20) The Second Interview and the $300 Suit

How I Found A Job (10/20) The Second Interview and the $300 Suit I have one real suit. That is how I started the post about the first interview. My first interview was on a Monday morning. I got up early, got on the road for a 22 mile commute, and had a fun meeting with Rusty, the guy who would eventually hire me. He said hed get back with me to come in for second interviews on Wednesday and have me come in and interview with the COO and CMO on Thursday so I got to wait, and start wrapping up some loose ends (and finishing some JibberJobber projects). I wanted this job. It was made for me. But I knew I couldnt get too emotionally attached to this, like I did 12 years earlier. That didnt end well. The problem is, how do you move forward in a job search without getting emotionally attached? I think its impossible. You are making decisions that can have a dramatic impact on the rest of your life how can you not get excited and nervous and anxious and _____ about that? How can you not think about what kind of work you are going to do, and who you are going to work with, and what this might become in a few years? Impossible. So I tried to keep myself busy. Figure out how and what to transition to Liz (who has done wonderful over the last 2+ months), and my go-to: continue the job search. This is my advice to people who are interviewing and have a chance: keep doing the job search. When you have more in your pipeline you can feel more in control, have more power, and feel like you have the cookie. That puts you in a much better place, emotionally and for negotiation, than if you dont have other opportunities. So I tried to do that. But I was so mentally and emotionally distracted that it was hard to concentrate. Man, the job search is such an emotional journey!! I didnt hear from Rusty by Wednesday, and I thought I was supposed to interview that afternoon. Ugh does this mean they like someone else? Someone better than me?   I hated not knowing anything, but having to be cheerful and ready. Self-doubt is real, and its discouraging.   That morning I sent a hey, I have some ideas and questions, can we get on a call email and it went unanswered until about 4:45 that day. Rusty said their schedules are too tight, could I come in Monday? Sure, I said, of course. Ill come in anytime. Bright idea: why not get a new suit? I had already exhausted my other interview wardrobe (consisting of one suit) so I went down to the local suit store and got a suit. It has been almost 15 years since I had a new suit, so maybe it was time? I didnt have $300 bucks for a suit, but I did have $300 bucks to invest in a new job. And, now that the interview was moved to Monday, I had time to get the suit and have it altered. A few hours later I walked out of the suit shop a few hundred dollars poorer, but excited to have some new threads. I got home and opened my email Rusty emailed and said hey, can you come in tomorrow?! Uh YES, of course!   And I just had to laugh. My $300 suit would go unused for the interview because it wouldnt be ready by tomorrow. I go in and meet with the COO and then the CMO. We has super conversations, and I thought I did well. I followed up for a few minutes with Rusty, and before I knew it I was on the road, driving home. To wait. I love waiting. Which is okay because I love waiting. Actually, no, I dont love waiting. I am really bad at waiting. But, I need to get better. So I wait. And apply to a job or two, just to feel like Im stacking my pipeline. I hate waiting. How I Found A Job (10/20) The Second Interview and the $300 Suit I have one real suit. That is how I started the post about the first interview. My first interview was on a Monday morning. I got up early, got on the road for a 22 mile commute, and had a fun meeting with Rusty, the guy who would eventually hire me. He said hed get back with me to come in for second interviews on Wednesday and have me come in and interview with the COO and CMO on Thursday so I got to wait, and start wrapping up some loose ends (and finishing some JibberJobber projects). I wanted this job. It was made for me. But I knew I couldnt get too emotionally attached to this, like I did 12 years earlier. That didnt end well. The problem is, how do you move forward in a job search without getting emotionally attached? I think its impossible. You are making decisions that can have a dramatic impact on the rest of your life how can you not get excited and nervous and anxious and _____ about that? How can you not think about what kind of work you are going to do, and who you are going to work with, and what this might become in a few years? Impossible. So I tried to keep myself busy. Figure out how and what to transition to Liz (who has done wonderful over the last 2+ months), and my go-to: continue the job search. This is my advice to people who are interviewing and have a chance: keep doing the job search. When you have more in your pipeline you can feel more in control, have more power, and feel like you have the cookie. That puts you in a much better place, emotionally and for negotiation, than if you dont have other opportunities. So I tried to do that. But I was so mentally and emotionally distracted that it was hard to concentrate. Man, the job search is such an emotional journey!! I didnt hear from Rusty by Wednesday, and I thought I was supposed to interview that afternoon. Ugh does this mean they like someone else? Someone better than me?   I hated not knowing anything, but having to be cheerful and ready. Self-doubt is real, and its discouraging.   That morning I sent a hey, I have some ideas and questions, can we get on a call email and it went unanswered until about 4:45 that day. Rusty said their schedules are too tight, could I come in Monday? Sure, I said, of course. Ill come in anytime. Bright idea: why not get a new suit? I had already exhausted my other interview wardrobe (consisting of one suit) so I went down to the local suit store and got a suit. It has been almost 15 years since I had a new suit, so maybe it was time? I didnt have $300 bucks for a suit, but I did have $300 bucks to invest in a new job. And, now that the interview was moved to Monday, I had time to get the suit and have it altered. A few hours later I walked out of the suit shop a few hundred dollars poorer, but excited to have some new threads. I got home and opened my email Rusty emailed and said hey, can you come in tomorrow?! Uh YES, of course!   And I just had to laugh. My $300 suit would go unused for the interview because it wouldnt be ready by tomorrow. I go in and meet with the COO and then the CMO. We has super conversations, and I thought I did well. I followed up for a few minutes with Rusty, and before I knew it I was on the road, driving home. To wait. I love waiting. Which is okay because I love waiting. Actually, no, I dont love waiting. I am really bad at waiting. But, I need to get better. So I wait. And apply to a job or two, just to feel like Im stacking my pipeline. I hate waiting.

Writing Paragraphs in a Resume

Writing Paragraphs in a ResumeWriting paragraphs in a resume is difficult enough when the person applying is not trying to hide something. If you are doing this then you should be ashamed of yourself. This is a very important document that you will be handing over to someone who will have some kind of influence on whether or not you get a job.You should consider the types of the paragraph that you write. You should be able to express yourself clearly and directly. When you find yourself trying to ramble then it's probably best that you either keep your eyes closed or put another person to write the paragraph for you.The first paragraph is often the hardest to write. Your first paragraph must be clear and direct, so that people will know what they should expect from you. A personal introduction is a good place to start. A personal introduction is where you tell them about who you are and what you have done.The second paragraph should be your opening statement. This is where you should give a short introduction. You should be able to tell them about your educational background and any professional experience you have. Remember that the main purpose of the resume is to get the person reading it to determine if you are right for the job.In the third paragraph you should state how many years you have been working. Be sure to state how long you have been with the company. Remember that a six month break can change the company you are working for if it involves training or other areas of responsibility. Also be sure to state how many positions you have held.The fourth paragraph is your closing statement. It should be clear and concise. You should state why you are the right person for the job. However, you should also be able to tell them how much experience you have, which is important because this will help you get hired faster.The final paragraph is where you get down to the real work. You want to be able to describe your skills. You should be able to list the stre ngths you have and the things that you have learned and passed on to others. You should also be able to provide some kind of reference.People are very careful when reading resumes. That is why they are so careful when picking the one that will be sent to them. As you can see the first paragraph of your resume is the most important.

Do You Understand What Kind of Support YOU Need

Do You Understand What Kind of Support YOU Need By,  Joanna Lindenbaum Take a minute and write down your top three fears, doubts, and concerns. Once you have them written down, you may notice that outside help could really assist you in overcoming each and every one of those fears, right? The trick lies in not just asking for help but delegating responsibility within your 3-tier support system. Delegating is such an important tool because the more successful you become â€" and want to be â€" the more responsibility there is. Fortune 500 companies aren’t run by one person and YOU are not supposed to do it all on your own. A great leader knows that to accomplish their goals, you need to enlist others to help you out. By asking for support on your projects, soul-centered goals, and in your life, you don’t just achieve your goals, you achieve them more quickly and easily â€" while avoiding exhaustion and being overwhelmed. Sounds pretty simple, right? It is and here’s the added bonus: when you enlist others to help you out, you are empowering those support individuals by putting responsibility and power in their hands. There are three different types of support that you need: support on basic tasks; creative and intellectual support; and emotional and spiritual support. They may sound basic but it’s important that you understand the 3-Tierd Soulful Support System. Tier 1: Basic Task Support The first tier includes those people you can delegate tedious, everyday tasks to. In a sense, it may seem like you’ve asked for support from someone who’s a personal assistant but these tasks are the one that annoy you, distract you, or take up too much of your precious time. Examples of basic tasks to delegate are: cleaning your home, scheduling your clients, doing your accounting, doing the laundry, writing press releases and sending them out, doing research on just about anything, sending invoices, setting up your newsletter, etc. While you don’t need a ton of people in this tier, you do need some. Take a moment and make a list of all of your everyday tasks. Then make a list of people who could potentially fill those roles. Fulfilling this tier is as simple as making the calls needed to get the help you need- trust me, you will feel a huge weight off your shoulders! Tier 2: Intellectual/Creative Support In the second tier, you need people to brainstorm or provide you with new ideas or resources. These are your colleagues, mentors, Board of Directors, coaches, and teachers. Coming up with fresh ideas or solutions to issues on your own in your career, business, creative work, relationship issue, or personal project can add up to be a huge task and there are always wonderful opportunities to learn, move forward, problem solve and create. It’s important to have people around that you feel are creative and smart to bounce ideas off of. Make another list but place people you respect and believe could help you with the intellectual and creative parts of your project. These are people who you’ll enjoy receiving their wisdom, plus they might be flattered at having been chosen to share them with you! Tier 3: Emotional and Spiritual Support The third tier is often the most overlooked group, but they are the true backbone to your success and your sense of connection and joy in the world. We each need our own group of cheerleaders and supporters and these are people we know will hold us up, keep us going, and believe in us â€" especially when we don’t believe in ourselves. Those moments do happen and you need people like husbands, wives, sisters, parents, childhood friends, clergy members, coaches, and therapists to cheer you on and support you. Now, write down your top two to five people that can (or already do) support you. Then remember that one person can’t do it all alone, those people on your list could be helping you with a different area of emotional support. When you have these three areas of support in your life and dream project covered, you are setting yourself up for maximum success!

The 5 Steps To Being The Best At What You Do

The 5 Steps To Being The Best At What You Do When you picture your most successful friend, career-wise, what do you see? What characteristics do they posses? They are most likely dependable, driven, focused, boast a proven track record of achievement, have a defined list of attainable goals set, and are also excellent communicators. What separates the cream from the rest of the crop isnt a magical combination of good genes and better than average luck. What makes people successful, and how they come to be known as the best at what they do, is simple: 1. Follow through. This may seem easy, but many fail to develop the ability to actually do what they say they are going to do. Actually be the person to do it and follow through every single time.  If you say that you will get back to someone by the end of the day, do it. If you say that youll complete a project by the end of the week, do it. Make an effort to be dependable and do this by finishing every task and goal by the deadline you set for yourself. 2. Be the problem solver. One of the quickest ways to earn more responsibility is to help others. Who cares if it isnt your job? Solving issues, no matter what or whose they are, will increase your efficiency and help you to become adept at prioritizing. When you become the go-to-girl, unforeseen doors are guaranteed to open. You will become known as a leader and as someone that people can turn to in a crisis. Known dependability is an essential to your career success. 3. Think like a warrior. https://www.pexels.com/photo/adolescent-adult-boxer-boxing-gloves-337548/ Always be tough and try your best not to take things personally. When experiencing conflict at work, focus your energy on rising above and carring yourself with grace. Go in every day with the attitude that you are capable and competent. Stay calm in stressful situations and hone your skills on responding rather than reacting. When you react to something, you do it from a place that conveys defensiveness. When you respond, you come from a place of calm and thought-out decision. To read more about responding vs. reacting, take a look at this. 4. Be kind. Do your best to embody the well-known saying do all things with kindness. No matter the situation, there is never a justification to be unkind or malicious. Make sure your behavior is in line with the reputation you would like to hold. It isnt possible to be liked by every person we work but it is possible to lead with with kindness and compassion. Set an example in your office and be the one that is slow to anger and is always radiating positivity. 5. Know your job. The better you understand your own role the better you will become. The way to be the best is to know as much about something as you possibly can. In addition to understanding your own role make an effort to understand the other departments at your company. The better you know your own job function, expectations, and limitations, the more adept you will become at recognizing opportunities and climbing the ranks. This article lists 15 Quick Tips for Excelling at Work and is great food for thought. Check it out! Now go out and be the best at what you do. Share your own tips on career success with us @mscareergirl or @sncueto!

The Benefits of Using a Star Pattern Writing Resume

The Benefits of Using a Star Pattern Writing ResumeStar pattern writing resume can be quite confusing to people who do not know what this is. This is actually one of the most common resume formats and can be quite difficult to work with as well. There are many benefits that one can get from this format. This article will discuss the benefits of using this particular format for your resume.Star pattern is a shorter version of a regular resume. The star is used in this particular format for a reason. When you are trying to convey to the reader a certain message, it is necessary to do this in a short manner. Short sentences are best when conveying messages through writing.There are a lot of benefits that one can get from conveying basic resume information in a star format. For example, there is no need to write everything that is required in a standard format. The needs of the job can be written in a star format, while the job responsibilities can be written down in the normal format. T his means that you are able to put all the important details and information about the job in a very short manner.In fact, in the case of a star pattern, the number of lines could be less. This is good because it means that you can put only those points that are of great importance. You will also be able to put more information and details about the various jobs that you have done in the resume.When you are using the star pattern for a resume, it is necessary to read the guidelines that are related to it. It is best to use this format for a very short duration. The longer that you are using it for, the better it will be.When you are looking for a writing service, you will also be able to get a lot of benefits by using this resume format. The idea of a star pattern for a resume can be quite interesting to the readers as well. If you are to do this yourself, you will be able to convey the same message and information in a very short manner.Another benefit that you can get by using a s tar pattern for a resume is that the same message can be conveyed to different people in a different way. It is very important that the message that you want to pass on to the readers is not very complicated. Instead, you should be very straightforward and simple in presenting the message.Remember that there are a lot of other ways to express the same message in a resume. The star pattern format is just one of the many options that you can choose from. However, you can opt for this format if you think that it is best for you. However, it is important that you are clear about the information that you are going to convey.

How to dress for success at work - Sterling Career Concepts

How to dress for success at work How to dress for success at work What to wear is a topic that often comes up with my coaching clients for both going on interviews and starting a new position. Depending on the office environment, it can be confusing to know how to best mesh what  to wear to a job interview or the first day to make a strong first impression. For job interviews, its best to stay conservative in your dress, but once youve accepted a position, you may be unsure of what to wear if the environment is different from that of your last employer. As more companies turn business casual, this becomes a more common concern. Add in the size of the company and youre left with even more options and confusion. Business professional, business casual, small business casual its too much to decipher. Yet, developing the right professional image at work is both relevant and important for success, and how you are dressed plays a key role in that image.  The infographic below from T.M. Lewin  does a great job of demystifying the what to wear question.

Does Your Business Need to Recruit a Health Safety Specialist

Does Your Business Need to Recruit a Health Safety Specialist 0 Flares 0 Flares The health and safety of a companys employees is one of the most important issues facing modern businesses, from a financial as well as wellbeing standpoint. With this in mind, as a small business owner or operations manager of a larger company you may well have considered whether or not to recruit a full time health and safety specialist to your team but is it worth it? The experts at Tranter Cleere Solicitors take you through it. Taking due diligence Due diligence when it comes to health and safety (demonstrating that you have done as much as you can to avoid accidents involving your employees) is a key part of the argument should a member of your staff ever become involved in an accident at work. Keeping an accident book which is updated with all accidents that take place, providing regular and adequate training, and putting in place effective signage and processes are all parts of the puzzle and so is employing a dedicated health and safety operative. Ensure Adequate HS Management With so many considerations regarding your companys health and safety it could be too much for someone to handle who wasnt dedicated to it 100% of the time. My hiring a health safety manager you can ensure that training, processes and reporting are all dealt with, and that you have one point of contact for all HS issues and questions. Whats the Nature of Your Business? Of course how much you need a dedicated health and safety officer will depend largely on the nature of your business. In a factory and warehouse environment wed say that it was absolutely essential, however even in a small office of just a handful of employees accidents can still happen and it is vital that should they occur you are properly prepared. Regardless of what industry your company operates in, there are certain legal obligations you face as an employer, and the best way to understand and cater for these is to employ a health and safety specialist. Unsure of what to do? The best course of action for a UK-based business who is not sure of their legal obligations is to get in touch with the Health Safety Executive. They can provide free and impartial advice on everything to do with health and safety in the workplace, either in low-risk businesses or for high risk industries. What steps does your business or employer take when it comes to health and safety? Let us know in the comments section below. This guest blog was written by John Rooney on behalf of Tranter Cleere Solicitors, a UK-based accident at work specialist firm with over 25 years of experience.