, , ,

Gratitude – Book Excerpt

(Click HERE for my post about World Gratitude Day.)

“Let us rise up and be thankful, for if we didn’t learn a lot today, at least learned a little, and if we didn’t learn a little, at least we didn’t get sick, and if we got sick, at least we didn’t die; so, let us all be thankful.” ~ Buddha

You may wonder, “How can I be thinking about gratitude when I’m in a cloud of career confusion or buried in rejections?” Gratitude is a coping tool during dark times, helping shift perspective. When we focus on lack, it creates negative energy that can paralyze our actions and repel people who may be able to help us.

Each day look for positive things: a beautiful sunset, a favorite food, an email from a friend, or a special moment with your child or pet. Maybe there are elements about your search process you can be grateful for, such as an email reply, a job prospect, or a networking meeting, even if only five minutes of it was helpful. Perhaps there is even something to be grateful for in the midst of the search itself, whether getting to spend more time with family due to a job loss or recognizing your courage to explore a new direction.

Consider starting a gratitude journal and writing down five short bullets about what you are grateful for each night before you go to bed. If you’re stuck, then write down that you have a bed to sleep in or a roof over your head. Think of one thing you are grateful for before getting out of bed, and that can change the course of your day.

Each day I notice things and people for whom I am grateful.

Copyright 2021, Karen Litzinger, Help Wanted: An A to Z Guide to Cope with the Ups and Downs of the Job Search. Permission is granted to share for non-commercial purposes with this entire notation, https://KarensCareerCoaching.com/help-wanted

For 10 complimentary excerpts of the book arriving daily: https://KarensCareerCoaching.com/help-wanted-free-excerpts

You can order the book through either link above.

/by
, , , ,

Three Career Lenses: Applying Emotional Intelligence Throughout Career Planning

I was honored to be invited to write the Focus article on emotional intelligence for the National Career Development Association Quarterly, Summer 2024 issue. Although the audience is career professionals, the material and exercises are relevant to anyone. With addressing career-decision-making, job search, and career management, the information is applicable for a lifetime. The article is four pages, so I highly recommend clicking the PDF folder below, to make it an enjoyable read because of the amazing graphics. In case you can’t access it, the text version is below too.

The article, Three Career Lenses: Applying Emotional Intelligence Throughout Career Planning, by Karen Litzinger, originally appeared in NCDA’s magazine, Career Developments, at www.ncda.org. Copyright August 2024. Reprinted with permission.

Litzinger-Emotional-Intelligence-NCDA-Article-Summer-2024Download

Three Career Lenses: Applying Emotional Intelligence Throughout Career Planning

By Karen Litzinger

We all likely know someone intellectually bright who struggles with career success and satisfaction. Others may not have the same grades or credentials yet seem to flourish. The secret sauce in a happy recipe for life and work may be high emotional intelligence.

Daniel Goleman’s ground-breaking work in his book, Emotional Intelligence: Why It Can Matter More Than IQ remains a cornerstone in the field. Often referred to as EI or EQ, emotional intelligence is both understanding and managing one’s own emotions as well as recognizing and understanding others’ emotions. Goleman posits that EI may be even more important than cognitive intelligence (IQ) in predicting positive life outcomes.

The Five Key Components of Emotional Intelligence (Goleman, 1995):

  1. Self-Awareness – Recognizing and understanding one’s own emotions, including the impact on thoughts and behaviors.
  2. Self-Regulation – Managing and controlling one’s emotions, impulses, and behavior in different situations.
  3. Motivation – Focusing/directing emotions to achieve goals, persisting when encountering challenges, and maintaining a positive outlook.
  4. Empathy – Understanding the feelings and perspectives of others to enhance interpersonal relationships.
  5. Social Skills – Managing relationships effectively, including clear communication, effective teamwork, and conflict resolution.

We often think of EQ as related to dealing with “office politics” or career management. Yet EQ plays a role in how a student makes and pursues education and career choices. How a job seeker deals with the emotions of job loss or application rejection could determine self-sabotage or success.

This article looks at Goleman’s (1996) five components of emotional intelligence through three lenses: Career Decision-Making, Job Searching, and Career Management. Action strategies to enhance our efforts as counselors and coaches are offered for each of the five components. The framework can be used to identify possibilities for a holistic approach.

Career Decision-Making

  • Self-awareness: Help constituents explore interests, skills, values, and personality in career choice and understand decision-making styles. Explore the impact of career beliefs, family and societal pressures, and emotional and physical challenges. Ask about body sensations which can lead to identifying emotions and preferences.
  • Self-regulation: Encourage well-informed decisions rather than impulsive choices that might be rooted in the emotional urgency to decide or based on narrow perspectives, such as the latest “hot” careers. Engage in career conversations with loved ones that are calm and rooted in information rather than excessive emotion or argumentation.
  • Motivation: Listen to what is presented and offer tailored help to give hope. Present concepts and activities in manageable chunks so as not to overwhelm. Share that many career and educational paths are good choices, and there is no one “right” decision. Give positive feedback when career exercises are completed. Review progress and where the process is heading to show the big picture. 
  • Empathy: Guide constituents to see that their loved ones’ ideas or pressures may be rooted in concern about well-being or financial security.  Recognizing that we all have different values at different stages can help a person see things from others’ perspectives. When not hearing back from a contact for an informational interview, provide a reminder about how much email everyone receives.
  • Social Skills: Role-play how to communicate about career decision-making with loved ones in ways that enlist support rather than conflict. Educate about informational interviews, including introducing oneself, identifying questions to ask, and having a thank you protocol.  Encourage patience in hearing back from requests in this age of quick turnaround expectations.

Job Searching

  • Self-awareness: Normalize negative emotions regarding loss or rejection and help clients understand the importance of processing. Share that the emotional roller coaster of emotions, including shaken confidence, is common. Take time at the beginning of meetings to ask how the person is doing rather than rushing to job search advising, as unexpressed emotions may block progress.
  • Self-regulation: Discuss how frustration may come across in networking or job interviews in terms of words, tone, and nonverbal behavior. Coach and role play about how to avoid talking negatively about a past employer or situation or doing so in a brief, positive, and productive manner. Provide resources for stress management, counseling, or therapist referrals based on scope of practice.
  • Motivation: Provide stories of hope to counter pessimism and inaction.  Encourage looking at others’ success as potential for their own rather than through a lens of envy. Remind clients that it only takes one offer to reach success. Share stories of famous people who were rejected many times before success, such as Walt Disney, Stephen Spielberg, and J.K Rowling.
  • Empathy: When not hearing back from networking contacts or recruiters, remind your clients that it could be because they are busy or experiencing their own challenges. If a job seeker is envious of another’s success, ask if they really know what efforts or challenges that person went through in obtaining it.
  • Social skills: Teach and role-play interviewing and networking skills. Communicate that small talk is part of relationship building at the beginning of interviews and in networking settings. Review job search correspondence, including thank you messages. Frame negotiations as requests rather than demands. Remind clients that hiring decisions are about how a candidate fits into a team as much as about job-related skills.

Career Management

  • Self-awareness: Help clients direct their career path based on self-awareness and preferences rather than being pulled into roles by employer needs. This may include being aware of strengths that are not interests.  Explore assessments and 360 feedback to learn of strengths and areas for growth.
  • Self-regulation: Share tips like pausing before speaking, waiting 30 minutes before sending a sensitive email, and asking a trusted individual to review emails. Encourage finding a therapist or counselor, or trusted friend to discuss work issues with rather than colleagues.
  • Motivation: If disengaged, raise questions about whether the field, industry, or employer is a good fit and whether exploration of options may be helpful. If one’s career is not progressing, encourage trying new angles rather than focusing energy on what didn’t work in the past. Remind the person to do one’s best despite burnout or while job searching so as to leave on good terms with positive references.
  • Empathy: Help clients understand that colleagues may not be supporting their ideas or speaking up on bullying actions due to their own fears. Raise awareness that a supervisor may be experiencing conflicts between supporting staff and meeting the demands of superiors. Model fostering respect for others’ points of view and ideas.
  • Social skills: Educate about the importance of relationship building along with completing work tasks and demonstrating competence. Offer to review emails and role-play difficult conversations. Encourage participation in social events of the organization and profession.

Name, Tame, and Reframe

Understanding the relationship between thoughts, emotions, and behaviors can be a tool for emotional intelligence in career planning, especially related to the components of self-awareness, self-regulation, and motivation. Cognitive psychology is rooted in how distorted thoughts can lead to distressing emotions and maladaptive behavior (Beck, 1961) and was the precursor to Cognitive Behavior Therapy (CBT). The process of reframing negative thinking can be used by career practitioners at all levels.

Cognitive behavior model illustration – An activity to encourage client emotional intelligence:

Thoughts → Emotions → Behaviors

Name – Ask what barriers, concerns, or negative thoughts are at hand. Share any that have been observed or discussed. Encourage writing down the negative self-talk sentence. Inquire about what feelings result from saying that statement and what behavior might result from that feeling. If the individual is drawing a blank, share a few ideas and ask if these fit or if other ideas come to mind. Inviting the person to write down and/or sketch out the resulting feeling and behavior with connecting arrows further illustrates the concept.

Tame – The precursor to the Cognitive Behavior Therapy model, Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy, suggested disputing irrational beliefs to replace them with more adaptive beliefs (Ellis, 1962). This questioning and providing alternative evidence can diffuse or “tame” negative emotions that result from the original unhelpful belief.

Reframe – Ask what would be a more helpful sentence or belief to say to oneself rather than the original statement – not a Pollyanna affirmation like, “I trust the right path will come to me,” but something that is believable and makes them feel a bit better. Give examples if needed. Invite writing down the new reframed statement. Ask about resulting feelings and likely behaviors, inviting recording the new results.

Alternatively Lead with Emotions: Another angle for reframing could be first identifying the distressing feelings and then the possible unhelpful thoughts that preceded or followed the emotions. With that information, reframing thoughts can lead to more helpful emotions and behavior outcomes.  

Career Decision-Making Example

Name: My parents (or partner) will never let me do this career. → fear → not exploring it/arguing.

Tame: How will you know unless you ask? What if I helped you find a way to explain how thought out your choice is and how to remain calm?

Reframe: Maybe I could explain it with a new angle and your help. → hope, willingness → strategizing, asking.

Job Searching Example

Name: No one is going to hire me because of my age (or my degree or my lack of experience, etc.). → depressed, anxious → procrastinating, giving up.

Tame: How will you know unless you try? Remember, it only takes one offer.  Maybe someone will see your age as an asset because of wisdom or dependability. What if you take a course that shows your willingness and ability to learn new things?

Reframe: Even though there may be age discrimination, I can emphasize the positive aspects of my wisdom, reliability and recent learning, and then remind myself that I just need one offer. → more hopeful → willing to take action of applying or taking relevant workshops.

Career Management Example:

Name: I’m never going to get a promotion even though I’m such a hard worker. → frustration, anger → complaining, outbursts.

Tame: Hard work doesn’t automatically translate to a promotion. Have you asked for advice or feedback from others at your organization?  Are there courses for hard or soft skills that might be helpful?  A job change to another employer might be the necessary path.

Reframe: I’ll seek more advice and try one or two new angles and then probably look for a job at another company. → calmer, accepting → planning and productive action.

Stress Management: Coping, Band-aid, or More?

The EQ component of self-regulation naturally ties to techniques for stress management. It is better to punch a pillow than yell at an employer, right? These techniques may just be helpful coping band-aids to career challenges if not accompanied by self-awareness, empathy, and social skills. Beyond coping, these strategies may positively impact emotions and behavior. 

Certain behaviors are known to release endorphins, often referred to as a “feel good hormone” and can come from these activities (Harvard Health Publishing, 2021):

  • Exercise: Walking fast or other aerobic activities are most helpful for endorphin release, but any level of movement may help with stress management.
  • Meditation: This technique of deep breathing and focusing one’s mind is the most researched, yet other breathing or mindfulness techniques can help with stress management.
  • Music: All forms are helpful, including listening, singing, dancing, or playing an instrument.
  • Laughter: A good belly laugh can reduce stress and could come from watching a comedy movie or viewing humorous video clips.
  • Ultraviolet light: A walk on a sunny day releases endorphins and doing so in nature may increase the enjoyment.

Individuals in all stages of career development can benefit from stress management help for emotional regulation. A career professional can take an active role in helping clients by sharing a resource link, suggesting a technique, conducting a workshop, providing counseling, or referring to a therapist based on your scope of practice.

Moving Forward

Building emotional intelligence doesn’t have to feel like an extra task, rather it can be integrated into existing career planning activities. High EQ helps create success in both career and life. Many career practitioners likely already use EQ strategies and don’t realize it. Now appreciate the impact and importance!

Author:

Karen Litzinger ([email protected]) is the author of the award-winning book, Help Wanted: An A to Z Guide to Coping with the Ups and Downs of the Job Search. Karen spent over a decade in college career services and the last twenty years in private practice through Litzinger Career Consulting based in Pittsburgh, PA. She is a Licensed Professional Counselor, Board Certified Counselor, and Certified Career Counselor. Karen achieved professional-level status through the National Speakers Association and presents programs nationally and through video. For additional information about Karen and her book: KarensCareerCoaching.com.    

                                                    

/by
, , ,

Resilience – Book Excerpt

“You may have to fight a battle more than 

once to win it.” 

Margaret Thatcher

You might sometimes wonder if you’re going to “bounce back” from your job loss, or perhaps you are struggling to regain your confidence from a dysfunctional work environment. 

Resilience is a process of being able to adapt and move forward in the face of adversity or trauma. One still feels the emotion and distress yet brings forth thoughts and actions to cope. 

Anyone can learn to develop resilience, though some may have more at hand based on circumstances and tendencies. A key strategy for resilience is creating a support system and accepting help, even simply a listening ear. Another angle is to focus on the situation as temporary, or even as an opportunity; you can’t change the reality, but you can shift how you interpret it. Brainstorm what you can do or say to help you feel a bit better. Take action rather than wishing that the pain will go away. 

Affirmation: I acknowledge the pain and do something positive to cope.  

Copyright 2021, Karen Litzinger, Help Wanted: An A to Z Guide to Cope with the Ups and Downs of the Job Search. Permission is granted to share for non-commercial purposes with this entire notation, https://KarensCareerCoaching.com/help-wanted

For 10 complimentary excerpts of the book arriving daily: https://KarensCareerCoaching.com/help-wanted-free-excerpts

You can order the book through either link above.

/by
, , , ,

Life and Career Advice from Mister Rogers

I cried when he died. And I love when I hear his words and have the opportunity to keep them alive.  This morning my national Transcendental Meditation teacher ended his morning meditation with words from Fred Rogers’ 2002 graduation speech at Dartmouth college where he was an alum.

His words are about life for us all to be inspired by, not just college students in this graduation season.  When I looked up the full text, I found not only the transcript and video from Dartmouth, but also a beautiful article about it on Payscale.com entitled Mister Rogers Speech is All the Career Advice You Need. Both articles were revisiting the memorable speech on the 50th anniversary of the Mister Rogers Neighborhood premiere. Links are at the end of the article.

And, of course, I’m proud that such a fine person is from my city of Pittsburgh.

Graduation speech excerpt from my meditation:

“When I say it’s you I like, I’m talking about the part of you that knows that life is far more than anything you can ever see, or hear, or touch. That deep part of you that allows you to stand for those things without which humankind cannot survive. Love that conquers hate. Peace that rises triumphant over war. And justice that proves more powerful than greed. So, in all that you do in all of your life, I wish you the strength and the grace to make those choices which will allow you and your neighbor to become the best of whoever you are.”

~ Excerpted from Fred Roger’s Commencement address to Dartmouth College in 2002

Whether you are a recent graduate or simply trying to find your way to career happiness and success, I also would be honored to help you on your path.

Links to more of his speech:

https://home.dartmouth.edu/news/2018/03/revisiting-fred-rogers-2002-commencement-address

https://www.payscale.com/career-advice/mister-rogers-speech-is-all-the-career-advice-you-need

/by
, , ,

Persistence – Book Excerpt

The following is an excerpt from my multi-award winning book, Help Wanted: An A to Z Guide to Cope with the Ups and Downs of the Job Search. For more information and to order: https://karenscareercoaching.com/help-wanted/ For 10 complimentary excerpts that you are free to share: https://karenscareercoaching.com/help-wanted-free-excerpts/

“Perseverance is failing 19 times and succeeding the 20th.”

Julie Andrews

It can be hard to keep going when you’ve submitted endless applications and had dozens of networking meetings, with no final success. Sometimes we do need to regroup and evaluate what we can do differently.

To get to that one offer, you may simply need to send out one more application or make one more call. Remind yourself that people do get jobs, even those with barriers to employment. Seek out people and stories that give you hope and energy to persist. Grit is a trait attributed to success.

Many inventors, writers, and dreamers were rejected or failed dozens or hundreds of times before getting their “yes.” Among them are Walt Disney, Steven Spielberg, Dr. Suess, and J.K. Rowling. You are in good company. Keep at it. Try a new angle. Look for a good fit. Employers are looking to fill jobs. It only takes one. Then help someone else.

Affirmation: I persist with grit and rise to the occasion.

C 2022, Pittsburgh, PA. Karen Litzinger. Permission granted to share with this complete notation. For information about Help Wanted: An A to Z Guide to Cope with the Ups and Downs of the Job Search and about Karen’s career coaching and speaking: www.KarensCareerCoaching.com

/by
, , ,

Joy Excerpt from Help Wanted Book

“Joy does not simply happen to us. We have to choose joy and keep choosing it every day.”

Henri Nouwen

It may be hard to find joy in the job search or even see joy on the horizon in a new job. Yet each day we have a choice about how to see our life. We can be consumed by the negativity of job search fear or frustration, or we can allow some space to notice a sunset or a child’s laughter. Brief moments of joy can be a respite from the work of finding work. Perhaps we can even stretch to find some joy by answering yes to a networking request or a nugget of wisdom someone shares.

We can, and sometimes must, create our own joy for the sake of our emotional health and for the well-being of those around us whose support we want and need. Experiencing moments of joy can also help a person to be a more desirable job candidate since employers may sense positivity.

So turn on a comedy, gaze at the clouds, listen to music, and hug a child.

Affirmation: I find moments of joy in my life and am grateful.

To order Help Wanted book: https://karenscareercoaching.com/help-wanted/

For 10 free excerpts: https://karenscareercoaching.com/help-wanted-free-excerpts/

/by
, ,

Meet the Authors Event

I’m so excited to be one of 17 authors featured at this special event hosted by Beth Caldwell of Pittsburgh Professional Women this coming Tuesday from 5:30-7:30 PM. Cara Sapida from WPXI will be sharing the story of her book and all the authors will be briefly interviewed by Jennifer DiLucia from Spill with Me Jenny D. And if you have a book in you waiting to get out, you’ll have a chance to connect with literary agent Lindsey Smith, with whom I personally worked. 

Delicious appetizers, lovely setting, fun networking, and, of course, browsing and shopping, perfectly timed for the holidays or simply a treat for yourself!

The cost is $25 for adults $15 for students ages 18-24 and children under 18 are free. It would be nice to connect with friends and colleagues!

For information about all authors and to register: https://pittsburghprofessionalwomen.com/event-5264765

For information and to order Help Wanted: An A to Z Guide to Cope with the Ups and Downs of the Job Search: https://karenscareercoaching.com/help-wanted/

For 10 free inspirational readings from the book: https://karenscareercoaching.com/help-wanted-free-excerpts/

/by
, , ,

A Gift of Daily Inspirational Readings to Share – Book Birthday Anniversary!

In celebration of my birthday today and the two-year anniversary of my book launch, I am giving away 10 brief, inspirational readings, one each day, delivered conveniently to your mailbox.  This is a gift that I invite you to share with others. The topics include Resilience, Gratitude, Kindness and more.  Many people have said that most of each reading deals with coping with the ups and downs of life, not just the job search.  So, feel free to share with anyone who could use some inspiration. Just click HERE for a super easy sign-up.  You will only get the readings and nothing else; you can rest assured the same if you gift the readings to someone else by entering their email.

If you would like a preview, click HERE for a couple sample readings (then scroll down).

The gift readings will be sent the day after initiating. I hope you will do so today, for yourself and a friend! This would be my best birthday present ever this year!

May this gift keep on giving!

/by
, , ,

Podcast Guest of Jeff Altman – Roller Coaster Job Search and Kindness

What fun being a guest on Jeff Altman’s podcast featuring my book, Help Wanted: An A to Z Guide to Cope with the Ups and Downs of the Job Search. Jeff is a highly accomplished career coach and founder of JobSearchTV.com on YouTube where you can find many great job search podcasts.  He’s known as The Big Game Hunter from his recruiting days seeking out top talent.

Please do check out Jeff’s great offerings!  I was so busy with my Virtual Job Club Tour in the fall that I missed the release of my podcast.  So even if you’ve heard me or know what my book is all about, please CLICK HERE to the video and maybe another of Jeff’s links in this article.  If your prefer, here is the transcript link instead. We all know how important clicks are in search engine optimization, SEO, and I’d like to support Jeff for the kindness he showed me.  Plus, surely you know someone in or thinking about the job search who can benefit from wise counsel, so please consider clicking and sharing!  I want to give a special shout out to Jeff’s services on Leadership Coaching and Executive Coaching.  Actually, I’ve had a hard time finding people who do Executive Coaching not sponsored by the employer, so I’m excited to refer Jeff to you and some of my future clients!

Kindness Reminders

What was so fun about Jeff’s podcast (besides him) is that he randomly picked and read excerpts from my book and then asked me to comment.  One of the topics he opened to was Kindness.  With the winter holidays’ emphasis on giving, I encourage us to give one of the most important gifts, kindness.  It doesn’t cost anything and just take a few seconds. Kindness might just be a smile or silent blessing to someone you pass on the street or a thank you to a customer service employee.  Or maybe a gift of services to a relative, or a monetary contribution to a person or organization in need. May this reminder of kindness warm your heart and holiday spirit.

Kindness Excerpt from My Book

“There are three ways to ultimate success: The first way is to be kind. The second way is to be kind. The third way is to be kind.”

Fred Rogers

Kindness softens our edges. Although we may feel most in need of kindness during the job search, we are well-served to extend it.

Sometimes we can feel we are being treated unkindly in the job search. We may be not hearing back in a timely way after an interview or from a networking lead. People have busy schedules and competing needs. Give them the benefit of the doubt, and you’ll likely feel better. The alternative may be bitterness, which will not help in the job search.

Beyond the search, spread kindness wherever you can. Because of the stressful job search journey, you may know more than others the benefit of a smile, an encouraging word, or extra effort. Sharing kindness from your heart can help your soul and may even attract kindness towards you.

I extend kindness to others as I would like to receive it.

/by
, , ,

Bullied in the Workplace? Here’s Help!

When I received the article link to the Harvard Business Review article on bullying, it reminded me that I wanted to address this topic since I saw a fabulous presentation by Janet Glover-Kerkvliet at the Middle Atlantic Career Counseling Association through her role at the Workplace Bullying Institute. My notes are long since lost, but what I most remember and advise clients routinely is that the situation will most likely not change. The best recourse is to cut losses and start networking and looking for a new job. 

The Harvard Business Review article noted that 48.6 million Americans or about 30% of the workforce are being bullied at work.  Bullying has a significant impact not only psychologically, but physically, socially, economically and even organizationally, such as lost productivity, increased healthcare costs and turnover and replacement costs.

From the program and the Workplace Bullying Institute site, I’ve been most struck by:

Errors in Traditional Advice –

-Confronting the bully – It’s natural to think you should do this, but usually it doesn’t work and the bully has the power of surprise.

-Tell the bully’s boss – This person will not stop it because they likely know about the bully and condone or ignore the behavior, or they may be afraid of the bully.

-Tell Human Resources – HR is a management support function and not in a role to advocate. Even if a well-meaning HR person wanted to help, they usually do not have the clout to affect behavior, especially with higher-level managers.  The Workplace Bullying Institute advises to tell HR last.

How to Take Action –

-Don’t delay action from paralysis, shame, hoping the bully will stop, or waiting until an investigation by HR or a law firm is over which can take months. Cut losses and start the healing process.

-Recognize and name the bullying early.  Listen to your gut and perspectives of friends and family.

-Spend time quality time with people who can validate who you were before the bullying to help you counter shame.

-Find a mental health professional with expertise in trauma.

-Document specific situations, dates, places and who was present.  Ask colleagues “Did you hear that?”  Asking “Has it ever happened to you?” can help break the silence.

-Connect with an attorney to explore legal options.  This can be difficult in that bullying is not illegal, but sometimes is connected to discrimination issues.

-If you want to go public, do so with the highest ranking neutral upper-level manager.  Assemble cost data to show a business reason to address bullying.  Rehearse and focus on facts, not emotions.

-Be prepared to be fired for speaking out. Keep contacts and projects organized and accessible at home as permitted since terminations for employees are often immediate.

-Begin networking and looking for another job to be happier and healthier.

The Workplace Bullying Institute has a plethora or resources for organizations wishing to prevent and intervene with bullying behavior and training for professionals of all backgrounds including in the mental health, HR, legal, and education fields.

The Workplace Bullying Institute has a special comprehensive section called Help for Bullied People, with sections including:

  • Recognition
  • Workplace Bullying Defined
  • What Bullying Is Not
  • Why It Happens
  • Bullying Types and Tactics
  • Targets, the Best Among Us
  • About Your Perplexing Coworkers
  • Selecting a Therapist
  • Checking Legal Options
  • Living After Bullying

I hope these insights help many people whether you are being bullied, know a victim, or can help someone personally or professionally who is being bullied.

Since the message that most resonated is that the bully will not change, please know I am here to help with action steps of networking and looking for a new job.

/by
, ,

Letting Go

My speeding ticket message last month of slowing down continued when I smashed three toes into the base of my desk chair rushing to a Zoom appointment. My national morning meditation message two days later really resonated: She Let Go, a poem by Reverend Safire Rose. Whether letting go of pushing (as in my case), letting go of a lovely season like summer, or letting go of resentments at work or from job loss, it can be a challenge. Letting go is what can create space for the future, for better things to happen, for new attitudes and behaviors.

Naturally my book, Help Wanted: An A to Z Guide to Cope with the Ups and Downs of the Job Search, has a reading on Letting Go.  I invite you to share it (below) with a job seeker you may know, and also to take in the last two paragraphs for your personal life.  I was delighted to receive a note this week from a speaker colleague, Dave Jakielo, who wrote “I realized your advice just isn’t for folks searching for a job, it can be for numerous situations in life.”

May you find the inspiration you need for your challenges, and when needed….let go.

Letting Go Excerpt from Help Wanted

We can get stuck in negative emotions during the search. Letting go gives a path forward. Sometimes a job transition is not your choice. You may have been “let go.” Sometimes we’re currently employed but in a poor career fit or toxic environment. Sometimes we feel treated unfairly in the job search process. It is natural to feel a range of emotions, including anger, frustration, and bitterness.

Feeling and expressing emotions in a healthy way is helpful and possibly even necessary to moving forward. Punch a pillow, write in a journal, hammer nails, see a counselor. Do whatever works for you. Moving through and letting go of negative emotions can lead to more acceptance and make room for hope and opportunity. Forgiving someone is more about helping you than the perceived offender.

If we do not let go of past hurts, they can subtly seep out as negative energy in networking meetings and job interviews despite our thinking we are projecting our best self.

Affirmation: I let go of past hurts so I can move forward authentically.

“We must let go of the life we have planned, so as to accept the one that is waiting for us.”

Joseph Campbell

/by
, , , ,

Pandemic Insights

“What did you do during your summer vacation” has been replaced by “How are you managing during the pandemic?” It’s hard to believe summer is about over. It flew by for me being busier than ever with so many people re-evaluating their jobs and seeking greater happiness: pandemic perspective-taking.

The photo featured is the “coffee shop” wall I created in one of my rooms where I could write my book since the coffee shop where I did most of my writing was closed.  What did you create? What did you learn? What do you want to do differently in your life due to the pandemic?  I invite you to take time to reflect.

Job seekers will need to answer the new interview questions: “How did you spend your time during the pandemic?” and “What did you learn during the pandemic.” I’d like to share some strategies on that as well as a couple links to remote working and “the great resignation”, two topics I was interviewed about by KDKA radio during the summer.

Remote Working: The work landscape has changed forever. Interestingly workers have different needs.  In the Microsoft 2021 Work Trend Index, 73% of employees want remote work options to stay, and 67% of employees want more in-person work or collaboration. Hybrid it is!

The Great Resignation: What has also been referred to as the Turnover Tsunami is underway. Early research was done by Prudential Financial which found that 26% of workers planned to start interviewing once the pandemic subsided, higher for Gen X’ers at 34%.Of the job changers, 72% said the pandemic caused them to rethink their skill sets. A later Microsoft survey found that 41% of workers globally were planning to quit their job. CLICK HERE for a nice summary of trends.

The New Interview Questions: Even though employers may be more forgiving of long-term unemployment during the pandemic, others will wonder if you just decided to enjoy the summer due to added government benefits.  It’s not too late to take some action to have an answer to the question, “What did you do during the pandemic?”  In addition to mentioning specific health concerns or caretaking responsibilities, it is legitimate to say: “I decided to take some time to re-evaluate my career choice including career counseling/career research/networking/volunteering, and it helped me to clarify my goal of ______________  which is why I’m so pleased to be interviewing with you today.”  Better yet, “During the pandemic, I decided to use some time to build my skills, including taking on-line courses in ____ and ____. Doing so confirmed my career interest in _____ and I know these new skills will be an asset to your company. 

For free on-line courses, CLICK HERE.

There is still time to do something that you can use for this interview answer!  Plus now is still a good time for career counseling to re-evaluate and gain greater happiness.

/by
, , ,

Holiday Networking – A Pandemic Opportunity

Gone are the office parties and social festive gatherings of yesteryear, at least for this season!  Maybe you’ve already cringed at seeing the word networking in the title? Whether you are in a career transition or not, remember it is always good to stay in touch with friends, family and past colleagues. You may one day want to ask a question like “Do you know anyone in the ___________ field/industry?”

The pandemic is a perfect opportunity to get back in touch with people from the past.  Many people were reaching out in the spring with a “Thinking of you. How are you?” message.  So many of my clients regularly share how they have lost touch with people from long ago and feel awkward about reaching out.  Now is a good time for a holiday greeting of caring and connection.  If you are exploring a career shift or in the midst of the job search, keep it light and relationship-oriented. You can always follow-up in January.

It doesn’t matter that much whether it’s via Facebook, LinkedIn, email, phone call, text or a nice old-fashioned holiday card.

You might share something like:

“I know I’ve not been in touch for quite a while, but the pandemic got me thinking that I wanted to reach out and share a holiday hello.  I hope you and your loved ones are managing well enough during these trying times. (Can share a bit about yourself.) I look forward to hearing how you’re doing and maybe catching up a bit. Best wishes for a safe, healthy and meaningful holiday season.”

Don’t miss this unique time to reach out and touch someone!  Figuratively, of course!

/by
, , ,

Reinventing Yourself During the Pandemic: Part 1 Overview and Job Market

Perhaps you are needing to reinvent yourself because the pandemic crashed your industry. Or you may be employed, but the pandemic has caused you to think about life, time, and greater happiness. Or you may be insecure in your job and want to have some back-up plans in place if needed.

Whatever the reason, it is important to think through a next step for greater happiness and success in a thoughtful way.  Even if you are unemployed and thinking “I’m open to anything” because you just want food on your table, it is still important to have grounded job targets; employers want candidates who are motivated to work for them. Being clear on goals and job targets will also make you more successful in your search since people can’t help you well with networking unless you are clear about what you want.  Networking is always the best job search method rather than simply getting sucked into the black hole of the Internet. Lastly, the clearer you are, the more likely you will land somewhere that is a good match and you won’t need to go through this all again too soon.

THE JOB MARKET

Before getting into a framework on how to best choose goals and have a successful job search, here’s a bit of information on the everchanging pandemic job market to help motivate you.  We all know the first wave most hit the hospitality, food, retail, and entertainment industries the hardest. There was also some hit to eds and meds, which are expected to continue or increase in the second wave, yes, even hospitals.  Government jobs are expected to be hit badly in the next waves of furloughs and layoffs.  Of the early layoffs, Bloomberg cited that 30% of lost jobs will never come back and University of Chicago predicted 42% not returning.

On the positive side, a June article from Marketplace.org noted the survivors from LinkedIn data which could be helpful in looking toward the future. During the April crash hardware and networking jobs increased by 2.3%, including semiconductor makers, internet service providers, wireless firms, and makers of networking gear. I like to remind people that these industries employ all types of people, including administrative, not just tech folks. Small business hiring went up a bit bringing back workers, while larger companies shed 10,000 workers, paring back by 39.6%. The Pittsburgh Business Times reported gains in Science R&D of 700 jobs in April. Financial services had a 1,000 job growth in April prompting an effort for recruitment with the PA Bankers Association, called BankWorks.

A University of Connecticut report noted current positive trends in jobs related to on-line shopping and mobile marketing.  Among the report’s post-COVID positive trends are Digital, Renewable Energy and Construction.  The Marketplace.org article noted positive longer-term trends for logistics and supply-chain management; automation, including robotics and coding related; and eldercare and home healthcare due to the graying of America.

“Your power to choose the direction in your life allows you to reinvent yourself,

to change your future, and to powerfully influence the rest of creation.”

Stephen Covey

CAREER PLANNING FRAMEWORK

Briefly here are elements to be thinking about when exploring and planning your next steps. Career counseling can help you walk through it with tools, counseling insights, and even career assessments/testing:

Know Yourself

  • Interests – or at least liking tasks so you aren’t miserable when waking up in the morning
  • Skills/Strength – What comes naturally to you, or on the practical end, what can you leverage but not be unhappy? What transferrable skills do you have?
  • Personality – Who are you naturally and how does that fit or not fit a career field, industry or even specific employer culture
  • Values – What is important to you in a job and in life

Explore and Research What’s Out There:

  • Written resources – After connecting self to potential fields of interest, use neutral resources through the Department of Labor like the O*Net to learn and narrow down
  • Networking – Ideally talk to 2-3 people in 2-4 fields to get real world information and advice and check out feasibility in the job market
  • Professional Associations – This can be a source of written information and networking leads
  • Shadowing – Not so possible in pandemic times, but something to keep in mind for the future
  • Volunteering – This could be an opportunity to explore a career, gain experience for your resume and make contacts, even remotely
  • Internship – Similar to volunteering, you may be able to create a more meaningful, structured experience, even if not a current student
  • Coursework – Take a course or two (or training experience) to decide between two fields, test it out before enrolling in a program, or two increase a specific skill for marketability

Make a Decision:

  • Career Field – What job title(s) or job functions
  • Sector – Business, Government, or Nonprofit
  • Industry – What product, service, issue or population
  • Education – Degree, training, or simply professional development course
  • Re-evaluate – If you are unhappy or unsuccessful in the search or job, review above steps

Job Search – Presenting Yourself:

  • Resume – This is a marketing document, not just a factual document. For those re-inventing, a skills-based or functional resume may work better than a chronological
  • Cover Letters – Yes, I still say to use them as a way to stand out even if only looked at during phone and video interview stages. It is your chance to tell you career shift story.
  • Interview – Even if you have good interpersonal skills, this is about strategy. This includes the case for your career shift and countering barriers like age or lack of experience proactively.

Job Search – Strategies:

  • Networking, networking, networking – With a 50-80% success rate, this is still the top technique, yes, even remotely. Spend at least 50% of your job search time networking.
  • LinkedIn – This is just one resource for networking, but important. Plus job listings.
  • Job Listings – Of course, you want to continue to do apply here, but don’t get lost in it with all your time. Plus try to infuse networking into this beside pure non-vacancy networking.
  • Employment Agencies/Headhunters – This works more for people who are job searching in their existing field than career changers. In bad economic times, employment often comes back here first in terms of temp or contract work
  • Job Fairs – Even though it is less personal with virtual fairs and employers may primarily direct you to on-line applications, still go so you can get a name for correspondence to stand out.
  • Spotting Opportunities – Keep abreast of news in terms of companies that are growing or nonprofits that are received grants, then follow them and/or network.

I would be honored to help you in your career decision-making and/or job search

to help save you time and heartache!

Coming in Part Two of Reinventing Yourself: Skills-based Resume and Transferrable Skills Assessments

/by
, ,

Don’t Quarantine Your Career – Video Version

I wrote an article early in the pandemic about suggestions on how to take action even when you think there isn’t much you can do during difficult economic times. I was pleased to present a mini-program about this at the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette Career Expo on August 20. Whether you are unemployed or simply unhappy in your current role, this high-energy video with props will give you some ideas.

The first half is the program and the second half is a practical Q & A. For a (slightly less fun) reading version of the program, click here for my earlier blog post.

I’ve been invited to be the featured program presenter for another Post-Gazette Career Expo:

Reinventing Yourself during Pandemic Times

Thursday, October 22, 11:00 – 11:15 AM

This will be relevant to both unemployed folks whose industries were impacted by the pandemic job market and employed folks who are considering a career change due to pandemic re-evaluation.

/by