Career Reflections for 2009

Today I was thinking about how nice it is to spend time with friends, family, and loved ones during the holiday season. It's a time when I am really relaxed and just happy to see everyone and hear what's happening in their lives. Regardless of your current employment status or level of job satisfaction, be sure to bring a positive attitude to your social gatherings. Sulking and being negative certainly won't encourage anyone to enjoy your company. Let everyone see you at your best!

Take this time to also reflect on your career choices and objectives for 2009. Did you complete the career goals you set out to complete this year? Did you give your best effort in pursuing your career goals? Did you take on any new challenges? Did you maximize your skills to the benefit of you, your clients, and/or your employer? Did you listen to your manager and peers during your performance reviews and make adjustments for the better? Did you help someone in your peer group with a personal/professional challenge?

When you think about yourself as a professional, what comes to mind? It's important to know how you see yourself as well as how others see you. Think about the things you do in your professional life that add value to those around you. Do you offer to help co-workers on difficult projects? Do you seek ways to improve the business you are in? Do you seek ways to constantly improve yourself through self-education and training? Do you give more than you take? What would your three closest co-workers say about you professionally? What would your boss say about you? Are you someone that everyone recognizes as a key stakeholder? Do people seek your opinion or input on major issues?

I could go on and on but the purpose of this article is to help you to reflect on your 2009 professional career. Do a deep introspection and identify the areas that you need to improve. Seek the advice of your trusted peers and allies on how you can be better. Be sure to start 2010 with a defined purpose and each day will be a step towards satisfying that purpose. You can be better and you will be better if you set objectives and use your support team to help you meet those objectives. Best of luck to you and best wishes for the New Year!

Mental-Shifting: As Ye Thinketh so Shall Ye Be'eth

Okay, maybe the title is a little strange but I assure you this posting is not. Because if there is one thing of which I am certain, it is that your thoughts most certainly shape who you are and what you will become. If you focus on all that is wrong in the world then you leave little room to focus on what is right. If you dwell on the ills that plague your personal life then you leave little room to dwell on the growth you gain from those tough times. If you highlight all the negative parts of your professional life then you overlook the value you could create for yourself. Don't become a victim of negative thoughts (yours or others). Be a victim of positive thoughts! You'll always have both but better to be a victim of the latter.

The best thing about our minds is that we have the power to control what we think about the most. To my knowledge, I don't think there exists a "Thought Demon" who forces us against our will to concentrate on negativity, past transgressions, and current frustrations. But  hey, I could be wrong. But in the slight chance that I'm not, let's try to do something different. Let's take a cue from the technology industry. Like I always say, take your cue from the innovative individuals and companies of the world. Let's look at Tivo (www.tivo.com) and Slingmedia (www.slingmedia.com). In a nutshell Tivo is a "time-shifting" technology that allows you to record and watch a television program at a time that is convenient to you. Slingmedia is a "place-shifting" technology that allows you to watch your cable programming on any internet-connected device anywhere in the world. So cool those technologies are!

Why do I reference those technologies? Well, someone surely was frustrated at not being able to watch his favorite shows at a time and place of his choosing. And out of that frustration grew the creativity and innovation to bring to market something for the masses to enjoy. The people that created those technologies could have easily just lamented what they didn't have and couldn't do to see their beloved television programs. It really takes no effort to be negative and to focus on negative thoughts. Quite draining it is though. And I don't recommend it. But the "mental-shift" that preceded the creation of those technologies is what fascinates me most!

So what is Mental-Shifting? It's the ability to turn your negative thoughts and situations into positive, value-adding constructs. It's the ability to spend more time thinking about things that motivate you and bring you pleasure. It's the ability to not get bogged down in the trenches when negative things strike you down. Life is full of positives and negatives but the difference in those that find a modicum of happiness is the ability to transform the way they view the things that negatively impact them. Like the football coaches say, it's not how many times you get knocked down, it's how many times you get back up. You can find a positive in every negative situation if you just look for it. The trick is to just look for it! I will never forget during the 2006 NBA playoffs when the Detroit Pistons played the Cleveland Cavaliers. It must have been game 2 and Detroit was leading the series 1-0 in a best of 7 series. I remember that the Pistons had a huge lead on Cleveland in the second half of that game and were on their way to winning. And then inexplicably, Coach Flip Saunders of Detroit took out most of the starters and inserted the scrubs. Well, Cleveland made a huge run and made the game very close and competitive. In the end, the Pistons won that game and went up 2-0. But the mental-shift had already taken place and now Cleveland believed they could beat the Pistons. Instead of focusing on losing the game, they focused on how they were able to come back from a huge deficit and make Detroit fight for the win. What they did next was nothing short of amazing in pushing the series to a decisive game 7 in which they eventually lost. But in the ensuing years, they never lost to the Pistons in the playoffs again. That is mental-shifting and I implore you to use it in your everyday life. It will energize you and give you a reason to walk with a bounce in your step. Why? Because you will understand that there simply is no personal or professional advantage to dwelling on the negative. It's actually depressing at best and debilitating at worse.

You say you just got fired? Well, you told me that you hated the job anyway so now is the opportunity to reposition yourself for the career that best suits you. You say your car engine just burned out? Well, now you can finally get that "environmentally-conscious" car you always wanted. You say you just did horrible in your interview? Well, you told me that company didn't value what you do best so now you can focus on the companies that do. You say your job is boring but you love your company? Well, you can assess how to improve your job role in a way that adds value to the company and maximizes your skills.

The Talented Fool

He's tired and dusty and everyone knows his story. Nobody perks up when they see him walk through the door. Nobody expects anything new from him. Nobody believes he can do anything different. Nobody holds long conversations with him. In fact his stories are the same and they are indeed quite boring now. The world has changed but he seems stuck in a time warp reliving his past glory - if indeed it was past glory. He relives past trespasses against him - perceived and real. Unable to move forward because of his anger. He dresses the same, acts the same, talks the same, and works the same - and he's getting nowhere fast. His rebellion grows daily in thought, word, and deed. He seems to be applying 1999 tactics to 2009 challenges. He's using a 56k modem to download a 10 gigabyte file when everyone else is using Broadband. This is an example of becoming more efficient at doing the wrong thing.

So now he's stuck in a rut and reality has finally smacked him square in the mouth. He wonders where it all went wrong. So he begins to reflect. And then he realizes that for many years, his friends, colleagues, and family tried to give him good advice. Teachers warned him of his erratic behavior and the consequences. Past supervisors warned him of his negative attitude and the repercussions. Team members warned him of his unprofessional image and the message it sent . But since he didn't think anything was wrong he shunned them. Surely they must all be mad! He was doing just fine in his career. Sure, he hasn't been able to change jobs or get promoted in the last 3 years but that's not his fault. The companies are just too foolish and short-sighted to see his talents. Their loss he says! Yeah, he really hurt them, didn't he? Those companies will surely be worse off for not hiring him. And if you believe that then I have a bottle of snake oil to sell you.

Many of you might not know who J.R. Rider is but he was once a promising NBA player. A scoring machine he was! A good team mate he was not! Rider was not coachable and built a stellar reputation for not showing up to practices or following team rules. The talented fool. He was a freelancer in a team sport. And sure, teams continued to pay him because of his talent. But after awhile, his act got old and he eventually was bounced from the league and into a life of personal turmoil. How about Adam "Pacman" Jones of the NFL? Another talented fool who refused to listen to wise council and was eventually bounced from the league. No matter what sport you follow you will be able to find an example of a talented fool who refused to listen to those who care most about him/her. And if you don't follow sports then think of your favorite musician or actor who self-destructed.

Such talented fools they are and were! And if you think their lives are so different from your own then think again. Professional Sports and Entertainment are industries and are no different than any other business. There are rules and consequences for displaying certain career limiting behaviors. Don't be the talented employee who nobody wants to work with. Don't be the talented job-seeker who nobody wants to hire. Don't be the talented employee who nobody wants to recommend. Don't be the talented job-seeker who nobody wants to mentor. In a nutshell, don't be the talented fool!

Back to Basics: Reapplying What You Know

I read an interesting article in the Financial Times about the woes of Boeing's 787 -- dubbed the 7-"late"-7. To make a long story short, Boeing has moved from a "sales & marketing" business approach to an "engineering" business approach. Basically, the former CEO overpromised and underdelivered because his background was in marketing. So while he was able to dazzle customers with all the features and benefits of the 787 and get hundreds of pre-orders - while outsourcing most of the design and engineering to global partners - he apparently didn't count on the numerous quality control problems that would occur. Another example of a CEO whose bonus was probably tied to the number of pre-orders the company obtained.

How does this tie into your career management? This is a call for you to go back to basics. Go back to what made you successful. Many companies are doing this because as a business grows and gets more complex it eventually gets away from its roots. And companies are just larger representations of individuals. So take a look at your core competencies and what you are really good at. Are you using all of your skills? Whether you are currently employed or job searching this still applies to you. So many times we get away from our natural gifts. Sometimes we are so eager to get away from a past experience or educational training that we forget how valuable that experience could be if applied in the right way. 

The real skill these days is in applying your knowledge in creative and unique ways to the benefit of your employer and yourself. That means skills, concepts, ideas, applications, products, technologies, people, etc. You don't have to be an expert in everything, you just need to know how to apply things in ways that give your employer (or yourself) the competitive edge. You don't have to create new technologies, you just need to know how to identify ones that would be good for your business. Take a cue from the successful businesses I say! If ever there was a model for a business that went back to basics to become a global icon, it is Apple. I mean, Apple was written off more times than I can remember. But Steve Jobs went back to basics and capitalized on what the company does best - listen to its customers and create cool products!

Job-Seekers' Folly: A Failure to Communicate

Hey, are you tired of using technology? I mean, do you ever feel like you are addicted to all things simple and easy? Isn't that what the goal is nowadays - to make things simple and easy? Well, let's take a step back and look at how over reliance on technology can be bad for your job search health. Indeed, technology has allowed job-seekers greater access to job openings at virtually no cost. In fact, you never need to leave the comfort of your room. Just upload your documents and click send. And wait for a reply...

Most job seekers measure their job search activity in terms of how many jobs they applied to online. So by that measure, someone applying to 25 jobs per week is more productive than someone applying to 2 jobs per week, right? Wrong!! How about we use another metric to illustrate my point. Whose activity would yield more results in the long run - the job seeker applying to 25 jobs per week or the job seeker having 25 conversations with people about his job search? Tú dirás!

What is the failure to communicate? The failure to communicate is the failure by most job-seekers to seek face to face interactions with people who can aid their job search. It's the failure to talk to people about your job search. It's the failure to keep people informed about what you are doing professionally. It's the failure to conduct business (and in this case, your job search!) through personal contact. It's the failure to build meaningful relationships with people based on sincerity and trust - and not based on desperation! Be the master of technology but don't let it master you! Technology is a means to an end - not the end! So use technology to facilitate your job search by identifying and connecting to the right people. Develop a long-term networking strategy based on mutual benefit. Do you know how many free products and services are given away each day by businesses? The old saying holds true - you have to give someting in order to receive something.

I recently read an article in the Financial Times about the late management thinker Russ Ackoff. It was a well-written article by Stefan Stern and provided several sacred jewels of knowledge. But there were four jewels that stood out as exemplary. Ackoff was not only a management thinker but also excellent at communicating his thoughts into powerful, life-changing statements. These statements are applicable to many areas of our personal and professional lives - and especially to you, my dear job seeker.

1. All of our problems arise out of doing the wrong thing righter.
2. The more efficient you are at doing the wrong thing, the wronger you become.
3. It is much better to do the right thing wronger than the wrong thing righter.
4. If you do the right thing wrong and correct it, you get better.

The "Dusty" Shelf Product: A Job-Search Story

For those of you who have read my previous blogs you will know that this is a reference to the "Me-Too Product" I wrote a while ago. I received a lot of good comments about that blog so I decided to write more about our distraught little dusty product sitting on the supermarket shelf. Let's call him "Dusty Product". Why won't anyone buy Dusty? Surely Dusty's contents are just as good as his competitive shelf-mates who always seem to get picked up by a joyful shopper. Surely his packaging communicates that he too would satisfy the shopper's needs.

But alone he sits day after day. Getting dustier and dustier. And he notices that the other dusty products on the shelf share his fate. Oh how they gather much dust upon their dull and unattractive packaging. And they sit day after day after day; communicating the same old message. Dusty notices that the packages that are picked up by shoppers are very eye-catching and unique in design. He even notices that one manufacturer offers various colors of packaging to further attract and communicate the products' content to shoppers. But Dusty's manufacturer never bothers to "upgrade" him or make him attractive. No, Dusty's manufacturer mass-produced him by the hundreds - if not thousands!


Dusty also notices that the products that are not sold are soon discarded by the Supermarket. The Supermarket has no need for unsold product to clog its valuable shelf space. Better to fill it with high quality products from smart manufacturers who have done their consumer research on what shoppers want to buy. The Supermarket takes great measures to ensure that products like Dusty get minimum shelf space and visibility. The Supermarket creates more stringent requirements from the manufacturers before they will accept their products. So the smart manufacturers adapt...but old Dusty's manufacturer just keeps sending the same old product. And in doing so, he just keeps getting the same old result - dumped into the waste bin. 

And WHO is Dusty Product?? Dusty Product is the job seeker who does not adapt to the "purchasing" habits of companies. Dusty Product is the job seeker who thinks it's the companies' duty to find him in the crowded marketplace. Dusty Product is the job seeker who thinks it is a waste of time to understand a company's business and how he can fit its needs. Dusty Product is the job seeker who sits idly by while the more adaptive job seekers update their strategies and tactics to land jobs. Dusty Product is the job seeker who does not clearly understand his skills and how to apply them to multiple business needs. Dusty Product is the job seeker who wants the company to figure out how he could be a good employee. Dusty Product is the job seeker who thinks he knows it all and will not listen to advice from others.

Are there any positives for Dusty Product??? I mean, surely Dusty Product is not all bad - just misguided. Surely Dusty Product is good at something, right? Well, actually he is. Dusty Product is in fact an excellent communicator. Dusty Product is the job seeker who superbly communicates each day to prospective employers that they should NOT buy his product! He is excellent at the art of "employment prevention techniques". Even the most desperate Employer would be hard pressed to purchase Dusty Product. If there were awards given to products who did not sell, then Dusty Product would be King!!

If YOU send it, THEY will come...

Unfortunately, many job-seekers are still trapped in that old mentality of sending résumés and then waiting for a call. Some job-seekers even use the poor tactic of applying to every available job in hopes that someone will contact them. These tactics usually yield poor returns. But what do you expect? If you don't invest any time in formulating a job-search strategy then you really shouldn't expect to get good results.

It is clear to hiring managers the difference between a general résumé and cover letter versus a customized résumé and cover letter. The former does nothing to differentiate you or communicate your sincerity in wanting to work for the company. The latter clearly states your value proposition to the employer and states why you would be a good fit in meeting the employer's needs.

Let's look at it another way. If Procter & Gamble doesn't have a one product fits all approach for its customers, then why should you? They don't just try to force the same product down everyone's throat. If they did, they'd probably be out of business. Their business strategy is to segment their customers and craft marketing strategies to appeal to those segments. You can see this in the way they package, price, promote, and place their products. The communications is the most important because if the customer cannot clearly differentiate a P&G product, they might purchase a competitor's product.

So as you can see it is no longer a simple game of indiscriminate résumé sending. Customization is the key. If you send it, they will come....only if you can clearly communicate a unique value proposition based on your assessment of the company's needs. And yes, that takes a lot of work from you my dear job-seeker. It sorely pains me to see job-seekers use poor strategies and tactics that yield little or no results. Invest the time in developing a sound job-search strategy and then execute it to perfection!

Career Fear - Disabler or Enabler?

According to Merriam-Webster, the definition of fear (http://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/fear) is "the emotion experienced in the presence or threat of danger". But what is also interesting are the following words that are associated with fear:

Synonyms alarm, anxiety, apprehension, consternation, dread, fearfulness, fright, horror, panic, terror, trepidation
Related Words phobia; creeps, jitters, nervousness, willies; pang, qualm, twinge; agitation, discomposure, disquiet, perturbation; concern, dismay, worry; cowardice, faintheartedness, timidity, timorousness
Near Antonyms aplomb, assurance, boldness, confidence, self-assurance, self-confidence; courage, dauntlessness, fearlessness, fortitude

So what does this have to do with your Career? You might be comfortable in your current job and meeting all your performance goals. You might be a job-seeker who is just going about your career search without much thought or effort. But you know what? You should be slightly afraid. Not the type of paralyzing fear that keeps you from functioning. But the type of fear that motivates you to do better than the average. You see, fear, can be a great enabler! When you think of fear, it's easy to think of the negative connotations of fear. But if you study business, you'll find that the most successful companies use fear to propel them ahead of their competition!

To illustrate this point, allow me to slightly modify those famous words from the ficticious Gordon Gekko in the classic movie, Wallstreet - "The point is, ladies and gentleman, that fear -- for lack of a better word -- is good. Fear is right. Fear works. Fear clarifies, cuts through, and captures the essence of the evolutionary spirit. Fear, in all of its forms -- fear for life, for money, for love, knowledge -- has marked the upward surge of mankind." See the original quote at http://www.creditwritedowns.com/2008/09/quote-of-day-gordon-gekko-greed-is-good.html.

Are you beginning to follow where I'm going? If not, allow me to take you back to the words of a real iconic businessman, Andy Grove of Intel. "Sooner or later, something fundamental in your business world will change. I'm often credited with the motto, "Only the paranoid survive." I have no idea when I first said this, but the fact remains that, when it comes to business, I believe in the value of paranoia. Business success contains the seeds of its own destruction. The more successful you are, the more people want a chunk of your business and then another chunk and then another until there is nothing left. I believe that the prime responsibility of a manager is to guard constantly against other people's attacks and to inculcate this guardian attitude in the people under his or her management." You can read his entire preface at http://www.intel.com/pressroom/kits/bios/grove/paranoid.htm.

Now let's tie this in to your career. You should be thinking as the most successful businesses think if you really want to be a value-added employee. If the top business managers operate from a philosophy of strategic fear, then shouldn't you when it comes to your career? Otherwise, you'll just be the average employee who does average work. And companies who are just average don't survive too long. Look at the example of how Amazon.com was able to create an entire online empire right under the nose of Barnes & Noble. B&N should have had managers and leaders who monitored such threats in order to take swift action to either buy them out or pre-empt them. But they didn't. And now Wal-Mart is trying to do to the online world what they have done to the offline world. Interesting times indeed!

As you can see, even the successful companies from Wal-Mart to Microsoft are constantly trying to reinvent themselves and develop new products that adapt to the ever-changing technologies and demands of consumers. So shouldn't you take a cue from these businesses and do the same with your career? Fear of going out of business or losing market share keeps these companies at the top of their game. Fear can be a great enabler if you use it right. Use it to motivate you to look for new ways to improve your career skills that will add value to yourself and employer. So, could your career mentality use a healthy dose of fear?

The "Career Management" Lifestyle - Introduction

I've been thinking alot over the past several days about what it is that prevents most job-seekers from being successful. And not only job-seekers, but employed people as well who seem to be stagnant in their jobs but resigned to accept their fate. So as I was working out at the gym I realized that career management is a lifestyle. It's a choice. A choice of empowerment over your own career. A set of behaviors that will dictate the quality of your work success and satisfaction. A way of thinking that will always keep your mind focused on creating value not only for yourself, but for those who you interact with.

We know the benefits of eating the right foods, routine physical fitness, daily meditation, practicing our faith, and many other healthy practices. These become part of our lifestlye and affect the way we live each day. You shouldn't wait to have a health problem, before you go to see a doctor. If at all possible, you shouldn't wait until you have a problem before you take action to seek a solution. Just as successful businesses practice preventative maintenance, balanced scorecard, and research & development in order to stay in business - so should you! Imagine if Microsoft Corporation in the 1980's had just stopped with the creation of the Windows operating system for personal computers. Then they never would have developed all of the other services, products, and applications needed to take advantage of the internet boom in the 1990's!


Since we know the benefits of living a healthy lifestyle and practicing the routine behaviors required to support and improve that lifestyle, then why don't we apply that to our careers? When it comes to career management, there is a tendency for many people to not take an active role in defining and shaping their professions to add maximum value to themselves and to those around them. Don't be the person who languishes in a dead-end job for fear of change. Or the person that goes to work each day to a job that utilizes 10% of his talents. Or the person that continues to counduct an ill-fated job search campaign. That's poor career management and a poor lifestyle. And poor career management is the equivalent of smoking a pack of cigarettes each day - eventually you clog your roads to success.


So what is living the "Career Management" Lifestyle? It's a lifestyle that involves you doing the daily, weekly, and yearly activities required to maintain your professional health. It's a set of repetitive actions that will always allow you to expand your mind, integrate new information, and add value to yourself and those around you. In the following blogs, I will write more about the Career Management lifestyle and how you can implement it into your daily routine. You won't see the results after two weeks any more than you'd expect to lose 50 pounds after two weeks at the gym. But if you make the set of practices that I will share with you a part of your daily routine, then you will have healthy career choices for the rest of your professional life.

Stay tuned for the rest of this series!

The "me too" Job Seeker

Are you a "me too" Job Seeker? You know, the job seeker who seems to be a carbon copy of the average job seeker. Or the job seeker who tries to match his skills to every single job he applies for - in effect, a shotgun approach. Well, the general rule of thumb is that general résumés generally get tossed. If you have not spent the time to figure out who you are and what you can do better than the average person, then pretty soon you'll just be the average job seeker. And the average job seeker is akin to the "me too" product you find at your local retail store.

Let me backup and explain the "me too" product and how it came to be. The "me too" product has always been around since mankind began making tools and crafts. It's the product that tries to imitate a quality, original, or innovative product but falls short everytime. You ever wonder where the expression "The Real McCoy" came from? Well, Elijah McCoy, the African-Canadian inventor educated in Scotland, made a successful machine for lubricating engines which spawned many copies, all inferior to the original. Be the "The Real McCoy"! The "me too" product has a place in society if you are a consumer shopping for a product and you don't want to spend a lot of money. And so the same is true for the BIG Consumer that you are seeking to "buy" you - the HIRING Company!

If a company is in this hiring mode, then being a "me too" job seeker is the worse thing you could be. Why? There is virtually no way to distinguish yourself from your competition. It's a race to the bottom of the payscale and job responsibility. There will never be a "me too" Barack Obama. Or a "me too" Nelson Mandela. Or even a "me too" Michael Jordan". Why? Because those people have established a brand that clearly communicates who they are and what they have done (or continue to do). They are "The Real McCoys". You don't "buy" a Rolex because of the price tag, you buy it because of the brand image and lifestyle you want to project. So people will spend their money if they believe in the perceived benefits of having a high-priced product. And what are companies made of? People! So when people are making the hiring decision, you can always positively influence the outcome if, and only if, you are able to clearly communicate what they will gain by hiring you.

The same is true for you too, my dear "me too" job seeker. For I wish not to see you sit on the shelf at the retail store hoping and praying that some cost-conscious company will pick up your dusty carcass and take you to the cashier for checkout. No, no, no. It really does not have to be like this. Spend some time talking with people who know you. Everything starts with talking to people. You will never know what you are good at or what you can be good at if you don't talk to others. Once you get a sense of what you are good at, look for ways to apply that to a business in a way that is unique to your personality and style. As you go through this process, you will slowly begin to build your "career brand".

Now, if you think this process is a 2-week process then you are sadly mistaken. It takes months and years for people to craft a "career brand". Do you think Coca-Cola established their brand in 2-weeks? Companies have to invest time and resources to develop their products into trusted and established brands. So stop being a "me too" job seeker who only seeks to imitate the competition. Be like Apple and Google and "out-innovate" the competition! You'll be more creative and you'll stand out in a crowded marketplace full of "me too" job seekers.

The Negative Influencer

Do you ever find yourself around people who seem to find the flaws and faults (according to their own sense of what should/shouldn't be) in everything they do? You know, the person that will complain more about the iPhone's lack of a "real" camera instead of all the other 1000 cool features and benefits of having an iPhone. The person who will complain that the seats at the theater are too uncomfortable instead of enjoying an entertaining performance. The person who will complain about everything that is going wrong in their job search instead of finding new and creative ways to sell their value added to potential employers. You get the point.

Well, this is the Negative Influencer. This is the person that will make even the most well-intentioned activity or event into an unpleasant evening for everyone. The person for whom the world is always dark and everyone is against him. This person will seek to bring down even the happiest of moods. Instead of rallying the troops to complete a challenging task, this person will complain about why the task must be done at all? Where others see value, this person will see waste. Where others see benefits, this person will see cost. You get the point.

So what do you do if this person is in your midst? Run!!! Seriously though...run!!! It's virtually impossible to motivate a Negative Influencer but they have the power to "demotivate" you!! Their very words, actions, and body language exude negativity! Why would you want someone like that to be part of your inner circle? Especially now when you need all the Positive Influence you can get! Your career search should be your main focus as you seek fulltime employment. Don't let anyone keep you from doing and being your best!

So, what do you do when you see a Negative Influencer? Run!! Run!! Run!! And what do you do if the Negative Influencer is YOU!! Sometimes you can be your own worst enemy. Always focusing on the things you can't control instead of things you can control. Always focusing on the advantages others seem to have instead of the advantages you have. Again, you get the point. If you find that you seem to be saying more negative things about yourself and your situation than positive things, seek the comfort of close friends and family for reassurance! You'll be amazed at what a hug or a quick pep talk can do for your spirit. Sometimes you just need for someone to remind you of your glory days! And if you never had any "glory" days, now is the time to begin creating them!

Who will you blame??!!

The job market is lousy! Or is it just your attitude that's lousy? I tend to focus on what the individual can do to alleviate his/her circumstances. Why? Because none of us can control external factors such as political upheaval, war, famine, bad weather, etc. So if you find yourself complaining each day about how lousy the job market is and how no companies will call you back, you are actually working against yourself!

I'll explain. You see, the problem is that we have all become a blame society. When something goes wrong in our lives (personal or professional) we seek to blame situations, circumstances, or people. While it is true, there are factors that affect our success in any given moment, focusing your energy on the blame game certainly won't help your cause. Why not reassess what is going wrong with your career search? Why not seek the advice of trusted companions? Why not take on the challenge to reinvent yourself and try something outside your comfort zone?

No, I guess that actually takes work! But wait a minute, are you not seeking "work"??!! How bad that would be if you are seeking work but you don't want to put in the "work" required to obtain work! That is not a good reflection upon you and most companies will not want that type of behavior within their ranks.

So once again I say, who will you blame? When times are bad and the seas are rough - who will you blame? When you don't get an interview after several weeks - who will you blame? When you continue to follow the same methods and same path with the same results - who will you blame?

Blame YOURSELF!! And then get off your butt and take action and do something to change your behavior and attitude. Ask your friends, family, former co-workers, etc., to give you a reality check and help you with your career search approach. This humility will take you a lot further and you may find that people are more willing to help you when they see that you recognize your career-limiting flaws.

It's so easy to blame others for our failures or lack of success. It takes virtually no energy!! You just point fingers and whisper under your breath and complain all day. Who would want to be around you if you're like that?? Certainly not the people who are making hiring decisions.

Account and Accountability!

Well, I was exercising at the gym tonight and thinking the entire time about accountability. And so I began to take into account all of the things I wanted to accomplish this month. And then I began to think about the various definitions for the word "account" and how powerful a word it is. There are several definitions of the word "account" but I'd like to share with you the definition below found at http://www.thefreedictionary.com/account.

Account

1. A narrative or record of events.

2.

a. A reason given for a particular action or event: What is the account for this loss?

b. A report relating to one's conduct: gave a satisfactory account of herself.

c. A basis or ground: no reason to worry on that account.

Why do I share this with you and what does it mean for your career? If you want to achieve your career goals, it is imperative that you take account of yourself! You also need to account for the actions you take (or don't take!) towards the pursuit of your career goals.

When you begin to take account for your actions, you take ownership and responsibility. And then you are accountable for those actions. Meaning the success or lack of success in reaching your desired career goals has a direct correlation of how well you account for your actions and make yourself accountable for the results (or lack thereof!).

This is not rocket science but it is something that is difficult for many people. We all understand the phrase "Sense and Sensibility". It's a no-brainer! So now just add one more phrase to your toolkit - "Account and Accountability" - and you're on your way. Repeat this mantra several times a day and I guarantee that soon your daily actions will be transformed into meaningful, goal-driven activities.

Finding your "Personal Bundini"

Don't let the title of this blog confuse you! I want you to think for a moment of the person, or persons, in your life who have motivated you to do your best. Think of how energized and creative you felt when someone close to you believed in you...even when you didn't believe in yourself. Remember the hardships and struggles that you have faced throughout your life. Who did you turn to? Who was there to make you laugh or to offer an idea? Who was there to listen to you when you probably sounded like a crazed maniac? Who was there to keep you on the right path instead of taking shortcuts?

Drew "Bundini" Brown was Muhammad Ali's Chief Hype-Man. Bundini, as he was affectionately called, never boxed professionally and he was known to have struggles with drugs and alcohol. But what Bundini did for Ali's career and stature as the greatest is probably the most under-rated contribution in sport's history! Success in any sport is a function of attitude, motivation, dedication, desire, etc. I could probably list a number of disputable functions but I want to focus on attitude for this blog. I could have chosen a number of "Chief Hype-Persons" from the annals of sport's history. But since Ali is such a global figure, I wanted to talk about someone who my readers could connect with.

Bundini was there for Ali through the ups and downs of his long career. Bundini always called Ali the Champ and kept him positive through their pre-fight routines and news conference shennanigans. Ali was always a strong-willed individual and probably didn't need much help in the self-motivation department. But everyone in life experiences periods of doubts and uncertainty. And it is at those crucial moments that we need a Bundini to hype us up! To tell us that we're worth our salt! To tell us that we're smart! To tell us that we're unique! This is not just empty flatter. A true Bundini will know your past accomplishments and moments of excellence. The very things we often forget when we are frustrated with personal or professional challenges.

So by now you see the connection to career management, right? The career search can be long and frustrating for some people. It's a time when you will have to confront your worse fears and travel down some lonely roads. It's a time when you will have to manage rejection, expectations, and perceptions. Those who are able to do this well will set themselves up for success. Understanding how powerful attitude is to this process is key. The way you view each day and the activities you have each day will determine your success. If you go to bed with a bad attitude, it's probable that you'll wake up with a bad attitude. And then you view everyone and everything in a negative way. Changing your attitude is the key and it does not happen in a single action but rather it is an ongoing, transformational process. Think of it as part of maintaining a healthy lifestyle and doing the routine things such as brushing your teeth or washing your hands daily. You have to take that same care with maintaining a positive attitude that will help you to overcome the challenging times in life.

So what are you waiting for??? Get out there and find your Personal Bundini!!

The Antidote to the Job Search Blues

It's easy to get down on yourself during these times of economic hardship. But there is a way to get through the anxiety of finding a job this fall. Shifting your Attitude from negative to positive! Sounds easy, right? Well, actually, it is. It all starts with who your circle of friends and associates are. Companies have long practiced this (or at least have tried to). If you can develop a community of positive, like-minded people you can achieve more than you ever thought possible.

Now this doesn't mean to go out and find your clone. It just means that you need to be smart about who you spend most of your time with. Surround yourself the "Positive Influencers" instead of the "Negative Influencers". Spend your time with people who are natural motivators and feel good types. People who are usually in a good mood and seem to reflect stress like Superman reflects bullets. These people will keep you in a good mood and have you laughing when you feel like crying.

And when you are in a good mood, you are more relaxed and creative. And that positive energy feeds on itself and allows you to develop and implement sound career goals. It allows you to take in advice from your support group which includes Career Coaches, Mentors, Classmates, Friends, Family, Former Co-workers/Boss, etc. Once you are on this path, the job search becomes a little easier because you are building momentum. And it's all due to a little attitude shift!