Getting a Job... The Full Time Job: Selling Yourself: The Likability Factor

Getting a Job... The Full Time Job: Selling Yourself: The Likability Factor: So I know it's been a while, when my FATHER asks if I can update my Blog. :)  I told him to write something inspirational and of course...

Attitude vs. Aptitude by Brian Tracy

Did you know that a major source of stress in your life is the "fear of rejection" or "fear of criticism?"

This fear of rejection manifests itself in an over-concern for the approval or disapproval of your boss or other people. The fear of rejection is often learned in early childhood as the result of a parent giving the child what psychologists call "conditional love."

Rise Above the Need For Approval
Many parents made the mistake of giving love and approval to their children only when their children did something that they wanted them to do. A child who has grown up with this kind of conditional love tends to seek for unconditional approval from others all his or her life. When the child becomes an adult, this need for approval from the parent is transferred to the workplace and onto the boss. The adult employee can then become preoccupied with the opinion of the boss. This preoccupation can lead to an obsession to perform to some undetermined high standard.

Avoid Type A Behavior
Doctors Rosenman and Friedman, two San Francisco heart specialists, have defined this obsession for performance as "Type A behavior." Experts have concluded that approximately 60% of men and as many as 30% of women are people with Type A behavior.

Don't Burn Yourself Out
This Type A behavior can vary from mild forms to extreme cases. People who are what they call "true Type A's" usually put so much pressure on themselves to perform in order to please their bosses that they burn themselves out. They often die of heart attacks before the age of 55. This Type A behavior, triggered by conditional love in childhood, is a very serious stress-related phenomenon in the American workplace.

Action Exercises
Here are two things you can do immediately to deal with the fear of rejection, criticism and disapproval.

First, realize and accept that the opinions of others are not important enough for you to feel stressed, unhappy or over concerned about them. Even if they dislike you entirely, it has nothing to do with your own personal worth and value as a person.

Second, refuse to be over concerned about what you think people are thinking about you. The fact is that most people are not thinking about you at all. Relax and get on with your life.

To overcoming fear,

Brian Tracy 

http://www.briantracy.com/

"You cannot control what happens to you, but you can control your attitude toward what happens to you, and in that, you will be mastering change rather than allowing it to master you." ~ Brian Tracy

The Nine Star Social Values: How to Thrive in 2013 by Mike Lipkin

Here's what I know based on twenty years of Environics Social Values Research, and my own personal experience: Stars have Nine Social Values that enable them to shine. Let's explore each of the Nine Star Social Values and they can boost your capacity to achieve extraordinary results this year...

Read More

Breakout Opportunities Are What Accelerates Your Career by Reid Hoffman

Success begins with opportunities. Opportunities are like the snap to the quarterback in football. You still have to move the ball down the field; you still have to execute. But without a snap to the quarterback, there’s no touchdown. For a young lawyer, an opportunity could mean being assigned to work with the smartest partner in the firm. For an artist, it could be a last-minute offer (perhaps due to a cancellation) to exhibit at a prominent museum. For a student, it could mean being awarded a rare scholarship to travel and do research.

If finding these opportunities were a matter of simply walking into a store, rifling through a dusty bin of opportunities, picking one, and then checking out, the hierarchy of power in the world would look quite a bit different. Of course, it doesn’t work that way. It’s up to you—with the help of your network—to go out and find and develop professional opportunities for yourself. And not just any old opportunity will do. Entrepreneurs don’t start businesses just anywhere; they channel the mind-set and skills we’ve been discussing into finding the great business opportunities. Likewise, in order to accomplish something significant in your career, you need to focus on finding and capitalizing on those great career opportunities: the opportunities that will extend your competitive advantage and accelerate your Plan A or Plan B. - read more here.

As well, go back to this post The Ninth Quality: They are Natural Networkers and look for opportunities.

Could 13 Be Your Lucky Number? by Alan Kearns

__________________________________________________________________ Monday Morning Motivator | CareerJoy  Canada's Career & Leadership Coaching Company Dec 31, 2012 | The "Lucky 13" Edition __________________________________________________________________

This year is brought to you by the "lucky" number 13. Are you going to have a great year in 2013? Will you get that promotion or a new job? WiWell, some people might respond "It depends how 'lucky' I am." In a Gallop Poll, 72% of people had some form of superstition, including numbers. Why does the number 13 became something we perceive as unlucky? If you think it has something to do with elevators, not exactly, there was supposedly 13 people at The Last Supper. Does luck play a role in your life? I read a terrific book about this subject by Dr.Richard Wiseman, The Luck Factor:The Scientific Study of the Lucky Mind. This book came about as he was curious why some people, categorized themselves as "lucky" while others saw themselves as "unlucky." Which category would you put yourself in? Dr. Wiseman decided to do a research project looking at this question surrounding luck. He looked at the lives of over 400 people ranging in age from 18-84, from all walks of life. He discovered 4 qualities that was consistent with those that described themselves as "lucky." Lucky people are skilled at creating, noticing and acting upon chance opportunities. They do this in various ways, including networking, adopting a relaxed attitude to life and being open to new experiences. Lucky people make effective decisions by paying attention to their intuition and gut feelings. In addition, they take steps to actively boost their intuitive abilities.  For example, meditating and spiritual practices. Lucky people are certain the future is going to be full of good fortune. These expectations become self-fulfilling prophecies because lucky people persist in the face of failure and shape their interactions with others in a positive way. Lucky people employ various psychological and spiritual techniques to cope with (and even thrive upon) the ill fortune that comes their way. Is 2013 going to be a lucky year for your career? Go with the odds & practice the 4 "luck" principles. Your career & the rest of your life, will thank you for it. CareerClass Webinar | New Year - New You | Get the Right Career Right Now! Thurs, Jan 3rd:12-1 P.M. ET. Invest 1 hour of your time to take control of your career in 2013, all from the comfort & convenience of your own desk. Click for more details & to register. Looking for help with your personal brand in 2013? Looking to become a more effective leader? Who's your career coach? Need help with a professional resume, job search and interview preparation? Invest in yourself & get the edge in this competitive job market. Take a small step and book an initial coaching session. Happy New Year & "good luck", along the road with you! Alan P.S. When was the last time you had a career checkup? Invest 45 minutes to get a true picture how "healthy" your career is. It's easy to do. click here for details & to get started. P.P.S. Looking for help to choose the right career in 2013? The Career Identity Program is a terrific way to get your career on the right track. Click here for more details & to get started Contact Information __________________________________________________________________ e-mail: Michele@CareerJoy.com phone: 1-877-256-2569 ext 0 web:  http://www.CareerJoy.com

York Region’s IEP Conference, October 23, 2012

The Gateway, York Region's first conference for internationally educated professionals (IEPs), provides an opportunity for IEPs, newcomer entrepreneurs, employers, professional associations and government representatives to make new contacts, exchange ideas and learn from each other.

Fore more details check here.

No Canadian experience, no job. No job, no Canadian experience.

What is Canadian Experience?

The odd interview question is an obstacle that thousands of immigrants and newcomers face each year. What employers mean>>>

Business Edge for Internationally Educated Professionals

Business Edge is for internationally educated men and women who are building careers in Canada. It helps you build professional confidence and acquire the relevant business skills you need to advance your career. The program will help you understand the subtleties of the Canadian workplace and learn new strategies for success.

We are now accepting applications for the fall offering of the program that starts on November 10th, 2012.  

Sabina Michael
Program Manager

Rotman School of Management
University of Toronto
105 St. George Street
Toronto, ON M5S 3E6
Tel: 416.978.7059
Fax: 416.978.5549

www.rotmanexecutive.com/businessedge

AREC link.

Newcomers face unique job search challenges By Kyla Frankowski

This is the fourth part in a series of columns to offer job search tips and advice, written by Lutherwood staff. Lutherwood is a local agency that offers employment support as well as a range of other services which are accessed by more than 20,000 people annually in Waterloo Region and Wellington County.

Newcomers to Canada often face many challenges when looking for work that fits their past experience.

These challenges can include differing work environments, qualification requirements and workplace cultures, as well as a lack of a social network.

However, there are some basic steps you can take to ensure you are on the right track.

If you are new to Canada and looking for work, you need to know how your skills and previous occupation fit into the Canadian labour market. So your first step is to find out which Canadian occupation best matches your experience and skills.

Recently, I worked with an individual who held the title of electrical engineer in his native country.

But when we reviewed his skills and work experience, we discovered that he better matched the occupation of industrial millwright here in Canada. Knowing this, we were able to focus his job search efforts.

The second step is to learn what skills and experience Canadian employers are looking for, review your own skills and experience, and identify any gaps.

To determine Canadian employers’ needs, you should review job postings, talk to employers and talk to people working in your field.

Ideally, you should try and connect with someone who has been successful getting work in your profession so that you can learn what worked or didn’t work for them.

Now that you know what type of job you are looking for and any skill and experience gaps you need to fill, the third step is to create a plan to fill those gaps.

There are many options for upgrading skills and increasing experience, including programs designed specifically for newcomers to Canada. These options include mentoring with someone working in your field, accessing apprenticeship opportunities and enrolling in English-language or job-skill upgrading courses.

Once the gaps are filled, you are in a position to work on your resumé, prepare yourself for interviews and find employers who are hiring in your field.

Finally, build a network. Finding work in today’s economy is difficult enough without trying to do it on your own. A network is a group of people who know you, know what kind of work you are looking for and will help you.

Try to include people who have successfully adapted to the Canadian workplace and culture as well as people working in your field and industry of interest. Find out what job opportunities they know about and who they know that can help you with your job search.

I strongly advise speaking with someone at a local government-funded employment services agency.

Employment advisors can help you focus your job search, identify skill and experience gaps, help you access employment programs, identify training and financial assistance opportunities such as Second Career, and give you guidance on preparing for your job search.

Adapting your professional skills and experience to fit within a new country is challenging.

But with a bit of time, dedication and support, you may be surprised at how quickly you can find the work you are looking for.

• • •

Kyla Frankowski, an employment advisor at Lutherwood, has more than eight years of experience offering employment services. She works primarily with newcomers to Canadain the Job Search Workshop program. For more information, visit www.lutherwood.ca/employment.

What Happens When You Don't Get What You Want? by Alan Kearns

You have been training for 15 years of your life. You have won a Gold medal in the Sydney Olympics & a sliver at the Beijing. You have just had a great swim, are in 15th place coming out of the water...things are going swimmingly. You are running your race, according to your game plan. You get up on your bike & start out of the gate, for the second part of your race. You're feeling fresh & exicted; you even have the wind at your back. You race your bike up the hill & get ready to put your foot into your shoes.

You hit a speed bump. You crash & wipe out; your Olympic race is over. You watch the winner complete the race & receive the gold medal, as you sit in the medical tent.

Speed Bumps.

For Simon Whitfield, this speed bump meant the messy ending to a terrific Olympic career. He shared, "I hit the speed bump just as I went to put my shoe on, I think. I hit on a funny angle and ended up crowd surfing, which is good for concerts and not so good for sport events." Everyone has them at some point in their lives, a time when your life veers off of your own game plan. From getting laid-off, a frustrating job search, not being chosen for aleadership role, or not being accepted into the program you were hoping to enter. 

Speed Bumps Hurt.

I thought of not just the physical pain that Simon was in, including a broken collar bone & a severe laceration to his foot, requiring stitches. I also thought of the emotional pain not only for Simon, but for all the other people in his life that were supporting him. "My breakdown moment was seeing my wife because I know how much Jennie puts into this and we're a team and she's put in so much sacrifice being at home a lot alone." 

Speed Bumps Can Teach.

Simon shared "It was hard to see my daughter upset, my wife upset and I was pretty upset. That means it means something doesn't it?"

1. We all hit speed bumps in our careers - it's not personal, it is part being a professional.

2. Take stock, deal with the reality of the situation, accept it, AND learn from it.

3. Start a new goal as soon as possible.

Speed Bumps Can Heal.

Simon stated "I don't know that I ever dreamed of four Olympics, two medals and flag bearer, I'm absolutely blown away by the whole thing."

When I first read his quote, I was stunned. I reread the quote to make sure that I had understood it correctly. Now THAT is a high performance athlete. It was obviously not the Olympic experience, that Simon was anticipating. I was so impressed by his forward looking perspective - from disaster to moving forward in less than 24 hours.

We have all had crash and burn experiences in our careers, but it's our response to these issues that is the key. Well done Simon, we are proud of you! You have represented Canada well & have been a great example, to those of us who desire to reach our full potential. 

  

Looking for help with your personal brand? Looking to become a more effective leader? Who's your career coach? Need help with a professional resume, job search, and interview preparation? Invest in yourself & get the edge in this competitive job market. Take a small step and book an initial coaching session.

CareerClass | Webinar - Get the Right Career, Right Now! Invest 1 hour of your time to help identify the right work situation. Join me Thursday, August 15 12-1 P.M. ET. Take control ofyour career, all from the comfort & convenience of your own desk.  

Click to register.

Giving my best, along the road with you!

Alan  

P.S. Looking for help with your job search? The 90-Day Job Search Program can help you identify the right career fit for you. Click for more details.    

  

P.P.S. Looking for career or leadership support in Ottawa? We have a terrific team to help you reach your potential & advance in your career. Click here to get started.