What do Mel Gibson, Amy Winehouse, Robert Irvine, Brendan Fevola, and David Edmondson have in common?

They all made bad choices that undermined or destroyed their careers, reputations and earning capacity.

So why am I talking about celebrities and high-flyers and what does it have to do with you?

It’s simple.

If these people, leaders in their field and savvy to the ways of the media can fall victim to career sabotaging mistakes such as lying, boasting, and thinking that what goes on in their personal life won’t affect their careers, then it can happen to you.

And let’s face it, it’s one thing for a multi-millionnaire to be a social outcast, it’s quite another for you to lose a job and have your reputation and history sabotage your changes for getting another.

“A reputation for a thousand years may depend upon the conduct of a single moment” Ernest Bramah

Poor Judgement: When Mel Gibson chose to over imbibe and take control of the wheel of a car he made two poor decisions. When he was inevitably pulled over by a law enforcement officer, he made several more, including sharing a long list of unwelcome, unrelated, unprofessional and controversial opinions that saw him branded a racist and a bigot. In an industry that draws the line at very little, Mel managed to step over it. Everyone used to love good-looking Mel and people celebrated his successes. Not so much any more. The Moral of the Story for Jobseekers: Don’t rant about topics you know to be abhorrent to others. Your name will be Googled and the internet is forever.

Private Life: Substance Abuse and Gambling. Substance abuse can be more than career ending, it can be life ending. It’s also one of those pastimes that reflect badly on people and eventually, negatively affect their careers as it did to people such as Amy Winehouse and Whitney Houston; enormous talents who’s names ended up being uttered with sadness as their careers and talent deteriorated before our eyes. Star athletes, Ben Cousins and Brendan Fevola, lost millions of dollars in sponsorships, playing contracts and future media careers as poor personal choices were played out publicly. The Moral for Jobseekers: if you think nobody will notice your partying, and what you do in your private life will stay private, then don’t be near a friend or foe with a camera, a Facebook account and poor judgement.

Lying. Former RadioShack Chief Executive David Edmonson compounded a resume lie of graduating with a degree in psychology from a university that didn’t offer psychology degrees, with a further mistruth to cover the first. A leader with integrity issues is a leader with “issues”. At least, that’s what the decision makers thought. Moral for Jobseekers: Lying on your resume is a big, big mistake. The timing of when, not if, the lie will be exposed will be the difference between missing out on an interview or being publicly humiliated, demoted or fired. You may have successfully won the job without the lie, but once the lie is uncovered, you’re in for a whole world of hurt.

Boasting/”Big Naming” Yourself.  Celebrity Chief Robert Irvine acknowledged fabricating a story about receiving a knighthood and owning a castle in Scotland, and has implied that he may have embellished his claim to have made the cake for the wedding of the Prince and Princess of Wales. (He now says he helped pick fruit that was used for the cake). Other assertions challenged such as his qualifications and background were removed from his Food Network biography and he was later replaced as host of Dinner: Impossible. When he already had enormous talents, why embellish and boast? Moral for Jobseekers: Let your skills speak for themselves. Someone who worked with you, will no doubt have a more accurate memory of certain situations from your past than you know. If you keep to the truth, they’re never going to have a chance to “put the story straight”.

Whiners and Generic Complainers. This covers a whole group of people, both celebrity and non-celebrity, who simply have a negative view of life. They complain endlessly to anyone who will listen about whatever ails them. An expensive account, the “fools” at the supermarket, their last boss, their current bosses, their workmates, the bus being late, and more. They attract the like-minded and would never smell the roses as they’re too busy complaining about the thorns. These people are a recruiters’ dream because one look at the online footprint of these folks and it’s easy to label them a troublemaker and discount them from any job for which they may apply.

Bad choices have killed the careers of people who should have known better. Don’t let your poor decisions ruin your future.

“A reputation once broken may possibly be repaired, but the world will always keep their eyes on the spot where the crack was“ Joseph Hall

Reminiscing about past jobs can give you a warm glow, particularly when you’re feeling less-than-happy in your current role.

It is not at all uncommon to romanticise successes, remember happier times, and wish for a more comfortable existence than is currently being offered. Some people even take the next step, attempting to return to their old stomping grounds by seeking out people in their network, or in the case of career changers, researching options that will fast-track their return to a previous profession.

If you are seriously thinking of taking the next step of transitioning that warm glow of reminiscence into a practical reality, then you’ll need to do some hard thinking on how it will affect your career and life.

Meet Harry. Harry was a secondary school teacher in the early nineties to 2004. He recalls this time with great affection and credits his experiences with launching his later career in sales. Verbal jousting with a fun group of 14-year-old kids taught him a lot about communicating, and he recollects that battlefield camaraderie shared with his teaching colleagues. Harry remembers the extensive holiday breaks, the structured work day and the diversity of his workload. He compares this time to his current role which comes up short, especially since the global financial crisis. He’s weary of being permanently connected to his iPhone to solve customer problems; the lack of potential to progress where he is, and quite frankly, his supervisor drives him nuts.

Returning to teaching is like a spark ignited. As the idea forms and grows, Harry becomes enthusiastic and energised. He researches what he needs to do, brings himself up to speed, and single-mindedly pursues his goal until eventually, through persistence, he resigns his sales role, waves goodbye to his colleagues and clients, and steps back to the past.

Two months later, it dawns on Harry that he’s made a monumental mistake. The verbal jousting with teenagers that he remembered so fondly, grates on his last nerve and he realises that one only feels the battlefield camaraderie when one is under heavy pressure. Harry’s leisure time is virtually non existent—eroded with parent-teacher nights, classroom preparation, sports carnivals, detention monitoring and test scoring. He has less time than he had in sales and frankly, the money is not great. Securing a one-year contract like so many of his colleagues these days, means a severe lack of security and yearly uncertainty.

Harry left the education sector before for all the same reasons, but these had faded with the passage of time. If he chooses to return to sales, he has some explaining to do about his career flip/flop; finding jobs in sales is hard right now and attempting to return to his last job with his obnoxious supervisor is just not an option.

Harry sighs as recalls what one of his colleagues told him years ago:

“If you escape from the bear’s cave mate, don’t go back to get your hat”.

Of course not everyone’s experience is the same as Harry’s. But it does serve as a warning that any career change, whether it is back to the past, or looking to the future, needs solid thought, research and consideration. Just as knee jerk reactions cause people to jump from one bad job to the next, overlooking or romanticising the past can be just a problematic. When embarking on change, do your research… even develop a Pros and Cons list and be as ruthlessly honest with yourself as you can. If you are like Harry and considering a return to the past, ask yourself why you left the job originally and really think about what made your time so untenable towards the end. You may find that going back to that bear cave may not be the answer you seek.

It starts with a feeling of low energy. A bit like that end-of-week procrastination we all get, but this time it’s tinged with something else you can’t yet define. You’ve been on top of the merry-go-round of interviews, applications, telephone calls, coffees and networking, and have taken it all in your stride, but lately, something is not quite right. The bills need to be paid that’s for sure, and of course you have come to terms with those feelings of guilt that somehow you should have fallen into a job immediately (despite all job statistics suggesting otherwise). Your thoughts are filled with the job search; they swirl around at night as you lie quietly in bed, mentally rewriting your cover letter, re-thinking a chance meeting with a former colleague, and recalling the embarrassment of saying “I’m on a break right now” to the shop assistant completing your mobile phone application.

If you are commencing your job search right now maybe you’ve experienced some of these feelings. If so, then the following advice can help to alleviate stress and provide you with a brighter, more optimistic outlook.

If you are distressed, exhausted, listless or you feel depressed and are experiencing dark thoughts, then it is time to talk to someone who can help. There are support mechanisms for you. Click here right now and don’t delay. 

Despite job search being something people do every day, it does take an emotional toil on your health, your sense of self, your family and your motivation, even when you are looking from the comfort of a pay-packet. Some people describe the time searching for a job as some of the most stressful days of their lives and say they have never worked so hard.

It would be trite to advise that if you whistle a happy tune and put a spring in your step that you won’t experience stress. But, if you are just starting out on the job search, you can start observing the following routines and advice now to try to lessen the emotional impact.

• There is no need to panic. In Australia, the unemployment rate of 5.3% (late 2011) is lower than most countries. That means that 94.7% of eligible workers have jobs. There IS a job out there for you.
• Keep your frustration levels at bay. A job search takes time. And the higher the level of position, the longer the search.
• Never put all your eggs in one basket by relying solely on one opportunity. If it doesn’t come off, then you will need to start again.
• Think and act fast when faced with an opportunity. If you see what you want, don’t let the chance pass you by. Make sure you are prepared with your resume and other materials.
• You can achieve what you think you can. Visualise your success in the job search and picture yourself at your dream job. The Job Loss Recovery Program can help you. 
• It is normal to feel uncertain about changing jobs, but remember that all growth takes place outside your comfort zone.
• Having trouble getting motivated? Try bribing yourself. For example, tell yourself that if you make three follow-up calls, you can enjoy a reward for 20 minutes afterwards. (The reward depends on you!)
• There’s a belief that “Your income will average that of the five people you hang around with the most.” Want to make a change? Change who you connect with.
• Luck will not determine your success in your job search. Instead, it takes hard work, time, and persistence.
• Find out what successful people in your industry do differently and model them. Are there courses or skills or training you should have? Take the first step!
• Life is all about making choices. Make choices each day that will lead you closer to your dream job.
• Ask yourself: “Why am I having trouble finding a job?” Be completely honest as you list as many reasons as you can. Then work on those areas.
• Don’t get stuck in the past. Being unfairly treated in your last job was terrible, but don’t let it define you. Didn’t get the interview for a job you really wanted? That’s a door closing, but look for the window that isn’t. Your next job is in front of you, not behind you.
• In the job search, there are often no truly “right” or “wrong” decisions. There are only choices we make and live with.
• Ask yourself, “What do I need to do to get my dream job?” Make a list, and then start working through those action items.
• Celebrate your successes in your job search even if you haven’t secured a job yet! If your resume is getting you interviews that is a successful step forward regardless of the outcome.
• Don’t overlook your own stories when trying to learn how to succeed in a job search. Look to your own history for clues on how to be successful in this job search.
• Ask yourself at the end of the day, “What one item on my to-do list made the most difference in the achievement of my goal?”
• Listen to uplifting music while you’re working on your job search activities. It can help lighten your mood.
• If you’re stuck and just can’t push through, take a break. That might mean taking an afternoon off, or it might mean securing a temporary job.
• Get out in the fresh air. Go for walks to clear your mind. Keeping fit and healthy is important.
• Create a vision board for your job. Cut photos, words, and other images from magazines and online and put them on a posterboard you can look at daily. Or use a site like www.Pinterest.com or www.Evernote.com.
• Write your goal on a large piece of paper. Describe your ideal job and ideal salary. Keep it in front of you.

It’s wrong to judge people. You know it and I know it.

When it comes to searching for a job though, employers and recruiters only have a limited amount of information before them and they need to make a decision to interview on what they see. You could be the most wonderful, talented person on the planet, but you’re not going to have an opportunity to demonstrate this, if the paper/email/resume/letter that represents you tells a different story.

Today I opened an email from a job seeker. It said:

hi. whats the cost for getting mi cv done up?

Now I have no idea what this job seeker is like or what type of job he or she is looking for. The person could be warm and engaging, funny and intelligent; but going by this single line in an email, these attributes were not exactly evident.

I assume that if a recruiter or employer opened this type of email, she would surmise that this was a job seeker who couldn’t be bothered with capital letters, correct punctuation, spelling and rudimentary grammar. Even common business courtesies such as using a name in a greeting and signing off were ignored, as was any explanatory information to provide detail.

Right off the bat the recruiter may judge the writer as lazy and uneducated or a kid attempting to ‘be cool’. Even if the job seeker was composing the email from a smart phone (prone as I well know to autocorrect boo-boos!), smart phones rarely attempt to substitute correct words and phrases with poor punctuation and erroneous spelling. Then there’s “done up”—granted an expression used by many people conversationally, but in writing to a business that helps job seekers?

Maybe not.

It’s wrong, but if you give people an opportunity to judge you unfairly, they will. It makes their life easier to discount you quickly and move to people who really try to impress.

Communication skills are the number one priority in dealing with customers, peers, supervisors and management. Try substituting enthusiastic, positive, intelligent and educated for ‘cool’. It’s the way to go if you want to be taken seriously.

This blog is primarily about job search and to a lesser extent enriching careers, but today I’m going to address something a little different. It is a true story like all the stories here, but it differs in that I offer no cautionary advice. What happened to the jobseeker here is something she could have never have planned for, but the ramifications of her international job search was long lasting, and emotionally, as well was financially, crippling. Read Jenny’s story and see what you think.

International job offers sound exotic and exciting.

They’re also flattering. Someone with authority and influence is praising you publicly by saying, “There is no-one else in our country that has your skills or experience and we want you to work for us”.

It’s a pretty great thought isn’t it?

Once the excitement ebbs a little, you realise the enormity of the situation. You’re actually moving, not just down the road or the next suburb; you’re leaving the country and saying goodbye to family, friends, and everything familiar to you. You don’t just have to learn a new job, you have to do it while finding a new apartment, buying a car, and grasping a new culture. For most people, the ‘to-do’ list is overwhelming; there’s the rent to be paid and notice to be given, selling the car, packing and purging treasures and memories, and arranging storage or transportation for what’s left. As soon as one item is checked two more replace it.

That’s what it was like for “Jenny” when she snared the dream job; the offer of a lifetime from a multinational company based in Australia. This was Jenny’s big career break and she was ready for it! A flurry of emotions followed the contract signing and job offer. She was really doing this!

Six weeks passed and Jenny was ready. Farewell dinners, celebrations, laughter and tears had been shared. And now it was time to go. Jenny had her airline tickets and suitcases packed. In a few days she would be in Australia and starting a whole new life.

And then, the letter arrived.

The company, she learned, had opted to withdraw their job offer following a decision to restructure. Naturally, they apologised for “any inconvenience” and as recompense, the company allowed her to keep the non-refundable tickets to Australia.

Jenny’s world turned upside down at that moment as she looked around at her soon-to-be vacated apartment with boxes packed waiting for the removalists. She read the letter over and over again, hoping that she had made a mistake, that they didn’t just say there was no longer a job for her. But that’s exactly what they were saying.

Calls to decision makers were futile; managers were coolly unmoved, professionally empathetic, yet firm. “These things happen”, she recalls one saying, “But take the airline tickets and make a holiday out of it; you can even take a friend!”

Jenny was in despair.

No job. No apartment. No car. Utilities, phones all terminated, banks all notified.

Despair made way to anger over the sheer unfairness of it all. This was no way to treat someone! Jenny had experienced genuine losses on the signing of this job offer. She took a loss on her car sale and now had to scrape up funds to pay advance rent and find a new car and job. How could they get away with doing that?

Good question, and I guess that Jenny wasn’t the only one that day to receive the same letter, and she probably won’t be the last to have a job offer unfairly revoked. However it was the arrogance; the lack of empathy, the cool dismissive shrug meeting her concerns that led to Jenny seeking out an employment lawyer and negotiating a more equitable solution than free airline tickets. If only the company had understood that this was no way to treat anyone, things could have been different. By seeking compensation, Jenny has no doubt cost herself a future with this company forever (assuming she’d ever want to work there!). In fact, this decision to seek legal assistance could follow her for years and brand her as a person willing to take legal action against an employer… a sure fire reputation killer if future employers find out.

But what else could she have done?

Have you had a similar experience? What would you do?