Encore Careers and Stress - Hallie Crawford

Encore Careers and Stress My clients who are seeking an encore career often put themselves under enormous pressure to find the magic bullet that will help them figure out what they want to be and do at lightning speed.  Theyre approaching retirement in a few months and want to have it all figured out like yesterday.  That creates enormous stress and overwhelm and sometimes leads to depression.    It takes time for those AHA moments.  They get revealed slowly over time its a process of exploring with a coach three important components: Who are you:  What are your strengths, passion, interests.  Those answers should lead you to reflecting on how you could use them in your ideal job.  If money were no object, what would you do?  Have you buried a passion that begs to be ignited once again?  How much money do you really need to live on?  Can you relocate?  Do you want to make a difference in the non-profit world?  Would a small or large company be a better option?  Can you be a consultant?  Is this the time to be an entrepreneur?  The Peace Corp has a program for those 50+. What do you want to do?  Brainstorm all kinds of jobs and dont be judgmental.  See what comes up for you.  Sometimes taking an assessment like the Strong Interest Inventory is helpful to see what Top 10 careers make the most sense for you.  Research the Top Companies to Work for in your city.  Once you have some ideas, conduct informational interviews of people who are already in those jobs to uncover salary ranges, educational requirements and whether the job will allow you to use your strengths and skills.  Do the results of your interviews mean you have to go back to school and how does that fit into the financial picture and timing?  Narrow your choices down to one that you will focus on. How are you going to get there?  Between 70-85% of all jobs are found through networking.  So, start beefing up your networking before you leave your job.  This is the most critical thing you can do to find a job.  Having a friend endorse you at a company is the way to land a job.  Create an elevator speech so when you meet people you can let them know what kind of job you are looking for.  Check out professional resume writers who will polish off that 5 page resume and reduce it to 2 pages.  Practice interviewing skills with your coach if you havent interviewed in a long time. The stress of finding an encore career occurs when you are trying to hurry the process.  Ideally, if you know you are retiring from a long career and want a chance at a second career, then start this process 18 months before you leave.  As mentioned above, the networking component takes time and those months will be devoted to meeting and re-establishing relationships.  If you have the financial ability to stop working, you can decompress after you and take the time off to reflect that would be another great way of approaching your quest for an encore career.  Just remember it is a self discovery process, not a magic bullet, to have a second chance at another career. We hope this is helpful to you! Katie Weiser, Career Coach at HallieCrawford.com.

Resume Writing For PhD Applications

Resume Writing For PhD ApplicationsA big part of resume writing for PhD applications is really to make sure that your own personal qualities are written out. It's a very time consuming, but also exciting, process to create a resume that will be quite different from anyone else's resume.There are four parts to any resume. These are the biographical information and your educational accomplishments and degrees. The four parts are very similar in each case, but some applications will have more than one part.When you submit your resume, most likely you will get some information regarding your educational achievements, as well as a list of people's college you are working towards. You can do all this on your own or with the help of a professional writer who specializes in PhD applications. This is done because it is generally very hard to find these things for yourself. For example, it would be extremely hard to find your name on someone's college application.Writing your academic aspects is the most important. You can write about a specific area of study, or about how you have an area of focus. You could also write about any experiences that lead you to take up a particular graduate degree. All of these will be listed under the category of 'academic strengths' and may come under academic skills or work experience.The next part is 'work experience' which includes the types of jobs you have held in recent years. It can be jobs such as teaching, tutoring, working as a researcher, a nurse or an engineer. The entry level positions that are often left blank on resume covers are usually considered as 'work experience' and may not be shown as 'academic strengths'.Abstracts are not just found in resumes. Most likely, they are included on your academic resume cover too. Abstracts are used as summaries of accomplishments.Once you have completed all these parts of the resume, you will also have to write a summary of your job responsibilities and achievements. It may also be nec essary to include a detailed description of your research interests.

Melinda Gates on Her Career Failures, Rebounding

Melinda Gates on Her Career Failures, Rebounding From email typos to missed deadlines, everyone makes mistakes at work sometimes â€" even Melinda Gates. The billionaire philanthropist writes in her new book, The Moment of Lift, that she screwed up often in her early days at Microsoft. But in keeping with how you’d think the sixth most powerful woman in the world would react, Gates figured out a way to bounce back. In fact, she used the failures to her advantage. When Gates joined Microsoft in 1987 as a product manager for Microsoft Word, she says she experienced a “sequence of missteps.” First, she expensed an item she wasn’t supposed to because she didn’t know the procedure, causing her boss’s boss to get involved. She then botched a meeting with that boss by not knowing a crucial statistic about pricing. Gates, who was not married to founder Bill Gates at the time, thought she’d blown it and that her career was over. “After that meeting, I thought, ‘Wow, I may not survive. This is the top manager in my area. I’m one of the few women, I messed up on my expense report, and I misstepped on this,'” she writes. “I remember asking a few people, ‘Can I ever regain this guy’s trust?'” But instead of giving up, Gates learned on the job. She realized that she needed to memorize numbers and deeply understand her customers, so she did. She also threw herself into fixing her relationship with her manager. And it worked. “I ended up better off than if I had expensed things properly and knew the number he’d asked for,” she writes. “Nothing sharpens my focus like a mistake.” Those weren’t Gates’ only errors. She also messed up big time with Microsoft Bob, a $99 product the company devised in 1995 to help people understand Windows. As the group product unit manager, Gates had to take the heat when Bob flopped. Specifically, she had to lead a Bob demonstration even though she knew tech critics hated the idea. “I understood that flops like this were part of the process â€" in fact, we used to joke that you had to have a major failure to get your first promotion â€" but that didn’t make them any more pleasant,” she wrote in a 2017 LinkedIn post. “Failing so hard â€" and so publicly â€" was a new experience entirely. Getting ready for that demo was one of the hardest things I’ve ever done.” Gates and her team decided she would wear a shirt with a target on the back to poke fun at herself. While on stage, she had an epiphany. “As I stood there in that absurd T-shirt, I understood why the old joke about failures leading to promotions existed in the first place,” she said. “They provided a chance to pause, learn something, and choose a new and better direction.” Of course, everything eventually worked out for her. Gates is now the co-chair of the Bill Melinda Gates Foundation, which has made more than $45 billion in grant payments to support people across the globe. Her husband, the second-richest man in the world, isn’t perfect, either: In 2013, he declared the famous control-alt-delete function to be a “mistake” because his computers should have had a single-button reset. So the next time you make a seemingly catastrophic mistake at work, remember that you’re in good company. Then, take Gates’ approach and bounce back better than before.

3 Ways to Ease Writers Block When Completing Federal Applications - Work It Daily

3 Ways to Ease Writers Block When Completing Federal Applications - Work It Daily By CAREEREALISM-Approved Expert, Daphne Houston Yes I know, even for the best of us, sometimes answering those questionnaires and KSAs can seem like a daunting task when completing your federal application. Narrative statements are supplemental statements the federal government uses to evaluate an applicant’s candidacy. Examples include Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities (KSA); Mandatory Professional or Technical Qualifications (MTQ / MPQ); or Executive Core Qualifications (ECQ) for Senior Executive Service (SES) positions. If you are applying for similar types of positions, which you should be doing, here are some tips to make it easier for you to ease your writers block and answer the questions with impact and relevance. 1. Thoroughly review the vacancy and the preview questionnaire. Go through the entire application to make sure you review all of the questions associated with the announcement. Copy and past the questionnaire into word or a text editor. This way you are not trying to answer the questions on the fly in the online application manager. It may be an extra step, but it will save you lots of time and frustration in preparing your resume, KSAs and even helping you determine if the position is right for you. 2. Make a list of your greatest accomplishments (as they relate to the area of expertise for the position). For each accomplishment list, ask yourself the who, what, when, where and why questions. Enjoying this article? You could get the best career advice daily by subscribing to us via e-mail! Enter your email address: | What was the accomplishment? (Led a program, implemented a new process, created the budget.) What was the result of the accomplishment? What challenge was present and then resolved? What actions were taken? What steps were taken? Give concrete, steps here. For example, don’t just state you had meetings. State you “scheduled weekly team members for the task force where you addressed the project milestones” which included: example, example, example. State you tracked the performance weekly and escalated any problems within a 24 hour period. Who? (Who accomplished this - you solo, you as a team? you as leader?) When? What was the timeframe? Was this a year long process? Where? Was it a local, national, multi-site, regional, global? The more detail you give to determine the scope of the accomplishment the better. Why? Why was this problem important to solve? How were others affected? Impacted? For results - Quantify as much as possible. How much revenue was realized? Budget saved? Number of resources reduced? Fewer problems? Better ratings? Raise? Promotion? Recognition? Lessons learned. Even if you failed, frame the lessons learned in a way that shows the reader you understand the failure and used that to build future success. By using the building blocks of accomplishments, you can build a strong database of KSAs, TQs that can be repurposed easily to specifically target each application. For those already in federal roles, you can add current projects to update the KSAs as a strong candidate for the next level. 3. Speak ‘em out loud as you write them. Picture yourself answering the question in a face to face interview situation; even better yet, I’ve actually recorded clients’ responses to get the detail and passion needed to make their KSAs stand out. You can easily record yourself on a digital recorder or on your own voicemail for that matter. All three steps will not only help you stand out from the crowd but will also prepare you for interviews so you can Land That Federal Job. Did you enjoy this article? You can read more articles by this expert here. Also, check out all of our free webinars! CAREEREALISM Expert, Daphne Houston has been in the careers and employment business for over 15 years, helping hundreds of government and non-government clients land jobs and thrive in successful careers. Her certifications include: Certified Federal Resume Specialist, Certified Federal Job Search Trainer, Certified Federal Career Consultant, Certified Job Search Specialist, Certified Performance Based Hiring Expert, and Professional Human Resources. The photo for this article is provided by Shutterstock. Have you joined our career growth club?Join Us Today!

1. Recall your college days

1. Recall your college days. How many times you nearly missed your deadline to your assignment? Not once. It couldnt be twice. It may be thrice. It might be more. How did you beat it? Procrastination would come to mind, but you must have done specific actions. It would take you several minutes to think of one. It wont be long before you figure out the rest. College and the office are two different venues, so you must learn to adjust once more.2. You must play games. Answering a quiz of useless trivia might be fun with your colleagues, but you must know the best time (and place) to do it. And it wont take you weeks to know if they like to play this kind of game. Crosswords and jigsaws might appeal to your workmates who have an introvert nature, but the rest might fancy something else. If you have to do it on your own, then it wont be hard to come up with options. As long as you wont be distracted by it.3. Your brain needs a steady supply of sugar. You would recall your junk food (whil e you finished your assignment). It wont be different in the office, as long as you dont eat too much. It would be hard to beat drowsiness.4. Work it out. A disruption in your routine will help you put into a mood (to write your paper). A walk would be out of the question, though. Eating breakfast with chopsticks seemed like a remote possibility. You might want to read a book upside down.5. Listen to music. Some revel on the sound of Def Leppard while others find their focus on Beethoven. Different folks for different strokes.6. No two days are the same. There are moments when you sense a limit. If it will be half an hour, then dont go beyond that time period. Likewise, it will be possible to coerce yourself (to do more). Theres no such thing as forcing your mind (to do something). Adapt a can-do attitude if its an urgent matter. There are many ways to motivate yourself (to do the task).7. Get away from your desk. What can be a better way to get out of the rut? This might be a good time to get a fresh air. A coffee break can be another option, even a snack. This will surely refresh you.8. You need a blank space. Its not a reference to a Taylor Swift song, but rather a clear desk. Youll be able to concentrate on it, as you visualize a single point. Focus on it. The rest will follow.9. A cooperation with your workmates will do. If theres a need to keep quiet (to focus on the tasks at hand), then an agreement might do. It shouldnt be written in stone, though.10. Know thyself. You must determine your peak hours, which is the time of the day where youll be the most productive (in the office). Observe your habits, even your body language. This will take some time, but youll gain more from this exercise.

The Fundamentals of Verbs to Use on Resume Business Writing You Can Benefit From Beginning Today

The Fundamentals of Verbs to Use on Resume Business Writing You Can Benefit From Beginning Today The use of your resume is to paint an image of the kind of employee that you are able to be. Unless you get a fantastic reason to broaden your variety, the below success verbs can cover fruchtwein bullets you may think about. You only have to understand how to produce effective use of resume templates. A well written resume with the aid of professional resume templates can grab the interest of the employer and earn good impression. The Fundamentals of Verbs to Use on Resume Business Writing Revealed Thus, make sure that you use powerful action verbs. Whats more, you must avoid overusing exactly the same verbs. The most suitable action verbs also get rid of the demand for adverbs, and in some instances, adjectives. Employing strong action verbs depict that youre a prospective candidate. Things You Should Know About Verbs to Use on Resume Business Writing You must highlight cer tain abilities and experiences while putting in an application for a specific job. If want to get the job, youve got to standout. If want to get the job, then you need to be eager to indulge in a small conceit. Youre not in the work anymore, its in your past. Business writing is a kind of expert communication. Or, in the fest the work description claims they need a person who knows the way to streamline processes, make sure to use the verb streamlined somewhere. No matter which you ultimately wind up using writing a draft of your resume in each can help you concentrate on results and abilities that future employers want. You would like to highlight your abilities and experiences by employing short, powerful sentences. The Dos and Donts of Verbs to Use on Resume Business Writing A strong expert writer can figure out the way to address that in a manner that keeps it complete, clean, and professional. Resume writing may be an easy job if you understand how Its also important to think about the sort of work you genuinely wish to be hired to do. If your language is the very same as everyone elses, it is going to be difficult for you to stand out. New Questions About Verbs to Use on Resume Business Writing An effective resume is crucial in the industry world. Action verbs offer power and muscle for superior geschftsleben writing. You are also able to get a feeling of the internal language used within a specific industry or company. Hearsay, Deception and Verbs to Use on Resume Business Writing You wish to be concise in your letter, not rumble together with long sentences. Copy and paste the text into Wordle and inspect the important phrases to see whether youve included similar wording in your draft. Its fine to leave in a couple of the previous verbs. Employing action verbs and active voice makes a big difference in your resume, therefore its well worth the excess effort.

Coping With a Boss Who Goes TMI

Coping With a Boss Who Goes TMI Consider this scenario you walk into your managers office ready to discuss a recent revenue dip.Instead of examining the line graph in your hands, your anfhrer holdsup an X-ray and begins to explainthe consequences of a recent major surgery. Workplace TMI (too much information, in case youve never heard the acronym before) can causeextreme awkwardness and dwindling respect, and it can be especially troubling when your boss is the culprit. When your supervisor violates the generally accepted rules of workplace discourse with TMI, it is essential to respond with the exact opposite behavior. Be appropriate and be professional.Here is some advice for dealing with a boss who shares inappropriate informationFirst, identify the reason behind the bosss story. To properly handle any instance ofTMI, it is important to understand why a person is giving you all that unnecessary information. Whydoes your boss feel compelled to detail how zu sich last one-night stand went awry? Is it possible that she is trying to bond with you? Is your supervisor sharing thebest remedies for UTIs to subtly explain why she has been taking so many sick days?If you are able to determine the rationale behind the TMI, you can address the cause with a proper workplace action. For example, if the boss is trying to bond with you, grab lunch with her.You can chat about your families, hobbies, and other topics, rather than sexual escapades.Abedrngnisher tactic is to change the subject to something more relevant to work. Sometimes an abrupt change in topic is all your boss needs to realize that theyhave crossed the line. Offering an unexpected change in topic brings your boss back into the reality of the social situation. This method wont offend or embarrass, but will convey your discomfort effectively.If you find it difficult to get a word in while your boss rambles on with their TM I, you can usenonverbal cues to show your supervisor that you are not sure how to respond. Glance at the door, angle your body away from the speaker, or check the time on your cellphone repeatedly. Showing that you are disengaging from the conversation lets your bossknow that you are not interested in engaging with the material being shared.If body language doesnt work, resist the urge to join in. You may see it as a way to ease the awkwardness or fit in, but two TMIs do not make a right. Despite the precedent your boss has set, they could balk at your personal story, or your sharing could escalate the conversation to whole new level of too much information.Finally, lock up the conversation in your mental vault. Regardless of how you choose to combat workplace TMI, its absolutely necessary to internalize the material forever. Sharing it with your coworkers may score you some points, but no matter how open your boss may have seemedat the time, TMI is not meant for group consumption. Stories have a tendency to transform as they passfrom person to person.By the time the story circles back to your boss, you could end up looking like a gossip instead of an innocent listener.