|
Career Coach eNewsletter
Issue No. 16 - August- 2003
Contents:
HOT NEWS! HOT NEWS!
Diary Date: ACP International Seminar - Midlands Chapter - Thursday 18 September 2003 'Ninja Programming' by Andrej Zivanic - 'What's all the Fuss about?'
Diary Date: ACP International UK 'Raising the Game & Adding Value' Conference - 7/9 November 2003 Key Note Speaker - Lord Janner of Braunstone.
1. Editorial: Microsoft should make cars, GM should make software
2. Career Tip: Career Joural - August
3. Self Development Notes: Association of Career Management Professional's International - Midlands Chapter - Ninja Linguistic Programming - What's all the Fuss About? By Andrej Zivanic - 18 September 2003 (view map) at 6.30 for 7pm.
4. Career Tips 2: Facing Redundancy
5. Career Development Notes: Association of Career Management Professional's International UK Conference - Gatwick - 7/9 November 2003 (see attached)
6. Just for a Laugh!: Do Your Own Anagram!
Brought to you by Careers International:
"Helping you take your career to the next level. - internationally."
Web site: http://www.careersnet.com/
Editor: Margaret Stead, margaret@careersnet.com
Welcome to this issue of Career Coach - a free newsletter for those interested in using coaching to improve their career performance. Please share this newsletter with colleagues and contacts that will benefit from reading it.
Subscribers 1926, worldwide
To SUBSCRIBE or UNSUBSCRIBE to this Newsletter email: NB. You are very welcome to copy these articles to your web site or newsgroup as long as you credit us and include our contact URL: http://www.careersnet.com/
Editorial: Microsoft should make cars, GM should make software
At a computer expo two years ago, Bill Gates reportedly compared the computer industry with the auto industry and the furour caused is still valid, I think, today:
"If GM had kept up with technology like the computer industry has, we would all be driving twenty-five dollar cars that got 1000 miles to the gallon."
In response to Bill's comments General Motors issued a press release stating the following:
"If GM had developed technology like Microsoft, we would be driving cars with the following characteristics:
1. For no reason whatsoever, your car would crash twice a day.
2. Every time they repainted the lines on the road, you would have to buy a new car.
3. Occasionally, your car would die on the motorway for no reason, and you would accept this, restart, and drive on.
4. Occasionally, executing a manoeuvre such as a left turn would cause your car to shut down and refuse to restart; in which case you would have to reinstall the engine.
5. Only one person at a time could use the car, unless you bought 'Car95' or 'CarNT.' Then you would have to buy more seats.
6. Macintosh would make a car that was powered by the sun, was more reliable, five times as fast, and twice as easy to drive, but would only run on five percent of the roads.
7. The oil, water, temperature and alternator warning lights would be replaced by a single 'general car fault' warning light.
8. New seats would force everyone to have the same butt size.
9. The airbag system would say 'Are you sure?' before going off.
10. Occasionally, for no reason whatsoever, your car would lock you out and refuse to let you in until you simultaneously lifted the door handle, turned the key and grabbed hold of the radio antenna.
11. GM would require all car buyers to also purchase a deluxe set of Rand McNally road maps (now a GM subsidiary), even though they neither need them nor want them. Attempting to delete this option would immediately cause the car's performance to diminish by 50 per cent or more.
12. Every time GM introduced a new model, car buyers would have to learn how to drive all over again because none of the controls would operate in the same manner as the old car.
13. You'd press the 'Start' button to shut off the engine.
For an update on the anti-trust situation see CNN - Target Report - Microsoft
Please feel free to add your own comparatives - something to do with prospective annual licensing of XP, perhaps!
2. Career Tip: Career Journal - August
If you decided earlier in the year that you needed additional training to land your dream job, you may be starting that training now or in September. Come up with a good management plan so you can handle your new school opportunities along with everything else you are doing.
Consider writing yet another version of your CV - that can be published on a Web page. That way employers can access your CV 24/7.
3. Self Development Notes: ACP International Seminar - 'Ninja Linguistic Programming' - What is all the fuss about? By Andrej Zivanic
Thursday 18 September 2003 at our offices at 6.30 for 7pm.
Refreshments by Gourmet Foods
Otherwise known as 'NLP' or Neuro Linguistic Programming - is a new form of 'psychology' developed as a sort of amalgam of all the cognitive experimentation that went on in the early '70s. (They say that if you can remember the sixties - you weren't there! I however, perceived that I was there in the seventies, I think.)
Richard Bandler in his books the Structure of Magic showed that if you can understand the way an individual perceives his world you can get him to radically 'alter' that perception and overcome major stumbling blocks like phobias in minutes rather than years. Thus formed a new paradigm in psychology from which traditional therapists are still reeling.
Like any new idea NLP has had to handle it's fair share of ridicule, abuse and derision. Only recently have some of it's 'converts' have become adepts, shaman and gurus (Whilst juggling for position and recognition - just like the old psychology really). Andrej takes a fresh, humorous and fun look at a new way of looking at human behaviour.
4. Careers Tip 2: 'Facing Redundancy'
Email: "I am an MBA, facing redundancy and a senior manager, to use your classifications. You make a great deal in your website and e-mail out of the poor job-hunting techniques of most candidates and their awful CVs. For example, when my partner sent you my CV you replied that "...he so needs some direction and a new CV." (I also said he was brilliant.)
If we ignore the poor grammar and the fact that your website says nothing more than other career coaches looking for business, I would like to give you the chance to explain exactly how you differ. Questions I would ask include: what is the process; how long does it take; what are the statistics of your success; do you have candidates that would recommend you (if so, who are they); is it "no win - no fee", i.e. are you so confident in your process that you would not bill until a candidate had secured a job by it; what is your background; why did you choose to start this enterprise? And so on...."
Margaret: Isn't it maddening when somebody tells you ought to be doing something when you are already doing it or just about to? Especially if you feel 'guilty about not having finished it before now!
My initial reaction to this email was to the bit about 'nothing more than other career coaches looking for business.' First of all, my site was the first in the UK, repeatedly updated, and secondly I have a waiting list - but you know, you have to keep ahead of the game and this chap is absolutely right to expect the best. So I thought I would showcase the following draft copy for the site redesign and let you judge for yourselves. I have not included testimonials because they will be included on the new version of the site and there are a few, neither have I checked the grammar or included 'success only' fees. (I don't have any problem with 'success' fees, it is chasing people to pay them that I don't like.)
What is the process?
The key:
"Is in knowing yourself so well and knowing what you want to do so clearly that, when you pick the people you can work for, you can speak their language and sell your future."
If you can explain to an interested listener what you would like to do in the future and what you would like to achieve, then the likelihood is that the listener will help, advise and refer you to others who can help. In so doing you are using the power of recommendation to access unadvertised job and business opportunities.
Before you can even begin to have this conversation, you need to understand yourself and what you want to do. Using the skills of our Career Coaches you will be able to take a fresh look at what is possible for you, given your past, present and future.
Using the Career Manual and career assessment tools on this site will enable you to take stock of yourself, what drives you, what skills you have, what interests you, what is important to you, your ambitions, life, family, health etc and will hopefully inspire you into finding your long term goals, purpose, mission, dream.
Once you can clearly describe what you want to do, you can start to identify and target others who share your interests. You can use all the job and industry search tools on this site to research your chosen field, bringing you closer to an understanding of how your skills and experience can solve problems that exist in your chosen field.
You can start to reflect how you can help solve those problems in your presentation material, such as your CV, resume, cover letters or business plan. You can use our CV Builder to design an achievement-oriented CV so you can show the reader how you can solve their problems - a very attractive proposition!
As you become more aware of your chosen field you will be able to talk to people who are already involved, finding about their culture, training and the people they know who you can talk to. Using our networking tools you can access the field-specific recruiters, identify companies in your chosen industry and talk to like-minded individuals in your profession.
Using our in-depth research tools you can quickly get up to speed in your chosen trade, business or profession such that you can talk knowledgeably about the problems in the field and do your best to help, advise and solve those problems. Giving freely of your help and advice is the key to becoming a successful networker and makes for 'Star Performance' in everything you choose to do.
Using our planner and knowledge/skills portfolio you can plan a job search campaign that will make efficient use of your time and optimise your job-hunting opportunities. You will be able to proportion your time to seek out the jobs in the hidden job market, network yourself into those opportunities and manage your career.
Once you have a project, business or job opportunity you will continue to develop your self as a 'centre of excellence' in your field and exchange that expertise with your 'virtuous circle' of networking contacts. Using our e-learning trainings, forums, workshops and seminars you can share your training, experience and enthusiasm with others and this credibility and expertise can then be used as bargaining chips in the exchange of professional information. Continuous networking will secure your future and make career uncertainty a thing of the past. You will never fear un-employment again!
How long does it take?
Using our site can greatly accelerate your job search, maximising your chances of identifying and seizing job opportunities. Customers who have been 'clueless' about what they themselves wanted and what was possible for them have utilised our job search tools and found themselves jobs within seven working days from start to job offer. (See in our eNewsletter archive - Career Coach)
Another way the question might be phrased might be 'How long will you take?' and this depends on so many things that are out-with our control. Such as how much thought you have given to your career, how long will it take you to identify/be inspired in your career direction? If you are working then how much time will you have available to conduct a systematic job search? Holidays, projects/training to start, complete, finish, families to look after and friends to play with are all likely to impact the time and effort you can put into sorting out your long term career options and the next job on that critical path!
Now you can make the job search process as fast or as considered as you want it to be! Using the planning tools on our job search site will enable you to answer some of these tricky questions so you can make an informed estimate of how long it may take you to identify your career direction and your next role.
Whilst we will try to help you work out how long it will take you, it is not an exact science and we can only give you examples of what our customers have experienced previously.
[According to government indices, the industry average for finding alternative employment without career coaching support is 6.7 months. According to 'Outplacement firms'* With career coaching support the average time taken to get a job is approximately 4 plus months. Our one to one coaching experience gives our customers an average time to the next job of 3.3 months, including a one-month notice-to-leave period. This includes not only individuals who want a job as fast as possible but those who wish to take a 'considered approach' or who are planning to move over a self-selected time period.]
* 'Outplacement firms' are organisations who provide career consultancy support to individuals going through a career transition with their current employer. The fees for this work are almost always paid by the corporate employer, usually for a set time period e.g. three months. Extended coaching (beyond three months) is normally organised for individuals who may have difficulty re-entering the current job market or who face challenges, due to job availability or the seniority/scarcity of available jobs. Only a tiny number of 'Outplacement firms' deign to offer career transition training to what they call the 'Retail Market' or private individual.
Success statistics?
What would be a successful 'outcome' for you? Would it be to know what you want to do with your life? Would it be to identify and obtain your next job? Would it be to do something completely different? Get some good training? Would it be to excel in your working life or improve your personal life? Everybody comes to the table wanting different outcomes - no 'one-size' fits all!
We do know that using our personal assessment and job search tools you can answer for yourself many of these searching questions and that you can use these answers to optimise your job or business search campaign.
Over twelve years of working with customers just like you, we have used these tools successfully to help individuals throughout the world to obtain their successful outcomes. We have only experienced a handful of coaching programmes where the needs of the individual were not or could not be met.
It is so important when you start this process to take a mental 'before' and 'after' picture of yourself. It is so easy once you have read the self-assessment tips and techniques, talked to people and been through the process to think that you did it yourself. Of course you did it yourself - you're the only one who can! (But you may not have done it as well without us!)
What do I do?
My Dream:
'I am making good career advice and coaching available for everyone!"
Over twenty years of job-person and job hunting experience with thousands of individuals from all over the world, pretty-much every nationality and at every level and stage of their career analysis and focus.
Not only have I worked with small, medium and large organisations helping their people develop their careers but I have worked with people from business schools, organisations of every size, both public and private, but also - one to one and group coaching with individuals from all backgrounds and 'walks of life.'
In 1995, my Career Coaching and Networking web site was the first of its kind in the UK and was top of the table for 'Careers' for over three years, continuously updated with lots of free material, tips and advice - subsequently running though four redesigns over the years to date.
What is my background?
'As a Chartered Occupational Psychologist registered with the British Psychological Society, UK, Chartered Fellow of the Institute of Personnel & Development, Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Directors and Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts, I have over twenty-five years of experience using coaching, personality, aptitude and ability tools with individuals to help them understand themselves and others.
During my career, I have worked in job-person matching research as an Ergonomist, (matching the job to the person), in recruitment as a 'Headhunter' (matching the person to the job) and in careers, ('job-person matching') firstly in 'Outplacement'* - providing career coaching and consultancy on behalf of corporates and latterly in my own business - Careers, Executive Coaching and Recruitment - careersnet.com.
Since the early 90's, careersnet.com (my) mission has been providing individuals internationally with access to good careers advice and over many years has worked with international social research programmes into 'employability,' particularly for the socially disadvantaged.
Along the way I have held senior posts with various professional bodies, including two years as Continuing Professional Development Advisor for the Institute of Personnel, Development & Training, Midlands Branch, four years as President of Women in Business Association and am currently President of the Association of Career Management Professionals, International, Midlands Chapter.
Why do I do it?
When I was a Headhunter and spent my time interviewing people for jobs, I realised how very differently those individuals who had career coaching support presented themselves to those - without. Those with career coaching support (or Outplacement as it is sometimes called), interviewed well, were more focused on what they wanted, more confidant, better presented altogether and seemed to get the better jobs, fast. In moments of introspection, I promised myself this sort of support - should I need to move jobs. (even, I thought, if I needed an overdraft to fund it!)
Imagine my shock on being made redundant to find that even if I could afford the thousands of pounds it cost to buy an 'Outplacement' programme, that the Outplacement organisations supplied ONLY to corporates and NOT to private individuals! ('Retail', they called me.)
Luckily for me, my company Robson Rhodes Chartered Accountants (Thanks RR, brilliant and far-sighted co.) very kindly offered to pay for an Outplacement programme with a national career consultancy. It was during my outplacement programme that this Outplacement company asked me to become one of their consultants. Now I found that instead of recruiting one individual to fill one job, that in my new role - I got to work with many individuals to help them find a job each! Now all the job-person matching, personal job-hunting and recruitment experience suddenly came together for me!
During my days as a recruiter, I had stumbled across a method of networking myself into job opportunities such that I had to 'fight to hang on to any 'days off' between jobs. As a Career Coach I could now show job-hunting individuals how to analyse themselves and utilise vital networking techniques to get that job. Suddenly my customers moved faster than my administrative powers could cope with and the number of referrals and recommendations grew to such an extent that following a personal 'burn out' scenario, the senior people I had placed in senior roles came back to me in and said Margaret can you do for my people, what you did for me.
Following this role as the 'first female one to one coach' with the largest Outplacement company in the country, I set out to build my own company, delivering the type of programmes that utilised the most powerful tools yet available to help individuals to identify what they wanted in their life/careers and to show them how to get them.
How much does it cost?
Come and talk to us about costs. As you can tell, the Complete Job Search Package on the site is gong to be considerably more affordable and convenient for the majority of career seekers, but we haven't finalised fees yet. No doubt there will be a free trial available for you to try, very shortly.
In the short term, one to one coaching is costed at £150/hour, with a total package designed to suit you. To make a booking or reserve a free trial contact Kathryn Kelly or call 0845 130 4344/+44 (0) 1564 779932.
5. Career Development Notes: ACP International's UK Conference - 'Raising the Game & Adding Value'- 7/9 November 2003
The Association of Career Professionals International has 2000 members in more than 30 countries. Members work with organisations and individuals on all aspects of careers including career management, outplacement, assessment, coaching, talent retention and organisational consulting. The Association provides continuous professional development, marketing and networking opportunities for members.
Speakers at the UK Conference include Lord Janner of Braunstone, Rebecca Harding from the Work Foundation, Linda Holbeche of Roffey Park and Jo Bond of RightCoutts. Issues to be covered include raising the profile of career management, new approaches in career management, and marketing career management services.
The conference will provide a valuable learning and networking opportunity for experienced career management professionals, HR practitioners and academics with an interest in careers, as well as individuals considering a career in the field of career management.
Summary of information:
Event: UK Conference of the Association of Career Professionals International - 'Raising our Professional Profile'
Location: Renaissance Hotel, Gatwick Airport
Date: 7-9 November 2003
Cost: Full conference: £150 before 1st September 2003, £173 afterwards.
For more information or to make a booking:
Call 01732 832 323, email ACPInternational.org
6. Just for a Laugh!: Do Your Own Anagrams!
Did you know that an anagram of Arnold Schwarzenegger is 'He's grown large and crazed'? Anagram generators are the latest Internet craze. Now you can go online, key in your name, place or any words and see what comes up when the letters are juggled about.
Here are some to be going on with:
Debit card - Bad credit
Slot machines - Cash lost in 'em
Snooze alarms - Alas! No more Z's.
Statue of Liberty - Built to stay free.
Princess Diana - Ascend in Paris
World Trade Centre - Lewd terror act; end
Highlands of Scotland - Och, hills and daft song
Margaret Stead - Targets a dream
Damian sez that I ought to mention this rathergood site too and tell you to look for the little kittens, hysterical. |
