A life Coach is Waiting…

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In need of a Career Change or Life Transition?
A Life Coach Is Waiting…
But, make sure what you need is coaching, not counseling or therapy.

Excerpted from Susan C. Ingram for Lifestyle Magazine.

Many have found aid and support in making life transition decisions with life coaches— a growing “billion dollar industry,” according to Psychology Today. Practitioners  often focus on career changes, resumé building, climbing the corporate ladder and workplace politics, but they may also address self-image and family and relationship issues.

Coaching Chose Her

Talk to Terry DellaVecchia even for a few minutes and it’s clear why she chose a career helping people— although she may say life coaching chose her.

Owner of Thrive Life Coaching in Timonium, DellaVecchia was a long-time information technology specialists for McCormick & company, having worked her way up from keypunching to programming and management. She traveled the globe meeting managers in El Salvador, Mexico, France, the UK, South Africa, China and Australia.

Want to read the whole story? Download it here. 

Video explaining Workplace Assessments

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Assessments such as the Myers Briggs or DISC can be a great team building exercise that not only helps individuals understand each other better, but also helps them personally.  In this video Tom and I dive into Myers Briggs (MBTI) and Energy Leadership Index (ELI) assessments with our experience using them.  Tom is certified in MBTI and Terry is certified in the ELI.

Click on the Brochure for more information about the ELI assessment.  Energy Leadership ELDS Brochure

Why you need an Elevator Pitch

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What’s Your Elevator Pitch?

I see the deer in the headlights look on your face and the “HUH?” coming out of your mouth.  Let me explain what it is and why you need one.

An elevator speech is a very short 30 second version of who you are and what you are all about.  It’s called an elevator speech because you only have the time it takes to get from the lobby to the floor selected to introduce yourself.  It’s short, meaningful, interesting, and all about YOU.  It’s how you respond when someone asks “what do you do?”.  It’s the summary that goes on your LinkedIn profile and it goes on your resume too.  It’s your personal brand.

And yes, you need one!

It should be true and compelling.  You need to figure out the point you’re trying to make, then tailor it to be concise and clear.  The person to which you’re speaking needs to be able to get your point or career without much thought.  It needs to be easily understood by people that DON’T know you.

You will use the summary you create over and over again.  You might need to adapt it for an interview or on your resume to more closely match something on a job description. The key message about you doesn’t change, just a few points to match the job application.

Practice your elevator speech in the mirror, get comfortable with saying it out loud so it comes naturally.  Make eye contact, be enthusiastic in your delivery, speak with authority and passion about who you are and where you want to go.  Make a believer out of everyone you meet.  They may even remember you when an opening comes up in their place of business!

As an example, here’s mine: I actually have 35 years of IT as my background, but switched careers a few years ago, I’m now a certified coach.  I do workshops for organizations or work with individual clients to help them reach whatever professional or personal goals they want to achieve.  Together we figure out what’s holding them back from success, fulfillment, and growth.  It’s just awesome when they get that aha moment and begin to think differently!  I help my clients thrive and I love what I do.

At this point you’re probably nodding your head and saying “hmmm, what’s MY elevator speech?”.

Get cracking and write it now.

It could land you the job you didn’t even know about!

Career Planning After Graduation

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You’re in college, majoring in whatever…  You start to panic about graduation and thinking about what happens after school is over.  You realize that graduation means you have to begin looking for that first all important job.

YIKES

 

You start mumbling to yourself “What do I want to do?  What do I like?  Why the heck did I take that last art history class and how will that help me land a job?”

Many people either take the first job a family member or friend offers them, whether or not it’s aligned with their desires or get a job doing what they like at that time.    If it’s the latter, it means that your first real job is something that makes you happy.  You like animals so think it’s a great idea to be a cashier at a pet store or an admin with a veterinarian.  Or maybe you like animals but also want to give back to the community, so you apply to a charitable organization that saves animals.

You get the picture.

 

Fast forward five years… Now what?  You’re still in that same low level job and you’re not making any money.  You still like animals but hate that there’s no growth and no real opportunity for advancement.  When you made that initial job decision it was based on a short-term idea when you were young and idealistic.  You didn’t think it all the way through or map out a longer-term goal or vision for your future.

Now you’re asking “what should I have done?”.  Let’s take the animal example and add a twist.  You still like animals but you majored in finance, have amazing math skills, and enjoy working with numbers. That would be a strength.  Don’t most businesses need a finance person?  Wouldn’t a Pet Store, Veterinarian, or Zoo need a finance person?

See where I’m going with this?

 

Figure out your strengths, likes and dislikes, as well as your passions.  Then align those strengths with careers, businesses, etc.  That’s how you find a job that will give you fulfillment, one that you can be enthusiastic about, one that may keep you happy for many years.

Don’t jump at the first job that someone offers you because you’re scared or worried.  Take a job because it will get you excited to make a difference, because it’s a role you can sink your teeth into, because you really, really want it!

Do a little soul searching, then do a bit of internet searching.  See what matches up for you and go after it with gusto.  Friends and family mean well but only you know your own values, aspirations, and desires.  Look for the job that matches up with who you are now and who and where you want to be in the future.

That isn’t to say that your career is static or that your dreams can’t change.  Obviously, they do and can, but your first job should at least get you on the right path for your short term goals and just maybe be the stepping stone for your long term vision.

How Do You Know if You Really Hate Your Job?

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How do you know if you really, really hate your job???

If your bad days at work far outnumber the good ones, then chances are you’re probably one of the millions of people who hate their jobs. For most professionals however, coming to the recognition that they’re dissatisfied with their jobs doesn’t always come with the decision to do something about it! And that is understandable, to a certain point.

There’s no doubt that making important work decisions can have a serious impact on your career as well as on your personal life, However, you must remember that sometimes staying on in an undesirable situation can have even worse effects on both your emotional and physical well-being too.

Making a change can be especially difficult if you’ve invested years (studying, training, practicing, etc.) into doing one thing, and discover that you’d much rather be doing something else. However, doing something you hate will not only halt both your personal and career growth, but will also eventually result in highly unproductive, inefficient, and most of all, unfulfilling work practices.

So, are you willing to stick it out at a dead-end job that you hate, or are you ready to take the big step towards the career of your dreams?

Identifying the WHAT and the WHY of the matter

The first step to turning your dream career into a reality is understanding what you hate about your current job and why it is that you hate it. You must be clear on what is not working for you, in order to make the right changes.

Working through the questions below will give you a better understanding of whether you hate your working environment (work set up, colleagues, management style, company values, etc.) or the actual field of your work (journalism, business, etc.) and your profession.

Three questions to identify the WHAT – What is not working?

  1. How do you feel at the beginning of a work day?

Do you dread waking up in the morning or are you excited to get started on the day’s tasks? What is it that you dread or what is it that you look forward to? And why?

  1. How does your work make you feel?

Do you find your work boring and pointless or challenging and meaningful? What aspects of the work do you hate, and which do you enjoy (if any)? Which tasks do you love doing? How much of your day is spent doing tasks you really enjoy vs tasks you don’t?

  1. How do you feel at the end of the work day?

Are you exhausted and drained or satisfied and fulfilled? What causes your exhaustion or fulfillment?

Once you are clear on the ‘what’ – that is not working, you need to understand ‘why’.

Three questions to identify the WHY:

  1. Are your personal values in line with the values that you are able to express/fulfill at work?

We all have our own personal values, which we cannot compromise on, they are a part of us and they influence our degree of happiness and fulfillment directly. You must have most of your values respected in your job, otherwise, you will find yourself struggling to be happy in your career.

How do your workplace values differ from your own values? Are you able to openly express your thoughts/ideas and if/when you do, are they respected and appreciated? For example. If you value health, how much of a work/life balance does your career give you?

  1. Do you see yourself being able to grow from your work experience?

Are you able to easily picture yourself in a higher position at your workplace in a few years or does the thought distress you? What does the future hold for you in your current job? and how do you feel about it? Does it align with your goals or is there a conflict between your long-term goals and what your current career can give you?

  1. What are your work relationships like?

You spend most of your day at work, relationships play a huge role in your ‘happiness’ at work. Are you, your colleagues and/or managers able to hold meaningful conversations or do you feel as though you aren’t able to find any like-minded people at your workplace?  How much of the ‘social’ aspect of your job is influencing how you feel right now – good or bad?

What Next?

Whether you decide to reevaluate and tweak your current career path or to have a complete career makeover, the first step to making a change is identifying and noting down what isn’t working and why. Get clear on your value at work as well, an exercise most professionals never do.

Then you can start to see whether it is your current career that needs to change or simply, the work environment, that is clouding your vision.

Remember, it’s never too late to either look for more satisfying work in the same field, or to acquire the knowledge, skills and resources required to start afresh in a new, more fulfilling area of work – you simply have to be willing to put in the effort.

If you dream of a better career for yourself, don’t let your dreams just be dreams! It’s better to do the groundwork now and have a fulfilling career for the rest of your life, then stay in a place you don’t want to be for the rest of your life.    Your life is what you choose for yourself.

Blog from Noomii.com

Check out our job workshop series for the Job DisSatisfaction webinars (part 1 and 2) to help you move into the career or role you really love.Job DisSatisfaction Part 1

 

Healthy Treats for Better Performance

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Healthy Treats for Busy Professionals

When you’re busy at work, healthy eating can fall by the wayside. Between work and family responsibilities, our lives can become so busy that it’s hard to find enough time to make healthy choices. It’s much easier to grab the Twinkies or make a dash to the vending machine. But that doesn’t mean you have to compromise your health by settling for what’s readily available! Healthy eating helps maintain energy so you don’t experience an afternoon crash. It’s also easy to accomplish once you develop new habits. It’s a decision only you can make by saying no to the many temptations that are more readily available.

Benefits of Healthy Snacking

Choose snacks that give you energy and make you feel good, rather than set you up for the ultimate sugar crash. Healthy snacks are important for those in-between meal moments because they:

  • Help sustain your energy from meal to meal
  • Stabilize your blood sugar
  • Keep your emotional state and concentration steady and sharp
  • Alleviate hunger

 

10 Health Suggested Snacks

  1. Nuts—an excellent source of high protein:

Look for raw or dry roasted and stay away from nuts with additives like vegetable oil and salt as these can turn rancid if they sit in a bag in a store.

  1. Fruit—packed with vitamins, minerals and antioxidants:

Look for organic fruit like apples, kiwi and oranges loaded with Vitamin C

  1. Yogurt—high in protein and good source of healthy fats:

Look for full-fat, plain, organic yogurt or ones that do not contain artificial flavors or sweeteners like corn syrup.

  1. Hard boiled eggs—high source of protein and will keep your blood sugars level:

Boil them the night before and throw a couple in your bag.

  1. Almond butter—also high in protein and stabilizes blood sugar:

Delicious snack right out of the jar. Or pair it with an apple, banana or celery. Look for a brand that is organic, sugar free and contains no additives. Or make your own from fresh almonds.

  1. Chia pudding—contains protein and healthy fats such as omega-3.

It’s super simple to make and well worth it. All you need are chia seeds, full fat coconut milk (Trader Joe’s sells it preservative free in a can), vanilla, cinnamon and nutmeg. If you like chocolate, mix in some chocolate powder.

  1. Dark chocolate—high in natural caffeine that can give you that energy boost:

Look for brands that list cacao as the first ingredient not sugar.

  1. Trail Mix—packed with a combo of proteins and sugars to increase your energy:

Look for a mix that doesn’t contain added vegetable oil and salt or buy a variety of nuts, seeds, raisins and cranberries at the health store to mix your own.

  1. Raw veggies—slices of raw veggies are loaded with vitamins and minerals:

Choose organic veggies where possible. Prepare them yourself rather than buying them already prepped to maintain their maximum nutrients.

  1. Seeds—pumpkin seeds and sunflower seeds are high in sources of vegetable protein:

Look for raw seeds wherever possible. You can find them in the bulk food section.

 

What if healthy snacking doesn’t satisfy you?

If your diet is already high in processed sugar and food containing lots of preservatives, your body will likely only want more of the same. In other words, you haven’t developed a taste for healthy treats.

Letting go of preservatives and processed sugar and getting into the habit of eating healthy can be a tough transition to make. If you would like support getting started, you may schedule a free 30 minute consultation to learn more.

 

Are you stuck in a job you want out of?

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Working in a job you don’t like is not where any of us wish to be. The question is, what are you doing to improve the situation? In some cases, there might not be much if anything you can do. Many times it’s a matter of either sucking it up and dealing with it or finding the exit door. More realistically, you may feel trapped somewhere between sucking it up and heading for the exit. Many people develop a story that basically describes feeling stuck and unfortunately reinforces their situation.

What does it mean to be stuck and how to we end up there?

First of all, feeling stuck can be summed up as a lack of action. You may have a strong desire for something new but unless you act on it, nothing will change. Therefore, to initiate change, the logical solution would appear to be to take some sort of action. That’s where most of us run into trouble.

The biggest reason we get stuck in a situation we don’t like is because we become complacent in our comfort zone. Breaking out of our comfort zone means changing routines and habits in order to step into the unknown. The comfort zone is safe and risk free. It’s everything that’s familiar whether we enjoy it or not. More often than not, there’s a lack of growth if any that results.

A great example is The Year of Yes by Shonda Rhymes. She was challenged by a family member to say yes to things she’d previously said no to, such as appearing on talk shows, doing a TED Talk and attending numerous gatherings she preferred to avoid. Saying yes instead of no, catapulted her into the unknown which was terrifying. However, she recognized after one year of repeatedly saying yes, she had not only grown through all her new experiences, but developed a great deal confidence. Saying yes to new opportunities became her new normal. She had let go of the habit of saying no to everything that scared her.

Being Stuck = The Comfort Zone

Most people have developed a fairly convincing story that reinforces their rational for remaining in the comfort zone. “I’m not marketable” or “I’m too young or too old or too spoiled by my easy commute.” The number of stories are endless. A client I worked with several years ago had a passion for Reiki but was unable to turn it into a career. Leaving her job with a high salary and nice benefits was too risky. Although her work was affecting her health, she felt she was better off because she was at least safe. She was in her comfort zone. Her argument for not making a change was strong but the stress of doing nothing was taking a toll.

Sometimes, being stuck is no big deal. It’s temporary and you know what you have to do and will make changes when the time is right. It causes very little discomfort. Other times, the thought of change is overwhelming and causes a great deal of discomfort. Taking it even further, the identification with the story is so strong, that it can require therapy to begin letting go.

The solution to inaction is naturally taking action. But how do you know when you’re on the right track? Here are 7 steps to help get you moving in the right direction. Be as descriptive as you can with your responses.

  1. What is the desired outcome?
  2. What will having that do for you?
  3. How will you know when you’re getting the results you want?
  4. What is stopping you from following through on this right now?
  5. What needs to change?
  6. How do you know this is what needs to happen?
  7. Based on these insights, what actions are you going to take and by when?

The answer to number 7 does not need to be the ultimate desired end goal, such as landing a new job. It might make more sense to first update your resume or get additional training for a new job. Or perhaps you want to reach out to a few people in your network. What’s most important is to commit to taking the action in number 7. One small step forward is usually all that’s needed to create the momentum needed to get you moving and guide you to your end goal.

Check out our Job Workshop series to buy our Webinar on Getting Unstuck Getting Unstuck

 

How to Increase Your Energy at Work

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Stressful, demanding jobs for many people is a badge of honor. For others it’s simply unwanted stress. Either way, stress is harmful to your health. It’s responsible for weight gain, poor sleep and leaves you feeling tired at the end of the day. Here are 3 simple ways to calm your body and mind throughout the day and increase your energy!

But first, why am I talking about calming your body and mind?

We all want to have more energy right? We all want to feel so great that we leap out of bed with fat smiles ready to greet the day with applause.

But how can we even get this energy boost without first making space for it in our bodies and minds?

Good question!

Think of calming your body and mind like tilling the soil and planting the seeds before they SPROUT with abundant energy like magic bean stalks that reach for the sky! Because that’s all you will be doing here—making space for new energy to flow!

So what are my 3 easy ways to calm your body and your mind?

STEP 1

Sit in a chair and put both your feet firmly on the ground, sit up straight with your shoulders pulled back to open your heart, close your eyes and take ten full, slow, DEEP breaths in and out… in and out… in and out…Slowly fill the lungs to the count of 7, hold it for 3 and exhale counting to 5.

Now, when you open your eyes NOTICE how different your body feels. Do you feel calmer? Clearer? More relaxed?

Well that was STEP 1! Now that you have calmed your body, are you ready for STEP 2? Don’t worry… it’s just as easy…

You’ve heard of positive affirmations right?

Well I believe they actually work! Why? Because your body is not going to do what you tell it to do unless your mind believes it first! (Or you trick your mind into believing it)

 

STEP 2

Think of a short, sweet sentence that I like to call your motivational MANTRA so that you can instantly become your own energy-boosting guru.

Here are some ENERGIZING examples to get you started:

  • As I relax, I feel my body becoming more and more energized!
  • My mind is calm, my body relax, I trust the life process.
  • My stress is being washed away and replaced with excitement.
  • I embrace a healthy, energized body.

Choose one that resonates with you or change up the words, write it on a sticky note and stick it on top of your computer or bathroom mirror. Then read it or memorize it and say it out loud to yourself six times today and just watch what happens…

How will calming my body and mind give me more energy?

Let me put it this way… water will not flow well through a blocked up pipe. Similarly, your energy or life force is not going to flow well if you’re all tensed up, agitated or on guard.

Why? Because that’s the way our minds work! They start to believe what we tell them to believe. It really is that simple.

STEP 3

Get physical! Commit to regular exercise for up to an hour at least 5 days per week. You’ll feel like you traded in your old body for a new one. Weight lifting, speed walking or walking briskly, biking, swimming, tennis, yoga are all excellent ways to not only keep your body in shape, but to also relax.

So, with STEP 1, you are learning to quiet your mind, calm your own nervous system and SAVE energy for you to use later when you really need it!

With STEP 2 you will be amazed at the results over time if you say your mantra over and over again. You may even find that by the end of day one your mind will start to believe it and your body will follow!

And with STEP 3, commit to regular exercise and you’re mind will relax and you’ll feel energized and healthier.

 

Career or Just a Job

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Do you have a career or is it just a job?

Career or Job?  That is the question most people want answered.  Many people stay in a job because it’s a paycheck or it’s easier to stay than figure out how to make a change. But hating Monday mornings because you have to go to work causes stress. If you don’t like your job, you may not be engaged or passionate about what you’re doing. Ultimately, you’re setting yourself up for failure and that’s also stressful.

Let’s start with definitions and a small check list.

job1

jäb/

noun

1. 
a paid position of regular employment.

Let me help you figure out whether you in fact have a career or just a job.

  • You’re staying in your role primarily because it’s a steady paycheck.
  • There is no growth potential for you.
  • You understand the work but are bored out of your mind.
  • You don’t really care about the organization.
  • You don’t even like the work you’re doing.

To answer the question “Do you have a career or is it just a job?”, if these statements hit home you can be fairly certain that you have a job not a career!

But the real question is how do you feel about doing what you do now, for the rest of your working life?   Whoa, pretty heavy.

Let’s go to the next definition.

ca·reer

kəˈrir/

noun

noun: career

1. 
an occupation undertaken for a significant period of a person’s life with opportunities for progress in knowledge, responsibility and fulfillment.

A career is a vocation, profession, or calling.  It’s something you WANT to do.

I’m going to take a leap here and assume you do want a career; a role you can feel passionate about.  An occupation that interests and excites you.  You want growth, success, and something that makes you happy.

How would it feel if you could figure out why you don’t like your job, or effect a small change which could bring back a passion for what you do every day? What if you had a career instead of just a job?

Your first task is to figure out your strengths, what it is that that you have to offer an employer.  Then you rank them according to a happiness factor… If you are outstanding at math or number crunching but hate doing it, that’s a happiness factor of 1.  If you love it, I mean really, really enjoy it, that’s a 10.  Maybe you’re outgoing and enjoy working with people but you’re a customer service rep and dislike the stress involved: great skills, wrong job.  In what other capacity can you use that skillset?

Get the picture?

Once you’ve figured out where you excel and what you actually enjoy doing, you can start to research your next career.

So what’s stopping you?  Start your own checklist of strengths and the roles to which they apply to see where it leads.  Then make sure there is growth potential in the field so you can continue with your chosen career path.

Career or Job?  I think we all know the answer we want.

Why You Must Tailor Your Resume

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Why you Must Tailor Your Resume

We’ve all heard the 6 seconds bit… that’s how long it takes someone to say yay or nay to your resume. Read it or trash it. That’s if they even get to your resume. What if they don’t get past your cover letter?

If you’re looking for a job and you’re currently out of work, then looking for a job IS your job! If you’re currently employed and searching for a different, better, whatever new job, then it’s your homework after work or on weekends.  It’s still important and you should never skimp on your effort. That means you change your cover letter and resume for EACH and EVERY job before you apply!

Catch that?

There is no standard resume or cover letter that you mass mail to every potential employer. None. You read the job description and move your information around so that it highlights the stuff they’re looking for.  You have lots of skills and strengths, but only put the ones that matter to THAT job at the top of your resume.  You want them to see you have what they want.

Your summary paragraph should tell them something about you and what you’re bringing to the open job. Why you want that type of position and what makes you unique. If your summary doesn’t change for each new position you’re not selling yourself to them.  What you’re doing is selling yourself short!

Your job experience company, title and dates don’t change, but your actual work experience might. Move the important stuff you did around so it’s seen first, especially if it’s something listed in the job description.

Always list your certifications, especially if it’s something that would matter to the job. Awards too. They want to know how good you are and that you have what they want. So, show them your stuff.

Next, your cover letter needs to reflect who you are. If you can tell a short story about how you made a difference in a previous role that’s similar to the one your applying to… all the better. Make your cover letter shine, tell them why you’re applying, what job you’re applying for, how you can help them and always, always ask for an interview.

If you really want a new job you need to work at it.  Save each new resume and cover letter with the name of the company so you remember exactly what you sent them. That way when you get an interview you know which resume to bring with you or to update with the latest information.

Good luck with the job hunting!