How Do You Move An Elephant?

How do you move an elephant? Entice it with it's own desire.

Then once it is moving, you nudge it or encourage it to change directions. But really, an elephant is going to go where they what want to go. You can't turn an elephant on a dime, it takes time to have it change directions. A series of small changes has a huge impact to the direction of the elephant. 

Tom landry said it best, "Leadership is getting someone to do what they don't want to do, to achieve what they want to achieve.”

A good leader can help the elephant get where it wants to go as if the elephant wanted to go there by itself. 

Good leaders are always in front, great leaders are in front, invisible to the process but visible to the people.

 image by Matthieu A.

 

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Stay On The Train And Enjoy The Journey

Why Change?
Change is a necessary part of life.

Our hair grows, our skin grows and is replaced, our fingernails grow out and need to be cut. The weather changes and most people will change jobs 7-10 times in their working lives. Change is a necessary and fruitful part of our lives.

So why do we think that everything else in our life will stay static?

How often have you heard someone say, "now that ___ has happened, I can really start to focus on my _____" (job, hobby, losing weight, etc)? And it never happens.

Three Steps to Happiness

Self-titled designtrepreneur Joe Gebbia has a pretty simple process for finding happiness in three steps.

Here's the idea:

Step 1: Identify one thing you do that makes you unhappy. Write it down.

Step 2: Look at what you wrote down. Replace it with something that makes you happy.

Step 3: Repeat one week from now.

For another perspective, check out three keys to true happiness.

The Happiness Process [Joe Gebbia's posterous]

Send an email to Adam Dachis, the author of this post, at adachis@lifehacker.com.

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Career Change Myths Exposed | EmploymentDigest.net

Have you been dreaming of making a career change? If so, why haven’t you acted on your dream? It might be because you are operating under a false assumption. You might be missing out on opportunities because of a career myth – the good news is that there are several career change myths that can be explained away or at the very least worked around.

Career Myth:

#1) There is absolutely no way to make a living doing something you love.

Well hmm… that sounds like fear talking. The reality is that work doesn’t have to be something that you dread – you can make a living doing something you love and you can get paid to do it! Don’t buy into the myth that your work has to be drudgery. You don’t have to sacrifice happiness you can do something that you enjoy.

That said it is not always that simple. Obviously you will have to find a viable career and market. Do some homework.

- Research careers that are of interest to you.

- Interview people who are working successfully in the careers you are interested in and find out how they made it work.

- Know what you need in terms of certifications, licenses, and degrees.

- Develop a plan to go after it.

Why wouldn’t you be able to make a living doing what you love if you have done your homework, designed a career plan, and gained the necessary expertise?

#2) It is much too risky to change careers.

Actually there is risk no matter what. Remember, there is no such thing as permanent employment. That went out with gold watch retirements – we’ve all heard the stories about the gold watches they used to give out at retirement time. And, we know that those stories become rarer by the day.

- Decide whether it is riskier staying in place or moving on to something new. If you’re living with a career decision you regret, is it best to stick with it and hate the work you do or is it time to move on? Don’t forget your personal sanity is at risk if you hate your job and stay in it.

- Assess whether a career move is right for you. Consider your own aspirations.

- Remember that your career is in the hands of your employer.

- Do you want to have a bit more say about your career?

The bottom line is that any employer you work for will have their own interests in mind rather than yours. If you’re okay with that stay where you are and if you’re not set some goals and create a plan and then execute your career change.

#3) The job market is too tough to make a change.

You’re right; it is a tough job market. The myth is that there are no growth areas. Actually, there are growth areas. Most job seekers look for the same type of job they held in the past, a tactic that is not always effective. Career changers have to be savvy – knowing what areas are growing is essential to their success.

Job seekers will have to be committed to lifelong learning and learn how to project future market needs. Smart job seekers will be ready for anything. That means they will be well educated, they will hold or work towards additional certifications and will be ready for career change at the drop of a hat.

Since the job market is ever changing, it will always be important to keep up with those changes. The job market will be less tough on those willing to embrace change.

Sure. There are lots of career myths. However, career plans are essential to career change success – and that is no myth.

Making a career change truly can be an intimidating process. Patricia Erickson covers all of the ins and outs of career change at length in her new book entitled Career Management Guide: A Practical Approach To Career Change In Any Economy.

 Patricia Erickson is a highly regarded and successful career management expert. She has helped thousands of job seekers and career changers design strategies that transform careers.

She is able to give clients the edge over their competition with this offer. Instantly save $30.00 on a professionally written resume and get access to Patricia’s exclusive coaching bonuses to help you make a highly successful career move. PLUS when you invest in a resume at the site below you’ll also qualify for free one on one coaching and mentoring with Patricia. Go to http://www.avitacareermanagement.com/resume_writing_services.html for more information!

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How Do You Ask for a Career Change? | Career Rocketeer - Career Search and Personal Branding Blog

If you’re like most people, you start to get a little bored with your work after about two years. By this point, the novelty has worn off and you’ve learned most of what you need to be a contributor to the organization. These two years are also enough time for you to really figure out where you are in the corporate food chain; that is, a fast riser to the top or a bottom dweller. For those in the later category, you may often consider making a change. Of course, that idea can certainly generate a lot of questions in your mind on just how to do that. Well, here’s a strategy for making this type of change.

Here’s the situation: you’ve been in your job for two or three years and your career in this company boils down to just a job. You shouldn’t worry too much about it. This is about the point where most people determine that they need to make a change. They’ve given the company sufficient time to recognize their skills and contribution to the company. If they haven’t been rewarded with bonuses and promotions by now, they assume they aren’t going to get any. So, they begin to adjust their mindset to consider new options.

Jumping out of your company usually isn’t the first consideration. That takes a little more work, since searching for jobs today is difficult for anyone. A quick option is to consider other opportunities within your existing company. If you haven’t done this before, it can appear quite elusive. It really isn’t too challenging, if you follow these simple steps.

1. Make your efforts visible. We judge ourselves by what we are capable of, while others judge us by what we have done. Most people track their accomplishments on their resume. How many people in your company have seen your resume? I would guess very few. This means most people don’t know what you can do. You have to show them what you are capable of. If you want to be known for having talent in a specific area, find projects to work on that require those talents and make sure the most influential people know you are working on it. High profile programs and projects are great for such exposure. Once you’re on one of these projects, use your internal network to promote your activities.

2. Show you can solve problems. There's no better time than today to start stepping up your game and becoming a positive thinking problem-solver. It's too easy to be a blamer. Always ask yourself “what's the problem here?” Don't be afraid to take the lead in solving a complex problem. It's not career risk. It's career enhancement. One problem facing CEOs, as indicated by the IBM Global Business Services report “After The Crisis: What now?”, is in finding targeted approaches for developing revenue, such as through improved service and support. Tight credit and tight budgets are putting the strain on business. Help solve this problem for your company and you will help put some mobility back into your career.

3. Demonstrate your skills in many ways. Don't just focus your skills and talents on your specific area of expertise. Organizations are constantly pushing the limits of the “doing more with less” philosophy. This is unlikely to change anytime soon. The people that move up in this environment are the ones who step up. Managers don’t know what skills you have, so they aren’t going to come around to your cube and ask you to take on projects that may push you outside the skill sets required by your daily tasks. Growth opportunities are available and are on a first-come first-serve basis. Show your management that you can speak by making presentations, show that you can lead by managing teams, or show that you can teach by offering a class to your company.

4. Compare your performance to other attempts. Always promote your successes by quantifying the results to previous attempts by others in your company or from other documented cases. Don't highlight the failure from the previous attempt but focus on the technique or skill you used that differentiates your attempt. One of the big issues organizations face today is flexibility in their operations or being able to respond to changing customer demands. Companies that are flexible in operations must first be flexible in thought. Demonstrating your ability to, not only think outside the box, but solve problems that way is a huge benefit to an organization that wants to grow.

5. Gather endorsements. An endorsement is a validation of your efforts and YOU. Get as many endorsements of your performance as you can. Recognition from others at higher levels is an acknowledgement of your ability to perform at their level. I was sought an endorsement from a billionaire for my efforts. It took me over 18 months to get it. Once I got it, it only took me two weeks to gain the support of other billionaires. Higher level executives are always managing risk, especially to their reputation. By having other executives validate you through an endorsement, you remove the perception of risk from the next executive who will endorse you. The more of that risk you reduce up front, the more likely you’ll get what you want.

6. Make your successes known. This can be a tough one for many people, although there’s a simple solution for this. To gain visibility, you must advertise yourself as much as you can. Many of us don’t like to tout what we have accomplished. Unfortunately, that’s about the only way we can get the good news of our accomplishments to those in power is by marketing them. Executives and managers don’t work around the organization and ask people what they have accomplished recently. If you’re lucky, that happens once a year in a performance review (and you know what benefits that has for your career). The best way to get the word out on your big victories is to build your own marketing team (e.g. your co-workers and friends). Use others to promote your achievements so you don't come off as bragging.

Maintaining a high rate of speed up the corporate ladder is difficult today, to say the least. Often the path isn’t purely vertical. Oh if it could be. Opportunities present themselves in many different ways, such as lateral, upward or downward. Nonetheless, developing a good method for encouraging a change when you need one is essential to continued career growth. After all, no one watches your career but you. These six steps are a great way to convince those at the helm that you are more than ready to take on a bigger role in the company.
Author:

Todd Rhoad, MSEE, MBA is the Director at BT Consulting, a career consulting firm in Altanta, and author of the book, Blitz The Ladder. Stay tuned for his upcoming book, The MBA Owners Manual, coming out this year. Todd can be reached at todd.rhoad@blitzteamconsulting.com.

via careerrocketeer.com

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12 Useful Ways To Get Out Of Ruts - Stepcase Lifehack

Have you gotten into a rut before? Or are you in a rut right now?

You know you’re in a rut when you run out of ideas and inspiration. I personally see a rut as a productivity vacuum. It might very well be a reason why you aren’t getting results. Even as you spend more time on your work, you can’t seem to get anything constructive done. While I’m normally productive, I get into occasional ruts (especially when I’ve been working back-to-back without rest). During those times, I can spend an entire day in front of the computer and get nothing done. It can be quite frustrating.

Over time, I have tried and found several methods that are helpful to pull me out of a rut. If you experience ruts too, whether as a working professional, a writer, a blogger, a student or other work, you will find these useful. Here are 12 of my personal tips to get out of ruts:

1. Work on the small tasks. When you are in a rut, tackle it by starting small. Clear away your smaller tasks which have been piling up. Reply to your emails, organize your documents, declutter your work space, and reply to private messages. Whenever I finish doing that, I generate a positive momentum which I bring forward to my work.
2. Take a break from your work desk. Get yourself away from your desk and go take a walk. Go to the washroom, walk around the office, go out and get a snack. Your mind is too bogged down and needs some airing. Sometimes I get new ideas right after I walk away from my computer.
3. Upgrade yourself. Take the down time to upgrade yourself. Go to a seminar. Read up on new materials (#7). Pick up a new language. Or any of the 42 ways here to improve yourself. The modern computer uses different typefaces because Steve Jobs dropped in on a calligraphy class back in college. How’s that for inspiration?
4. Talk to a friend. Talk to someone and get your mind off work for a while. Talk about anything, from casual chatting to a deep conversation about something you really care about. You will be surprised at how the short encounter can be rejuvenating in its own way.
5. Forget about trying to be perfect. If you are in a rut, the last thing you want to do is step on your own toes with perfectionist tendencies. Just start small. Do what you can, at your own pace. Let yourself make mistakes. Soon, a little trickle of inspiration will come. And then it’ll build up with more trickles. Before you know it, you have a whole stream of ideas.
6. Paint a vision to work towards. If you are continuously getting in a rut with your work, maybe there’s no vision inspiring you to move forward. Think about why you are doing this, and what you are doing it for. What is the end vision in mind? Make it as vivid as possible. Make sure it’s a vision that inspires you and use that to trigger you to action.
7. Read a book (or blog). The things we read are like food to our brain. If you are out of ideas, it’s time to feed your brain with great materials. Here’s a list of 40 books you can start off with. Stock your browser with only the feeds of high quality blogs, such as Lifehack.org, DumbLittleMan, Seth Godin’s Blog, Tim Ferris’ Blog, Zen Habits or The Personal Excellence Blog. Check out the best selling books; those are generally packed with great wisdom.
8. Have a quick nap. If you are at home, take a quick nap for about 20-30 minutes. This clears up your mind and gives you a quick boost. Nothing quite like starting off on a fresh start after catching up on sleep.
9. Remember why you are doing this. Sometimes we lose sight of why we do what we do, and after a while we become jaded. A quick refresher on why you even started on this project will help. What were you thinking when you thought of doing this? Retrace your thoughts back to that moment. Recall why you are doing this. Then reconnect with your muse.
10. Find some competition. Nothing quite like healthy competition to spur us forward. If you are out of ideas, then check up on what people are doing in your space. Colleagues at work, competitors in the industry, competitors’ products and websites, networking conventions.. you get the drill.
11. Go exercise. Since you are not making headway at work, might as well spend the time shaping yourself up. Sometimes we work so much that we neglect our health and fitness. Go jog, swim, cycle, whichever exercise you prefer. As you improve your physical health, your mental health will improve, too. The different facets of ourselves are all interlinked.
12. Take a good break. Ruts are usually signs that you have been working too long and too hard. It’s time to get a break. Beyond the quick tips above, arrange for a 1-day or 2-days of break from your work. Don’t check your (work) emails or do anything work-related. Relax and do your favorite activities. You will return to your work recharged and ready to start. Contrary to popular belief, the world will not end from taking a break from your work. In fact, you will be much more ready to make an impact after proper rest. My best ideas and inspiration always hit me whenever I’m away from my work.

Are there any useful methods which help you get out of your ruts? Do share with everyone in the comments area below. :)

Image ©

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Career Change Tips & Career Advice from Career Expert Laura Labovich : CAREEREALISM

By CAREEREALISM-Approved Expert, Laura Labovich

For most of us, the first and only time we ever take a career assessment is in high school or college. But, if you are unfulfilled in your current job, unsure of your motivated values and talents, looking for confirmation on a possible career passion, or in search of ways in which you could make money using your natural skills, taking a self-assessment—even 5, 10 or 20 years out of college—just makes sense! While many valuable career “tests” costs money, there are several that require only your time and focus to generate results that—depending on the test—can help you clarify your values, skills, or even specific job titles that may be a good fit for your next career!

What is a self-assessment?

Self-assessment is a process by which you can learn more about yourself—what you like, what you don’t like, and how you tend to react to certain situations, and knowing these things can help identify and isolate occupations that could be a better fit for you. Some of the best career assessments may sound or look familiar to you, and you may even recall taking them when you first began your career discovery process, but a refresher may yield new and even surprising results, so don’t hesitate to try them again.

There are hundreds, if not thousands, of career exploration tests available, but the following five are both enlightening and, best of all, free. My suggestion:

1. Take the Motivated Appraisal of Personal Potential or MAPP (www.assessment.com) if you need to discover your strengths, uncover your preferred communication styles, or see what career is best for you.

2. Look no further than The Keirsey Temperament Sorter®-II (www.keirsey.com). This is the most widely used personality instrument in the world and a powerful tool in helping you discover their personality type, which can help lead you to your perfect career.

3. Check out the O*NET OnLine Career Exploration tools (www.online.onetcenter.org) to find occupations, and conduct skills assessments. My favorite? The Skills Search which is designed to help you use your skill set to identify occupations for exploration.

Enjoying this article? You could get the best career advice daily by subscribing to us via e-mail.

4. Head over to LiveCareer (www.livecareer.com) to identify your career interests (highest to lowest) and learn what jobs match your results; includes workplace fit using seven approaches to work based on the Holland Scale.

5. Consider another great choice—CareerPlanner (www.careerplanner.com)—which provides online career testing to help career changers discover their calling and ideal career.

Career assessments are not intended to tell you what you should do in life; rather, they are simply a way to safely explore options and gather clues that may help on the road to a career change. So, if you are unsure what you want to do with your life, or you need some career direction, a career assessment is a great first stop along your career journey.

Did you enjoy this article? Read more articles by this expert here.

Laura Labovich, MLRHR, is a Guild Certified Five O’Clock Club Career Coach, speaker, trainer, networking expert and award-winning resume writer with more than 12 years of HR leadership experience at Walt Disney World and America Online, Inc. As a job coach and writer, Laura specializes in getting her clients “unstuck” in their job search by partnering with them to develop proactive, targeted and effective job search marketing plans that increase campaign momentum and achieve breakthrough results! Connect with Laura via LinkedIn or follow her on Twitter.

The photo for this article is provided by Shutterstock.

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Career Challenges at 50: Unfulfilled and Bored - Career advice blog - Position Ignition - taking you to the next step in your career

At fifty, many of us feel we finally know what we are doing professionally, have a lot to offer others, and are wiser than ever before. On the other hand, we may also be sensing that this is our last chance to make our mark on the world; that our energy, while strong, is beginning to wane; and that others – amazingly – see us as ‘old’.  Are these some of the career challenges you are facing at 40 or 50?  

If this is your situation, how do you think about your career?

Broadly, you are likely to be in one of 3 situations and facing 3 main potential career challenges:

1)     In a job, but feeling unfulfilled, and perhaps beginning to be bored.

2)     In a job, but feel that changes are coming, and you may not be there much longer

3)     Out of work.

In each situation, the key to is take control of your career by putting yourself through a process of thinking about your options, and then taking action.

This is one of 3 blogs covering the above three situations that you could be facing as career challenges at 50. So to start with the first:

Safe but Unfulfilled

What keeps most of us in a job we find unsatisfactory are the benefits: the stability, status, package, accumulated knowledge and expertise. But if you are chaffing at the bit, and facing ten or fifteen years before you retire, these may not be enough.

In social studies, there is a hierarchy of questions which might help you to understand where you are.  If you ask yourself how are you doing and you reply “ok, has been better – just tough at the moment” – the subtext could be......I am ok with this place/this situation. We are running hard as we have a tight deadline or someone’s on holiday.  That sounds ok – it’s a tactical response and you are probably mainly ok.

If you ask yourself what is going on?  You may answer differently; perhaps along the lines of “we are shifting focus.  There’s a new crew in charge and they are going in a different direction”.  This sounds more strategic and there may be issues arising for you which challenge your approach, your values perhaps.  It is at a different level of importance anyway.

The next question you could pose is “why am I doing this?” This may be an irrelevant question.  If so, then great.  If you think about it seriously and find there are big issues for you, this is at a level which could be more profound for you and your working life.  This may be the point at which you ask yourself if you are happy to stay in this situation or whether you wish to shift your world.  Safety is important. Staying unfulfilled is a choice that for some is not acceptable.

With age and experience comes wisdom.  We are not always great at appreciating just what we are able to contribute as we gain wisdom.  It is easy to under appreciate ourselves and the contribution that we can make.  We might be self-deprecating (a wonderful British trait), we might carry regrets; we might have lousy feedback from the workplace and in our domestic lives.  Never forget thought that as you travel through your life, it is becoming richer and you have more to give.

It is possible to understand and appreciate your value.  You have to take some time to do it though.  You might just surprise yourself and find a route to greater fulfillment.

Experiment with asking yourself these questions:

• What do I need to do to keep myself learning, in terms of technology, visions, leadership?
• How do I stay fit and healthy enough to work productively?
• How do I manage myself so that I balance the demands of work, home, and family?

If you are facing your own career challenges at 50 - let us know what your story is. Have you managed to overcome your challenges? What have you learned?  Or if you're looking for some support - drop us a line now: enquiries@positionignition.com - to find out what your options are! 

Author: Simon North

www.positionignition.com

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How to Make a Career Change Doable for You - Career Chaos

Ready for a career change, but not sure just what?

A first step is to get back in touch with what goes on in the world beyond your current workspace. Start by reading recent business magazines such as Forbes or Fortune and BusinesswWeek. Include the Wall Street Journal AND the New York Times. Discover the current trends in your industry, in your field, in the world. Reflect on how these trends will affect your current career, and on how the skills you already have can impact these trends. When contemplating a career change, think about what your choice will look like 5-10 years from now. It's important to select a career you can grow into and thrive in.

Next, after looking forward, take a peek back at your early life. What dreams did you have as a child that you tossed out along the way? Music, art, school newspaper, team sports, "playing school" with your siblings - all offer clues to what your true passion may be. For example, if you liked to play on the soccer team instead of painting landscapes, you may now prefer working on group projects instead of being a freelance web designer.

Finally, after coming up with a few career change possibilities, talk to some people who actually work in those careers. Find out what they like and dislike about their work. And ask them whether they chose their careers, or fell into them as careers by default. Imagine yourself working in these careers through their stories.

As you can see, changing careers is not a simple process. It may take weeks, even months, to realize results that can shape your decision. But if you have defined steps and a career action plan, you will be able to get off that treadmill in your head and actually see some progress. It's never too late to start the career change process. It's your choice as to when you are ready to begin. Working with a professional Career Coach can make it easier.

Wishing you career success in 2010!

Meg

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How Do You Ask for a Career Change? | Career Rocketeer - Career Search and Personal Branding Blog

If you’re like most people, you start to get a little bored with your work after about two years. By this point, the novelty has worn off and you’ve learned most of what you need to be a contributor to the organization. These two years are also enough time for you to really figure out where you are in the corporate food chain; that is, a fast riser to the top or a bottom dweller. For those in the later category, you may often consider making a change. Of course, that idea can certainly generate a lot of questions in your mind on just how to do that. Well, here’s a strategy for making this type of change.

Here’s the situation: you’ve been in your job for two or three years and your career in this company boils down to just a job. You shouldn’t worry too much about it. This is about the point where most people determine that they need to make a change. They’ve given the company sufficient time to recognize their skills and contribution to the company. If they haven’t been rewarded with bonuses and promotions by now, they assume they aren’t going to get any. So, they begin to adjust their mindset to consider new options.

Jumping out of your company usually isn’t the first consideration. That takes a little more work, since searching for jobs today is difficult for anyone. A quick option is to consider other opportunities within your existing company. If you haven’t done this before, it can appear quite elusive. It really isn’t too challenging, if you follow these simple steps.

1. Make your efforts visible. We judge ourselves by what we are capable of, while others judge us by what we have done. Most people track their accomplishments on their resume. How many people in your company have seen your resume? I would guess very few. This means most people don’t know what you can do. You have to show them what you are capable of. If you want to be known for having talent in a specific area, find projects to work on that require those talents and make sure the most influential people know you are working on it. High profile programs and projects are great for such exposure. Once you’re on one of these projects, use your internal network to promote your activities.

2. Show you can solve problems. There's no better time than today to start stepping up your game and becoming a positive thinking problem-solver. It's too easy to be a blamer. Always ask yourself “what's the problem here?” Don't be afraid to take the lead in solving a complex problem. It's not career risk. It's career enhancement. One problem facing CEOs, as indicated by the IBM Global Business Services report “After The Crisis: What now?”, is in finding targeted approaches for developing revenue, such as through improved service and support. Tight credit and tight budgets are putting the strain on business. Help solve this problem for your company and you will help put some mobility back into your career.

3. Demonstrate your skills in many ways. Don't just focus your skills and talents on your specific area of expertise. Organizations are constantly pushing the limits of the “doing more with less” philosophy. This is unlikely to change anytime soon. The people that move up in this environment are the ones who step up. Managers don’t know what skills you have, so they aren’t going to come around to your cube and ask you to take on projects that may push you outside the skill sets required by your daily tasks. Growth opportunities are available and are on a first-come first-serve basis. Show your management that you can speak by making presentations, show that you can lead by managing teams, or show that you can teach by offering a class to your company.

4. Compare your performance to other attempts. Always promote your successes by quantifying the results to previous attempts by others in your company or from other documented cases. Don't highlight the failure from the previous attempt but focus on the technique or skill you used that differentiates your attempt. One of the big issues organizations face today is flexibility in their operations or being able to respond to changing customer demands. Companies that are flexible in operations must first be flexible in thought. Demonstrating your ability to, not only think outside the box, but solve problems that way is a huge benefit to an organization that wants to grow.

5. Gather endorsements. An endorsement is a validation of your efforts and YOU. Get as many endorsements of your performance as you can. Recognition from others at higher levels is an acknowledgement of your ability to perform at their level. I was sought an endorsement from a billionaire for my efforts. It took me over 18 months to get it. Once I got it, it only took me two weeks to gain the support of other billionaires. Higher level executives are always managing risk, especially to their reputation. By having other executives validate you through an endorsement, you remove the perception of risk from the next executive who will endorse you. The more of that risk you reduce up front, the more likely you’ll get what you want.

6. Make your successes known. This can be a tough one for many people, although there’s a simple solution for this. To gain visibility, you must advertise yourself as much as you can. Many of us don’t like to tout what we have accomplished. Unfortunately, that’s about the only way we can get the good news of our accomplishments to those in power is by marketing them. Executives and managers don’t work around the organization and ask people what they have accomplished recently. If you’re lucky, that happens once a year in a performance review (and you know what benefits that has for your career). The best way to get the word out on your big victories is to build your own marketing team (e.g. your co-workers and friends). Use others to promote your achievements so you don't come off as bragging.

Maintaining a high rate of speed up the corporate ladder is difficult today, to say the least. Often the path isn’t purely vertical. Oh if it could be. Opportunities present themselves in many different ways, such as lateral, upward or downward. Nonetheless, developing a good method for encouraging a change when you need one is essential to continued career growth. After all, no one watches your career but you. These six steps are a great way to convince those at the helm that you are more than ready to take on a bigger role in the company.

---

Author:

Todd Rhoad, MSEE, MBA is the Director at BT Consulting, a career consulting firm in Altanta, and author of the book, Blitz The Ladder. Stay tuned for his upcoming book, The MBA Owners Manual, coming out this year. Todd can be reached at todd.rhoad@blitzteamconsulting.com.

via careerrocketeer.com

Posted via web from AndyWergedal

Career Change: 2 Strategies for Getting Off Your “Buts” | Career Rocketeer - Career Search and Personal Branding Blog

I hear countless comments from people saying they want to change careers, BUT, but, but, but. They make up some reason for not changing. Among these reasons are: I’m too old – I’ll have to take a pay cut – I don’t want to make the effort – I don’t know what I’d do. Essentially, I think it boils down to fear of change or no effort to change, probably both.

There is a big portion of the workforce truly unhappy with their careers this morning as they drive to work. They don’t like their jobs, but they keep on doing the same thing day after day, year after year. They are doing nothing to change the situation. It’s really unfortunate, because their lives don’t have to be like that. Career change can be made and while it does take an effort, it’s not that big of a hill to climb. Let’s look at two strategies a person can pursue.

Strategy #1: Decide if you can get happy where you are or if it’s time to go (no improvement in sight)

There are about sixteen factors that play into our satisfaction of our work situation. It’s little wonder we can get grumpy about work. However, only the top few are really the deal breakers. The number one issue to work satisfaction is the relationship with the boss. After that, the top issues are (in no particular order): - work environment – work associates - job content. Notice I didn’t mention pay. Salary is somewhere around 5 or 6, depending on which survey you read.

You have to spend some time really analyzing your situation and determine what the real issue(s) is for you. Once you have identified the issues, you need to do some problem solving to determine what actions you can take to improve those issues. The actions must be ones you have control over, not silly things like a personality transplant for your boss. Once you have developed an action plan, before doing anything else, ask yourself these questions: If I take these actions, will I be happier than I am now? Will I be happy enough to sustain me in this position for x years? If you think there is a possibility for improvement, then systematically pursue those actions. You have nothing to lose and you stand to gain greater happiness right where you are right now. If not, then go no further. It’s time to leave and move on to the next strategy.

If you do decide to make it better, you may want to consult your library on things you can do that will help you further solve some of these issues. There are books written on every single work issue you can come up with. Once you have taken these actions, allow time to make those actions take hold. At some point (you decide when) reevaluate your situation to see if you’re feeling better in your job. Many times the simple act of taking action is enough to really improve your situation. If not, it was worth the effort to see if things could improve. Then you can make the decision to move on knowing you did your best.

Strategy #2: Identify and Research your “buts” for making a career change

Stop making excuses and identify the issues that are keeping you from making a career change. You need to stop telling the stories and start doing some work. The person who is reluctant to make a career change sometimes has to address the issues or concerns first. With this strategy, you need to self examine what you really think the barriers are to a career change. Then go do some research to find out if you’re all wet or if you really have an issue worth hitting the pause button for.

My observation is that most of the time people come up with barriers without really knowing FOR A FACT that they really have an issue. Go get the facts. I also know that once you know the facts, you can devise an approach that will help you should you decide to move forward changing careers. I’d like to give you a personal illustration. Early in my professional life I decided that I was going to change careers. I was pretty sure I’d have to take a pay cut, because I was getting paid fairly high for the work I was doing. I devised a plan to pay off 100% of all debts I had. My thinking was that if I did have to take a pay cut, then I wouldn’t have to be so concerned with the pay: and I could focus on a great position in a company with upward potential. I knew if I had almost no bills, I could take a substantial pay cut and be okay. I devised a strategy to address the issue. It took me about a year to put it all in place, but it was well worth the planning and effort.

I would also point out that taking that first little action toward a career change will help you build momentum. You don’t need to be a fireball of career ambition. You simply need to put one foot in front of the other long enough to systematically confirm that a change of careers is what you need. If you are the kind of person that does best with a work-out buddy, you might want to do the same in this part of your life. Identify a trusted person who will hold you accountable to your own happiness. Motivation is not created from a bolt of lightning. It is created by the act of doing. So do yourself a favor. If you know you can’t make yourself happy where you are, start moving today. Even small steps forward are better than no steps at all. Eventually you will make that career change.

You work so much and for so long in your lifetime that you deserve to be happy in doing it!

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Guest Expert:

Dorothy Tannahill-Moran is a Career Coach and expert on helping her clients. Want to discover a specific career change strategy that gets results? Discover how to by claiming your FREE gift, Career Makeover Toolkit at: http://CareerMakeoverToolKitShouldISstayorShouldIGo.com/

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Are you burnt out? How to Manage burn out effectively - Careers advice blog - Position Ignition - taking you to the next step in your career

Are you burnt out? If your work is affecting your health it is time to stop, think and make a change.  If you find yourself exhausted in the office, surviving off regular doses of coffee and collapsing when you reach the weekend – you are burning out.  If you do not get this under control you can get seriously ill if you are not careful.

It is a challenge getting the right balance between hard work and good health.  Here are some steps to help you keep feeling burnt out under control.

• Think hard about whether you are in the right role
• Ask yourself some hard questions:
  • Do you enjoy what you are doing?
  • Is it interesting, fun, stimulating?
  • Do the hours work for you?
  • Is the working environment good for you?
  • Is there a good progression path?
  • Does the role suit your values, passions and strengths?
  • Are you burnt out all the time? Is it worth it?

If it is becoming obvious that maybe this isn’t the most suitable role or place for you to be in then you have the option to change it!   It is better to be in the right role and position for you than not.  You will be much happier and healthier all around if you live the lifestyle that you want.

1. Improve your time management

Cut down on inefficient uses of your time and activities that are draining you.  Cut down on late nights out, especially when you have to get up early the next day.  Prepare everything you will can for the next day the evening before e.g. clothes, documents, meeting preparation and so on.   This will save panic and stress in the morning or during the day.  Create to do lists to help you stay on top of things.  Use it as a checklist you can tick off tasks from.  It will keep you focused and also make you feel good when you have achieved each task.

2. Watch your diet

What you eat can affect your energy levels and therefore how you cope with the amount of work and stress you are under.  Cut down on ready meals, take-outs and fast food.  Eat more fresh vegetables, fruit and manage your diet.  The healthier you are the less burnt out you will be.  It is easy to let your diet suffer when time is limited but by taking short cuts you will make things worse.  You need to maintain your health if you are to carry on with your work focused lifestyle.

3. Exercise

If you do not have time to exercise, make time!  Early in the morning, after work, on the weekends or during your lunchtime perhaps.  Maybe even flex your working hours to fit it in if you can. It is important.  Keeping fit will make you feel better, give you more energy, make your brain work more efficiently and effectively and overall help your performance at work.  You will be in a much better position to handle the stress and strain you may be under. 

4. Flex your working hours

See if there is some flexibility around your work.  Talk to your boss.  Explore whether working from home is an option.  Having just one day at home every now and again can really help with your energy levels by cutting out travel and giving you more control over when and how you work.  You might want to get into work slightly earlier and leave earlier, or get in later and stay later in order to avoid rush hour and traffic.  You can reduce the time needed to travel and hence save a lot of energy.  See if you can manage your timetable to help avoid longer travel journeys.  If you are burnt out then anything you can do to help with your energy levels is crucial.

5. Manage your workload

If your workload is overwhelming and too much to handle, see if you can delegate it or get your colleagues and team mates to help out with different elements to spread the load.  If you cannot do that, be smart in how you spend your time and what you prioritise.  It is also important that you communicate what you are doing with those you are working with.  Making others aware of your priorities, tasks and workload will help them in identifying how much more to give you or perhaps how to work more effectively with you to help achieve your goals.

Author: Nisa Chitakasem - Founder of Position Ignition - taking you to the next step in your career

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5 Reasons Why You Hate Your Job - Blog - Position Ignition - taking you to the next step in your career

1. You are bored out of your mind

You can do your job fine and actually do it pretty well but the fact is that it just isn't interesting to you any more! There is no passion, no motivation, no inspiration in the role. Nothing new really happens and you could do it in your sleep. Perhaps it is time to move on?

2. Your boss or manager has no idea what you do

Too many times is this the case that a manager or boss has no clue what you or the other team members are actually doing or what you are capable of. You will have annual reviews in which you do not receive any decent feedback or recognition for the good work and achievements that you have done. Is your boss too busy doing their own thing to notice the great work you are doing? Do they actually care about you at all? Is this the sign of a good manager?

3. You have gone as high as you can go

Have you reached a ceiling at this company? Will it be another X (too many to wait) years before the next promotion? When you have reached a stand still it is completely understandable to be de-motivated. Without any goals within reach or forward movement there can seem to be little point in continuing. When we feel like we have reached a block career-wise, many of us try to make adjustments to clear the block – find new momentum, new opportunities, new drives and options to enable us to progress. If we do not – we can get frustrated, bored or even depressed.

4. There is no reason, meaning or point to it

Doing a job that your heart isn't in can be very unsatisfying. You might be the best person in the world at doing your job but if it isn't purposeful, meaning and aligned with what you are all about – it will feel pointless. By 'what you are all about' – I mean, what you are really passionate about, what you care about, what you value and what you will find rewarding and purposeful work-wise.

5. It stops you doing what you really want to

If you have chosen to do a job that you aren't really passionate about or interested in – there is most likely something else that you would rather be doing. This is probably something pretty different to your current role and because your current job is taking up all of your energy, effort and time – you have probably grown to resent it and hence 'hate your work'. Given that we spend so many hours of our lives 'working', if we don't enjoy our careers and we would rather be doing something completely different – we are going to feel very frustrated and annoyed at ourselves and or the world for it being this way! So – why not take control of your career and make the changes necessary to do what you actually want to do.

The above summarise just a few reasons why you may hate your job. There are of course several reasons why you may hate your job and each person will have their own distinct set of feelings and reasoning behind it. However, what you might like to take away from this is that if you are in a job that you greatly dislike – you don't need to put up with it! Yes – even in this recession – there are alternatives and better options that will work better for you if you are willing to invest the time, energy and effort in getting it. If you want the perfect or dream job handed to you on a plate then forget it. If you are willing to get clear about the type of job, industry, role that is right for you and that you would find rewarding – then you have every chance in making that career happen. It's what we do everyday with numerous individuals. The results are amazing!

Author: Nisa Chitakasem - Founder of Position Ignition - taking you to the next step in your career

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5 Signs Work is Taking Over Your Life - Blog - Position Ignition - taking you to the next step in your career

1. You dream about your project deadlines
If you are dreaming about your work this is a sign that your work is really starting to take over your life. You are beginning to eat, sleep and breathe work and it could lead to a downwards spiral. Being focused and truly interested and passionate about your work is great but there needs to be a good balance for you to have a healthy and fulfilling lifestyle. To only think about work and for it to be constantly on your mind can be a sign of real stress whereby work maybe invading your personal life. Think about your work life balance and if it is really working for you.

2. Your only friends are your work colleagues
If you stop and think about who you see everyday and socialise with – is it mostly your friends from work? Is this a good sign? What happened to everyone else? Enough said!

3. Your personal number is your work number
So let's see – your personal number has become your work number. So that means that most of your phone calls are all related to work. Does this sound familiar? Does this sound right? Perhaps it is time to divide up your personal and work calls again and make a bit of personal space and time for you.

4. Your work email is your only email address
Work work work and no play makes you a rather dull boy or girl! What happened to those personal emails to friends and family. Don't you care what they are up to? Work is important for sure but again – similar to the work and personal phone scenario – if you make some time for your own personal life – you may come to appreciate and value these aspects of your world more.

5. You've forgotten what it is like to cook
So if you're working late everyday I'm guessing that food doesn't feature as a top priority for you. Therefore I'm guessing there's some ready meals, some take-aways, lots of eating out and going for quick, easy options. Is this the best lifestyle for you? Is it healthy? Do you miss your mama's cooking?

If work is taking over your life it might be time to re-evaluate what you're doing. If you love your job and it's really what you are passionate about then great! Otherwise – it might end up making you feel pretty burnt out, tired and frustrated. If it's taking time away from other things – you might regret it later on as there are typically a whole host of activities and people that bring fulfilment, joy and meaning to our every day lives.

Author: Nisa Chitakasem - Founder of Position Ignition - taking you to the next step in your career

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Am I Too Old To Make a Career Change? - Blog - Position Ignition - taking you to the next step in your career

If you are making a career change and are thinking and feeling like you are either too old or too young to do it – don't! You are never too old to make a career change. You are never too young to make a career change.

If you are feel 'old' – this implies that you are wise – so you have had experience, you have seen the world and had a career of some sort for several years. With your many years of experience you have gained some key skills, some great knowledge, insight and expertise that you can use in the next role. You have not missed the boat, nor have you run out of runway. Use the experience, skills and natural talents and strengths that you have – to show that you are right for your next career move.

You will need to take a deeper look into your career, actions and activities to date. Sit down and review your career. Analyse it. Think about the roles you had and the projects you were involved in. Also look at what you did outside of work. What skills did you gain from all of what you have done so far? What were you good at? What did you enjoy? How do these relate to what you are looking to do now?

At first what you have done may look, sound or feel completely irrelevant – but actually when you dig deeper – there will be a whole host of skills, interests, talents, passions that are consistent across all of what you have done and where you are looking to go. There will be ways to transfer the skills you have gained to date – into the next career. Your next career move is your chance to start aligning your real passions, interests, strengths and goals into one. However, do not forget what you have achieved or accomplished so far. None of it is irrelevant. You are simply building and growing from what you have done – even if you are to take a slightly different direction now – there will be a link, you just need to find it!

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Success Is Made of Little Victories

Everything we do to be successful comes from little victories. When someone takes notice of our success, it looks like something big. It feels like one big moment. But always, and I mean always, it comes from a series of little victories. Look at the successes you’ve had. Did they all come at once? Or did you build up from nowhere to somewhere to somewhere better to a quick fallback to a new success, and then pow? Right.

In August 2003, I decided to get healthy. So did Kat. We started with nutrition. We lost a little weight. Then we lost some more. We worked on our fitness. Then we did even more. Then I got into running. And by November 2004, I ran and completed a trail marathon. I sure didn’t wake up one morning in November 65 pounds thinner and start running. It was built on several hundred (thousand?) little victories along the way.

Start With Little Flags and Bigger Flags

One way to start achieving your own victories is to know what you’re aiming to accomplish. For instance, if you hate your job, plant a positive flag in the ground that says, “I’m going to change roles/careers.” That’ll be your bigger flag. If you want to get really specific, you should consider adding things like dates to your flags. (Otherwise, they’re more like dreams.)

Then, plant some smaller flags. For instance, having some extra money stashed away so you can cover your transition for a few months might be a good way to accomplish your bigger flag goal. So, how will you get that money? Maybe it will be to start an eBay business. (My friend Marsha Collier is THE author of all the best books about eBay and eBay businesses.) With extra revenue, you’ll reach another little flag that builds up to your next victory.

See how it works? Put out a bigger flag that signifies your victory: “I’ll work independently 8 months from now.” Then, figure out how many little flags you’ll need to put in the sand for all the little victories that will get you there. “I’ll look to start taking in an extra $2000/month within 60 days.” From there, figuring out HOW is a bit more concrete.

Praise Each Little Victory. Then Move on.

On your way to success, make sure you praise your accomplishments. I’m working on my fitness and nutrition again after a long hiatus. At the time I wrote this, I’d lost 10 pounds in my first two weeks. I’m happy with that progress. But, I’m also not going to linger. I’m going to work harder at getting more fit, at reducing my calorie intake a bit more (I’m not eating a fad diet and I’m certainly eating more than enough food), and working those little victories. But I just accept each win, nod, and move on.

Never Justify

One secret to your little victories: never use one to justify a fallback. “Well, I did lose 10 pounds. I’ll just have this vat-sized popcorn at the movie theater.” No. Never. That’s how you got there in the first place. Apply this thinking liberally over all the other things you do. If you get a win with one client, never let that be a reason to mess up with another. Treat every victory as crucial to your success, or you’ll risk eroding your success.

Your Flags, Not Everyone’s Flags

The flags you set for yourself, the little victories, are yours. They pertain to goals you’ve made. Sometimes, on the way to success, our passion to be helpful sometimes overrides our sense that our efforts are our own, and not prescriptive across everyone else. That’s when we risk coming off as preachy. For instance, just because you realize that Twitter and Facebook are the wave of the future doesn’t mean that everyone else who doesn’t is a jerk, behind the times, and doesn’t get it. Maybe those aren’t the flags those people are working towards. Maybe their victories are different than yours.

Work your own flags.

Praise Others Often

The best thing you can do with success is share it. Praise others along the way. Be grateful. Thank others. Share as much of the stage and spotlight as you can. Hoard nothing. Instead, give as much praise away as possible and keep only what you can’t possibly deny to yourself. Your success was made up of many other helping hands. Do what you can to thank them.

Success Accepts Temporary Setbacks and Failures

I called my business New Marketing Labs because I wanted us to always be experimenting. We win business by telling our partners that sometimes we’re not sure the outcome of our efforts until we give it a try. We have, on many occasions, told someone in a meeting, “We’re not really sure if this will yield, but we’re going to try it, and if it does, we’ll do it some more. If it doesn’t, we’ll figure out how to make things work.”

Experimentation, failure, and setbacks are all part of the map. Just don’t dwell on them. Airplanes are off-course 90% of the time, I once read. As long as they land safely and on time (oh, how I wish), that’s good enough for everyone involved. Accept your setbacks (but learn from them).

What Happens With Success

Depending on your views, what happens next is usually the most important. When I’m successful, I do what I can to educate others in how they can accomplish what I’ve done, or at least they can have access to the tools I used to get there. Teaching, raising others up, doing what one can to bring success to others is perhaps the biggest measure of the real value of success. It’s not money that determines success. It’s not fame. It’s the chance to help others with their own success that I value most of all.

Our efforts to achieve success hinge on little victories. When it’s all said and done, after 10,000 hours of hard work, the external sense that it all seems effortless is just another external sign that you’ve worked hard to achieve your position. But it’s really only the start of another kind of effort, complete with more little victories to be had along the way.

What about you? Does that describe your own successes? How are you planting your small flags? What do you find discouraging?

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