Ahhh, the job hunt. It’s exciting, frustrating, and at times even nerve-wracking. You’ve prepped your resume, you’ve had your eye on the job posting for weeks. And then it happens: you get called in for an interview—for your dream job no less. After logging countless hours paying your dues, how do you capitalize on your opportunity to advance? I spoke to Daisy Swan, a certified career coach in Los Angeles, and asked her that same question. She handles interview preparation, resume writing and career guidance every single day so I knew she’d be an excellent source of information – and inspiration – for those waiting on deck for their dream job interview. 1. BE PREPARED This almost goes without saying, but being prepared, of course, is a huge part of landing your dream job. Swan says that knowing background information about the company, as well as any recent developments… Read More
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Bad Behavior and Your Happiness
The kinds of issues I discuss with clients often seem to come in waves. Patterns emerge. Of course I’m usually hearing about various levels of distress that women and men are experiencing at work, and not surprisingly, a difficult boss or team dynamic prompts a lot of people to seek my assistance. Lately many conversations with clients seem to revolve around bad behavior of managers and people in power and how to do what’s best given the circumstances. On a broader level, as well, we’ve all been watching the undoing of many men who have used their power and status in despicable ways; while we feel relief that their gig is up, we’re also asking why did the unmasking of this undermining abuse take so long? It’s hard to speak truth to power. When we want to bring difficult topics and issues to light we know we need to be… Read More
Procrastinating much? Feeling Stuck…Yuck!
Four Strategies to Get Yourself Back into Action. Procrastination is way more common than I ever realized. Most of my friends, colleagues and clients struggle with procrastination. Even though I tend to be a doer, I see how my ability to put things off has gained momentum. Our lives are so crowded by input from all sorts of technology and other distractions…especially if we’re creative and curios people! I can be happily sidetracked by reading articles online, my fascinating hard-copy magazines and books, or doing lots of little inconsequential projects around my house. All good things…but am I getting to the things I know I want and need to do? Um…no. Sound familiar? Here’s what I’ve found helps me to stop procrastinating and do what needs doing. Maybe this will work for you, too: Spend time thinking about what you really want to see happen in your personal or professional… Read More
What Can I Expect from Executive Coaching?
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… Read More
Reflections on Teaching Mindfulness in Recovery
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… Read More
3 Things You Must Ask for to be Happier at Work and at Home
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… Read More
Feeling Exhausted? Burned Out?
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… Read More
What to Expect from Career Coaching
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 21st 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… Read More
Job Searching in Los Angeles: The Popular Jobs and Companies Edition by Sydney Frazer
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… Read More
Ready for your ideal job? Do these 3 things.
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… Read More
