How Would Taking an Assessment and Engaging the Services of a Coach Help you?

If you have had ANY one of the following thoughts – or any like them – in the past 30 days, you just might benefit from having a coach and getting some feedback from a validated assessment… Check it out below

• So what if I’m a college graduate – I still can’t find a job!

• I’ve applied for 8 positions in the last six months and haven’t been called back for one of them – could something be wrong with my resume or is it just me?

• Wow – I am really fed up and dissatisfied with my job; but what can I DO about it?

• I think I’d be good at some things, but what if I hate doing them? How can I find out BEFORE I take the job?

•  I never seem to get the promotions I know I deserve – and I haven’t a clue why!

• You know, I have been in “final” rounds of interviews 3 times in the past 5 months, but I’m still without a job – what’s with that?

•  Over 40 years old with 15 years at the same job – and I am the one they lay off! Now what? I have no idea what else I could do… or even if I can get hired.

•  Linked in – Face Book? What’s that? I’ve heard about it but wouldn’t know where to begin.

• How far back should my resume go and how many pages are the “right” length?

• What kind of salary “offer” should I expect to take or should I just be grateful to have a job?

Nine times out of ten, there actually ARE things you can do or ways you do things that you can change – and that could make THE difference in your experience of your current career or job situation. There really are things – perspectives – that may be missing or that are hidden from your view (blind spots) that, if you could see them, would accelerate the velocity of your career search or help you get that job you know would be the perfect one for you.

Sometimes just assessing your current or past behaviors and exploring your motivating factors can make a big difference in understanding your own preferences for work environment. In working with someone else who can take an objective view of how you handle circumstances, business decisions and personal interactions can give you the feedback you need to make the right changes in your behavior; changes that can change your career trajectory and alter your currently unsatisfactory career.

If you are on the cusp of a career change and either want to take a different route – or have been laid off and are looking for what’s next, it may be worth your while to get some support from a mentor, a coach or a consultant who is familiar with career change and behavior management.

Knowing what you want in a career or job is only one part of the equation. Understanding what you are good at, what motivates your behaviors and how you react – whether consciously or unconsciously – to your surroundings, can make a huge difference in your future.

Take some time to take our behavioral and motivational assessment; In it, you will define your strengths, uncover your weaknesses and finally get the job that is the perfect fit.

If you are interested in more information about assessments and what they can do, check it out here. Having this kind of information, together with engaging a coach who is committed to your success can make all the difference in the world to your experience of “being alone” in YOUR career transition. Using assessments and master coaching – to support you in keeping and finding the best positions possible, could be the smartest move you ever make!
Article provided by Lee Follender at AWARE Consulting Services, LLC.

From Article published in Austin Business Journal by  Gary Hoover, Contributing Writer- Austin Business Journal

The recent publication of “The Innovator’s DNA: Mastering the Five Skills of Disruptive Innovators” — by Harvard Business School innovator Clayton Christensen and fellow authors Jeff Dyer and Hal Gregersen – reminded me of two key thinking habits that I have been talking about and teaching for years: observing and associating.

These habits — or skills, which you can get good through practice — are critical to the process of entrepreneurial thinking.  But they are not often taught in schools.

Start with observation, which the authors noted earlier cite as one of five key attributes of those who develop breakthrough ideas. Many people go through their lives with their ears shut and their eyes closed. Or they are so caught up in their iPods and smartphones that they pay no attention to the world or the people around them. And yet this is where many good ideas come from. I have about 220 ideas for new businesses in little pocket tablets I carry with me. Perhaps a third to a half of these ideas would not be there had I not listened in on conversations in restaurants.

Much of the information you need to know is right in front of you, waiting to be observed. If you go into any reasonably well-run grocery store — of which Austin has plenty — you should be able to spend 20 to 30 minutes and tell me the average age, income, family size and ethnicity of the people who shop there and live in the neighborhood. You can tell this from the merchandise on the shelf, regardless of whether customers are there.

In my course in entrepreneurial thinking, we always spend an evening at Barton Creek Square Mall observing things. How much revenue does each tenant in the food court do in 30 minutes? How many customers are in Macy’s, Nordstrom’s, J.C. Penney, Sears and Dillard’s at any given time? What types of cars are Penney’s customers driving? How are they different from Nordstrom’s customers? What types of shoes and watches are people wearing?

My students — ranging from 12 to 70, with a huge range of life experiences and educational backgrounds — almost always come away amazed at how much they learn from this exercise. Many tell me years later that this exercise and other elements of the course changed how they see everything.

Other friends and students have travelled with me through Mexico, Costa Rica, Russia and Thailand, seeing the world in this inquisitive way. They, too, say it changed everything for them. Opportunities and ideas flow more readily.

The other idea, perhaps even more critical to innovative thinking, is the power of association.

Most great ideas are merely the result of combining two things that everyone sees all the time but that no one had thought of together. This might sound simple, and it is. But it is oh-so-powerful.

For example, my first major start up was Bookstop, the first chain of book superstores. While the execution of the idea was difficult and complex, the core idea was not. We simply took the retail business model of Toys R Us –  giant single-category stores with large product selections and low prices — and applied it to books.  Charles Lazarus of Toys R Us had a whole new idea; the rest of us, from Bookstop to Staples to Home Depot, just applied his idea to new categories of merchandise.

I find the associating skill a little harder to teach, or at least to demonstrate, than observation.

 Here are some tips:

•  Be relaxed. Be ready for ideas to hit you, but don’t strain. Thinking too hard rarely gets you anywhere

•  Give things time to percolate. Marinate in everything you see and hear, collecting input from every source, including observation, conversation and even reading books and articles. Let new ideas sink in. Play with them in your head. Draw diagrams, fill whiteboards or tablets, or whatever works for you.

•  Start making lists of cool things you see, such as business innovations you read about inFortune and The Economist, new ads you see on TV or online, or products and services your friends tell you about. Take lessons from the great entrepreneurs of the past. Then gradually begin to combine those lists. Is there anything about Las Vegas and about the iPad that might make for an interesting intersection? Or UPS’s world-class service and your bank’s world-bottom service? Don’t dismiss any possible intersection at first; give it a chance to blossom. Take at least a few minutes thinking hard about what opportunities might come from the intersection.

•  Those leaders and thinkers who are truly open to new ideas, who take into account inputs from a multitude of sources — including observation — and then work to combine all that information in creative new ways are much more likely to come up with something that will benefit society, or at least better serve their own customers or constituencies.

Gary Hoover, founder of  Bookstop and Hoovers Inc. and a former entrepreneur in residence at the Herb Kelleher Center for Entrepreneurship at the University of Texas is also author of “The Art of Enterprise.”

Job Hunting – A Systematic Approach…

Whether you are looking for a job OR just want to change the job you currently have, having a positive attitude and taking a systematic approach can make all the difference.

Finding a J.O.B.
Face it; finding THE perfect job is not an easy task, especially with many companies considering cutting back and doing more with less.
While there are jobs to out there; it helps to know where to look for them.
Here is a List of Several Ways to Get Into Action:

1. Check out the classified ads in the local newspaper. While they say newspapers are a dying breed of communication, this can still be a top way for employers to get word out that they are hiring.

The only difference between now and the past is that most employers prefer that you fax or email your resume into them rather than showing up to fill out an application in person. This provides that “sneak peak” at potential staff members and then they get to spend time only with the ones they are most interested in.

2. Of course, the Internet offers virtual classified ads on jobs all over the world. These days, companies prefer to post their open positions on the Internet so that they can reach many more people than they would by advertising in the newspaper. Most of the internet posted jobs allow you to fill out the application online and send in your resume and any letters of recommendation as well. In some cases, online aptitude tests are available to confirm that you have the skills they are looking for.

3. References from friends and professional co-workers definitely provide a service that can help you get your foot in the door. Because some organizations offer a referral program for their current employees, providing them with some kind of bonus if they help fill open positions, you could be doing a friend a favor by applying. Generally speaking, everybody wins with this sort of hire.

4. While it is pretty old fashioned, the next method has been known to work. Just showing up, in person, definitely has its perks. By being there when their doors open, first thing in the morning, you can demonstrate your determination, AND the fact that you can be professional and punctual. This could be a great opportunity to make a great first impression so you should definitely dress for success and brush up on your knowledge of the company, what they offer and be clear about what you will bring to the mix as a new employee.

5. Finally, temporary employment agencies can assist you in getting into companies that who never seem to have an opening. More and more organizations are going with temp agencies to do first level screening to filter out unwanted candidates. Some companies do their hiring exclusively through temporary agencies. While many people avoid temp agencies, thinking that their only jobs are temporary; that is definitely not the case. They offer temporary, permanent and contract jobs. You can actually be a full time employee with an agency, as they frequently will offer you benefits and full time work filling in at various companies for short-term jobs.

It can be helpful to recognize that looking for a job may not be as daunting as you may first think. Sometimes it is just a matter of being open to possibilities AND knowing where to look. By checking out a few of the suggestions above, you may find that you’ll get your foot in the door with a promising job, in less time than you think.

Direct, short and accomplishment-centered resumes will also help. Stay in action and don’t let discouragement get a foothold. That can be the jobseeker’s biggest distraction.

Finally, consider a coach! That’s right, sometimes having an extra pair of shoulders to lean on when times are tough can make all the difference in the world. If there is someone in your life who you can turn to for encouragement and support, do that. If you know someone who has successfully negotiated the job search environment successfully, give them a call. And, if no one you currently know comes to mind, feel from to contact a competent consulting or coaching company who can give you some sound advice as to how to take your job search to the next level.

Bottom line is…Stick with it, avoid discouragement and never give up! You can do it and there really are lots of resources out there to support your efforts.

Author: Lee Follender, Sr. Coach & Consultant
AWARE Consulting Services, LLC
www.awareconsultingservices.com
For information, call 512-553-2927

Turning Warm Leads into Hot Prospects

No matter what type of business you have, two things are a necessity; a happy, loyal customer base and a steady stream of new prospects.
The Direct Selling Education Foundation (DSEF) offers some great suggestions in its free e-book, “Business Owners’ Road Map to Success.”

Although DSEF focuses on companies that offer direct selling opportunities for consultants, the information in its e-book is relevant to just about any small business.
Here are DSEF’s tips for turning warm leads into hot prospects:

• Create a ‘warm market list’ of everyone who might be interested in the products or services you are selling.

• Narrow it down to a ‘most likely’ list of those who could purchase from you immediately.

• Invite your ‘most likely’ list to a small party, barbecue, open house, etc. Don’t try to sell them anything, just make it about introducing your business to them. Ask if you can set a follow-up appointment.

• Make the follow-up appointments and keep narrowing down your list to the most supportive and interested potential customers. These are the people who not only will be most likely to buy from you, but could also refer new business to you.

• Offer excellent customer service consistently, especially to your loyal and repeat customers.

• Use social media to connect with people on your ‘warm market list’ and to continue to build relationships. Also use social media to offer solutions, tips and useful information related to your products or services. Think of your social media networks as a subtle way to introduce new products and services, not as e-commerce.

• Meet prospects for coffee or breakfast to discuss your business.

• Keep your appointments social, friendly and pressure-free. Ask questions and show them how your products or services can help meet their needs or solve their problems. Even if they are not interested for themselves, they may refer other potential customers to you.

• Always have your appointment book handy so you can book follow-ups whenever you meet a potential customer, even at social and family gatherings.

• Don’t leave requests for information open-ended; get contact information and follow up promptly.

• Get involved in organizations that are important to your ‘warm market list.’

• Keep track of everyone you meet and follow up with those contacts in the future. You will encounter no’s along the way, but stay positive and keep connecting, networking and making appointments.

For more tips from DSEF, download the free e-book at www.dsef.org. and for other business-related tips, follow us on Twitter under CentralTexasBBB or our BBB Facebook page at www.facebook.com/YourBBB.

(ARA) – Planning for retirement is crucial for everyone, and it is especially critical for small business owners, the business leaders many cite as the life blood of the American economy.

Indeed, according to the U.S. Small Business Administration, small business owners employ half of all private sector employees, pay 44 percent of total U.S. private payroll, and have generated 65 percent of net new jobs over the past 17 years. […]

(ARA) – Many Americans are involved in prolonged job searches these days. With the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reporting the unemployment rate still hovering around 8 percent at the end of April 2012, competition among job seekers can be daunting. This is a good time to evaluate your viability in the job market, beginning with an assessment of your skills.

Tammy Newsom, Director of Career Services at Brown Mackie College – Birmingham, guides graduates through the process of searching for employment every day. “Employers can be picky. There’s a large pool of applicants to choose from,” she says. “Candidates must be sure to offer a well-rounded skill set, not just technical knowledge.” […]

(ARA) – Today’s highly competitive job market presents challenges for everyone seeking employment. Recent graduates and seasoned professionals alike encounter limited opportunities. After submitting a resume and cover letter, these job seekers sometimes do not get a reply from prospective employers. This is discouraging, but not a surprise when employers often receive hundreds of resumes for every job posted, as reported by GetHIred.com, a website that helps people find the right job, and companies find the right employees.

The tight job market can be especially hard on job seekers with 15 or more years of work experience. As they look through posted jobs, they often find entry-level openings that require less education or experience than they have accumulated. Sheryl Decker, director of Career Services at Brown Mackie College – South Bend, offers steps that can help overqualified job seekers find employment.  […]

(ARA) – When 60-plus-hour weeks, expensive professional suits and excessive stress become too much, many high-powered professionals trade in their high-paying careers for a more fulfilling life. Called “downshifting,” the move allows former CEOs and company presidents to find more balance between work and life.

The phenomenon of downshifting is due in part to generational differences between baby boomers and older generations, says Catherine Mallozzi, director of career services for Everest University in Melbourne, Fla. While older generations saw work as something mandatory – yet not necessarily enjoyable – baby boomers have always believed they deserve fulfilling lives and careers. […]

(ARA) – Good is just not good enough for many employers today. As companies look to do more with less, hiring managers are drawn to those job candidates who stand out from the crowd and clearly illustrate the value they bring to an organization.

If current employment trends didn’t make landing your dream job tough enough, a gap between the skills hiring managers value in a candidate and how job seekers describe their own skills presents additional challenges. […]

Come on, admit it; You have thought of it… of being an Entrepreneur?

From time to time, nearly all of us have toyed with the idea.  Working for yourself – no one to  tell you what to do – lots of freedom to “run the show” – Right?

People become entrepreneurs for many different reasons.  Some of us do it because we want to  do what we love; others take it on to serve or help other people.  Still others, either because they are out of work or hate what they are currently doing, just do it because they need to pay their bills. […]