CLIFFORD'S NOTES: FOCUS ON YOUR SEARCH

By Jerrold (Jerry) Clifford
Professional ETP Member since 2007 and Lamplighter Newsletter writer.

I would like to tell you a story about a bank robber. He planned for every detail related to the heist. He didn’t just decide to pick any bank. He chose one that would have plenty of money on hand. It was on a street that wasn't too busy and yet would have enough pedestrian traffic so he could blend into the crowd and not be noticed. It was in a neighborhood of diverse people so he didn’t have to worry about fitting in. He chose a suitable time of day and a get away vehicle. Then he put his plan into action.

He waited until the perfect time. He went to the bank and took control, getting the bank employees to put money in a bag.  In the middle of all this he decided to take a bath. This gave the authorities the opportunity they were waiting for and they were able to arrest him. When they asked him why he stopped to take a bath in the middle of a robbery he told them he wanted to make sure he could have a clean getaway!

While a humorous story, this joke reminds us that for successful completion of any plan it is important to maintain focus on the objective. This is certainly true for the job search.

While things did not go exactly as he had planned, it wasn’t the bath itself that led to his downfall. It was that he misinterpreted how an activity (taking a bath) could help accomplish his result. He had lost focus on his objective. After all, he really robbed the bank to get lots of money. All the effort he spent planning the caper was in support of this end. How the bath was really supposed to help was tangential to this focus.

Conducting a job search can be tedious and full of negativity and rejection. We may spend considerable time preparing value propositions only to find that companies don’t even bother acknowledging their receipt. Conducting a job search contains so much uncertainty and negativity, and usually they aren’t fun. We use their “importance” as a rationale to avoid the tedium, negativity, and frustration associated with job searching.

Unconsciously, we may be looking for excuses to avoid this chore. Thus, when everyday life requires attention to everyday activities, we use unrelated task “importance” to them and hence spend more time than necessary to accomplish them. We lose focus. This loss of focus takes time away from executing our job search plan and can affect the time it takes to obtain a position.

Staying focused is not easy. It takes discipline and practice. It requires developing job search skills, and accomplishing tasks we may not wish to perform when we would rather be doing something more enjoyable.

It may seem funny but to get good at focusing you really need to focus!

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Read more: http://www.etpnetwork.org/2013/04/cliffords-notes-focus-on-your-search.html#ixzz2PeZHMqRH

7 Ways to Promote Yourself Without Bragging: To Attract Attention, You Have to Show Off

 

 by C.J. Hayden, MCC

Do you find self-promotion embarrassing? Does it feel like you're bragging? Not all businesspeople are comfortable telling others how fantastic their product or service is. Here are 7 methods you can use to market yourself and your business without bragging. 

Recently, a client of mine complained, "I'm really good at what I do. I shouldn't have to market myself." In fact, he is quite good at his profession, but the problem is that not enough prospective clients know about him. Like many professionals, he is reluctant to talk about his accomplishments. "It feels like bragging," he says.
 "Doesn't it make me seem unprofessional?"

What Does Your Mentor Look Like?

Have you ever had a mentor that has made so much of a difference in your life either personally or professionally that you are forever grateful to that person? Someone that cared, took an interest or believed in you? If your answer is yes, then you know exactly where I am coming from. If the answer is no….go find that person now. Okay, that might be easier said than done.

Finding a mentor will happen but first you need to determine what that person looks like to you. I have been very fortunate to have had mentors both personally and professionally and unless you are lucky enough to have one fall in your lap, it might take a little more effort to clearly define what you are looking for and then to go out and find that person. Find a quiet place with a pad and pen and think about answers to the following questions:

1) What is your ultimate goal? Are you looking for a job, advance in a current job, learn how to manage some of the day to day challenges at work. Do you want to change jobs or even better, change careers. If you are a student, are you trying to find direction after high school or college? Do you want to make changes in your personal life? Whatever your ultimate goal is, it will help determine the type of person that you should seek out.

2) What qualities are important to you? Do you prefer a male or female? Do you want someone in a specific profession? Does the person have the ability to give you honest feedback? Are they ethical? Are they outspoken or soft spoken? Are they very serious or can they be silly? Have they had similar experiences that you have had? Are they caring or very reserved? What qualities in a person absolutely bug you? You should ask yourself all of these questions and more.

3) Identify your own values. Are you honest and have integrity? What are your thoughts about family and friendships? Is money important to you? Do you work hard, love to travel, value education? Understanding who you are and what is important to you is key.

4) Once you have been able to define the type of person, make a list of the places where you might find them. Are they in the corporate environment? If so, what type of profession are they in? Do they work in a school? Are they a teacher or administrator? Do they work for a non-profit? Are they a doctor, lawyer, vet, construction worker, day care provider, travel agent? Do they live in another part of the country? The more specific that you get with this question, the better.

Finding a mentor can happen in a variety of ways. There are many corporations that have their own formalized “mentorship” programs. Within these programs, you will be paired up with a senior person in the company that has expressed an interest in being a mentor. The second way seems to happen very naturally. There is a natural connection to a person and you may not understand why but this person just happens to come into your life and has a very powerful impact on you. This person can be anyone, an older family friend, a teacher, boss, acquaintance, administrator and they can come from any walk of life. However you meet this person, there will be something about them that will resonate with you. Often times your mentor will have a very similar personality and values as you have, maybe they have had similar experiences, or are in a position that you would like to be in some day. However you find your mentor and who ever this person might be, enjoy the journey and cherish the relationship because it is one that can be life changing for you







Cheryl Friscia

Cheryl Friscia is a Certified Coach and Entrepreneur. After 15 years in the corporate environment she launched her own business to share her coach training, corporate experience and 23 years as a mother, with other professionals who want to catapult their lives into something great. Cheryl spends a significant amount of time working with young men and women in navigating through all of the choices available and guiding them to determine a positive direction. Cheryl's job as a Coach is to inspire and work with you to align your passions with your core values.

Achieve Your Goals Utilizing a Coach

Achieving goals is nothing more than finding out what has been holding you back and the habits and perceptions that need to change in order to get you where you want to be. Accountability coaching helps you identify those negative aspects and transform them into positive ones so you can achieve the goals you desire.

Seeking the guidance of a professional accountability coach is not a sign of weakness, it is quite the opposite. Even the very best Olympic competitors and professional athletes cannot become champions without professional coaching – and it is the same for you. The most prominent success comes from exploring your true self and identifying the self-sabotaging habits and perceptions that have been holding you back.

The Law of Effect simply states that behaviors that are reinforced are most likely to be repeated. Believing in yourself is vital to your success.


Written by Anne Bachrach - Posted in Coaching



Anne Bachrach

Anne M. Bachrach is known as The Accountability Coach™. She has 23 years of experience training and coaching. The objective is to work less, make more money, and have a more balanced life. Anne is the author of the book, Excuses Don’t Count; Results Rule!, and Live Life with No Regrets; How the Choices We Make Impact Our Lives. Go to http://www.accountabilitycoach.com/landing/ and get 3 FREE gifts including a special report on 10 Power Tips for Getting Focused, Organized, and Achieving Your Goals Now. Join the FREE Silver Inner Circle Membership today and receive 10% off on all products and services, in addition to having access to assessments and resources to help you achieve your goals so you can experience a more balanced and successful life (http://www.accountabilitycoach.com/coaching-store/inner-circle-store/).