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A Crisis!

Monday, January 10th, 2011

Let’s take a little trip back in time.

Before I started my coaching business, I was one of the top recruiters in my company, and the number one biller out of six offices in a down economy. The pressure was enormous and the hours brutal, but the money was great and I enjoyed the work, so I put up with it.

One day, my new manager wandered into my office. (our company was acquired by a large franchise staffing firm) “Hi Dawn,” she said in that chirpy voice. “I see you’re married.” She literally picked up my hand, said, “nice ring”. I nodded, confused. “Well,” she went on, “I hope you’re not planning on getting pregnant. I’ll be putting pills in your OJ, Hah, hah” and she walked away. This is no joke.

The truth was, I hadn’t been planning to try for a baby anytime soon at the time. But I knew I wanted a family, and this lady was NOT going to tell me I couldn’t have one.

That day, I reached what I call a “crisis point,” and I knew it was time to get out. It was the push I needed. I had been talking about with my associates and husband for the last 6 months. I couldn’t work for a company that that didn’t value me except as a golden goose.

I’d known for a while this was no longer my ideal work environment. The boss that had promised me a BMW if I hit my target two years in a row. Never followed through and I learned the hard way, that I should have gotten it in writing. I’d seen the people around me burn out under the pressure, and I’d had more than a few tough days myself. But it took that comment from my new to be boss that truly make me realize how unhealthy the situation was.

Many of us know that it’s time for a change, but instead of initiating that change ourselves, we wait around for something to push us into it. We don’t change the problems in our marriages until divorce is looming, and we don’t change the problems in our careers until the only options are burn out or get out or it’s too late and you are laid off. Sometimes, not even burnout will stop us from holding on — we’ll keep showing up anyway, hoping that they’ll kick us out. In other words, we give our choice away, because owning it is too big a responsibility.

I know a woman who hates her job in the marketing department of a construction company. I mean, truly loathes it. A graphic designer of her caliber should have no trouble at all starting up as a freelancer, but she won’t do it. When you ask her why, she’ll mutter something about benefits, and a weekly paycheck. Sometimes, she says that she hopes her boss will fire her, because that would force her to do something—but right now, she’s too drained by the end of the day to even think about putting a resume together. She’s waiting for a crisis, hoping that someone (or something) will make her choice for her.

For others, a major life event is what sparks change: a birth, a death, a divorce, a wedding, a layoff. But do you really need such a major shock to wake up? The tighter the crunch, the fewer options you’ll have — so why not act now, before things build to a head?

One of my most important jobs as a coach is to help people in transition. If you’re feeling a career crisis coming on, don’t wait — take the reins now, and take control of your career.

This quote sums up my story — “If you can’t be a good example — then you’ll just have to be a horrible warning.” Catherine

“Nobody can make you feel inferior without your permission.” Eleanor Roosevelt
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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.

“A 42 Year Old Problem Had Been Holding Me Back.”

Wednesday, December 22nd, 2010

Client Case Study conducted by Bryna Rene

What was the problem/situation which drew you to Coach DQ’s services? What specific issues did you address?
The first issue was pretty personal; a forty-two-year-old problem that had been holding me back. At the time, I had the option to take a job which was similar to what I’d been doing, but I’d been working on my business at the same time. I needed to decide where to put my efforts, but I had a blockage around the most logical area (my business) and I wasn’t moving forward.

We broke through that old issue fairly quickly. But once that was resolved, we realized that I was dealing with an underlying fear of success. After some delving, we realized that a portion of that fear was coming from the people around me, and we worked on that. Then, we discovered that I wasn’t creating the right pictures in my mind around my business success, and we practiced guided visualization.

Working through each successive problem during the coaching process is like dealing with weighted lines or hooks that are attached to you, and that slow you down. Every time one of those weights is cut away, you can move forward less encumbered. That doesn’t mean that next week you won’t find a new hook, or another hindrance, but the process frees you up and helps you progress faster. It’s a matter of lightening the load. That’s what Dawn really does: she begins with what you think you want to do, then through a succession of probes and revelations helps you figure out if you really want it, or if you’re afraid of it, or if you’re unclear about it. That, to me, was particularly notable about her style, and something I was not necessarily expecting.

What was the best part of the coaching experience for you?
I think that the most valuable part of this process was Dawn’s insight into underlying historical personal experiences that were holding me back. She was persistent about making me recognize and deal with things that had happened in my past which prevented me from moving forward. Delving into those painful past experiences is something I think a lot of people shy away from, but in my case those past experiences were clearly the biggest contributor to my inability to move forward.

Also, while much of the process was more generalized, at times Dawn got extremely specific with me. She’d say, “You’re going to go to two networking events this week,” or, “You’re going to make three phone calls.” If problems arose for me while we were executing our plan, we were able to discuss specifically the issues I was running into, which in turn would reveal misconceptions or blockages on my part — those hooks and weights, weighing me down. At times, I was shocked at how many weights I was carrying, and how different they all were from one another. The process really became a case of untangling and sorting out my fears and inhibitions.

What was the most challenging part of the coaching experience for you?
I think I’m not unusual in that I get excited about setting goals and doing exercises while I’m on the phone with Dawn. The feeling lasts for a day or so, but sustaining that resolve to tackle my problems is my biggest challenge. I have to work hard to stay focused and not slip back into old habits. Also, it’s challenging not to start second-guessing the plans we work together to put in place.

Was the issue you originally intended to work on resolved through your coaching sessions?
Yes, the particular issue I’d contacted her about in the beginning was resolved almost immediately. But once you move one thing out of the way, you realize that there are a hundred more things there to be dealt with!

What was the outcome of your work with Coach DQ? Did it meet your expectations?
Absolutely. I was very impressed with Dawn’s blend of “standard” career coaching methodologies such as e-marketing, networking, using LinkedIn, developing niche markets, getting clear on goals and directions, and other things like that. But it’s the combination of those methods with a really intuitive side that makes her so effective. She has the ability to squeeze in between the rocks of your protective walls and poke around in your not-so-obvious issues.

Sometimes I think particularly strong people put up particularly strong walls — but that doesn’t mean there aren’t just as many rotting vegetables behind the walls! Dawn is good at sniffing out problem that aren’t even obvious to me, and that is really important in terms of my being able to make progress.

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! http://www.coachdq.com

Bad Hair Day?

Tuesday, December 14th, 2010

“Gratefulness is the key to a happy life that we hold in our hands…if we are not grateful, then no matter how much we have we will not be happy — because we will always want to have something else or something more.” Brother David Steindl-Rast

I don’t know about you, but I feel like I have a lot to be thankful for this year.
Eight years after opening Career Life Balance, I finally have more balance more in my life. With the exception of a few bad hair days

This year, I finally had the opportunity to prove to myself that you can be a good mother, run a successful business, and keep a household afloat all at the same time. (Something we don’t give ourselves enough credit for it and that goes for both men & women! Thankfully my hubby and I make a great team!) I had to make some sacrifices in order to achieve this, but in the end, they didn’t feel like sacrifices at all.

I learned to have fewer balls in the air at once and am much better with flexing my No Muscle. Below are some more things I accomplished this year. I’m profoundly grateful that I have had the opportunity to make these things happen for myself, my clients, my business, and my family. I know that gratitude will stay with me throughout 2011.

DQ’s (partial) Gratitude List

I am grateful that I was able to…

• Connected with many old friends on Facebook — Many trips down memory lane 

• Get away with just me and Hubby
• Host Radio Show once per month verses once per week
• Launch “BrainTalk” Radio with Co-Host Tara Crawford Roth
• Serve on the Board of Directors for International Coach Federation – New England
• Hire a new assistant (Hooray!)
• Hire Video Editor & Business Coach
• Be a guest on Career, Money & Manifesting
• Guest Host Employment For All TV Show
• Take a grammar class
• Give LinkedIn Job Strategy Classes
• Teach many “Baby Boomers” how to use social media tools to land a position
• Learn from my amazing clients
• Conduct a very helpful Branding Assessment
• Go skiing with the girls
• Start work on our master garden
• Foster an 8 Year old boy  sad to see him go
• Do a women’s retreat
• Buy a new car
• Take 4 weeks vacation
• Help support the launch of several new client businesses
• Coach many into new jobs and careers
• Help clients negotiate higher salaries/offers
• Contribute to three upcoming books, including 101 Ways to Enhance Your Career (published by selfgrowth.com).
• Host a gluten-free Thanksgiving at my house
• And best of all… Finally closer to adopting our incredible daughter!

One of the best things you can do when you’re feeling stuck or stymied is to make a list of things you’re grateful for. Whether they’re things you own, things you’ve accomplished, relationships you’ve preserved (or ended), or emotional connections you’ve made, these accomplishments are the true measure of your efforts. Overachievers don’t get caught up in what you haven’t done: you have the rest of your life to meet those goals. Remember that you have created the ground you stand on — so stand tall and be proud! Do this exercise for yourself and share what you are grateful for. We love hearing from you, share your comments below!

Is Your Resume SEO Compliant?

Wednesday, August 25th, 2010

Those of you who’ve taken my BRIDGE tele-class or followed my BRIDGE strategy for Job Search, you already know that when you’re clear about the role you’re after, it takes less time and effort to land your ideal position.

I’ve heard it said many times that when you’re applying for jobs on-line and you send your resume, it may as well have been sucked into a black hole. With the increasing intelligence of search engines, company web site databases, and online applications, it’s easier than ever to get lost if you’re not on top of the latest web strategies. First on the list: make sure your resume is SEO-Compliant (Search Engine Optimization).

The “B” in my BRIDGE for Job Search Strategies method stands for “Become Clear.” As a Coach, part of my job is to help my clients with this first, deceivingly complex step. What do you want your career to look like? What do you want your life to look like when you’re in this career? Where and for whom do you want to work?

When a client has trouble with this step or if “B” is too heavy for you to handle right now, we move to “R” — Research. We Research together to “I” — Identify — your skill set, likes, interests, motivators, values, unique attributes, target titles, target companies, and target key words. While we’re doing this, we’re also “D” — Developing— your resume, your career positioning, new contacts and “G” Getting a game plan, while “E” — Executing and Evaluating — on these strategies to help you reach your ideal position faster. This takes us back to “B” — Become Clear — at which point, you’re ready to progress to the next level.

As you Research and Identify, you’re not only creating a list of your skills and values; you’re creating a list of key words and phrases. These can be very helpful when creating an SEO-Compliant resume, since they are likely also the words and phrases which will be searched by hiring managers. You can then use these key words when researching on LinkedIn and other online resources to Research and Identify your ideal target employer.

“We have too many high-sounding words, and too few actions that correspond with them.” — Abigail Adams

Here’s how you can use SEO and key words to optimize your resume using LinkedIn.

Let’s say you are targeting a position on the client side as a Director of Marketing in the computer software industry. Go to LinkedIn.com, and in the upper right-hand part of the screen, click “Advanced” which is just to the right of the Search box for “People“. This will take you to the screen below:

LinkedIn Director of Marketing Key Word Search

In the Keyword box, type the title you are targeting (for this example, Director of Marketing). Note: You are typing Director of Marketing in the Keyword field not the Title field. Next, for Location, select “Located in or near” and then enter your Zip Code. Next check off under Industries, Computer Software, and click Search at the bottom.

Drill down on some of the profiles that come up in the search, and take note of the titles, the companies and the key words used to describe the position held in each profile – keeping in mind that some Profiles contain much more information than others. Use these key words and phrases to refine your target search, and then look at the LinkedIn Profiles of your potential competitors — then look at your resume. Is it compliant relative to the types of positions you’re targeting?

As you’re reading job descriptions do you notice some of the same key words? Are those key words present on your resume? It’s as simple as that! Use these words and phrases and get your resume SEO-Compliant! What most people don’t realize is the biggest value you get from LinkedIn and other job boards is the information you can obtain with simple Research.

As the saying goes, people don’t plan to fail, they fail to plan. Brian Tracy, in a recent interview said…”You can’t hit a target you can’t see… and more people spend more time planning a picnic than they spend planning their careers.”

Start planning your career today by taking advantage of my no-obligation complimentary coaching consult.

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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Need help with your resume? Enter your name by September 7, 2010 by e-mailing me at DQ@CoachDQ.com win a free resume strategy coaching session! (Valued at $350)

Who’s Your Goblin?

Thursday, October 15th, 2009

We all have one: a goblin, a gremlin, an inner critic, whose snarling and growling keeps us from feeling confident and worthy. Continuing with this season’s theme of “perspective,” let’s talk a bit about your goblin. Halloween is coming, after all!

Your goblin lives in your closet with the skeletons. He’s mean, cynical, negative, and likes to tell you you’re not enough, makes you feel guilty for not doing more at home, the office, for yourself?!!! If you were to imagine your goblin, he may sort of look like your partner from your first adult relationship, or maybe he looks a little like your old boss, or your tough-as-nails grandfather, or even your fifth grade teacher. Whatever form or combo your goblin takes, he’s not the core of who you really are, it’s just head trash! This type of energy is not something you want hanging around in your space when you’re trying to make a positive change in your life, grow your business…follow a new path, or even just get through the day.

When we hear or feel negative things about ourselves, especially when we’re young, we tend to remember them. Those triggers pop up when we’re feeling insecure, fearful, or ungrounded. We start to believe it’s true and before long it becomes a habitual type of trigger, some experts may even refer to it as the root of the issue. Bottom line is for you is to step one become aware of certain “trigger” situations: we condition ourselves to react based on this memory or feeling. And when we practice a habit for long enough, it becomes a belief. Like a tree sending roots into the earth, we feed our goblin out of our past circumstatances, and fears.

Here’s an example of the evolution of a goblin.

When Sara was just out of college, she went to work for a certain corporation. She was young and a little insecure, and had no real-world experience to speak of. One day, her boss (a critical, overbearing type who was probably pretty insecure herself) assigned Sara a project that she wasn’t sure how to approach. Being unsure, and wanting to please, Sara asked her boss where to begin. Her boss replied, “What are you, an idiot? Didn’t they teach you anything in college?” Sara was devastated. She knew she wasn’t an idiot, but her boss had just told her she was.

Sara finished the project, with no feedback — positive or negative — from her boss, and soon after left the company. Soon after starting her new job, another project crossed her desk that she wasn’t sure how to approach. She thought about asking for help, but was afraid her new boss would react in the same way her old boss had. Finishing the project on her own caused her a lot of stress and sleepless nights, and in the end, the result was satisfactory — but it wasn’t stellar, and Sara knew it. She heard her old boss’s voice in her head, calling her an idiot, and began to wonder if the woman had been right.

The memory that kept resurfacing for Sara became a habit: it reappeared automatically every time she was put in a situation where she needed help or advice. She conditioned herself to believe not only that it was the act of an idiot to ask for help, but that she was ill-prepared and ill-educated in her job field. When she got laid off last year, she was terrified to look for a new job, because she had honestly come to believe that she was unworthy of being hired.

Now, Sara is a fictional character, and I’ve simplified her story. But many of us have goblins living in our closets, and their evolution can be traced back to a single incident or memory that impacted us deeply. Our beliefs — our perspectives — evolve out of our experiences. Just like an athlete conditions her body to perform in a competition, we condition our minds to certain perspectives or beliefs. If these beliefs serve us, that’s great. But often, they don’t.

So the next time you hear your inner critic yapping away in your ear, telling you you’re not good enough, you’re stupid, you’re worthless, etc., try to pull your goblin out of hiding. Give him (or her!) a name, and try to follow him back to the experience, or set of experiences, that shaped him. Once you’ve pulled your goblin out of the back of the closet and into the light, he might not look so scary after all.

Want to learn more about how to give your goblin the boot? Pick up Taming Your Gremlin: A Guide to Enjoying Yourself, by Richard David Carson. This is a great read, not at all your typical “self-help” book.

Attitude and the Law of Attraction

Wednesday, October 7th, 2009

In my coaching practice, I talk a lot about the Law of Attraction. I’m a firm believer that the way you think influences the way your world takes shape around you, and that you can create the life you desire through the power of positive thought and right action.

The Law of Attraction basically states that what we put our energy into will be drawn to us. So if you’re in a job search, and you spend a few minutes every morning visualizing yourself in the perfect job, you will be more likely to draw that job to you. If you spend a few minutes every day thinking thoughts of abundance and gratitude, you will probably feel abundant and grateful all day long, and have experiences that reinforce that feeling.

The opposite is true as well. If you’ve recently lost your job and you find yourself dwelling on your current lack of money, lack of opportunities, lack of “____,” you may find yourself noticing that lack more and more in your life. You’re actually using the Law of Attraction to draw negative experiences to you.

As human beings, we think about 80,000 thoughts a day. Most of these thoughts are repetitive, the same stories we’ve been telling ourselves for years. They influence how we feel about our work, our finances, our families, and ourselves. Like I talked about in articles from past weeks, it’s all about perspective.

Your Action Step this week is to keep a record of recurring thoughts. If you’re constantly telling yourself, “I hate my co-worker,” “I’m broke, I can’t buy that,” “I’ll never find a job in this market,” or even “I’m ugly,” you’re actually using the Law of Attraction to reinforce these negative experiences in your life.

Once you’ve identified your recurring negative thoughts, try to counteract them with a positive thought as soon as they come up. For example if you’re thinking, “I’m broke,” counteract that statement with one like, “I have all the money I need to provide for myself and my family.” If you’re thinking, “I can’t stand my boss,” counteract it with, “I do not allow negativity to touch me. “

One more thing: The Law of Attraction doesn’t always provide what you want in exactly the way you want it. But when it does pull good things to you, they will be the best things for you at that time.

Here’s a very personal example. My husband and I have wanted children for a long time. But after years of fertility treatments (and lots of work with the Law of Attraction on my part), we still couldn’t get pregnant. I’ve joked that there are other laws beside the Law of Attraction — like the Law of Gravity — and I felt these other Laws were working against me.

One day, some friends stopped by our house with their two children, on their way to the Boston Aquarium. I found myself thinking, “I wish I had kids to go to the Aquarium with.” For the first time, I didn’t specify that they should be MY kids. Two hours later, I got the call about my foster son.

So if you find yourself thinking, “I’ll never find a job,” you might counteract that with a statement like, “The perfect job will come to me at the perfect time.” By eliminating any preconceptions about what the job should be, you open yourself to greater possibilities.

Perspective in Career Life Balance

Monday, September 28th, 2009

Last week we talked about perspective: what it is, and how it relates to your job search/career change. Now, let’s talk about how you can shift your perspective in all areas of your life.

Have you ever noticed that people who have a positive attitude always manage to turn lemons into lemonade? No matter what happens in their lives, they’re able to take it in stride, and turn a problem into an advantage. Maybe you admire them for this resiliency — or maybe you’re a little jealous of them, and wish that you too could be so optimistic.

The fact is, a positive outlook is not a birthright, but something that can be cultivated. By making changes to your focus, internal language, and even the way you stand and breathe, you can cultivate a positive perspective and reap the benefits in every area of your life.

Here are some tips to help you get started.

Stand up straight and smile. Yes, our mothers always told us to do it, but how many of us do? The fact is, it’s hard to feel angry or fearful when you’re standing tall and proud with your chest lifted and your shoulders back. Take deep breaths into the center of your chest, put a smile on your face, and see how your perspective responds.
Cultivate your health: When we’re feeling tired, achy, and dull, it’s hard to keep a positive outlook. Making even simple improvements to your diet and exercise regimen can have an enormous positive impact. Cardiovascular activity, in particular, is a great mood-booster.
Shift your internal mantras: A mantra is a saying that we repeat over and over, until it’s ingrained in our subconscious. Think this is only for yogis and Buddhists? How many times do you say “I’m tired of…” or “I can’t…” or “I’m not…” in the course of a day? These negative, limiting thoughts become your mantras. So when you catch yourself making these statements, try rearranging them to say, “I will…” or “I can…” and see what happens to your perspective.
Realize where your roadblocks are. Often, these will come from past life experiences. Track your feelings to find out where fear, guilt, and other negative emotions are blocking your progress. Notice where you have immediate reactions to situations that haven’t even happened yet. When you say, “I know this is going to be awful,” you’re defining your experience before it has a chance to unfold.

You can’t see the cobwebs in the dark corner until you shine a light on them; in the same way, it’s often difficult to pinpoint where a shift in perspective is needed until you know where to look. The more you learn about your own perspectives and how they affect your life, the easier it is to weed out the perspectives that no longer serve you. One of my jobs as a coach is to help people create shifts in perspective which improve their careers, their lives, and the balance between the two. So are you ready to shift?

Perspectives in Your Job Search

Thursday, September 17th, 2009

It’s all a matter of perspective.”

How often have you heard those words spoken about a problem, a political issue, or a personal situation? Maybe you brush them off as a tired old adage — but there’s a lot of truth to them. How you look at things plays a big role in how those things affect your life, in both positive and negative ways.

So what is perspective?

Perspective is defined by Webster’s New World Dictionary as “a specific point of view in understanding or judging things or events, especially one that shows them in their true relations to one another.” The way we see, interpret, and judge people and situations is based on our past experience, our ingrained beliefs, and our current personal situation.

Sometimes, this is to our advantage: we’ve had great experiences in past job searches, so we expect the experience to be the same this time around. Other times, when we’re coming from a perspective of anxiety, doubt, and fear, those emotions color our experiences before we even have them.

Like all things in life, perspectives can change with time, experience, and pure willpower. If your perspective on your job search or career transition has you feeling worried, doubtful, or aggravated, it might be time for a shift.

Here are some ways you can create a change in your job search perspective:

Let go of your expectations: sometimes, when we have a set idea of how and where we’ll find our perfect job — for example, saying “I want to work at this company, in this department, for this salary” — we’re actually limiting ourselves, and narrowing our perspective. By changing this internal mantra to something like, “I want to work in a fulfilling career, for a company whose views and policies I respect, and receive a salary commensurate with my worth,” our narrow perspective of what is “perfect” for us no longer shuts out opportunity.
Maintain a positive outlook: When we don’t get a callback on an interview, or when we don’t get a response from a company we thought was a perfect fit, our perspective can shift into the negative. Instead of saying “I’m not good enough, I’ll never get a good job,” try saying, “Maybe that wasn’t the perfect job for me, but the perfect job IS out there.”
Ask “empowering questions.” Questions like “what’s wrong with me?” and “why aren’t I good enough to get the job I want?” are disempowering. They reinforce a negative perspective that comes from our stress, insecurity, and fear about an uncertain future. When you find yourself asking those types of questions, try turning them around by switching the word “why” with the word “how.” Instead of “why can’t I do this?” ask instead, “how can I do this?” Now, rather than questioning the problem, you’re actively asking for a solution.

Sometimes, it takes an outside perspective to help you see where you’re building walls.

Autumn Leaves

Thursday, September 10th, 2009

Change is a constant in our world. Summer is drawing to a close, and soon the leaves on the trees will begin to change their colors. This autumn will be different from summer, which was in turn different from spring.

Even though the seasons repeat every year, they’re different each time. Nothing remains exactly the same. The same goes for our own lives, and our careers. In order to adapt to today’s shifting job market, job seekers and entrepreneurs need to make shifts to stay ahead of the curve. Like leaves changing their colors, successful people sense when it’s time to make a change, and follow through.

Autumn is a great time to shift in your career perspective. Change is already in the air, the kids are back in school, the lazy hazy days of August are behind us. So if you’re wondering what your place will be in this new job market, or if you’re determined to find a job that’s a perfect, exact replacement for your old one, it might be time for a little photosynthesis.

Many of us are afraid of change because we think it will undermine our foundations, and leave us floundering. That doesn’t need to be true. A leaf is still a leaf, no matter what color it is — and you’ll still be you, with all your skills and strengths intact, if you shift your perspective to incorporate a new and broader view.

Here are some steps you can take to shift with the season, and get your job search back on track.

Consider your skill set: Inventory your strengths and experiences. Ask yourself if these skills can be applied to jobs in a field other than the one you’re currently in (or the one you just left).
Educate yourself: When was the last time you took a continuing education course? Candidates whose skills are up-to-date are more likely to be chosen for a job.
Notice your internal responses: Brainstorm a list of possibilities for career choices. Notice what your inner voice is saying in response to each. If you’re hearing, “I could never do that,” or, “I don’t want to have to go back to school,” ask yourself why you’re limiting your options. Try not to filter: instead, let your brainstorming session be about possibilities.
Remember that you don’t know what you don’t know: Often, we resist change because we think we know the outcome. But unless you have ESP (which most of us don’t), you can’t really know what might happen if you try something new, so…
Embrace the possibilities: When you have no preconceived expectations, it’s easier to see opportunities for what they are. The perfect job for you may not be the one you imagined, but it will still be perfect!

Sometimes, it takes an outside perspective to help you realize where change can be helpful. If you’re trying to make changes but keep getting stuck, give me a call. I’m always here to help you — and if you’re a new client, your first coaching session is complementary! Email me to schedule yours CoachDQ

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Posts Tagged ‘job search’

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