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Hope you're surviving the Winter season in your part of the world. We've already had 80 inches of snow here in Worcester...and I've heard that more is on the way. I'd truly love for the Winter to be over already; but according to Punxsutawney Phil -- that famous ground-hog in Pennsylvania who saw his shadow on Feb 2 -- we'll have to endure Winter until mid-March...oh well.
Job growth in the U.S. has improved in the month of January and shows signs of future growth. A recent Associated Press article reports the addition of 113,000 jobs in January, plus the unemployment ratio has dropped 6.6 percent, the lowest in more than five years. "Most economists say they think hiring will strengthen during 2014 as the economy improves further" the authors said. One of these economists -- Doug Handler -- the chief U.S. economist at IHS Global Insight -- stated that [job growth] "clearly has downshifted over the past two month...''But we still believe the economic fundamentals remain strong and ... forecast an acceleration of growth later in the year.''
In the January issue, I gave you access to the Association for Internet Research (AIRS) 2014 Global Job Board Directory. It contains a comprehensive list of niche job boards, sorted by industry and profession. If you still would like a copy of this resource, you can download it here:
Earlier this month, I came across an interesting article from Quartz, about the best day to apply for a job; surprisingly, that day is Monday! This article is supported by some some well-researched statistics from Bright.com, a recruiting solutions company that has been recently acquired by LinkedIn. Scroll down to read this article.
Having effective communication skills is an asset to your career, whether you're currently working or in a job search. While it's important to excel in the "hard skills"of your profession, pairing them with great communication skills can make a huge difference in career advancement, both on-the-job and through multiple phases of job searching. In this month's article: "Kick Your Communication Skills Up a Notch...It's Good For Your Career!" I've offered some practical guidelines and ideas for improving your skills in four communication areas.
About Wake Up to a Job You Love © - the online, self-study version of my career coaching program: I'm hoping to release it in Spring 2014. Please scroll down for details and for an article archive, introducing the content of this program.
Is your job search stuck and your career stalled, regardless of how hard you try? Start out the New Year by scheduling a private Career Action Planning (C.A.P.) Session with me. We'll get to the root of your career problem and on the road to landing a job you love much faster than you could on your own. Read the testimonials of some clients who have benefited from this service...the next one could be you!
Enjoy this issue and I look forward to staying in touch!
~ Joellyn
P.S. A great big "Welcome" to my new subscribers. I'm so glad you've joined my community!
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Monday Is The Best Day to Apply For A Job (QZ.com)
 The next time you find yourself with "a case of the Mondays" act fast and apply for a job-it's the best odds you'll get all week. In the US at least, 30% of Monday job applicants make it to the next stage in the hiring process, according to Bright.com. The least successful application day is Saturday-when only 14% of applicants advance. Read the entire article here... |
 Kick Your Communication Skills Up a Notch! It's Good For Your Career!
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Communication skills appear to be the most wanted skill set by employers. In nearly all job postings I've seen, "Excellent communication skills" (or similar words) were listed as a job requirement. Companies need employees who can communicate well with others, to ensure that their business will thrive in today's competitive global economy. The ripple affect of hiring people with excellent communication skills produces ongoing business from clients and harmony among employees.
Let's look at Dictionary.com's definition of communication:"to give or interchange thoughts, feelings, information, or the like, by writing, speaking, etc; or to express thoughts, feelings, or information easily or effectively." Besides speaking and writing, the deeper skills of listening and interpersonal exchange can increase our ability to understand and be understood by others.
You may believe you already have excellent communication skills. Even so, it can be good for your career to "kick it up a notch," as renowned chef Emeril Lagasse would say. So, here are some ways you can improve your skills in all four communication areas:
1) Listening: Here's a quiz I took in coaching school, which can help you evaluate your listening skills. Respond "yes" or "no" to each statement, and give yourself a gold star for each yes.
- Allow others to finish their question before responding.
- Restrain negative emotions, like anger or frustration.
- Keep my mind from wandering or shifting to the next task on my "to-do" list.
- Ask for clarification, if something isn't clear.
- Pay attention, even if the subject is not interesting.
- Take note of the speaker's key points.
- Listen for the speaker's concerns or needs.
- Hear the speaker's perspective and message content.
- Avoid being distracted if annoyed by a speaker's appearance, speech pattern, or beliefs.
- Seek to understand before being understood.
2) Speaking:
- Say the person's name you're speaking with as often as appropriate; avoid overuse.
- Rehearse your presentations before delivering them at work.
- Record yourself speaking and be honest about how you sound; if necessary, hire a speech coach to help you improve your delivery and intonation.
- Utilize voice mail playback features to preview and re-record your message before sending.
- Use eye contact and open body language when communicating in person.
- Join Toastmasters to give you a safe place to practice your public speaking skills.
- Treat all emails as if the company president might see them.
- Keep all messages short and succinct.
- Include "please" and "thank you" in emails and memos.
- Use email features to indicate the urgency of your messages.
- Avoid using ALL CAPS in email messages, which indicates "shouting."
- Proofread documents before sending; ask for help if you struggle with grammar and spelling issues.
4) Interpersonal exchange:
- Show that you care about the success of your company, co-workers and customers.
- Be sensitive to other people's emotions; listen for the message behind the emotions.
- Build trusting business friendships with your colleagues and co-workers.
- Share articles or contacts with your colleagues to help them expand their knowledge and network.
- Send cards for birthdays and special occasions.
- Be nice to people even behind their backs; gossip and negative remarks about others is an absolute no-no.
- Lower your expectations of others; if they are unable to meet your needs, this is usually about their limitations and not about you.
Whether you're in a job search or striving to improve in the job you already have, effective communication skills are the key to success!
Like this article? Please post your comments on my blog.
© Joellyn Wittenstein Schwerdlin, The Career Success Coach 2014 |
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I've been planning to release a beta version of this self-study system of my career coaching program. It's based on the core content and tools I use with my private clients, to help them build a solid, laser-focused plan to land a job they love which is fun, fulfilling and financially rewarding. This system is perfect for you, whether you're unemployed and struggling to land, or unhappy with your current job or employer and you don't know which way to turn.
I've decided to postpone this release until Spring 2014. It will be priced at an introductory "Charter Member" rate of $147.00.
Depending on how many people enroll, I may host monthly Q & A group calls and create a private Facebook group for participants to post questions and interact with each other. I am planning to offer some special bonuses for the first 10 people who sign up.
There will be a special sales page created for this program and you'll be notified when it's ready. Until then, here's a description of it on my website:
If you have any questions, please email me joellyn@career-success-coach.com; and I will be personally reaching out to those of you who have already expressed interest.
Here's the article archive, introducing the content of this program:
#1: Know Your Top Transferable Skills Sets, Then Plan Your Career Transition
#2: Build Your Confidence and Career Marketing Content
#3: Discover Your Perfect Career Path Through Your Hardwired Preferences
#4: How to Choose Ideal Work that Fits Your Personality
#5: The Six Dimensions of Career Clarity
#6: Where Do You Want to Work? Make A List of Target Employers
#7: Which Workplace Culture is Ideal for You? Let Your Workplace Values Be Your Guide
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Are you stuck, stalled or confused in your job search? Is it time for a change in your career direction? A Career Action Planning (C.A.P.) Session Can Help!
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 Do you work hard on your job search but seem to spin your wheels and get nowhere fast? - Are you burned out with your current job, but don't know what other type of work would make you happy?
- 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 you struggle asking your network for help with your job search, without sounding like you're begging?
- Do you get interviews--- but no job offers?
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 (C.A.P.) Session to help you figure out what's working, what needs attention, and what the next steps are to land the job of your dreams!
Career Action Planning (C.A.P.) Sessions, combined with additional coaching, have helped countless clients gain traction and confidence... and land a job they love much faster than they ever could on their own.
Read what some satisfied clients have said:
"Joellyn, I just wanted to let you know that I accepted a position of Associate Director of Alumni and Friends Engagement at a private university. It is a new position, which gives me lots of room to maneuver. It's definitely a new experience! I am now a limited partner at my law firm allowing me to keep one foot in the legal world and I can continue to act as an occasional consultant. There are certainly some adjustments that come with a big switch like mine, both financial and mental, but I'm glad I encouraged myself to try something totally new. Thank you, too, for being a great sounding board. I needed to hear myself reaffirm that I could bring value outside of my work at the law firm." -- Jen D., Attorney, Non Profit Executive
"I'm writing just to bring you up to date. After we went through our assessment for my career I was consulting for a few years. During that period I received my Certified Black Belt Lean Six Sigma credentials. I have just completed my one year anniversary as a Senior Director of Operations for a specialty baking company".
-- Raymond B., Operations Executive - Food Processing Industry
"I hired Joellyn to assist me through my job transition. She impressed me as being personable and passionate about assisting her clients to where they want to go, and her advice was valuable to me. She lends an empathetic ear where needed and provided me the confidence I needed that I was already on the right track and to continue forward. I recommend Joellyn for potential clients who have career coaching needs." -- Charlene D., HR Professional
"Joellyn came recommended to me by a friend, I was a bit hesitant at first but with my results I am extremely satisfied! She was able to help identify very key skills I had overlooked. We had also taken the time to do a high level review of my resume, which was just what I needed after being out of the interviewing market for so long. (previous employment was for 20 years). With the recommendations from Joellyn, I was able to recraft my resume and my outlook on interviews that has landed me the perfect career path that I am excited to move forward with. Thank you Joellyn!" --- Candy Scarale, Executive Administrative Assistant
"I worked with Joellyn and went through her Career Action Planning session after months and months spinning my wheels trying to land a position. Her session and follow ups were a great jump start for me in redesigning my resume. She helped me focus on what my strengths were and was encouraging and genuine. She's extremely personable and is a great listener. I'd recommend her to anyone who is struggling finding their next steps in their career path." -- Louis Miano, Sr. Software Developer
Visit my website to learn more about how the Career Action Planning (CAP) Session can help you get on-course, to land the job you love...work you were meant to do!
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About "The Career Success Coach"
Joellyn Wittenstein Schwerdlin is a Certified Career Management Coach and Certified Job-Loss Recovery Program Coach in private practice serving executives, managers and professionals in career transition. Since 1991, Joellyn has helped countless clients across multiple industry sectors find perfect career paths which are fun, fulfilling and financially-rewarding. Her program starts with a Career Action Planning (CAP) Session to first determine where clients are getting stuck, stalled or confused in landing the job of their dreams.
Joellyn will be happy to discuss your situation on a free call. Contact her at 508-459-2854, joellyn@career-success-coach.com
or visit www.career-success-coach.com.
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Quote of the Month: On "Success"
"Many of life's failures are people who did not realize how close they were to success when they gave up."-- Thomas Alva Edison
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© 2014 The Career Success Coach All rights reserved.
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