HOW WILL YOU DO THE INTERVIEW?

Prospects in the job search are starting to look up. In a tight budget world, people (people = hiring companies / the job seeker) are no longer spending money for trips to interview. That means if you are relocating or interviewed by headquarters, you may be interviewing remotely. Whether your relocation is because you are a recent graduate (or about to be) or finding little job resources locally, this is your opportunity.

One of the ways companies are doing more with less is to interview you first by telephone or do a video interview. This lower budget approach does all the screening for the company at much less cost. That interview cost is significant for the company and for the job seeker.

Get Your Game On

How do you get your game on? If you were interviewing in person, in their office, you’d probably shower, dress, put your application materials in your portfolio and go. You’d review your materials before you got out of the car, have a few examples of your accomplishments at the ready and smile! Do all that for your telephone interview too. Put a mirror in front of where you’ll be sitting for the call. Use it to remind yourself to smile into the phone. The smile will carry across the phone lines. Be enthusiastic; convey your passion for the job in your tone of voice. They can only evaluate what you put in your voice.

Getting Ready for Your Close-up

If you’re video interviewing, you’ll follow the same guidelines. Because they can see you! Even if you know they will only see you from the waist up or table up, dress all of you. People have different mannerisms when they are “dressed up” from their everyday attire. You want to signal you are taking this seriously.

Where do you do this video interview? That depends. You can use a place that advertises video conferencing ability, such as my local Kinko’s Copy shop, or your local library. Or, ask your local college or university if you can use theirs. The last choice I would make is home.

Run a short practice session with a friend. How does it look? Things to consider are quality (picture & sound) and background. The background should be plain and non-distracting. That might be a great picture on the wall, but does it look like it is sprouting out of your head? Is the lighting too harsh or not enough? Warn family and friends/roommates that you’ll be interviewing, so they don’t disturb you. Hang a sign. Many of these variables are removed by using a video conferencing facility.

Another tip is do not sit too close to the camera. It can be distorting and it is the equivalent of leaning in too close to the interviewer. Even if you are alone in the room, they can see you. Stay in character. Stay professional.

Remember, they are trying to weed out weak candidates. The hiring manager might ask you to solve a problem or ask what you’d do in certain situations. These may be real or hypothetical. They may not be solvable. They are looking for your thought process as you go through the problem, and how you handle yourself. You may be asked to do a presentation to other candidates or a panel. The point may be how you treat people in addition to what you present. Give everyone individual and professional attention. Call people by name. Relax into it and be your normal, pleasant self.

If you need help getting ready for the interview, don’t hesitate to contact me. We can work together to practice and get you polished for your interview.

All things are possible,

Elisabeth

Elisabeth Adler-Lund

Executive and Life Coaching

Telephone: 916 • 803•1494

E-mail: eal@EALCoaching.com

ARE YOU DEMONSTRATING LEADERSHIP?

“Trying to get everyone to like you is a sign of mediocrity. You’ll avoid the tough decisions, you’ll avoid confronting the people who need to be confronted and you’ll avoid offering differential rewards based on differential performance, because some people might get upset. Ironically, by procrastinating on the difficult choices, by trying not to get anyone mad and by treating everyone equally “nicely,” regardless of their contributions, you’ll simply ensure that the only people you’ll wind up angering are the most creative and productive people in the organization.” Colin Powell said that about organizational leadership.

I think this is also true for your personal leadership. The leadership you demonstrate in and of your own life. If you are waiting for the next job, the next relationship or for when you’ve lost 10 pounds to do anything, you are not demonstrating leadership in your own life. What you are doing is being complacent and waiting for one of these things to “fix” things for you. You are avoiding “the tough decisions” that you need to make about your health, your career, your relationships or whatever is tough for you.

You are avoiding “confronting the people who need to be confronted.” You need to confront yourself and demand the same level of respect and responsibility that you expect from others, from yourself! Yes, this may upset you. It will probably upset those around you too. They will think you aren’t “nice” anymore. I have seen clients bend over backwards to provide respect to others and be responsible for others, but who can’t get out of their own way to solve their own problems.

Find and Fix Problems

Our culture often defines asking for help as weakness or failure, so people cover up their gaps, and everyone suffers accordingly. Define your problems down to the small details. ‘Know the enemy,’ as the saying goes. That way you can better define your solution. Be as objective as you possibly can. Keep asking yourself, “Am I part of the solution or part of the problem?”

Let’s take an example. Chris hates her job. It pays well enough, but it doesn’t fit her personality or her work-style. She told me that her “family won’t let me change jobs.” Hmmm. I had to ask, “why not?” It came out that her family has a tradition of being attorneys, so she is in the family business. However, she hates writing, doesn’t like being cooped up in an office and really doesn’t think she has anything in common with the other corporate attorneys in the office. When I asked, "Who is living Chris’s life," she answered “my family.” She had abdicated leadership for her own career.

When I asked, “What does Chris’s life would look like to Chris?” She answered she longs for the great outdoors and to work with and in nature. When we drilled down for the details, it turns out that Chris chose what to wear to work, what car to buy, where to live, and more. It was more of an “expectation” that she stay in the family business. Chris eventually decided only Chris could live Chris’s life. We did some brainstorming, and she decided to transition to environmental law as a first step. Once she took leadership back for her own life, she felt confident about her choices and could make the big decisions.

I understand other people have expectations of how we should be running our lives, but they are not in charge of what we choose to do. This responsibility lies squarely on our own shoulders – and it is a big responsibility! If not, we would not put so much time and energy into trying to hand it off to someone else, where it doesn’t belong.

Giving away the leadership for your own life will leave you feeling powerless and stuck. Taking leadership gives you the power and momentum you need to move forward.

This whole concept can be both frightening and liberating. Frightening because it gives me access to more choices than I ever thought I had – and choices equal power; liberating because suddenly I can pursue any life, dream, career, relationship that I choose to pursue. Remember, things don't just happen to you. You have power to decide what your life will be like.

If there is something, someone, some career, some place to live, etc. that you really, really want – you are the only one who can get it for yourself. And – this is the tough part – no one can prevent you from pursuing it unless you let them.

The first step toward transforming yourself, your work, your relationships and your life starts with Taking Leadership for Your Own Life. You are moving forward to the life you want. Keep asking yourself, “Am I part of the solution or part of the problem?”

Want more help? Contact me and we’ll get you where you want to go.

A dream with a plan is a goal. A goal without a plan is just a dream.

All things are possible,

Elisabeth

Elisabeth Adler-Lund

Executive and Life Coaching

Telephone: 916 • 803•1494

E-mail: eal@EALCoaching.com

WHAT AILS YOUR JOB SEARCH?

Is your job search working for you? When was your last interview? Are blaming the economy or others for your lack of opportunities and interviews? If your last interview was more than a month ago, you job hunt is sick. Perhaps terminally ill. How do you resuscitate it?

In 2009, internal transfers and promotions filled 51% of jobs. Layoffs are traumatic for managers and the person getting the pink slip. In this “less is more” economy, taking an internal candidate keeps that person employed. While their old job probably goes away. The company eliminated a position, but nobody was laid off.

Networking Is Key

That means 49% of hires came from outside the organization. How do you get to be one of the 49%? Overwhelmingly, they knew someone at the company. Over half of the 49% got the job through networking. How do you get to ‘know someone’ at the company? Talk to people.

No, I mean: TALK TO PEOPLE. Get out of the house and talk to people. Pick up the phone and call people. Tell people you are looking for a job in ABC field because you can do X, Y, and Z.

Social Networking

Look up companies on Facebook. Search for people you know who work at companies you want to work at. Catch up with them. Ask what the best way to get a job at their company is. Ask if they will introduce you to the hiring manager. Ask if they know of any openings, anywhere. You need help, ask for it.

Reality Check

If you are just surfing through job posting at Monster, CareerBuilder, Craigslist, Dice, Ladders, or whatever, your probability of getting hired is just 10%. So, this method of job searching should only get 10% of your time. Networking, on the other hand, works 33% of the time. That is over 3 times better. For most of us, it is also 3 times less comfortable. You can be comfortable AFTER you get the job.

If you are willing to put yourself out there – there is a method that works 47% of the time. Knocking on the door of any employer, factory or office that interests you, whether or not you know of a vacancy. This works best with small employers (100 employees or less) rather than the huge employers. This works because you often happen upon a job (vacancy) that was just created. Or, due to your expertise and enthusiasm, you may help create a new job there. The challenge here is that this method is not for the timid or terminally shy. It takes a bit of moxie to ask for five minutes of someone’s time without an appointment. This works an amazing amount of the time. Your fear is that you are intruding and are unwelcome. People usually want to be helpful. If you have real expertise and enthusiasm and demonstrate that, you will be welcomed more times than not. For more on the best Job Search Techniques see last year’s article. 

Bonus

It is vitally important that you tailor your application materials to the specific job opening. Employers don’t have time to connect the dots of how your experience may, or may not, apply to their job opening. Make direct comparisons between your accomplishments and the stated needs of the job posting. Make it easy to see how you are the answer.

Two excellent resources for you are “The Job-Hunter’s Survival Guide” and “What Color Is Your Parachute?” Both have been written by Richard N. Bolles. The survival guide is about 100 pages crammed full of timely and helpful tips for $9.99. If you really want to find your dream job, “Parachute” will get you there for $19.99. If all the exercises seem overwhelming, don’t hesitate to contact me. Together we can get you where you want to go. After all ...

A dream with a plan is a goal. A goal without a plan is just a dream.

All things are possible,

Elisabeth

Elisabeth Adler-Lund

Executive and Life Coaching

Telephone: 916 • 803•1494

E-mail: eal@EALCoaching.com

ARE YOU IN LOVE?

Are you in love with your job? “Choose a job you love, and you’ll never work a day in your life.” This was true when the wise man Confucius said it hundreds of years ago and it is still true today, in the New Year of the Tiger. 

When you are doing something you love to do, the time just flies. When you have a big problem, it is just a fun puzzle to figure out. If the challenge is big enough to take several days to solve, it doesn’t weigh you down. You just happily find different perspectives, mentally try various solutions and finally choose one to be the answer. You may be preoccupied, but you are gladly and willingly engaged and satisfied. 

Is that you? Is time flying by at work or does it drag by with lead feet? Are you gladly and willingly engaged and satisfied on the job? Or, are you just putting in time? Did you choose your career? Or, did someone choose it for you? Are you doing what you love to do, or what “people” expect you to do? 

Hard questions 

Some of those questions can be very hard questions. They can be especially difficult if the money is very good. Perhaps it is hardest when you have followed a parent into their line of work or into the family business. The weight of the expectation alone can be crushing. Even to think of doing another line of work can be tantamount to a betrayal. 

And, really. Is this the time to be thinking about … quitting a job? I mean, look around. There is a recession going on and jobs are scarce. Shouldn’t you just suck it up and carry on? 

You are the answer

Only you know the answers to these questions. I’m just asking the questions. Let us review a few facts. 

• It is your life, and only you can live your life.
• Life is short.
• Your life is your legacy. What do you want that to be?
• Life is short.

One of the wonderful things about doing a job you love, is you will find you are good at that job. When you enjoy what you do, you do it well. It is just like the old saying, “practice makes perfect.” When you enjoy a job, you do it more often. This builds in practice that you may not even be aware you are doing. So you get even better at that job, which makes it even more enjoyable. Talk about your win-win solutions – this is it!

How do you find your "dream job"? How do you even know what that is? Perhaps you only know what you do not want to do. Maybe you are burned out trying to push round you into a square hole.

Looking At Yourself In A New Way

What do you love doing? What would you like to eliminate from your next job? What inspires you? If you could do anything – money is no object – what would you do? When people ask you who you are, what do you call yourself? What do you want to say you do? What do you want to be when you grow up?

What are your answers to these questions and are you willing to take steps in changing your view of yourself? There is no magic bullet; no magic test that will tell you what is the best job for you. Only you know what will work for YOU.

Dream and DREAM BIG!

I am a career coach because I know what it is like to dread Monday because of being miscast in a job that doesn't fulfill you. I can help you find your passion and a job that is fulfilling. I can help you break free of other people's expectations of what you "should" be doing and help you find what you were born to do.

A dream with a plan is a goal. A goal without a plan is just a dream.

All things are possible,

Elisabeth

Elisabeth Adler-Lund

Executive and Life Coaching

Telephone: 916 • 803•1494

E-mail: eal@EALCoaching.com

HAS IT BEEN A LONG TIME?

Has it been a long time since you were paid for the work you do? More than six months? Over a year? 

Sadly, this is possible. Job search is very competitive right now. By some estimates, there are up to 10 people for every job opening. That makes it a numbers game. The more you get out there and apply, the sooner you’ll get a job. How do you keep positive so you can do that? How do get yourself UP for the game of job search in the face of all that competition and rejection? It happens to the best of us. You are not alone. You have hit a patch of rapids in the river of life. How do you see past the rapids and keep a positive outlook? 

YOU ARE NOT YOUR JOB 
 Long-term unemployment does more than put a gap in your résumé. It also affects how you look at yourself. Your self-esteem takes a hit. You are not your job. Your value as a human being is not tied to your paycheck or your job title. If it were, Bernie Madoff would be someone to look up to, not the scoundrel he is. 

JOB CLUB  
One way is to find a local job club. This is an organization that will help you find a job. Buddy up with someone in your field. Help each other find a job. Remember, the more leads you generate for your buddy, the more you generate for you. Practice your interview skills on each other. Cheer your buddy up when they get down. Hold each other accountable to a job search plan. If each of you is to contact say, ten employers a week, make sure you each do that. Remember, it is a numbers game. The higher your numbers (of contacts, applications, employers visited, etc.) the better your chances.

If your area doesn’t have a job club, start one. This would be a sterling example of your leadership skills in action. And, it will look great on your résumé! 

JUST A MOMENT IN TIME 

Your career will run for a long time. It will be counted in decades. So sooner or later, a setback will happen in your career. It’s to be expected. Hey, “Life happens!” (as the bumper sticker says). Cycles have up's and down's and this is just a down. The good news is it will all be up from here. Remind yourself that a job will be there, and is waiting for you, right around the bend in the river. 

REVISIT YOUR ACCOMPLISHMENTS 
When was the last time you really looked at your résumé? Moreover, when you do, does it seem like your accomplishments were achieved by someone else? Your career is like a bicycle; you never forget how to ride it. Spend some quality time with your résumé. Remember the projects you worked on and the people you worked with to obtain these results. Remind yourself that these are your accomplishments, which should make you justifiably proud. Just because it has been a while, doesn't mean it didn't happen then and won’t happen again. 

VISUALIZE WHAT YOU WANT TO HAPPEN 
You may not know when or where your next job is, but you can get ready. Visualize it in all the detail you can muster. What do you want next? Where exactly, do you want to work? What location? What type of people? How much salary? What are the duties? Responsibilities? What size of company? Do you want to work alone or with a team? When you can see what you want, clearly and powerfully, you can get it. Keep refining this vision. Begin trying to match up your vision with companies. You’ll find it. 

I find that when people are out of work for a while, they can't see themselves in their jobs anymore. The amount of time that has passed only matters to you. Visualize what you want so you can get back to work again quickly. Visualize submitting a great application. Visualize a great interview. Visualize the negotiations and getting the salary you want. Visualize the first day of work and all its glorious awkwardness. 

BIG MO 
Not surprisingly, most people don't take rejection well and they get discouraged. When they first lost their jobs, they had vigor and excitement. They got up everyday and had people to call and job search related activities to work on. Over time, the momentum and activities diminished. You only need one job and one person to give it to you. So get your momentum going again. The work you put in now will bring results; you just haven't seen them yet. As you well know, job search is not an instant gratification pursuit. It is a process that brings results over time. It has its own timetable and it isn’t yours. 

BELIEVE IN YOURSELF 
Most of the time, we are our own worst enemy. We talk ourselves down and defeat ourselves before the battle even begins. This approach may keep you safe from rejection and failure, but it also holds you back. This economy may be forcing you to get out of your comfort zone and into new territory. The economy hasn’t been in this place for most of our lifetimes (parents or grandparents, yes. Us, not so much). This recession requires new approaches. Nothing comfortable here and you'll be blazing new personal trails. All this is great for your personal growth. (Even though it does not feel so great most of the time.) 

This is your challenge. Will you rise to the occasion or let it get the best of you? You already have a track record of achieving great things. This will be one more to add to your list. This is just one patch of rapids in the river of your life. You will get past this. You will survive and thrive. Just hunker down, get out of your comfort zone and keep on, keeping on. 

So, what do you say? It is your life, grab it and get your momentum going again. You can do this. 

A dream with a plan is a goal. A goal without a plan is just a dream. 

All things are possible, 

Elisabeth 

Elisabeth Adler-Lund 
Executive and Life Coaching 
Telephone: 916 • 803•1494 
E-mail: eal@EALCoaching.com

WHAT IS YOUR CARPE DIEM?

I have been a little overwhelmed with work, duties, and obligations lately. I was trying to prioritize what to take action on, trying a little self-motivation. So, I just randomly said “carpe diem” to myself, hoping for some action to get out of planning mode and into action mode. ‡ After all, the phrase seems to work for so many others.

.

Carpe diem! This is popularly translated as Seize the day! Some scholars say that the Latin word carpe is more akin to the English equivalent pluck. What does seize or pluck the day mean for you? Yeah, it really doesn’t resonate with me, either. It is hard to wrap my mind around seizing something as metaphysical as a “day” or “time.” How do you seize what you can’t touch? (I know, it isn’t meant to be literal.*) 

Thank you, Mr. Roget 

I went to my Thesaurus and looked up “seize.” Here are some alternatives that are more meaningful for how I use the phrase. More importantly, these words are more meaningful in propelling me to action (the point of the mantra, after all).

1. grab 
2. snatch 
3. confiscate 
4. commandeer 
5. take control of 
6. capture 

Well, items 1 – 3 are too … physical. Again, hard to confiscate something you can’t grab or snatch. However. I can easily “commandeer” my day or time. (Yes, I have control issues.) I definitely need to “take control of” my day and take it back from other people’s priority lists. Additionally, I can “capture” my time back from the time sink of email or web surfing. 

Meanings are in people 

I encourage you to do this exercise. What phrase will motivate you? Tweak it until it truly motivates YOU. You can look it up in the dictionary, search the Thesaurus or ask others. However, until it means something to you, it just won’t work. Now that I have a better translation for carpe diem, it really does propel me into action. 

What do you need to seize/pluck/grab/snatch/confiscate/commandeer/take control of/capture today? What is the one thing that will propel you forward toward your goals? What motivates you? What do you want more of in your life? 

A dream with a plan is a goal. A goal without a plan is just a dream. 

All things are possible,  

Elisabeth 

Elisabeth Adler-Lund 
Executive and Life Coaching 
Telephone: 916 • 803•1494 
E-mail: eal@EALCoaching.com

‡ This is why motivation doesn’t always work. 
A) You have to tie it something specific. It can’t be random. 
B) It has to mean something to you. If money isn’t your motivator, more of it won’t push you into action. 

* In Horace, the phrase is part of a longer poem. Literally: 
(Latin) … carpe diem quam minimum credula postero. 
(English) … Seize the day, trusting as little as possible to the future. 

There are many similar phrases on making the most of now, the present, because life is short and time flies by: 
“Eat, drink and be merry, for tomorrow we die.” 
“Gather ye rosebuds while ye may.” 
“Time flies when you’re having fun.” (Often said ironically.) 

ARE YOU PRODUCTIVE ENOUGH?

If you are working, you are probably doing the work that previously occupied several people. The sad reality for many employees, just because the company downsized, doesn’t mean the work went away. Your success on the job or in the job hunt is not determined by the size of your To Do List, but by your accomplishments. 

Let me ask you some questions. 

• Are you working smarter, not harder? 
• Are you multitasking? 
• Are you working with yourself or against yourself? 

WITH YOURSELF 

Part of working “smarter” is recognizing your personal work rhythms and using them to your advantage. Most people are most productive and creative in the first part of the day. If this is you, are you capitalizing on this and tackling your difficult and important assignments first thing? Or, do you open up your email? 

TIME SINK 

Nothing can eat away at your time like email. It is full of to do’s large and small. It has all this information, most of dubious value. If you are able, don’t open your email until later in the morning. After you’ve completed a step or large chunk of your most important project, THEN open up and answer the email. If your boss or corporate climate requires an immediate response first thing, by all means, open up the email. However – only answer those urgent items that you must. Then begin work on your project. 

If you can, spread the word that your first one or two hours of the day are your project times. Perhaps add a line to your email signature, “I check and respond to email at 10:30 am and 4:00 pm each day. If this is an urgent matter, please reach me by telephone.” Since everyone else is doing their email, you may have fewer distractions and more uninterrupted time. You’ll make more headway in that hour, than two hours in the afternoon. 

TASKING 

Do you multitask or unitask? Multitasking is really just a myth. The brain cannot work on two projects at the same time. What the best so-called multitaskers do is alternate very quickly back and forth. That actually slows you down. It takes more time and energy to do two tasks together versus sequentially. Concentrate on one thing at a time. Get it done (to the stopping point or completely) and move on to the next thing. You’ll be done in less total time and have a higher quality product. Multitasking is also very stressful to your system. Voilá, more productive and less stress! 

Another technique is to batch up your tasks. Put another way, do tasks in blocks of time. Two hours of project time, an hour of phone calls, an hour of email, and so forth. You’ll get a rhythm going as you accomplish several similar tasks in a row. 

IN THE HUNT 

If you are in the job hunt, set specific hours for your job search. Allocate certain times every workday to making the calls, for visiting companies, networking and searching the internet for job postings or research. 

A dream with a plan is a goal. A goal without a plan is just a dream. 

All things are possible, 

Elisabeth 

Elisabeth Adler-Lund 

Executive and Life Coaching 

Telephone: 916 • 803•1494 

E-mail: eal@EALCoaching.com

DOES ANOTHER DOOR OPEN?

You know the saying, “One door closes and another one opens.” Have you found that to be true? One door closed, you lost your job. What is your opening door? If you are only focused on a new job as your next open door, you may be overlooking all the open doors in front of you. You might also be a candidate for burnout.

Remember all those things that you wanted to do when you were working? Now is your “open door” to getting them done. Here is a short list of things you now have time for:

• Spending more time with the family
  
• Cleaning out the garage/attic/junk drawer
• Reconnecting with your spouse or significant other
• Reevaluating your career direction and decisions
• Doing an in depth self-assessment of your strengths, skills, abilities and experience
• Volunteering at your favorite charity (giving time instead of money)
• Learning new skills to improve your career
• Working at an unpaid (or token pay) internship to explore a new career

NOT “JUST” KEEPING BUSY

This is more than just keeping busy and out of trouble. When you maintain a schedule, you also maintain a focus about your life. This occupies your mind with new ideas and new people. It also makes you more interesting to others. Good conversation is helpful in all areas of your life.

As you are out and about, you are meeting people and building relationships. Sometimes the volunteer job can lead to a paying job. Sometimes the colleague you volunteer with has a job lead. Sometimes you can help out the volunteer colleague and the organization. That’s a double whammy win! Keeping your self-esteem high is important in the hunt for a job.

BURNOUT

If everything is focused on getting a job, you can become burned out fast. The unemployment rate is the highest it has been for decades. Employers aren’t rehiring the people they laid off. That is a lot of rejection. Every time you submit an application or send in a résumé and no one even acknowledges it, you feel rejected. You finally get an interview and you don’t get the job, more rejection. Even seasoned salespeople suffer burnout in these conditions.

The consequences of burnout are that when you get your next interview, you sound desperate or disinterested. Desperate because all you are thinking is “Please, please let me get this job.” Or, you are already resigned to failure, making it self-fulfilling.

By keeping yourself useful to others, you get positive reinforcement. That in turn is an antidote to the burnout a prolonged job search can create.

A dream with a plan is a goal. A goal without a plan is just a dream.

All things are possible,

Elisabeth

Elisabeth Adler-Lund

Executive and Life Coaching

Telephone: 916 • 803•1494

E-mail: eal@EALCoaching.com

WHAT DOES YOUR BODY LANGUAGE SAY?

How you move, sit and stand all conveys something about you. Do you know what your body is saying to others? Here are some pointers for you.

POSTURE

Put your shoulders back, suck your stomach in. Bad posture gives off an air of timidity or sloth. A person sitting in a chair, slouching, does not project confidence and determination. It’s like your body saying, “Whatever.” Find a more upright way of sitting that still feels somewhat comfortable.

Whether sitting or standing, your body should be relaxed and open. Do not cross your arms or legs. While you may think it conveys a sense of ease, studies have shown that a people read a closed body differently: they subconsciously think you have something to hide. This is a golden opportunity to send a positive signal. In keeping your body open and your arms spread a little more widely than your torso, you offer openness and appear friendly.

YOUR HANDS

Clenching your fists can create two problems. First, the closed body issue: closed hands are just like closed bodies. Second, you could make some people think that you’re short-tempered and ready for a fight. I think we can agree this is the wrong signal. While hand-clenching for many is just a nervous habit, it’s one well worth training yourself to avoid. Force your hands open to send positive signals and convey a sense of being at ease with yourself and the conversation.

It’s natural to try to communicate with your hands and arms when speaking. Just don’t get carried away. Only use your body language for emphasis when you really want to accentuate a point. However, don’t point. No one likes being pointed at or having a finger wagged in their face.

Better ways to use your hands? The Karate Chop: Hand flattened with one or two gentle downward movements. The Bill Clinton: Former President Bill Clinton is a master of communication. Clinton often emphasized his points with his hands. He made a fist then moved his thumb over his index finger. He was still pointing, but with just the nub of his thumb extended, it was not aggressive like a full index finger is.

THE HANDSHAKE

The handshake is an opportunity to make a great impression. To begin with, you should endeavor to be the first to offer the handshake. When someone new comes in and says, your name (usually as a question) extend your hand and reply.

When the handshake begins, make sure you extend your arm without fear. If there is any hesitation on your part, you’ll end up shaking fingers. You want web-to-web contact. The “web” is the bridge of skin between thumb and point-finger. Aim for two pumps. Many more than that and your handshake partner will see you as exceedingly nervous (or that you’re trying to rip of their arm). Keep your hands dry. No clammy palms.

FACIAL EXPRESSIONS

Furrowing your brow, shifty eyes and aggressive nodding will tend to convey the opposite of your intention. Furrowing the brows is also the facial expression for scorn or bewilderment. To avoid this tic, try opening your eyes a little wider when someone says something interesting or asks a question that makes you think. A positive action in response to a habit reduces the tic’s occurrence more than just trying not to do anything does.

To keep your eyes from shifting: make eye contact and rarely break it. This doesn’t mean you can’t blink (that would be even worse) and you can glance down from time to time. But looking the questioner directly in the eyes says, “I have nothing to hide.”

When you agree with someone, a natural reaction is to nod. When you’re nervous, people tend to exaggerate that. When you answer “yes” to a simple question, a fast, repetitive nod says that you’re nervous. A slow, short nod utilizes body language to emphasize something important, the point of agreement.

DISTRACTIONS

Maintaining focus in the interview or meeting can be difficult. Potential distractions should be seen as an opportunity to convey your professionalism and focus. If someone accidentally comes into the meeting room? Continue pleasantly looking at your target and stop speaking until the person excuses himself then resume speaking as if nothing happened. Don’t even mention it. You are so focused on what’s important, nothing can distract you.

SOLUTIONS

How do you move, sit and stand? What is your body saying to others? One way to know is to have a friend video a practice interview. Set it up with a table and practice questions. Have the camera pointed at you. Ask yourself: How does your smile look? Are you moving enough or too much? Do you look confident or tentative? Are your nerves showing through with fidgeting or overly aggressive gestures? A dress rehearsal can be invaluable for fixing some nervous habits. Then you too, can appear relaxed, confident and ready to do the job.

A dream with a plan is a goal. A goal without a plan is just a dream.

All things are possible,

Elisabeth

Elisabeth Adler-Lund

Executive and Life Coaching

Telephone: 916 • 803•1494

E-mail: eal@EALCoaching.com

IS YOUR RÉSUMÉ SHARP?

No matter what your current status is: happy in your current job, seeking a new career or unemployed and eagerly looking for a job, it is a good time to update your résumé.

We are in a new year and things expire or become out of date. “What things?” you ask. Well, experiences, accomplishments, certificates, memberships and so forth all have a shelf life.

SHELF LIFE

New experiences and accomplishments take the place of old ones. Some times the new experiences are more relevant to your job search. They are more recent and more indicative of who you are now. You learn new and better ways of doing things every time you do it. You need to reflect that on your résumé. Be clear about your accomplishments and use statistics to back it up whenever possible (e.g., reduced downtime 25%).

For the same reasons, your most recent accomplishments need to be documented on your résumé also. Document your growth and dedication to the job. A cutting-edge accomplishment five years ago might be business as usual today. An example is “doing more with less.” If a company is still in business, it is doing more with a lot less. That is no longer an accomplishment, but an expectation.

Certificates and memberships expire, and you may not have renewed them. Even if you did renew them, ask yourself, “Are they still current for the job I am seeking?” Sometimes we just renew our memberships without thinking of its relevance to our future. If you have decided that you need a break from human resources to pursue writing, your membership in SHRM is no longer relevant. Save that money or at least don’t put it on your résumé. Or, maybe it is time to join a professional organization.

THE PROCESS

Start at the top of your résumé and look at everything. Is your name and contact information current? Do you want to put in your cell phone number rather than your home phone? Do you use a different email address more frequently now? (DO NOT use your email address at your employer’s business.) If you want to be taken seriously, use a serious email address (e.g., not PartyAnimal@abc.net).

Is everything relevant for your current job search? If still employed, is it the most recent information about you? What new classes have you taken or new information do you now use on the job? Is everything spelled correctly? Is it the right word?

HOMEWORK

Go to some of the big job search boards (CareerBuilder, Monster, etc.) and look at some job ads in your field. Notice what buzzwords or keywords are being used. Incorporate these keywords into your résumé. What are the core competencies and skills that are asked for? Putting all this into your résumé ensures that employers will see that you have the ‘right stuff’ for their job. It also means that your résumé will pass the scanning process.

KEEP IT CURRENT

Update your résumé every six months. Just knowing it is current means you won’t be caught off-guard if someone asks for it or you suddenly need it. It is also a good time to review your career progress. Are you on track? Do you need to make a course correction or pay for the class that you had expected your employer to provide?

What differentiates one applicant from another is how well they can do the job. What contributions they’ve made to the organization, key projects they’ve led what financial (and other) successes they’ve had on the job. You have to tell the reader of your résumé not what you do, but tell them how well you do it.

A dream with a plan is a goal. A goal without a plan is just a dream.

All things are possible,

Elisabeth

Elisabeth Adler-Lund

Executive and Life Coaching

Telephone: 916 • 803•1494

E-mail: eal@EALCoaching.com