Jun
02

4 Tips for Getting Support & Finding Resources

Cindy Key Action Tips, Job Search Add your comment
four

We all need help from time to time.  Here are four tips for getting the support you need and finding the necessary resources to assist you:

Prioritize your needs and act early.

When it is avoidable, don’t wait until you are in crisis.  Write down your needs and decide what action you will take today to find support with your top need.

Be very specific in your ask and be willing to share requested information.

When you are vague or reluctant to provide requested details you may be misdirected.  You may also miss out on support or information.  People are smart and, given specific information, it is easier for them to ask different questions to help you.

Understand your emotions and deal with them first, when possible.

You own your emotions.  Others don’t have the power to control or create your emotions — unless you give them permission to do so.  Remember your emotions may trigger emotions for others.  You can’t control their choice or reaction, however you can choose yours.

Receive what is offered, be grateful and willing to ask, “Do you know someone else who might be able to help?”

Be open to receiving what is offered.  Be grateful in the moment.  Say “thank you” aloud — even when the support is not what you hoped for or wanted.  Follow up and ask who else might be able to help.

Allow the conversation to flow.  We all need help and support from time to time.  Connection, community and caring are often easier to find than you think.

Specific communication and action are key elements to getting support and finding resources.  When you need support to overcome obstacles and solve problems that may be blocking or slowing your flow to success, pause, prioritize and pose the specific request.  Then identify the role your emotions play and receive with gratitude what others can and will share with you.

Here’s to your accelerated success.  Have an amazing day!

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May
12

Tackle Your Fears & Network Effectively

Cindy Key Job Search, Mindset, Networking 5 comments

Networking Cindy KeyDo you dislike networking?  Why is that?

Do you lack skill in this area or is something else holding you back?

Do you want to be a more effective networker?

Often professionals considering a career move or seeking a new position ask how important networking is to success.  My reply?  “Networking is critical to your career.”

When I inquire as to why they are asking, their answers vary.  Here are the most common replies from my clients:

“I am not a skilled networker.”

“Making small talk is not my thing, that’s why I don’t like to network.”

“Starting a one-on-one conversation is frightening.  I just can’t do it.”

“I find silence dreadful.”

“Networking seems like a waste of my time.”

“If networking is what it takes to get a promotion, I am worried about being promoted.”

Do any of these sound like you?

Professionals need networking skills.  At work, and in the world, you need to be able to effectively connect, engage and communicate with different people in various settings.  One of the best ways to develop networking skills is repeated practice of solid techniques.

Though, for many of my clients the challenge of effective networking is not totally about skill.  The actual issues can range from less than effective venues to support their goals to the type of networking they have selected to poor networking techniques.  Any of these issues can result in time invested with limited results leaving your feeling like networking is just a waste of your time.

For other clients, the challenges revolve around fears or beliefs about networking.  The big fears that show up for my clients are:

  • Fear of starting a conversation
  • Fear of not knowing what to say
  • Fear of saying the wrong thing
  • Fear of trying something outside of your comfort zone

Here is a quick assignment to help you see what you need to tackle first.  Jot down your answers to the following questions:

  • What do you dislike about networking?
  • What do you believe about networking?
  • Do you want to improve your networking skills and/or networking venues?
  • Are you happy and content with your current level of networking success?

Now that you have noted your answers, you will know what to tackle first.  Your answers will also help you determine if skill, fear or some combination is your biggest challenge.

Your next step is simple.  Decide what, if anything, you want to change.  Is this an area worth tackling?  You can start today and be networking more effectively by the end of the week.  You can discover more about tackling your challenges <here>.

Do you have a question or comment?  Post it below or give me a call.  I am happy answer your questions.

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Mar
31

Do what you love …

Cindy Key Career Management, Job Search Focus, Mindset Add your comment

“Do what you love.  Lead with vision and passion; use your strengths and offer unique value, the market will notice and reward you.” ~ Cindy Key

love jobTomorrow is April 1st – April Fool’s day!  And, at least in the Western world, a day of light-hearted fun and for me a sure sign Spring is near.  The days are growing longer and that means more time to be outside.

I will enjoy the day, the FUN it brings and even being called a “fool” if I fall for some of the day’s pranks.  I have been called a fool more than once, including for the quote above and my career advice of “Do what you love and money follows.”  If I am a fool for helping others find work they enjoy and serving the world with my gifts, then the title of “fool” is fine with me.

The lightness of April 1st reminds us life is a trade-off.  You don’t get what you deserve.  In life and in business, you get what you engage in, work for and ask for.

You get paid for doing what you love because you are willing to do what it takes to succeed — whether you love every aspect of your job or not.

When you do what you love and you enjoy your job, you are likely to use your talents to be the best you can be.  You don’t mind the trade-offs and will adjust to such items as part of the deal.  For example, if you don’t love living in the big city where the wages are higher, you may decide that living in a small town and driving further to work is worth it.  The commute is your trade-off.

Trade-offs in work and life come in many forms.

For years, I was willing to work the graveyard shift to gain different experience, earn more money, do work I enjoyed, and have my days free.  Working the night shift was my trade-off to achieve my goals.

May you be so blessed by doing what you love that all the trade-offs will feel very inconsequential.

In case you feel fooled, it works this way too:  “Love the work you’re doing and opportunities will follow.”  If you find yourself in a work situation that has changed and you no longer love it as you once did, find something new to love and be grateful for your new understanding.  Open yourself up to the possibilities around you and the world will notice and reward you with other opportunities to do the work you love.

Do you have a question about your job search?  Post your question or comment below or look to the right and sign up for the next Q & A session.

Have an amazing April Fool’s Day!

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Feb
10

What holds you back?

Cindy Key Action Tips, Job Search Focus, Resources 12 comments

big-leap-150A few weeks ago, Nancy Tierney, a super gal and owner of Firecracker Communications, posted the article  “Do You Have An Upper Limit Problem?“.  Nancy’s post is a must read.

Here is why:

  1.  She shares the definition of the “Upper Limit Problem” as explained in the introduction of Gay Hendricks book, The Big Leap.
  2.  She opens the conversation as to what holds so many of us back.

Job seekers, those seeking promotion and entrepreneurs/managers trying to grow a business, so often “put the brakes on” success.  If you are ready to move forward and accelerate your search in 2015, then it is time to understand and reframe how you hold yourself back.

I hope you will read Nancy’s post and Gay Hendricks’ book.  Both are good and offer insight for the months ahead.  Then, I hope you will pause and ask yourself these questions:

  1. What did I do last week to hold myself back?
  2. What one thing would I like to change, or reframe, this week to land the job I want?

Think about it.  What limitations did you set for yourself today or this week?

Was it?

  • You worked all day and you’re too tired to take one positive action to accelerate your search.
  • Your family/kids/boss needed something, so you allowed that need to set the bar for how successful you can be today.
  • You believe you are too shy, not enough or not worthy of a conversation.  Or, you are too busy looking for job postings to make one positive personal connection or contact today.

Is your internal thermostat set to low?

Is it you that is holding you back?

Do you have an “Upper Limit Problem?”

Have a comment or thought?  Post it below.

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Dec
30

Drop the “Stuff” to Land a Job in 2015

Cindy Key Job Search Focus, Mindset 4 comments
networkingIt’s time to drop the “stuff.”  It’s time to get real, get personal and talk to people.

As you look forward to 2015, no doubt you are assessing what’s ahead, planning how to be more effective and determining what you need to do to land your next position.  And, all that is great . . . however, you also need to drop the “stuff.”  You know the stuff — the time wasters, the excuses and the mask (all those sophisticated ways you are hoping will influence people and help you land a job).

What is the one of the biggest time wasters?  Surfing the web and job boards.  Get started by cutting the time you spend surfing by 50%.

Excuses?  The most common ones include:  a bad economy, your age, or your last salary.  Drop them.  Whatever time you are spending discussing, thinking or worrying about these matters cut the time by 75%.  By doing so, you now have more time to (authentically) talk to people.

Drop your mask and get real with yourself.  Identify your unique value, name it and embrace it.  Then, share your unique value all the time, in all modes of communication.

Next, go where people are gathered and share your value.  Make it your goal to have short focused personal conversations with 200% more people than you did last year.

Searching for a new job can take a long time — sometimes up to two or three years — and many people get frustrated by the length of time it takes.  If you want to avoid this frustration or can’t afford to draw out your search for years you need to –you guessed it — drop the “stuff!”

One of the fastest ways to accelerate your search is to talk to more people.

Bottom line, it takes between 150 and 160 conversations about what you do and your value to land an interview.  If you are only talking to 5 people a week, it will take you 30 weeks to talk to enough people to land an interview.

If you talked to 50 people this week and shared your value and what you do with only 5 people, you missed 45 opportunities.  On the bright side, if you confidently shared your value with all 50 people you shorten the time to land an interview from 30 weeks to 3 weeks.

Want to accelerate your search?  Talk to more people.

How many people will you talk to this week?  Will you drop the “stuff?”

Will you get personal and share your unique value and what you do?

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Nov
18

The Black Hole …

Cindy Key Job Search, Mindset 6 comments

black holeThe Black Hole . . . is it real?

Would you like to have a different experience?

What exactly is the “Black Hole?”  For many seeking a new position, it is described as the experience of responding to job posting in one manner or another and then . . . receiving no reply or acknowledgment.

Has this happened to you?

If so, you may be asking why.  Or you may be, like many, simply ranting about it to all who will listen.

If you want a different experience, here are few questions to ask yourself, followed by a little food for thought:

  • What was your expectation?  Why did you have that expectation?
  • What is your relationship with the company and/or person you contacted?
  • Was your initial connection relevant and compelling?
  • Did the receiving party agree to send you a response?

To lessen the chances you will experience the “Black Hole,” here are two possible options:

First, what are the realistic expectations of this person or organization?  Take some time to gather the answers to the following questions:

  • Who is the person or organization?
  • What is the culture or what are the habits of person handling your correspondence?
  • What connection have you made in advance of your reply to a posting/lead?

Second, use the information and understanding you gathered to evaluate your expectations.  Are your expectations aligned with what will likely be delivered?  What facts, thoughts or beliefs do you have that will help you determine if your expectation is realistic in this situation?

Third, note the feelings, emotions and thoughts that created your expectation.  Do these align with the data you gathered in the first or second step above?  Or, are you simply projecting the way you do things onto another?  Example:  do you reply to every email, voicemail or piece of mail you receive and therefore believe all others should manage their business the same way?

What is your experience with the “Black Hole?”  Will you have a different experience in the future?

Please share your thoughts and comments on ways to avoid the “Black Hole” below.

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Oct
14

Does your résumé really need to be current and specific?

Cindy Key Job Search Focus, Resume 8 comments

doorsDuring a recent workshop an attendee stood up and stated that if employers want a specific and up-to-date resume they should, “just get over it.”  Why?  She argued no one has time to be specific or keep things current these days.

Are there situations where your resume does not need to be current and specific?  Sure.  There are times when your skills are in high demand or your work is very well known and your resume is just a formality.

However, the bottom line in all communication is you need to address the wants/desires/needs of your audience.  If your communication tool [a résumé is a communication tool] falls short of connecting with your audience it is ineffective.

Maybe the better question is does your résumé effectively open a door and/or a conversation with someone you want or need to talk with?

If your résumé is working for you – then don’t worry about it. On the other hand if your résumé is not achieving the results you want, take a look at it with a critical eye.

Review your résumé.  If you are not sure it is doing the job you want it to do have someone else review it and offer feedback.

Do you have questions or concerns about your résumé?  Then feel free to contact me.

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Oct
07

Are you wishing your phone would ring?

Cindy Key Action Tips, Job Search Focus 3 comments
phone

Tired of waiting for potential employers to call you?

Would you love to have a hiring manager call and say, “Could we set a time to talk and would you bring your resume with you?”

Yes?  Then it is time to create — and use — an approach letter.

An approach letter is a secret tool I have shared with clients for years.  You can use it to generate interviews and meetings.

OK, so you want the phone to ring and you’ve agreed to write the letter.  There’s just one problem.  You don’t know what to say.

You want to stand out, grab interest and clearly communicate the value you offer, but you know you can’t go on and on.

Your goal is to have the hiring manager read your letter and say aloud, “WOW, this person sounds incredible, I must talk to him!”

Writing a letter that generates that out loud reply is easier than you think.  Here are the five elements to include:

1.  Clarity.  Your letter should clearly communicate your value, purpose for the contact and the BIG benefits you offer.

2.  Specificity.  Use numbers and other specifics to communicate the scope of your value.

3.  Promise.   Your letter needs to communicate your promise of value.  Developing your personal branding helps you clearly state your big pay-off to a potential hiring manager.

4.  Relevancy.  You need to reveal why you, and what you bring to the table, is relevant to the potential hiring manager’s current need or situation.

5.  Intrigue.  Work to provoke curiosity or an urgent need to know more.

ANY time you clearly state a super specific solution, you will radically bump up your ‘”attractor-factor.”  That is the special sauce.  It is what will get a busy hiring manager to say, “WOW, I must talk to this person!”  In an instant you are not a vague unknown person in a stack of resumes.  You become relevant and offer hope that a solution is at hand.

Your assignment: Review your brand profile and these five elements.  Write the letter.  Edit it.  Proof read it.  Mail it.  Listen for the phone.

If you need some help developing a perfect approach letter or want to learn more about fine tuning your personal brand, contact me.

Unlock your potential, share your uniqueness and amazing results will occur!

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Apr
22

What do you hate most about searching for your next position?

Cindy Key Job Search Focus, Personal Branding 7 comments
  • No reply
  • Rejection
  • Nagging from your family
  • Talking about yourself
  • Networking
  • Worrying about what people think
  • Worrying about never finding another job

These are among the most common replies I hear when I ask the question above.  What is your answer?   I do hope you will post it below.

Different people “hate” different things.  For example, if you are someone who hates talking about yourself, personal branding may feel like trying to sink a hole-in-one during every round of golf.

cindy 422Branding is about communicating points of difference and what makes a product or service unique.  It is about creating a connection that helps the target audience feel an emotional or analytical response instantly.

Would you love to connect with future employers and other professionals instantly?

Would you enjoy having recruiters, hiring managers and others call you directly?

If you don’t like to chase down leads and would rather have recruiters call you -or- you are not clear on how to grab the attention of hiring managers, then embarking on the work required to unlock and leverage your personal brand may be for you.

Let me offer you fair warning — personal branding is not a quick fix.  It is not one-and-done.  It is not a cute logo, a new catchy tagline or a few quick updates to your resume.

Personal branding is also not for those who don’t want to do some work.  Real work.

Unlocking your personal brand allows you to create an amazing and sustainable career.  You have a brand, everyone does.  Putting it to work for you can change your life and your earnings potential.

Leveraging your personal brand is about awareness.  It is about understanding the value you offer.  It is also a discovery process that takes time to sort out exactly what to share (about your values, skills and experience) and how to best communicate those attributes.

Does your brand elicit cold and prickly or warm and fuzzy feelings?  Does your brand clearly demonstrate stability, professionalism and success?

When done right, personal branding opens doors and creates connections.  Leveraging your personal brand is not a fad, it is a professional competency.  As a leader ready for your next move, personal branding can be the key to accelerating your success and achieving your goals.

 

Do you have a question about personal branding?  Post it below or contact me.

 

Apr
08

What Are People Saying About You?

Cindy Key Interviewing, Job Search Add your comment

cindy 48Even before you interview for a job, you and others have influenced the opinion of the interviewer.  Do you know what others are saying about you?

The easiest place to start?  Google yourself.  Your online presence can be friend or foe.  It can open doors to amazing opportunities -or- it can slam doors shut, sometimes forever.  Things like your endorsements, number of contacts, recommendations and your photo on LinkedIn allow people to “get to know you” before you even meet.

If you are contemplating a change, do yourself a favor.  Before you spray your resume worldwide, stop and take a careful look around.  Gather a little data from your peers, co-workers, bosses (past and present), friends and family.  Understand what people are saying about you.  If you are a little fearful to do so, my bet is you will be pleasantly surprised at what you hear.

Then take a hard look at your talents, skills and experience.  Decide how you want to use and share what makes you valuable to an employer.  Ask yourself where you want to be in a year, three years and five years.

Now (and not before), update your resume.

By doing these simple activities — before you jump into the job market — you will accelerate your search and move forward faster.  Even though the press is highlighting the gloom and doom, there are many opportunities for you to do what you love and the land the job you want at the salary you deserve.

It is easier and faster than you think to land the job you want when you understand who you are and what others are saying about you.

Do you need interview assistance to speed up your career transition?  Post a question or contact me.

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