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Dear Bj,
Good afternoon Adventure Seeker, how has the week
been for you?
In the Northeast, we've been snowed-in, iced-up and, in
general, brrr-worthy.
But I refuse to be daunted. Even in the dregs
of winter, there are a few rays of sunshine.
For example, people said lovely things about last week's
topic of letting go of old hurts. There were lots of
knowing nods-you really know what I was talking about.
One person exclaimed, "It is so true about fear
weighing
more than love. I'm printing that line out and putting it
up on my fridge." Excellent! And be sure to pass
the
ezine on to folks who can use that kind of support.
This week, let's talk about one area of our lives where
anxiety (fear in a sweatsuit) can reign supreme.
The job interview and/or career shift. I'll also
share some tips for what to carry with you when sitting
down for an interview or to ask for that
long-overdue raise.
Also, you're in luck! Due to icy conditions, the You
Choose! Class has been extended for an additional
Tuesday. Check out the topics for next week's
class below. I'm really excited about it and I know you
will find it useful.
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It's a Job of Work Not An Inquisition! |
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I love job interviews. I love them so much; I've
even done a few just for fun. Both as interview-ee and
interview-er, I find the whole process a terrific
opportunity. You can too! Do I hear you exclaiming,
"How can that BE Bj? Everyone hates job
interviews. They are tedious and humiliating and
depressing!"
Really? Why? I'm honestly curious. What is so bad about
an chance to be clear about what you
want-and therefore much more likely to get it-and
to hear about ways you can be a superhero by
solving problems best-suited to your interests and
abilities?
Every job opening represents a need, right? There is
work that needs doing. There is support that is missing.
There are bucks to be passed. The trick is finding out
if the work, the support and the bucks are what you
want.
Remember, the organization has a void. You may or may
not want to fill it. Find out what the need is, in
great detail, before going into a long explanation of what
you do. The more info you have, the better
prepared you are to tailor your skills and abilities to the
specific needs you'd like to meet. Besides, the ratio
of interviewer to interviewee (that's you) speaking
should be 80% to 20%. That's right. You need to
ask questions and paraphrase answers so that you are
doing 20% of the talking. What a relief, eh?
If you want to know how to do that, call 1.866.821.9386
or email. I can
coach you through the process so that every job
interview is a win/win delight.
When asking questions, be on the lookout for clues
you can use. Interviewers will tip you off to things
you need to know about the organization without even
knowing it. A couple of my favorites are:
"I'm thinking about grabbing a bite on my way to my next
appointment (and you ALWAYS have somewhere else to
be later). What are the office favorites?"
If the interviewer cocks his or her head to the side and
looks like a bewildered puppy, chances are good
people eat over their desks in this office and you might
want consider to your preferences in the life/work
balance.
It may also indicate that people don't mix well, which
could presage personnel tensions that will make you
miserable later.
Also try: "Tell me about your last staff meeting." And
then just wait. This does two things, it indicates that
you expect to participate in meetings and the
response will tell you if theirs are meetings you will want
to attend!
When it comes to your qualifications, focusing on
what you don't have is silly. Isn't it sad that we
spend so much time polishing our descriptions of what we
DON'T have? "I probably don't have the experience
the other candidates have. My education isn't the same,
etc." Listen, you've got PLENTY. And the
person who is going to make that clear to an interviewer
is YOU.
Consider all the stories of people with zero experience,
but ample enthusiasm, a quick wit and some courage,
who made their way to success over legions of highly
educated, but uninspired, veterans. It isn't what you
haven't done, it is what you CAN and
WANT to do.
At the same time, authenticity is everything. If
you are not upfront, or you embellish or prevaricate out
of fear, (rather than the confidence that your skills meet
the challenge) it's an understandable but unwise
strategy. It WILL come back. Besides, if the interviewer
lies to you about what the company has to offer, how
will you feel when you find out? Imagine that in reverse.
Always remember, being true to yourself means
you are far
more likely to attract what you really want.
Repeat this over and over-I am not afraid. Or
better still, a successful client gave me this one, "I
am prepared, not scared." Isn't that great?
No one has ever been maimed in a job interview, and
fear of "the worst" is preemptive and, therefore, a waste
of energy and concentration. If you'd like to explore how
you can eliminate pre-emptive anxiety, be in touch. It's a
specialty of mine.
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What to have in your old kit-bag |
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A few years ago, NPR's product catalog featured a
sweatshirt that said, "The road of life is long, bring
snacks and a magazine." Words to live by.
When preparing for an interview, carry these things
to
ensure a successful experience:
Retouching kit-Carry supplies for repairing
anything that might smear, stick out at odd angles, sag,
pop off, or otherwise cause you to smack your forehead
in dismay as you catch a glimpse of yourself in the
elevator mirror on the way home from the interview.
Pardon the tangent, but I need to do a little commercial
here for one of my biggest pet peeves. Be a friend!
If you see someone on the street with something
stuck on their shoe, or hanging out of their nose, or
falling from their bag, gently TELL them! I can't
count the times people have gratefully acknowledged me
for doing so and the number of times I've looked in a
mirror at the end of a long day and thought, why on
EARTH did no one tell me that was stuck on my face?!
End of public service announcement.
Tissues-sweaty palms, sniffley noses, the last
minute coffee hit you took just before entering the
building, all these can use a little dabbing before that
first handshake. (The java jolt right before is not
recommended by the way-be well hydrated but avoid all
fluids right before the big event , your tidy clothes
and physical comfort will be assured in the critical
moments.)
Appointment book and trade magazine -The
idea is to look intelligent, and industrious-not like you
were too busy snoozing on the beach last summer to
finish that juicy thriller everyone is talking about.
Getting caught leafing through your appointment book, or
reading something related to the job in those precious
minutes before the interview shows that you make
excellent use of your time. (If you use a Palm Pilot
or other gadget, be sure you don't look like you are
playing a video game. Oh, and by the way: don't play a
video game!)
Evidence of your work -The jury is still out on
whether or not you should carry a copy of your resume
or use the 'I'll get it to you this afternoon' dodge to buy
extra time for tailoring your "just one more thing" thank
you letter. However, I'm a strong advocate of carrying
samples of your work, regardless. If you're an artist it's
a given, you always carry your portfolio.
But isn't everybody an artist in their own right-stay with
me one this. Say for example, your resume says
you
organized a national meeting that attracted respected
speakers and a diverse audience. Why not take a sample
of the newsletter, press release you wrote, or annual
report that illustrates that fact? Or how about a
copy of
the white paper your team worked on? Even a
well-crafted letter that helped a customer solve a
problem is tangible evidence of your work, and sharing it
with an interviewer highlights your enthusiasm for the
new position. Not to mention proving you
understand what they need and that you can do it.
Evidence that you know something about the
company -A print-out of one of their webpages
that you helps you ask a salient question that highlights
your
interest is good, but an article you found in the library,
or a copy of their annual report you requested is even
better. OR, a trade article that solves a problem
they
have is even more compelling.
Breath spray -personally, I don't like it much,
but it is better than hurriedly crunching up a mint in
order to say hello.
Speaking of sprays -please, please, in job
interviews as in life- go easy on the smells.
Don't let your perfume, cologne, cigarettes or lunch
speak louder than your qualifications.
If you are planning on making a change and would
like to
fill your confidence kit-bag with what you need to get
the job you want, be in touch. I'd love to help!
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Get Your Bj-ism Cards |
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The Bj-ism cards are traveling far and wide. Get yours
now. Each features one of my favorite snappy phrases to
illustrate important concepts.
For example:
Step
away
from the details, and nobody gets
hurt.
Think of all the people you know who get caught up in
the endless yes/buts, or the
never-ending-story that keeps them stuck.
Give
them a free Bj-ism card (or leave one artfully arranged
on their desk at lunch time) that features two valuable
discounts and the support they may need to make real
change.
They (and you) will be glad you did.
Send me your
snailmail address and I'll send them right out. And
thanks!
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You Choose! Takes An Ice-break |
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As you've either suffered or heard, the Northeast was a
winter stumble-land last Tuesday, so we
skipped a week and will extend the You Choose!
class by a week.
I was a bit disappointed because I am so
excited about the content for Unit 3, but the
delay just gave me an opportunity to make it even
better.
So, on the 3rd, we will be talking about who exactly the
'everybody' is in "Everybody says."
You'll be
amazed to learn the identities of the people to
whom you routinely hand over control of your life!
Plus, we'll work together to come up with
concrete
resources for meeting you individual goals.
As always, we'll do a recap that brings everyone up to
speed, so you'll be comfortable, even if you missed
the first two sessions. Come on out!
Email me with
any questions or comments about the class. I love
talking about it.
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Refer Me! |
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If you're thinking, "I know someone who could really use
Bj!" please let them know about www.bjcounsels.com
and my services.
It's quick and easy.
Click How to refer Bj below and you will be taken
to my
referral page that has all the information you need, plus,
a handy, downloadable tipsheet that features more
detailed information about the people and issues I like to
work with best.
Thank you very, very much.
How to refer Bj... »
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See You Next Week |
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Remember, you've already got a
job--being the best you can be! Warmly,
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