Blogs

Yesterday,  a website caught my attention and I couldn't keep myself from going there. I jumped to the site solely based on its name:

 Girls Can't What.com

What a great name for a website, a book or a business targeting women!

I have two daughters, now 25 and 28. Both are making their mark on the world. Both of them have great great personalities and intellect. 

And underneath that, and more than that, they both have grit.

That's right, grit.

I don't know why, but I like that word. It just sounds tough, like it's something that's not going to go away until it gets what it wants.

And I like the question "Girls Can't What?"

The question pushes back at the idea of arbitrary limits.

It pushes back at the idea that someone can tell someone else what they can or cannot do.

I like the question, and not just because it exposes gender stereotypes.

I like it because it has grit in it, and we can all use more grit.

Whether you're male or female, it takes grit to go for what you want. And to keep going when everything seems hopeless.

The next time you're wondering if you can do something, or if you've been at it a while and not sure you can take another step, remember the spirit of "Girls Can't What?"

The next time life or some person tells you "Who do you think you are? You can't do that! You can't have that! You can't be that!..." remember the spirit of "Girls Can't What?!!"

Whatever gender you are, that's bound to stir up the grit in you!

http://www.alanallard.com

Hi, it's Alan Allard here and I'm happy to be back again as your career coach for September. I look forward to exploring topics with you that cover everything life and career related.

As an introduction (or re-introduction), here's a little background on me:

10 years of private practice as a psychotherapist (1991-2001)

• An additional nine years as an executive coach and personal coach
• Professional speaker
• Author of "The Aikido Master And Stress: A Parable"  (An E-Book)

For more information, feel free to visit my website: http://www.alanallard.com

Feel free to post questions, frustrations, challenges and to share your success stories from your career or personal life.  

Before I get to my point, I want to be upfront and admit that yes, Americans are xenophobic. OK, I said it. Now that the air is clear, I can get to my point. If you come from another region of the world and want to work in the US – I have a little piece of advice; give yourself a nickname - an English sounding nickname.

I recognize that some people may feel this takes something away from them – something really personal in fact; after all, your name is part of the fabric of who you are. Giving oneself a nickname just to conform to another society’s standards seems silly. Why in fact should you do this? In the complicated world of job search, an Americanized nickname will help keep you on the short list. At the end of the day, you want to make yourself as desirable as possible so you can get the interview and get the job.

There are many reasons why people, including people involved in the hiring decisions that concern you do things.  If you are interested in learning about the ways people can be influenced take a look at the work of Robert Cialdini (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_Cialdini, http://www.amazon.com/Influence-Practice-Robert-B-Cialdini/dp/0205609996/ref=dp_ob_title_bk), who has identified six "weapons of influence":

Reciprocity (people do things for people who do or have done things for them);

Commitment/Consistency (people do things that they have done or that indicate support for past beliefs or decisions);

Social Proof (people do what they see other people do);

Authority (people do things for these that appear to have knowledge or power);

Liking (people do things for people they like);

Scarcity (people value "things" that others appear to want).

Liking is definitely impacted by a name. People have a tendency to like people that are like them - of the same "group" whatever that group may be, and having a name that is more familiar will invariably trigger likeness.  Even if they won't admit it – given two candidates with identical backgrounds and training, most hiring managers will pick the one with the more familiar name. People are drawn to people like themselves. The less 'common' a name is the less likely the hiring manager will perceive a likeness. Feel free to include your given name, but drop in a parenthetical nickname and indicate that is what you use in the workplace.

Hopefully, nobody takes offense to this advice. I am simply trying to give you every edge I possibly can! It would be a shame not to get the call because of a name.

 So, what's in a name?  Maybe more than you think!

Debra Wheatman, CPRW, CPCC is President of Careers Done Write, a premier career services provider focused on developing highly personalized career roadmaps for senior leaders and executives across all verticals and industries. Visit careersdonewrite.com to learn more.

This amazing woman was introduced to dragon boating shortly after she completed treatment for breast cancer.  In her words,

"I had always exercised and loved the water, but had never paddled before. The first time, I got on the boat, I fell in love.  But, what inspired me was the amazing Canadian team that was at the very first race, I participated in--the average age of these ladies was probably 65.

I wanted to empower fellow survivors in the same way that I had become empowered. So, in 2007, I spearheaded the formation of Pink Phurree.  In 3 short years, not only have we managed to raise enough funds for paddles and life vests (I sold 90% of the calendars) and our very own pink boat.  We are one of the few teams that have accomplished so much in so little time.
 
What keeps me going is the ladies that I have the privilege of calling teammates and friends.  I have seen women blossom in such amazing ways. My favorite quote (and there are many) is 'I'm now an athlete and it took me 62 years to get there'. I smile every time I think of that.  Although, Pink Phurree takes a lot of time from my actual work, it is worth every single minute."

Graduating from college is an exciting, but also scary time. For as many people that have a clear picture of what they want to do, there are infinitely more people who are unsure as to the career path they want to take. College is a wonderful experience; and certainly you gain a lot of experience, meet people, learn to study (and hopefully not have to pull too many ‘all-nighter’s), and perhaps even get some part-time working experience so you have some extra cash. Even with all of the classes and a chosen major, sometimes the path is not so clear. One thing is very clear though – whether you have known from a young age exactly what you will be ‘when you grow up’ or if you are still exploring you interests – you will need a résumé as you start your quest for entry-level employment.
When writing a résumé for an entry level graduate consider the following to help you:

Education: In many instances recent graduates do not have a plethora of experiences to draw from for the résumé. If you graduated within the year, it is fine to put your education at the top of the page. Consider adding some relevant coursework that is related to the position you are targeting. This will help the reader make a connection that you understand the theory behind the business. Have a high GPA? If it’s 3.5 or better list it. A strong GPA can set you apart from the pack.

Professional Experience:  Your professional experience section might consist of part-time opportunities and seasonal employment. This is ok! Think about the things that you learned during those roles, the interactions you had with co-workers and clients (if applicable). Reference the positions and information that is relevant to the role, including things you learned that you could apply in a full-time position. For example, if you waited tables at a restaurant you might discuss your experience providing strong customer service, ability to manage multiple tasks simultaneously, manage demanding clients, and ensure timely delivery.

Leadership: One of the things that hiring managers look for in young employees is their leadership capabilities. Were you part of any on-campus organizations? Did you hold any leadership positions or coordinate programs? You can reference information of this nature under a heading called Leadership and Extracurricular Activities. Volunteer efforts would also be included in this category with a short synopsis of your title and what you did, including any results (e.g. helped to build five houses for Habitat for Humanity; coordinated food deliveries for 50 underserved families; tutored children in mathematics and English to improve academic performance).

Skills and Additional Information: Are you a whiz at certain computer programs? This is the place to reference those things. Do not include email and Internet search. Of course if you know Microsoft Suite, reference that and any other programs that you can use easily. Speak one or more foreign languages? Put them in this section. If you are pursuing opportunities at a global organization your language ability can give you a leading edge.

Focus your effort, do your research, keep notes, and maintain an organized approach. Your perseverance will pay off! Don’t forget – you will need a cover letter, too. All of your document should match in font size and style. Approach your search in a positive and proactive manner. With a little bit of time and energy you will land a job that’s good for you.

Debra Wheatman, CPRW, CPCC is President of Careers Done Write, a premier career services provider focused on developing highly personalized career roadmaps for senior leaders and executives across all verticals and industries. Visit careersdonewrite.com to learn more.

Here's what Andrea Gaines, life and wellness coach offers:

Cultivate Enthusiasm--How do you start your day? Are you rushed and fly out of the door? Or dread getting out of bed? Try these mindset adjustments to change your mood.

. Morning Ritual--While still in bed before you open your eyes, start thinking about what you are grateful for.  You set yourself up to begin your day from a place of possibility and inspiration.

. Night Ritual--Before your close your eyes and go to sleep, reflect on 3 things you are grateful for, that went well today. Over time, this practice makes for a more positive state of mind.

. Imagination Activation--Imagine how it would feel if you received something you really want.  Actually, picture this by closing your eyes and calling the image to mind. How do you feel? What are you enjoying about it? The key to realizing your goals is to imagine them already being accomplished.

www.hgcoaching.com

You have a big interview coming up. You need to be prepared to ensure you are ‘on top of your game’. This is the opportunity for you to present your qualifications and achievements, and ensure a potential hiring manager knows that you can deliver. Here are some tips to help you with the dynamics of the interview.

Know Thyself: Before the interview, spend time reviewing your own résumé. You need to be prepared to talk about your background and reference details about the positions you held – some of which may have been some time ago. You don’t want to be caught without an answer to a question regarding a position you held five or six years ago. It won’t take long to brush up on your background. I can assure you, you will be happy that you took the time to review your history so you are prepared to answer questions and reference achievements throughout your professional tenure.

Use Time Wisely: Arrive at the interview about 15 minutes early. There is nothing worse than arriving exactly on time with no time to get the house in order. You want to be relaxed for the interview, not harried and nervous. Arriving a bit early will allow you to hang your coat, visit the facilities if you need to, and coordinate any documents that you are going to give to the hiring manager.

Inhale, Exhale: There is no need to rush through your interview. During the exchange of information, it is ok to take a deep breath and think about your answers. Loose lips sink ships, as they say. Pausing for a second before responding to a question will allow you to formulate your answer. You don’t need to immediately blurt out an answer. Filler words like “ummm”, “like”, and “you know” can be avoided by simply taking a moment to collect your thoughts. You will come across more poised and relaxed, not to mention the improvement to your personal brand.

Interview the Interviewer: That’s right; the interview is a two way street. This is the opportunity for you to find out about them too. It is not solely a situation where they are determining if you are right for the company, but also the opportunity for you to determine if they are the right company for you. Ask thoughtful questions that will give you information about their market place position, and mission, values, and vision.

Make your Point: Don’t ramble during the interview. You need to strike a balance between answering the question in a clear and precise manner and also generate camaraderie between you and the interviewer. You want to answer the question, but also provide a sense of who you are as a person.

Promote you Personal Brand: Establish who you are in the interview. Maintain a positive and lively approach. There is a fine line here, of course; be yourself, but present yourself in a focused and proactive way. You want to connect your enthusiasm to the job and to your overall personality.

Shhhh: Be an active listener. Do not stop the interviewer while he is talking. Let the person finish a thought or sentence before you chime in. There is nothing more annoying than being cut off. This will not win you points, but rather irritate the hiring manager. Active listening will allow you to ensure you understand the questions you are being asked so you can provide highly valuable and targeted answers to ensure you hit the mark.

Key elements to ensuring a strong interview is to leave a positive and lasting impression. How you position yourself is up to you – be prepared and positive to ensure your interview goes well and results in that highly coveted follow-up call. In this case, preparation is definitely the key to success.

You are encouraged to comment on blog posts and/or submit questions to Debra right here on the Women Working blog.

Debra Wheatman, CPRW, CPCC is President of Careers Done Write, a premier career services provider focused on developing highly personalized career roadmaps for senior leaders and executives across all verticals and industries. Visit careersdonewrite.com to learn more.

Many people find it daunting to begin the process of searching for new employment. Maybe you don’t know where to begin. Maybe you haven’t looked for a new position in more than 15 years, or maybe you have just become complacent where you are and haven’t thought about looking in a really long time. Whatever your reasons for pursuing a new position, your success now hinges on establishing some guidelines and developing a plan. Your plan will help keep you focused and on track, while also serving as an important guide. Here are my key tips to help you with the process; hopefully this will take some of the uncertainty out of your search:

The getting to know you process. You might be wondering how you come to understand some of your drivers and things that motivate you. Consider taking some tests, including DISC or MBTI. These assessments can provide very valuable information to allow you to understand more about yourself. Reading articles and books, and speaking with friends and colleagues regarding their experiences will also give you a different perspective. The learning process can come from a variety of avenues. Take your time to ensure you know enough about yourself to plan for a change. The planning process will allow you to identify opportunities that you might not have considered. It will also prevent you from spinning your wheels pursuing things that might not be right or a possibility at this time in your career.

Preparing for the search. As you know, you will need strong career documents to launch your search. Even if you have a strong network willing to work for you, you will still be asked for a resume. Your resume should serve as a ‘living’ document. This means that you will need to modify it as you apply for positions or give it to a member of your network. Your resume should highlight the things you have done and how you achieved results. Creating mini stories on your resume will allow you to showcase your talents and what you bring to a new position. Remember, it is not what a company can do for you; but rather, it is what you can do for them that need to come across on your resume. Use the SAR method when drafting your document: Situation, Action, Result. This formula will enable you to tell your mini story. Keep it short and to the point, highlighting the most relevant details of what you did in your role. The examples should provide the reader with key information, including metrics relative to positive outcomes of your efforts.

Create your marketing tools. As part of marketing yourself to a potential employer, you need to know who you are. Some people are more self-aware than others. Evaluate your strengths and areas for improvement. Keeping a list of these things will allow you to capitalize on what you would like to present to a potential hiring manager. More importantly, understanding areas where you are not as strong will provide you with the foundation to either make changes on your own or seek professional / educational assistance or training to improve areas where you need help. Part of knowing yourself also requires that you have knowledge regarding your work values. Are you only interested in a 9-5 job, or are you willing to extend yourself before or after the traditional workday? Recognizing your work ethic will allow you to pursue opportunities that meet with your overall personal and professional needs.

Recruiters and job boards. Now that you have your search documents (resume and cover letter) prepared, you are ready to start your campaign. Identify a few recruiters that operate in your area of specialty and commence a dialogue with them. Recruiters can and should play a role in your search – as should job boards (limited). Conduct research pertaining to the recruiters that have a presence in your industry or area of business. That relationship can and will be an important part of your search process. Job boards should also play a role albeit a limited one. Given the amount of people who apply to big boards, I recommend that you choose smaller niche boards in your area. Your chances of being seen will improve and the likelihood of a company spokesperson or hiring manager reviewing your document will improve. On very big job boards sometimes companies will simply post opportunities to test the market – there might not even be a position available.

Traditional and online networking. Become a member of a local networking group or two to meet new people and establish a presence with people in a supportive environment. Sharing ideas leads to exposure and opportunities – for everyone! The relationships you form can very well lead to new opportunities. Equally important is establishing an online presence. LinkedIN is a very powerful tool where a community of professionals comes together to share information. Jobs are also being posted there. A great way to get involved is to post information for other people to read. Through LinkedIN you can join some groups related to your industry / profession and share information and ideas with others.

Refine your presentation and candidacy. The search process is one that needs to be modified on an ongoing basis to ensure that you achieve success. Practice your interviewing skills so you are prepared to answer commonly asked questions. Make sure you review your own background carefully so you can provide information regarding how you completed projects, worked with others, and achieved results. Interview for things – even if you are not interested in the role. The practice will help improve your style and comfort level.

The more prepared you are to handle the search process the quicker you will meet with success. Develop your search and interview strategy, define your accomplishments, and be prepared to sell yourself in a compelling way. Your positive and motivated approach will help keep you focused on attaining your goal!

Here's to your career success!!

Debra Wheatman, CPRW, CPCC is President of Careers Done Write, a premier career services provider focused on developing highly personalized career roadmaps for senior leaders and executives across all verticals and industries. Visit careersdonewrite.com to learn more.

Why is it that career seekers spend numerous hours creating their resumes and then treat their cover letters like the forgotten stepchild? The cover letter is a critical element to your career search package. This all important document should complement your resume as part of your submission for a new opportunity Here are some helpful hints to help your cover letter work for you.

The Cardinal Sin: Try never to use ‘To whom it may concern’ in your cover letter. Get the name of a person and address the letter accordingly. Nothing is more impersonal than this unconcerned opening. It clearly demonstrates that you did no research and ‘mailed it in’. Making some phone calls and / or doing some research online should help you uncover a name.

Get to the Point: Hiring managers do not have the time or inclination to read through a mini tome. Your cover is not the chance to review all of your professional history in narrative format. Keep your cover letter to the point. You still need to engage the reader; so, make sure that you provide relevant examples. Be sure to include a short paragraph regarding why you are interested in the company or position. This should come from your research and will demonstrate to the reader that you have a clear and compelling reason for applying. Help the reader get to know you a little bit – what you can offer them. The letter should focus on how you can add value for the organization, not what they can do for you.

Applying to an Email Address: If you are sending your resume and cover letter via email, make the cover letter the body of the email. This will alleviate the reader from having to open two Word documents. Treat the email as if you were drafting a formal letter. This means that you should have the date in the left hand corner and the appropriate information, including name, title, company, and appropriate greeting followed by the body of the letter.

Check your Work: Errors on your cover letter will certainly not generate response (This goes for the resume too). Make sure everything is error free. You must make sure the grammar, spelling, and sentence structure is correct. Do not rush through proofreading your work. That will surely result in errors. Proofing not your strength? Get someone else to look at it for you.

Generic Cover Letters Don’t Work: This is not ‘one size fits all’. Your cover letter should be tailored to meet the needs of a position and employer. You want to inspire the reader to call you for the interview. Your cover letter complemented by your resume serves as marketing tools. Present yourself as a well-rounded candidate with the appropriate blend of skills and results to make you stand out. Help the reader get to know you a little bit in the letter. Present a picture of who you are.

Make sure your cover letter works for you. This means that you will need to dedicate the time necessary to drafting a document that makes an impact. The extra effort, research, and diligence will likely pay off with the call for an interview.

For more career related information and tips visit us at: http://careersdonewrite.com. Here's to you career success!

Debra Wheatman, CPRW, CPCC

A woman I respect and admire, and consider a colleague and a friend, constantly amazes me. It’s LaVerne Council, CIO of Johnson & Johnson. She recently was given the honorary degree of Doctor of Business Administration from Drexel University, and her words of wisdom to students were practical and inspirational. This woman is not only smart businesswise, but is also motivated by compassion and heart.

In her commencement address, LaVerne asked the students to share some humanity along their journey in life, and said to them, “Ask yourself a few simple questions...Did I create an opportunity for someone today? Did I make someone feel better? Did I do it just because? How you answer those questions is the measure of YOUR humanity!”

Fondly, Helene