If you have expertise you want to share, and be paid for, you’ll want to present yourself as the organized professional you want to be. Your clients and customers will feel they can trust you and what you’re bringing to their lives if you take these simple steps. Everything you do and say needs to be clear so that your potential clients feel like you are experienced, trustworthy, and care. 1) Do have a website that people can visit after they meet you; have a business card with your name, website address and phone number? You can design a simple logo for yourself that you’ll have on your website, business card and other materials, or you can also use a website like www.99designs.com to find a designer who can create your visuals for you. The website can be as simple as a one-page site, including a professional photo of you,… Read More
General
Having Courage, Even When Writing Your Resume
The first time I heard the saying ‘the way you do one thing is the way you do everything’ I immediately dismissed it-how could that be true? But I’ve come back to this again and again because upon reflection I do find truth, something to learn, and even wisdom, here. Right now, during our sheltering-in-place, it’s a good time to look at how we do anything and everything and learn from it. We’re ‘stuck inside’ in more ways than one, which offers a lot of rich opportunity to discover so much about ourselves, what we want, and how we do things. I have worked on a gazillion resumes since 1991 when I first started working as a career professional. One thing I’ve consistently noticed throughout these many years is that no matter how many years of work experience, degrees and additional training one has, everyone bumps into the discomfort of… Read More
Your Burnout is Real: What It Feels Like, and What You Can Do About It
Burnout is real. Sometimes people don’t recognize what their burnout is. If you’re feeling cynical, bored, and exhausted, like you just can’t muster the creative mindset you once had, focus on anything for very long at all…you’re probably in the midst of experiencing burnout. This kind of exhaustion or dullness can be debilitating, and is usually kept secret from employers until the damage has been done. If this sounds like you, trust that you’re not alone. A Gallup poll of 7500 employees found that 23% of participants feel burnt out all the time, and 44% feel burnt out at least some of the time. Other studies cite that as much as 60% of workplace absenteeism is related to stress and burnout, with 40% of employees considering quitting their jobs because of these feelings. This is a BIG problem and if you’re avoiding looking at it, it’s only going to… Read More
I Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For
What Do You Want? Do you feel like you still don’t know what you want to do when you grow up? You’re not alone. While actual statistics of the number of career changers is hard to pin down, roughly 30% of adults 25-44 are looking to make a career change! This aligns with my recent client stats; the average age of my male client is 35, and it’s 37 years old for my female clients, with a 50/50 split male and female. This includes the 50-somethings who are ready for a wholesale life change, and the 25-year-old folks who think they’ve already fallen WAY behind. Some of us are just seekers, always looking for new ways of creating and delivering something of value, so the word career is somewhat amorphous for them. There’s Always a Way It’s way too easy to believe there’s no way you’re ever going to… Read More
Finding Meaning in Your Life
How – and where – do you find the meaning and value of what you do in your life? Hopefully, the work that you’re doing is feeding you (and your loved ones) in more ways than one. But I know for many of you, the nourishment feels – or actually is – less than what you desire. Take a moment to check in right now, and think about how your work (and home!) life is adding up for you. The following short quiz will help you assess signifiers that are important to most of us: 1) When I wake up, I think about the people and the projects that I get to work with in the upcoming day, and feel energized to get going. 2) My significant other/friends look to me for advice about managing their time and money because I… Read More
Client Success Story: Peter
I was very fortunate to work with Daisy as I was retooling my resume and improving my interviewing skills. She always had the appropriate and useful comment for any issue I presented. Equally important, she did not use kid-gloves, but rather told me what I needed to hear. I felt she took a sincere interest in my goals and potential and showed leadership, yes, she lead me to a more marketable position as a candidate. Indeed, only one month after our sessions ended, I was offered a position. – Peter, NJ 8/2014… Read More
Client Success Story: Jeff
My experience with Daisy was exceptional, and exceeded my expectations. I came to her seeking advice about how to take the next step in my career. She helped me clarify my personal and professional goals, and helped me visualize a career path that met my personal and professional goals. Daisy also helped me see that the perfect role was out there for me, and worked with me on a strategy to find it. Her care, diligence, and thoughtful advice were invaluable throughout the entire process, from career exploration to offer and acceptance. I highly recommend Daisy Swan for anyone looking to grow as a professional. – Jeff, May 2015… Read More
Client Success Story: Kathleen
Like many recent college graduates, I felt lost and alone. I craved to establish a sense of belonging. Afraid to admit my shortcomings, I withdrew into myself. Negative self-talk like, “you are not good enough, smart enough, qualified enough” dominated my thinking. Social gatherings became less desirable. I did everything I could to avoid the dreaded question, “So what do you do?” I did not know this person. Where was the determined young woman I worked so hard to become? After a lay off and months of sitting in my pajamas feeling down on myself, I finally had enough. I started researching career counselors in the Los Angeles area, which is how I discovered Daisy Swan. From the beginning Daisy put me at ease with her warm demeanor. She encouraged me to reflect on my values instead of focusing on my fear. I knew I wanted to work with… Read More
Downtime Productivity
Recently, I was a panelist and guest of The Society of Composers & Lyricists (SCL), in a conversation about Downtime Productivity. You know, that time that you have when things are a little quiet at work – no matter if you’re working for someone else, or for yourself? We all have those lull times when we might slip into a sort of sleepy boredom/depression, or maybe it rears its head for you, like a frantic anxiety of, ‘OH NO! Why is this happening??!’ On this May 20th panel, we discussed these common reactions to downtime. So, what to do? Read on for some helpful tips. Four tips to live with – and learn to love – downtime productivity, when it strikes: 1) Give yourself a break and nurture yourself back to health. If you’ve been working hard for a while it may be time to take your foot off… Read More
Shawn Achor: The happy secret to better work | Talk Video | TED.com
This info is too true not to continue to remember. We can be happier in work and in life. And stop chasing an unattainable idea of success. We believe that we should work to be happy, but could that be backwards? In this fast-moving and entertaining talk, psychologist Shawn Achor argues that actually happiness inspires productivity. (Filmed at TEDxBloomington.) To watch this TED Talk, click here: www.ted.com/talks/shawn_achor_the_happy_secret_to_better_work… Read More
