Career E-News: August 2011 

Monthly Newsletter for Executives, Managers, and Professionals in Career Transition / Written and Published by Joellyn Wittenstein Schwerdlin, The Career Success Coach

In this issue:
July Jobs Report Better Than Expected
How to Approach Mentors and Colleagues for Help with Your Career
Is It Time to Partner with a Career Coach?
About "The Career Success Coach"
Quote of the Month: On "Reputation"
Client Landings
Applause - Clapping

Congratulations to Janet Klinger who became Assistant Vice President, Team Manager-Central Collateral Operations at MB Financial Bank  (Rosemont, Illinois) earlier this month. 

Quick Links...

Greetings!                              Joellyn Headshot 2009 
 

Hope you're having a nice summer. My husband and I took a road trip to Chicago, for our granddaughter Rylee's first birthday and to host a post-wedding celebration for my son Aaron and my daughter-in-law Lisa, who got married in New York, on July 3. We really enjoyed this rare opportunity to spend time with such a nice mix of family and friends, twice in a row! On our drive back to Massachusetts, we went sight-seeing in Hershey and Philadelphia, PA.   

  

Even though the U.S. economy, labor market, and stock market have been unsteady all summer, I'm sure you've heard that an unexpected number of jobs were created in July: 117,000 to be exact. While the U.S. needs to create 150,000 jobs each month for the economy to flourish, July's figures certainly give us hope that recovery is underway. Read about it in WYNC.org.     

 

Receiving help from mentors and colleagues can shorten the runway to a satisfying career. However, these relationships are rarely one-sided and you have to be respectful, when reaching out to people in your network for assistance. For some practical approaches and strategies, follow the advice of guest author / former motivational speaker Jeff Keller (Attitude is Everything) in his article: Getting Help with Your Career.    

 

Is your job search stuck? Is your career stalled? Are you frustrated because your career transition isn't happening as quickly as you would like? If so, a Career Action Planning (CAP) Session may be just what you need to get a fresh perspective on your situation as well as new strategies to help you move forward.

Dedicated to your career success, always...
 
:) Joellyn
 
P.S. A warm welcome to my new subscribers!
     
JulyJobsJuly Jobs Report Better Than Expected (WNYC.org Article: August 5, 2011) 

 Job Market

After a 24-hour period when stock markets around the world plummeted, there was a glimmer of good news Friday morning in the U.S jobs report. The Labor Department reported that 117,000 jobs were created in July, beating many forecasters' estimates. 

 

"This is a very good number," said Mark Zandi, chief economist with Moody's Analytics on CNBC.

 

The unemployment rate fell slightly to 9.1 percent with nearly 14

million people in the U.S. still unemployed.  

 

"It's so nice not to be punched in the gut with these numbers," said Diane Swonk, chief economist for Mesirow Financial.  "I can finally breathe."  Read the entire article here:  

HelpGetting Help With Your Career       

 

Networking People 2by Jeff Keller (www.attitudeiseverything.com)  

 

It's the standard advice: if you want to advance in your career or find a new position, seek out people who are already succeeding in that field and learn from them.You can shorten your learning curve by asking questions or by establishing an ongoing mentoring relationship. You don't want to reinvent the wheel and learn by trial and error. But how do you approach someone for advice?  

 

Here are some guidelines to increase your chances of getting the advice you need, whether you're looking for specific answers or hoping to establish a long-term mentoring relationship:  

  

1. Don't come across as needy or desperate. In times of economic recession and layoffs, people are understandably concerned about losing their jobs or finding new positions. Even so, you'll never get results by pleading with people to help you in your career.

 

We've all had relationships with people who are needy and clingy. These individuals call all the time and make a drama of everything in their lives. The same is true when people tell you how desperate they are to get a job or how many bills are piling up. Dwelling on the negative aspects of your current situation will only drive people away from you.  

 

2. Avoid the shotgun approach. Some folks think that the more people they ask for career advice, the better. They send out an avalanche of letters or make numerous phone calls, hoping one will work out. When I receive such requests, it's obvious that sender has mailed form letters to many firms or individuals. People will help you when they think you've given considerable thought to your selection and that you've done the research to determine who might be a good candidate to ask for assistance. 

 

3. Recognize the mentor. It's vital to convey to the mentor that you're familiar with what he/she has done and that you find something about the mentor to be valuable. This isn't about worshipping or "buttering up" the person. Everyone loves to be recognized. The mentor will be impressed that you've taken the time to research his/her background but has the right to know "Why are you contacting me? 

 

4. Convey how you will serve the mentor. In my experience, most people seeking career assistance, their approach is "Me, Me, Me" which is a complete turn-off. If you want assistance, be of service to the mentor. For instance, if the mentor is speaking at an association meeting, offer to help out onsite. Or, if the mentor could use technical help (and you're a computer whiz), offer your services for free. Remember, you're looking to establish a mutually beneficial relationship.

 

5. Make specific, limited requests. I've received dozens of requests from people, who ask: "Tell me everything you know" or they submit a list of questions, like: "What is the key to success in sales?" "Who is your competition?" "What trends do you see in your industry?" In my view, these are too general. Identify 1-2 key questions and then ask. Recognize also, that much of the information you want may be available online, in print resources or through association memberships. Don't make someone else take time to help you when you can find the answers yourself.

 

6. Pay for the advice. If you want to speak with someone for an hour or two and get extensive advice on a variety of topics, consider paying that person to spend some time with you. I've had tremendous success with this strategy when I needed help. Once you're a paying "client", people will gladly offer their best advice and give you more than you even expected. One bit of information can save many times the amount of your investment.

  

When you follow the ideas presented here, you will stand out from the crowd. Most importantly, you'll receive the help you're seeking which will allow you to build a satisfying, rewarding career.

 

Jeff Keller  Attitude is Everything, Inc. (Reprinted with permission)

  

Attitude is Everything, Inc. was founded in 1987 by Jeff Keller, author of the best-selling book, Attitude is Everything. For more than 20 years, Jeff delivered presentations on attitude and personal development. Jeff's focus has shifted to issues of spiritual growth, and he is not presenting any attitude/personal development programs at this time.

 

Attitude is Everything, Inc. also offers a variety of colorful, cost-effective "Attitude is Everything" products - to reinforce a positive attitude at home, at work and in schools. Learn more at http://www.attitudeiseverything.com/   

CAPIs It Time to Partner with a Career Coach?
  • HourglassDo you work hard on your job search but seem to get nowhere fast?
  • Are you burned out with your job, but don't know what other career(s) might satisfy you?  
  • Do you have trouble understanding how your transferable skills can be used in other professions?
  • Do you apply for jobs online, only to get "thanks but no thanks" responses?
  • Does it seem like your network can't help you with your job search the way you'd like?
  • Do you have difficulty "sealing the deal" at interviews?  

Is it time to take a risk -- a giant step forward -- to end the pain once and for all? You may surprised: the problem might not be what you think and simpler to overcome than you thought possible.

 

Regardless of the issues you face or what you may be frustrated or confused about, I can provide the clarity, creative thinking, objectivity, and perspective you need to get your career and job search moving in the right direction.  

 

Let's get started with a Career Action Planning (CAP) Session, to help you figure out what's working, what needs attention and what the next steps are to landing your ideal career position in record time. 

 

 Go to my website to learn more: 

About "The Career Success Coach" 

 

Joellyn Wittenstein Schwerdlin is a career coach in private practice. She works with executives, managers, and professionals who are ready to make a change in their employment situation, but don't know what that change looks like or what their next steps should be. She uses a proven, 8-module career coaching program to help her clients identify and land ideal career positions much faster than they ever could on their own. Her program starts with a Career Action Planning (CAP) Session to first determine where clients are getting stuck, stalled or confused in the process of making their desired job and career transition. 

 

Joellyn will be happy to discuss your situation on a free call. Contact her at 508-459-2854, [email protected] 

or visit www.career-success-coach.com

Quote of the Month: On "Reputation" 

 

 "It takes 20 years to build a reputation and five minutes to ruin it. If you think about that, you'll do things differently."
 
--- Warren Buffett

� 2011 The Career Success Coach

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