Dawn Quesnel | CoachDQ

Posts Tagged ‘Dawn Quesnel’

Getting Your To-Dos in Order

Tuesday, May 10th, 2011

Every Sunday, I write out a to-do list for the coming week. I plan out my activities on each day, and make notes as to tasks I want to complete within each 24-hour period. I have list of people to follow up with and a list for house stuff. I also have a note book of items to brainstorm about. I get pretty nit-picky about my lists — but if I don’t write it down, it doesn’t get done and I only focus on one list at a time.

When you make generalized lists, with big bullet items like “Networking,” “Cold Calls,” and “Business Plan”, you can become frustrated when you are not able to cross these things off your lists. To help you be more productive, break down your projects and tasks into specific bite-sized pieces, they will be a little less overwhelming and you’ll find you’ll get more done. Also, big-ticket items require big chunks of time, which aren’t always possible to set aside in the midst of a busy week and tend to get put on the back burner.

Instead of making generalized lists on which items linger for weeks or months at a time, try chunking it down. Instead of listing, “Return e-mails”, list the people you need to contact by name, and check them off one by one. That way, you can visually track your progress, and transfer only those names that remain to the next week’s list. Instead of writing, “Work on Business Plan”, break the task into pieces like “Target Market Overview” that will only take you 30 to 90 minutes to complete.

You can also cross-reference your lists to help you multitask. For example, my lists last week included items like “Yard Work,” “Gym,” and “Playtime with Kaylee.” We combined all three in one fun afternoon, which included a game of tag and Pick-Up-Sticks in the backyard.

There’s a feeling of satisfaction and accomplishment that comes from crossing items off a list. If you find yourself spinning your wheels, set smaller and more manageable goals, and attack them one by one. Success isn’t measure in giant leaps, but in innumerable baby steps, like cobblestones on a road. The best to-do lists are the ones that help you look back over your week and see how far you’ve come.

Here is a link to free copy of the “To do” list I use and also give to my clients to use.

Are you completely paperless? Try Life Balance software for free for 30 days.

WANT TO USE THIS ARTICLE IN YOUR E-ZINE, BLOG OR WEBSITE? Please do, as long as you include this complete blurb with it: Dawn Quesnel, CPCC, PCC, known as Coach DQ, is a professional coach, radio show host and workshop leader. Through the use of her B.R.I.D.G.E. programs she helps marketing, advertising, and creative entrepreneurs navigate career or business transition while maintaining a healthy career-life balance. Her core belief that you can accomplish anything you set your mind to, consistently leads clients to uncover hidden resources and strengths. B.R.I.D.G.E. the gap and accelerate your career so you can love your life now! Visit www.CareerLifeBalance.net or http://www.coachdq.com today or for more information email me.

Potholes — Tolerations Part 2

Thursday, April 7th, 2011

What Are You Tolerating?

Continuing our discussion of tolerations…

Below are some common tolerations cited by my clients and colleagues. Maybe some of these potholes are also in your road.

What people are tolerating at home:

“I need to create a financial plan for my family.”
“I need to take care of the house projects.”
“I need to exercise more — get to the gym.”
“I need to exercise more control over personal finances.”
“I need to clean out the attic/basement/garage.”
“I need to help the kids with school more.”
“I need to take a vacation.”

What people are tolerating at work:

“No raises.”
“No positive reinforcement; even after clients have told me they have gone out of their way to tell my boss they are happy with the work I have done, he never acknowledges it in any way.”
“Unfulfilling work culture and lack of mental challange.”
“Throughout my tenure at my company, I have felt that I can do 100 things acceptably, but when one thing is identified as not good enough in so many words, it becomes a big deal.”
“I wait until I get mad to leave a place.”
Other people’s ‘poor me’ syndrome.”
“Unprofitable professional relationships.”
“Personality dynamics.” –Need I say more about that one!

What people are tolerating personally:

“Waiting to receive permission before acting.”
“Not thinking things thoroughly.”
“Not waiting to learn from my mistakes before taking actions.”
“Waiting for events to happen – being reactive.”
“Letting other people lead the way.”
“My laziness.”
“My internalizing and over-thinking.”
“My inability to keep and meet goals.”
“My weakness for sweets.”
“My lack of willpower .”
“My closed-off attitude – not being willing to open up.”
“My reluctance to try new things more often.”
“My lack of empathy.”
“Not verbalizing my thoughts and acting on them.”
“Not making the most of every moment.”
“Destructive or draining personal relationships.”

All of the above issues could be resolved by making an actionable plan and sticking to it. To quote Nike’s tagline: “Just do it.” No amount of thinking will resolve nagging issues or create the change you crave: you have to act on your thoughts.

If you recognize any of the above tolerations in your own life, make a list of three things you can do to move toward a resolution. Once you fill the potholes, you can start looking ahead to where your road leads!

You can take an inventory of your tolerations by downloading this exercise What Am I Tolerating and call me for your complimentary coaching consult.

Working On Vs. Working In Your Business

Tuesday, March 8th, 2011

What’s the difference between working ON your business and working IN your business?

When you’re working IN your business, you’re involved in generating the product or service your business provides. If you’re a salesperson, you’re selling. If you’re a consultant, you’re consulting. If you’re a manufacturer, you’re manufacturing. When we say, “I’m running my business,” this is what we generally think of.

When you’re working ON your business, you’re maintaining your pipeline: networking, researching new markets, preparing sales strategies, updating your marketing materials and web site. Basically, you’re ensuring that, in the future, you’ll be able to keep working IN your business, because you’ll have enough business to keep your business running.

When you look at it objectively, it’s easy to see the value of working ON your business. Unfortunately, knowing it’s important doesn’t always translate to getting it done. It’s very easy to get caught up in the minutia of the daily grind, and lose sight of the big picture.

Ideally, you should be spending about 20% of your time working ON your business. That means one to two hours a day, every day. Without fail.

If you just thought, “That’s impossible! I’ll never get everything done!” then you may need to step back and take another look at your workload. What if you started to delegate, just a little bit? Would that free up more time for you to work ON (a.k.a. grow) your business?

I’ve seen it over and over. People fail to prioritize the aspects of running a business which feel less immediate. But when the project ends, and the work dries up, they’ve got nothing in the pipeline. Then, they have to scramble to generate a pile of new business, which leaves them overwhelmed, and working from a place of lack. Some people have called this “the Money Rollercoaster.”

Here are some ways you can work ON your business every day, so you don’t end up on a wild ride.

Attend networking and/or industry events
Update your social networking sites and web site to reflect your current needs/goals/products
Send e-mails to potential contacts and clients
Ask your network contacts for introductions
Make at least one phone call to a new contact or client per day
Develop low-cost marketing strategies you can implement yourself
Set short– and long-term goals for your business, and create strategies which help you move toward those goals

If you have trouble prioritizing this kind of work over your “real” work, or if you feel ineffective when it comes to strategizing and marketing, don’t worry: you’re not the only one. But once you learn to work ON your business as well as IN your business, you’ll find that you gain a much finer sense of control, purpose, and direction. And isn’t that worth an hour a day?

Are You Distracted?

Tuesday, February 22nd, 2011

Did you know that the average person only works about 2 – 3 hours per day?

I know. You get up early, take your place behind your desk, and spend your day dealing with whatever comes up. By the time five o’clock comes, you’re exhausted. But how much of your workday is actually devoted to work — and how much is spent dealing with distraction?

This is a common theme among my job search clients. “I want to meet my goals for networking/phone calls/prospecting/working on my resume,” they tell me, “but all these other things keep coming up!” It’s easy to see how this can happen. We don’t live in bubbles (well, most of us don’t, anyway) and so there is always the chance that distractions will come into our space and break our focus.

Here are some common distractions:

Facebook
LinkedIn
Text messages
Phone calls unrelated to the project at hand
Small talk with coworkers
E-mail and e-mail notifications
Internet browsing

Of course, all of these things should have a place in your schedule, especially if you’re working your networking pipeline. But you don’t necessarily need to attend to them the second they pop up. Would it really be a bad thing to turn off your text message and e-mail notifications for two or three hours a day? When you receive a distracting phone call, could you simply let it go to voice-mail — or say, “Can I call you back later, when I can give you my full attention?” If you’re immersed in a “dollars now” activity, listening to your friend’s Best Vegas Weekend Ever stories won’t necessarily serve you (or her, since you’re not giving her your full attention).

Some distractions are inevitable. But if you’re feeling scattered, there are steps you can take to control the chaos.

Hang a “Do Not Disturb” sign on your office door for one hour in the morning, and one hour in the afternoon. (I designed a cute little sign that reads F.O.C.U.S. — Fulfilling Obligations! Caution: Under Strict deadlines!)
Turn off the text message, e-mail notifications, and Facebook alerts on your mobile phone and/or iPad. You might choose to create an e-mail autoresponder that says something like, “In order to be more efficient, I will now be answering e-mail only at 12:00 PM and 4:00 PM.” If someone urgently needs a response from you, they can contact you by telephone.
If you work from home, don’t let pets come in to snuggle. If you have older children, ask that they respect your work space when they get home from school (or design your work hours around their schedules, so you can give them your full attention).
Try not to engage your coworkers in small talk unless you really want to be distracted. You can always chitchat on your breaks, over lunch, or outside of the office.
Don’t update your Facebook, LinkedIn, or other social networking sites during the hours you’ve designated for work. If you’re a business owner, work with these tools during the hours you’ve designated for marketing/business strategy.

While some of us are better at multitasking than others, no one is truly great at it. You can’t divide your attention into that many pieces and still be fully invested in any of them. Divide your time, not your mind! When you implement strategies for efficiency, you not only increase your productivity, you reduce your stress, and might actually reduce the number of hours spent behind your desk!

Franchise Business Owner Transitions to a Career in…

Tuesday, February 1st, 2011

Coach DQ Client Case Study

What was happening in your life when you called Coach DQ?

I owned a few fitness franchises and was working as a regional developer the corporate headquarters and was considering a career change. I was referred to Coach DQ by someone I look up to. My friend had recently made a big career transition, and said, “I didn’t make my choices alone. I had the help of a coach.”

At that point, I didn’t even know what a coach did, but coaching had worked for my friend, so I decided to give it a try.

I loved my job, but the company had lost sight of its mission statement, and I felt that its values no longer aligned with my own. The problem was, I wasn’t sure what my own values were, let alone how to use them to construct a plan for shaping a new career. Using her Bridge mapping techniques and other tools, Coach DQ helped me find my core values, articulate my vision, develop a game plan, and much more. Everything suddenly became much clearer.

What was most helpful about the process?

To me, the best part of the process was the accountability. It was a soft accountability, though. Coach DQ wasn’t an enforcer; rather, she was pleasantly persistent. She knew what I needed to do to get where I wanted to go, but also respected the fact that my schedule can be very hectic at times. Instead of pushing me, and trying to establish concrete goals and deadlines for my progress, she just put ideas out there and let me run with them. In this way, she was able to keep me on track and moving forward at what felt like a natural, rather than a regimented, pace.

What have you accomplished since working with Coach DQ? What was the “end result” of your coaching experience?

Well, the “results” are still in the works. But I’ve been able to establish a clear vision for my future, and I feel good about the direction in which I’m moving. Currently, I’m in the negotiating process working feverishly to bring things to a close. I also have two exciting new opportunities in the fire. Although the loose ends have yet to be wrapped up, I know my results are right there, waiting for me.

I feel that Coach DQ’s methods and assistance allowed me to create positive shifts in my professional life in a much more organized, systematic, and effective way than I would have been able to implement on my own.

Effective Networking Strategies, Part 2

Wednesday, January 26th, 2011

Last week, we looked at how to categorize your networking contacts in a way that works for you. Now, let’s talk about how you can follow up effectively with your new contacts. I’ll use my system as an example, since it works well for me, and you can use these ideas to develop your own system.

Meeting people at networking functions is the easy part, since everyone is there for the same purpose; it’s staying in touch with them after that can be challenging. This is where many people get nervous, unsure what the boundaries are and how to be assertive without being a pain in the neck.

The initial contact. After I categorize my new contacts into Contact Sphere, Joint Venture, Friendly Competition, and Potential Clients, I take the time to follow up with everyone via e-mail within one week. I have a form e-mail that I’ve created specifically for this, with blank fields I can fill in with personalized details. I’ll mention where and when I met the person, recall details of our conversation, and remind them of who I am.

In this e-mail, I clearly invite the person to sign up for my newsletter, connect with me on LinkedIn, or respond via e-mail (or all three). Some people take the liberty of adding new contacts to their e-mail lists right away; often, they’ll send the new contact an e-mail with a note explaining that “I’ve added you to my newsletter/mailing list/blog, but I won’t be offended if you unsubscribe.”

Getting to know you. Once you have a reply, you might consider scheduling a phone call or face-to-face meeting with your new contact to chat about possibilities for this connection. Or, you might simply connect with them on LinkedIn. However, before you take the easy way out, remember that people are 10 times more likely to remember a face-to-face conversation than they are a virtual one, and 5 times more likely to remember a phone conversation than an e-mail. In other words, it’s not just connecting, but how you connect that matters.

When I meet someone face to face for coffee or lunch, I always take the time to send a handwritten thank you note I had made with my logo on it.

Connect on LinkedIn. LinkedIn is a great resource because it allows to you see, at a glance, your new connection’s contact sphere. If there’s someone in that sphere who you think would be helpful to you, you can ask your new contact for an introduction. Now that we’re doing things virtually, asking for this favor isn’t as much of an imposition as it once was. However, I’ve had more success calling the contact first and ask them how well they know the contact and let them know you will be sending an introduction request via linkedin. If you are doing this and you are not getting responses, it’s either because your contact doesn’t know the person well enough to refer you, or your contact is not really active on linkedin. Or people are just plain busy and it’s not a priority, don’t take it personal, it’s not about you. Pick up the phone and follow up. I believe it was Jeffrey Gitomer, who said 75% of sales happen after the 6th call.

Stay in touch. People have to see something 21 times before it sticks in their mind. This is why television advertising is so effective. The same principle applies here: the more times your new contact sees your name in print or on screen, the more likely they are to think of you when something in your field comes their way.

One question that often arises is that of persistence. How many times should you try to reach out to a contact before you give them up for lost? The answer is… It depends.

Networking doesn’t have to be hard work, make if fun. Out of ten people I reached out to last week, only one replied directly to me via e-mail. I followed up with the group again and ended up meeting four others in person, which led to three more introductions.

As a recruiter, I pursued Fidelity Investments for a year and a half before I won the contract able to place my people in their in-house advertising department. They kept having turnover and everytime I had a new contact, three months later, someone else was in charge. I ended up placing their highest-paid Creative Director at the time. A few years later, my contact who use to work at Fidelity, searched my name on line and called me looking for help and complimenting on what I did job I did back then.

How many times you follow up is a matter of personal choice. I usually send two or three e-mails and/or phone calls to potential contacts after I meet them. If I don’t hear something from them — an invitation to connect on LinkedIn, an e-mail, a note on Facebook — I tear up their business card. After all, there’s persistence, and then there’s wasting your time.

If you need help sorting through the networking process, feel free to give me a call. After all, I’ve been there. You might even drop me into your contact sphere!
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Are You Maximizing Your Networking Efforts

Tuesday, January 18th, 2011

One of the more common questions my clients ask me these days is, “How can I become a more effective networker?”

Often, people go to networking meeting and functions, pass out and collect dozens of business cards, and then aren’t sure where to go from there. Some of the issues I’ve heard are:

“I feel funny about following up; I don’t want to feel like I’m bugging this person.”
“I can’t remember where I met this person, but their services and web site look really interesting, and I want to connect.”
“I want to connect with this person on LinkedIn but I don’t think they’ll remember me.”
“I don’t want to waste my time and theirs if our connection doesn’t go anywhere.”
“How can I become a better networker?”

If you’re feeling stuck around how to handle your networking contacts, I invite you to try the sorting process I use. You can modify this system to make it work for you and your business or job search. The first thing you’ll need to do is to develop a sorting system. If your office drawer is full of business cards you have no idea how you came by, sorting will be very important to you. Sorting also allows you to hone in on the contacts that will benefit you the most, while weeding out those that you have less interest in pursuing.

When I go to a networking event and someone hands me a business card, I immediately hand-write on the back of the card the date I met this person, the function we met at, and something about the person that struck me. That way, whenever I look at the card I have a clear recollection of receiving it. When I get back to my desk, I sort the cards and contact information into several categories.

Contact Sphere (also called Center of Influence): These are people to whom I can envision myself referring clients in the future, or people whose businesses might potentially generate clients for me. For example, I recently added a business evaluator to my contact sphere; he’ll be a great resource for my entrepreneurial clients. Another example: if you’re a chiropractor, your contact sphere might include massage therapists, personal injury lawyers, contractors, or officers in local trades unions.

Joint Venture: These are people with whom I can see myself potentially creating a joint venture; people whose services and values complement my own. They might be potential guests on the radio show, or help me with cross-promotion.

Friendly competition: These are people in the same field or similar fields to you, with whom you might be interested in connecting. If they’re willing, these people make good resources, and can lend an objective ear when you need one.

Potential Clients: These are people who have expressed interest in my services and/or who might potentially benefit from my services.

When you get back from a networking meeting, take the time to sort the cards you’ve acquired into these four categories (or the categories you’ve developed to suit your targets). You might create a separate binder or file for each list, or make a spreadsheet. Then, decide which contacts to prioritize, and which you’re less interested in cultivating or adding to your database. (I learned this the hard way and just put everyone in my database, years later I am still cleaning it up.) Then, you’ll be ready to move on to the next step, following up — which we’ll explore next week. Stay tuned.
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Cultural Consciousness

Wednesday, October 13th, 2010

“Happiness is that state of consciousness which proceeds from achieving one’s values.” — Ayn Rand

Two weeks ago, we created “A Week in My Life” — a tangible description of your ideal week. Now, it’s time to delve deeper into your work experience during your ideal week: specifically, your experience in your ideal company culture.

Work culture is often discounted as a secondary factor in choosing a new job or career. But the social dynamics of a company can make even a mundane job great — or make even the most interesting job unbearable. In order to truly enjoy your job, you need to enjoy the culture.

If you’re like many people I’ve spoken with over the years, you find yourself falling into the same type of culture over and over again, in job after job, without really knowing why. No matter where you go, you end up working for the same micromanaging, manipulative, or absentee boss; or, conversely, you end up managing the same resentful, uncooperative, or scattered people. You want to make a move, but you’re afraid that the only difference between the new job and the old will be the color of your office walls.

The truth is, we attract certain types of people into our lives and careers based on our conscious and unconscious thoughts and processes. But if you take the time to become clear about what you really want, rather than simply falling into whatever comes your way, you’re more likely to avoid the trap of “same, same.”
Take 30 minutes or so this week to envision and flesh out your ideal company culture. Here are some points to consider:

In what industry does your ideal company operate? What types of product or service does it provide?
Where is your ideal company located?
What does the building/campus look like?
What is the layout of the office/production space? Do you have your own office? Work in an open space?
How big is your ideal company? Do you like having many diverse co-workers, or do you prefer to work with a smaller, select group of individuals?
What is your ideal boss like? In what ways does he or she support you? Consider a specific situation (perhaps one from your own recent experience): how would your ideal boss behave? Is your boss a mentor? Does he or she offer consistent guidance and support, or allow you to operate more autonomously?
If you’re considering a management or executive position, what are your employees like? What qualities do your team members possess which make them easy to work with? How do they support you in your role, and how do they allow you to support them in theirs?
What is the pace of your ideal business or office? Do you thrive under pressure, or do you like to take your time? How would your ideal company culture support your natural working pace?
What social, environmental, and financial goals are important to your ideal company culture? What causes does your company support?

As with the first “Week in My Life” exercise, it’s just as important to know what you don’t want. You might choose to make a list based on the above criteria of what is unacceptable to you in your ideal company culture. For example, you might write, “I don’t want a boss who dates his secretary,” or, “I don’t want a boss who says she’ll give me a raise/a better position/flexible hours, then never follows through,” or, “I don’t want to manage unmotivated employees,” or even, “I don’t want to feel lost in a sea of desks.”
Once you’ve identified your ideal company culture, it’s a whole lot easier to see how you can fit comfortably into it. Next week, we’ll look at your role in your ideal company — in other words, we’ll narrow down your ideal job description! It may sound like a lot of work, however, the amount of time you spend doing these exercises upfront will save you years of wasted energy and frustration which directly impacts your overall well being. You only have one life. Make it a great one!

DQ’s BRIDGE strategy and job search coaching services are designed to help you identify and zero in on your target company, salary range, location, and other vital factors. Like using a Rapla lure to catch a bass, you’ll know exactly what you’re fishing for before you’re ready to cast. When you’re prepared and focused, you’re more likely to capture the opportunities that are out there waiting for you.
Dawn Quesnel, CPCC, PCC, known as Coach DQ, is a professional coach, radio show host and workshop leader. Through the use of her B.R.I.D.G.E. programs she helps marketing, advertising, and creative entrepreneurs navigate career or business transition while maintaining a healthy career-life balance. Her core belief that you can accomplish anything you set your mind to, consistently leads clients to uncover hidden resources and strengths. B.R.I.D.G.E. the gap and accelerate your career so you can love your life now! Visit www.CareerLifeBalance.net or http://www.coachdq.com today or for more information click here or email me.

Client Case Study

Wednesday, October 6th, 2010

What was the problem/situation which drew you to seek out Coach DQ’s services?

After two years in an advertising job that wasn’t going anywhere, I was in a rut unlike any rut I’d ever experienced. I was working with a client who wasn’t treating me well at all, and my boss had decided that not only should I suck up to the client, I should view this experience as a test to see if I was “happy” with the company.

Happiness. That was a big thing for my boss. He had an instinct for it, but not in a good way. The moment I started feeling unhappy, he’d hone in on it, and try to exploit it. Rather than managing my issues — like my problem with the client — he would insinuate that this might not be the right job for me anymore. This had the effect of compounding the frustration I was already feeling.

After a while, my rut became a valley. Instead of looking for a new job with a more supportive boss, I tried to combat my boss when he sniffed out my unhappiness. In the end, I ended up hurting myself more than I hurt him, and I found myself in need of some serious self-repair and outside perspective.

A good friend of mine suggested that I work with Dawn, because Dawn’s coaching had really helped her accept responsibility for the situation she’d been in, and move on. Coaching sounded like just what I needed.

What specific issues did you hope to address with your coaching sessions?
The first thing I wanted to concentrate on was rebuilding my self-esteem. My boss’s habit of making everything my fault had really done a number on my confidence and judgment. I’ve always known myself to be a positive, capable person, but I had allowed those qualities to erode. I knew it would be difficult to interview and secure a new job without self esteem intact.

Second, I wanted to define what I wanted to do with my life — or at least what I wanted to do next. I was feeling confused about marketing as a profession and felt overwhelmed by the notion of a “career” that would span the rest of my life. I was also fearful that I would land a new job, but wind up feeling unfulfilled again in another year or two. I’d held six marketing jobs in ten years, but I didn’t have a sense of purpose in my job choices. And, I was frustrated by the fact that although I spent a lot of time working — even to the point of sacrificing my own healthy creative outlets — I was still unsatisfied

Finally, I wanted to learn to set boundaries and establish ways in which I could deal effectively with difficult people — like my former client.

What was the best part of the coaching experience for you?
The best part of the coaching experience for me was that I no longer felt alone. I’ve always been encouraged and empowered by supportive friends and family to navigate life as I saw fit; I never thought I would “fail” at being happy. But the truth, for me, is that that empowerment can be overwhelming without tools and proper guidance. The structure of my weekly meetings with Dawn kept me accountable for what I was supposed to be thinking about, and gave me the thing that matters most to my success: time to reflect.

What was the most challenging part of the coaching experience for you?
The most challenging aspect of the process for me was to be disciplined about making time each week for the coaching. I was really great at it in the beginning, but after I landed my new job, I began to put a lot of pressure on myself to have some sort of “status update” — some progress on which to report. There were times when I would have a strong urge to cancel our call, because I hadn’t accomplished our objective from the week before. But Dawn reminded me that the process isn’t always linear, and that learning happens both during and outside of calls. I still worry that I’m not maximizing my time with her, but I now have a better understanding that my time with her is also time I give to myself to keep my life balanced and fulfilling — regardless of what I may or may not have accomplished. In many ways, I’ve discovered, taking this time for myself is an accomplishment!

Was the issue you originally intended to work on resolved through your coaching sessions?
Yes, my core issues were resolved through the coaching process. But more important even than the problems solved are the valuable skills and tools I learned — including the ability to clarify what I can and cannot control. These help me navigate the workplace in a healthier way. I know now how to consciously put myself in situations where I can succeed.

What was the outcome of your work with Coach DQ? Did it meet your expectations?
Here are what I perceive to be my key outcomes as a result of my work with Dawn:
• I’ve gained self-confidence. Dawn’s tactic of asking, “What evidence can you identify that leads you to that conclusion,” was a great reminder that sometimes my perception of a situation can not only be destructive to my self-esteem; it may not even be reality.
• I am less intimidated by the notion of a “career.” Now, I see a career as something in hindsight and retrospect. What’s more important is being aware of who I am today, and having a job I enjoy.
• I’ve learned not to take everything personally. On Dawn’s recommendation, I purchased Richard Carson’s book, Tame Your Gremlin. After reading it, I learned to differentiate between the Gremlin in my head, and my better judgment, which has helped tremendously.
• I realize that I need a professional mentor (not necessarily my boss) who can serve in the role of coach on an ongoing basis.
• I have a greater appreciation for the power of creative visualization. It’s one of the best ways to achieve what I want. Whether I use a vision board or meditation, the process is an anchor for me, especially for when life gets chaotic and confusing.
• I’ve landed a great job marketing the arts. It is at an appropriate level for my skills, and I am marketing something I’ve always loved. During the interview process, I was able to deliberately assess cultural and managerial fit.
• Finally, even though I love my job, I am acutely aware that it does not have to serve as the sole definition of who I am.

I am not quite done with my coaching experience, so I’m not sure what the remaining month will bring, but overall, I would absolutely recommend working with a career coach to anyone who is feeling a bit lost in the process. I am confident in my new skills, and would love to revisit this experience in a year or two, to see how these lessons progress for me over time.

DQ’s BRIDGE strategy and job search coaching services are designed to help you identify and zero in on your target company, salary range, location, and other vital factors. Like following a track in the woods, you’ll know exactly what you’re looking for before you’re ready to aim. When you’re prepared and focused, you’re more likely to capture the opportunities that are out there waiting for you.

Now that Fall is here, the hunting season is in full swing. Don’t miss out on your ideal job. Find out How it works, click here.

Dawn Quesnel, CPCC, PCC, known as Coach DQ, is a professional coach, radio show host and workshop leader. Through the use of her B.R.I.D.G.E. programs she helps marketing, advertising, creative professionals, and business owners navigate career or business transition while maintaining a healthy career-life balance. Her core belief that you can accomplish anything you set your mind to, consistently leads clients to uncover hidden resources and strengths. B.R.I.D.G.E. the gap and accelerate your career so you can love your life now! Visit www.CareerLifeBalance.net or http://www.coachdq.com today or for more information click here or email me.

On the Hunt

Tuesday, September 7th, 2010

The other day, I had a conversation with a former client from the recruiting world. We were discussing the most effective way to target prospective employers in this brave new job world. I debated that my BRIDGE strategy — to Become clear, Research, and Identify potential employers (your targets) Develop your contacts, Get a Game Plan, Execute and Evaluate the Game Plan — is more effective, while he debated that his strategy, which was to go through every single one of his contacts on LinkedIn and see what came up, was the one which produced results.

I was intrigued. I wondered if there are more people than my former client who think this way. In my mind, his strategy was that of a farmer: he planted many seeds in many areas of his professional network, and waited to see what grew for him. I, on the other hand, am a hunter, and I encourage my clients to utilize a “hunting” strategy when they begin the job search process.

Usually, a farmer plants more than one type of crop. He nurtures his seeds patiently, pulling weeds where necessary. Sometimes, what pops up surprises him, and sometimes it fails to grow at all.
A hunter, on the other hand, goes out into the wilderness knowing exactly what she is looking for. She stakes out her ground, carefully positioning herself in the right place to hit her target, and waits. When the moment comes, she’s there, ready to jump on the opportunity. Of course, sometimes the quarry gets away, but more often than not, the hunter comes home with what she went looking for.

So, are you a hunter or a farmer?
Don’t get me wrong, there’s validity to the farming approach in a job search. You’re nurturing relationships, growing connections. You might also be cultivating several options at one time, so that if Plan A doesn’t work out, you can fall back on Plan B, C, or D. But this approach is also time-consuming, and if you’re living on a severance package (or unemployment), time may not be on your side. That’s when it’s time to go on the hunt.

My BRIDGE strategy and job search coaching services are designed to help you identify and zero in on your target company, salary range, location, and other vital factors. Like following a track in the woods, you’ll know exactly what you’re looking for before you’re ready to aim. When you’re prepared and focused, you’re more likely to capture the opportunities that are out there waiting for you.

They say that for every $10,000 in salary you’re asking for, you should add one month to your job search. But my BRIDGE for Job Search “hunting” strategy is proven to cut job search time by 50% or more.
Now that summer’s over, the hunting season is in full swing. Don’t miss out on your prize job.

WANT TO USE THIS ARTICLE IN YOUR E-ZINE, BLOG OR WEBSITE? Please do, as long as you include this complete blurb with it: Dawn Quesnel, CPCC, PCC, known as Coach DQ, is a professional coach, radio show host and workshop leader. Through the use of her B.R.I.D.G.E. programs she helps creative professionals and business owners navigate career or business transition while maintaining a healthy career-life balance. Her core belief that you can accomplish anything you set your mind to, consistently leads clients to uncover hidden resources and strengths. B.R.I.D.G.E. the gap and accelerate your career so you can love your life now! Visit www.CareerLifeBalance.net or http://www.coachdq.com today or for more information click here or email me.

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