Career Management Newsletter -  Issue #1

Brought to you by Pro-Active Human Resource Management http://www.proactivehrm.com/index.html

Inspirational Quote
 

“Success isn't a result of spontaneous combustion. You must set yourself on fire”
Bill Cosby

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Welcome to this first edition of "Proactively Managing Your Career

Newsletter".

Topics covered in issue 1.

*  Take control of your job
*   Educate yourself- work on your weakest areas

*   Networking for success
*   Employees – who are we looking for?
*   Surviving in the Workplace.
*   Trivia - Morning time.

Research conducted at the end of last year indicated that 77% of people

(out of a group of 1,000) made up their mind to change jobs in 2006! 

Each year we have had the same predictions and no doubt it will be the same

for 2007. Does this surprise you?

Perhaps some people can see the future in a crystal ball - the rest of us wish we could. Clearly current trends indicate that it is the wise employee that takes

control of their career development and remains informed of what is happening

in the workplace today in order to develop  skills that may be required in the

future.  We need to position ourselves to take advantages of changes.
 

So one of the main theme in the forthcoming newsletters will be about

'advancing your career".

If everyone carries through their resolution, competition for jobs will be fierce.

Recruitment today is a whole new ball game. Getting a job in today's global

market requires a different approach and involves learning new marketing

skills.

Acquiring proactive and advanced job search methods, career development

and career advancement techniques are essential for everyone in order to

operate in a global economy. You will find free career development and support and job search information on this site that is essential to finding a job.  .

I will be supplying you with a range of subject matter as set out in your welcome letter. I will refer you to further reading that I hope will interest you. It is your choice to take advantage of what is on offer. You will even get some more FREE resources when I acquire them from time to time.

If you have been looking for a promotion or a new job and have been unsuccessful,

are you ready to change your job search techniques?  If so, you will be challenged

because yesterday's techniques do not work. You need to change your mindset, and

some people find this difficult.

One of the major hurdles of being a Career Coach is to get people to  look at

their job search or career issues from another angle. If what you are doing

hasn’t worked in the past you need to change your tactics. Seems logical

don’t you think?



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Career Advancement
 

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Take Control of Your Job

Note: This article is of equal relevance to Australia where woman are still

receiving lower salaries than their male colleagues.

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Analysis of career satisfaction showed that nearly 50 percent of women in the

USA say they're dissatisfied with their salaries.

If you want to break out of that mode and significantly increase your income,

you must start planning now. And we know, women are eager not only for

more money, but satisfaction as well.

Research Your Worth
Determine if there's room for advancement in your current position or if you're at

 the top of your salary range. This information can be learned  by asking your

manager or human resources department, as well as by looking at salary surveys

online based on your title, industry and location. For example, you might be a

receptionist earning $28,000, but you want to earn $40,000 this year. Yet, neither

your company nor others in your area pays much more than $28,000 or $30,000

for such a position. That's all it's worth to them. So just sitting in that same role

isn't going to help you accomplish this financial goal.

You must develop a career path that leverages your existing skills and enables

you to move into another, higher earning area.

Meet With Your Boss
Whether your love your current position or you're hankering for a change, set

up a time this month to meet with your manager to map out a strategy for your

growth and achievement this year.

Be clear that your intention is to earn more money and advance your career

by delivering ad exceeding the results your company expects. It's typically more

cost-effective for your employer to groom you and allow you to advance internally

than to lose you.

Take on a New Assignment
Many people mistakenly assume that just because they do their job -- do what's

expected of them -- that they'll be rewarded with a raise or bonus. Wrong. When

you do the basics of your job, even if you do them well, you get a paycheck each

week. To earn a raise or bonus, you have to do more. So identify ways to take

on a new assignment or to learn a new skill. Maybe you work for a small company

 hat needs a Website. Teach yourself the technical skills -- all of which are easily
available through free online tutorials -- to develop and build the site. Instead of your

company having to pay an outsider to do it, you can make a strong case for getting

that extra money.

Revitalize Your Position
The grass isn't always greener on the other side. It's often easier and smarter to

focus on fixing what might be boring or bothering you in your current role than to

assume work will be more exciting someplace else. If you're feeling unchallenged

and lacking motivation to face your tasks each day, pay attention to what other people

are working on that you might enjoy. Talk to your manager and co-workers about

reshuffling responsibilities. Eliminating one task in exchange for another can often

make you feel refreshed. Change the location of your desk. Add some variety to your

routine.

Tackle a New Skill
Technology is constantly advancing, and one of the barriers to advancement for

many women is a lack of the latest skills. Decide this month what skill you know

you need -- the one that you always need help with, or the one that prevents you

from landing the plum assignments -- and commit to learning it. Maybe it's becoming

a master of PowerPoint. Or maybe it's mastering a new language so you'll be eligible

to work on international accounts.

Inquire this week if your company offers "lunch and learns" or paid training and

seminars, and make it a priority to take advantage of those programs.

Participate More
Join internal networking groups and committees. Even though it's more work, it's

a great opportunity for visibility and advancement. Maybe you join the committee

that heads your company's participation in an annual charity walk; or you help start

and internal mentoring group. There's a great sense of satisfaction to be had from

such involvement.

Learn to Say No
Women are notorious for agreeing to help anyone and everyone who asks. We

wind up doing way more than our fair share. That means we're staying late or

taking work home more often than we should.  Sometimes you must say no: "I'm

swamped right now with my own projects; I just don't have the time to handle your

work as well." And no, I'm not going to be checking my Blackberry at dinner time or

when I take my kids to the park.

Schedule 'Me' Time
Just as you schedule meetings with co-workers and appointments with clients,

pencil in blocks of time in your date book that are designated for you. This can be at

lunch time, when you want to spend an hour doing your errands or taking a yoga class.

It can be evenings and weekend time. But when someone asks if you're available

during those times, the answer is no, you're already committed -- just as you'd say if

you were spending the time with the boss.

For more information on strategies and events for your career advancement in 2006,

or to connect with Tory Johnson, visit  www.womenforhire.com.
Copyright © 2006 ABC News Internet Ventures: Permission to publish 

Good Morning America where Workplace Contributor and Women For Hire CEO Tory Johnson
appears regularly to offer advice on a range of career issues.

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Professional Development
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Educate yourself. by working on your weakest areas.

Look at what employers are looking for (see "newsworthy items" below). Are you a good communicator, for example? Most people think they are but they are far from it. Look at any resource in communication and I bet you will score yourself low in this

area when you read what is involved in effective communication.

Just log into your favourite search engine and put in "communication skills+outline".

”Communication skills (and interpersonal skills) are the most important skills

in the modern workplace. Communication skills help us to interact more effectively

with colleagues at all levels of the organisation. This requires a complex mix of skill
and style, and an ability to adapt to different personality types. To establish and

promote a particular view or idea, or to communicate an unpopular message, requires confidence and empathy. To consistently achieve successful outcomes,

it is necessary to have an in-depth understanding of what really happens during the

process of communication. This communication skills training course introduces

delegates to the fundamental dynamics of high impact communication”

Log into Google and put in "communication skills+outline" or maybe interpersonal skills as well.

Custom Search

Here is a good site leadership and professional development electronic books.  Visit Mind Tools Program and have a look at all the full range of resources.

Mind tools website contains a lot of career books and articles and other relevant

workplace skills resources such as leadership, career advancement (through time

management) relaxation, and a lot more. example,

Manage your time more effectively

Tip-packed ebook, “Make Time For Success!” shows you how to define tasks and manage time and resources to get the job done in less time. Order NOW and take the first step into the future YOU want!

Click here to achieve more >>

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Job Hunting Success
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Networking For Success

As a Career Coach, I can testify that 90 -100% of client’s who have attended

my workshops accessed their last job through friends, friends of friends or

through someone  they met casually. Ho Hum you say! “I already do this”. This is

yesterday’s news.

However, as you will see in the following section on networking, there is a systematic

and very pro-active way of going about it.  Considerable skill is involved and can be

learned. The professional consensus in the recruitment Industry is that between

75% - 80% of jobs are to be found in the "Hidden Job Market". That is, they are never

advertised. Now as I said, I know you have heard it time and time again, but I have to tell you it is true!

There are many reasons why employers will take referrals from others, and people who have made prior contact. For example, consider the expense of advertising in terms of money and loss of production hours, or tying up their phones, which may result in lost business. Some employers do not have the skills to do their own employment and many have -not budgeted for recruitment agency fees.  Many can't afford to tie-up their manager's time and some are so busy they put it off. As a result other staff are covering the position and this leads to problems in the workplace.

Employers will often take referrals from their own staff because employees/former

employees generally only refer people who they know are reliable and will not let them  down. People who network and cold call effectively are considered to be more motivated  and pro-active. So if someone comes along at the night time they will consider you for  the job.

The "Hidden Job Market" can be accessed through cold calling and through your

contacts- what we refer to as your network. Your network consists of people, who can link you to a job opportunity by providing you with valuable job search information in the following areas: -

*   By providing company information.
*   By telling you what is going on in your industry.
*   Referrals to people who may be able to help you.
*   Leads on positions coming up in the future.
*   Find out what skills the employer values (Graduates should
    use networking).

As I said, my personal experience in Job Search Coaching  indicates that this method of finding a job is extremely successful .(although it may be more in less skilled occupations).

In nearly every workshop I conducted, between 90% - 100% of mixed groups of
job seekers got their last job through someone they knew or through friends of friends.
 

For the full tutorial on networking visit my job search section and look at "networking".

Good luck. I know this method works – try it and let me know.
 

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