Posts Tagged ‘career’
Think Twice Before You Change Jobs
You’ve got the itch to change jobs. This might be a good time to make the move.
The Wall Street Journal has just reported, “Job-seekers from rank-and-file workers to senior executives are preparing their resumes for what may be the strongest fall hiring season in years.”
“Before you jump to a new job, be certain you have good, sound reasons for wanting to make a change,” advises Ramon Greenwood, senior career counselor at Common SenseAtWork.com. “You may believe you can accelerate your career with a new job. You may be bored or running away from personal problems.”
First, ask yourself, “Are there things I can do to make my present situation more acceptable?”
Don’t be lulled into believing that the grass will necessarily be greener in another pasture. Or that a new pasture will be a great deal different from the one you are grazing in now.
Except in the most extreme reasons, do not leave your present job until you have another one firmly in hand. If it was ever true that a bird in hand is worth two in the bush, it is when a job is concerned. Remember, it is always easier to get a job when you have one.
What Do You Want?
Take the time to figure out what you really want to do.
What will it take to make you happier? It is not enough to know what you want to change from; you need to know what you want to change to.
Be specific in answering these questions. Don’t allow yourself to be driven by a sense of vague malaise to make a change just for the sake of change. If you can’t spell out in writing the valid reasons you want to move to a new job and be equally specific about what you want that job to be, don’t set the process in motion.
Recognize that you are contemplating a serious and difficult undertaking, even under the best of circumstances. There is always some risk to your present situation when you start looking around. What will your present employer think if the word gets around that you are “looking”? At best, the whole process is usually disruptive and can be traumatic for you and your loved ones. Determine that you have the courage to live with the dangers and uncertainties of making a change.
Survey the situation. Be sure there is a market for the skills you have to offer where you want to live.
If You Go, Go Full Speed Ahead
If, after giving the matter careful thought, you are convinced you would be better off in a new situation, go for it full speed ahead. The search for a new job is not a time for half-measures. To vacillate between courting new employers and sitting back in a coy mode, hoping to be courted, will surely breed frustration. Mount a campaign and invest whatever time and energy are required to reach your objective.
If you have something to offer that the market wants, you will find a new job. However, it will take time. There may come a point when you decide that by comparison your present situation looks quite attractive. So you may decide to stay put, at least for the time being. So don’t burn bridges behind you.
And don’t worry about there being a stigma attached to changing jobs. A lot of other people are shopping for new jobs at any given time. It has been estimated that today’s college graduates can expect that on average they will have held eight different jobs by the time they are 40.
In fact, some personnel recruiters argue that your resume will be stronger if it shows some changes in jobs, so long as the reasons for changing are positive.
Ramon Greenwood is former senior vice president of American Express; a professional director for various businesses; a consultant; a published author of career related books and a syndicated column. Senior career counselor for http://www.CommonSenseAtWork.com.
Visit http://www.CommonSenseAtWork.com, to sign up for his f#ee semimonthly newsletter or contact him at ramon@CommonSenseAtWork.com
Want to Work for Yourself? Those Dream Jobs Dont Just Happen, Theyre Created
While traveling in northern California last October, I happened to tune into a local newscast. The newscaster was telling his co-anchor that the speaker at that morning’s Rotary Club meeting had to cut his presentation short because he was being flown down to Disneyland to carve elaborate Halloween pumpkins for the park festivities. The newscaster wrapped up the story with the familiar quip, “Nice work if you can get it.” He got the first part right. For a creative kid-at-heart, being a professional pumpkin carver is a dream come true. It was his serendipitous “if you can get it” thinking that missed the mark. The fact is, people rarely “get” great work; they create it!
Despite all the emphasis on growth in the “job sector” I am continually amazed at just how many fascinating alternatives there are to the whole 9-to-5 schtick. And just as traditional job seekers can’t wait around for “Mr. Job” to knock on the door, people who want to do satisfying work ? and call their own shots ? need to be proactive as well. Francis Bacon defined a wise man as one who “makes more opportunities than he finds.” Here’s a couple of other wise entrepreneurs who made it by going for it.
Sports-lover Don Shoenewald was just 18 when he went to the Philadelphia Eagles management wearing a homemade Eagle costume and asking for a mascot job. They weren’t interested. Undaunted, Shoenewald kept showing up at Eagles football games. Pretty soon the fans adopted him as the unofficial (meaning, “unpaid”) mascot. Thirteen paid team mascot jobs, four mascot character creations (including ones for the New Jersey Devils and the San Jose Sharks), and 18 years later, Shoenewald started Mascot Mania, the only professional training school for mascots in the world.
Despite what your high school guidance counselor might have told you, showing up invited in a bird costume isn’t the only route to self-employment. For Dan Zawacki it all began when he was working as a sales rep for Honeywell and decided to give away 120 live lobsters as gifts to his customers. Dan was so bowled over by the response that he decided to open a small side business shipping live lobsters complete with pot, crackers, butter and bibs to crustacean-lovers from coast-to-coast. That is until his boss heard him pitching Lobster Gram, Inc. on a local radio station and promptly fired him.
In the beginning, Dan worked out of his bedroom, storing his lobsters in a used tank in his father’s garage. His first year he netted only $4,000. Ten years later, his company sells about 9,000 lobster packages a year for $99 plus shipping. All and all, not a bad tale.
If you dream of making the transition from employee to self-bosser, the first thing you need to do is belief that you can. Then, the next time you see some entrepreneur doing what they love, try thinking: “Nice work ? now, all I have to do is get it!
“Off the beaten career path” consultant, Valerie Young, abandoned her corporate cubicle to become the Dreamer in Residence at http://www.ChangingCourse.com, offering free resources to help you discover your life mission and live it. Her career change tips have been cited The Wall Street Journal, USA Today Weekend, Redbook, Entrepreneur’s Business Start Ups, and on-line at MSN, CareerBuilder, and iVillage.com. An expert on the Impostor Syndrome, she’s presented her How to Feel as Bright and Capable as Everyone Seems to Think You Are program to thousands of people.
Love What You Do!
“To love what you do and feel that it matters, how on earth could anything be more fun?”
–Katherine Graham
I want to share with you a great success story from one of my clients, Susan*, because I am so proud of her. Susan had been working in the computer industry since college (8-10 years) and though she was financially and professionally successful, she felt dissatisfied with her career. Her heart was just not in it anymore.
Susan did a brave thing – she decided to make the effort to pursue a career change right now. For about six months we worked together to uncover her core interests, identify her values, test her natural abilities, and outline the parameters required for fulfilling work for her.
It wasn’t easy and the process took time but Susan tells me it was well worth the effort. Susan has started a new career that now fits WHO she is along with what she believes in, and what she can do. Susan moved from computer programming into bio-informatics and is now working on a life saving new medical product. Susan had always had an interest in biology and human medicine. Sadly, she had put her interests and values on the shelf, like many of us, because the job market was tight when she entered the work force.
Susan called me last week, after her first day at her new job in bio-informatics. She left me a message. In it she said: “I wanted to let you know I had the best day at work that I think I have ever had. It was just unbelievable.” Congratulations Susan! Congratulations for standing up to the doldrums and not accepting a lifetime of unsatisfying work.
Life is just too short to be unhappy with your work. When we are unhappy in our work our friendships and relationships suffer, our physical health suffers and our mental health suffers. Everyone deserves work-life satisfaction. Afterall, our work takes up at least one half of our waking hours in life.
So now I ask you: are you happy in your work? If you are – you have a gift! If not, what are you going to do about it?
*The names have been changed in this article to ensure client confidentiality.
Deirdre Maigread McEachern is a personal coach who helps her clients experience more joy in their lives. You can contact Deirdre for a complimentary consultation at 207-439-4280 or join her free monthly newsletter at http://www.vip-coaching.com.
Increase Your Knowledge: Read-and-Reap
Did you know that you see with your mind as well as your eyes? The mind stores memories and highlights of past experiences as well as color intensity, hue and a variety of other details. How you see (your eyesight) and how the brain makes sense of what you see is at the heart of a total visual experience.
On Being Eye-Minded?
Human beings are eye-minded. This means that in our waking lives we are likely to think, imagine and remember in terms of what we see. Just think about that! Scientists report that being able to read as well as reading on a regular basis:
- Promotes brain cell production.
How to Develop a Reading Habit
When you form a regular reading habit, you reap untold benefits. Unfortunately, most of us just don’t seem to get around to it. So what’s a professional to do in this era of information overload?
Here are a few tips to jumpstart your reading routine and develop an “oh-so-necessary” reading habit:
Since vision is our dominant sense, it is probably the most compelling way we communicate with others. As we read, we bring images into play in our minds and the minds of others; we speak a visual language of wisdom and insight.
Often our greatest successes come when we look at pictures of information, apply wisdom and insight gained from these visual experiences, and see the results in our mind’s eye. So?GO AHEAD! FORM A Read-and-Reap HABIT TODAY.
Althea DeBrule, entrepreneur and seasoned human resources executive, has focused for more than 30 years on helping people achieve their career goals. Creator of The Extreme-Career-Makeover? and a founding partner of RADSGroup Organizational Consultants, she is recognized for her bottom line and practical application of career development and management strategies in a way that penetrates hearts and compels action. She speaks and teaches with inspired talent, humor and contagious zeal at management conferences and leadership retreats nationwide, and has been featured in CFO Magazine, Strategy@Work, Human Resource Executive Magazine. Althea is the author of Bosses & Orchards, a compelling and candid book about how to make your work relationship with your boss succeed. To discover how you can take your career to a new level, visit http://www.extreme-career-makeover.com/
Writing an eBook is Risk-taking Behaviour ? Choose to do it!
The choice to author a book isn’t one that just suddenly comes to you. It’s something that gradually happens. And it usually happens many times before you begin to take it seriously.
Are you the cautious person who takes few risks or are you a risk-taker? Are you the person who weighs the pros and cons over and over again refusing to address the obstacles to your goals and thus does nothing?
Are you the risk-taker who plunges ahead without thinking much about it and gets discouraged because of the obstacles that need to be overcome and the fact that your dream seems further and further away? Or worse still you fail and give up?
Somewhere between those two extremes lies the potential eBook author. The lesson may very well be that you must be realistic about your ability to embark on the eBook authoring journey and reach your destination.
Let’s take a brief look at these two extremes ? caution and risk-taking. One leads to change. The other is stagnation.
CAUTION
This article was written borrowing and adapting from material in Barbara Sher’s book, I Could Do Anything If Only I Knew What It Was, How to discover what you really want and how to get it. In her book, Ms. Sher has a quiz to determine if you are a cautious person which may be holding you back from achieving your goals. I have adapted her quiz to suit would-be eBook authors.
Answer these questions in relation to authoring an eBook.
Are you a person always in rehearsal? Have you been studying, taking courses, developing expertise, learning skills, and gaining wisdom but haven’t put it to its best use in an eBook?
Yes No
Are you constantly planning, preparing, talking about it, asking for advice, hesitating, ? without doing anything about actually writing the eBook?
Yes No
Do you hang on to dreams and goals too long without taking action in even a small way to move you toward your goal? In other words do you refuse to make short-term goals that will lead you to your dream?
Yes No
Do you use the excuse that you don’t have the time to work toward your goal of authoring an eBook?
Yes No
Do you find time to do some things that you don’t really need to be doing like watching too much television, doing things you don’t want to do, or “puttering” with something that could buy you time to write?
Yes No
Do you look at others pursuing their dreams and envy them the journey?
Yes No
Is your dream of authoring an eBook not important enough to you to begin the journey because it would be too selfish and other people and things deserve your time and energy? Do you habitually put other people and things ahead of your own needs and wants?
Yes No
Do you crave change and adventure in your life by authoring an eBook but it hasn’t gotten past the ‘daydreaming’ stage?
Yes No
Reflect and Write
Now go back to these questions and take the time to write a letter to yourself. Take the time in this letter to reflect on your “why” of your response. Be honest with yourself. You’ve got nothing to lose.
While you are reflecting on your “why”, include some positive ideas about how you could get started at the eBook authoring process. Consider those strengths you already bring to the process. Consider who or what could help you reach your goal.
As Sher states, “If you have said Yes to most or all of these questions then you’re a Sure Thing person and you’ve got some thinking to do.”
“Safety is riskier than you realize.”
Caution shouldn’t be thrown to the wind but without risks life isn’t an adventure.
“Fear is that little darkroom where negatives are developed.” ? Michael Pritchard
Time becomes so important in our lives once we are old enough to realize that we may not have made the best use of it in the past. The truly “lucky” person is someone who realizes that time is indeed running out and if authoring an eBook is in his/her plans then let’s get started.
Shoot for something And you will never achieve the impossible. But shoot for the impossible And you’re bound to achieve something.
RISK-TAKING
“Hide not your talents. They for use were made. What’s a sundial in the shade?
- Ben Franklin
Is taking risks too risky for you? There are risks associated with eBook authoring. Specific risks in the eBook authoring process will be addressed in a future article but for this article we will focus on the general consideration of your attitude toward risk-taking.
Without taking calculated risks, your dream of authoring an eBook won’t be realized. Without this risk factor between you and your dream, you would already be living your dream. It’s what holds most people back. You must realize that ACTIONS are what make things happen not THINKING about actions. Any new behaviour comes through taking a chance and realizing you might not succeed ? the first time.
Realize also that there is always a solution to every obstacle you might encounter. The answers to all your questions are already out there. You may just have to find them.
From Do It! Let’s Get Off Our Buts by John-Roger and Peter McWilliams, “Be daring, be different, be impractical,” Sir Cecil Beaton advised, “be anything that will assert integrity of purpose and imaginative vision against the play-it-safers, the creatures of the commonplace, the slaves of the ordinary.”
It takes courage to pursue one’s dreams. Banish fear by taking action. Failure is part of the learning process that goes hand-in-hand with risk-taking.
On a scale from one to ten, with one being cautious, and 10 being a risk-taker, assess yourself numerically where you presently stand in terms of authoring an eBook.
I rate myself a ___.
Well???
Reflection Time
What do you need to do about it, if anything? What actions are you going to take? What can you do within the next 24 hours to take that first concrete step toward your goal? What is it about your past and present behaviour regarding writing a book that makes you feel good about yourself? What bothers you? Who could help make a difference in your eBook authoring life if you chose to confide in them? Have you ever told anyone you wanted to write a book? Why? Why not? What good do you think it would do to begin telling others about your dream? What have you done in your past that you thought you would never be able to do? Why is authoring an eBook any different from that situation? What obstacles do you see to authoring an eBook? For each obstacle consider at least 3 ways you could overcome that obstacle. How will you feel when that eBook is published and the first copy is sold? What would authoring an eBook do to your self-esteem? Your life? Your confidence? Your career? Your income? Your future?
A poem for reflection!
Risk-Taking is Free
To laugh is to risk appearing the fool.
To weep is to risk appearing sentimental.
To reach out for another is to risk involvement.
To expose feeling is to risk exposing your true self.
To place your ideas, your dreams, before the crowd is to risk their opinion.
To love is to risk not being loved in return.
To live is to risk dying.
To hope is risk despair.
To try is to risk failure.
But the risk must be taken, because the greatest hazard in life is to risk nothing.
The person who risks nothing, does nothing, has nothing and is nothing.
He may avoid suffering and sorrow, but he simply cannot learn, feel, change, grow, love, live.
Chained by his certitudes, he is slave, he has forfeited freedom.
ONLY A PERSON WHO RISKS —- IS FREE – Author Unknown
© 2005 Paul Jackson
Paul Jackson is a retired educator with wide-ranging experience in self-help workshops for educators. His new-found passion of eBook authoring allows him to apply his reflective philosophy to the process of authoring an eBook. At http://www.ebookwritingandpublishing.com
Paul uses his philosophy of “Helping people help themselves” to assist individuals in reaching his/her dream of authoring an eBook.
Make a Great First Impression
Searching for employment is one of the most nerve-racking activities to engage in. As if the direct need for income is not stressful enough, the process of writing a résumé, networking in your industry, and applying for jobs can leave anyone shaking in their tracks. Once you have hit the pavement and made a few contacts the phone calls should start coming in. With a little effort, hopefully a phone call could lead to an interview; which happens to be one of the most horrifying portions of career building. With the completion of a good interview, a job offer is just a step away. Here are few tips of turning any interview into a memorable experience for the Employer (and just might help you land the job!):
- The Hand Shake: Extend your hand for a professional handshake as soon as possible. Practice with others to ensure a firm and confident handshake.
- Hello!: Introduce yourself as a colleague of the interviewer. Always use your first and last name in a clear voice.
- Smile: It sounds simple, but it is often forgotten in the unique interview situation. Confidence in yourself gleams from a natural smile.
- Make eye contact: Don’t stare, but be sure to look at the interviewer directly in the eyes.
- Chill out!: Don’t be nervous. Interviewers are people too. They feel comfortable with people that are comfortable with them. Awkward situations don’t often end up in hire.
- Uhhh?: Refrain from saying “uhh.” It can be difficult but over thinking your responses can make you appear unprepared, or unconfident.
With a little luck and practice, a great job is just an interview away. However, even the best salesman in the world might be unable to convince an Employer. There are hundreds of factors making up the hiring process. Qualifications, salary requirements, relocation expenses, and even chemistry can make or break a candidate’s chances of employment without even addressing the success of the interview. For more tips on career building and job-hunting, check out Vision-Résumé.com.
John Williamson is a Career Development specialist and spokesperson for Vision-Resume.com
References: Choose Wisely
Sophisticated job seekers know and understand that sometime during the interview and hiring process you will be asked to supply references. With this in mind, here are five concepts to focus on in developing your reference list.
1. References should be RELEVANT: The worst references are personal in nature. Do not provide your Uncle Charlie, your best friend or any other relatives or acquaintances. Provide references that have worked with you, worked for you, or have directly supervised you. References should be able to explain your specific job duties and responsibilities, accomplishments and work product. They should be able to define not only your role inside the organization, but also your ability to meet or exceed expectations as a co-worker, boss, or subordinate. Make certain that references are familiar with all relevant dates of employment at their respective company. If necessary, send them a current copy of your resume and any cover letters that you are using in your job search. References must have pertinent information for the reference seeker. Details, details and more details will certainly help your chances. Be certain that references have plenty of relevant information about your work history.
2. Validate and Verify: This concept speaks to the “content” of the reference call. Be certain, by carefully reviewing your employment history and resume details, that the reference knows more than they need to in order to make this call successful for you. Validate and verify beforehand that the reference is comfortable stating the information you want put forth to the reference seeker. If they are not 100% comfortable or seem in the slightest bit timid about your background or accomplishments, consider using someone else for this important task. Validate and verify your old employment files with previous employers against your current resume. Be certain that dates match what you say they do. Make certain that the “reason for departure” is correct in the HR file. Nothing is more damaging to a candidate’s potential chances than misinformation and misinterpretation of factual data.
3. Reference Letters are outdated: Stay with the times. Reference letters are a thing of the past and should be avoided. There is simply too much opportunity for fraud in today’s ultra competitive job market and savvy employers will insist on speaking and verifying references with live people. If your references are not comfortable providing an opportunity to speak to potential employers and insist on writing a reference letter, find a new reference source.
4. Provide accurate and sufficient contact information: When creating your list of references for prospective employers, give the employer no excuses. Make certain there are at least two different methods for employers to make contact with references. Give at least a work telephone number and if possible, cellular number or email address as well. Make a point of also noting the relationship you had with the reference: Supervisor, subordinate, or peer. Helpful information as well is duration of work relationship and current titles.
5. Awareness: Take the time to stay in touch with these important people in your career. Spend the time to maintain and even grow the relationship even if you have moved on with your career. You will never know when a new opportunity will arise, thus you need to keep your reference information current and your references aware of your job search goals and aspirations. Keep them informed of the specific role(s) you are interviewing for and what specific topics would best be covered in a reference call. A few minutes keeping your references aware and alert will go along way to assisting your job search.
Your references should never be in question in your mind or the view of prospective employers. Careful preparation and maintenance of your references will assist your career in the short and long term.
Executive recruiter William Werksman is a frequent columnist to job boards including http://www.NevadaJobBoard.com addressing both the candidate’s and employer’s perspective. Werksman’s expertise has been featured in business magazines, national newspapers and television news segments. His firm, Resource Partners, is recognized as the leading source of specialized and executive talent in the Casino and Gaming industry. He manages a staff of recruiters out of his firm’s Las Vegas, Nevada headquarters. He may be reached at: Bill@CareerInsider.com or (702)248-1028.
Job Search Advice for Desperate Job Seekers
Another morning of job hunting lies ahead of you. You pour a cup of coffee and open the paper to the employment section. With a mixture of anticipation and desperation you pick up a stub of pencil and prepare to target and identify some possible job opportunities.
There are less ads to circle this morning and despite the promising words and vague descriptions you have begun to believe that none of these potential employers will seriously consider you. Perhaps they have family or friends or maybe you’ll hear once again “I’m afraid you’re overqualified for this position”.
After making a few phone calls you try to get into a positive frame of mind. You head out the door, a folder of resumes in one hand and a list of addresses at the next. You will drop off a few resumes and have plans for an interview this afternoon.
Maybe today will be different…
Are you or a friend looking for work? Have you heard of acquaintances laid off from long-term employment only to find four or five months later that they are still unable to find a job?
If you think the only way to find a job is to have connections, you may be partly right. With such a demand for employment many jobs never make it to the paper. How can you compete?
NETWORKING
“Leave no stone unturned”. Tell friends, family and acquaintances of your job search. These people can give you an ‘IN’ to their businesses when positions come available.
They may also hear of someone who is hiring and keep you updated on opportunities you may not otherwise have heard about. Their personal referral can also make an impression on the employer in your behalf.
NON-POSTED JOBS
You don’t have to wait for a job to be listed in the paper, or even posted on the company board, to apply for work at a company.
Go through the phone book and make a list of companies you’d like to work for. Call and ask if there are any positions available. Ask for the name of the human resources manager or the individual in charge of hiring for the area you are applying to.
Send a resume and direct it to the person in charge of hiring. Write a cover letter that expresses your interest in the company and why you’d like to work for them. Follow up several days later and ask for the individual. Tell them you’re checking to see that they received your resume and ask if there are any positions that may become available.
If they are not hiring suggest you’ll check back at another time. Often positions are made available unexpectedly and by keeping in contact (without pestering) you may be the first person that comes to mind.
This is not a secret. If you’re not taking advantage, someone else will. You can’t afford to miss out on making yourself known to employers BEFORE the job posting is made public.
Accessing this hidden job market may open up opportunities you never thought possible. By staying one step ahead of other job searchers you can be sure that your new job is just around the corner!
Roger Clark is senior editor at Top Career Resumes who provide free information to job seekers on all aspects of finding a new job and Medical Health News where you can find the most up-to-date advice and information on many medical, health and lifestyle topics.
5 Keys to Mental Toughness for Junior Golfers
If you have any interest in seeing first hand the impact that mental toughness has on sport performance, go no further than the PGA or LPGA Qualifying tournaments or “Q-School”. Each year for the past several years, I have worked with players on site during this event. A great many of the conversations that the players have are a rehashing of their performance this past year on the PGA, LPGA, Nationwide, or mini-tour circuits. What I have heard frequently are things that could help the junior golfer get a head start in his or her career.
In attempting to describe why they hadn’t reached their outcome goals for the season I hear these professional players repeatedly talk to one another about “trying too hard”, “not letting it happen out there”, “playing tentative” and many other frequently used mental game phrases. The challenge for many of these professionals is not only to sharpen their swings and putting strokes for this critical week, but to sharpen their mental games as well. The players who do well in Q-School are the ones that will follow some basic rules about the mental game. Each of these also has application for the junior golfer:
1. Keep each shot in perspective. This is especially true in a 108-hole tournament. Q-School, of all tournaments, is understood to be a marathon and not a sprint. There is no rational reason to be unnerved by a bad hole or two. Similarly, the junior golfer has years and years of opportunities ahead. There is no particular shot in any tournament that is “life or death”.
2. Focus on the task rather than the outcome. This is probably the most difficult of the “basics” for players to follow. It is natural to think about the result and then the consequences of the result. This thinking will not help get the job done. Whenever these thoughts come to mind, replace them with thoughts of the immediate task at hand.
3. Breathe. Even the best in the world get tense in this type of situation. That tension can increase a player’s tendency to hold his breath in anticipation of a shot or a putt. This then impacts muscle tension even more, and potentially affects his ability to swing the club smoothly. Deep breaths = slower heart rate and less physiological tension. Creating a habit of doing this as a junior player will be invaluable as your golf career progresses.
4. Remember that you cannot control things. Anyone who plays this game knows that something unexpected happens in nearly every round. A great tee shot lands in a divot, a club you’ve been hitting well all week suddenly starts getting shaky, or a two-foot putt is missed. The successful players in Q-School and elsewhere will recognize that they have control only over their preparation and reactions, and not over anything else. If they know they’ve prepared the best they could for each shot, and know that they are capable of controlling their reaction after each shot, they’ve done all they can possibly do to achieve their goals. Move on to the next one.
5. Play to succeed. Nearly every year there is a player or two held up at the end of Q-School as an example of a late tournament collapse. In nearly all of those instances, the player interviewed will speak of having thoughts of “trying to hold on” or “trying not to make a big number”. Many players will have a tendency to play to avoid mistakes and/or prevent something bad from happening. The players who are successful are those who are confident in their abilities to go out and get the job done, and will be playing to succeed rather than to avert failure.
These mental game essentials will help you as a junior player ingrain habits that can help you reach the ultimate golf goals for which you strive!
Jeff Troesch, MA, LMHC is an internationally recognized expert in the mental side of golf. As the former Director of Sport Psychology for the David Leadbetter Golf Academies, Jeff has worked with thousands of golfers nationwide and brings a wealth of experience to seasoned golf professionals as well as the recreational golf lover. You may contact Jeff directly through his website, http://www.fitnessforgolf.com.
Handing in Your Resignation and Serving Notice
Have you made the right choice? Before deciding to resign from your current position and move to a new employer, you should weigh up as objectively as possible all the relevant factors: remuneration, working environment, location, travel demands, training and development opportunities, promotional prospects, and your future bosses.
Consider also what impact a job with the new company would have on your resume. Once you have received and accepted a formal written commitment from your new employer, you should serve notice immediately.
It is important to behave in a professional manner throughout the resignation process. Your character and your personal integrity should never be in question. Be positive; be co-operative; and avoid recriminations.
State that you are leaving the company and hand in your letter of resignation at the same time.
Be prepared for a reaction. If your employer presses you for reasons, give brief and positive answers. Don’t argue or complain. Don’t allow yourself to be deflected from your purpose or drawn into a protracted discussion.
Do everything possible to establish a friendly tone and leave a good impression. State that you are leaving because your new employment offers you opportunities for advancement. Your decision is the result of careful consideration.
Your written resignation should be concise and definite. Do not go into details or give your reasons for leaving. If you have any grievances, don’t express them in the letter. Give no cause for animosity. Ask if there is anything you can do to ensure a smooth transition.
In the letter, state that you are leaving and when. Give as much notice as possible. Two weeks is generally acceptable, but check your contract or the company handbook.
Sample letter:
Dear ( )
I have decided to resign my position as (??..) at (company) effective (date) to take a position with (new employer). I greatly appreciate the opportunity that you and (the company) have given me to develop my skills and further my career.
I shall make every effort to ensure that the transition period goes smoothly for all concerned.
Yours sincerely
( )
Counter offer. Your decision was carefully thought out, so stick to it. Changing your mind makes you appear indecisive and creates a negative impression. It calls into question your long-term commitment and loyalty to your current employer.
During the period of notice, carry out your duties in a diligent and professional manner. Assure your boss that you will complete any outstanding task. If this is not possible, leave detailed instructions for your replacement. Check that all your records are in order. Inform your colleagues that you are leaving. When discussing things with them, resist the temptation to make disparaging comments about your present job or boast about your new one. Do your best to leave on good terms with everybody.
Exit Interview. Many companies expect their employees to attend an exit interview with the Human Resources Manager. If requested to do so, co-operate fully. Conduct yourself in a professional manner. Say only positive things about your employer and the company. Focus on accomplishments or learning experiences you had while employed there. Remember that anything you say is likely to be recorded in the personnel profile.
Visit the author’s website at: http://www.assignmentsplus.com
Gerard McLoughlin, author of ‘Four Minutes To Interview Success’, has contributed career-related articles to hundreds of recruitment companies, websites and publications throughout the world, including: USA Today, JobBankUSA.com, US-Recruiters.com, etc.
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