Deceptively simple question, right? When I ask people this question I see their eyes drift upward and to the right. I see them start to envision what they have and what could be. Simple answer: to be happy. To enjoy success. Then we begin to drill down. What’s your version of success and happiness? You might think it’s the same for everyone, but it’s not. In two years will you be doing the same work with the same people? Will your commute be shorter or longer? Do you imagine you’ll have more time with your kids and your spouse? Have a spouse? What do you want your friendships to be like? Are you spending enough time with friends? And are you making more or less money? And when you think of the people you work with, are they doing what they, and you, are doing now or is… Read More
Life
Ethically Right?
Knight Kiplinger of Kiplinger’s Personal Finance was queried in the October issue about the decision of a guy who accepted a job offer, was trained and became part of his team, only to quit when he received a better, higher paying job offer a month into his new job. Kiplinger said this was unethical and that the fellow should have told the company who offered him the higher paying ‘dream job’ that he was honored but unable to accept the position because he had started in his new job already. I’m curious what readers, both job seekers and those who have or do hire candidates, would think and do in this situation given the economic situation of the day. Hiring is a tricky business. Sometimes hiring managers aren’t able to move as quickly as they want to and a candidate ‘gets away’ before they can make their offer. This leaves… Read More
How Effective are You When You're Worried?
I’m a pretty good worrier. Being a parent, I can muster up a lot of things to worry about. Once I get started I can worry about all sorts of things. When I was 16 I started thinking about peace of mind. I decided that that was something I was seeking; that was larger goal of mine. And that’s when I started meditating. I don’t meditate as regularly as I used to, and I know it would help me with my worrying. I have other grounding techniques that help me center myself so that I can be more available for the situations I find myself in. Being grounded helps me to be effective and counterbalance the challenges that inevitably arise. Especially these days. How about you? Are you effective when you’re worrying? A lot of people lose confidence when they’re worrying and they do things that move them farther… Read More
Brave or Brazen? Bold Tactics Don't Always Get the Job
By DANA MATTIOLI Originally posted in Wall Street Journal Online, 8/31/09 Recruiters say more job seekers are taking unusual steps to be noticed—almost always without success. Instead, the recruiters say candidates often hurt their chances by appearing brazen, overly persistent or rude. In April, a job candidate scheduled an hourlong interview for himself by sending a meeting-request invite via Microsoft Outlook to New York executive recruiter Kim Bishop, who ignored the request. Ms. Bishop canceled the meeting and won’t speak with the job hunter. “I just thought it was inappropriate and too aggressive,” she says. “It would be like walking into someone’s office without an invite.” In order to stand apart from the competition, Jim Winninger has sent packages to hiring managers with an embroidered shirt and a catchy gift tag. Recruiters at Philips Electronics NV say a growing number of job candidates with scheduled phone interviews are… Read More
On to Plan B: Starting a Business
This article originally appeared in The New York Times By MICKEY MEECE August 22, 2009 CALL them accidental entrepreneurs, unintended entrepreneurs or forced entrepreneurs. A year and a half into the Great Recession, with the jobless rate hovering near double digits, corporate refugees like Lisa Marie Grillos of San Francisco are trying to fend for themselves. Along with her brother Hernan Barangan, Mrs. Grillos started Hambone Designs, after her full-time contract position with Williams-Sonoma as a production manager wasn’t renewed in January. The new company makes bicycle bags that hold things like keys, wallets and cellphones. “You have the time — why not focus your energy on something, rather than just trolling Craigslist and sitting and watching TV?” Mrs. Grillos says. “It’s really taking matters in my own hands.” Mrs. Grillos, 34, built a Web site called hambonedesigns.com, opened a virtual shop on Etsy.com, an online marketplace, and… Read More
Is it time for you to be fired? Laid off?
More than one of my clients needs to be fired. OK, maybe just laid off. That would be ideal. One of my clients has been wanting to make a change in his life for years actually, but he’s so loyal to his employer that he just can’t seem to leave. We haven’t been working together on this for years — he’s come back to me a few times almost ready. Now there are so many good reasons to leave; he’s ready for more challenge, ready to develop new colleagues, get a different perspective on the world, more money would be fine but not necessary. Sometimes it’s just time to grow and learn more about everything. Now we’re laughing because there’s the possibility that he’ll be let go. And the fire under him would be lit and the energy ignited for change. I’m reading Po Bronson’s book, What Should I Do… Read More
In a Near-Death Event, a Corporate Rite of Passage
Take a look at this and notice the valuable questions Chambers asks when he interviews candidates. Great lessons here for all of us. Life is demanding that all of us get out on a limb and try some new things these days. Daily life is an act of courage these days, isn’t it? — Daisy In a Near-Death Event, a Corporate Rite of Passage Source: Peter DaSilva for The New York Times Q. What are the most important leadership lessons you’ve learned? A. People think of us as a product of our successes. I’d actually argue that we’re a product of the challenges we faced in life. And how we handled those challenges probably had more to do with what we accomplish in life. I had an issue with dyslexia before they understood what dyslexia was. One of my teachers, Mrs. Anderson, taught me to look at it… Read More
August 2009 Newsletter
Daisy Swan & Associates – August 2009 Newsletter Hello Readers, At this writing, I’m taking my inspiration from Jim Collins, an individual and author I respect and admire. The other night, I watched Charlie Rose’s interview with Jim, in which they discussed his latest book, “How the Mighty Fall: And Why Some Companies Never Give In”. Fascinated, I rushed to pick up a copy of the book the next day. This book, in my estimation, turns out not to be just about business, but also about life – with a title like that, how could it not be? Here’s Collins’ back book jacket quote: “Whether you prevail or fail, endure or die, depends more on what you do to yourself than on what the world does to you.” I know that the wisdom of this quote, for many of you reading this, is old news. But truly,… Read More
Getting the Job…Twice
Here’s a new guest blogger post. Other clients are getting jobs, I’m happy to report, so don’t give up. Take a break maybe, but don’t give up! Daisy On February 26, 2009, my life hit rock bottom. I was laid off unexpectedly from my marketing job that I had held for 4 years. I just remember shaking and crying and thinking – oh no, now I have to actually do something with my life. How scary! See, for 4 years, I was showing up to the office, doing what was expected, doing it well, and going home when the clock struck 5:30 pm. There was no joy, no challenge, no passion. I was simply going through the motions. I used my family as a convenient excuse for not putting myself out there. After all, if I work hard and take on more assignments, then I can’t leave on time and… Read More
Back to the 9-to-5—Finally
This article originally appeared in the Wall Street Journal By ALINA DIZIK July 28, 2009 Last December, with unemployment at 7.2%, The Wall Street Journal enlisted eight people who had lost their jobs to write about their hunts in a new blog called “Laid Off and Looking.” All eight had M.B.A. degrees; five had worked in finance at big banks. They had been unemployed for a median of nine months. Since then, it’s gotten even harder to find a job. Unemployment is 9.5%, and the monthly hiring rate is at its lowest level since the Bureau of Labor Statistics started keeping track in 2000. There are now about six unemployed people for every job opening. Despite that, four of the eight original bloggers, and three additions, have landed full-time jobs. But they made compromises, many of them significant. Five took pay cuts of as much as 80%; at… Read More
