AU Blogspot

                        Image courtesy of deadgirlbelchesstars. 

Of all the forms of reluctance, shyness around other people tends to be very resistant to change. I suspect that everyone is shy from time to time and that oftentimes shyness gets in the way of taking advantage or new opportunities or new relationships.

While it is true that there is an inherent interest by many in overcoming shyness, as a counter-weight to that appal, there is a case to be made on the other side. The following quote is from Isaac Bashevis Singer:

“I don’t think that people should get over being shy. It is a blessing in disguise. The shy person is the opposite of the aggressive person. Shy people are seldom the great sinners. They allow society to remain at peace.”

Indulging those who seek relief, let me pass on some tips for overcoming shyness that I collected from an article by Roger Elliott.

1. Practice becoming fascinated by other people. Ask them about themselves, and concentrate when they answer you. Remember what they tell you about themselves so you can talk about it later, or on another occasion.

2. Great socializers make other people feel comfortable and interesting. How do they do that? By being really, genuinely interested in other people. If you are talking to someone and you feel boring or inferior, ask why that is. Is it really all your fault? (more…)

 
                                Image courtesy of Wikimedia.

It’s true: it’s all about relationships. And I’m not talking about the kind of endearing friendship that you might share between your spouse and yourself. I’m talking about professional, long-term business relationships. You see these kinds of relationships all the time: doctors, dentists, accountants, bankers, “your tax guy”, etc. Truly becoming successful within your career is something that isn’t measured by any one given value. For some, it’s purely monetary, while for others it may be a combination of physical satisfaction, monetary accumulation, and mental stimulation.

I know of one person who goes into work everyday and works her butt off just because she knows that it drives the girl in the booth to the left of her insane. And I’m not even joking. Regardless of your motives for working, there’s no denying that building strong, sustainable relationships is key in progressing quickly and smoothly through the career path. Some people will provide opportunities, and others will help build your skill-set. Chances are good that there’s always someone who can help you in one way or another. (more…)

 
           Thanks to Mario Hernandez for permission to use this Photo.

Have you ever wondered where your resume went after you submitted it (either online or in person)? The most obvious answer is that it is given to someone who is in charge of hiring, and then from there it was perhaps passed on to a higher authority, but it likely ended with the first person, right? Wrong.

The number of people that are likely to see your resume may surprise you, and though it varies from company to company, you can bet that at least 3 people are going to see it. In larger companies and corporations, that number grows to 5.  This may seem like a trivial detail, but it brings to light one very important question: who do you have your resume geared toward?

Things brings about a series of skills that are commonly referred to as “technical communication” skills, as you are going to have to find a way to clearly and concisely say what you need to without offending anyone or having someone misinterpret something that you’ve said.

Neutral Language

Neutral language is important in delivering a message without appearing biased or sexist. One of the major sources of contention in the last few years has been the emergence of a much larger and more powerful female workplace than before, yet the masculine-oriented terms have not yet been replaced. You have absolutely no way of knowing how important issues like this will be to the people that will be reviewing your resume, so it is best to avoid the problem entirely by using neutral language. Neutral language is good because it can be expressive and meaningful without creating implied meaning. It may take a bit of work for you to start writing in neutral language, but once you do it’s easy to switch between “normal” and neutral language.

The obvious applications are terms like “Policeman” (Police Officer), “Fireman” (Fire Fighter), and “Mailman” (Postal Worker). Terms like these are easy to replace, and though it is unlikely that you would need to use them on your resume, taking the time to consciously avoid using sexist language may land you a job. (more…)

 
               Thanks to Alan Light for permission to use this Photo.

Once you get the job interview for that position you are pursuing, it’s your time to shine.  The preparation that needs to be put into preparing for that interview can feel almost like a second job.  That’s how much research, practice and reflection should go into each position you apply and interview for.  They like you on paper, so now this is your opportunity to show the employer how you react and present yourself face-to-face.

The First Interview Question 

The first question many employers ask during a job interview may be the hardest for some job seekers to answer—correctly and confidently, that is.The interviewer briefly looks down at your resume, looks you in the eye, and says, “Tell me a little bit about yourself.”This can be the best question you can get in an interview or the worst if you’re not prepared to answer it.  The next five minutes is crucial!  You don’t want to read (or recite) word-for-word what you’ve written on your resume. The hiring employer can read and should be familiar with what’s there already (not always the case).Instead, take this opportunity to highlight some points on your resume; explain your thought processes for decisions you’ve made in school, in your career and in your personal development. 

Demonstrate how your decisions have moved you toward your career goals. And, prove you have excellent verbal and interpersonal communication skills—a quality that employers always look for in job candidates.In five minutes—that’s all the time you should take to answer this question—you can offer interesting details about what’s printed on that little piece of paper—and give your interviewer a glimpse of your abilities while opening the door to a discussion of the skills and talents you can bring to the workplace. (more…)

           Thanks to Antony Mayfield for permission to use this Photo. 

In the book, What color is your parachute (2005), author Richard N. Bolles pointed out the similarity between the job market and the game of musical chair. In the game, the music starts playing, people get up from their chairs and start marching around chairs. The music stops playing, people scramble to sit down; some succeeded in finding a seat, some don’t.

That is just like the job hunting in the job market. The question is, how many chairs are we talking about? How many job-chairs get vacated and have to be filled each day or month? And more importantly, how often does the music starts? or how fast is the music? In general, certain type of jobs die where other type of jobs born, but this turn-over happens much fast in US compare with many other countries. In recent years, more people are being laid off at the same time that more new jobs are being created. It seems to be hard to keep a job, but easy to find another, especially at a different pay level. So in the U.S., we are playing a very fast musical chair game.

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          Thanks to Thomas Frederick for permission to use this Photo.

Setting goals is wonderful; it confirms that we’ve taken those first awkward steps towards attaining what we desire in our lives. The simple fact that you’ve taken the time to plan out what you want to achieve puts you in a distinct class.

Amazingly very few people take the time to keep a running list of goals. Sadly, even fewer people actually work their goals. So take the time right now to give yourself a little pat on the back! You deserve it.

You’re part of the elite group of people who have chosen to take an active role in their own success. If the whole idea of goal setting (and goal achieving) is a new one to you, don’t worry; the important thing is that you’ve decided to take the bull by the horns and get started!

Here’s a technique to add substance to the goals you’ve set! Remember, the more real the goal is in your mind, the easier your subconscious mind can get around your desires and jump into action and start helping you realize them!

This technique assumes you’ve already decided on the things you’d like to achieve. If you’re not there yet then take the time to record your goal, dreams and the action steps you believe are necessary to reach them. Be sure to give yourself the room to adjust those items as needed. It’s a journey and one that you should derive enjoyment from. Remember, you’re taking the word chance out of the equation and are taking an active role in the reaching the destinations you set for yourself. (more…)

 
              Thanks to Alan Light for permission to use this Photo.

If you’re someone who’s fond of lifestyle changes and sudden career decisions, relocating for a new job is the perfect way to bring them about. Conversely, if you’d rather not venture outside your front yard, relocating for a job is the last thing you should do. The changes brought about by relocation affect not only you, but all members of your family, right down to the family dog.It goes without saying that you should definitely consult with your family before you move.

Everyone has their reasons for relocating. Now I don’t need to hear yours, and it’s not because I don’t like you (I’m sure you’re a very nice person), but simply because you don’t have to justify yourself to anyone other than yourself. Yep, that’s it. Generally, some good things to think about when relocating are…

• Your career path - Will relocating help further your career? If not, will it bring about more job satisfaction and a better sense of accomplishment? If not, is it at least going to pay you more? All of these things factor into your overall satisfaction with your chosen career, and being satisfied with what you’re doing is important, trust me.
• Location, location, location! - Do you like where you’re relocating to? If not, why are you moving there? What’s the point of being paid a bit more or doing some great new job if you hate where you’re living? I’ll tell you one thing (from experience), if you hate where you live you sure won’t be enjoying life all that much. Trust me on that one.

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I believe that in life it is important to be honest and clear about your intentions and expectations up front. We all know that this is true in the area of dating. Have you ever entered into a relationship with unclear, dishonest, or completely different intentions or expectations that did not end in disaster?

I didn’t think so.

The same rules apply as far as a job is concerned. Of course, dad won’t be sitting in the corner of the interview room with a shotgun to scare your true intentions out of you (and if he is you might want to high tail it out of there). It’s up to you to figure out what you want and whether or not the job that you are interviewing for can offer that to you.

Special thanks to jayniebell for permission to use this photo.

When you are looking for a job you need to ask yourself, “Self, what do I really want in a job?” (more…)

 
              Thanks to Masaaki Miyari for permission to use this Photo.

Irvin Yalom, in his book Existential Psychiatry, 1989, claims that if wish is derived from rational analysis, it has the character of should or ought; it is a kind of moral imperative, which is not as strong as wish derived from feeling, or fantasy. And that this is important since, as Rollo May argued, wish is anterior to will.  Rudolf Steiner in his book Anthroposophy in Everyday Life, 1995, asserts that the driving force behind deeds are feelings such as pride, revenge, loyalty, duty, shame and love.

I am interested in these views because I have found that I am naturally drawn to questions of value and benefit when contemplating taking an action, especially one that requires a long term commitment, lots of self discipline, and the threat of failure to follow through. But I must confess when it came to action and implementation, reason of was not enough. I needed the strengthening of will that only feelings can provide. here are a couple of examples. For years I procrastinated in writing a book on business development; I was blocked by the familiar litany of excuses: my writing wasn’t good enough, my ideas were only average, no one would want to read what I had written and so forth. It was only when I was shamed by a friend who pointed out that the writing she had seen was perfectly intelligible and professional and that my so called writer’s block was just a smoke screen for lazyness and lack of self confidence. (more…)

             Thanks to Arabella Proffer for permission to use this Photo.

The business world of today is much different than it was a few short years ago. Even as little as five years ago, finding a job online was much more difficult. The job mega-sites had just began to become popular, and it was still uncommon for employers to post want ads on them. Prospective employees still used the “traditional” channels to find employment: newspaper ads, networking, and cold applications.

But all of that has changed, and your outlook on your life and your career should have changed with it. The corporate world – the processes, requirements, and expectations – are all evolving as the internet and e-commerce continue to revolutionize the way the world does business. As an employee (or a prospective employee), staying on top of the latest trends and conditions will make you more valuable to your employer. This creates leverage that works in your favor, and leverage allows you to do wonderful things (like ask for a raise, for example). (more…)