What is an Executive Coach? And how will I benefit from working with an executive coach? What can I expect from an executive coach? Reasonable questions. We all hear about people having coaches but what do they really do? How do they really help?

The coaching ‘industry’ has grown so much over the past 20 years; you can find a coach for anything you need support with. Executive Coaching covers a lot of territory, and you’ll find executive coaches of every personality and style.

Identifying, and work through, the challenges

High achieving men and women face similar challenges in their leadership roles…reaching goals, motivating teams, hitting their numbers, juggling responsibilities while keeping their eye out to identify new opportunities amidst change in the marketplace or within their organization. Foundationally, both men and women need to effectively communicate with clients and colleagues but there’s no doubt that women have very particular issues throughout their careers. While both men and women may be struggling with a particular team member, or a perhaps there are sticky and complicated relationships throughout the matrix of the company that need to be delicately navigated, how this is done will be different for either sex. Men I’ve worked with often need to find a way to flex their power and presence in an altogether different way than a woman. Obvious statement I know, but important to state. In either case, I work with men and women to find the appropriate and genuine language, tone, stance to use within new strategies to untangle their complexities and challenges.

A Safe Place

Our coaching sessions offer a safe and open place to look at what’s really going on. Maybe you find yourself in a leadership role that’s feeling just a little too big for you – it’s new and hard won but still your acclimating! Hard to admit it, but honestly we know that the imposter syndrome effects SO many achievers! Perhaps your workaholic behaviors are getting in the way of your overall satisfaction in your work and life and you can’t find a way out of it. Maybe you’ve got a team member who is challenging your every word and the office politics are adding a toxic element that you feel everyday. We can unpack these scenarios and find ways to work with them so that you’re feeling strong in your stance and effective in your approach.

Reaching for New Heights

Often my clients are ready to step up into a new level, ready to flex their muscles in a new territory, industry, emerging market. Maybe they’re being overlooked in their company. Or politics are playing in someone else’s favor. This is a crossover area in my work where career and executive coaching come together. We’ll be working on grooming you for that next step, finding the right people to connect with, and the strategies that will become your bridge to what’s next. Updating your online profile, bio and resume will be a part of our work. Prepping you for the interviews and conversations that you’ll be having is essential to your progress. And pacing yourself through this time of transition is essential. These transitions can feel painfully slow, and sometimes startlingly fast; either way my clients benefit from talking through the ups and downs of the process of change.

What can you expect from Executive Coaching with me? You’ll find in me a dependable, calm, intelligent and resourceful sounding board who helps you to hear and identify your strengths so you can achieve in the way only you can. Every high achieving athlete, business person, entertainer, teacher, writer, artist has benefited from the support of someone who’s behind them encouraging and seeing them as their best and truest selves, helping them to see what they can’t. I can be that person for you.

I am always filled with anticipation and curiosity when I walk into the workshop room. On this particular foggy morning (there is often morning fog in the central coast town of Pismo Beach), there are seven people in recovery ranging in age from 19 to roughly 55.

There’s a jovial friendliness between the men and women seated in red or black leather chairs. Everyone is dressed casually – shorts, sweatshirts, and baseball caps.

As I take my seat, no one seems to take notice; the laughter and talking over one another continues until I speak up, “Hi everyone! Let’s get started!” A few people are quiet but others continue the jousting until I again say, “Hellooo, let’s get started!”

Working With Recovery Patients at The Haven

Since I have checked in with the other staff at The Haven, I know that several people here in recovery have recently left the detox house and are new to the residential houses – either the men’s house or the women’s.

I introduce myself to the group as a career coach and mindfulness instructor who comes to The Haven each week. As the Director of Life Skills Programming, I’m here to help people learn more about their strengths and how they can use them, along with skills they’ve already developed, to find a more healthful, satisfying, and sustainable way of working and living.

I am also here to help them discover new interests and possibly find means of education to move in a new career or life direction.

Everyone listens and then, as if we’ve gotten too serious, joking erupts. A young woman gets up and goes to the kitchen area at the back of the room. Others, I notice, have jumpy legs—you know that person whose body is constantly in motion in some way? This is common.

A young guy has his head resting in his hand and his eyes are closed; he looks pretty droopy. This, too, is common. When people are just out of detox they are often still quite sleepy or a bit dazed.

Getting Started

I ask each person to introduce themselves and tell us when they got here and what brought them to recovery. Sometimes they’ve realized their substance use has become a problem through the lense of problems in relationships at home, sometimes at work.

In many cases they have decided it’s time to clean up their act. In others someone else has pushed them into being here. In a few tragic cases, the death of a loved one has brought their own substance abuse to an unavoidable awareness.

The agitation in the room is palpable, so I decide to start us off with some mindful awareness meditation. I explain the practice but I find out that many have already learned and practiced with our yoga and meditation teacher, Chase, who has made these practices central to his own recovery.

He has told me and the residents that he has found yoga and meditation essential to his peace of mind since he started his own recovery over two years ago. Chase is 28, has a full thick beard and the clearest blue eyes. He is patient, kind, and dedicated to the work he does at The Haven, which all of the residents recognize. He has started using Noah Levine’s Refuge Recovery book in his classes.

The Power of Meditation

I lead the group in a 10-minute meditation and even the people with the jumpy legs have settled in. The energy in the room has completely shifted. When we finish the meditation, we then begin the session afresh. It’s remarkable, I think, to see how everyone has calmed down and tuned in; it is a testament to meditation.

The support and care I see in our groups, most days, is remarkably touching. During my work at The Haven at Pismo, I learned that because of one kind of abuse or another – sexual, emotional or physical harm from a parent, family member, friend or stranger -– residents are here learning to cope with heart-wrenching anxiety and depression, distractibility, and loneliness.

Many are challenged with diagnosed (or often un- or misdiagnosed) bipolar depression or other mental illness, along with ADHD, that made high school and college next to impossible. Drugs or alcohol have been essential for each person to fit in and get along, or to move past the sadness and pain that they can’t face without some sort of numbing substance.

The Cyclical Nature of Working in Outpatient Programs

I’ve seen many of clients cycle out of residences to transitional living or to outpatient programs. We talk about life skills like budgeting and job interviews, or we discuss developing mindfulness, emotional intelligence, and even leadership in our own lives.

We look for strategies to create a life that’s enriching and healthy that includes work, exercise, and new friendships often found at 12-Step or spiritual groups. Or we talk about how to develop new interests that can propagate a new sense of motivation, purpose, friends.

Yoga, mindfulness, and gratitude practices have become a regular part of life for many. Cravings and challenges still loom large, and we discuss these too; some people have divorces and custody battles to resolve, jail stays, or court-ordered treatment plans. The team of professionals I worked alongside patiently and kindly support the clients; they, too, share their stories of gratitude for their own sobriety and being able to do the work they do.

Sadly, many patients/clients have to leave before they are ready. Insurance covers some of their stay, but the arbitrary 28-day stay to sobriety is woefully short for those who need so much more healing and support. More broadly I find myself wishing there were more resources put towards teaching good parenting and relationship skills instead of our society experiencing such epidemic statistics of tragic addiction and mental health challenges.

Shifting Mindsets for a More Powerful Recovery Program

I wonder: What about more awareness campaigns that address and work to remove the stigma of mental illnesses that are all too common? If addiction is a disease just like diabetes, we need to teach diet and lifestyle changes to stay healthy.

Instead of recovery could we say remission, instead of relapse say reoccurrence? The experience of addiction and the feelings of powerlessness in managing the urge to use is outrageously strong.

Resources and people are available to help and support recovering addicts, but more addiction counselors, educators, and doctors are needed. Clearly, our country is being challenged to take action to alleviate an obvious decline in emotional wellness.

Instead of recovery could we say remission, instead of relapse say reoccurrence?

What I’ve Learned

As someone who hasn’t lived with the challenges of addiction and recovery in my own family, I relate to my clients through my own experiences of disappointment and pain, loneliness and anxiety.

I know the waves of emotion I’ve learned to surf and can honestly share with them how mindful awareness has changed my life. While my addiction to sugar isn’t perhaps as harmful to my relationships and work as an addiction to alcohol, I know how hard it is for me to go even a few days without it.

I hold strong regard for the powerful challenges of addiction and mental illness, and tremendous respect for the commitment to sobriety and emotional healing that I see around me.

Get to Know Daisy Swan

Daisy Swan is Career and Executive Coach and Meditation Instructor based in Los Angeles, with clients all over the world. She contributes to LA YOGA and other publications on a regular basis. To learn more about Daisy and her work visit her website.

A lot of people aren’t comfortable asking for what they want. How about you? A bit squeamish? A bit shy? Or does it completely depend on the situation or ‘ask’?

Keeping quiet and hoping someone will figure out what you want is a recipe for frustration and miscommunication. Expecting someone will notice your extra hard work, or your exemplary effort, your loyalty, or that you need a rest from all of the chores, cooking or family management creates more resentment than peace of mind. Read on for healthy and smart things to ask for!

The 3 things you must to ask for:

• Quiet time to think and process. Whether you are at work or at home, an extrovert or an introvert, everyone needs some time to process, rest or just have downtime. I had a client who had tremendous responsibility, and she was an introvert. The only alone time she had was when she’d go for a run by herself. Sounds good, but she was getting burned out from the lack of alone time to simply catch up with herself. We agreed she needed two hours of uninterrupted time at the office each week; time that could be broken into small pieces throughout her days, or as a large chunk when she had bigger projects to complete. Sound like a lot of time? It was worth it. When she took that time she could be the professional, and the Mom and wife, she wanted and needed to be. It was a win/win.
• Feedback. Sometimes in our rush to get things done and to be efficient, we forget to ask others what their genuine needs are, and for the feedback that helps us deliver in the best possible way. If we aren’t really taking the time to hear more from those who are important to us, just making assumptions about what they want and need from us, we are missing the opportunity to give attention to what really matters. This, of course, is essential at work, as well as at home. Check in with co-workers and your boss to get feedback, and if there’s something that can make life better for them. Your kids and spouse will probably be surprised by, and happy to answer, your questions.
• Respect. Hmmm. Ask for respect? That may seem bold, but really, isn’t respect also essentially setting boundaries that help people to respect you? This may mean asking someone for a reasonable rather than outrageous deadline, or even for a raise. In either case, these requests have to be well thought out and delivered. If you’re clear, have a good case for your ‘ask’ and know you are in your own integrity about it, you’ll most likely get the respect, and response, you’re looking for. You may also get a no. Regardless of the outcome, this subtle but very important element of communication can build trust, and a deeper, respectful bond with people who are essential to your satisfaction and success.

Feeling Exhausted? Burned Out?

This past Sunday I got up early, had my coffee and finished putting some clothes in my bag that was already at the door ready to go. I hopped in my car and drove 90 minutes north of LA to Ojai – one of my all time favorite places to be because of the majestic mountains that surround the town and the lush landscape – to my dear friends’ house. But really I’d been looking forward to this particular Sunday for weeks to attend a class to learn more about my new hobby. A triple win! A great class, in Ojai, where I could also stay with friends.

I drove up on the freeway in the grey June gloom of the low hanging marine layer of clouds we in LA know so well, and turned off on Route 33 that leads to the heavenly valley of Ojai. Suddenly the clouds of the marine layer parted and the California sun was shining once again. I turned up the music and put the windows down.

Too Much Life?

Kids and their activities, demanding work, the house, the spouse, the maintenance of life…It never seems to end. We may love it all (or most of it) and we can be dragged down by it. Being a mother is central to who I am and creating a loving, nurturing home for my family and friends has been at the heart of my being. However, I, like most of the women and men I work with, need a way to flex new muscles of creativity and connection.

I’ve realized over the past few years, though, just how vital a diverse life of mind, body and heart expanding activities are. Always hungry to learn new things, conferences and classes have always been in my calendar, but the actual doing or making of something, creatively, has become more central to my sense of well-being.

Many of my clients are high achieving men and women who are feeling overwhelmed and exhausted by the demands of their work and home life; it may appear the solution is to trim certain things out of their lives, but in fact there’s a necessary shift of focus. Rejuvenating activities, or non-activities need to be introduced to heal these weary beings! Then with some well chosen intentions and right actions, the way is cleared for new choices and opportunities to appear. Right, you say, sure. Tell that to my wife, husband, boss, kids. Not only do I know this is possible, I have seen it happen again and again.

Elements of a Life Giving Life

Exercise. Clean eating. Laughter. Purpose. Creativity. Connection. Sleep. Security. All of these aspects of life are essential to a healthy body and mind. A rich life. How are you doing on all of these fronts? Really? I thought about this as I worked alongside the others in the class I attended on Sunday. Some of the women had 10 or 13 year olds, some had grand kids, all were looking to stretch their skills. All of us were delighted to make something we could easily just buy: a dress. For 5 hours we worked on our project and finally, with real joy, modeled our new creation. The dresses were perfect, and our sense of accomplishment and energy? Soaring.

A Dopamine High

This kind of novelty, connection, achievement is good for all of us – it boosts the brain’s organic chemical, dopamine, essential to feeling good. Maybe for you it’s not sewing but welding, or birding or wood crafting or photography. Human beings are living organisms that grow and change and slough off old cells. We need this renewal.

My challenge to you

Make a commitment to yourself to replace those cells with something fresh and energizing that will challenge and delight you. Choose something that will renew you to you, and in your life with others. Do it with your spouse or a friend if stepping out alone is too daunting. But do it. Don’t let your energy drip away. Use it well. This is your life.

I remember when I first started working as a career counselor in the early 1990’s when no one had heard of a professional career coach because career stability was still expected; 30 years at one company was the rule, not the exception. College students knew of the career services office on their campus but it seemed odd for professionals to seek out this kind of guidance once they were out in the real world. Fast forward to the wild and wacky world of the accelerated pace of the 21^st century workplace that’s full of complexity and change. Now nobody is immune to layoffs and reorgs. Job hopping is no longer taboo. Fifteen years at one company? Really?

The Essential Secret Weapon

Now that job insecurity is a given, and most everyone knows that meaningful work is a possibility not just a luxury, who wouldn’t want and need their own secret weapon – their own career coach — to help them strategically navigate the dangers and opportunities that abound?

Expect from career coaching the ultimate safe place to talk through your particular challenges and goals. Finding ways to feel empowered and confident at each new step takes effort at times, especially when new management or responsibilities are suddenly thrust upon you. Friends, significant others and parents may want to help but often don’t have reliable time, motivation, or good advice on such matters.

How Did I Get Here?

You, like most people, may have found yourself in a career you never imagine you’d be in, doing work you didn’t expect to be doing. As it’s said, life is what happens when you’re busy making other plans Suddenly here you are wondering how in the world did I get here? One day you wake up and say this is not what I want to do, but I don’t have any idea of what I do want to do. That’s when you want a career coach; a smart third party partner who has expertise, who can hear you and your particular career and lifestyle desires to help you discover what else fits for you. Next you refocus to be intentional and clear to get what you really want in this life of yours.

The Nuts and Bolts of a Successful Job Search

Let’s say you know what you want but this crazy job search process is completely overwhelming for you. Time consuming networking and online searches mean most job searches take 3-12 months. A savvy career coach will support you to stay motivated throughout your networking process and ensure your marketing materials, i.e. resume, LinkedIn profile and cover letter, are effectively working for you. And then to help you show up for the many types of interviews prepared to answer every kind of question as your best and most composed and confident self.

What Does It Take to Be Successful?

A trusted advisor like a career coach, or an executive coach, is essential for all successful people. Most executives have benefited from a coach who’s providing support in a myriad of ways; whether to bounce ideas around with or to discuss personnel or budget decisions, maybe to develop stress management habits. No one really does it alone.

Considering partnering with a career coach to navigate your next career change? Get more of what you want in your daily life. Let’s talk to see how I can help you get more of what you want and need. Contact me at 877-872-3929 or email my assistant at [email protected] to schedule a free consultation.

When you think about Los Angeles, you probably think about the iconic Hollywood sign, the Walk of Fame, and the beach. You probably don’t think about it in terms of its thriving local economy and labor market. But you should!

Los Angeles has the second largest economy in the United States. So what does this look like for the Los Angeles labor market? For starters, the LA unemployment rate is right on par with the national average at 4.7 percent as of December 2016. In addition, there are 91,415 open jobs in the area and a population growing faster than the national average. This means a high cost of living, similar to the rest of California. The cost of living in LA is most greatly affected by the housing prices. However, the median base salary reflects this by standing above the average salary in the United States. These basics give us a broad picture of what the economy and employment look like in LA. In order to clarify even further, we can take a look at some popular jobs and companies in the area.

3 Popular Job Searches in Los Angeles

1. One popular job search in Los Angeles is Photographer. Photographer positions in LA are abundant, with 463 open positions at the moment. Photographers in the area make an average salary of $30,210, which is below the median base salary in LA, but considerably above the national average for the position. A typical interview for a photographer will focus on your portfolio and your ability to share your opinion about someone else’s work. Prepare for your interview with common questions:
   • Walk me through your shooting process from start to finish at your last position.
   • Are you comfortable giving orders to complete strangers?
   • Tell me about a time when you stayed calm while dealing with a disgruntled customer.
2. Given the movie industry in LA, it is unsurprising that Production Assistant is another common job search for the area. There are 4,859 open PA jobs with media giants ranging from MTV2 to ABC to Discovery Channel. PA positions in LA command an average salary of $29,060. While this is a pretty low salary for the area, it is understandable given the entry-level nature of the role — and there is room to move up in the industry. If you land an interview, be prepared to show you are comfortable with the position of a PA in relation to the rest of the crew (AKA being the bottom of the food chain), are ready to work hard, and are reliable. Consider practicing for your interview with these questions:
   • What editing software are you familiar with?
   • What are some current news headlines you are following right now?
   • What technical skills do you have that would allow you to excel at this position?
3. Graphic Designer is another popular job search in the area. With 1,608 open jobs, job seekers have the ability to find a position that is the perfect fit. Graphic designers in LA can expect to earn an average salary of $51,302, which is right on par with the national average for graphic designers and very close to the median base salary in LA. In the interview, be ready to discuss your portfolio and how your previous work shows you can jive with the company’s current design style. Get ready for your interview with questions like these:
   • How would you redesign our current website?
   • What type of design work have you done in the past?
   • How do you approach a project in which you aren’t the driving creative force behind it?

These jobs might not be the right fit for you. The good news is, a few popular companies in the area are also hiring for a wide variety of positions that might just match your expertise.

3 Popular Companies in Los Angeles

1. With over 42,000 employees, UCLA is one of the region’s five largest employers and contributes 12.7 billion dollars to the economy. Employees seem to be pretty happy there; UCLA has a 4.1 star rating on Glassdoor, far above the average of 3.3. Furthermore, Chancellor Gene D. Block has a high approval rating of 83 percent. Convinced to try to snag a job there? There are currently 337 openings. If you wind up with an offer, UCLA benefits include your choice of a variety of health care plans that are comprehensive and boast high quality providers, a generous pension plan, and reduced tuition.
2. UCLA’s rival, University of Southern California, is another popular place to work in the region. With a workforce of over 26,000 and an economic impact of eight billion dollars, USC is a major employer. President C. L. Max Nikias has an extremely high approval rating of 90 percent and USC has a 4.3 star rating on Glassdoor. Interested in joining the happy team at this prestigious university? Apply for one of their 1,800 open positions. Expect a healthy benefits package that includes great health, dental, and vision plans (Do you prefer a PPO over an HMO? It is your choice!), employee discounts on- and off-campus, and a 401k plan in which USC automatically contributes five percent of compensation and then matches up to another five percent on top of that.
3. Interested in a sector other than education? Deloitte, while headquartered in New York, has an office in Los Angeles. Deloitte has a 3.8 star rating on Glassdoor. Even more impressive, Deloitte CEO Cathy Engelbert was named a Highest Rated CEO in both 2014 and, more recently, 2016. Deloitte has 823 open jobs, with 18 positions available in Los Angeles. If you land a job, benefits include a generous allotment of PTO and vacation, great professional development opportunities like Deloitte University, and help with fitness-related expenses.

If these jobs or companies are not what you are looking for, that is okay! Los Angeles is known as a place of great opportunity, which means you don’t have to settle. Several multinationals have job openings in Los Angeles including lululemon, Topshop, and Rio Tinto, and sectors like manufacturing, business services, and transportation are some of the largest. Keep searching and know that you will be able to find an opportunity that is a good fit.

As a Partnerships Manager at Glassdoor, Sydney works with hundreds of accounts across universities, libraries, and blogs, helping to provide them with content and tools to aid job seekers. Outside of work, Sydney enjoys running, hiking, and searching for the perfect burrito.

There comes a moment when you hit the wall and realize you’re really ready to let go of the ‘good’ to go for the great! These 3 actions are the shortcut to make your dream a reality.

1) Find a comfortable place to sit down to write – coffee shop, kitchen table, wherever. It’s important to get this out of your mind and onto paper. Otherwise it stays in the ether of your mind; writing it down makes it more real. Make a list of all the accomplishments that have made you feel most satisfied and proud. Notice how you feel as you list these. Feeling energized and excited? Good! If you feel a little squirrely know that this is just your inner critic trying to get in your way of recognizing what’s inspired you, and gets you feeling good about yourself. In fact, this can be good news, because going for the great is a stretch that can trigger your feelings of inadequacy. Know that this means you’re moving in the right direction!

2) Next, imagine what your days are like in your ideal job. Imagine waking up, feeling energized to get your day going. Feel and see yourself drinking your coffee, or going to work out. Whatever it is you know you love doing to get your day off to a great start. See yourself in your ‘work clothes’ and getting down to work; where are you? Who are you with, if anyone. How does the day go? What’s the flow and how does your day come to a close? What’s the evening like? Write all of this down. Maybe you have several versions of this day; capture all of them, in detail!

3) Now it’s time for your ‘needs’ list. What or who do you need to connect with to turn this dream into a reality? Again, this can bring up squirrely feelings, but do it anyway. Need money to start your business? Need a studio to have more space to make your creations? Need connections at the company you would love to work for? You may think you just want to quit your job and change your life! But ask yourself if this will really serve your dream? Enlist your most trusted loved ones to support you in this dream however they can – contacts, contributions, brainstorming. But beware those who may discourage you. Sometimes loved ones won’t see what you see, and will want to ‘protect you’ from your dreams. If this is the case, instead, protect your dream and quietly take the steps that you know will get you where you want to go.

I’ll see it when I believe it.

Having a vision, and a practical strategy to reach it, is a must for getting where you want to go! The late, great Wayne Dyer used to say the quote above. With this knowledge you’ll see the opportunities appear, the connections you most need, and the path to that ideal, energizing job, business or lifestyle will come to fruition. You can trust that you’ll know what to do at just the right time! I have done this exercise myself, and with so many others for years, and I’ve witnessed them shift into living their dream. You, too, can do it.

Taking these steps can be daunting. If you want that all important support without the bias of friends and family, I’m here for you. Let’s talk about how I can help you reach your ideal job and lifestyle! Contact me at [email protected].

Ask yourself these 4 questions before you take the plunge

Sometimes you just want to throw in the towel and move on. After the holidays, coming back to work can leave you feeling drained and wiped out at the end of the day. Your motivation is low, perhaps your mood is too. To compensate, you scan jobs on all of the internet, but nothing looks interesting because these jobs look like what you’re already doing.

Or perhaps, they ALL look inviting because even if it’s similar, it’s not where you are now. Maybe you feel boxed in because you need the money you’re making and don’t feel like you can afford a cut or loss of benefits right now. Maybe you’re finally doing well and have accumulated some good vacation time and a bit of stature and really don’t want to lose it.

So what do you do when you feel claustrophobic and ready to run? Before you bolt, take a few deep breaths and dig a little deeper to make sure you’re making a smart decision. As a career coach I can assure you, the last thing you want to do is make a life-altering decision out of fear, impulse or reaction.

To make sure you’re choosing the BEST next step for your life, ask yourself these 4 questions:

• What do you really stand to lose and gain from making a move now? List out all of the things you have going for you in your current job. What would you hope to get more of in your next position? Have you really explored what’s possible in your current company?A former client was ready to throw in the towel before he made the best use of his network within his company. After reaching out to a few key contacts at his company he was able to make the life altering career change he’d always hoped for. It’s been years and he’s still there doing amazing work.
• How is the rest of your life going? If you aren’t feeling fulfilled in the rest of your life it’s not unusual to focus on the one area you may feel you have the most control over. Perhaps that’s your work life?Rate the different areas of your life from 1-10, (10 being really great) and ask yourself how satisfied you are with each one: fun and recreation, your health, friendships, family relationships, intimate relationship, your own personal development, and your money. How’s your life looking? Are there noticeable areas that need more attention?It may be that focusing on one or more of those areas is enough to bring back the satisfaction you’re missing in this moment.
• How is your work day structured? You may have gotten into a rut that’s not working anymore. What are little changes that you could make that would bring more pleasure to your day? What little things could you switch up for a new approach tomorrow?Maybe rearrange your desk and office environment so it feels fresh. Or change up your morning routine to start by sending an email of appreciation to a colleague every day for a week and notice how you feel (hint: research shows that people feel happier when they give the gift of thanks to others!). Notice what happens after a couple of weeks.
• Are your other ducks in a row? Have you updated your resume and your LinkedIn profile? By adding your latest accomplishments, and any new skills you’ve learned or developed, you’ll feel better about who you are and what you’re proud of in your life.Then you’ll be ready to connect with others for networking inside and outside of your current company. You will ALSO be ready for recruiters trolling on LinkedIn!Regardless of your decision to stay or leave, this exercise will also give you some newly found confidence to talk with your boss about new possibilities at your current company if you choose to say.

Job changes happens all the time, but there can be real benefits to hanging in there. Just remember, that other people in your organization are also contemplating making changes and if someone leaves, there could be more opportunity for you to do something new without you having to leave.

Truth be told, longevity within a company can offer great benefits over the long haul including great retirement plans, stock options, or a pension plan. We do know, however, that the way up often requires a move out, and further growth somewhere else.

Need help making your career decisions, or making your next moves? I’ve worked with thousands of clients over the past 25 years. Contact me and we’ll see what’s next for you. [email protected]

January is the big month for job changers. But did you know it can take 18-24 months to land a job? You can cut your job search short by starting with these 5 actions.

1) Write your ideal job description; include all of the criteria that are essential like commute time, environment, desired responsibilities and those new challenges you’re ready for, salary range, perks and benefits you’d like, even the organization’s mission if that’s important to you. Write about the immediate contribution you can make in this job. Get excited about this. Really see yourself here. Make it real.

2) List all the work you’ve done that you’re most proud of. Be detailed and write down the skills you’ve used to be successful at what you’ve done. Note what the results have been when you’ve contributed your efforts.

3) Think of everyone you know and write their names down. This may seem like a ridiculously obvious thing to do, but it will help you remember people to reach out to who you may have overlooked. Even your family members. People regularly forget that the folks closest to them may be connected with others who can help in their job transition. It’s important to know who you can talk to about your job search. Check your LinkedIn connections; if you’ve been using Linkedin you’ve probably forgotten who you’re connected with. You may now have contacts at companies you’d like to work for! You’ll want to reach out and courteously reconnect so you can let them know you’re on the hunt. Share with them where you want to go and what you’re looking to do. It’s about the work you want to do and not necessarily the title since titles vary so much from place to place.

4) Update your resume. Find a few job descriptions on LinkedIn, Indeed, Idealist or other sites and write your resume specifically for the jobs you want, including results oriented statements. Be sure to use the language these employers are using. Their job description are full of important key words to use.

5) Before you send any resumes out, be sure to update your LinkedIn profile so it’s consistent with your resume. If you’re looking for a variety of different kinds of jobs you’ll need to list all of the key words you’d like to be known for, regardless of how diverse they might be. Write you’re summary to reflect your achievements, skills and interests.

Get started with these steps and you’ll be off to a great start. More tips coming in future blogs!

Struggling with any of these steps? Email me at [email protected] so we can put together the best job search strategies to get you where you want to go in short order.

I am an intellectually and creatively restless person. I love to be creative every day in my life. I Create. All. The. Time.
If I’m not learning and trying something new, then I’m probably sleeping. You, and most of my clients, probably feel the same way. Go ahead and call me ADDHD; I’m happy with the label at this point. People like us are what’s fueling our economy. We are the people looking to change things up and we’ll do the necessary work to figure out how to do whatever needs to be done to make those changes. We do the creating, and innovation, the ‘scratching’ as Twyla Tharp calls it, to come up with something new, and energizing.

Or do we….?

If you’re like a lot of people I know (ok, including me) you, too, probably let yourself get lost and sidetracked by doing things that end up demotivating you. Chief among these demotivating things would be going to work. Sadly, a lot of people I know go to work and by the time their workday ends they’re exhausted, bored, hangry, and have no interest in pursuing their more creative and enlivening pursuits. Sound familiar?

So we grab something to eat, and the phone, or the remote, or all three and go numb. Hours pass. Nothing new, creative, or life changing happens. Maybe tomorrow. Or not. You try not to hear yourself talking to yourself but of course you do:

You could get going on that new project/deliverable/blog/story/design/algorithm/class/video to bring to my boss/ my side gig/my business that would show off (even modestly) just how much I can offer, can shine and help grow the bottom line.
It’s a deep nagging heavy, lousy inner dialogue. And it doesn’t do the trick of getting you going. So what does?

Personally I think it’s about setting a new, stated, challenge. And deciding to take it seriously.

I’m doing it. I’ve pledged to write a new blog (almost) everyday during the month of January. I’m saying almost everyday because I know I’ll fail if I box myself into an every day commitment. And I don’t want to fail!

This is my first of many blogs for this month. How about you? What’s your pledge for your new creative you?

So turn off the TV, turn on some good music. Let yourself get into your real Flow and create something you’re proud of. You can surprise all sorts of people, including yourself, by doing/making/creating what you know will feel so good! Hear those inner critics? So what? Do it anyway. I know you’ve heard all of this so many times Here’s hoping this one blog pushes you over the edge and into action.