How Do I Look

“Never wear a backward baseball cap to an interview unless applying for the job of umpire” -Dan Zevin

ATTIRE = ADVANCEMENT

93% of 150 Senior Executives from the 1000 largest corporations in the U.S. said that a person's style of dress at work influences their chances of getting a promotion.

It may not seem fair, but it is one of the realities of our work life. How you adjust and fit in to these realities can determine the level of your success. You may surprise yourself and actually get that raise or promotion.

BUT I'M LOOKING FOR WORK

There was a survey conducted by Robert Half International regarding the hiring process. It found that hiring managers will form either a positive or negative opinion of a job candidate within roughly 10 minutes. It is very possible that "Your behavior may be under scrutiny from the moment you arrive for the interview," according to Brandi Britton, senior regional vice president with RHI.

It may not seem fair to "judge a book by its cover" in your mind. But don't forget there are probably ten or more other people that need to be interviewed. You may have gotten into the final cut, lucky enough to get an interview. As unfair as it might seem, appearances make all the difference.

The same survey provided 10 tips from different job-search gurus to make sure you wow them from the minute you walk in the room.

"A firm, nonsweaty handshake, eye contact and a nice smile make you seem likeable. Likeable people are hired most often."
-- David Lewis, an executive with Express Employment Professionals and an expert on career development

"Prepare to engage in small talk, which helps to break the ice and puts both parties at ease and also demonstrates your ability to make conversation with potential clients, coworkers and executives."
-- Brandi Britton, Robert Half International

"Be prepared with everything you can possibly know about the company and the person who is doing the interview."
-- Executive coach Beth Ross

"Don't take the head of a table or sit down until you are invited to do so to demonstrate how you'll behave in professional situations."
-- Patty DeDominic, cofounder of DeDominic & Associates, a professional coaching and business services firm

"Open with penetrating questions that prove beyond a doubt that you've done your homework on the company, the position, the department, the industry and/or the competition."
-- Ford Myers, author of Get the Job You Want Even When No One's Hiring

"Practice your answers to commonly asked interview questions so that you come across as a well-prepared candidate."
-- Certified executive career coach Cheryl Palmer, Calltocareer.com

"If asked to talk about yourself, always answer from a professional sense. Telling people about your family and what you do on the weekends is definitely the wrong approach. You want to solely focus on the areas of your work in which you are most effective and productive."
-- Careers and resume expert Lauren Milligan, Resumayday.com

"Become an object of interest by the questions you ask. Leave them wanting more with the quality of content you add to the conversation (versus noise)."
-- David Nour, consultant and author of Relationship Economics

"Mirror the body language of the interviewer. If they are leaning forward, you should be doing the same. This builds rapport on a subconscious level, giving the feeling of a deeper connection."
-- Job market expert Jabez LaBret, ThawingtheJobMarket.com

"Your interview strategy must include proof that you have successfully completed job-relevant tasks. A good strategy is to marry a strength and a specific example to prove that you are accomplished at what you do. Quantify accomplishments using numbers, percentages and dollars whenever possible."
-- Barbara Safani, president, CareerSolvers.com

Make yourself the entire package and get the job you want. And stay inspired my friends!

One Little G

"There was definitely some miscommunication." -Alan Trammell

So there I was, communicating via email to several people. The intent was to place a young man in touch with several people in hopes of helping him find a new job. The plan seemed simple enough. I would send the email out to many people asking them to respond with any assistance to myself and this young man.

Fairly quickly I had four responses to myself and the other man. Feeling happy enough with the results that quickly, that night I went to bed. Shortly after getting into bed (U.S. east coast time), I received a phone call from another man out in California. It just so happened that he had the same name as the person I was helping.

Hmmm....

The man was nice and he was calling to inform me that he was receiving emails regarding potential jobs. He was actually very nice about it and the concern he showed to ensure the emails got to the proper person; to say the least, it was refreshing.

I apologized with my best manners and set off the next morning to understand and correct the error. It didn't take me long to figure out that I had left the letter 'g' out of the email address. Both men had the same name, used the same mail service but the man I really needed to see the emails used his middle name initial in the email address.

One little 'g' and I had mis-communicated with many, many people. A common mistake and this time easily corrected. Yet we all understand how miscommunication in business, in relationships and in everyday life can create havoc.

So how can you avoid miscommunication? It isn't easy and the easiest way is to not communicate with anyone. But life is meant to be a big conversation. It is meant to be interactive with other people. So to help you avoid some of the communication missteps, here are some pointers.

- Manage expectations; every discussion, every meeting, every connection is unique. We can certainly learn from our experiences in similar situations, but it is important to understand that this time things can and probably will be different.

- Attention needs to be given to non-verbal signs such as the tone of voice or the body language of the other person. Many times words do not tell the entire story. So watch the posture and facial expressions being communicated by yourself and back to you.

- Learn something, research and learn everything you can about the other person if that is what it takes. This works especially well in business if done prior to meeting with them. the more you know, the better you will understand how to communicate with them.

- Don't be afraid to ask questions. If you don't understand, ask. Don't move forward based on wrong assumptions. Ask now, be clear and things will progress in a much better way.

- When communicating, listen carefully. Pay attention to what the other person is saying and take notes if necessary. During long meetings or conversations, the mind has a way of forgetting or "mis-remembering" the details. Repeat what is is you understand back to the other person, sometimes placing what they said into your own words. Many times we interpret words differently from what was actually meant.

- Rid yourself of preconceptions prior to ever starting a conversation. It is very easy to "jump to conclusions" about a person or subject that is going to be discussed. Even if you have a real good idea, try to put any feelings until you can be confirmed. Having preconceived notions can keep you from understanding what is really going on.

- Along with preconceptions, be open to new ideas. You may very well be the expert, but even experts can sometimes learn from others. Simply be willing to learn new things.

- Avoid emotional words, think diplomatically as well and as often as you can. Some words that you might use are just too emotionally charged to have any place certain conversations. Which also means to avoid communicating at all (or very little) when you’re upset. When we are angry or hurt, it simply is not a good time to talk with a client or send an email.

- Be understanding of the other person, the situation and the subject being discussed. In life, sooner or later you’ll probably be called in to fix somebody else’s mistake. We all make mistakes, including you and me, so don't immediately start criticizing.

- Of course you should always check for typos and grammatical errors when writing. Simple grammar and typos can cause others to misunderstand you. It can make a huge difference by misplacing a decimal point when $1000 becomes $10.00.

Even missing one little "g" can make a difference. So think about how you communicate with others and stay inspired my friends.

30 Tips To a Better 2008

My wife passed this on to me and thought I would share with everyone.

1. Take a 10-30 minute walk every day. And while you walk, smile. It is the ultimate anti-depressant.

2. Sit in silence for at least 10 minutes each day. Buy a lock if you have to.

3. Buy a DVR and tape your late night shows and get more sleep.

4. When you wake up in the morning complete the following statement, 'My purpose is to __________ today.'

5. Live with the 3 E's -- Energy, Enthusiasm, and Empathy.

6. Play more games and read more books than you did in 2007.

7. Make time to practice meditation, yoga, tai chi, and prayer. They provide us with daily fuel for our busy lives.

8. Spend time with people over the age of 70 and under the age of 6.

9. Dream more while you are awake.

10. Eat more foods that grow on trees and plants and eat less food that is manufactured in plants.

11. Drink green tea and plenty of water.. Eat blueberries, wild Alaskan salmon, broccoli, almonds & walnuts.

12. Try to make at least three people smile each day.

13. Clear clutter from your house, your car, your desk and let new and flowing energy into your life.

14. Don't waste your precious energy on gossip, energy vampires, issues of the past, negative thoughts or things you cannot control. Instead invest
your energy in the positive present moment.

15. Realize that life is a school and you are here to learn. Problems are simply part of the curriculum that appear and fade away like algebra class but the lessons you learn will last a lifetime.

16. Eat breakfast like a king, lunch like a prince and dinner like a college kid with a maxed out charge card.

17. Smile and laugh more.

18. Life isn't fair, but it's still good.

19. Life is too short to waste time hating anyone.

20. Don't take yourself so seriously. No one else does.

21. You don't have to win every argument. Agree to disagree.

22. Make peace with your past so it won't spoil the present.

23. Don't compare your life to others'. You have no idea what their journey is all about.

24. No one is in charge of your happiness except you.

25. Frame every so-called disaster with these words: 'In five years, will this matter?'

26. Forgive everyone for everything.

27. What other people think of you is none of your business.

28. GOD heals almost everything.

29. However good or bad a situation is, it will change.

30. Your job won't take care of you when you are sick. Your friends will. Stay in touch.

31. Get rid of anything that isn't useful, beautiful or joyful.

32. Envy is a waste of time. You already have all you need.

33. The best is yet to come.

34. No matter how you feel, get up, dress up and show up.

35. Do the right thing!

36. Call your family often. (Or email them to death!!!) Hey I'm thinking of ya!

37. Each night before you go to bed complete the following statements: I am thankful for __________. Today I accomplished _________.

38. Remember that you are too blessed to be stressed.

39. Enjoy the ride. Remember this is not Disney World and you certainly don't want a fast pass. You only have one ride through life so make the most of it and enjoy the ride.

Have a continued great 2008 year.