Transitions2success

Where are you in your search for success? Have you found that job yet? Or decided to start a business instead? But, first of all, have you listened to your inner self, your intuition, or God, and found what it is that you are good at? What is it that would satisfy your survival needs, but at the same time, give you a sense of achievement and satisfaction? (I ask so many questions, don’t I?)

The most important part of your search for success are the things I’ve mentioned above.  Beyond survival, you need a job or career that also gives you fulfillment and a feeling that you are doing something important and vital. Start by listing what you value. There are some very simple inventories and assessments that will help you with this process. (Contact me if I can help with that.)

But, do you value beauty in the world, do you value working outdoors, do you value compatible people to work with, a clean environment, a routine, or no routine at all. Some people thrive in a position that is different every day, or even every hour. Other people might feel crazy in that kind of job. Do you like things neat and orderly, or does it matter if your desk is stacked high with papers? Maybe you enjoy dressing up and looking neat for your job,  or maybe jeans and a sweatshirt are your preference. (Working at home in your pajamas?)

Once you’ve looked at these types of values, you’ll have a better idea of the kind of job that will suit you best. After you’ve done this list, let’s talk about what that means in terms of careers and where you fit in the world.

Blessings, Dr. Kary

Are you a new graduate and starting to look for a job? Or did you just recently quit your job to look for greener pastures? Or maybe you are unemployed with little experience in ways to find a job? Whatever your situation might be, it would be good for you to study the following hot tips:

Make sure your resume has no mistakes

Before you submit your resume to a possible employer, check your resume at least three times for any mistakes before handing it over or sending it in.  After you research the job position, it is important that you format your resume to match the needs of the company. For example, if you are applying for an accounting job, you should detail your accounting experience on your resume. Typo’s and grammar errors are serious no-no’s. It is also good to keep the length of the resume’ to at least a page and a half long if possible.   

Meeting the interview challenge

In a survey conducted by a staffing and consulting firm in California with 1,400 chief financial officers, it stated that candidates for employment made most of their mistakes on their interviews. Some of the mistakes they made included: arriving late, having little knowledge about the company and the position applied for, as well as acting superior and arrogant. Body language of the applicant must show that he is confident but not overpowering. He should maintain eye contact, have a good, strong handshake, and avoid crossing the arms in a defensive manner. Wearing the right clothes is crucial for projecting confidence. It is better to go to an interview over-dressed than being under-dressed.

Answer questions confidently

A common mistake of interviewees is that they tense up and forget the questions that are given to them. This gives the impression that they are not prepared for the interview. It is important to do your research on the company and the position being applied for to prevent being side-tracked during the interview. If you don’t know the answer to the question, it is better to admit you don’t know and add that you can do some research on it. Know the skills or expertise that the company is looking for so that when asked about your strengths and core competencies, you will be able to match it to what they need.        

Prepare the necessary references 

If you can give a referral from one of the company employees, this can go a long way toward landing an interview.  A typical company may receive job applications in the hundreds and usually 35% to 60% of all job vacancies are filled by personal referrals. The odds of getting hired when you have an inside  referral are much higher when there are another 200 to 500 applicants vying for the same position. If you don’t know anyone from the company that may give you a referral, it is a good idea to check the alumni network of your college, trade groups, social networks, and professional associations. Remember, having that personal referral greatly enhances your chance of getting the position. It is also good policy to ask people ahead of time whether they’d be willing to give you a reference so they are prepared.

Applications online

With current technology and the merging of business processes, more and more companies are now requiring prospective applicants to submit their application online. In this way, first impressions are given not by your first appearance but by the quality and content of your e-mail. E-mails submitted for job applications should be polished and well-articulated. When applying on-line, use the following tips:

Complete your sentences and do not abbreviate. Employers do not like when you send them application letters that seem to be too casual. It is important to write a letter that is both formal and well written. This gives a good impression regarding your capabilities and skills. Get directly to the point when writing an application letter. You must be concise and straightforward. Do not put a story on the letter just to get the attention of the employer.  Chances are he or she will just get irritated with you and this will only reduce your chances of getting hired or winning the interview. 

Consider any issues that might hinder you from taking the job

There are instances where there is a lot of need for a job but the requirements for the position may entail training programs. That may prevent you from getting the position due to its highly competitive nature and the time required. Some positions will ask for a lot of experience. Some may have no barriers to entry but the job itself may entail a very routine work flow that might not suit your personality at all.

Most important of all

Never lose hope about getting the job you want. It may be a challenge. But also remember, it is better to wait a while and get the job that you will enjoy rather than get a job as soon as possible that may end up with dissatisfion and unhappiness. Make the right decision then act on it.  

Best of luck,

Dr. Kary

“What Job is Right for You”

Locating the job that suits your lifestyle and particular personality isn’t easy.  It’s actually a full time job in itself.  If you want to better understand your needs and increase your chances of succeeding, you need to conduct a personal evaluation. Consider these things: Is this the career you want?  Is there room for growth?  Are the salary and benefits good? Does this fit your personality.

Evaluating a position requires research.  First of all, know what you want. This involves knowing what kind of personality you have and your interests. How would you like to spend your day on a job.  The activities you’d like to get involved in plays a great role in keeping you motivated.  You could make a list of the kinds of people you would like to be working with.  Say, people who like being told what to do or authoritative types; how about loud people or quiet types;  and would you like a place where people love socializing or not?  There are different sizes of companies as well, there are small, medium, large, overseas, local, and regional.

The Internet is a valuable tool that assists online job seekers in looking for a job they could fit in.  Narrow down your choices depending on your needs and wants to get the best possible pool of companies where you can try submitting resumes.

Below are the common job search techniques:

Percentage of
Job hunters               Search Technique                               Effectiveness

66.0%                           Direct application                                        47.71%
50.8                              Referral from friends’ work                       22.1
41.8                               Asking friends from other places            11.9
28.4                               Asking family about their company      19.3    27.3                              Asking relatives about jobs from              7.4
                                               other places                            
45.9                              Newspaper ads                                                23.9
21.0                              Career centers                                                 24.2
12.5                              School organizations/clubs                       21.4
15.3                              Civil Service Exams                                      12.5
10.4                             Referrals from mentors                               12.1
1.6                                Local ads                                                            12.9
6.0                               Coop programs                                               22.2

     (Percentage results obtained from dividing the technique by the   total  number of job hunters who tried to use the method, successful or not.)

Your strengths and weaknesses will help indicate how well you will perform in the work you have chosen and how satisfied you will be.  Your progress dictates your maturity and enthusiasm at work.  Finding the best job for you is a full time job itself.  It requires time and passion to get positive results.  No matter what you choose, it should always be a place where you can identify yourself and remain happy. 

You may also enlist the help of a college job center or career counselor. They often use different types of assessments which help you determine your personality type and which types of jobs would be typical for that personality. This kind of research may yield great dividends in that you may discover things about yourself you didn’t realize. It may also give you good ideas of different types of careers than you had considered.

Contact me, or leave a comment if I can be of help to you. I’ve done this type of counseling in the past.

Are you achieving success in your job hunt? Setting clear objectives will help you attain that success over time. It will also give you the satisfaction that you are doing all you can to find the type of job you want.

There is always a process that you should implement to achieve a goal.  The following process is to streamline and analyze your objectives. The objective or goal is a way of  knowing what action or plan needs to be taken, then identifying the expected results.

There are several important steps to take to meet the guidelines. This plan provides a set of directions so that making the decisions to reach the goal considered will not be as complicated as it seems at first.

Peter Ducker published a book in 1954 entitled “Practiced Management” where MBO which stands for Management by Objectives, was introduced.  This program consists of simple but very useful processes in order to meet commitments in an organization.  But don’t worry, this is applicable to personal plans as well. Begin at the very beginning at the smallest, specific part.

MBO consists of 5 steps:

1. Must be SPECIFIC.  It is better to accomplish one goal at a time rather than thinking of several different plans at one time.  A single objective can’t be achieved if  there are several results expected.  What’s important is that you need to clarify what is to be achieved and that should have your full attention until it is accomplished. This must be taken as seriously as possible.

2. Must be MEASURABLE.  Things that are not tangible are hard to measure. Other things  are measurable because they include numbers or ratings.  For example, in a company with service crews, it is hard to measure how the service was delivered. But if the number of complaints is counted then that specific number can be used to rate the effectiveness of the service. In an office, the number of tasks or assignments that were accomplished can be used as a basis for the measurement. 

Cooperation, is a very vague concept but it can be measured by getting a subordinate and peer survey.  The speed that assistance was provided to a certain individual is enough to provide information on how situations can be measured.  Try to use concrete terms when making an objective statement.  It should be something clear and specific:  to write, to recite, to perform, to fix, to process, to designate, to purchase, to choose, to reprogram, etc.

3. Must be ATTAINABLE.  Resources available give information on how an objective can be attained.  It must be something that is derived from fact and very realistic.  It could be that a certain objective is indeed realistic but the time frame for the result may not be. It is better to set objectives that can be factual because this promotes motivation. An objective taken from belief may cause failure and discouragement.

4. Must be RESULTS-ORIENTED.  The objective should be stated clearly so the expectation is firm. Focus on the end result since this will be the guide whether or not the objective to reach the goal is effective and meaningful.  Is the objective going to help you grow or succeed?  Will it be beneficial to each one involved?  Once the goal has been reached then that part of your plan  is a success.

5. Must be TIME BOUND.  There should be a limit to all the things needed to be accomplished.  This is important since the root of any plan can be traced.  It will also tell you the objective is real enough not to cause any delay.  There will also be more of a sense of fulfillment for you if the goal is attained earlier than the deadline.

To sum it all up, develop an objective that is easily measured, and can be attained within  a limited time. This will help you determine if the objective is realistic enough, meaningful, and worthwhile. A chart or journal can be kept to keep track of opportunities taken and strengths achieved along the way.  It will indicate to you the time that was consumed to develop your objective.  A successful completion of the objective will help motivate you to develop goals toward greater achievements.

In the case of your job search, how’s it going with the resume? Have you gotten it cleaned up and ready as we discussed the last time? A goal for you right now might be to send out a specific number of resumes this week. A second goal might be then to follow up on a certain number of those resumes next week. Can you see how this works and how it will give you the satisfaction that you are really working on that job search?

Blessings to you and good success in your search.

Dr. Kary