Try the following strategies from Karen Coe of TMP Worldwide Executive Search and Ken Scott of Axmith to make yourself the No. 1 choice:
1. Be the best at what you do. Show others how to raise their skills, too.
2. Be the first to suggest cost-cutting ideas and track the return to the bottom line, even if it’s only in your area.
3. Examine how to redesign your own job to find ways to broaden its contribution.
4. Be prepared to put in extra hours to increase productivity and deliverables.
5. Keep a high profile in activities closely aligned with the company’s values, which includes volunteer work with charities and corporate causes that broadens your network and evidences contribution that is not self-serving and is team focused.
6. Don’t wait for the job vacancy. Pave the way by making sure your boss knows you want more responsibility.
7. Employees need to treat their own company as a client. In order to stay
8. Prepare for positions you’re interested in. If you’re gunning for a job in a foreign country, begin taking language classes before any opportunity presents itself. Think about portability.
9. Likewise, don’t let a company know you’re interested in a foreign post if you can’t do it. You could, though, tell them you can’t do it. That helps them know where they can promote you.
10. We are facing a severe management shortage in Canada with baby boomers retiring. Companies are deciding who their top talent is.
11. Opportunity comes to people who are dressed for it, so always be ready.
12. Follow through in every commitment made to your boss, colleagues or anyone else.
Do what you can!
Fran
www.franwatson.ca/resources.html
Wednesday, March 25, 2009
Tuesday, March 17, 2009
Job Finding Formula
Hey Job Seeker, welcome to my blog site.
I have just been given permission to share a fabulous resource with you to help you with your job search.
Are you aware that approximately 80% of the available jobs are not advertised? See what you can do to find the one that works for you!
This resource can help you look at what will work for you, some really neat techniques you can use to land that job you really want, and show you how to use the Hidden Job Market.
Check it out right away.
Contents include:
- The Hidden Job Market,
- How People Really Get Jobs,
- Developing Your Resume,
- Powerful Interview Techniques
and much, much more.
Best of luck....happy hunting!
Fran Watson
www.franwatson.ca
P.S. Here's that link again: JobFindingFormula
I have just been given permission to share a fabulous resource with you to help you with your job search.
Are you aware that approximately 80% of the available jobs are not advertised? See what you can do to find the one that works for you!
This resource can help you look at what will work for you, some really neat techniques you can use to land that job you really want, and show you how to use the Hidden Job Market.
Check it out right away.
Contents include:
- The Hidden Job Market,
- How People Really Get Jobs,
- Developing Your Resume,
- Powerful Interview Techniques
and much, much more.
Best of luck....happy hunting!
Fran Watson
www.franwatson.ca
P.S. Here's that link again: JobFindingFormula
Sunday, March 08, 2009
How To Be A Leader At Work
Most organizations have at least one person who is a natural leader. When it is announced she will be leading a new team, employees line up to join. When he asks for a volunteer for an assignment, people jump at the chance. Employees turn to her as a mentor, or look to him as a role model.
Meanwhile, others in the organization are struggling to do their job with too few human resources. So how do natural leaders do it? What is their secret to getting people to go the extra mile for them?
Although many effective leaders are naturally charismatic, there are a number of leadership behaviours that can be adopted by anyone who wants to have greater support from other people. While some leadership techniques may sound manipulative, a wise leader knows the best results come from having people provide their support willingly.
People naturally want to follow a good leader. After meeting with an effective leader it is not unusual to feel uplifted, inspired and motivated to work towards a common goal.
Effective leaders make others feel good about themselves as well as the work they are doing. The leader has a vision of what she wants to achieve and can communicate that vision to others in a way that makes people want to be part of it.
One thing a good leader typically does is to communicate the big picture, so that each employee can see how the particular role he plays makes a contribution to the final result.
In a recent study of employees at all levels in companies of all sizes, Beverly Kaye and Sharon Jordan-Evans, authors of Love ‘Em or Lose ‘Em, found that “meaningful work, making a difference and a contribution” was one of the top three reasons given by 90% of employees when asked why they remain at a company. (The other reasons cited among the top three were “career growth, learning and development” and “exciting work and challenge.”)
When someone understands why a job that might otherwise be considered menial is important, that person is likely to be both more committed and more productive.
People are also likely to follow leaders they see as positive role models. If a leader demonstrates a strong belief in something, it inspires others to work towards the leader’s vision, even when a situation might appear to be almost hopeless. An excellent example of a leader who faced this type of situation is Lee Iacocca. When Chrysler’s fortunes reached a low in the 1980s, he cut his salary to $1 per year to prove his conviction that things would get better. They did. Under his leadership, the company flourished.
Good leaders not only “walk the walk”, they “talk the talk”. When they speak about the future, they are positive and upbeat. Mark Victor Hansen, a successful motivational speaker and co-author of the Chicken Soup for the Soul books, said that even in the early days of his career, if someone asked how he was doing he always responded that he was doing fabulously. His enthusiasm won him plenty of supporters who helped make his vision a reality.
Yet some people feel the way to get support from others is by telling them how grim a situation is, hoping that will make them want to help turn things around. On the contrary, Eeyores (those who sound like the gloomy Winnie the Pooh character) may inspire people to start looking for another job, rather than work to improve the situation they are in.
If you have a tendency to be negative, but want to inspire others to support you in achieving a goal, resolve to focus on solutions rather than problems. If Plan A isn’t working, avoid bemoaning the situation and instead come up with a Plan B. If necessary, have Plan C waiting in the wings. Maintain a can-do attitude and you are likely to attract people who will support you in achieving your goals.
As well as communicating their vision, good leaders know they need to communicate “what’s in it for you” in order to have employees go the extra mile.
They also understand that different people are motivated by different things. For employees motivated by a need for achievement, a leader explains how the task offers an opportunity to take on a challenging but achievable goal. Those with a desire for power are told how their participation can bring them prestige and lead to greater opportunities. While employees who are motivated by affiliation need to hear how they will be part of a team of people working together.
Effective leaders also use techniques to communicate their belief that each team member is important, including remembering and using people’s preferred names (e.g. not "Rick" if someone prefers to be called "Richard"). As Dale Carnegie observed, “the average person is more interested in his or her own name than in all the other names on earth put together.” Keys to remembering names include paying attention when introduced to someone, mentally repeating the name and using it in conversation.
Good leaders will introduce employees by name first, rather than job title. They refer to employees as team members, associates, or colleagues – never as "subordinates" – and make no distinction between "essential" and "non-essential" staff or "professional" and "non-professional" staff. Words have power, including the power to make people feel whether or not they are important to the success of an organization.
Good leaders believe that every team member matters and foster an environment that makes everyone feel important. It is no wonder they attract all the support they need to help them achieve their goals.
Tag Goulet is CEO of Fabjob.com, a company that publishes e-books on how to break into a "fab" job. Visit www.fabjob.com for information
*********************
Lead On!!
Fran Watson
www.franwatson.ca
Meanwhile, others in the organization are struggling to do their job with too few human resources. So how do natural leaders do it? What is their secret to getting people to go the extra mile for them?
Although many effective leaders are naturally charismatic, there are a number of leadership behaviours that can be adopted by anyone who wants to have greater support from other people. While some leadership techniques may sound manipulative, a wise leader knows the best results come from having people provide their support willingly.
As U.S. President and General Dwight D. Eisenhower defined it:
Leadership is the art of getting someone to do something you want done because he wants to do it. -- Dwight D. Eisenhower
People naturally want to follow a good leader. After meeting with an effective leader it is not unusual to feel uplifted, inspired and motivated to work towards a common goal.
Effective leaders make others feel good about themselves as well as the work they are doing. The leader has a vision of what she wants to achieve and can communicate that vision to others in a way that makes people want to be part of it.
One thing a good leader typically does is to communicate the big picture, so that each employee can see how the particular role he plays makes a contribution to the final result.
In a recent study of employees at all levels in companies of all sizes, Beverly Kaye and Sharon Jordan-Evans, authors of Love ‘Em or Lose ‘Em, found that “meaningful work, making a difference and a contribution” was one of the top three reasons given by 90% of employees when asked why they remain at a company. (The other reasons cited among the top three were “career growth, learning and development” and “exciting work and challenge.”)
When someone understands why a job that might otherwise be considered menial is important, that person is likely to be both more committed and more productive.
People are also likely to follow leaders they see as positive role models. If a leader demonstrates a strong belief in something, it inspires others to work towards the leader’s vision, even when a situation might appear to be almost hopeless. An excellent example of a leader who faced this type of situation is Lee Iacocca. When Chrysler’s fortunes reached a low in the 1980s, he cut his salary to $1 per year to prove his conviction that things would get better. They did. Under his leadership, the company flourished.
Good leaders not only “walk the walk”, they “talk the talk”. When they speak about the future, they are positive and upbeat. Mark Victor Hansen, a successful motivational speaker and co-author of the Chicken Soup for the Soul books, said that even in the early days of his career, if someone asked how he was doing he always responded that he was doing fabulously. His enthusiasm won him plenty of supporters who helped make his vision a reality.
Yet some people feel the way to get support from others is by telling them how grim a situation is, hoping that will make them want to help turn things around. On the contrary, Eeyores (those who sound like the gloomy Winnie the Pooh character) may inspire people to start looking for another job, rather than work to improve the situation they are in.
If you have a tendency to be negative, but want to inspire others to support you in achieving a goal, resolve to focus on solutions rather than problems. If Plan A isn’t working, avoid bemoaning the situation and instead come up with a Plan B. If necessary, have Plan C waiting in the wings. Maintain a can-do attitude and you are likely to attract people who will support you in achieving your goals.
As well as communicating their vision, good leaders know they need to communicate “what’s in it for you” in order to have employees go the extra mile.
They also understand that different people are motivated by different things. For employees motivated by a need for achievement, a leader explains how the task offers an opportunity to take on a challenging but achievable goal. Those with a desire for power are told how their participation can bring them prestige and lead to greater opportunities. While employees who are motivated by affiliation need to hear how they will be part of a team of people working together.
Effective leaders also use techniques to communicate their belief that each team member is important, including remembering and using people’s preferred names (e.g. not "Rick" if someone prefers to be called "Richard"). As Dale Carnegie observed, “the average person is more interested in his or her own name than in all the other names on earth put together.” Keys to remembering names include paying attention when introduced to someone, mentally repeating the name and using it in conversation.
Good leaders will introduce employees by name first, rather than job title. They refer to employees as team members, associates, or colleagues – never as "subordinates" – and make no distinction between "essential" and "non-essential" staff or "professional" and "non-professional" staff. Words have power, including the power to make people feel whether or not they are important to the success of an organization.
Good leaders believe that every team member matters and foster an environment that makes everyone feel important. It is no wonder they attract all the support they need to help them achieve their goals.
Tag Goulet is CEO of Fabjob.com, a company that publishes e-books on how to break into a "fab" job. Visit www.fabjob.com for information
*********************
Lead On!!
Fran Watson
www.franwatson.ca
Saturday, March 07, 2009
Free Job Search Info
Hi
I have uploaded some job search tips and information for you at this site: www.franwatson.ca/Employment
I will be updating this over the next few weeks to include more information and links.
Help yourself.
Fran
I have uploaded some job search tips and information for you at this site: www.franwatson.ca/Employment
I will be updating this over the next few weeks to include more information and links.
Help yourself.
Fran
Friday, March 06, 2009
Do YOU Know these facts?
Did you know that:
only 20% of all employers have application forms - almost all employers want to see a resume
80% of employers rely on personal contact - if someone they know recommends someone, they are more willing to take a chance on that person than a stranger
jobs stay open on an average of only 5 days - so it is important to get your resume in to an employer as soon as you see the job opening, don't wait until the last day of the competition
small businesses create the most new jobs in the economy each each year
smaller firms are reluctant to publish jobs because they can't handle the flow of resumes or they don't have the resources to deal with it - so don't assume they aren't hiring, if you think you would like to work for a company, take your resume in and talk to the manager about what you would like to do and what skills and experience you can bring them
Now that you know, make sure you have your resume ready, targeted for the specific job you are looking for, and get out there!
To a successful job search
Fran Watson
www.franwatson.ca
P.S. Drop by again soon as I will have some free job search tips for you to download
only 20% of all employers have application forms - almost all employers want to see a resume
80% of employers rely on personal contact - if someone they know recommends someone, they are more willing to take a chance on that person than a stranger
jobs stay open on an average of only 5 days - so it is important to get your resume in to an employer as soon as you see the job opening, don't wait until the last day of the competition
small businesses create the most new jobs in the economy each each year
smaller firms are reluctant to publish jobs because they can't handle the flow of resumes or they don't have the resources to deal with it - so don't assume they aren't hiring, if you think you would like to work for a company, take your resume in and talk to the manager about what you would like to do and what skills and experience you can bring them
Now that you know, make sure you have your resume ready, targeted for the specific job you are looking for, and get out there!
To a successful job search
Fran Watson
www.franwatson.ca
P.S. Drop by again soon as I will have some free job search tips for you to download
Thursday, March 05, 2009
Identifying Barriers To Success
Although a person may seem to have all the skills needed to perform a job or be successful, any real or perceived barriers may nevertheless jeopardize one’s chance of excelling. It makes sense to think ahead of time and identify any potential barriers so that we are in a better position to deal with the judgments that others (including ourselves) may make about us. Sometimes the barriers are in ourselves. We may not want to venture into something new or different because we are not sure if we will be able to do it.
Employment Roadblocks
Clearly identifying where you are in the job search process is half the battle in re-entering the work force. Understanding what information and skills you need to overcome roadblocks and gaining that information and skills is the other half.
Future Plans
It is important to write down your goals in order to achieve them. For instance:
What do you want to do?
Where do you want to do it?
Can you travel or are you limited to the local area?
How much do you want to be paid?
How much do you need to pay your bills?
Do you want to work for yourself or for someone else?
How do you start?
What do you need to do first?
You may find this an easy process, or a very difficult one. For help in setting your goals and action plan, you can set up an appointment to meet with a counsellor to discuss the steps you need to take to set up your personal action plan.
***************************************
Values
For each list, check off the values that are important to you. Once you have done this, evaluate your choices and list them in order of importance as follows:
A – very important
B – important
C – somewhat important
What are your Work Values?
High Income – finding a job that will allow me to make a lot of more
Prestige – having a job that will give me visibility or status in my community
Professional Recognition – earning the respect of colleagues in my field
Helpfulness – doing work that directly helps people in need or serves a cause
Fast Pace – having work that requires me to be thinking or doing almost all the time
Autonomy – being able to work independently and make choices about priorities and organization
Leadership – using my ability to motivate and direct others in a supervisory capacity
Time Flexibility – being able to set my own hours and arrange my day as I think best
Intellectual Challenge – having work that stimulates my mind and requires me to stretch intellectually
Physical Challenge – having work that involves physical effort to get the job done
Sense of Mission – using my job to make the world a better place to live
Creativity – having the opportunity to express myself through my work
Team Member – working in a group toward a common goal
Personal Recognition – working for a boss and/or organization that notices and rewards my efforts
Contact With Others – having a lot of face-to-face interaction with the public or co-workers
Sociability – being ale to enjoy camaraderie with others at work who share my interests
Pressure – working under the stimulation of deadlines
Diversity and Change – participating in work activities that are often different day to day
Security – being able to have a reasonable expectation that my job or skills will remain in demand
Problem Solving – finding solutions to significant problems as the main focus of my work
Influence – having work that allows me to have a direct impact on people’s lives
Excitement/Adventure – having responsibilities that often involve risk taking and/or a degree of excitement
Predictability – having a job with day-to-day responsibilities that hold few surprises
Power – knowing I’m “in charge” and that people look to me for direction and authority
What are your Life Values?
Accomplishment - achievement, aspiration for excellence
Aesthetics – appreciation of beauty, art, music
Affection – satisfying love relationships, caring, becoming close and intimate with another person
Appearance – physical attractiveness, sex appeal
Autonomy – independence, self-direction, freedom, the right to do what I want
Career – satisfying and successful
Creativity – using imagination, being innovative, problem-solving abilities
Devotion – strong spiritual belief, religious faith
Economic security – comfortable life, freedom from financial worry
Education – intellectual achievement for self, family, or others
Emotional well-being – peace of mind, contentment, freedom from inner conflicts
Excitement – adventure, new experiences, challenges, exploring, being enthusiastic
Family well-being – taking care of loved ones, good family relationships
Friendship – having close friendships, companionship
Health – physical well-being
Helping others – humanitarian desires, serving and working with others
Home – home as an anchor, having a lovely home in a beautiful setting
Leadership –influence, power, control over others, being persuasive
Personal growth – development, use of potential, self-realization
Play – pleasure, fun, leisurely life, travel, sport
Prestige – visible success, recognition, status
Responsibility – accountability, reliability, dependability
Stability – order, predictability, tranquility
Other _______________________________________________
Best of Luck in your job search......need help, contact me
Fran Watson
www.franwatson.ca
Employment Roadblocks
Clearly identifying where you are in the job search process is half the battle in re-entering the work force. Understanding what information and skills you need to overcome roadblocks and gaining that information and skills is the other half.
Future Plans
It is important to write down your goals in order to achieve them. For instance:
What do you want to do?
Where do you want to do it?
Can you travel or are you limited to the local area?
How much do you want to be paid?
How much do you need to pay your bills?
Do you want to work for yourself or for someone else?
How do you start?
What do you need to do first?
You may find this an easy process, or a very difficult one. For help in setting your goals and action plan, you can set up an appointment to meet with a counsellor to discuss the steps you need to take to set up your personal action plan.
***************************************
Values
For each list, check off the values that are important to you. Once you have done this, evaluate your choices and list them in order of importance as follows:
A – very important
B – important
C – somewhat important
What are your Work Values?
High Income – finding a job that will allow me to make a lot of more
Prestige – having a job that will give me visibility or status in my community
Professional Recognition – earning the respect of colleagues in my field
Helpfulness – doing work that directly helps people in need or serves a cause
Fast Pace – having work that requires me to be thinking or doing almost all the time
Autonomy – being able to work independently and make choices about priorities and organization
Leadership – using my ability to motivate and direct others in a supervisory capacity
Time Flexibility – being able to set my own hours and arrange my day as I think best
Intellectual Challenge – having work that stimulates my mind and requires me to stretch intellectually
Physical Challenge – having work that involves physical effort to get the job done
Sense of Mission – using my job to make the world a better place to live
Creativity – having the opportunity to express myself through my work
Team Member – working in a group toward a common goal
Personal Recognition – working for a boss and/or organization that notices and rewards my efforts
Contact With Others – having a lot of face-to-face interaction with the public or co-workers
Sociability – being ale to enjoy camaraderie with others at work who share my interests
Pressure – working under the stimulation of deadlines
Diversity and Change – participating in work activities that are often different day to day
Security – being able to have a reasonable expectation that my job or skills will remain in demand
Problem Solving – finding solutions to significant problems as the main focus of my work
Influence – having work that allows me to have a direct impact on people’s lives
Excitement/Adventure – having responsibilities that often involve risk taking and/or a degree of excitement
Predictability – having a job with day-to-day responsibilities that hold few surprises
Power – knowing I’m “in charge” and that people look to me for direction and authority
What are your Life Values?
Accomplishment - achievement, aspiration for excellence
Aesthetics – appreciation of beauty, art, music
Affection – satisfying love relationships, caring, becoming close and intimate with another person
Appearance – physical attractiveness, sex appeal
Autonomy – independence, self-direction, freedom, the right to do what I want
Career – satisfying and successful
Creativity – using imagination, being innovative, problem-solving abilities
Devotion – strong spiritual belief, religious faith
Economic security – comfortable life, freedom from financial worry
Education – intellectual achievement for self, family, or others
Emotional well-being – peace of mind, contentment, freedom from inner conflicts
Excitement – adventure, new experiences, challenges, exploring, being enthusiastic
Family well-being – taking care of loved ones, good family relationships
Friendship – having close friendships, companionship
Health – physical well-being
Helping others – humanitarian desires, serving and working with others
Home – home as an anchor, having a lovely home in a beautiful setting
Leadership –influence, power, control over others, being persuasive
Personal growth – development, use of potential, self-realization
Play – pleasure, fun, leisurely life, travel, sport
Prestige – visible success, recognition, status
Responsibility – accountability, reliability, dependability
Stability – order, predictability, tranquility
Other _______________________________________________
Best of Luck in your job search......need help, contact me
Fran Watson
www.franwatson.ca
Monday, March 02, 2009
Be Careful What You Say
You Are What You Say
by Carole Martin
The words you use to express yourself send a strong message about the person you are and what you know. Your vocabulary and how well you use it can say more about you than the message you're trying to communicate.
In the job search, the right words are essential to your success. Whether you're creating your resume or preparing interview answers, being aware of and using industry jargon is important. Industries use keywords or lingo. You will sound more knowledgeable and in-the-know if you use these words.
Wendy Enelow, who has written books to help job searchers as well as articles for Monster, has a passion for words and appreciates the power of keywords. In Best Keywords for Resumes, Cover Letters and Interviews, Enelow says, “Keywords are used to explain what is required by the employer. They are the buzzwords -- the hot words associated with a specific industry, profession or job function.”
Enelow gives four good reasons why you should use keywords:
1. To get noticed -- with electronic resumes, they're critical.
2. To demonstrate your knowledge of the industry and profession.
3. To talk the talk; be able to use the words with your interviewer.
4. To make interviewers' jobs easier. They can extrapolate information from the words you use.
“Most searchers don't know the keywords, how to use them or where to find them,” says Enelow.
Which Words Are Key?
Each industry uses common words to describe what's required for a job. Descriptions are a list of qualities and skills employers are looking for in a candidate -- the wish list. By using this information and keywords, you can reveal yourself as the ideal candidate.
Lingo differs from industry to industry. In the sales industry, words such as “territories” and “quotas” are used. In healthcare, the words are medically directed: diagnostic tests, therapeutic procedures, patient management plans, etc. Use the industry's lingo in your cover letters, resumes and interviews.
Where Are These Words?
A good place to start is with job postings. Print out and review multiple job postings for a specific position, and you will begin to see the keywords repeated over and over.
The Occupational Information Network -- O*NET OnLine -- is a complete list of occupation keywords along with related positions. This site also lists skills requirements and could give you a feel for a field's specific lingo.
Don't Be a Showoff
Researching words will pay off when you begin to write your resume or prepare your interview script. Of course, don't use a word solely to impress your interviewer. Fitting keywords in at appropriate times in the conversation is what will help your cause. Knowing the definition behind words is what will convince the interviewer that you know what you're talking about.
***************
Work with words wisely, while whispering, wailing, whimpering, or watching wonderful women wonder and wander wilfully with wistful writings :)
Fran Watson
www.franwatson.ca
by Carole Martin
The words you use to express yourself send a strong message about the person you are and what you know. Your vocabulary and how well you use it can say more about you than the message you're trying to communicate.
In the job search, the right words are essential to your success. Whether you're creating your resume or preparing interview answers, being aware of and using industry jargon is important. Industries use keywords or lingo. You will sound more knowledgeable and in-the-know if you use these words.
Wendy Enelow, who has written books to help job searchers as well as articles for Monster, has a passion for words and appreciates the power of keywords. In Best Keywords for Resumes, Cover Letters and Interviews, Enelow says, “Keywords are used to explain what is required by the employer. They are the buzzwords -- the hot words associated with a specific industry, profession or job function.”
Enelow gives four good reasons why you should use keywords:
1. To get noticed -- with electronic resumes, they're critical.
2. To demonstrate your knowledge of the industry and profession.
3. To talk the talk; be able to use the words with your interviewer.
4. To make interviewers' jobs easier. They can extrapolate information from the words you use.
“Most searchers don't know the keywords, how to use them or where to find them,” says Enelow.
Which Words Are Key?
Each industry uses common words to describe what's required for a job. Descriptions are a list of qualities and skills employers are looking for in a candidate -- the wish list. By using this information and keywords, you can reveal yourself as the ideal candidate.
Lingo differs from industry to industry. In the sales industry, words such as “territories” and “quotas” are used. In healthcare, the words are medically directed: diagnostic tests, therapeutic procedures, patient management plans, etc. Use the industry's lingo in your cover letters, resumes and interviews.
Where Are These Words?
A good place to start is with job postings. Print out and review multiple job postings for a specific position, and you will begin to see the keywords repeated over and over.
The Occupational Information Network -- O*NET OnLine -- is a complete list of occupation keywords along with related positions. This site also lists skills requirements and could give you a feel for a field's specific lingo.
Don't Be a Showoff
Researching words will pay off when you begin to write your resume or prepare your interview script. Of course, don't use a word solely to impress your interviewer. Fitting keywords in at appropriate times in the conversation is what will help your cause. Knowing the definition behind words is what will convince the interviewer that you know what you're talking about.
***************
Work with words wisely, while whispering, wailing, whimpering, or watching wonderful women wonder and wander wilfully with wistful writings :)
Fran Watson
www.franwatson.ca
Commit To Lifelong Learning for Personal Success
Commit to Lifelong Learning to Achieve Professional Success
by Debra Pestrak
Being the best in anything requires long hours of practice and a commitment to lifelong learning. From the greatest athletes to the most talented musicians to the world’s prolific writers, these people dedicate themselves to their chosen profession and continually strive to improve themselves. They know that self-improvement is the key to success, and they make a daily effort to hone their talents.
Success in business is no different. In order to be an expert in your field, you must continually improve your business skills and stay on top of business trends. The more you commit to self-improvement and learning, the better you will become and the faster your career will excel.
In order to stress the important correlation between learning and business success, several Fortune 500® executives recently explained how self-improvement paved the way for their rise to the top. Their insights and advice go beyond traditional business school teachings and encompass vital learning's that all workers at any level should heed.
Learn From Those Around You
After spending anywhere from 12 to 18 years in school, many people embark into the business world believing they have all the knowledge under their belt that they’ll need. In reality, quite the opposite is often true. Real business learning begins your first day on the job and it continues until retirement. Those people who accept this fact master business trends and advance their careers faster.
One of your most vital learning resources will be your senior co-workers. They have experience you can learn from and can guide you to correct decisions. Jean Hamilton, Chief Executive Office, Prudential Institutional, cites her mentors and co-workers as her greatest teachers. She says, “I’ve been lucky to work with a number of people from whom I’ve been able to learn. I’ve used them as role models, carefully watching to see things they do well and thinking about how I can emulate them in what I do…. Listening to what others have to say, observing success, and then finding a way to personally incorporate that into your own set of goals and standards—all of that is critical.” By following the lead of these people, Hamilton was able to push past her limits and hone her business judgment.
Similarly, Ellen Hancock, former Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Exodus Communications, reveals that she acquired most of her communication, leadership, and influencing skills through on-the-job training. When she began her career, she made it a point to meet with her mentors monthly.
She believes having a mentor is vital to success because the learning “becomes more of a personal experience rather than just an assignment.”
To adequately learn from others, look around your current organization and find someone who represents your values. Align yourself with that person so you can continually learn how to best do your job and how to improve your business skills. As you discover the type of support you need to advance your career, you can build a support network of those people who can best assist you with attaining your goals.
Learn From Your Own Mistakes
While mistakes and failures are often painful experiences, they are wonderful learning opportunities that can guide your career and self-development. Too often, people are afraid to make mistakes. They prefer to take the safe route and don’t challenge themselves to achieve more. Those at the top of their field are not afraid of mistakes. They know the importance of risking and learning from their mistakes and are able to move on to achieve greater things with the lessons their mistakes teach them.
Anne Sweeney, President, Disney/ABC Cable Networks and President, Disney Channel, agrees that mistakes are vital to career success. As she says, “I believe that if you stay in jobs where you know you cannot fail, you will never grow. Along the way, you must be prepared to take risks and make mistakes. I mean big mistakes. Mistakes that people know about. Mistakes that people may even write about. Mistakes that will make you question whether you have in fact chosen the right path. This sort of risk-taking constitutes an act of faith in yourself.”
Learn From Training Opportunities
In order to advance your career, you must also take advantage of every training opportunity, whether it’s from your company or an outside source. Why? Within most organizations, knowing various areas of the business is a prerequisite for a move into the executive ranks. You may be able to move close to the top as a specialist, but most organizations will not give you a policy- or decision-making position without knowledge of other areas of the business. This is why you must expand your knowledge base and seek out new ways to gain useful information.
When it comes to learning, Shelley Broader, Senior Vice President, Hannaford Brothers, is a pro. Throughout her climb to the top, she took advantage of every training session she could. She now advises aspiring businesspeople to do the same. “Take advantage of cross-functional learning opportunities and don’t pigeonhole yourself with a single set of skills,” she says. “I’m not practicing what I learned in college by any means, technically. Yet, I have a marketable set of skills and I can learn any tactical function. I can manage people and manage process. I can learn the tactical function that I’m managing.”
To gain hands-on learning, volunteer for new teams and task forces. Read your company’s annual report. Also, look to outside sources, such as trade journals and industry newsletters, for up-to-date market information. The more you know about your company and your industry, the higher you’ll go in your organization.
Learn Something New Today
Career advancement is possible when you make lifelong learning one of your top priorities. As you gain new knowledge and insights, you can continually evaluate the path you’ve chosen to be sure you’re on the right track. By committing yourself to be an eternal student of business, you can rise to the top of any organization.
Read Only © Copyright 2002 Debra Pestrak Used with permission of copyright holder
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Debra Pestrak is an expert at helping people unleash their success, allowing people to be more productive and getting what they want out of life. She is an award-winning speaker, author, business consultant, educator and coach. Pestrak is founder and CEO of Success UNleashed, Inc.®, a company dedicated to delivering high-impact and empowering programs. Visit www.debrapestrak.com for more information on Debra and her programs.
***********************
Article courtesy of Bob ‘Idea Man’ Hooey & Ideas At Work! Visit our webiste: http://www.ideaman.net/ for more downloadable Business Enhancement Success Thinking series of articles by some of North America’s top speakers and experts. If you’ve enjoyed this article, please let the author know, and tell them you read it on http://www.ideaman.net/ Bookmark this site as we add new articles as they are received.
*********************
Bob has lots of great articles, check them out!!
Fran Watson
www.franwatson.ca
by Debra Pestrak
Being the best in anything requires long hours of practice and a commitment to lifelong learning. From the greatest athletes to the most talented musicians to the world’s prolific writers, these people dedicate themselves to their chosen profession and continually strive to improve themselves. They know that self-improvement is the key to success, and they make a daily effort to hone their talents.
Success in business is no different. In order to be an expert in your field, you must continually improve your business skills and stay on top of business trends. The more you commit to self-improvement and learning, the better you will become and the faster your career will excel.
In order to stress the important correlation between learning and business success, several Fortune 500® executives recently explained how self-improvement paved the way for their rise to the top. Their insights and advice go beyond traditional business school teachings and encompass vital learning's that all workers at any level should heed.
Learn From Those Around You
After spending anywhere from 12 to 18 years in school, many people embark into the business world believing they have all the knowledge under their belt that they’ll need. In reality, quite the opposite is often true. Real business learning begins your first day on the job and it continues until retirement. Those people who accept this fact master business trends and advance their careers faster.
One of your most vital learning resources will be your senior co-workers. They have experience you can learn from and can guide you to correct decisions. Jean Hamilton, Chief Executive Office, Prudential Institutional, cites her mentors and co-workers as her greatest teachers. She says, “I’ve been lucky to work with a number of people from whom I’ve been able to learn. I’ve used them as role models, carefully watching to see things they do well and thinking about how I can emulate them in what I do…. Listening to what others have to say, observing success, and then finding a way to personally incorporate that into your own set of goals and standards—all of that is critical.” By following the lead of these people, Hamilton was able to push past her limits and hone her business judgment.
Similarly, Ellen Hancock, former Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Exodus Communications, reveals that she acquired most of her communication, leadership, and influencing skills through on-the-job training. When she began her career, she made it a point to meet with her mentors monthly.
She believes having a mentor is vital to success because the learning “becomes more of a personal experience rather than just an assignment.”
To adequately learn from others, look around your current organization and find someone who represents your values. Align yourself with that person so you can continually learn how to best do your job and how to improve your business skills. As you discover the type of support you need to advance your career, you can build a support network of those people who can best assist you with attaining your goals.
Learn From Your Own Mistakes
While mistakes and failures are often painful experiences, they are wonderful learning opportunities that can guide your career and self-development. Too often, people are afraid to make mistakes. They prefer to take the safe route and don’t challenge themselves to achieve more. Those at the top of their field are not afraid of mistakes. They know the importance of risking and learning from their mistakes and are able to move on to achieve greater things with the lessons their mistakes teach them.
Anne Sweeney, President, Disney/ABC Cable Networks and President, Disney Channel, agrees that mistakes are vital to career success. As she says, “I believe that if you stay in jobs where you know you cannot fail, you will never grow. Along the way, you must be prepared to take risks and make mistakes. I mean big mistakes. Mistakes that people know about. Mistakes that people may even write about. Mistakes that will make you question whether you have in fact chosen the right path. This sort of risk-taking constitutes an act of faith in yourself.”
Learn From Training Opportunities
In order to advance your career, you must also take advantage of every training opportunity, whether it’s from your company or an outside source. Why? Within most organizations, knowing various areas of the business is a prerequisite for a move into the executive ranks. You may be able to move close to the top as a specialist, but most organizations will not give you a policy- or decision-making position without knowledge of other areas of the business. This is why you must expand your knowledge base and seek out new ways to gain useful information.
When it comes to learning, Shelley Broader, Senior Vice President, Hannaford Brothers, is a pro. Throughout her climb to the top, she took advantage of every training session she could. She now advises aspiring businesspeople to do the same. “Take advantage of cross-functional learning opportunities and don’t pigeonhole yourself with a single set of skills,” she says. “I’m not practicing what I learned in college by any means, technically. Yet, I have a marketable set of skills and I can learn any tactical function. I can manage people and manage process. I can learn the tactical function that I’m managing.”
To gain hands-on learning, volunteer for new teams and task forces. Read your company’s annual report. Also, look to outside sources, such as trade journals and industry newsletters, for up-to-date market information. The more you know about your company and your industry, the higher you’ll go in your organization.
Learn Something New Today
Career advancement is possible when you make lifelong learning one of your top priorities. As you gain new knowledge and insights, you can continually evaluate the path you’ve chosen to be sure you’re on the right track. By committing yourself to be an eternal student of business, you can rise to the top of any organization.
Read Only © Copyright 2002 Debra Pestrak Used with permission of copyright holder
***********************
Debra Pestrak is an expert at helping people unleash their success, allowing people to be more productive and getting what they want out of life. She is an award-winning speaker, author, business consultant, educator and coach. Pestrak is founder and CEO of Success UNleashed, Inc.®, a company dedicated to delivering high-impact and empowering programs. Visit www.debrapestrak.com for more information on Debra and her programs.
***********************
Article courtesy of Bob ‘Idea Man’ Hooey & Ideas At Work! Visit our webiste: http://www.ideaman.net/ for more downloadable Business Enhancement Success Thinking series of articles by some of North America’s top speakers and experts. If you’ve enjoyed this article, please let the author know, and tell them you read it on http://www.ideaman.net/ Bookmark this site as we add new articles as they are received.
*********************
Bob has lots of great articles, check them out!!
Fran Watson
www.franwatson.ca
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