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10 REASONS WHY YOU NEED A CAREER COACH

career-coaching-providing-direction-career-coach-certification3[1]Many people are fearful of asking for help with their job search or career change. We think that’s crazy – just straight up nonsense. Would you perform surgery on yourself if you needed it, or pull your own tooth out?

Here are the top 10 reasons you need a career coach in 2016…

  1. You could see a 3X return on your investment.

According to a survey in this article, wellness programs have been shown to provide approximately a 300% return on investment (ROI). In other words, companies who spend $1 in a wellness program earn $3 as a result of decreased turnover, fewer sick days, reduced health insurance costs, etc. – it’s no wonder wellness programs have experienced such tremendous growth — it makes financial sense.

  1. Your relationships will improve.

Another study shows professional coaching has even greater impact on things like relationships and teamwork. The study says recipients of coaching saw a 77% improvement in relationships, 67% improvement in teamwork, 61% improvement in job satisfaction and 48% improvement in quality.

  1. You’ll have more positivity in your life.

Career coaches are trained to focus on positive outcomes and to be a source of motivation. They tailor their efforts to help you find greater satisfaction. Since no two people are the same, having a career coach ensures you are getting assistance that speaks to your wants and needs – not someone else’s.

More importantly, it’s been proven the best way to get what you want is to surround yourself with positive people. Unfortunately, that’s not always the case with family and friends. So, hiring a career coach ensures you’ve got at least one positive influence in your life!

  1. You’ll be following in the footsteps of star performers.

One outdated stigma is career coaching is for people who are under-performing or troubled.

On the contrary!

Most smart folks who seek out career coaching do so because they want to be high performers and feel satisfied with their efforts. In the article above, according to Paul Michelman, editor of  Harvard Business School’s Management Update , “Whereas coaching was once viewed by many as a tool to help correct underperformance, today it is becoming much more widely used in supporting top producers. In fact, in a 2004 survey by Right Management Consultants, 86% of companies said they used coaching to sharpen the skills of individuals who have been identified as future organizational leaders.”

So, by choosing to invest in coaching, you are saying to the world you believe in yourself and your ability to be a star performer!

  1. It doesn’t take up a lot of time.

Many people assume coaching is like working out, you need to do it daily to see any results.

Not true!

Good coaches understand you need to work professional development into your schedule. Moreover, studies show just a few hours/month can have a huge impact. The article above states best practices in coaching call for between two and four sessions per month that last at least 20 minutes and up to 60 minutes.

A sweet spot for many coaches and clients seems to be three sessions per month for 20 to 45 minutes a session – a miniscule investment of time for the results achieved.

  1. Career coaches tell you what you NEED to hear.

While you may be friendly with your career coach, they are not your friend – they are your advocate for change. Unlike your family and friends are opinionated and bias about you and your career, a career coach will look at you objectively and strive to empower you to take the necessary actions to achieve your goal.

In short, while the people in your life tend to tell you what you want to hear, your career coach will be honest and tell you what you need to hear to make your career goals a reality.

  1. You could get your employer to pay for it.

For the longest time, companies have only paid for their executives to have career coaches – but that trend is changing.

According to the CBS MoneyWatch article, online shoe and clothing company Zappos.com, known for their outstanding commitment to creating a culture of unparalleled customer service (they even teach this through Zappo-insights), has a full-time goals coach who works with any employee – not just management – on helping them create better lives.

Now is the time to see if your company is considering budgeting for career coaching services as part of their benefits program. With all the surveys showing the positive impact it has, there’s a good chance your employer may see value in footing the bill for your career coach.

  1. They’ll help you break bad habits.

A good coach will never tell you what to do. Instead, they’ll help you identify habits that are holding you back from success. Then, they’ll coach you on the actions you should take to learn new, better ways to accomplish your goals.

In short, coaches teach you how to remove roadblocks to success on your own – ensuring you can do this for yourself both now and in the future.

  1. It shows you think like an executive.

The article above indicates some executives will pay as much as $3,500/hour for a particular coach.

Yikes!

That’s too rich for our blood, but it goes on to say most personal coaches charge a monthly retainer between $500 to $2,000 a month.

What this means is either there are a lot of really silly executives wasting their money on coaching each month or they are getting results that makes them feel it’s worth the investment.

  1. You deserve better in your career.

Forget the economy for a second and just ask yourself, “Do you deserve better?” If the voice in your head says, “Yes!” then you need to take action.

Let’s face it: If you could have found greater career satisfaction on your own, you would have by now. So, why not give yourself some well-deserved support that will help you get what you want and deserve in 2016.

We spend a third of our lives at our jobs – isn’t it time you felt good about your career?

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5 Reasons A Career Coach Is Well Worth The Splurge

career-coaching[1]I once was a single mom, one day, in the midst of a rather stressful economic stretch, a giant rainstorm came. In no time at all, it was raining in my dining room.  As one who has long been a resourceful, scrappy do-it-yourselfer, I recall having a moment of temporary insanity during which I pondered ways I could remedy this most unfortunate, highly overwhelming situation myself. I thought, “I can figure this out! I can do this myself!”

But the reality was (and still is), I don’t know the first thing about roof repair and I completely hate heights. So, after much sighing, I counted up my pennies, called around for a referral and found the best roof guy I could possibly afford.

My problem was fixed, in a very short period of time. In spite of my limited funds, I’d recognized that this was no time to half-ass my way through the project on my own; it was time to bring in the pros.

So how about when you’re looking for a new job? When is it time to ditch your DIY plans and bring in the big guns? When is it time to hire a career coach?

Here are five such instances:

  1. You’re Flat-Out Stuck

The easiest thing for me to do right here would be to launch into the age-old, “What’s the definition of crazy?” speech. I’ll refrain (especially since I just admitted that I was seriously contemplating fixing my own roof).

But, for real. If you’re feeling at an impasse and totally unsure about how to get yourself out of the muck and back rolling, stop right there and bring in a professional.

What type of pro should you engage? This is an important question, because not all coaches are alike, personality-wise, process-wise or core area of focus-wise. If you’re stuck in terms of your direction, you’ll want to find a career coach who specializes in the exploratory work that would precede the actual job search. I call these the “What Color Is My Rainbow?” coaches. Often, this person will have you take some sort of talents or strengths assessment test (e.g., StrengthsFinder or Myers-Briggs) and then, together, you’ll work through the types of roles that may be most suitable and meaningful.

If you have a decent idea of what you want to do next, but simply aren’t making progress in your job search, consider someone who actually specializes in job search strategy. (Yes- that’s a thing) Coaches in this arena will typically take a look at what you’re doing (and what you’re not doing), review the “paperwork” you’re using to market yourself (resume, LinkedIn profile, you know the drill) and then help you build or fine-tune a game plan and revise your materials to line up with your desired direction.

Allowing yourself to slunk around in stuck mode for too long can be damaging to your mental and physical health, and (at worst) detrimental to your long-term career. If you can’t seem to get out of the sludge, hire someone  to help excavate you.

  1. You’ve Sent Out (Insert Big Number Here) Resumes Without Success

I once worked with a client who hired me only after applying for 429 jobs within six months. He’d received precisely three replies. That’s 2.35 jobs a day, every single day, for six months. And three replies. You can imagine his mood and level of frustration by the time he got to our doorstep.

Now, we were fortunately able to swiftly decipher what was going wrong (his resume was not aligned to his target market, and he was doing zero networking through the search process) and construct a new plan. This helped him start landing interviews within five weeks of our initial meeting.

If this sounds remotely like you, stop what you’re doing and think about enlisting a coach who understands how this works. So many job seekers don’t understand how, specifically, the process works today. They know nothing about the resume scanning software that typically reviews applications before a human ever lays eyes on it, no less how to strategize around the so-called resume black hole.

A career coach—particularly one who understands the recruitment process inside and out—can help you understand the game, and enable you to avoid the endless rounds of “apply now,” “apply now,” “apply now” that so many of us endure.

  1. You’re Attempting A Major Career Pivot

Making any sort of job transition can be challenging at best. Making a major career pivot? Lord have mercy. These sorts of moves can drive even the best of us to near lunacy.

Rather than flying by the seat of your pants through a big transition, sleuth out a coach with experience in these types of moves. You want to find someone who can help you talk through the rationale behind your desires, evaluate how realistic the move may be and then construct a strategy and (potentially) a new resume to support this new direction.

  1. Interviewing Paralyzes You

If you’re making it to the point at which potential employers are inviting you in for interviews, huge congrats. This is a big accomplishment considering how cutthroat the competition is for a lot of positions.

But what happens if, after you land these meetings, you go into crash and burn mode every time you walk through their doors? I’ll tell you what happens: You don’t land a new job. And that’s pretty much the entire purpose of this whole song and dance.

If you’re someone who goes all deer-in-the-headlights upon seeing a hiring manager in the flesh, bring in the pros, stat. Find someone who will conduct mock interviews with you, walk you through the process and help you strategize on how you’ll deal with each step and potential scenario. There’s no point in hustling your rear end off to capture an employer’s interest if you’re going to freeze the millisecond the rubber meets the road. Get help.

 

  1. You’d Rather Have A Root Canal Than Deal With Networking

This is a big one for so many people. Networking is hard for most people—so hard that plenty avoid it and, instead, stick with applying for job after job via online application.

In order to accelerate your search, you need to get comfortable with engaging your network. You need to learn how to cultivate new relationships with people working at the companies you’ve got your eye on. You’ve got to understand that most hiring managers will look at the resume of someone who has been referred long before one that comes in among the big blob of other online applicants.

And if this makes you freak right the heck out, this would be yet one more instance in which you need to hire someone who understands (and is good at) networking (and, preferably, LinkedIn). And, yes, that’s a thing too.

Look, I get it. Sometimes, you have people around you insisting that you can do all of this by yourself. A few may even imply there’s something wrong with you if you can’t pull it off on your own. And every now and then, it’s going to be your own inner critic making you feel ridiculous for needing help in the first place.

But if one of the above scenarios is yours, ignore them all. Some projects just aren’t meant to be a do-it-yourself production. Know your capabilities, know your limitations. Strategize accordingly. Hire a career coach if you think it’s the best decision for you.  And for heaven’s sake: Don’t settle for endless dinners in the rain.

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Career Transition Doesn’t Have to be Scary Espisode # 1

Have you recently experienced a lay off or find yourself dissatisfied with your current career? Have you wanted to make a change for some time now and are afraid to make that firs step?

Click the link below and learn tips about transitioning to a new career. In this espisode, Katrina Brittingham CPRW, the owner of VentureReady LLC interviews Marie Zimenoff from the Career Confidante. http://www.voiceamerica.com/episode/80401/career-transition-doesnt-have-to-be-scary

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Five Things Only Weak Managers Say

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We used to think that a strong manager was someone who could speak firmly, but we’ve evolved. Now we see that any idiot can raise his voice and sound commanding. That doesn’t make you a leader!
Real leaders are people who don’t bring the hammer down, because the hammer is only given to them by virtue of their title, which was conferred on them by somebody else. The hammer — the power to punish or withhold good things –  is the instrument of fear and control.
Strong leaders trust themselves enough to trust the people they’ve hired. They lead by example. They don’t lead through fear, by making their employees afraid to cross them.
Here are five things only weak managers say. If you’ve heard any of these weakling pronouncements coming out of the lips of your manager, that’s a sign!
It’s a sign that you’re wasting your talents working under Mr. or Ms. Fearful. Time to pack up your bag of tricks and take it where it’ll be appreciated!
 
I Don’t Care How You Do It – Just Get It Done!
This is what weenie weakling managers say when they get stressed out. It’s the ultimate “Screw you!” to a team member, because it says “I won’t help you — I’m busy. Figure it out yourself!”
That’s not leadership. The implied threat in “Just get it done!” is that if you don’t get it done, you’ll get fired or lose brownie points on the job.
You don’t have time to work for anyone who talks to people like this. It sounds like a line from a bad movie. Leave this turkey manager behind you and find a manager with blood running through his or her veins — not zombie juice!
I Don’t Make the Rules – I Just Enforce Them
Let’s break this down logically. You’re the manager, but you don’t make the rules? Okay, then why are you a manager? There are policies that come down from higher up and you’re forced to follow them – really? You don’t have a tongue, teeth and vocal cords to speak up about things that matter?
Every manager’s job is to speak up and tell the truth to higher-ups, whether they want to hear it it or not. If you’re just a rubber stamp on somebody else’s rules and policies, then give back the “manager” title and call yourself something else (“sycophant” or “doormat” spring to mind).
 
I Don’t Pay You to Think
“I don’t  pay you to think” is code for “Don’t tell me your ideas, because I get easily threatened, and when someone says something smart that I didn’t think of on my own, I feel bad about myself.”
We can feel sympathy for a manager who’s mired in fear, but get out from under him or her first – then you can feel sympathy from a safe distance!
 
That’s Your Personal Problem, Not Mine
What is leadership? It means that people want to follow you. They trust your judgment and guidance.
When you tell people outright “I couldn’t care less about your personal priorities” you’ve told them all they need to know about your relationship. They are nothing to you — so why should they lift a finger to help you reach your goals?
 
If You Don’t Want the Job, I’ll Find Someone Who Does
This is the sound of fear in action! Fear is entangled in this obnoxious threat in two ways.
For starters, the weakling manager who threatens your job this way is trying to make you afraid with his or her puny power to punish you. Don’t be afraid of anyone pathetic enough to invoke this tired threat. They have no personal juice.
You might decide to clamp  your lips together and walk away from a manager who threatens you, but no one would blame you if you said “Really? You’ll find someone else for my job? That’s odd — if I’m not the right person for the job, why am I still here?”
The second way fear shows up in this time-honored weak-manager threat is that the manager who says these words is showing you that he or she is afraid. What are they afraid of? They’re afraid to be real — to show their human side.
The only time weenie managers throw out this threat is when an employee has expressed frustration or dissatisfaction with the way the department is run.
The manager’s angry threat is his or her way of saying “I’m doing the best I can, okay? I’m not sure how to do my job.” They can’t be that honest — they are afraid to show any vulnerability — so they lash out with a threat instead.
Life is long, but it’s still too short to waste another year in a job that doesn’t grow your flame. Maybe this is the moment for you to plan your next adventure!
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FOR THOSE WHO LIKE THEIR COMPANY AND WANT TO ADVANCE YOUR CAREER

It goes without saying that the simplest way to impress your boss is usually to be great at everything you do. However, it will take more than merely meeting deadlines and delivering results to obtain management’s attention and quickly climb up the corporate ladder.
Trying to find new methods to be noticeable to the higher-ups? Here are a few noteworthy tips to assist you on how to impress your management team and take your career to another level.
Help build the business.
Every organization is worried about improving its bottom line. Helping your employer grow its business can make you an asset to the team and boost your chances for advancement. It doesn’t matter whether you’re hired to code the business’s site or answer customer service inquiries; continually be looking for occasions to market your organization and generate new business opportunities.
Although it isn’t required to become “a walking billboard for your employer, it is always good to keep a keen awareness of the opportunities that surround you, whether you’re in a coffee line or a board meeting.”
Offer something new.
You can’t advance if no-one knows who you are or what you can bring to the table. It’s important to build a positive and confident reputation among your colleagues, at and away from your desk.
Make the most of your individual interests and offer them to the organization. Deliver a seminar on triathlete training or lead a starter yoga class. Head a fundraiser for a charity that’s dear to your heart or offer to coordinate a blood drive for the American Red Cross.
Not only can this demonstrate your commitment to the business, but it will provide you with the opportunity to network with colleagues outside of your department. It’s a win-win situation.
Fail at something.
Ryan Holmes, CEO of Hootsuite, believes there are two kinds of failure: failure as a result of incompetence and failure due to ambition. “A great boss recognizes the difference between the two and respects employees who fail for the latter reason,” he says.
Holmes not admires those willing to take on overly ambitious projects from time to time; he also doesn’t hold it against them if things don’t come out as planned.
Does your organization support people that are willing to take an educated risk for the main benefit of the business enterprise?  If that’s the case, perhaps it’s time for you yourself to raise your hand and take a chance.

 

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Career Quotes

Learning how to sell yourself in a job search is the most important skill you will ever need, no matter what job you have.

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10 Ways to Be Sensationally Successful At Your New Job

For those who are starting a new position and want to be SUCCESSFUL, here are a few tips.  Click Here

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Little-Known Programming Languages that Pay

There is no shortage of programming languages.  But if you want to learn languages that could potentially land you a free lance gig, or even a full-time job.  Then check this out.  Click Here

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New Year, New Career Strategy

The New Year is a time when we consider our current status in life and resolve to make changes.  For many, a transition to a new career may be one of those resolutions. Each year my clients ask me about career trends for the upcoming year. VentureReady LLC has developed a list of trends and tips you should consider in order to make the most of your career search in 2015.
2015 Career Trends
 
Increased Hiring – Unemployment has decreased to its lowest rate since 2008 according to the board of labor and industry.  There are less job seekers who have been searching for employment for more than one year.  Therefore, if you are seeking employment because you have been recently laid off or are seeking a change, 2015 is a wonderful time to start search for a new opportunity.
Increased Resignations – More people will resign from positions that they are unhappy with. This is a good sign as it shows professional are more confident in successfully attaining another job with higher pay or has other benefits to fit their lifestyles (i.e. work/life balance).  A word to the wise – It is still a good practice to find another job before quitting your current position.
Higher Wages – There is a trend toward higher wages in 2015. If you are worth more than what you are currently making, go to resources like payscale.com and salary.com. Armed with this information, you will be able to negotiate more effectively. Your manager could deny your request, but you have a higher chance of getting a raise than in previous years.
LinkedIn – More employers and professionals are using LinkedIn as a tool for seeking candidates and searching for a new position. Recruiters and employers my still reach out to you for positions even if you are not actively seeking employment. LinkedIn provides you the opportunity to share more information about your accomplishment by allowing links to projects, videos, and slide show presentations that display your aptitudes.
 
Continuing Education – More professionals are building developing new skills with advanced degrees, certifications and training. Employees are more optimistic about the economy rather than being concerned with losing employment. Employers are looking to develop employees in order to keep them happy because they realize that with that talented candidate can be found with ease even when they are not actively seeking positions due to social media sites like LinkedIn.
2015 Career Search Strategies
These strategies will assist you with your career search in 2015. Use the tips below to develop an action plan and you will see results sooner than not having one because you will be able to track your progress.
Network – You will have a lot of competition when you allow for an advertised position.  Tailoring your resume or CV to the job description will help you stand out, but networking will give you an edge that most candidates will not have.
Use your personal referrals and online contact in order to come to the attention of hiring managers. Personal contacts can be family members, friends, colleague and prior managers, or supervisors.  Follow the company on social media sites like LinkedIn, Twitter and Facebook, join the same communities and groups. Find out how the company could benefit from your education and/or experience.
Tap into associates through volunteer activities and professional associations. You can get a chance to make a positive impression with a decision maker while chatting with him/her during an association meeting or event.  During the discussion you could mention that you can mention what your skills are and that you are looking for an opportunity.
Interviewing – Mastering the interview is just like mastering any other skill. The more you practice, the more confident and proficient you will become. Research the type of questions you may encounter during the interview based on your industry and do a mock interview with a friend, or career specialist. Use your contacts to find someone who knows the company/industry and ask them what the current issues are.
Show the interviewer how well you’ve researched the role and, be ready to demonstrate how you can make a real difference in the role. That’s what a hiring manager wants to know.  VentureReady LLC’s Career Readiness Consultants are advocates for bringing career portfolios to an interview.  This booklet is a powerful tool that will have samples of your work that brings proof of your accomplishments and experience. A career portfolio should also have work samples so that the hiring manager can get a clear picture of what you will bring to the company and the position.  This doesn’t mean you won’t get a difficult question during the interview, but it does mean you be in a position to answer it with poise and confidence.
Ask the interviewer questions.  This will not only show that you are interested in the position, but also that you were paying attention.  The interview will not reveal everything about the position.  This is also a chance to get more information on the position, the management style and the company culture that you cannot get from online research.
It is also a good idea to have a 90-day plan when you interview with the hiring manager. This will give the interviewer a picture of you performing the job.  Click here for more information on 90-day plans
Temp Agencies – Building a strong relationship with the agencies will ensure your success in securing a position. You must be the first person that comes to mind when a new assignment comes in. You can be that person by meeting the staff at the agency face-to-face. Prove yourself as a reliable worker, by taking any and every assignment offered at first. Occasionally call them and inquire about available assignments.
Blogging –If you want to get your name out there, help build up contacts and start networking try blogging. It can be a challenge to fit your dream career around your commitments, but there’s often more than one way into a role.  If you are a subject matter expert, blogging will help you to share that knowledge on a large scale and establish you as an expert in the industry.
 
LinkedIn – Maximize your LinkedIn experience. Do not simply post a profile and assume hiring managers will flood your inbox. Join groups and associations with shared professional interests, and then contribute to the discussions.
Be Patient – Every situation is different but on the whole most people do have to take a salary cut, before they can move forward in a career transition. It is imperative to see a career transition as a long-term process.
Corporate training programs such as trainee roles tend to have fixed salaries with little or no flexibility. An abstract job search may give you with more negotiation power by appealing to employers with your experience and transferable skills.
Relocating – When deciding on relocating for a position you must decide on how far are you willing to move.  You should consider if there are any areas of the country or the world you would like to go to as well as area you do not.  Clarifying where you want to go will help to focus your job search. Why do you want to relocate? You are the only person who can decide if the transition is worth it.
Returning to the Workforce – This year we had clients who were returning to the workforce after a long illness. They were concerned that they would have to reveal their health issues to the employer. We inform our clients that their illness should only be revealed on a need-to-know basis.
If the past illness affects your performance on the job, then it’s better to inform the employer upfront, then to wait until you are hired. If you have overcome this challenge, then there is no need to bring it up.  If you have gaps in your career history because of it, you can mention it in the interview, but let me know that this is a past challenge.
If you are returning to the workforce after caring for young children you’re an illness in the family, this is an understandable gap.  Work on your explanation for the gap in employment so you are not taken off guard by the question.  Preparing for the question will also allow you to be confident in your answer and enable you to reassure the employer that you are ready to reenter the workforce.  You have also gained transferable skills.  If you need assistance with identifying these skills, you should find a certified career professional.
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Katrina Brittingham, M.B.A., MSA, CPRW is the owner of VentureReady LLC. Katrina’s skills and areas of expertise include resume and cover letter writing, career and interview readiness coaching; creating dynamic 90-day business plans and thank you letters. She received two Master degrees in Business Administration and Accountancy from Rosemont College and the University of Phoenix.  Katrina is a certified professional resume writer and is an active member of the Professional Association of Resume Writers and Career Coaches as well as the National Resume Writers Association of which she is a member. She is a contributor to the best-selling 50 Seeds of Greatness as well as the author of career related manuals including, Create an Interview Winning Résumé and The complete Interview Readiness Guide. For more information or to book Katrina visit www.ventureready.net, or email her atinfo@ventureready.net. 
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