Aly Anliker, Ed.M

alyanliker@hotmail.com

503-891-1108

Aly is a creative organizational and career consultant with over fifteen years of experience in Training Management, Executive Coaching and Instructional Design. She has a background in Human Resources and Marketing and has worked in a variety of industries including telecommunications, high technology, manufacturing and non-profit.

The Age Advantage Part II: Marketing Yourself to Best (Age) Advantage by Aly Anliker, Ed.M

In the previous blog Anne Bryant talked about age discrimination and the role it can play in your job search. This blog will focus on job search marketing strategies to help you present your best advantage.

Starting with your resume, it should not suggest your age. A few tips for keeping age out of your resume include:

• Focus on the last ten to fifteen years. Overall, employers will be interested in your more recent experience.

• If you choose to put years of experience in your Career Summary, say over ten to fifteen years even if you have much more experience than that. When you look at most job postings, they typically do not ask for more than ten years of experience.

• For experience and accomplishments you want to include that go back more than fifteen years, create an “Additional Experience” section in your resume and place that experience there without dates.

• You do not need to include a date in the Education section of your resume. This will help your education look more recent.

Follow the above tips as you craft your social media profiles. Where those profiles include a photo, make sure it’s a professional headshot that doesn’t age you. A black and white photo is a nice choice. Obtain a skilled photographer for this important picture. You can choose not to include a photo, however, according to LinkedIn, people that include their photo are more successful networking online.

Additionally, bridge the generation gap when inviting people to be part of your network on social media sites. Have a mix of connections.

If you need to include samples of your work as part of your portfolio, make sure you have recent samples, rather than examples that go way back. Chances are your more recent work examples are more relevant anyway.

What you might find is that the real reservation employers have for hiring an age advantaged worker, is that their salary expectation will be too high.

You can assure potential employers of your flexibility on salary in your cover letter, especially if the employer asks for your salary history. Where you can, give a range and make sure they know that salary is not the most important issue for you, if, in fact it is not. It will help your chances of getting hired if you can be flexible on this and other issues, especially in an employer’s market.

Do your research. Certainly there are companies out there who prefer younger employees. But there are many more who value a diverse workforce with age being part of that diversity.

Lastly, rely on your network to provide connections to your target companies. Regardless of age, people tend to get hired through their network, and employers prefer to hire people that either they know or someone they know recommends.

Anne Bryant, MA, LPC
www.annebryantcounseling.com
abccounseling@pobox.com
503-442-6392
Anne has thirty years of experience offering practical skills and support to people experiencing transitions in their careers and personal lives. Openings available for individual and group sessions.

The Age Advantage Part I by Anne Bryant, MA, LPC

IF YOU ARE WONDERING IF YOUR AGE might be a factor in your career change or job search, you are probably right. Both data and anecdotes from my clients confirm that age discrimination exists. You can choose to fight it, or you can put your energy into preparing to meet it head on. How? Focus on how being seasoned brings value to your next employer. Examples: a strong work ethic, sound judgement, demonstrated loyalty and accomplishments, and a broad understanding of work place politics. Bust the aging stereotype by demonstrating good health, a flexible outlook, and mental sharpness. This blog is the first of a two part series for those who want to use age to their advantage.

 Gary Larson

According to a recent article in the AARP bulletin, “The number of workers age 50 and over is soaring – from 20 percent of the workforce in 1996 to 31 percent today. So is the number of new jobs.”  The biggest challenge is to find those often hidden jobs, especially the ones with benefits.  If you have been with one employer for a long time, you will need more than an updated resume with which to answer employment ads. The entire game has changed. You may not like the new rules of engagement and the changes you will have to make in order to find work. The average job today lasts 3.7 years. You may have to start at a lower salary. Periodically Oregon AARP offers free workshops titled “Finding Work after 50,” which offers further tips for making your way.

START WITH YOURSELF: Perhaps your industry has taken a hit, or your old job has been phased out. What have you always wanted to do? What are the specific skills and personal traits you have that an employer might want? How current are your technology skills that relate to your chosen field? If you are unsure of your focus, you may be trying a shotgun approach to responding to ads, a sure path to discouragement. In order to gain clarity, invest in yourself by meeting with a career professional or taking a community college career development class. Read past entries in “Career Transition: the Inside Job” for specific advice. Review your performance evaluations and letters of recommendation to remind yourself of your worth. Quoting from these can be an effective way of handling interview questions designed to uncover your strengths.

ATTITUDE: Most people don’t like change or risk. Fear of the unknowable future can reduce your view of available alternatives and keep you from pursuing them. It’s normal to go through a whole range of negative feelings. The trick is not to hold on to fear, blame, shame, regret, sadness, or anger, no matter how you lost your job. You may need some support to go from victim mentality to ‘what’s next’? Talking with a trusted friend, a member of the clergy, a therapist, or attending a job search group can help with your attitude. Sometimes your spouse/partner and immediate family can help, but they may be a little too close to your situation to offer unbiased advice.

Be prepared for a long haul and cultivate patience, curiosity and gratitude for little everyday things. Self-care to counteract job search stress, and the pursuit of activities and interests that lift your spirits will put some bounce in your step. No hiring manger is going to make an offer to someone who droops or shows up with a chip on the shoulder.  How do they think and what are they seeking? For some solid advice on interviewing, landing an offer, and success, see Corner Office, http://projects.nytimes.com/corner-office, which offers highlights from conversations about leadership and management.

If you are not accustomed to working for a YOUNGER BOSS, how would you deal with that? Consider how you could stretch your tolerance for future teammates who come from very diverse backgrounds and demonstrate different values and behaviors compared with you. For instance, what’s your reaction to coworkers with body art or piercings? Texting during meetings or conversations?

APPEARANCE:  Ask a trusted younger friend or relative if there is anything about your outward presentation that is dating you? Maybe you are thinking, “This is me; why should I change how I look?” Like it or not, the first few seconds of first impressions count. It’s up to you whether you dye your hair, start wearing make-up, or finally lose the comb-over. Notice how mature men and women dress and groom themselves in the types of workplaces where you hope to be. It’s possible to put together an up-to-date look for very little money by frequenting resale shops located in upper middle class areas.  Consider a more contemporary hairstyle. When “you look maahvelous”, you will feel better too. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JeIUstv95-Y

Stay tuned for Part Two of The Age Advantage, which will cover marketing strategies relevant to age advantaged workers.

Gail Nicholson, MA, LPC

www.gailnicholson.com 503-227-4250

Gail is passionate about helping individuals find a deeper connection with their life and work life, and has over 20 years experience as a personal and career counselor, teacher of career and life planning, and facilitator of groups.

Happy New Year!  The following suggestions conclude the series, “For Job Searchers Dealing with Depression” by Gail Nicholson, MA, LPC

10.     Reach out and connect with people who might be able to answer your burning questions regarding new career possibilities, or to discuss other worklife concerns. Is there someone you know who could refer you to someone else more qualified to go over your specific career ideas?

This could include ideas, questions and concerns about a whole field, such as education or public service.  Considering something in sales, account management or the non-profit sector?  Something in public health, computers or the emerging social media and journalism?

Creative?  Interested in work abroad?

11.     Structure your time to help with the overwhelming feelings that come with this process.   I learned a technique when I worked for Portland Fred Meyer in the Nutrition Centers of the early ‘80’s.  It’s a time management tool called chunking.  Do like things together, as in washing on Monday evening, shopping on Tuesday.  Create routines for your job search that are in rhythm with existing natural patterns like walking the dog and listening to the news.  Daily and weekly habits are the basis of our lives.  Change them and change your life.  Order combined with the right amount of unstructured time is paradise.

12.    Rein in your perfectionism and desire for certainty and control if it’s creating a roadblock to doing.  Remember that doing well is often a function of practice and experimentation, especially during life and career transition.

13.   Think about what you really want from your life and career, and then consider the moves you are making right now.
Are they in synch with what is most important to you?  Are there any gaps between what you value most and where your time and energy are actually going?  Can you describe those potential gaps specifically? What could you be doing differently that would bring your daily efforts more in line with what you and perhaps you alone, know is best?

In summary, think about what’s really important, give yourself permission to go after it, and find continuous concrete ways to encourage and lift your spirits.  Get organized, find love, create community and follow through step by step to manage overwhelm.  Do your homework; experientially research all current questions, concerns and passions.  Be grateful for what comes your way.  Adjust expectations as necessary; be open to creating alternative work/life styles and structures.  Ever consider a patchwork career?  Cultivate a patient, inquisitive and loving mind.  Celebrate yourself and your relationships.  Enjoy your life!

Bruce Hazen, MS
Three Questions Consulting
www.threequestionsconsulting.com
brucehazen@cs.com | 503-280-0151

The Inside Job: The Three Career Questions You Must Answer…More Than Once. By Bruce Hazen, MS

When new clients see my business card and business name (Three Questions Consulting), they often say something like, “OK, I’ll bite. What are the three questions?” And then a really interesting conversation often starts. That’s because there really are three questions that form the basis of what I do as a career coach and what we all do in our earnest attempts to manage our careers. These three questions are like an internal guidance system that helps you be aware of whether you’re on track with your career strategy or just letting it drift.

Here are the three questions:

1. When is it time to move up?

(…in an organization, job or profession where you really like the work and want to progress)

2. When is it time to move out?

(when the work or the boss or the organization is no longer a good fit with who you are becoming)

3. When is it time to adapt your style?

(when you like your work and the organization, but you’re not getting the success you want and it’s not everyone else’s fault, it’s mostly yours)

We all have to answer these questions and we have to answer them multiple times over the course of our careers. This isn’t because we got it wrong the last time. It’s because we constantly evolve as workers and the marketplace continuously evolves to have a different set of demands and needs. The result is that we have to adapt our style or move out to new work or a new boss that fits us better. Alternatively, we need to move up to a higher level of complexity and responsibility to feel satisfied and make the contribution that fits our level of expertise and insight.

“You mean it’s that simple? Three questions and we’ve got it?” Yea, if only. The fact is, the questions are compelling and crucial, but it usually takes a thought partner or trusted other to help you create a dialogue about each of the questions and extract value out of the process of considering each of them, out loud.

My advice: get S.C.A.R.E.D. (Someone Capable And Ready to Express Disappointment). As you consider the three questions and develop a next-action strategy, you need someone to hold you accountable to those actions you say you will take. This is not someone who is negative or critical. This is a person with whom you can talk about the career questions, your feelings and the intentions you have about what should happen next.

This S.C.A.R.E.D. person is committed to your career development and won’t let you slack off. They’ll let you know when your career actions and results are disappointing. They’re not giving tough feedback to be mean. They’re being boldly honest about the fact that you’re not doing what you committed to do on behalf of your career.

A S.C.A.R.E.D. person is most often not the person closest to you; Mom, partner, boss, soccer coach, hairstylist, golf buddy, yoga instructor, lawyer, etc. These people have a vested interest in seeing you in a certain way and having a certain relationship with you. They may try to be supportive of everything you say or do (thanks, but no thanks, hairstylist) or skeptical of most everything (thanks, but no thanks, Dad). My suggestion is to take a risk and open up with someone who can be more objective i.e. work colleague, career or management coach, instructor who is teaching a course you’re taking or spiritual advisor that has some worldly experience from the workplace.

In future blogs, I’ll consider each of the three questions and provoke you with some thoughts about what they mean for career management. In the meantime, get S.C.A.R.E.D.

Andrea King, MS, NCC, MCC
Careerful Counseling Services
www.careerful.com

aking@careerful.com
503-997-9506
Andrea specializes in helping clients achieve rewarding employment. She works with clients in all stages, from high school students through semi-retired. In addition to seeing local clients in her Beaverton office, she delivers services by phone and email globally.

What Resume Length Suits Your Situation? by Andrea King, MS, NCC, MCC

Having worked as a career counselor and resume writer for over a decade, it amazes me that the one page resume myth continues on. It is advantageous for most job seekers to have a two page resume. For executive level professionals and college professors, it is common to have a three page resume. I hope this post encourages readers to review their resume and figure out if it is too short, too long, or just right based on the information provided below.

In talking to hiring managers and human resource professionals over the years, I learned that the more information they have about a candidate’s transferable skills, job duties, and accomplishments, the better. The goal is for your resume to contain enough information for you to be invited in to interview, yet not too much information, whereas the employer feels there isn’t much left to discover. A resume is your document. You own it and it reflects what you wish to convey to persons in a position to potentially invite you for an interview.

Who would benefit from a one page resume? The answer is those who have little work experience. You may have spent most of your life in school, traveling, and/or raising a family, for instance. Or perhaps you only have held one or two jobs that didn’t last long. In this case, it is advantageous to spend quality time reflecting on what work and/or life experiences may be considered transferable. For a stay at home mother who is looking to enter the workforce, you know how hard it is raising your family. It mirrors a paid job quite well! For example, you could list volunteer experience, such as fundraising for your son’s school library or serving as the game scheduler for the baseball league he belongs to.

For a recent graduate, it would be wise to list school projects, research work, notable papers, and internships/co-op experience. Envision your school projects as work projects – indeed you weren’t getting paid, but the experience you gained is priceless!

In most instances, job seekers should list any computer skills and foreign language abilities. Don’t forget to include the highest level of education achieved. If you have taken some college classes but don’t yet have a degree, you can list the number of credits you earned and name any classes related to the type of work you are seeking.

For job applicants who have an average of five or more years of work experience, you likely would benefit from a two page resume. What I have found with my clients is that the main reason they present a one page vs. a two page resume draft is because they are unfamiliar about how to expand upon their job duties and accomplishments. Most applicants never had the opportunity to take a resume class. A large majority of clients find that writing their own resume is harder than the thought of writing one for someone they know. Part of this may be due to us being too humble. Another part is likely given how self-critical we are. We tend to give less credit to ourselves than we should.

The concept of using P.A.R. statements helps clients’ resumes expand in content. “P” stands for Problem, “A” stands for Action(s), and “R” is for Result(s). Think about what action you did that led to a positive result and solved an employer’s problem or issue. Start each bulleted phrase with an action verb.

Examples of P.A.R. Statements:
• Implemented electronic database and agency management system, resulting in greater efficiency and security.
• Produced and edited YouTube videos that gained 886 subscribers, over half a million views, and resulted in successful YouTube Partnership.
• Created and modified educational plans, enabling students to successfully complete their academic programs within an appropriate time based on their unique needs.

If you are finding it difficult to come up with P.A.R. statements, one technique to try involves asking yourself, “So what?” For example, you work in a hospital lab and use a microscope for the majority of your work. So what? There are bound to be reasons your duties result in positive actions and solve problems or issues within the department. Often we become so used to performing tasks on a regular basis that we lose sight of their importance to our employer and the people you may assist, whether directly or indirectly.

Feeling like your resume could still use improvements? Consider hiring a career counselor to assist you.

Bruce Hazen, MS
Three Questions Consulting
www.threequestionsconsulting.com
brucehazen@cs.com  |  503-280-0151

The Inside Job: CAREER DEVELOPMENT IN-PLACE by Bruce Hazen, MS

In a slow job market or when your organization is in the doldrums and not growing, it doesn’t mean that your professional development has to stop. You can probably develop where you are right now, at least for a while. It’s about progressing not just getting a promotion. The goal is to progress in your capability and competence. If that leads to a promotion, great. If it doesn’t lead to a promotion, you’re still progressing.

One of the biggest mistakes people make is to over-rely on training or education in their definition of “development activities”. The most lasting and dramatic development usually happens in action learning settings, with a mentor or coach, through the use of assessment tools, or through surviving failures.

If your organization has a progressive human resources function you may have just the internal coach you need to design and execute your development plan. If you’re not blessed with such a resource you can use the following tool to start your own, self-reliant development process in whatever job you have.

Personal SWOT Analysis

• Strengths that you can leverage. Be able to name them and describe them out loud to another person. Just thinking about what you’re good at is not adequate for selling those strengths to others who might have cool projects you can work on (I’m an accounting professional who is really good at facilitating meetings and reducing misunderstandings during discussions).
• Weaknesses that you either want to work on or minimize in  your action learning project. (I’ve never needed much skill or knowledge about IT, but there is an ERP platform [Enterprise Resource Planning] in our company’s future and it will include all of us being comfortable and ready to embrace it).
• Opportunities that are all around you for participation and collaboration on small or large pieces of work that you or others need to accomplish. (My boss is a brilliant numbers guy but hates to run cross-functional meetings. I’ll volunteer to lead the ERP coordinating committee within Accounting. I’ll have access to the IT team and will look for someone who is a good explainer to coach me in accelerated learning about the ERP).
• Threats to your development are out there, too. Resources such as time, training, coaches, access to key knowledge holders, the number of members needed for an interesting project are in limited supply. If you’ve scoped them out ahead of time and TAKEN ACTION, you’ll be able to secure some of these needed resources. Maybe you’ve got a boss who is not development-minded at all. You’re at a huge disadvantage if you’re waiting and hoping (s)he will notice you and help you develop. You’ll have to have some persuasive (not just logical or self-serving) justifications for your development plan that serve your boss and the organization’s real business objectives.

Here’s a crucial step people forget to do when they actually get a development in-place opportunity. They neglect to document the measurable benefits they created and the observable skills they developed. Let others know about your development actions. These actions showcase your professionalism and motivation, and are a great way to distinguish yourself from the herd of job competitors internally or externally.

  Gail Nicholson, MA, LPC

www.gailnicholson.com   503-227-4250

Gail is passionate about helping individuals find a deeper connection with their life and work life, and has over 20 years experience as a personal and career counselor, teacher of career and life planning, and facilitator of groups.

Dealing with Depression Part II by Gail Nicholson, MA, LPC

I have a special interest in helping people understand and respond to depression that often accompanies jobs search and career transition. My typical client is interested in finding direction and fulfillment in their life and work life, but has become overwhelmed or discouraged with the process. They may also be suffering from anxiety, depression, self-doubt, or experiencing high levels of stress at work.

As a result of this experience, spanning over twenty years, I am writing a series of three blog articles to help you deal with depression. The first five tips can be found here. I invite you to continue reflecting on the following ideas to help you through unwelcomed discouragement.

6.  Have you considered whether something about your depressing ole job search reminds you of a difficult time in your life?  And your job search feels heavier or more overwhelming because of it.  It’s helpful, for example, to realize looking for a new job reminds you of the challenges you faced as a teenager, moving to a new school every year or two.  The loss of work or sense of direction may bring back feelings of losing a parent, grandparent or spouse.  This unresolved grief triggered by a job loss could be overwhelming.

If you notice such a parallel in your own experience, try to spend time identifying what memories have been triggered by your job search and give them extra attention.  Name, sort, hold and work them through a little more.  Check out a local personal and career counselor.  You’ll feel clearer and less bogged down when it comes time to focus on identifying and exploring your ideas and find work that actually exists, is meaningful and pays the bills.

7. Let’s check your level of self-confidence.  If it’s not where you’d like it to be, there are many things you can do.  First examine limiting beliefs you have about your abilities or what others expect of you.  Appreciate the context of these experiences and try to let go of the hold they have on you now.  Remember, the future has not happened yet, and you are always capable of creating a new beginning at any moment.  Think of encouraging things to say to yourself that defy the past.  If you grew up thinking you were stupid, incompetent and lazy, tell yourself how smart, resourceful and competent you can be.  Give yourself time to turn things around.  Imagine the pace of a large ocean vessel turning out at sea.  Set goals, improve habits and acknowledge your positive results, starting with the small stuff.  Confidence comes from experiencing positive, meaningful accomplishments; get busy creating positive experiences for yourself, personal, social and professional.

8. Is there anything you can pinpoint from past experience that is a weak link in your skill set?  Research opportunities to strengthen or fill in your knowledge base and technical ability to increase your options and enhance self-confidence.  Accomplishing the smallest of tasks can help you change your experience into something you appreciate and boost confidence.

9. What can you do now to surround yourself with living proof of the above?  Start small.  It could be something like spending all afternoon at the library, signing up for that computer class or checking the bios of career counselors who write this blog to find that exceptional career counselor that is right for you.

 November is National Career Development Month, a great time to take one of these steps to overcome depression and discouragement. And, I’ll rejoin you next year as I add the final installment in this series.

Aly Anliker, Ed.M

alyanliker@hotmail.com

            503-891-1108

Aly is a creative organizational and career consultant with over fifteen years of experience in Training Management, Executive Coaching and Instructional Design.  She has a background in Human Resources and Marketing and has worked in a variety of industries including telecommunications, high technology, manufacturing and non-profit.

Your Personal Brand by Aly Anliker

Remember the days when all you had to do to find a job was update your one page resume, look for jobs in the newspaper and then mail in your resume?  I do, and sometimes I miss the simplicity of launching a job search.

But I do find looking for work using social media and personal branding exciting.  If you do too, read on.

What do you think of when you hear the words Personal Branding?  A tattoo?  A stamp with your name on it?  Your personal brand is your unique promise of value, what you are known for and how you clarify and communicate what makes you different, special, and valuable to employers.

These days, in everything you do, especially in a job search, you are communicating about yourself.

It all started with a 1997 article in Fast Company  written by Management Guru Tom Peters.

He suggested you uncover and market The Brand You.  As companies are known for their products, services and cultures, we also want to be known professionally by the people who might hire us.  Think about how you would answer the following questions:

•   What is your professional story?
•  What information do you want to communicate to employer’s and\or customers?
•  What do you want to be known for?
•  What is your vision and purpose?
• What do you value?
•  What are your goals?

The answers to these questions can help you begin to discover your personal brand.  Once you gain clarity on who you are professionally, what you want and what you have to offer, you may want to create and post well-crafted materials where others can quickly glean:

•  Your experience and expertise
•  Your career highlights
•   What defines and differentiates you

So in addition to your resume, what else might you create to communicate your personal brand?  Job seekers are getting creative these days.  Some options are:

• An online profile
• Samples of your work
• A personal marketing plan
• A business card
• A website or blog

These are just a few of the many ways you can communicate to employers and other professionals.

Find out what others in your field are doing to convey a distinct brand.  Get curious and creative about all the ways you can communicate who you are, in person, in writing and online.

In an upcoming blog I will share some thoughts on creating a Social Media Plan and Strategy.

Anne Bryant, MA, LPC
www.annebryantcounseling.com
abccounseling@pobox.com
Combining Mindfulness with Career Counseling

Recently maybe you or one someone you know has experienced a long spell of unemployment. Over the past three decades as I have helped individuals with career transitions and taught Life Work Planning courses using a holistic approach, I have sensed something missing in the process. I understood what it might be in 2010 when I took Mindful Experiential Therapy Approaches (M.E.T.A.) training from Jon Eisman. The training focused on the Re-Creation of the Self (R-CS). Before explaining the missing piece, I will share a little about career counseling.

When you consult with a career professional, you learn that a key to success is to be able to identify your skills, accomplishments, and end results, and then be able to communicate them concisely, verbally and in writing to prospective employers. You need to translate what you are capable of doing in to the language of the employer’s industry. It is important to make it very clear to employers how your experiences would be valuable in their organizations. In order to do this, you must also have learned as much as possible about their businesses.

Many career clients have a tough time identifying their strengths and accomplishments. They think I am asking them for a list of awards and achievements, or that they are expected to boast. No. We all have many more skills than we give ourselves credit for, and we take for granted what we do well. My clients often say to me, “I was just doing my job,”and “Any one could have done what I did.” When people are out of work, no matter how they lost the last job, over time they may also lose their sense of identity and self esteem. From the R-CS perspective, they have lost touch with their innate Organic Self. The missing piece in the career process is how to reconnect with it.

You may be operating from a fragmented state, for example from a Hurt Self that perceives that they have been wronged, wounded or somehow inadequate. According to Jon Eisman, other fragmented states might be the Strategic Self, one that protects you from further wounding; the Survivor State that pursues your original Organic essence and experiences; or from the Spirit in Exile that holds the longing to come home to your Organic Self. Many of my clients, often the most bright and accomplished, report feeling like a phony, a fake, and I suspect that in R-CS terms, they are operating from their “Assumed Adult”, chronologically an adult, but operating from a much younger self.

In order to help career clients re-experience the Organic Self, I offer them an exercise in authenticity. They begin by identifying three to five successfully completed events in the realms of school or work experiences, volunteer activities, other involvements (clubs, sports, political, religious, community, etc.), leisure time, creative expression, projects and life events. Then I ask them to pick two to elaborate in short paragraphs, one involving taking a risk, and one involving work. The key is to choose things that pleased and satisfied them, not whether it was a big deal to anyone else. With prompting from lists of skill words and phrases, including interpersonal and self-management skills and qualities, they are instructed to list which ones were used to make the event a success. Rather than reading what happened, I invite them to tell me their story. I ask what would someone need to do well to have pulled this off? As they talk, I take notes on the skills I heard utilized. As they listen to their own words and then to my list, it delights me to watch clients change from a visibly diminished state to an energized, more expansive one. Before we start incorporating this new information into their job search or career transition, we stop here for a mindfulness moment.

I ask clients to sit comfortably and invite them to close their eyes, notice their breathing, and bring their attention inside, and I do this as well. I ask what body sensations, thoughts, feelings or memories are coming up for them, and we stay with the quality of their experience. The question shifts from what they did to who was it who made all that happen? Whatever answers come, they are encouraged to notice what’s happening without judgement and just stay in the moment. We sit together as time slows, long enough so that clients can connect with a more true sense of themselves. At later sessions before they report on their week’s activities, I invite them to start with a few minutes to go inside and be in the moment, so that they can re-connect with that Organic Self who goes forth with real confidence based on real experiences.

Vicki Lind, MS
www.vlind.com
vlind@teleport.com
503-284-1115
Vicki helps clients develop vibrant careers in Portland’s creative, sustainable, non-profit, and health-care communities. As a career counselor, she assists with tailoring resumes, practicing interviewing, and honing job-search strategies. As a marketing coach, she facilitates identification of a marketing plan that matches the individual.

Gifts From Your Career Transition by Vicki Lind, MS 

Many experts will tell you, “Looking for a job is a full-time, 40-hour-a-week job.” Now that it is after Labor Day you are probably setting a very strict bar for yourself. That advice comes from the east coast or some other land where “success” and “career success” are synonymous. (My New York match-making aunt used to introduce me to young men, commenting, “You’ll like him. He is very successful.”)

In Oregon, we aspire to a successful life that is a balanced life:  time in nature, with family, with arts in balance with a robust career. I recommend for the job searcher, to spend about 30 hours on the search (including networking, strategic volunteering, tailoring resumes) and 10 guilt-free hours enjoying and exploring.

If your guilt-inducing “should” voice needs some evidence, I think about Parado Law, a well-documented economic theory that says that “80% of the results comes from 20% of the work.” After that, productivity keeps decreasing. By the end of a 40 hour week of job-seeking, most people have an irritable disposition, further reducing productivity. Armed with such statistics, it is time to explore and play.

When you establish your weekly goals and make out your calendar, I suggest that you schedule your most energized times of the day for the tasks that you find the most challenging, such as requesting informational interviews or tailoring a resume for a newly posted position. Then, go through notes where you have listed other “shoulds” for job search tactics. Pause to evaluate: which ones are likely to give you the greatest results.  Add one or two of these to your calendar. If you are not sure which actions are the most strategic, it will help to schedule an appointment with a career counselor to sharpen your strategies, both for online branding and personal networking.

Next comes the fun part. Go through this list and select one or two that will refresh and energize you. Enjoy knowing that you can schedule a few guilt-free hours into traditional work hours—a gift from your unemployment to you:

• Visit Portland’s Japanese Garden
• Search out a long-lost friend
• Take a child of any age to OMSI
• Have dinner at a great Portland happy hour, like Bamboo Sushi
• Use a new word, like penultimate or salacious
• Open up to the person nearest to you
• Find out why William Stafford is such a popular local poet
• Open your mind to vegan cheesecake
• Go to the downtown library and admire the steps, and then climb them
• Hang out at Powells
• Walk the loop between the Hawthorne and Steel Bridges
• People watch at Pioneer Square and make up stories about them
• Buy a card at the Audubon book store and send a thank-you to someone who gave you a career tip
• Snuggle in bed with a book of no value to your career
• Cross something really irksome off of your list – without doing it
• Buy produce on Sauvie Island
• Try one of the new food courts
• Take a new path in Forest Park
• Ask yourself a Question. Listen quietly
• Upgrade a technical skill. Try Lynda.com
• Do something that you have always wanted to do
• Get into the new Mindfulness craze, a good reasonably-priced fad
• Take a vacation from your job search without guilt
• Read about someone whose life had purpose

Nearly every client I see indicates that “balance” is one of their most critical career and life values. They do not see that they can start now, using well the gift of time. You have a unique opportunity to learn your personal best formula for balancing work (looking for a job), home, and personal time.