Using Recurring Themes in Your Job Search

It is difficult to show potential employers you have the experience needed when your job history shows different job titles or industries throughout your career. So what do you do? How do you show experience, along with consistency and dedication, even with a varied background?

The answer is Themes.

Many times in my career I have changed jobs. And not just job titles, but industries and departments as well. The biggest challenge I often faced when looking for a new position was showing consistency.

I can not remember if it came as a flash of inspiration or a slow drip of knowledge, but one day I realized there were themes running through my career. All I had to do was identify those themes, expand upon them and make them a prevalent part of my communication with potential employers.

So I started looking at my resume in a new way. I took a good look for the themes that might exist. And I found some. Not just a few, but many.

In sales I was always a liaison between the company and its customers, and I did the same thing as a recruiter when working with an outplacement firm. But wait, there is more. I was also a liaison between end users and the IT department as a database administrator and again between doctors and medical staff when working in project management.

Tada, a theme! I was a liaison, working with many levels of management and customers from all different departments. How cool.

So you know what? I put it on my resume. Just like that. Bullet point… A Liaison between customers and management from various departments working to provide common ground and unity among diverging needs.

And you know what I found? Companies were looking for liaisons to bridge the communication gap between customers, key players and management. What more could I ask for?

Not only did I now have a theme that showed consistency and dedication to a line of work, but I also recognized a talent I did not even know I had. A talent I could bring to the table and had been using for years.

So what are your themes, those common threads of experience you have running through your career history? Identify them. Then list them as strengths. It will help you show potential employers you have what it takes, the experience and the talent, along with dedication and commitment.

Happy Hunting!

Visit me on the web at http://www.findingwanna.com

Innovation is the Key to a Successful Job Search

 

Over my career, I have transitioned between careers a handful of time, moving from sales to human resources to database administration to training and landing in career coaching. And many people have asked me how I did it. How did I go from a job in sales to landing something in HR? How did I go from HR to database administration and training? And how could I do this, while still increasing my salary every time?

Well, the key to my success has been innovation.

When I look for work, I do not start in the usual places, trying to figure out who will hire me and where my skills fit. Or trying hard to figure out what type of job I can do and get paid for.

Instead I take a fresh look at what it is I want to do. I start by taking a look at it in a new way, devoid of a job title. Then I start looking at other industries. And I try to keep an open mind, giving myself permission to explore options outside my industry and allowing my self to come back to the same industry if it suits me. The key for me is no judgment, only possibilities.

Then and only then, do I go on to research job opportunities. Often, I’ll look outside the realm of jobs I have looked at before, and consider everything before narrowing it down. I will also experiment with using different key words like process or coaching that might be imbedded in the job description, instead of Process Coordinator that is more likely to be a job title.

So…what would I tell you to do if you find yourself stuck in your job search with little or no success in finding work? INNOVATE. Take a look at what you want to do and your skill set in a new way. Look for opportunities that you may not have considered before, and determine if they are a good fit for you based on the role and duties, not on the job title. And then find a way to communicate that you have what it takes.

Happy Hunting!

My Way

I was inspired this morning by a conversation with a few gals about children who always want to do things their way.  I have to admit, I was one of those kids, just ask my mom.

 

I always have to do things “MY” way?  I don’t often listen to advice and I especially steer clear of what everyone else is doing.  And if you tell me I “have” to do something a certain way, be rest assured I’ll do the exact opposite.

 

Now my Mom, bless her heart, calls me stubborn.  I call it self–sufficiency.  You call it whatever you want to.

 

But I do it because I have a notion to understand, try things out for myself, and take the adventure on my own.  Because I want to know, could it work for me?  And it gives my life a sense of fun and accomplishment, especially when I figure it out for myself.  I think that my notion to “Do Life My Way” is the best gift I have in life.

 

Yes, there are the down sides.  If you don’t listen to others, then you miss the chance to learn things that can keep you out of trouble and away from pain.  Or the opportunity to adopt what others know that could make problems and challenges much quicker and easier to get through.

 

But I like the upsides.  Like – being able to make a sound decision on my own, having the critical thinking skills to work out a problem and, being resourceful when coming up with a solution.  It’s also fun and I love having adventure as part of my life and the inquisitive mind that wants to know; “How does it work?  Can it work for me? and What other things could I use it for?”

 

Besides, if there was no one who wanted to DO LIFE THEIR WAY, no one to challenge the status quo, then who would create new opportunities?  Who would be lead to new inventions or discover the ancient ruins of some far off land?  And what would happen to all those unique, creative, alive and vibrant people that show such a zest for life?

 

There can be a balance.  A place in the middle where we use the lessons of others in a way that applies to your unique situation.  An option where we get to use the knowledge of those who went before and still come up with our own solutions.  Where challenging the status quo is seen as an asset, not a liability.  And we get to invent new solutions and opportunities that have never been seen before.  

 

So yes, my need to DO LIFE MY WAY can be a bit of a challenge.  But it’s the best way that I know how to do life.  And as long as I’m balancing that with lessons from others, having fun, and the people around me feel loved, supported and inspired, then I’m doing my job.  Do Life Your Way and so will you!

 

Copyright © 2008 Cecilia Deal.  All Rights Reserved.

Reinventing Yourself

When I was young I use to rearrange my room.  Often!  Every month I would clean out all the cobwebs, dust off the window ledge, and rearrange the furniture.  When I started moving things around I never knew where my furniture would end up.  It was like my own personal adventure.  I loved the fresh clean feeling it left me with and the change in perspective it gave me.

Old habits die hard.  Now, every so many months I re-invent my life.  It seems crazy to some, I know.  Why would I go about constantly shifting my life, my environment, or my role, making changes and doing things my way?  Let me tell you why…reinvention is my look back, like a trip down memory lane.  It is exciting and one of the most rewarding parts of my life.  It is like cleaning out a closet, dusting off the cobwebs, and rearranging the furniture, I get to look through old memories, find treasures, and discover a few lost coins under the cushions.

Reinvention is my look back, but it is also my fresh start.  That new look from a new direction about what I really want! I get to de-clutter, get rid of the things that get in my way, and making it easier to get to the things I want.  Most of all, I get an appreciation of what I have and a clear view of what I really want.

I may be grown-up now (or at least I claim to be), but reinventing myself still makes me happy.  A new place, a new role, and a new adventure!  You might say is it an evolution that gives me a fresh look at life, a new set of goals to reach for, and a sense of excitement about what’s next.  How will you reinvent yourself this year?

Copyright © 2009 Cecilia Deal.  All Rights Reserved.

Directions for Life

A few days ago I bought a new hair serum.  Before I used it, I decided to actually read the directions on the bottle.  Here is how the instructions read…

Directions:  After shampooing and conditioning, apply generously to scalp and rub.  Comb through hair and let set for 5 minutes.  Rinse thoroughly with water.

Many times in my life I have often wished I had such clear directions for life.  After my own life journeys and experiences, I imagine the directions for life would read like this…

DIRECTIONS:  After identifying what you want and need, apply liberal doses of faith.  Combine with plenty of self care and let set.  Rinse thoroughly with forgiveness.  Results visible immediately.”

© Copyright 2008, Finding Wanna and Cecilia Deal.  All rights reserved.

Success In A Slumping Economy

Why is it…when someone says the economy is slowing, everyone freaks out.  Speculation runs rampant about just how horrible business will be, how little we will gain, and how we should all be scared.  When did we start allowing our success to be defined by the state of the economy?  Hog wash!  This line of thinking has no legs to stand on.

 

Let us look at the facts.  Are people spending less?  Maybe.  Are housing prices going down?  Yes, that may be truth for a lot of folks now.  Are mortgages harder to get now?  Maybe.  Are gas prices climbing?  Yes.  Those may be the current facts.  But how and when did we start defining these facts as proof that we could not succeed?  That we could no longer have what we want or need?  Who said?

 

Do not let anyone tell you that a slumping economy is proof that you can not have, do or be anything you want.  Do not let the economy dictate your success.  Success and economy are two different animals.  Define them separately and keep it that way.

Let me share another set of facts.  People, businesses and folks just like you are still succeeding in “today’s economy”.  In fact, some people are thriving in it.   I know what you’re thinking.  The only people succeeding are those oil companies or some other vulture sucking the life out of us poor retched old souls who just need to get by.  Sorry, but no.  The people who are succeeding are real people with real dreams who are making it, right NOW!

 

In my life, I have never been out of work more than three months, unless of course I chose to do so.  On September 11th, 2001 we witnessed the fall of the twin towers and I witnessed my first lay off.  Everyone I talked with speculated that I would be out of work for a year.   You know, with the slow down in the IT industry and everything, no one was hiring…right?

 

Those who believed it were still out of work a year later.  Me…I went back to work in just 3 short months using the principles I teach in the Recipe for Success class.

 

Here’s how I spent my time off of work.  The first month I cried myself to sleep, felt sorry for myself and wondered why me.  The second month I kicked myself in the rear, started using my own proven process, and took a real vacation.  By month 3 I was working again, rested and doing something I loved.  Tada!

Success in a slumping economy is not impossible.  It can take some inventive thinking and innovative action, but it is not hard.  You can find success, no matter what’s going on around you.  I know, I have done it, over and over and over again.  It was simple, easy and uncomplicated.  If you want to know how, look me up or check out my class on a Recipe for Success.  If nothing else, do just one thing for me…define success for yourself.  And don’t let anyone get in your way.

 

Copyright © 2008 Cecilia Deal.  All Rights Reserved.

Being In Love

When was the last time you were “in-love” with someone? It could be a pet, a partner, a lover, a parent, a child or anyone else. Do you remember what it felt like? When you felt that warm, tingly tenderness just at the sight of them. Where you knew at that moment it didn’t matter what happened, because you would always love them. Through mistakes, frustrations, miscommunication, illness, and hard times, you could still love them.

You knew somewhere, deep down, you would overcome all the obstacles. You had such confidence in them and your relationship, that no matter what happened, you still kept on believing all would be O.K. in the end. And no matter how angry, frustrated or worried you got, you could still find it in you to look upon them with love.

Do you remember what it was like to receive this type of love? What some call unconditional love? Maybe your puppy greeted you at the door, tail wagging, excited to see you. Or your child ran to the door, calling your name, arms open for embrace. Do you remember how good it felt, how cherished you felt, how loved?

It is such a sweet moment, isn’t it? No matter how brief. I often wish I could hold onto it forever. At those moments my problems seem so insignificant. I feel as though I could take on the world.

So I wonder…when was the last time you felt this way about yourself? A moment when the size of your thighs, the color of your hair, or the price of your clothes did not matter. Where your education, family status, job, or work experience did not define you? When you could honestly say to yourself “you are worth it, you are talented, you are smart, you can do it, and I love you”?

If you have never been “in-love” with yourself, why aren’t you? I am not talking conceit or arrogance, I am talking true love. Because, you can see past your mistakes, faults, and flaws and love yourself anyway. You can recognize your talents and know that you are treasured just as you are. You can have confidence and belief in yourself, no matter what happens. And you can say to yourself “You are worth it, you are talented, you are smart, you can do it, and I love you”.
 
So the next time you feel like the world could take you apart, just look in the mirror, with those loving eyes that see beyond the current circumstances. Know that YOU ARE LOVED, by you!

Copyright © 2008 Cecilia Deal.  All Rights Reserved.

Easy Life?

When was the last time you thought “Was life not meant to be easy?  Were we not meant to succeed simply by being ourselves?  Was not progress and accomplishment supposed to come without a lot of effort or pain?”  Somewhere deep in me, I know this to be true!  Life is Easy, is it not? – Or is it?

 

I am the first to admit that I look for the easy way through life.  I always have and I always will.  I look for the simplest answer and the shortest route.  When I drive, I take the fastest roads with the fewest bumps.  And when I work on a project I go for the least complicated way to get it accomplished.

 

I have always turned away from the hard stuff.  Why?  Because I knew there had to be an easier way.

 

When I look up “Easy” in the English Thesaurus I find these similar words:  simple, trouble-free, straightforward, comfortable, calm, painless, uncomplicated, stress-free, at ease, etc…  A life like this I like!  Don’t you?  So yes, I believe Life is Easy.

 

Now I bet your thinking “Easy?  Who are you kidding?  No way!  It can’t be possible!  There is always going to be pain, let down, frustration, hard decisions, etc.”

 

I agree – sort of.  So, let me clarify something.  An Easy Life does not mean to sit around all day eating Bon-Bons and watching TV hoping that the gods will intervene on your behalf and hand you everything you ever wanted and more.  If you believe that praying and hoping all day will get you what you want in life, I have got news for you.  Yes praying, believing, and meditation are important, but you have to take part in your life.  Be involved in the design and creation of it, if you want it to be your own.  Otherwise, someone else will live it for you.

 

And yes, life will include challenges.  I will not deny that.  It comes with the territory.  And it’s part of the beauty and development of the human experience.  But that does not mean that life has to be hard.  In fact, an Easy Life is about action, focus, determination, courage and results.  It requires effort, thought, action, and a willingness to give it your all.

 

“But how is that easy?” I hear you ask.  Here’s the big secret – an Easy Life is about finding the flow.  Finding flow through those rough spots, hard decisions, and frustrations, with the right answers, decisions and action, and knowing when to put your skills to work.  It’s about knowing when to move forward, when to step back and when to rest. And then trusting that the end result you desire will come, even if you don’t know how yet.  Because the end result will come, it will!

 

What’s difficult is finding the flow.  That easy place with peace and space that allows life to move forward while providing you the answers you want and the things you need to find success in what you’re after.

 

You can find it.  That flow you are looking for, that makes life easy and allows you to make the right decisions for yourself and take action when it makes sense.  And then only take the action that will give you the best results, propelling you toward what you seek.  I am here to tell you – it can be done.

 

How do I know?  Because I have found it!  And so have many of my clients.  They often say it feels unreal, like they can’t believe that life can be that easy.  That answers, decisions and action can be easy to find and do.  And that the things they set out to do can be accomplished, EASILY.

 

It works, whether you are facing adversities like career transitions, romantic break-ups, and divorce OR you are making everyday decisions about the house, family and which guy or gal to date.  Life gets to be easy and you get to have so much more of the experience of life than they have ever imagined before.

 

So here is my thing.  Find it for yourself.  Find the flow and the way to strong confident answers, decisions and action.  Start by just paying attention to what is happening each and every day in your life.  Stay present in the moment and watch what happens.  The first assignment I give my clients is “Notice”.  Notice everything around you and how you feel about it.  Set aside your emotional reaction and your need to make anyone wrong.  Just notice.  It will be your first step to finding the Easy Life.

 

Here’s to your Easy Life!

Cecilia Deal

 

Copyright © 2008 Cecilia Deal.  All Rights Reserved. 

Choice

What I’m passionate about is having choices.  A choice about what you do with your body, your spirit, your mind, your soul and your life.  Choices on how you create your career, direct your business, build relationship, worship (shoes, cars, or religion), communicate, love, create family, and live YOUR life.

What I know about choice is this…you have to be aware to see it.  You have to know that there is a choice to make.  AND you have to know what you want and what you stand for to have the ability to decide which choice is best for you.  You have to know what is important to you, what you hold valuable, the standards you live by, how you operate and what makes you tick.  Otherwise, it’s all up to chance.  I don’t know about you, but I do not want to leave that much of my life up to chance.

How do you get answers about what you want when you can’t even think straight?  When you are bombarded by opinion, advice, and what “others” think is best for you?  When you get advice, take a class, or read a book, but still leave wondering how the recommendations apply to your own life?  How are you suppose to discover what you want and the best decisions for you?

You stop!  You stop and listen.  You take breathing room and then you gently, lovingly embark on the discovery of what you want.  You get connected to your own personal “wanna-meter”(of-course this is a technical term).  That internal meter that tells you how to identify what you want and what is important to you.  This is the work I do with my clients, breathing room, listening, and getting connected to that personal “wanna-meter”.  Because, if you aren’t listening to yourself, then how can you connect to what you want or make choices that are right for you?

What are you choosing today?  Will you live in choice or will you leave your life up to chance?  Will you swim around in advice or start making decisions for yourself?  Are you ready to KNOW what YOU want? Because it is a choice!

Are You Stalling

When was the last time you got so fired up you were ready to take on anything?  Or you got so bored with being stalled, you were ready to start, no matter what it took?  And somewhere you found confidence, courage, and determination.
 
As an entrepreneur, I know how critical it is to let ideas and concepts ripen.  And I’m always excited when I know the moment it is time to take action.  What is sometimes difficult is identifying when I’m stalling.
 
So let’s think about this for a moment.  How do you identify when your idea and concepts are still ripening?  For me I feel a certain “not quite ready” in my gut and if I try to take action, it is like pushing against a brick wall.
 
And how do you know when to take action?  In my world, I feel like I’m ready to take on the world and I can’t help but find myself moving.  My body and my mind scream…LET’S GO!
 
Then, how do you know you are stalling?  Well,  I tell you, I don’t always recognize it when it happens.  But when I do, it usually feels like my body is aching to move, but my mind keeps telling me “I don’t want to” (in a very whinny voice).
 
Luckily, over the years I’ve gotten better and quicker at realizing it and found a few things that help me get moving.  I might play energizing music, play with my dogs, or call a really motivating friend.  And when I need the big guns, I call my coach.
 
So…where are you now?  Are you ready to take action, still letting ideas ripen?  Or are you just stalling, afraid to take action, afraid to move?  How will you know you are ready?  How do you  know it’s time to stop taking stalk and start taking action?  I’d really like to know.  E-mail me at cecilia@findingwanna.com and I’ll post the answers on my next e-mail.

-Cecilia Deal, CPCC
Certified Professional Co-Active Coach