Outstanding Resumes and Cover Letters are Essential to Getting a Job

By Keith Pollow

Your cover letter and resume are the most important items that will either help you get a job interview or will get you a rejection letter or no calls. These documents represent your introduction to your potential employer so you need to make sure they both stand out from all of the other resumes and cover letters. This is because when an employer reads your resume, he or she will be able to determine whether you will be contacted for an interview. This means the cover letter and resume are vital tools you need to achieve success in your job search.

Because the economy and job market are just starting to bet back on its feet, job posting have become increasingly more competitive. For this reason, it is essential that your resume and cover letter must stand out from all of the other resumes, which could be hundreds or thousands, in the pile of resumes. If you are currently out of work and looking for a new job creating a professional and eye-catching resume is vital to getting the job interview.

A resume should contain all of your skills that include your most recent acquired skills, experience, and education. It should also be well organized, focused around the specific job you are applying for and not a generic resume and it should also be very accurate with no lies. It is important to make sure that you note any certificates, awards, job promotions you received in the past, and conferences, leadership training, and work shops attended. It is essential to tailor all of your skills, education, and experiences to fit the specific job in which you are applying.

A resume is your greatest instrument to getting a job and a well-written and professional resume makes all the difference. A substandard or unprofessional resume will lead to missed job opportunities. You have to make sure your resume does not contain poor grammar and spelling errors, irrelevant info, and should not be poorly structured and badly organized. It will only cause the potential employer to toss the resume. You should also learn as much as possible about the company and what the company sees as a valuable employee. It will be very beneficial at the job interview as you will impress the employer. Also, following up after a job interview is essential to showing the employer how interested you are in the job.

When it comes to your cover letter, it is important to state the position you are seeking in the company and the vital points that will catch the reader’s attention and cause him or her to want to read through the resume. A professionally written cover letter will give you a competitive edge over the other job seekers. A good cover letter highlights the most important qualities that will make you a valuable employee for the particular company. A professional cover letter and well-rounded job focused resume are essential tools to getting the job interview and ultimately the job.

Careerbuilder.ca provides job seekers with a large number of potential job postings online. Visit them today to find the jobs in Vancouver or Finance jobs that suit you.

Zrii Home Based Business Review

Copyright © 2012 Colon R Bolden

Zrii is a fairly new company and is making headlines in the health and wellness industry due to the partnership with Chopra Center for Well being. Zrii is lead by a team of direct sales, network marketing and business professionals with a vast background of experience. The company is based out of Utah. Zrii is a nutritional drink formulated using 7 different herbs and fruits, contains no preservatives and is absolutely 100 percent natural. It is designed to increase your health and general well being.

Zrii is a company that uses the network marketing business model to sell a liquid nutritional beverage made from the greatest rejuvenator known in the plant kingdom by the name amalaki. The company is founded by a self made business tycoon, William F. Farley, who is said to be worth close to a billion dollars.

William Farley has a close relationship with the Chopra Center and is or once was the owner of successful companies such as Fruit of the Loom, BVD, Anaheim Citrus Products, and the list goes on. To add to his resume, Mr Farley is also a partner with the Chicago White Sox baseball organization. The Chopra Center for Wellbeing is a very credible endorser for such a drink as Zrii. The Chopra center is headed by no other than Dr. Deepak Chopra, one of the world’s greatest leaders in the field of mind-body medicine.

Zrii – pronounced as Zree – is a health drink that’s based on ancient Ayurveda medicine, which has a history of 5,000 years. Zrii juice is a health drink that claims to improve health and promote healthy living. There are seven key ingredients in Zrii, with the main ingredient being Amalaki – a small fruit grown in India. The other six ingredients include: Haritaki, Tulsi, Turmeric, Ginger, Jujube, and Schizandra.

The juice itself is a nice red color and as you pour it into your glass you can see how hearty the drink is from all the herbs and seeds that stick to the side of the glass. Like with all health drinks, you always wonder how good does it taste. Especially since Zrii is an ayurvedic formulation that combines many herbs with the famous amalaki fruit. Having such a wide range of benefits is a marketers’ dream, and, not surprisingly, it is marketed for a wide range of conditions such as obesity and its implications of heart disease, stroke, diabetes, cancer, and to promote longevity.

The Zrii process involves a world-class team of Western medical doctors, Ayurvedic physicians and chemistry doctors, along with nutrition PhDs that decided to create a formulation unlike any other product on the market. A combination of select herbs and fruits that completely unlocks the potency of amalaki. I found this concept to be incredibly revolutionary, and so much more unique than what other network marketing companies in the nutritional industry are doing.

Liquid Nutritional products are the wave of the future. Our bodies accept liquids much quicker than other forms of nutrients. And there are no toxic glues to break down like there are in tablets. Also kids and elderly alike often prefer liquids to having to swallow a pill. So maybe your friend has told you about the wonderful product of Zrii.

Zrii is a wonderful business opportunity if you’re into the health and wellness industry. If you are looking for a business that’s going to teach you how to market like the gurus and get paid learning at the same time. Check out Colon Bolden’s 5 dollar money bomb business that’s supplying the right training information.

Determining Which Business Insurance Type Is Ideal For Your Business

There are many insurance providers in Australia that offer small business insurance plans and most of these plans are flexible. These providers supply one or more types of insurance to protect business owners from potential risks such as a robbery, damage along with other losses. The following are details about the kinds of business protection plans made available through popular insurance firms in Australia.

Regular Business Protection Plans
Small businesses are offered regular plans that protect the entrepreneur from losses due to certain events such as theft, fire and natural disasters. These plans ensure that the entrepreneur’s business stock and contents are all protected by the insurer. These plans also provide additional protection against certain insured events, which were selected by the policy holder. Machinery damage and deterioration of stock are also usually covered by these plans. Majority of these plans also offer protection for loss or damage to the glass front of the building. Certain business protection plans also offer public liability insurance as part of business protection plans. Business protection plans are flexible and can be customized to suit the buyer’s budget and other requirements.

Home Business Protection Plans
Home business protection plans are ideal for people who work from home and who also wants to protect their contents and stock from certain events. These plans also offer comprehensive coverage for both private and business vehicles against accidents and theft. These plans require the policy holder to insure certain events in order to get the benefits offered. Certain plans also offer a public liability cover as part of home business plans.

Public Liability Plans
Public liability insurance protects the entrepreneur when he is deemed responsible for a loss of life, damage to property or a personal injury of a third party. These plans ensure that entrepreneurs are not held liable for mistakes made at work and that he can resume work without worrying about legal problems. The main benefit of opting for a separate public liability insurance plan is that, stand alone plans offer a higher compensation limit and stand alone plans also offer additional benefits.

Commercial Property Insurance
This type of business insurance offers protection for contents, fixtures and fittings against possible losses, damages and theft. Majority of the plans also offer cover for the glass front of the building. A back in business cover may also be offered for certain insured events. Public liability cover may also be offered with this type of insurance.

6 Ideas For Improving Your Retail Business’s Profitability

The reason why you operate your retail industry firm is to generate as much revenue as you possibly can. This is the goal of pretty much all stores, large and small

Although the goal is straightforward, attaining it is frequently challenging. Increasing sales and revenue while keeping prices balanced is going to clearly increase your shop’s earnings, however these too are goals rather than straightforward tasks. How can you achieve them

Furthermore, does it symbolize the only path toward better income?

In this post, we’ll recommend a number of aspects of your retail enterprise to pay attention to in order to improve your net profit and avoid being a part of liquidation sales. A couple are going to address sales and expenses. Others still will concentrate on elements of your retail store operation that might have steered clear of your notice. You will probably find that extra income could be gained from your business by concentrating on aspects that have so far been neglected.

#1 – Increase Sales To Current Shoppers

A lot of clients will visit your store to buy particular items. Think about ways to motivate them to buy additional items, more expensive versions, or more of the very same items

A sales technique called upselling may be employed to compel patrons to purchase more expensive goods, or those that are complementary to the items they intend to purchase. In the two cases, the objective is to boost the size of the entire sale.

#2 – Promote Your Retail Business

Advertising and marketing and promotion are critical for informing your market about your store. They may inspire current customers to return, and prompt prospective customers to pay a visit the very first time; the downside is that various types of advertising and marketing are pricey. Print advertisements, signage, and direct mail may cost thousands of dollars.

With a bit of creativeness, you can market your shop without severely depleting your cash flow. Make a website, issue press announcements, or host a contest; have giveaway items created (e.g. wall calendars, pens, etc.) on which you can plainly display your retail store’s name. There are many budget-friendly ways to keep your business’s name in front of your marketplace.

#3 – Seek Out Money-Saving Opportunities

Running a retail operation consists of a seemingly endless set of expenses; from credit card processing service fees and shipping to telephone monthly bills and insurance premiums, the expenses can easily erode your profitability. There is a fairly good chance you can easily reduce the expenses.

For example, if you register to a number of magazines for your shop, consider canceling the subscriptions. If your phone service consists of features for which you pay a monthly fee, decide whether or not you may eliminate them. Each and every dollar cut from these and various other expenses represents a lift in your company’s net income.

#4 – Take Another Look At Your Vendor Relations

Are your vendors supplying you with the greatest conditions possible? Are their prices more affordable than the ones available by various other providers? Do they demand payment within 15 days, or do they allow you to pay 45 days subsequent to delivery?

Once you have worked with the same distributors for a number of years, it is very easy to overlook small particulars which increase your expenses. Review your conditions, and if possible, renegotiate them. Buy in more substantial quantity if doing this may lower your prices; if another vendor can offer you far better terms, think about whether switching may be a very good idea. Once again, each and every buck saved helps.

#5 – Reduce Losses In Earnings That Come From Shrinkage

Nearly every single retail operation tackles shrink, understood to be a loss of products before they are sold. Theft, employee theft, damage, documentation errors, and mistakes made by distributors, all give rise to shrink, which results in billions of dollars sacrificed by merchants each and every year.

Take actions to insulate your retail store. For example, install decorative mirrors that discourage shoplifters; enhance your POS system to restrict opportunities for your employees to steal; and learn how to identify return fraud.

#6 – Cut Back On Your Back Stock

Many modest stores have too much stock, usually as a result of very poor sales planning; te trouble is, cash spent on items cannot be utilized for other ends. Furthermore, inventory that does not sell through must be marked down, which usually can erode your earnings.

Keep your stock thin to stay financially flexible and steer clear of costly discounts.

It’s feasible to improve your retail business’s sales and profits by increasing product sales and lowering expenditures; but understand there are other ways to strengthen your bottom line.

IT Sales Leads: Meeting The Need Of IT Firms

By Phillip Mckenzie

The IT industry is definitely in a state where failure to adapt means failure to survive. That is certainly the picture painted by professionals in the industry who think that IT firms have to buckle up in order to make profits. Of course, IT companies are quick to respond. By making use of several methods to improve sales, they have been able to create an excellent solution to meet their problems. One of these is to make use of IT sales leads. This may be a common thing, but the effects of this solution are great and very impressive. IT companies are able to meet the concerns of their prospects better, as well as come up with various strategies to improve their efficiency in dealing with those concerns. This just shows how beneficial IT sales leads are for the company’s over all performance.

Companies that earn their profits from the sale of IT products and services understand that they would need to step up their sales performance if they want to stay in business. Sure, they may bring about the best programs and applications, but if no one is making a purchase, then what’s the use for it? This is where IT sales leads come in handy. Through the information provided by these assets, firms are able to study their target markets even better. These can also be used by the firm when it comes to analyzing their prospects, guiding them towards other companies or interested parties that can help increase their profitability. Two of the most popular means to do that are IT lead generation and IT appointment setting services.

For any business, the use of IT lead generation plays an important part in the over all success of a company’s operations. The company that gains the most number of workable information usually is able to corner a bigger part of the market. IT lead generation services make that possible. By providing a reliable means for the company to gather working IT sales leads, the lead generator is in the position to turn the fortunes of the company around. The IT firm, on the other hand, would then be able to get a better grasp of their markets, what it needs, and what products and services can be created to address these needs. They can go ahead with attracting potential customers, motivate them to make a purchase, and then assisting them to buy. All these become easier through the assistance of IT lead generation.

As an offshoot of IT lead generation, IT appointment setting services also play a crucial role in the improvement of a company’s business operations. There are situations where a good sale or deal can only obtain if both the company and their prospective customers get to talk business face-to-face. In this case, an appointment would have to be set up. This is precisely the role of IT appointment setting. By way of this method, which includes the skillful use of IT telemarketing, companies would be able to meet their prospects and discuss about the benefits of whatever IT products or services they provide. Generally, this is effective.

These are just some of the reasons that can convince a company to take advantage of IT lead generation. Through this method, they can get more reliable information, which in turn can be used to improve their operations.

Phillip Mckenzie is a successful lead generation and appointment setting consultant specializing in IT Telemarketing. To know more about IT Telemarketing, Phillip recommends you to visit http://www.it-sales-leads.com

Getting Great Interviews Using an Entrepreneurial Job Search

By Julie Austin

Everyone wants to get a great job. Everyone wants to have not only a fulfilling professional life but also a financially rewarding one. Unfortunately, everyone is a lot of people. So how can you as a job seeker make yourself stand out of the crowd and get the best interviews with the best companies?

The best way to do this is through a technique and job seeking philosophy called “Entrepreneurial Job Search”. Here is the basic concept. You as a person, are not merely an employee, but a business. Your education is an investment in the company of you. Your job history is your company’s success and growth statistics. In short, you are your own greatest asset and you have a lot to give any business that needs your services.

At first this might sound like the babblings of a second rate self-help guru, but it isn’t. Studies show that hiring managers very much appreciate and are more likely to hire candidates who clearly take pride in themselves and their work. If you hold to the philosophy that your career must be run like a business and that you personally are a money-making company, then your attitude will be different.

The first step to implementing this philosophy into your own job search is to take a realistic stock of your company’s assets. What is your education? Experience? Background? Specialized training? Research and find out exactly what the medium range of payment for the services you can provide is.

Second, be assertive when applying for jobs. Don’t just look online, find a job opening, slap a resume on and email and hope for the best. Call the hiring manager of the company, explain that you are interested in the position you’ve seen listed, and point blank ask for an interview. This may seem a little forward, but let them know you are applying for an interview, not just for their computer to send your resume into the land of forgotten applications. After you’ve submitted your application, follow it up with an email stating that you sent your application and are very much looking forward to talking to the hiring manager.

Is this aggressive? Yes. But it is also how businesses do business with each other. In the entrepreneurial job search philosophy, you are a company looking to merge with another company to the mutual benefit of both.

The entrepreneurial job search concept can be harder for those of us with shyer and more polite temperaments. But keep in mind that you want to communicate that you are energetic, capable, and on top of your game. You don’t need to be demanding or arrogant, and you should go out of your way to be cooperative, but you also need to show spunk and determination.

This is your career we are talking about. It is perfectly okay to carry yourself with energy and pride when seeking a new position. Show the hiring manager the right combination of qualification, reasonable financial expectation, and enthusiasm, and you are almost certain to get the interview, and the job!

Julie Austin doesn’t just teach entrepreneurism, she’s lived it from the ground up. She’s dedicated to helping others become employed for life by using the techniques entrepreneurs have known about for years. http://funjobfairs.com

Setting The Tone: Motivating Job Candidates To Speak Candidly In The Employment Interview

If you want to get job candidates to speak honestly and candidly in the behavioral interview, begin with small talk spending the first few minutes in casual conversation showing a real interest in them as a person. The hiring interview should feel like a goal oriented casual conversation, and this is where you establish that tone. Get the job applicant talking because talking tends to reduce anxiety and stress in most people.

You then move from small talk to the formal interview with a general statement of purpose. Something like, “As you know, we’re looking for (whatever the position is you’re seeking to fill) and I’d like to know more about your work experience and what strengths you could bring to our team.”

Tell them you’ll be taking notes to keep their responses fresh in your mind. Telling them this in advance helps reduce their anxiety when they see you writing.

Keep a shorthand going at a relatively steady pace throughout the interview so you don’t give extra weight to any specific response. Try not to lose eye contact as you write to make it as unobtrusive as possible.

One good reason for taking notes is that studies have found that the person interviewed first sometimes has the least chance of being hired, even if other qualifications are relatively equal. Your notes will help keep their impression fresh in your mind.

Another very important reason for taking notes is that it documents the interview and will be your best defense if a lawsuit results from your hiring practices.

Let the applicant know at the beginning of the interview that you or your Human Resources Department intends to check references and salaries. Ask if they have any problem with you doing that.

Having them state their willingness to have references contacted establishes an agreement you’ll come back to at the end of the interview for a powerful technique that gets reference information that’s honest and meaningful.

You also need to know if they’re applying in confidence and don’t want their present employer contacted. What you want to make clear from the start is that you place a high value on honesty and expect truthful answers.

Give Sincere Praise

One of the easiest and most effective ways of reducing tension is giving sincere praise where it’s deserved. Praise and recognition are one of the non-monetary rewards that motivates employees in the workplace the most.

Anyone you have time to interview has accomplished something that’s praiseworthy. Tell them what accomplishments made their resume stand out and was the reason you wanted to interview them – then let them tell you about it.

Throughout the interview remember to give sincere praise, even if it’s simply saying “good” when it’s deserved. Phrases like “You deserve a lot of credit for that,” or “That’s the type of dedication I’d like to have working for me,” show recognition and acceptance. It must be sincere to be effective.

Studies show that short acknowledgments of acceptance such as “That’s right”, “I agree,” or “That’s interesting,” will increase the number of opinions freely expressed by the applicant. It’s much easier to talk about your shortcomings if you feel your accomplishments are fully appreciated. Anyone skillful in conversation uses acceptance comments as a way of drawing out a point of view.

Another way of doing this is through restating and paraphrasing to show understanding. Mirror back in your own words the last point the applicant made and link it to the next question. “Good, I can see you can handle that type of responsibility. How would you describe yourself as a supervisor?”

Unless your intent is a sincere desire to understand what they’re saying they’ll feel it’s phony and that they’re being techniqued.

If you want the applicant to be candid, you need to show they’re accepted. You can do this by:

1) Opening the interview with casual conversation,

2) Praising their genuine accomplishments,

3) Making Simple acknowledgments after their statements such as “Good,” or “That’s right,”

4) And by restating their points to show understanding.

The interview should feel conversational to get candid answers. This may require framing your questions in a way that makes them seem spontaneous and off-handed.

There are several phrases you can tack-on to the beginning of questions that soften their bluntness. Phrases such as:

* “What would you say…”

* “How did you happen to…”

* “What prompted your decision to …”

* “To what would you attribute…”

These phrases make the interview feel more like a smooth flowing conversation than merely a question answer period.

It’s very important to keep any negative reactions you may feel to yourself during the interview. Try to be very conscious that your body language doesn’t reveal negative reactions, or an astute person will pick-up these cues and adjust their answers accordingly.

Inevitably, whenever an applicant says something that’s difficult to acknowledge it’s the very topic the interviewer wants to know more about. A direct question probing these matters will usually raise their defenses. You’ll get an answer that seems prudent and logical, but not necessarily the information you need. Most people won’t speak candidly about a negative point if they think the interviewer regards it as significant.

It’s important to proceed here in a non-threatening manner and downplay the unfavorable information. An easy way of downplaying negative information is to share a similar problem you’ve encountered, conveying it’s a common experience for others too.

Use statements like “I can understand how that might have happened under those circumstances,” when someone acknowledges something that’s obviously a negative. “I really appreciate your frankness in mentioning that. I’m sure it wasn’t easy for you to bring it up.” Respond in a way that doesn’t imply a negative judgment, such as “What do you feel you learned from that experience?”

Don’t openly disagree with an applicant on any point so as to give the appearance of cross-examining them. Remember to balance your questions in the interview so that you don’t emphasize negatives too much.

Always remember that praise and recognition are some of the most powerful non-monetary rewards that motivate employees the most in the workplace – and this is especially true motivating people to speak candidly in the employment interview.

Author of Hiring The Best People, Steve Penny has been asked to speak on how to Motivate Employees at the world’s largest human resource conferences. Video clips of the 7 Ways to Motivate People That Don’t Cost A Penny may be viewed at http://HiringTheBestPeople.com

Workplace Violence Tip: 3 Steps To De-escalate A Conflict With A Co-Worker

By Carol Fredrickson

Personality conflicts are the most commonly reported problems in the workplace. More and more organizations of all sizes are investing in “conflict resolution” training, which can help tremendously, but if a clear understanding of the core issues are still not addressed, these issues can last for months, years, or until certain parties leave the organization.

Too often these conflicts go unresolved because people concentrate on the personality of the opposing person rather than focusing on the issues – which doesn’t ever allow anything to get resolved. This then escalates to create a toxic work environment for all employees – rather they are in the inner circle of the conflict or not.

In any relationship, both people influence the other’s behavior. In personality conflicts both parties bear some responsibility for where “things are at.” A conflict at work bears many of the same issues as a domestic conflict: Both parties are desperate to be right, and neither wants to back down when they truly believe they are in the right. It’s like looking through 2 different kaleidoscopes at the same image – the description of what is being looked at is going to be polar opposite and there is no mediation that will change those views.

Although we can’t control or change the personality of the other person, we certainly can control our own emotions and change the way we react to the other person. Workplace conflicts can rip teams apart, destroy moral and quality of life. Here are 3 steps on how to de-escalate or resolve a workplace conflict:

1. Avoid discussing the issue with other colleagues. Many people who are involved in personality conflicts recruit allies among their co-workers. This can create polarization among co-workers and it escalates the situation. While you are passionately upset about this, others are not and most often co-workers are uncomfortable and sometimes frightened over the situation. This behavior is disruptive to the organization and makes it more difficult to fix the situation. FOCUS on what you can do to make things better!

2. Never respond immediately to the person who is irking you. They know how to push your buttons and they have done so over a period of time. By not responding immediately you give yourself some time to think through your response. This pause may cause the other person to think that you are “backing down” and they will begin to de-escalate. Don’t view “backing down” and taking time to analyze the situation as a weakness – it’s actually the mature path to take.

3. Look in the mirror! How are you contributing to this situation? What role are you playing in the escalation of things? The key is to focus on what you can do differently! What can you do to make things better? If you can figure out your role in the dynamic you’ll learn something important about yourself and you will be able to de-escalate the conflict.

Dealing properly with a workplace conflict means being honest, mature and considering the greater good of your workplace over your own issues. Don’t drag outside parties, take time to think before reacting, and honestly analyze how you are contributing to the conflict. If you follow these 3 initial steps, your conflict will be a thing of the past and all parties will be able to move forward towards productivity and a positive work environment.

Carol Fredrickson is the CEO and Founder of Violence Free. Clients rely on her skills and expertise to prevent 6 and 7 figure lawsuits and avert workplace violence. Over 100,000 people have benefited from Carol’s powerful messages. Visit http://www.violence-free.com for Carol’s most requested topics that may be a fit for your next meeting. Reach Carol at carol@violence-free.com or 623-242-8797.

How To Locate A Job: Things To Consider

By Byron Dyson

It appears as if everyone is looking for a job in today’s trying economic times. Even individuals who have a job usually are hunting for a better one. With countless people being out of work, it may sometimes feel like selecting a job is going to be very difficult since there is so much competition available, and that’s a well known fact. However, there are several things that you can do when you are searching for a job which will surely help you. If you’re looking for tips with regards to your specific job search, you will definitely want to have a look at this short article. In this article, we’re going to go over several approaches.

Craigslist is among the best places to search for full-time jobs or part-time jobs. In nearly every field imaginable, Craigslist has a large listing of jobs, and they are being updated consistently. All kinds of employers turn to Craigslist to post their part-time and full-time jobs. On Craigslist, you can also see where certain jobs are located. So you are able to hunt for jobs that are only in that certain part of town if you are looking for a job in a specific section of town.

When you’re searching for a job, one of the best things that you could do is to ensure that you get on the web each day and apply to as many jobs as you possibly can, whether you get on Craigslist or another job searching site. Persistence as well as determination will unquestionably take you very far in relation to searching for a job, and that’s undoubtedly true. It becomes a game of statistics before long. You are bound to get interviews after a while if you apply for a huge amount of jobs every day.

Another fantastic strategy that you should always consider when you’re searching for a job is networking. Occasionally an effective way to discover a job would be to talk to people you’re friends with. Many employers are more likely to hire people that they know, even if it’s just by association. Keeping in contact with working professionals in your life is a great idea. If you want to meet some new people, you may even join networking business groups.

Being sure that you’ve got your interview strategies down is yet another strategy that you should keep in mind. You want to ensure that you look neat, clean, and professional and that you’re self-confident. You want the employer to know that you feel that you are great for the job, but you do not want to come across as conceited.

If you utilize all of these pointers, you’ll be on your journey to finding a job right away, whether you’re enthusiastic about full-time jobs or part-time jobs.

If you happen to be at the moment hunting for a job, check out our website to find out how you may use Craigslist to search Part time jobs.

3 Simple Steps To Make A Decision, Get Unstuck & Get Going

By M Foley

Do you ever get so wrapped about the axel fretting over a decision that you become paralyzed and can’t move forward? You become caged by your fears. You can’t think straight. Your stomach is constantly in knots.

Talk about a New Year’s resolution buzz kill.

At the top of my 10-year career as the head of AOL’s corporate training, I desperately wanted a change. I had recently been accepted to grad school and I quickly determined that continuing to do 60-hour weeks along with studying for grad school while finalizing my divorce was just too much. I was beyond weary and maxed. I desperately wanted to ask my manager for what I really wanted – to go part-time – but I was stuck and scared.

My current responsibilities demanded full-time attention. And part-time positions didn’t exist in AOL’s crazy, hyper-speed, high-tech environment. In fact, part-time seemed like an oxymoron. Would my manager go for it? Could we even talk about it? Or would I be raising a huge red flag that I was no longer as committed to the organization, perhaps even being asked to leave the organization altogether? Could I mentally, emotionally and physically push on through and forget about the whole idea?

Then a way to get unstuck came to me. Maybe it was my engineering training talking or maybe it was a virtual “get a grip girlfriend” slap from my beleaguered spirit, I don’t know. But, it worked. You can use it, too, for your own sticky, stucky moments:

1. Imagine the worst case.

Make yourself go to that bad place, emotionally and psychologically. Write it out and share with someone you trust the absolute worst thing that could happen. In detail. Paint the complete picture with all the events, people, and your feelings. From your cozy chair, experience as much as possible what the worst case would feel like.

For me, worst case was that my manager would say sayonara and ask me to pack up my belongings. After a successful 10-year career starting as an $8 an hour customer service rep and working my way up the corporate ladder, this felt awful. And who knows what kind of scar it would put on my resume, maybe even be a huge speed bump to my next career!

2. Ask yourself “What would I do if the worse case happened?”

What actions would you take? What would you say and to whom? How might they react? How would you respond to them?

If you can answer these kinds of questions, then you can handle it. It may not be fun, it may not be pretty, but you can handle it. Give yourself some credit. Chances are you dealt with an intense situation before. Remember?

Oh, I remembered. Figuring out how to safely leave an abusive husband ranked up there in my most intense situations. In a flash I realized that if my manager told me to pack my bags, it would hurt, but I could handle it. This was my career, but it wasn’t my personal emotional and physical well-being. I had talent, experience and tenacity. Someone smarter than my boss would hire me.

3. Ask yourself “What’s the likelihood of the worst case happening?”

Most of the time, we paint the most horrible picture, and then it doesn’t materialize. It’s a great monument to our imagination. Perhaps more of us should write movie screenplays. Something between “Terrific!” and “Ugh!” is most often reality. Hey, good news! You’ve already determined you can handle that, too. Piece of cake.

Thing is, my performance was strong and I was well liked by my boss and my boss’ boss. Unless there was some mysterious undercurrent, chances were more that my manager would be bummed that I wanted to pull-back.

4. Make a decision and go for it!

By making any decision you are, by definition, unstuck. You are in motion one way or another. And even science reveals that when an object is in motion it has more energy and can change direction more easily.

Calming down and putting myself through the paces gave me a much more realistic view of the situation and the courage to talk with my boss. Turns out he was bummed, very bummed. So was my boss’ boss. Which worked in my favor. They created a new part-time position for me because they valued my contribution enough to want some of me, even if they couldn’t get all of me. It required me to step down from my leadership role and take a less demanding role as a training specialist, but my ego could handle it because in the bigger picture, I was getting exactly what I wanted – at least for now.

Mary Foley inspires women with practical advice to create sanity for their lives & confidence for their careers – all while having a bit of fun! She is the author of three books including Bodacious Career: Outrageous Success for Working Women, and a popular national speaker. Get her FREE Sanity, Confidence and Fun Action pack full of e-books, mini-posters and other goodies at: http://www.MaryFoley.com