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Friday, 12th October 2007
Hi,
Welcome to another edition of Career Communiqué x-Press. I hope you have had a productive and successful fortnight.
I was recently in conversation with one of our alliance partners - Adage job board who had been receiving unfortunate feedback from employers regarding the amount of mature age candidates who were simply not making it through their initial screening or interview due to lack of interviewing skills.
My own experience when speaking with recruiters and employers also confirms this, however it is certainly not an area that only mature age candidates struggle with, but rather candidates from various backgrounds and industries whether they are a graduate or senior executive.
If you have been experiencing disappointment in your interviews and are just not making it to the second round or job offer then my coaching request for you today would be to make one action today that will enable you to change the results that you have been receiving. Increase your research about the role so that you can prepare appropriate answers and confirm your ability to perform the task. Practise your responses to difficult questions such as “Why should we hire you?” or “What prompted you to apply for this role?” Remember, everything that you do and say within an interview should continue to promote and value add your expertise so that you continue to be a top candidate in the interviewer’s mind.
One action step that you could take, which would certainly set you on the path to becoming a skilled and influential communicator (and stop receiving interview knockbacks) is to attend our upcoming teleseminar, Masterful Communications: The secrets to selling yourself to ace that interview Teleseminar. Let’s show these interviewers that you would be a perfect candidate for the role! Speak to you on the call!
Remember, we always welcome contact and
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Ask Annemarie site and submit your topic
of interest, question or comment. Or pop across to our
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Upcoming programs and workshops
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Coming soon – Masterful Communications: The secrets to selling yourself to ace that interview Teleseminar
Does the thought of interviewing send shivers down your spine? Have you lost your confidence even though you may have excellent qualifications and experience to offer? Unsure about what the interviewer is looking for and feel you're just not performing as well as you could?
Want to take away the confusion about interviewing so that you can approach your next interview with confidence and professionalism? Then this teleseminar is for you!
In this powerful and informative 60 minute teleseminar Annemarie Cross, Career & NLP Coach and Author of '10 key steps to Ace that Interview - Cutting edge interview techniques EXPOSED!' will reveal numerous interviewing strategies to take the confusion out of interviewing. [Click here to learn more]
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The 4 most common pitfalls for want-to-be career changers
Confused and feel like you need a career change but unsure how to go about it? This fortnight’s article sheds some light on 4 important areas that you should be considering before you make a change. Avoid going from bad to worse by knowing that your decisions are leading you down the correct career path to a job that will be more meaningful and fulfilling.
Until next time,
To your success!
Annemarie Cross
Career & Master NLP Coach
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The 4 most common pitfalls for want-to-be career changers
According to a survey completed by the Corporate Leadership Council in 2004 - 76% of the 50,000 people surveyed, claimed that they were not engaged in their jobs [they lacked passion, motivation and fulfillment in their work]; 13% stated they were actively disengaged [they openly demonstrated their dissatisfaction in the workplace]; and only 11% indicated they were fully engaged [they were passionate and motivated], in their work.
If you fall into the staggeringly high 76% of people who are essentially ‘disengaged’ in their work and are thinking of making a career change, it may be wise for you to heed the following 5 mistakes so as to avoid the possibility of moving from one situation into another that is far worse.
Mistake #1 – Not having a clear understanding of your career interests
The lack of self-awareness and understanding of your career interests is one of the major factors that prompt people to either move from one uninspiring job to another, or remain stuck in a job that is unfulfilling and meaningless.
Career interests fall into 6 broad themes, namely Artistic; Investigative; Social; Enterprising; Realistic; and Conventional.
| Theme: |
Interests: |
| Artistic |
Self-expression; communication; culture; appreciation |
| Investigative |
Science; medicine; mathematics; research |
| Social |
People; teamwork; helping; community service |
| Enterprising |
Business; politics; leadership; entrepreneurship |
| Realistic |
Machines; computer networks; athletics; working outdoors |
| Conventional |
Organisation; data management; accounting; investing; information systems |
While your interests may be reflected across two or three themes, you will probably find that you score higher in one of them, confirming that a role which fits into that occupational theme is most likely going to be more meaningful to you.
Mistake #2 – Not having a clear understanding of your career values
Values are things that we hold a deep conviction for – the things that we embrace and believe in and that are essentially significant, valuable and/or sought after. A value is a life principle which influences your thoughts, emotions/feelings, attitude, behaviour and actions so it is an important factor to consider when exploring and determining your career path.
Our levels of motivation increase when our values are aligned with what we do so becoming clear on your values will not only support you in maintaining satisfaction in your career but will also allow you to avoid establishing a career with a company whose culture differs from your values.
By understanding your values you too will be able to see why when certain things occur in the workplace it can make a huge impact on you, perhaps through raising feelings of discomfort. It is important for you to consider your values when selecting a company or industry as, if the organisation’s values clash with your own, you will only end up having to compromise on what is important to you, again causing disillusionment, dissatisfaction and disappointment.
To help you understand what a career value is, I have listed 10 values below. Consider whether or not these are important to you by using the scale provided. [Note: of course there are many more values that you will need to consider, and the main purpose of this example is to help you realise that this is another very important step that you should be doing within your decision making.]
Scale: I=Important; SI=Somewhat Important; NI=Not Important
| I |
SI |
NI |
Accountable for results and outcomes |
| I |
SI |
NI |
Respect, recognition and acknowledgement |
| I |
SI |
NI |
Autonomy: freedom to make choices in timing and how each task is performed |
| I |
SI |
NI |
Teamwork; sense of collaboration and group commitment |
| I |
SI |
NI |
Recognition for expertise |
| I |
SI |
NI |
Nurturing close relationships with family and friends |
| I |
SI |
NI |
Security and stability |
| I |
SI |
NI |
Diverse variety in work responsibilities and/or situations |
| I |
SI |
NI |
Ability to be creative, inventive and imaginative |
| I |
SI |
NI |
Senior-level income, expensive assets i.e. possessions and property |
| I |
SI |
NI |
Visible success, prestige and status |
| I |
SI |
NI |
Competitiveness and continuously achieve ‘best’ status |
| I |
SI |
NI |
Leadership and team direction |
Mistake #3 – Not having a clear vision about where you want to go
Just as embarking on a holiday without any preparation or planning would have you driving aimlessly in circles never quite reaching your destination, so too does not having a vision, a target, or intention with your job and career. How can we possibly begin to work towards our career goals and our dreams if we don’t have a clear vision of where we want to be?
One of my favourite sayings is ‘Where your attention goes your energy flows’, which means that what you are putting your attention, energy and focus on, is what you are creating and manifesting in your life.
Without a clear vision of what you want your life, job and career to be like, unfortunately you will be left with what you are currently experiencing in your job, which is probably uncertainty, doubt, dissatisfaction, annoyance, and frustration. With all your thoughts and attention centering on these negative emotions, guess where your focus and energy are diverted towards? It’s preoccupied with exactly the emotions and experiences that you want to move away from, namely uncertainty, doubt, dissatisfaction, annoyance, and frustration.
If time, money, [and anything else that may be coming up for you] were not an issue, what goals would you want to achieve within the next 12 months, 3 years, and 5 years? So, what are three things you could today that would you get that one step closer to your goals?
Mistake #4 – Giving in to your doubt and uncertainty
Is your resistance to change preventing you from realising and living your dream role? Does the thought of the unknown keep you trapped on the boredom treadmill, staying in a position that is clearly uninspiring? Or perhaps you have chosen to just ‘settle’ with something in your life, as the thought of taking even the smallest of steps towards making a change seems far too intimidating.
Behind any resistance to change is a small but significantly powerful 4-letter word: F-E-A-R. For instance:
-
Fear of the unknown: you would rather stay with what you are familiar with, than taking that leap of faith into something you’re not that familiar with.
- Fear of failure: rather than taking the time to research, plan and live the career you want and can feel truly inspired by, you take the first job offered for fear of failure should nothing else come your way.
- Fear of rejection: caught up in the ‘family tradition’ your career path has been pre-determined by your parents whose desire is for you to continue the long line of descendents working in ‘a particular profession’. Going against the family’s expectations, which could prompt negative reactions, comments and possible rejection, prevents you from taking a different career path.
Can you relate to any of these? If so, you are certainly not alone. Even with the best of intentions, people still remain stuck within a role they dislike, or continue to put up with something they totally despise because of fear
Here are 4 steps [of our 6-step F.E.A.R. conquering program] to support you in overcoming your fear:
Step 1: Acknowledge your fear
Acknowledging exactly what it is that you are hesitant and fearful of can often give you a huge sense of relief. Unfortunately though, if you are not prepared to acknowledge your fear you will most likely end up surrendering to it. Fear can hold you back from fully embracing your authentic self, preventing you from discovering and harnessing your natural talents and skills, thus keeping you from doing what you are truly good at and having a career that you love.
Step 2: Get specific
Rather than trying to avoid your fears and letting them continue to block you from moving forward, begin to build some strategies that will allow you to begin breaking down the issues around your fears.
Look at your list of fears and ask yourself:
-
What specific steps can I begin to take right now that will allow me to start facing my fears?
- What specific resources do I have accessible to me that will allow me to begin breaking down my fears?
- How will I start using those resources today?
Step 3: Validate yourself
Allowing yourself to continue believing that you won’t be able to cope with what ‘might’ happen will keep you stuck in your fear. Stop reinforcing that unhelpful belief (through concentrating on the negative), but rather focus on the positive aspects by looking at situations in your life where you have been able to accomplish things.
Ask yourself:
-
What have I achieved in my life and career that I am really proud of?
- What obstacles or challenges have I faced and been able to work through?
- What personal resources/characteristics were needed in order for me to achieve this?
- What personal strengths have I leveraged to enable me to overcome those challenges?
Validating areas in your life and career will allow you to recognise that you do have the unique talents, strengths and characteristics that will allow you to work through any challenges, obstacles or fears.
Step 4: Take action
A fitting quotation from Herber J. Grant comes to mind: ‘Knowledge is of no value unless you put it into practice.’
Even if you have worked vigilantly through the first 3 steps the exercises will be of no real value to you unless you take action. Commit to taking action today, even if you begin with small steps.
-
What step will you take today that will allow you to start taking action?
- When will you do this?
- What accountability factor will you put in place that ensures you take this step?
Make a firm commitment to yourself and stick to it!
In conclusion:
By gaining a clearer understanding around each of the above four areas will support you in making a move into a role that is far meaningful, fulfilling and purposeful.
If you have any questions around how you can begin to gain clarity around each of these areas please do not hesitate to email me at Annemarie@annemariecross.com.
Alternatively, our Purposeful Careers program provides a number of solutions which can support you in finding a more meaningful and fulfilling role, including the Career Direction Program or Purposeful Career Journal.
To your success!
Annemarie
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Preparation is key
Preparing suitable questions to ask the interviewer is just as important as the work you have been doing on preparing your responses, as it will allow you to learn more about the role and the company, while also demonstrating the areas of importance to you, to the interviewer.
In fact, the highest rating behaviour that prompted an interviewer’s to loose confidence in a candidate, was when the candidate failed to ask any questions. The perception that this left with the interviewer was that the candidate:
- believed the job was trivial and unimportant
- had difficulty in asserting himself/herself
- didn’t bother to take an interest in the company
To avoid this situation, aim to have a list of around 10-15 questions written down and have them listed in order of priority. I’m not suggesting you ask all 10-15 questions, but rather, if the interviewer answers some of these questions during the course of the interview, you will still have 2 or 3 questions to work with.
Want to get your hands on our list of powerful 30+ questions that you can select from prior to attending your next interview? grab your copy of 10 key steps to Ace that Interview! today
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today!
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Note: Want to learn more about how our laser-focused interview telecoaching sessions can drastically improve your interview performance? Click here to find out how.
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A personal note from Annemarie...
