriented.   While nothing matches genuine felt confidence, if you are feeling especially nervous, practice this interview trick of standing in a power pose right before your interview to calm your nerve and bring your best self to the interview.

Trick 3: Interview Your Friend

Instead of practicing your interview answers you should switch parts and instead ask the questions during your interview practice. Anyone who has ever conducted a job interview has a drastically different idea as to what they want to hear than someone who has only ever sat on the other side of the table. Listening to what you intend to say from the perspective of the interviewer will make any obvious faux pas glaringly obvious. More importantly it can give you more insight as to why specific questions are being asked.

Trick 4: Prepare Answers For Illegal Questions

It’s not legal for interviewers to ask about your race, marital status, age, disabilities, military discharge, credit, or ancestry. So what are you supposed to do when someone asks you a question about one of these things? Getting angry could easily cost you the job, but answering the question could also be detrimental to you chances. The best way to decline to answer an illegal question is to firmly but politely assert that it’s not relevant to your ability to perform job tasks. Don’t mention that it’s not legal unless you’re aggressively pushed to answer the question, in which case you might reevaluate your interest in your potential employer.

Your comments: What other interview tricks have you used that are effective but often overlooked?   Share with others in the comment box below

Guest Author: Reyna Ramli is a writer for CareerBliss, an online community dedicated to helping people find happiness in the workplace. 

This is a Guest post.  If you would like to submit a guest post to BeMyCareerCoach.com, please follow these guest post guidelines.

If you find you can’t change what bothers you about the career you are in, it may be time for a bold career move. Changing careers for easier marketability or to find a job you are happier working in can seem like a daunting task, especially if you feel your college credits or job history don’t carry over well into other fields that interest you.  Here is how to change careers effectively off the beaten path and be happier with yourself, work, and life.

Tip 1: Re-frame Your Skills

You probably are not going to hit the top of the ladder in a different field right away and you may not even make it close to a lateral move, but that doesn’t mean you have to start over completely either.

Start by writing down a list of all your strengths and skills whether you have developed them within or outside your current career. Then frame your strengths in a more neutral manner – re-word things so they are not oriented toward your current career. Think of the kinds of skills that make you useful in any job. This will help you network yourself a little more flexibly.

Tip 2: Reach Out Broadly

Many successful people can be found online these days. This means it is easier than ever to reach out to professionals of all kinds, whether through email, LinkedIn, or even Twitter. You don’t have to worry about speaking on the phone, you can choose your words wisely and present yourself well, and you are more likely to get a response since people can get to you when it is most convenient for them.

Make one on one contact with a broad range of people in widely varying careers. If you have not heard of the type of jobs you come across, look into them and ask questions of people doing them. Many people will be happy to share what they like and do not like about their work and how their path took them to where they are. Even if you reach out to someone who cannot help you they may very well point you to someone who can. 

Chances are good you know someone or can easily make contact with someone who did not take the straight and narrow path to success. Learn their stories and get inspired.  Not every story will be necessarily sound like a great success, but there is always something to be learned from the unique career experiences people have.

Tip 3: Dabble

When you begin to find an affinity for a certain type of career, adjust your professional profile so that it is more marketed toward that field. Present the skills that are most useful and explain how your experience makes you valuable in that setting. Make sure you do not present yourself to a potential employer in a different field of work such that it sounds like you are trying to get rescued from a sinking ship. You do not want to seem like a gamble to a potential employer, so keep things focused on why you are valuable and show enthusiasm for the type of work you want to step into.

Most people who have significant career experience in life also have obligations between debts, family and life in general. You may not be able to jump into a complete change of careers, but it is ok to dip your toes a bit. Seek to create some flexibility in your schedule and then look at “foot in the door” type options. Consider moonlighting part time, freelancing to build a portfolio on your own time, interning, or volunteering. If you can get a foot in the door, find someone who is where you would like to be and seek their advice.

Part time schooling is also a viable option – whether online, on campus, or some mixture thereof. Community college and short, industry specific courses can also provide a path into various fields that are less often considered. There is an undeserved stigma around community college and jobs that require a short course of study and certification. For example, careers in real estate, commercial driving, dental hygiene, culinary arts, x-ray technology, etc. are often lucrative and a great fit for different personalities. Such paths are often eschewed simply because they do not require a four year degree, masters, doctorate, or Ivy League education.

Tip 4: Look for Fast-Growing Companies

Companies that are fast-growing will likely provide the best opportunity for making a career cross-over. They will have a need for smart, motivated, and enthusiastic personnel and to some degree, this may overshadow a need for specific skills from previous experience.  And if you believe in the company’s mission, it might be a great opportunity to carve out a home in a lesser-known field.

Whatever your situation, whether your job doesn’t pay enough, you can’t find work, or you’re just not happy in your career, there are plenty of good options to get back on track. There seems to be a general misconception that there is only one good route to career success. In reality, there are great careers out there that don’t involve a traditional approach. You may also be surprised at how well your experience can help you succeed in another field. Rather than losing heart and feeling like you are at the bottom of another mountain, consider all the fields that may play to your strengths and fulfill you as a person.

Your comments: Have these tips helped you?  What other ways have you used to change careers?  Share your comments below

Guest Author: Hank Barton is  a trucker and a writer in pursuit of making a career path on roads less traveled.  When he finds time, he writes for E-Gears, an online CDL Test authority that specializes in a variety of study guides.

This is a Guest post.  If you would like to submit a guest post to BeMyCareerCoach.com, please follow these guest post guidelines.

After each Yoga class, my favorite teacher, Ryan, a woman actually, talks to us about how Yoga can change our health and our lives.  This Monday, it was a little different.  Instead she told us this story.

“I have a neighbor who has been in a wheel chair for 10+ years.  She cannot feel her legs or feet.  After I came back from vacation {Ryan went to Australia for six weeks) last week, I was getting my mail and bump into my neighbor again.  This time she was walking (not very well but still walking) to get the mail.  I thought she must have gotten some miracle surgery while I was away.  

So I asked her – “April, what happened?  You are walking.  That’s awesome.”  This is what she told me.  She knew she would never feel her leg and feet again but she could feel her hips.  For the last 10+ years, she has been training herself to slowly extend her nerve sensitivity in her hips to control her legs.  She finally could do it enough to try to walk a few week ago.  

Since I have been back, I have seen April walk around like a toddler – someone who is learning to walk for the first time and getting better at it everyday.  It’s a miracle yet it’s something we are all capable of if we believe in ourselves.  So whether you think you can or cannot, you are right.  So why not choose to think of all the ways that you can.”

This story floored me.  It reminds me and hopefully is showing you that our mind is a powerful tool and self confidence is in our control to establish, build, and support us to do amazing things.

As human, our brain is trained to prove ourselves right.  So if you are constantly telling yourself that you cannot, you are not good enough, you don’t how to do it as well or believe others when they tell you this, you will prove yourselves right.   That lack of confidence in your internal dialogue is also a self-fulfilling prophecy.

So how do you build confident?  It must start with you and how you CHOOSE to think of yourself no matter what others say.  I am sure no one expected or told April every day that she can walk again. On the contrary, I am sure everyone expected her to stay in her wheelchair.  But her will and her confidence in herself and the human body was stronger.  She didn’t expect to walk again but she was going to give it all she got to try.  That’s the spirit we all need in our lives and our work.

So the next time you start thinking your old thoughts of you can’t – tell it to shut up and go somewhere else.   Start telling yourself you can and then just try your hardest.  Also surround yourself with supporters, those who builds your confidence and self esteem, instead of those who like to criticize you for their own ego.  With practice in thought and action, you will be amazed at what you can achieve and how you can feel about yourself.

Your comments:  What is your reaction to this story?  What ways are you using to build your confidence?  I look forward to your comments below.

Best wishes to your career.  I am always in your corner!

Lei

For the rest of us, however college is still an essential stepping stone to our career success.   Here are the top 3 reasons to get a college degree

1. More than double your chances in getting a job - We all know that unemployment is averaging around 10% overall in today’s market, but did you know that for those with college degrees or higher, the unemployment rate drops to 3.7%.  Those are much better odds if you want a job after school.  See the infographics below for details
2. Delay adulthood, have fun, and build a network without trying.  If the first reason doesn’t convince you then this should.  Most people would agree that “college years are the best years of their lives.”  It’s not just about getting a degree, but it’s special time of the year to enjoy with people your own age.   People that 10 or 20 years from now can be your customers, bosses, colleagues, but in college they are your roommates, drinking buddies etc..  That kind of bond can last a life time and help you in your career.   Sure it can get expensive, but there are all kinds of loans, scholarships out there + parents and grandparents who are only too happy to send you to college.  So don’t rush into the working world too soon.  Enjoy a few more years of school life as you will remember it and use the network you build there for the rest of your career.
3. Prepare you for a much wider range of career opportunities.  Sure without a college degree, you could earn $77Ka year as a nuclear reactor operator in Tennessee but do you really want to do that for the rest of your life even if you get that job?  Think of all the health hazards to you on top it.  This infographics below list 10 jobs that you could potentialyl get without a collage degree, but I can tell you that with one, you will have access to hundred of thousands of career opportunities and have the option to change your careers in your life time as college give you a strong foundation for any career.
   

Best wishes to your decision and your career success!

Lei

Special thanks to www.job-applications.com for sharing this infographic.

Ang Lee

1. He never forgot his dream even though society and his own Chinese upbringing both tried hard to stop him from pursuing an unusual, low success rate career for a Chinese immigrant in the US.  
2. When he did give up momentarily, he had his wife to support him through the hard times and remind him of what he is destined to do.

I wanted to share his essay translated from Chinese by Irene Shih and inspire all of us to not give up on our dreams and surround ourselves with key supporters like that of Ang’s wife to strive for what we truly want to contribute to this world.   Best wishes!

“In 1978, as I applied to study film at the University of Illinois, my father vehemently objected. He quoted me a statistic: ‘Every year, 50,000 performers compete for 200 available roles on Broadway.’ Against his advice, I boarded a flight to the U.S. This strained our relationship. In the two decades following, we exchanged less than a hundred phrases in conversation.

Some years later, when I graduated film school, I came to comprehend my father’s concern. It was nearly unheard of for a Chinese newcomer to make it in the American film industry. Beginning in 1983, I struggled through six years of agonizing, hopeless uncertainty. Much of the time, I was helping film crews with their equipment or working as editor’s assistant, among other miscellaneous duties. My most painful experience involved shopping a screenplay at more than thirty different production companies, and being met with harsh rejection each time.

That year, I turned 30. There’s an old Chinese saying: ‘At 30, one stands firm.’ Yet, I couldn’t even support myself. What could I do? Keep waiting, or give up my movie-making dream? My wife gave me invaluable support.

My wife was my college classmate. She was a biology major, and after graduation, went to work for a small pharmaceutical research lab. Her income was terribly modest. At the time, we already had our elder son, Haan, to raise. To appease my own feelings of guilt, I took on all housework – cooking, cleaning, taking care of our son – in addition to reading, reviewing films and writing scripts. Every evening after preparing dinner, I would sit on the front steps with Haan, telling him stories as we waited for his mother – the heroic huntress – to come home with our sustenance (income).

This kind of life felt rather undignified for a man. At one point, my in-laws gave their daughter (my wife) a sum of money, intended as start-up capital for me to open a Chinese restaurant – hoping that a business would help support my family. But my wife refused the money. When I found out about this exchange, I stayed up several nights and finally decided: This dream of mine is not meant to be. I must face reality.

Afterward (and with a heavy heart), I enrolled in a computer course at a nearby community college. At a time when employment trumped all other considerations, it seemed that only a knowledge of computers could quickly make me employable. For the days that followed, I descended into malaise. My wife, noticing my unusual demeanor, discovered a schedule of classes tucked in my bag. She made no comment that night.

The next morning, right before she got in her car to head off to work, my wife turned back and – standing there on our front steps – said, ‘Ang, don’t forget your dream.’

And that dream of mine – drowned by demands of reality – came back to life. As my wife drove off, I took the class schedule out of my bag and slowly, deliberately tore it to pieces. And tossed it in the trash.

Sometime after, I obtained funding for my screenplay, and began to shoot my own films. And after that, a few of my films started to win international awards. Recalling earlier times, my wife confessed, ‘I’ve always believed that you only need one gift. Your gift is making films. There are so many people studying computers already, they don’t need an Ang Lee to do that. If you want that golden statue, you have to commit to the dream.’

And today, I’ve finally won that golden statue. I think my own perseverance and my wife’s immeasurable sacrifice have finally met their reward. And I am now more assured than ever before: I must continue making films.

You see, I have this never-ending dream.”

Your comments:  What is your never ending dream?  Pls comment below

Lei

Many successful and motivated business people get where they are today by working hard during times when others would not have the energy to do so.  This may include working longer hours, on weekends, and through lunch.   While working hard for a little while can get you further, you also need to watch out for burn out.  This is why taking a real lunch break at least 3 times a week can help your career in 5 ways

1. Help You Recharge - You may not be as productive if you always work through lunch.  Your brain needs a break so it can be fully productive in the afternoon.  It can also help you avoid burn out. 
2. Make You Smarter  - Sometimes you can solve a tough problem faster by walking away from it for awhile.  We can all get a little near-sighted if we struggle with a problem too long with no solution.  Allowing yourself to take a lunch break and think about some trivial matters like what sandwich you want to order may just help your mind think of a new solution when you come back to work
3. Enable you to network - Networking with colleagues at work can get you further in your company as subconsciously people like to help and promote they like personally.  Networking outside your company can expand your connections for future jobs.
4. Enable new learning -  To excel in your career, you have to do your job well and also improve your skills over time.  Take a class during lunch or attend a learning lunch
5. Keep you healthy -  You can eat more varieties of food instead of always get a sandwich or salad to go back to your deck.  You body will thank you and you can plan to do a quick workout at lunch as well

Even if you agree with these reasons, sometimes, we overachievers have a hard time actually taking the lunch break. Something can always come up last minute as higher priorities in our mind.  Given this, here are 6 tips about how to make sure your lunch break happen and that it helps your job performance and career

1. Plan your break - Wait. How is planning relaxing? Well, for most people, relaxing is natural, but for others (ahem, successful type A’s reading this article), relaxing takes planning. The old adage stands even for the lunch break: failure to plan is planning to fail. If you don’t set aside time for lunch, you’ll find email responses and phone calls creeping into your downtime.  Many times I block out 30 min to 1 hour on my calendar for lunch.  This way I can ensure people does not always schedule a meeting during my lunch and I have the option to do a lunch meeting if it’s urgent. 
2. Eat a well-balanced meal - If you’re worried about losing your edge by taking time to eat, you should rethink your logic. Low blood sugar leads to confused thought and low energy. Especially if all you had was coffee for breakfast, your afternoon could crash and burn without lunch. Eat the right foods and you’ll be capitalizing even more on those calories. Studies show that the omega-3s in fish and eggs and antioxidants in green tea stimulate the brain and make it sharper and more efficient.
3. Limit your errands - The lunch break is a perfect time to take care of things that you can’t get to before or after work, but if you try to cram in too much, the goal to use the lunch break to reboot for the afternoon is going to be overridden.
4. Plan activities at lunch - Go to a networking event, join Toaster Master club, or go for a run at the gym. Networking, for example,  is one of the most powerful means by which business leaders get ahead. Networking happens inside and outside the work place. If you’re nose gets pointed too much toward the ground, you may miss out on important business-related connections in the work place. Make lunch a time for you to come out of your office and network. Invite new colleagues to lunch. Find out what they do for your company. You never know how networking will help you down the line. Not only could it be a boost for your career, but it could also provide a solid social infrastructure at work.
5. Get outside - Walking will stimulate endorphins and energy, and sunlight will give you a quick boost of Vitamin D. Especially if you’re starting to feel restless or bored, take a quick stroll around your business block. Getting away from the desk is sometimes the only solution to getting absorbed into your computer before you’re ready.
6. Shake it up -  Humans love routine and often get into the habit of repeating choices. If you get too caught up in a routine, your mind can stop feeling stimulated. Choose a restaurant you’ve never eaten at. Ask a friend to join you.  Try a new food.  Do something that is unpredictable and you’ll be surprised by how your mind will feel more energized.

You are achieving success by making sacrifices for your work. Be careful that you’re making the right sacrifices and not skimping on the very things that will improve your productivity and energy in the workplace. Just say yes to lunch.

Your Comments:  Do you agree taking lunch breaks can help your career?  Why or why not?  Share your comments below

This is Guest post with significant edits by Lei Han in Italics.

Guest Author: Chris Brooks writes on business and career topics. If you wish to expand your business knowledge you may want to consider an MBA, like those offered by RIT Online and Providence College.

While some of these interview questions seem extremely random, I believe they are deliberately asked so that companies can figure out who really are the best candidate for the job.  Especially in today’s market, where there are many more applicants than job openings, strange interview questions are a way for employers to catch candidates off guard and see how they respond.

Based on the 25 strangest interview questions rated by Glassdoor for 2013, I can see five potential reasons why they are asked in interviews.

Reason 1: Business acumen and math skills –  questions like “how many cows are in Canada?” is not to check your farm or Canada knowledge.  You are not expected to know the answer or even get to the right number.  Instead the interviewer  wants to see how you figure out how to estimate the answer – what questions you ask, what assumptions you make, can you communicate your thought process clearly, is it logical,  and can you do basic math.

1. “How many cows are in Canada?” – Asked at Google, local data quality evaluator candidate.
2. “How many quarters would you need to reach the height of the Empire State building?” – Asked at JetBlue, pricing/revenue management analyst candidate.
3. “Estimate how many windows are in New York.” – Asked at Bain & Co., associate consultant candidate.
4. “Calculate the angle of two clock pointers when the time is 11:50.” – Asked at Bank of America, software developer candidate.

Reason 2:  Ability to analyze and/or communicate on your feet – these are obviously questions you cannot prepare for, so it’s a good way to assess how well you can respond under pressure and how analytical you can be.    Pretty much all 25 questions are in this category but these are some good examples below.

1. “If you were to get rid of one state in the U.S., which would it be and why?” – Asked at Forrester Research,  research associate candidate.
2. “Name 3 previous Nobel Prize winners.” – Asked at BenefitsCONNECT, office manager candidate.
3. “On a scale from 1 to 10, rate me as an interviewer.” – Asked at Kraft Foods, general laborer candidate.
4. “How would you rate your memory?” – Asked at Marriott, front desk associate candidate.
5. “You are a head chef at a restaurant and your team has been selected to be on [the TV show] ‘Iron Chef’. How do you prepare your team for the competition, and how do you leverage the competition for your restaurant?” – Asked at Accenture, business analyst candidate.

Reason 3: Level of creativity / boldness – These questions are ways to assess how creative or bold you really are.  Certain jobs / company cultures want to only hire people who are creative and think outside the box.   Directly asking how creative you are is meaningless.  Instead, interview would give you a random scenario and see what you say.

1. “A penguin walks through that door right now wearing a sombrero. What does he say and why is he here?” – Asked at Clark Construction Group, office engineer candidate.
2. “[Amazon CEO] Jeff Bezos walks into your office and says you can have a million dollars to launch your best entrepreneurial idea. What is it?” – Asked at Amazon, product development candidate.
3. “How would people communicate in a perfect world?” – Asked at Novell, software engineer candidate.
4. “If we came to your house for dinner, what would you prepare for us?” – Asked at Trader Joe’s, crew candidate.
5. “What kitchen utensil would you be?” – Asked at Bandwidth.com, marketer candidate.
6. “If you had turned you cell phone to silent and it rang really loudly despite it being on silent, what would you tell me?” – Asked at Kimberly-Clark, biomedical engineer candidate.
7. “Can you say: ‘Peter Pepper Picked a Pickled Pepper’ and cross-sell a washing machine at the same time?” – Asked at MasterCard, call center candidate.

Reason 4: Personality or character fit – Everyone rather work with people they like personally.  This is one way for an interview to find out what kind of person you are and perhaps use your answer to assess whether you are a good fit for the team and/or company.

1. “What songs best describes your work ethic?” – Asked at Dell, consumer sales candidate.
2. “What do you think about when you are alone in your car?” – Asked at Gallup, associate analyst candidate.
3. “What’s your favorite song? Perform it for us now.” – Asked at LivingSocial, Adventures City manager candidate.
4. “Have you ever stolen a pen from work?” – Asked at Jiffy Software, software architect candidate.
5. “Pick two celebrities to be your parents.” – Asked at Urban Outfitters, sales associate candidate.
6. “If you could be anyone else, who would it be?” – Asked at Salesforce.com, sales representative candidate.
7. “My wife and I are going on vacation — where would you recommend?” – Asked at PricewaterhouseCoopers, advisory associate candidate.

Reason 5: Detailed communicate skills - some jobs may require you to train others or teach others a skill.  These questions below are a way to tell if you can communicate well enough for someone to understand and learn from you.  It’s one thing to know what you are doing and a completely different skill to be able to teach it to someone else.

1. “How would you direct someone else on how to cook an omelet?” – Asked at PETCO, analyst candidate.
2. “How do you make a tuna sandwich?” – Asked at Astron Consulting, office manager candidate.

Of course, many of these questions are asked for more than one of the reasons I listed above.  And it is also possible that the interviewer was just bored and didn’t have a purpose when they asked some of these strange questions.    You may never know.  I am just trying to illustrate that while you may get a strange question or two during your job interviews, remember that more likely than not, they have a purpose behind it to assess your candidacy.  So be prepared to answer unexpected questions.  Good luck on your job search!

Your comments: What other strange interview questions have you encountered?  do you think it was random or on purpose?  Share your comments below.

I am always in your corner

Lei

Akin to a “digital Rolodex,” the demographics skew differently, and the “universe” of those online is more narrowly defined. That said, there are amazing things you can do by understanding how to leverage your time on LinkedIn. Below are five basic tips on how you can use Linkedin effectively to do research, network, and build your reputation

1. Researching a company: If Hoover’s has built a reputation for delivering a cross-section of any given company’s history and overall health, then LinkedIn can give you a drilled-down perspective of the people who work there, the gist of their company culture and the overall trends for which it holds influence—in real time. This is because most companies now require their employees (especially C suite or management) to maintain a social media profile on LinkedIn.  Therefore Linkedin is a great place for you to do research about a company you may want to work for or interview with.  You may even be surprised to find that someone you know (one of your Linkedin connection) works there and therefore can reach out to her to get the inside scoop on the company

2. Staying abreast of industry news and developments. Linkedin is an amazing resource for many reasons. Instead of a monthly or quarterly trade journal, through LinkedIn you have instantaneous, 24/7/365 information accessible to you. This gives you an opportunity to see who’s making news and why. Having access to these trendsetters is as easy as clicking through to their profile. By seeing if you have any common “links,” you can either introduce yourself or ask to be connected.

3. Finding a job or changing careers. If you are ready to move on from your current position, having the ability to reach out via LinkedIn to former colleagues, classmates, and friends is priceless. Depending on how well you know your network, you can send out emails requesting information, referrals, or even recommendations for positions that may suit your needs and preferences. It’s like a Rolodex on steroids.  Don’t send mass emails.  To get the best result, send individual, tailored communications to ask for advice or help.  Also expect some to not respond.  Don’t take this personally.  People are busy.  Just like baseball where a 0.333 batting average is awesome, if you even get response to 1/3 of your request, you are doing pretty well. So spread your net wide and be as specific as possible about what you want help on when you reach out to each contact to get the best result.

4. Network through Linkedin groups and Q&A. Groups are an invaluable way to grow your sphere of influence, based on a common interest or shared experience (e.g. college affiliations or memberships). By contributing to discussions in groups and asking or answering questions on Linkedin, you can expand your network effectively based on common interests as well as build your reputation in your area of expertise.  Career success depends much on who you know in addition to what you know.

5.  Publicize your expertise. According to this Forbes article – How to Power Your Professional Networking Through LinkedIn, traditional “jobs” won’t exist in about eight years. Instead, each of us will become a highly specialized “brand centric” individual who maximizes his or her impact via the community or network (s)he builds. By building, nurturing and developing a name and reputation as an expert or trusted solution provider, you will be able to enhance your career and income potential. One of the easiest ways of promoting your LinkedIn profile is to include a link to your page within your email signature.

By learning these five basic tips on how to use LinkedIn to network effectively, you will expand your area of influence, add to your base of connections and ultimately have a greater chance of boosting your career prospects.

Your Comments:   What are some other ways you have used Linkedin effectively for your career?  Pls share your comments and questions below.

Guest Author:  Mandy Fricke works in community relations for Earn MBA Degree, which helps you explore MBA degrees. 

This is a Guest post with additional comments by Lei Han in Italics. If you would like to submit a guest post to BeMyCareerCoach.com, please follow these guest post guidelines.

Whether you are a veteran at job interviews or new to it all, the basic interview tips are key to staying in the competitive job search race.   These seven basic interview tips are fairly simple to follow.  So there is no reason for you not to do each.  You will be amazed at how they can either be forgotten or overlooked sometimes.  Don’t make that mistake because first impression counts.  If you don’t prepare for your interview or arrive late or always cut your interviewer off, you could be cutting yourself out of the race before you even started.

Here are the 7 basic interview tips everyone should follow

1. Do research beforehand – If you want to impress prospective employers then be prepared to do a bit of research into the company you’re applying with. Find out what you can about the services they offer and if you can learn what the ultimate aim of the company is so you can tailor the interview answers you give to suit their needs and expectations. Doing this will also give you a much better idea of whether the company is a good fit for you.  You should use Google to read up on the latest company news, Linkedin to see who know that work there and talk to them, Glassdoor to find out how other employees like working there and what are common interview questions.
2. Wear appropriate attires - Think carefully about what you wear to interview. It’s safe to assume that in most cases business formal attire will be appropriate but make sure you feel comfortable or you won’t come across well. If you’re applying with a young and funky company then you can afford to dress with a little more personality but a more straight laced firm probably won’t appreciate your hipster tie as much. If you don’t normally dress so smartly make sure you ask a friend to help pick out an appropriate outfit well before the interview date to avoid any last minute panic shopping.
3. Arrive on time – This should be obvious.  Always ensure you’ve worked out directions and anything else you might need to know before you set off for your interview so there’s no danger of showing up late. In many cases if you’re late for an interview prospective employers will automatically strike you off their list and even if they don’t it makes for a very negative first impression.
4. Bring necessary paperwork –  Make sure you take any relevant paperwork with you that you may need at an interview, even if you’ve already sent copies with your application. This could include your resume, some examples of previous work or records of any qualifications you’ve gained.  Interviewers can often forget to bring your resume to the interviewand would appreciate an extra copy.  Remember just because you brought a lot of paperwork, doesn’t mean you should force them all on the interviewer.  Show them only if they are appropriate and relevant to the interview.
5. Think before your speak – This is so critical and often forgotten because you are either nervous or too excited to take a pause or both.  During your interview, wait until the interviewer finish her questions before answering and take time to think before you speak. If you give yourself a moment to gather your thoughts you’re much more likely to give a relevant answer than if you panic and blurt out the first thing that comes into your head. Pause for a moment before you answer questions and you’ll be calmer and much more coherent.
6. Show enthusiasm - Smile occasionally, make eye contact without staring, and lean slightly forward.  Body language also matters in an interview.  If you often look away, lain back, and/or cross your arms, you will look defensive and less interested even if you don’t say so in your words.  On the other hand, showing enthusiasm also doesn’t mean you are bouncing off the wall or raising your voice.  It’s a balance.  It’s about showing you are a professional and very interested in this opportunity without scaring anyone. 
7. Ask questions if time permits.  You should also write down some pertinent questions to ask at the end of your interview if there is time.  While you are trying to sell yourself to the company, the company also need to impress you.  By asking good questions, it’s your chance to find out what you can’t from your research, show that you know a lot about the company, and are thoughtful in your thinking

For help with actual interview question answers, check out the Ultimate guide to Job Interview Answers written by Bob Firestone.  It’s $29 and has a 60 day unconditional money back guarantee.   Best wishes to your job search success!

Your Comments: What other basic interview tips you think everyone should follow?  Pls share your comments below.

Guest Author: Lucy Pitt is an employment consultant and commentator who write on a variety of subjects including interview techniques, trainee jobs and jobs in IT.

This is a Guest post with additional comments by Lei Han in Italics. If you would like to submit a guest post to BeMyCareerCoach.com, please follow these guest post guidelines.

So  it’s important to be comfortable with being uncomfortable to achieve success and joy in life!  For this reason, I am ditching the traditional new year resolution of setting goals and making my 2013 about experiences – a way to encourage myself to try new things or challenge myself to do some things I know may be uncomfortable and has no guarantee of success.  It’s not just for my career but also for living my life to the fullest.

In 2013, I will add 50 more experiences to my life – about 4 to 5 each month.  I have developed an initial wish list of 75+ experiences I want to try and probably add more throughout the year.   It has already helped me take more action in life /career without over-thinking about whether I would “succeed.”  Perhaps you will join me in making 2013 about experiences for you as well.  Best wishes to your career success and a fulfilling life.

Improving my own soft skills

1. Practice letting go on trivial matter – I tend to get upset if someone “wrongs” me (from bad customer service, taxi driver that like to take the long way for a few $, indirect racial comments from a stranger), This is for me to practice to let it go – don’t bother correcting them or letting it upset me.
2. Sit for 30 minutes and meditate – I am so busy doing stuff all day long.  It’s hard to stop and just be.
3. Practice patience – wait until someone finish talking before I speak (no matter how much I disagree with what they are saying) – I have a bad habit of interrupting people especially when I am excited about the topic.
4. When I find myself judging others, stop and focus instead on how to accepting others as they are and their positive contributions to my life and the world.
5. Action trumps fear – act in spite of the fear of failure or embarrassment
6. Take an Improv class – this is definitely outside my comfort zone.  Be ok with embarrassment
7. Stay calm and collected when I am usually furious about something

Career Success Blog

1. Plan a local happy hour for readers of my career advice blog
2. Do one small group workshop on one topic in soft skills at work
3. Do one video conference on one topic in soft skills at work
4. Write a synopsis for the book I want to write – several draft
5. Get feedback on all the drafts
6. Find a survey tool I can use to tally feedback.
7. Write a book
8. Create  Soft Skills University – where people can learn / practice soft skills in stages and get certified as they finished each stage
9. Speak on a career success panel
10. Test the video medium on my blog – record video of coaching conversations
11. Hire an intern or two to help with blog
12. Test ghost writing – someone to take my newsletters and turn them into a book
13. Test scenario based posts / articles
14. Find an easy tool to post /schedule updates to multiple social networks

Career / Business

1. Decide my career path when my contract end this year – continue to contract, go back to climbing the ladder or build the soft skills university to help millions accelerate their career success.
2. Write marketing or business blog posts on www.rwomarketing.com
3. Write a deck about how to help companies “Get the Wow” in their customer experience
4. Write a sales deck on how to identify root cause to marketing/sales funnel fallout
5. Re-name RWOmarketing
6. Launch a website for Agnes to build photo stories for birthdays, holidays, wedding – she has a talent.
7. Interview for a Product Manager job
8. Interview for a customer experience job
9. Interview for a process improvement job
10. Interview for a marketing job

Family related – new stuff on top of what we do today

1. Take Isabel (4 years old) to visit my mom and dad in Houston (she has never been on a plane yet)
2. Take Isabel to Dance, Theater, and Art events (dance mission girl brigade show, nutcracker, small theater play)
3. Take Isabel to Disneyland
4. Take Isabel Pottery painting
5. Take Alexis (1 year old) to swimming classes
6. Plan a vacation for my parents’ 70 birthdays in 2014.
7. Bake cupcakes or cookies with Isabel and Alexis
8. Take Isabel to singing lessons (per her request that she want to learn how to sing.  She loves Glee and American Idol)
9. Practice Karate with Isabel
10. Take Isabel to Gilroy Gardens (mini-disney land in Gilroy)
11. Take Isabel to feed the homeless
12. Teach Isabel about money

New , Fun Stuff

1. Go Tandem skydiving
2. Go Rollerblading or Ice skating
3. Take a new dance class (Argentine Tango, samba, etc..)
4. Join a dance performance group or workshop
5. Travel to Europe,  Vietnam, Brazil with hubby
6. Have lunch at French Laundry
7. Organize quarterly Diva events
8. Go shopping and spend lavishly once  – being Chinese, this will feel very uncomfortable.  I am a bargain hunter sometimes to a fault.
9. Let Agnes clean out my closet – sort stuff for donation (3 veto power).   I tend to hold on to too many things.
10. Join a Flashmob – group that gathers and breaks out into dance in a public place at a set time to make a statement
11. Call a distance friend once a week (nice to keep in touch with people far away)
12. Write the Baby Bump Triology – 3 blog posts about the evolution of my tummy through pregnancy to recovery after birth
13. Start a Diva blog (remembering fun memories with girlfriend gatherings)

Health/Fitness

1. Do an official 5 K run
2. Do an official 10k run
3. Take 4 classes at the nearby TRX/Pilates gym
4. Do abs exercise every day a week (I just learned that our ab muscle recover quickly and therefore we can work on it every day
5. Do a cleanse (I love food especially meat and seafood, so this will be HARD)
6. Take a Jiujitsu class (I hear women can do this and well)
7. Go to bed early and wake up early to see sunrise for a week.   (I usually can’t sleep until midnight)
8. Don’t snack before I go to bed at night for a week (I developed a bad habit of eating right before going to sleep)
9. Don’t take any sleep aid for a week (I take a quarter dose of Unisom a few times a week – habit from my pregnancy)
10. Eat vegetarian for lunch one day
11. Have only raw vegetables and broth for lunch one day
12. Have only juice for lunch one day
13. 7 days of Bikram – Go for 7 days straight.  I have practiced for 5+years but have never done this
14. do a doubleheader – 2 bikram yoga classes back to back (3 hours long total)

Self Awareness / Bigger Picture

1. Read a chapter in Rays of Dawn every night before I go to bed a week
2. Read a chapter in Rays of Dawn first thing in the morning when i wake up for a week
3. Live a day where nothing disturbed my mood and love of life no matter what happens
4. Something unpleasant happens.  Accept it, know that everything is still fine.  Shit happens, let go and take action to move on
5. No matter what happens in a week, just accept and move on. No regrets no worry
6. No planning for a week (I am a constant planner to a fault – for work, blog, family, exercise, etc…)
7. No criticism for a week (growing up Chinese, my instinct is to criticize my own action if they are less than optimal – not a fun trait.  Want to break it)

Networking

1. Go to a networking event once a month
2. Do info interview with companies I want to work for
3. Network with blogger and eBook publishers

I am always in your corner.

Lei

How to explain gaps in my resume?  This is a common question asked by many job seekers today.   When the economy went south in 2009, many well-qualified people found themselves out of work.  Some were able to land another position within a few months, while others struggled to find work for a much longer period — or never really made it back into the workforce. Other people have opted to leave their jobs for family or educational reasons, and now want to return to the working world. No matter which situation applies to you, the effect is the same: significant gaps in the work history section of your resumes.

While some employers may understand that qualified applicants may not have a seamless employment history given the recent economy, they will still ask questions about the times that you were out of work. While in the past such a gap might have taken you out of the running altogether, how you explain the gaps in your resume now can make a significant difference to your candidacy for a job.  Here are 3 tips to effectively explain gaps in your resume

Tip #1: Honesty is the Best Policy

First and foremost, when asked about anything on your resume, be honest and upfront. Avoid elaborate excuses or lies; eventually, your untruths will be discovered and if you got the job, you might be facing another employment history gap.

When asked to explain the gaps in your resume, tell the interviewer that you were laid off for economic reasons — and deflect further questioning by going into detail about how you filled your time while you were out of work.  If you were fired be diplomatic but honest in your response, and explain what you learned from the experience and how you’ve corrected the issues that lead to your dismissal. For example “I was let go because I lacked some communication skills, but since then I’ve begun working toward an online masters degree in human resources and have taken every opportunities to speak in my virtual class, interact with my classmates to improve my skills.  I even joined ToastMasters in my area to hone my public speaking skills.”

Tip #2:  Turn Lemons into Lemonade

The fact that you have not worked in a traditional setting for several months — or even years — does not have to be detrimental to your ability to land a job. If you can show that you used your period of unemployment effectively, such as developing your skills and experience by working for free, you’ll impress the interviewer.

When discussing the gaps in your resume, point out what you did in the meantime. “When my previous employer consolidated their operations and closed the local office, I was laid off; however, since then, I have devoted my time to developing my skills and talents by volunteering and working as a consultant. I’ve also started working on a masters degree.  Management is always changing and I’ve stayed on top of those changes through my coursework.” Such a response indicates that you didn’t spend several months watching soaps and eating ice cream, but instead kept your skills fresh while staying on top of developments in the industry.

Tip #3: Avoid the Question Altogether

The best way to avoid having gaps in your resume hurt you in an interview? Avoid the question of gaps altogether. If your period of unemployment was short — just a few weeks or months — use only the years to show how long you were with the company; for example, if you worked at one company from June of 2003 to April of 2004, and then started a new job in August of 2004, simply put 2003-2004 and then 2004 to present.

If you’re still unemployed, list the ways that you have used your time since leaving your last position.  If you’ve done freelance or consulting work, indicate that by listing “consultant” and the dates, and provide a short description of the work that you have done and for whom. If you’ve been in school, put your degree dates on the resume and mention in your cover letter that you’ve been seeking an advanced degree.

Turning your periods of unemployment into a positive attribute takes a little finesse, but preparing your answers before the interview will prevent you from stumbling over questions about gaps in your resume. Design your resume to highlight your skills and achievements, stay on top of the developments in your field and prepare a response that shows your enthusiasm and capabilities, and soon your time in the employment line will come to an end.

Your comments:  What other ways have you used to explain the gaps in your resume?  Share your comments below and feel free to ask more questions

Guest Author:  Mary Jane Russo has worked in HR for five years and has a Masters in Human Resources. She now manages a career counseling and job placement service, focusing on displaced and returning workers.

This is a Guest post. If you would like to submit a guest post to BeMyCareerCoach.com, please follow these guest post guidelines.

This is a true story that happened to a colleague of mine.  What would you do if this happened to you at work?

Imagine you are Sarah, an Analytics team manager who just worked over the weekends with your team to deliver an important piece of analysis your business team requested.  This work took about 2 weeks to finish.  You communicated regularly with your business contact, Margaret,  during the two weeks to understand what was needed.

Finally on Monday afternoon, you and your team sat down with Margaret to walk through the final results of your team’s work.   The executive presentation which needed this data was on Wednesday morning.

The initial working relationship with Margaret was a little rocky.   She wanted all the raw data and didn’t want your team’s help to analyze it.    That’s not really your team’s role as raw data can easily be misinterpreted and your reputation would be on the line if anything is misrepresented.  You told Margaret that your team doesn’t just hand over raw data and you will have to work together on the analysis.  You have a long term working relationship with Margaret’s boss, Steve.   Steve agreed with you so Margaret also (reluctantly) agreed.

The meeting on Monday afternoon with Margaret about the results seemed to have gone well.  She asked a few questions and then took the results.  You told her to feel free to clarify anything once she had the chance to review it in detail.   You hear nothing the rest of the week.

The following Monday morning, you attend your regular meeting which includes your boss (Sheryl), Margaret’s boss (Steve), and yourself.    You asked how the executive presentation went as you never heard more about it from Margaret.  This is what Steve tells you.

“Sarah, I am really disappointed in you.  We have worked together for more than 5 years, but in the last few months, I no longer consider you a trusted partner.  We cannot depend on you or your team anymore for good analytical support.  We couldn’t use the data you gave us in the executive presentation as it was incomplete”

If you were Sarah, how would you respond?  Add your answer and comments below.

Q1: If you were Sarah, what would you do next?

1. Apologize for disappointing Steve
2. Get angry and defend yourself
3. Ask more questions – find out where this is coming from
4. Storm out of the room
5. Stay calm and tell your side of the story

Q2: Did you suspect something may be wrong? yes or no

I look forward to hearing what you would do in this situation.  I am always in your corner.

Lei

• Lose 20 pounds
• Get promoted by June
• Find a better, more satisfying jobs
• Get a 25% raise
• Buy a house

If these sound like the resolutions you are making this year, I challenge you to throw them out!  Why?  We can be so result oriented that sometimes it keeps us from simply experiencing life.  Is life about results or is life about experiences?  Result-oriented resolutions have three major downsides

1. We may give up because the goal is so daunting to achieve that we end up doing nothing at all.
2. We would feel disappointed if we don’t achieve it
3. We don’t appreciate the journey at all because we are so attached to whether we will achieve the result or not.

So let’s make 2013 about experiences (anything new or challenging that you want to do) regardless of the result from doing it.   It’s amazing what new parts of work and life we can experience with this perspective.  Instead of staying on some rigid path, this kind of experience based resolution can inspire us to

• Freely explore things we have wanted to do to expand our horizons beyond what we know.  This is how we use to learn as kids.
• Let us appreciate each new /challenging action we take in 2013 that is unfamiliar and perhaps uncomfortable.
• Not worry about end result.  Just be present to each experience and learn from it.
• Make it fun and rewarding to take the first action on something new or difficult.  Half of the battle in trying anything unfamiliar or challenging is taking the first step.  Now make it a priority in 2013 to do so.

If you accept my challenge, then do the following

• Set an experience-based resolution – I will do 50 (or any number you are comfortable with) new or challenging experiences in 2013 or I will do one new/challenging experience a week (or every two weeks or a month).  The criteria for an experience are simple – anything we have never done before or we are reluctant to do.    They don’t all have to be hard.   Some can be fun The focus is on new experiences and learning to broaden our skills, our perspective, ultimately enrich our lives.
• Create an Experience Wish List- do this now and list 100-200 experience by mid Jan 2013  The idea is not to have to do them all but have many to choose from.   It’s fun and you can make the sky the limit without worrying about when or how you will do it.  They can be
  • Small like (buy food for a homeless person or go ice skating at least once) or big (write a book – I will teach you to ace your job, host a local event for my blog reader).
  • For work (If you tend to react emotionally, react with calm and patience next time you have difficulty working with some one);  for yourself (go skydiving); or  for your family (Expose Isabel to the arts – take her to dance and theater shows).
  • Serious (cold call a fellow Wharton Alumni about a job opportunity at his company) or Fun (plan a trip to Brazil – finally!)
  • Get your friends or family involved – ask them to add to your list
• Cross them out as you do them – If you are anything like me, there is satisfaction and appreciation when we cross out a list.  You can do the same with your experience list.  What’s amazing is by end of 2013, you can surprise yourself at how much more you have experienced this year.

Your can see my experience wish list for 2013 here.  Have fun and best wishes to you in experiencing life, work, and family in new and different ways in 2013.  I am always in your corner.

Lei

It’s difficult to know what to do in a situation where you feel pulled in two different directions. On the one hand, you want to please your boss and stay in their good graces, while on the other hand, you feel that he or she is pushing you too hard or is not being completely fair.

However, for your own peace of mind, it is important to speak up and address any issues that don’t feel right to you. If you feel overworked, underpaid, bullied or wronged in any way, you should be able to talk the problem through with your boss and come to a solution that suits everyone involved.

Most people in positions of authority are not unreasonable and will be willing to hear you out. They will probably even respect you for your candidness; that is, if you approach the situation maturely.

The key to standing up to your boss without losing your job or creating an unpleasant or awkward situation is to have the right attitude and stay professional at all times. Here are six tips for broaching sensitive topics with your superiors:

Tip 1: Choose the right moment

This is probably the most important rule to keep when standing up to your boss. There is a time and place for everything and you can’t just let loose and speak your mind to your boss whenever it suits you.

The monthly staff meeting, for example, would probably not be the best time to broach your concerns, as your boss may feel like you are undermining their authority in front of the other employees. Similarly, when your boss is in a foul mood because of a lost client or deal, you should probably wait for a more opportune time to talk through your issues.

In addition to paying attention to your boss’s general mood, it’s nearly always a good idea to try to speak in private when there is something you don’t agree on, or it may come off as a personal affront.

Tip 2: Plan what you are going say and think of specific examples

Before you confront your boss about the situation, you should take the time to think about what you want to say and how you will say it. Additionally, it’s always a good idea to document some specific examples so that you can back up your argument with facts.

Your boss may not even be aware of the issue you are talking about, and if you can’t give examples, you may not be very convincing.

Don’t just storm into your boss’s office and start running your mouth, as this could cause you to say something disrespectful and will ultimately only make the situation worse. Think about how you want to present your problem and come up with a respectful and professional way to explain it.

Tip 3: Don’t criticize

It’s important that you do not become critical when trying to explain why you are in disagreement with something your boss has proposed. Criticism will only put your boss on the defensive and prevent him or her from listening to your proposal with an open mind.

Rather than picking apart their reasoning or way of doing things, try to present your opinion as another perspective that they may not have considered yet. Explain why you feel that your approach may be more effective, but let them know that you are open to other options as well.

Tip 4: Keep your emotions under control

There is a quote that says: “He who angers you controls you,” and this is certainly true when it comes to workplace conflicts. If you give in to your emotions and become angry or overly sensitive, you will no longer be in control of the situation.

Losing your temper with your boss is not going to solve anything, and may even get you in trouble. Before you attempt to approach your boss with a complaint or suggestion, make sure that you are in the right frame of mind and will be able to stay calm and clear-headed.

Tip 5: Show confidence

While you should never come off as aggressive or overbearing with your boss, there is also no need to be cowering in the corner lowering your eyes and mumbling your words.

Take some deep breaths, stand (or sit) up straight, maintain eye contact and keep your voice calm and steady. You have every right to approach your boss with concerns or complaints, as long as you do it the right way and stay respectful, so don’t feel like you have to apologize for it.

Tip 6: Be clear about what you want

Once you have explained your problem, you should be able to offer up some possible solutions as well. It’s very likely that your boss will ask you something like “So how do you think we should resolve this?” so you should be ready with some reasonable requests.

For example, if you have just told your boss that you feel overworked, you may suggest pushing back some deadlines for lower priority work or maybe ask another person on the team to help to ease your workload. Of course, you boss may not always agree with your suggestions, but it is still important to be clear about what you would like to see changed.

Your comments: When was the last time you stood up to your boss?  How did it go?  Share your comments below and feel free to ask more questions

Guest Author:  Aileen Pablo is a business and career blogger. She works at Open Colleges, one of the pioneers of Online education in Australia and one of the leading providers of HR Management Degrees.

This is a Guest post. If you would like to submit a guest post to BeMyCareerCoach.com, please follow these guest post guidelines.

• Always look at life with a lens of “glass half full” instead of “half empty”
• Always be thankful for what I have already
• Aspire for more but don’t expect it nor tie my happiness to achieving it.
• Appreciate the time I have now – be present

This concept is simple to understand but it is much harder to implement in practice, at least it is for me.  Many of our cultures celebrate the opposite – the overachiever mentality (wanting more – more money, higher status, a vacation home, better car and thus never feeling satisfied) and in effect approaching work and life with a “why don’t I have more” perspective?

Let’s look at a few examples to illustrate what I mean.  Imagine the following three scenarios and two possible reactions to each.  Which one is likely your reaction?

Scenario 1: Parents gave you a new Acura as a graduation present

• Reaction A – I am the luckiest person in the world.  Acura is such a great car.  My parents are so generous.  When I make more money, I want to be able to take care of my parents.
• Reaction B – I can’t believe I just got an Acura.  I know my parents have more money than that.  Some of my friends got BMWs.  They are so lucky.  I guess I will have to deal with an Acura (Note: I actually knew someone who was like Person B in this exact scenario)

Scenario 2: You were unexpectedly laid off

• Reaction A – Wow that hurts.   I just have to hustle now and find anything to get by while I also find the next big thing.  This is my chance to regroup and an opportunities to look at my career path in general.   It’s sucks but it happens.  No point in blaming myself or others.  I need to focus on the future and on how to build skills that are more and more marketable.
• Reaction B – I can’t believe it.  How dare them lay me off.  I had good reviews too.  I need to find out exactly what happened.  This is also so embarrassing.  What am I going to tell my friends?  My next job, I better find something that pays even better to make up for this unexpected set back.

Scenario 3: You had an abrasive meeting with a co-worker – Jane (this happened to me a few months ago)

• Reaction A – That was uncomfortable.  I wonder what happened.  I didn’t expect Jane to react that way.  I should figure out how I contributed to the situation and talk to her when we are both calm.  Give her benefit of the doubt.  Everyone has their moments including me.   No need to find fault.  Just figure out how to avoid that in the future as she is an important partner to work well with.
• Reaction B – I can’t believe how Jane behaved.  She is so abrasive.  She totally derailed the meeting.  We weren’t even supposed to be talking about that topic.  She has such a bad temper.  I still have to work with her.   Ugh!  I hope she realizes how badly she communicated and change.

It’s just a game but it’s interesting to see what four words you see.  Perhaps they reflect less about who you are to others but how you see yourself currently.  Are the words you saw all positive or are some negative?

First four words I saw were:  Dependent, Genuine, Elegant, and Happy.  I am surprised it said dependent as the first word.  What does it mean?   Have fun with it.

Your comments:  What 4 words did you see? and what do they mean to you?  Share your comments below.

I am always in your corner.

Lei

My husband is a huge Giants baseball fan for the last 30 + years and by association, our entire family are big fans as well.   The odds were stacked against the Giants throughout the playoffs, but they persevered.  Why?  Great leadership and teamwork!!

Here are 5 leadership lessons to learn from our beloved SF Giants team and apply to your career.

1. Leadership is about inspiring others with greater purpose.  If you don’t know already, money nor fame do NOT actually motivate anyone.    It is a higher, unselfish purpose that can truly motivate a team to greater performance especially in the face of great challenges.  When the Giants were down 0-2 against Cincinnati Reds facing possible elimination in the next game, Hunter Pence, Giants outfielder, stepped up unexpectedly to give this impromptu speech to the team.  I call this speech “Honor the game and Play for Each Other”

   “Get in here, everyone get in here..look into each other eyes..now! I want one more day with you, it’s the most fun, the best team I have ever been on.  No matter what happens we must not give in, we owe it to each other, play for each other,  I need one more day with you guys, I need to see what Theriot (jerry) will wear tomorrow, I want to play defense behind Vogelsong because he’s never been to the playoffs.. Play for each other not yourself, win each moment, win each inning, it’s all we have left.  .. Honor the game the game honors you.. Don’t know where and when it ends, but tonight I am proud to be together as a team, in a hostile environment, with just us..brothers that play for the name on the front [Giants], not the name on the back[individual last names].”

   
   If you want to lead your team to greatness, then find that large purpose – one that can contribute to others.

2. Anyone can be a leader, regardless your position.  Don’t wait until you are in a formal leadership position to start leading.  You can find opportunities to lead now.  Hunter Pence only joined the Giants team this year.  He is not the coach, nor is he in a formal team leadership position.  He saw an opportunity and had the passion to step up and lead when the Giants team most needed inspiration.  His speech above is considered one of the pivotal reasons for the Giants turn around in the playoffs.    So don’t wait, don’t hold yourself back.  If you have something meaningful to share, you can lead now from any position
3. You are never too young to lead.  SF Giants lead catcher is Buster Posey.  I didn’t know this until recently, but Catchers in baseball are critical to a game and a team’s success.  They are in every pitching play as catchers make pitch calls to the pitchers on the field during play (all those hand signals they give to pitchers indicate the type of pitch).  Catchers are like a critical strategist for the team.  Posey is only 25 years old and has helped the Giants win two World Series (2010 and 2012).  Most pitchers are older than him but he is well respected and always poised.   Posey shows us we are never too young to lead and do it well.
4. Leadership is also about hiring the right people and creating the right culture.  In 2010, when the Giants assembled this young team together.  Many called this team a group of misfits, but as 3 years have gone by, many are seeing the genius behind Giants recruiting and team development.  While not every team member is a super star, the Giants as a team clicks very well together.  It is because of their love for the game, respect for each other, and ability to have fun and work hard together.  So leadership is not just about making great inspirational speeches at the right time.  Leadership happens also over time and across all the decisions a team makes – starting with how they hire new team members. Beyond the resume or stats of a player, Giants also look for people with the right character to join the team – someone who can continue to foster their collaborative culture.
5. Leadership is about never giving up.  It is easy to lead when you are winning, but true leadership skills are shown when you are faced with great adversity.  Giants were down 0-2 against Cincinnati and ends up winning 3-2.  Giants were down 1-3 against St Louis and ends up winning 4-3.  Giants then sweep Detroit in the World Series 4-0.  These kinds of results do not happen by accident and did happen against all odds.   So when the going gets tough, keep going and help others along with you.   That’s leadership!

It is fitting to conclude with the team’s motto – Together We Are Giants!

Comments: If you know the Giants, what other lessons have you learned from this team?  Share your comments below

I am always in your corner

Lei

Tip #1: Clear structure helps

Make sure your cover letter has a clear structure.  Every written piece should be divided in three parts: opening, body, and closure.

• The opening should serve as an introduction of yourself, what position you are applying for and in one sentence what 3-4 skills you have that make you uniquely qualified for this particular job offering.
• The body should state and clarify your strengths and previous experiences with respect to the position you are applying for and supports your opening – preferably one example to illustrate each skill you stated in the opening.
• The closure should sum up what you have been writing about and ask for an interview.

Tip #2: Length is one page max

Keep it short. That means a cover letter should not be longer than a page. Better not to bore your possible future interviewee! If you have written too much, try to go back and see what information you could omit without compromising the clarity and efficacy of your letter.

Another important thing is not to “cram” your page so that you can fit more information. The layout should be clean and tidy, with spaces in between paragraphs, so as to let the reading “breathe”.

Tip #3: Use bullet points

Views are very conflicting on this regard. Personally I think bullet points can be very good and useful in a cover letter and this is why:

• They help interrupting a stream of words and make your letter easy to read
• The reader´s attention is better caught when he/she can skip through bullet points to find information
• They are useful to highlight important information

I recommend using bullet points when describing previous working experiences that can be relevant to the job position you are applying for.  In this way the person reading your application letter will be driven through what is most relevant from the company’s point of view.

Tip #4: Do not repeat what is on your CV

Try to make your cover letter an add-on to your résumé. It would not make sense to repeat exactly what is on your CV in a written form.  Think about your cover letter as a way to tell a few short stories about skills / experiences listed in your resume.  Try to think what you can add that is important and useful: why are you the right person for that job, what can you contribute to the company/work of place, how did your previous experiences make you suitable for the new job, what have you learned?

Tip #5: Why do you want work for them and what can you contribute

Once again, you should focus on you strength and abilities in correlation to the job position. Provide real life examples. E.g. if you are saying that you have experience in sales, provide information of what where your biggest achievement at your last job. If you say that you have learnt to use a program, explain what did you use it for and why that would be beneficial for the job you are applying for.

Tip #6: Be focused

Since you have only one page, don’t fill it up with all the job experience you had, but try to focus on those that are really relevant for the position you are applying for. What can you contribute to the company? This is a tough question. If uncertain, re-read carefully the job ad; what kind of candidate are they looking for? What they require the candidate to have previously worked with and what will the new job tasks require?

Tip #7: Provide examples

As for your skills, if you use adjective to describe yourself explain what they mean with a useful and proper example. If you state you are social, what does it imply (e.g. you are good at working in teams), if you write you are structured and focus, how does this reflect on your job?

Are you creative? What does it mean to you? Is it a relevant attribute for the job you are applying for? Provide practical examples of your creativity!

Tip #8: Proof read

When done writing, read your letter a few times, check for spelling mistakes. Does your writing flow? Ask a friend to read it and give you feedback.

Tip #9: PDF of .DOC?!

I personally think that saving your cover letter as a pdf is better. In this way there is no chance that some info can be accidentally deleted and lost. I also think that it is a good idea to save together in the same file your resume and cover letter one after the other (in one pdf document). As human resource departments receive hundreds of application, once saved on the computer, it is easy to involuntary mix up documents or loses a file or even match the one person’s résumé with some other person’s cover letter.

To help with your resume writing, click here for Top 10 Effective Resume Tips.  Good luck with your job search!

Comments: Which above tips were the most helpful to you?  Share your comments below and feel free to ask additional questions

Guest Author:  Sara Coppola is a creative content writer within the fashion clothing industry at Miinto and is now lunching herself into freelance writing into topics like job search advice. 

This is a Guest post with edits by Lei Han. If you would like to submit a guest post to BeMyCareerCoach.com, please follow these guest post guidelines.

1. Performance Appraisals.  Most managers and employees dread them. And few see them as a career builder. But your performance appraisals are excellent tools you can use to identify strengths to build on and areas where you need to focus development efforts.  They can also give you clues about what is most important to your manager, department and company.

   It’s tempting to view the performance appraisal meeting as the place where you need to defend your performance in order to get the best rating.  But, you can actually gain from your review if you listen carefully to what your manager has to say and engage in an honest, open discussion, seeking guidance on how to improve your performance and advance your career in the company.

   Many performance reviews contain a career development component where you and your manager discuss your career aspirationsand what you need to do to move toward them. Even if your company doesn’t include this component, you can bring up the subject yourself either during your review meeting or by asking for a separate meeting. When your manager is aware of your career goals they can help you identify the skills and experience you need and the assignments or development programs that will help you progress.

   But, what if your company doesn’t have an appraisal program or your manager isn’t skilled at providing useful performance feedback?  Not to worry – simply invite feedback on an ongoing basis by asking specific questions about your performance on various tasks and projects.  Ask your manager what you did well and what you could have done better. Keep asking questions until you get the level of detail that will help you improve your performance. Ask your manager’s advice on your career goals and what skills and experience they think you may need to advance your career. Most likely they’ll be flattered to be asked and eager to help.

2. Multi-Source Feedback / 360^o Review. Many companies use 360^o reviews as part of the performance review or as a separate career development tool.  This survey, which gets feedback on your performance from colleagues who work with you, is extremely useful since you can get a broader view than from your manager alone. Even without a formal 360 degree review, it’s useful to invite multi-source feedback on your performance from those with whom you work.  A good time to do this is immediately after the completion of a task or project when you can discuss what went well and what could have been done better.  Ask specific questions to help feedback providers give you useful information and resist the temptation to become defensive.  Even negative feedback can be useful if you consider it carefully and use it as a springboard to get development help and improve your performance.
3. Mentoring Programs. Some companies have formal mentoring programs where employees are matched with someone more senior in a role along the employee’s career path.  If this is available to you, it can be a very valuable item in your career advancement toolkit. You can learn from the experiences of someone who’s been where you are and is now in the place you aspire to be.  Because the mentor is usually outside of your reporting relationships, he can be a non-threatening sounding board for ideas and questions. And your mentor is likely to provide access to a network of more senior people who can also become resources for you as you advance your career. If your company doesn’t have a formal program, don’t let this stop you from finding a mentor.  Look for a friendly person who is in a position where you would someday like to be and ask him/her to be your mentor. Most senior people consider the development of the next generation to be one of their primary responsibilities and will be happy to help.
   
   
4. Job Descriptions. Most likely, your company has a library of job descriptions that include the knowledge, skills and experience required for each job.  Use them as reference materials to help you identify where to focus your development in order to be qualified for subsequent positions along your career path. If your company has developed a competency model, this will describe the various levels of skills that will be expected for each progressive step in the job group, and will help you understand where you currently fit in and what you’ll need to do to progress.  When you feel you’re ready for a promotion, job descriptions and competency models can become tools to validate your request for consideration for a specific role.  Keep an eye on the internal job postings within your company and even external postings for competitors, both of which are useful sources of job descriptions.
5. Training Programs. Be on the lookout for internal or external development programs that will help you build the skills you need for your current position as well as your future goals.  Many companies have funds set aside for employee development that you can tap into, especially if you can justify how the program will enhance your value in your current role as well as in the future.  Prepare to make the case when asking for a development program and when you return, submit a short summary of what you learned so your manager will see how your new skills will contribute to departmental goals.  Make time after the training program to practice your new skills and apply them to your daily work to get the maximum benefit from the training.
   
   
6. Stretch Assignments. On-the-job learning is most powerful when you take on assignments that are just a little beyond your current capacities.  This forces you to look for ways to improve your performance in order to succeed.  Look for opportunities to volunteer for stretch assignments, especially those that will give you the opportunity to learn new and useful skills. Stretch assignments can be part of your current job, extra projects or temporary reassignments to another area.  Look for opportunities to contribute to an initiative that’s important to the company to raise the visibility of your work.  Some companies have developmental programs where participants can exchange roles for a time.  Before, during and after your stretch assignment, be intentional about documenting and using your new skills and knowledge.

Your company has a number of tools and resources available now to help you improve your performance, increase your skills, and add to your experience to prepare for career advancement. It only takes a bit of effort to seek them out and take full advantage of them.  Best wishes to you as you advance in your career.

Your comments: How will you use these free resources to help advance your career? share your comments below

Guest Author: Sean Conrad writes about career development and talent management for the Halogen Software blog. He’s a senior product analyst who helps customers successfully implement their talent management programs.

This is a Guest post. If you would like to submit a guest post to BeMyCareerCoach.com, please follow these guest post guidelines.

• Be the best that they can be,
• Take pride in their work
• Engage with each other in a meaningful way, one that improves the overall quality of their work.

In my experience, effective team management must involve keeping the team morale high.  This is especially true if you are mentoring young professionals.  Here are 4 tips on how to do it effectively:

1. Give feedback consistently—both the good and the bad.  What most people in management don’t understand is that monetary compensation only provides a tiny bit of motivation. After a certain point, employees are motivated by so much more. Feedback, which includes explaining in detail what each team member excels in, while also criticizing areas of improvement in a constructive manner, is perhaps the most motivating aspect of any job. Everyone wants to do well at work, and they want to be recognized for it when they do. Always praise a job well done, and make sure the praise is precise. Employees are not looking for gold stars.  They’re looking for sincere words that make them feel like they are valued contributors to the company.
2. Take a genuine interest in the personal and professional lives of your employees. Of course, the workplace is not necessarily the place to air personal problems. But always remember that your employees are human. They have lives outside of work. They have dreams. Care about these things, and show that you care. Encourage all team members to care about these things, too. Creating a pleasant, personable workplace for your team members goes a long way in keeping the team cohesive and morale high.
3. Help your team members understand how they contribute to the company as a whole. One thing that always gets people down is being too heavily focused on the minutiae of life without understanding the bigger picture, the meaning, the ultimate purpose. If it’s true of life generally, then it’s also true in the workplace. Doing the same tasks every day without understanding how their work helps the company as a whole can be very demoralizing. Once your team understands their higher purpose, as it were, they become motivated to complete even the most mundane tasks.
4. Mentor future leaders on your team.  A big part of leadership in management is to lift up those who desire and show promise as future leaders themselves. Of course, not everyone on your team will be leadership material. But by being tuned in with their personal and professional lives as noted in tip 2, you’ll be able to optimize each team member’s strengths by understanding their dreams and their talents.  Since you as their team leader is being a mentor who is showing that you care about their professional development, they’ll be more motivated than ever.

Of course, being able to achieve effective team management is difficult, because it means working well with individuals—each of whom is complicated in his/her own way—and molding a high-performing team out of these individuals.  But if you commit to maintaining team morale as your number one priority, then you’ll be successful.   Good luck!

Your comments: What are you doing to motivate your team to high performance? What is working and what is not? share your comments below

Guest Author: Maria Rainer is an education blogger who loves to explore the connections between the web and a college education. Her specialty include Online student advice columns on the latest trends in online education and professional development. 

This is a Guest post. If you would like to submit a guest post to BeMyCareerCoach.com, please follow these guest post guidelines.

Obtain the Interview by Standing Out

There are countless articles on the internet that list the types of things that should not be included on a resume but relatively few that suggest important possibilities that are often neglected. That is what this post is about. Hopefully one or two of the suggestions below will spark a helpful idea on things to include that will differentiate yourself from the competition and help you stand out enough to land that interview.

1. Understand what the Employer is Looking for First, then Build your Resume to Fit

Don’t create a generic “one size fits all” resume. Serious job seekers will often create a custom resume for a job they really want. By taking the extra time to thoroughly research the company and job you are interested in, you will be ahead of much of the competition.

Before you even begin crafting your resume determine what the exact personality traits and skill sets are that the company is looking for in a candidate.  Once these things are determined, tailor your resume around these things as well as you can. The goal is to include what the employer is looking for. Taking the extra time to do this will pay off immensely.

2. Speak to the Search Algorithms

We now live in a digitally sophisticated society that has electronic gatekeepers. These electronic gatekeepers scan resumes looking for industry specific keywords with extreme accuracy to target the exact experience and skills that are desired. This is true whether your resume is posted online or whether it is sent directly into a specific company that is hiring. It is just as important to differentiate yourself to search algorithms as it is to the human being looking at your resume.

Applicant Tracking Software

Many large companies now use applicant tracking software, which scans resumes for specific keywords relating to skills, education, experience, job-specific phrases and certifications. Be sure your resume gets past the electronic gatekeeper by using well thought out keywords and phrases that are targeted at the position’s desired qualifications.   Include keywords from the job description and also keywords specific to your industry.

3. Extra-Curricular Activities

Non-job related interests and activities present a great opportunity to build your character on paper and to offset gaps in experience. This can be particularly helpful if you are young and lack industry experience.   Brainstorm which past and current activities relate in a specific and positive way to the position you are interested in.

Demonstrate that you are Self-actualizing and Highly Motivated

Demonstrate that you are proactive and highly motivated. Avoid including anything that does not specifically related in a positive way to the job you are applying for. Don’t put anything that could be perceived as controversial.

4. Use Action Verbs to Sell Yourself

Whether you like it or not, your resume is a sales brochure which is selling you. Action verbs need to be used abundantly. Use them to promote your achievements and give the resume direction.

5. Use Numbers to Sell Yourself

Whenever possible you should consider using specific numbers and tangible results to demonstrate experience, strengths and achievements. Specific numbers help quantify your previous experience in a more impressive and credible way. Numbers highlight results.

By doing your research and building your resume around the specific job you want using relevant keywords, you will make it past the digital gatekeepers and be favorably noticed by the hiring manager. By showing relevant extracurricular activates and using verbs and numbers to tell your story, your resume will be more focused and compelling.  It is well worth the extra time to include these types of things on your resume and they will increase the chance of getting an interview.

Your comments: Did these tips sparked new ideas for you to stand out with your resume?  share your comments below

Guest Author: Linda Hildebrant is the Associate Director of Internet Marketing for Resume.com. She has years of experience in providing resume samples for people trying to build their resumes.

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