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I’ve recently started seeing and talking to a number of people with huge list’s of changes and issues going on in their life.  All are pressing, all are “A” priorities and most of them have a hefty emotional component to them.  The result is people that are stressed and overwhelmed.  People in this situation often have one thing in common; they feel stuck and unable to move forward.  Being stuck is a powerless, uncomfortable feeling and it comes from feeling like they aren’t in control.

Control is getting a bad rap these days because the term isn’t always represented correctly. But control is important to adults for most things they do.  Being “in control” is simply having the ability to make decisions that support a person’s priorities.  “Controlling” is the culprit.  Controlling implies that someone is attempting to make decisions for other people.  None of us like that.  The reason why a person in this set of circumstances feels a loss of control is because they are faced with more issues to do than they perceive they can effectively manage.  This perception can be a combination of factors.  They may feel like the solutions are too difficult or nonexistent.  They may feel like they don’t know what actions to take.  They may be so emotionally involved that a solution eludes them due to confusion or denial.

Another somewhat common characteristic of people overwhelmed with “the big pile of issues” is they look everywhere and nowhere for the answers.  I’ve seen people cut themselves off from people who can offer support and solutions and yet almost frenzy on friends that are in no position to really help.  We all need someone we can safely vent to but we also have to recognize that venting, while good to relieve stress, doesn’t move a person forward.  Venting is an emotional release.  It is not taking productive steps to solve a problem.  There is a big difference.  The person may feel better for a while but is soon left deflated and feeling like he is still overwhelmed if he doesn”t have specific actions to take.  These people sometimes feel like they have the weight of the world on their shoulders. They feel they need to be the ones to generate all the solutions and figure it out on their own.  Taking this course of action can cause this growing mountain of issues to look more daunting and feels lonely.  The sense that the issues are overwhelming can grow over time because of this downward spiral.

This kind of person is left feeling alone, stuck and making the “pile” look bigger by the day. What does a person do if he is in the midst of numerous changes, transitions and issues?  The best and simplest course of action is to seek outside help, someone who can help sort out the issues and help devise an action plan.  This can be clergy, coach or counselor.  I recommend this course first because at times like this, you need someone who isn’t attached to your story, is good at moving forward and can help you de-stress in the process.  The simple act of engaging someone can often be enough of a boost to some people that it helps lowers the tension.  Help is on the way!  Unfortunately, I’ve seen way too many people simply avoid seeking help for all sorts of reasons.

 However, if a person thinks he should work it all out on their own, self help can work, with a good, cold dose of logic.  Logic will help level the playing field of the various issues at hand. Sit down and list out all the elements at issue.  Analyze each one for the items. Look for those things where control is possible and can take action that will truly matter.  Again, logic is the key here.  If a person is in the midst of losing the love of their life, you can’t control another’s feelings no matter how long into the night they talk.  For each item listed, make sure an end state is identified.  If X is current state, what is going on with Y end state?  Then, how do you get there from here?  Essentially, you are creating an action plan.  The logic and analysis is very similar to what kind of work you would do with a professional.  Action is the key to breaking up the “log jam” of issues.  Without action, the issues remain big and stay unmanageable.

If you are facing what looks like an unmanageable list of changes and issues just know that it won’t last forever, although it may feel like it at times.  Also know that most people sooner or later face the same situation so it’s ok to feel normal when going through this kind of situation.  I would leave you with this pearl of wisdom: Take action.  It will help you more than you realize.  If you just can’t seem to move forward, ask for help, it shows strength.

Want to reprint this article?  You can reprint this article as long as you use the following: Dorothy Tannahill-Moran is a Career Coach and expert on helping her clients achieve their goals.  Want to discover specific career change strategies that get results?  Discover how to by claiming your FREE gift, Career Makeover Toolkit at:

http://CareerMakeoverToolKitShouldIstayorShouldIGo.com/

Debt.  It is today’s form of slavery; it is indifferent of race, gender, religion.  In short, debt is ubiquitous.  It does not have to be.

Being in debt applies an invisible pressure to all of us to keep our jobs just to make ends meet, even if we do not like our jobs, this pressure is proportional to the amount of debt we have.  We rope ourselves into believing we love our jobs, when really what we love is the instant gratification that our debt has brought into our lives… Cable TV, smart cell phones, laptops, Blu-ray players and high definition big screen flat panel displays, BMW’s, RV’s, oversized or just over priced homes.  Copious amounts of food, designer clothing, or just copious amounts of cheaply made designer knock-offs, then there are the subscription services online game accounts, wall street journal, magazine, etc and this all adds up to what it costs us on a daily, weekly, monthly or annual basis. 

We might think in order to maintain our standard of living we must keep our jobs, we must get promoted, we must not get fired, and these thoughts turn us away, no, shackle us from our true passions in life.  We may not think about what we would love to do, or we may only think of it in terms of “when I retire, I will…” or we just think it is not possible to do what we love and make a living at it.  You can keep on thinking those ways and you would not be wrong, in your own mind.  Or, you can realize that I am here writing this article because I found out how to break these bonds. Like myself, you can find freedom to do what we love in a methodical process that I have proven works.

The nuts and bolts sound easy but after thinking hard about it you may want to keep the shackles of debt and misery because it is easier to blame the economy or other external factor than to take personal responsibility for one’s own responses to the situation they find themselves.   If you want to be truly empowered then you must change the fundamental belief system behind your habits to change your behaviors which will in turn change your life.

Nuts & Bolts:

1)    Identify what you really need to spend to survive, just survive.  (this does not include debt payments)

2)    Identify your total debt.

3)    Identify your monthly minimum debt payments.

4)    Pay down your debt beginning with highest interest rate debt first.

5)    Once one debt is paid off then roll the entire amount you paid monthly to get it paid off to the next highest rate.  Saving your mortgage for last.

6)    Repeat steps 4 and 5 until you only have a mortgage payment left.

7)    Now prepay your mortgage principle.

I broke the process I followed down for you to its most elementary process.  When I got to step 7 in 2005, I made a plan to prepay my 30 year mortgage (at the time 7 years into it) in the next 3 years not believing that I could even do it in three years.  But what I found when tracking the principal was that I could and did complete my mortgage payoff in 2.5 years.  This simple approach requires one to get crystal clear on one’s priorities and find substitutions for forms of instant gratification.  In essence you will trade temporary instant gratification for your freedom to do for a living what you are passionate about. 

Most people would really love to do something else for pay to make a living than what they are doing today.  But they limit themselves with excuses.  There are many good reasons why an engineer cannot become a fulltime profession ski instructor today.  But none of the reasons are valid for preventing such a career transition from being mapped out and executed.  The reasons become barriers to entry and each barrier is a problem to which a solution can be engineered!

If you do not know how to engineer your future or your career change, then consider seeking a career coach to assist you in the adventure of your lifetime.  Do you not deserve to do what you love?

Mark Autry was born and raised in the Portland Oregon area, graduated United States Naval Academy in 1989, and served in the first gulf war as a naval officer in both naval aviation and surface warfare communities.  Mark returned home from the Navy in 1994 and began work at Intel in Hillsboro, OR.  He moved to Olympia WA in 1996 to work out of the Intel Dupont site in various Software Engineering roles, Program Management and currently as a Technical Marketing Engineer supporting Intel(R) Xeon(R) Processors.  Mark is a part-time ski instructor at Crystal Mountain and PSIA level 2 certified.

What would a discussion about job seeking be without talking about the resume?  The resume is the most tangible aspect to job hunting and seems to be the place everyone runs to first.  Creating an effective, powerful resume is within everyone’s grasp.

I’m going to focus this article not so much on a list of issues, but rather on a philosophical element that seems to be missing in the job seeker when putting together their resume.  I will quickly list the most prevalent issues first, then get to the element I’m discussing.

• The most common problems I see with resumes:

• Too long.   Longer than 2 pages; or it’s 2 pages with small font in an attempt to cram as much as possible in 2 pages.
• Too vague.  Uses vague terms, doesn’t really tell the reader what position they’re after or leaves you guessing what they actually did.
• Says almost nothing.  So brief it looks like they spent 5 minutes whipping it up.  Suggests that either the applicant has nothing to offer, never really worked or is incapable of understanding their own assets.
• Doesn’t really tell the story.  Talks about responsibilities, nothing about accomplishments.

Now that we have that out of the way, I’d like to outline the philosophical aspect to this that I think will be far more helpful.  The philosophical piece I’m talking about is this:  you are selling yourself to a hiring manager.  You have to appeal to the hiring manager, not only at a logical level, but also at an emotional one.  Let’s break this concept down:

• Selling Logically.  You are selling yourself.  You are trying to help the hiring manager solve a problem, which is that they have work that needs to be done.  That work will help move the business forward in some manner.  The logic you are appealing to with your resume is that they want to know the following things:
  • Do you have the background that would suggest you can perform the job?
  • Will you be able to perform in other areas of the business?  I.e., can you either learn new things or have a depth to you that suggests you can work beyond this immediate scope of work?
  • Are you a risk? Risk can vary.  The hiring manager would like to think you will stay on board long enough for it to be worth hiring you.
  • Selling Emotionally.   Decisions to hire are like dating and marrying.  Once the initial screening has taken place and they decide you might be worth serious consideration, the emotional part kicks in.  As with any selling, there has to be a reason to consider buying in the first place (the logic), but the decision gets made at an emotional level.  You are appealing to aspects like:  avoiding pain – gaining pleasure – ease of doing things – solving a problem – being cool (ego) the list goes on.  When you are appealing to the emotional side of the decision, they want to know the following:
    • Will we like working with you?
    • Does your history suggest you perform well and consistently?
    • Will I/we work well with you?
    • Do you have a good work ethic?  Shared values?

If you are truly thinking about this process and what the hiring manager is thinking about, then you need to do the following in your resume:

• Use key words.  If you are responding to a posting or a discussion, make sure you repeat some of the key words they use.  Your resume will be found easier and will capture their attention.
• Emphasize.  Don’t just list your responsibilities, but put size, shape and texture to them.
• Emphasize.  Tell them about your accomplishments.  They want to know you can deliver and just how well you work.  Again, size, shape and texture by adding in things like volume, numbers, results, and commentary from higher ups, customers or peers.
• Weave your story.  Who are you? What are you known for?  Make that obvious in your resume.  Don’t make the hiring manager work to figure out how great you are.  They don’t have the time to do that.  Answer their questions before they toss out your resume.

Most of the time your resume is the first point of contact with your potential place of employment, which means you want it to capture their attention.  Don’t be inhibited in letting it tell a powerful story – your story.  We tend to be a bit shy when it comes to “blowing our own horn,” but you have to look at it differently.  You aren’t bragging.  There is a big difference between bragging and telling your story so it draws the manager in at both the logical and emotional level.  If you don’t do it, who will?

Can you Count on your Resume?  Not sure? Here’s the help you need: http://nextchapternewlife.com/products/resume-product/    Dorothy Tannahill-Moran is a Career Coach and expert on helping her clients achieve their goals.  Her programs cover: Career growth and enhancement, Career Change, Retirement Alternatives and Job Search Strategy.  Want to discover specific career change strategies that get results?  Discover how by claiming your FREE gift, Career Makeover Toolkit at: http://CareerMakeoverToolKitShouldIstayorShouldIGo.com/

When you launch your job search, the ocean of possibilities for where to get started can look overwhelming.  With so many job-posting sites, companies posting jobs on their own sites, Craigslist, aggregators, job fairs and press releases, there is little wonder why you can go from overwhelmed to a dead stop in less than a second.

Not all job search methods are created equal in terms of how effective they will be in helping you to find a job.  In this context, effective is defined at how fast you can find a job using a specific method and how you can exert some influence.  Some of these methods, while highly visible, are so depersonalized that they can leave a job seeker depressed and feeling out of control.

All of the methods I’m going to outline have strengths and weaknesses associated with them.  For some job types, these characteristics are softened up.  For other job types, they may be worse than what I’m about to describe.  Save it to say, you need to understand these characteristics and plan accordingly with your daily activities.  It is also important to deploy at least 2 methods at all times, because you will find that the pros and cons of one method can be offset by another method. I believe many job seekers make their mistakes around search methodology by simply spending too much time on a single method or not fully understanding what their specific actions need to be.

• Job Search Methods:  (I’ve lumped together ones that are fairly similar in their characteristics.)

1. Networking.  This method is the best method.   If you ask most people how they got their job, the answer is generally because of some personal connection.  The adage “It’s not what you know, but who you know” has to be describing the use of your network in finding a job.

Pros:

• This is efficient in that it can cut through the resume submittal process and skip over HR, which is usually a gate keeper in the process.
• This process allows YOU to sell yourself rather than your resume having to do most of the work.  It’s more personalized and therefore, you will feel more in control.
• It’s more fun.  Usually you are out there meeting up with your network or at some social setting to meet more contacts.

Cons:

• It takes time.  Time in this regard has two dimensions.  First, it will take more of your time to interact with your network be it email, coffee dates or a casual drop in, and second, it takes more calendar time.  In order for your network to become a good source of job leads, it will take time for you to connect with them, for you to lay out what they can be looking for, and for them to find out about job leads that might work for you and then tell you.  It’s like turning a battleship.
• Not all of your network can or will help.  For various reasons, some people simply will not be of any use for giving you job leads.  That doesn’t mean they don’t like you, they just don’t want to do it.  It doesn’t mean you cut them off or give up, because you never know when they will wake up and help.

1. Online/Internet. This can include companies that post openings, places to post your resume, job openings listings, aggregators, etc.  This category is online and it will involve your submittal of your resume and sometimes filling in a form.  You may or may not know the name of the company with the opening.

Pros:

• Extremely convenient.   Since most people have computers, it’s easy to sit down in front of the TV and surf a job-posting site for the jobs you’re seeking.  You can cover a lot of ground in a short amount of time due to the power of the internet.
• If you’re looking out of state, it gives you greater access to openings in other geographic locations.

Cons:

• Ubber competitive.  Since millions of people have access to the same thing you do, there will be a high applicant flow submitting their resumes.  It’s hard to stand out in the crowd.
• The perfect match.  Job openings in this category are often using resume-management software to weed out any resume that isn’t a perfect match to the criteria of the opening.  This depersonalizes the process and doesn’t allow your personality or values to play in to the process.

1. Agencies and Recruiters.  This is a situation where the charter of the group (be it profit or nonprofit) is to match up applicants to openings.  Most of the businesses in this category make their money from the company who has the opening.

Pros:

• Someone else is doing most of the foot work.  You only get contacted if there is something that seems to fit your background.  The recruiter will work hard to get to know you, not only from a resume perspective, but also your personality and needs.
• Saves you time.  If you are working, this is a great arrangement, as you only have to do a minimum amount of effort on your end to set the wheels in motion.

Cons:

• Specialization.  Most of the time the reason why companies use recruiters is because their opening is specialized and applicants are hard to find.  Unless you are lucky enough to be in that category for jobs, they probably aren’t going to be interested in you.
• Perfect match.  Even if the recruiter isn’t specializing in hard to find applicants, they are expected to bring applicants who are not only a perfect match to their criteria, but are fully screened.  They are expecting any applicant who comes from a recruiter to be ready for hiring.  They only want to speak to a few people who are perfect in every way.  A recruiter will kick you out at resume screening if they can’t see the perfect match, because that’s what they’re paid to do.

1. Volunteering, Temp Work and Job Fairs.  These are not necessarily “standard” job search methods, but they have been known to produce full time jobs for many; so I toss these in the mix for consideration.

Pros:

• Each one of these will give you the opportunity to gain greater exposure to people inside a place of business.  This builds your network and, therefore, gives you greater access to openings.
• Gain experience.  Not with a job fair, but with volunteering and temp jobs you gain work experience which helps to fill gaps in the resume, as well as has income potential.

Cons:

• No real job.  Even with companies going to job fairs, these aren’t always representative of something with a job attached to it.  Job Fairs are often done to support community efforts and companies that show up are sometimes there for PR, not because they have any openings.

There is no perfect job search method.  Each one has aspects to it that are appealing and all come with known disadvantages.   Once you understand both, it allows you to figure out how best to focus your actions.

Can you Count on your Resume?  Not sure? Here’s the help you need: http://nextchapternewlife.com/products/resume-product/    Dorothy Tannahill-Moran is a Career Coach and expert on helping her clients achieve their goals.  Her programs cover: Career growth and enhancement, Career Change, Retirement Alternatives and Job Search Strategy.  Want to discover specific career change strategies that get results?  Discover how by claiming your FREE gift, Career Makeover Toolkit at: http://CareerMakeoverToolKitShouldIstayorShouldIGo.com/

These issues seem so basic that I think they get skipped over, yet, they are often the central problem many job seekers have.  Clarification is critical in order to provide the necessary focus on the jobs/job titles you are pursuing.

In order to truly focus your job search strategy and align all of your actions, you need to concentrate on 2 or 3 specific jobs you want to find.  Whether you think this number is high or low, the reasons for this number are:

• Too few jobs.  If you pursue only one job/job title you are probably limiting yourself and may miss great opportunities with such a narrow focus.  Think of this like the financial planners statement of “diversifying your portfolio”.  The purpose of doing that is to not over-invest in something that might not turn out in your favor.  For the same reason, you need a bit of diversification with the jobs you are pursuing.
• Too many jobs.  I have seen job seekers with loads of great work experience cast their job search in so many directions they had no focus at all.  I understand the temptation for this type of person.  They may have been successful in all of those various jobs they performed and think they would still do well in them.  I don’t disagree they probably would do well.  However, the thinking with this type of job seeker is the idea that the wider you throw the net of job search, the better the results will be.  Not true.  This approach may sound logical on the surface, but it lacks focus and direction.  Imagine sitting in front of a prospective employer and telling them 8 possible jobs you could do?  Rather than being impressed, they end up thinking you can’t do anything well.  This is the same impression you leave throughout your job search.  Those who  could help you, can’t figure out what you’re going after.  You spread yourself too thin.

You do want all of your actions to be impactful and worthwhile, therefore, it is important to be very clear on the 2 or 3 specific jobs you expect to find.  Just like most things we do when we have focused on a specific outcome, we tend to be much more successful.

Clarification not only means the number and types of jobs you are pursuing at any given time, but also clarity around how each job and your personal brand match up.  You need to be clear on the requirements for the positions along with where those jobs most likely exist. 

Now that I have outlined what I mean by Clarity, let me outline the most prevalent mistakes I see and what to do about them.

• Mistake:  Too many jobs, unable to narrow it down to 2 or 3.
  • Solution:   If you think you might be guilty of this, you need to prioritize the various jobs you have been pursuing.  How you prioritize them is up to you.  You might pick the top 2 or 3 where you think you will be the most competitive.  Or you might rank them based on pay, values of yours they support, work environment and a host of other considerations.  Whatever your criteria are, narrow the field and focus your efforts on just your top 2 or 3.  Go deep, not wide.
  • Mistake:  Not clear on job requirements.  While the biggest and most frequent issue with clarity is around how a person defines the job they are pursuing, there is the occasional person who isn’t clear about job requirements.  This translates a couple of ways:

• Mistake:  Too vague.  I have seen job seekers almost unwilling to get very specific about what job(s) they were pursuing.  Sometimes these people are using their job search as an opportunity to change careers, but they are unclear about what that next career is.  These people may have transferable skills that can be used in multiple jobs.  Whatever the case is, they are not confident enough in what they are pursuing to clearly state what they truly want.  This lack of clarity eventually impacts such things as the resume and how they discuss their direction with others.  You can’t be vague in your job search. 
  • Solution:   Almost like the previous solution, you must put a “stake in the ground”.  Pick out those couple of jobs where you will be the most competitive or will exude the most confidence in pursuing.  A way to test your decision is to test it out on new people you meet.  Upon sharing your direction, observe the other person’s reaction to you.  Was it clear? Did you feel you were confident in what job you were going after?
• Mistake:  Not really a job.   It might be hard to imagine this one, but there are people out there who think a job is “something in accounting”.  New college graduates tend to do this the most, but I’ve seen experienced people as well.  This type of person is really unclear about what job might be appropriate.  They know a field, but they haven’t translated that into actual job titles.  When you say you are looking into an industry or a field, you aren’t specifying a job.  Again, your entire job search will be undirected if you can’t articulate each specific job.
  • Solution:  Do some research.  There are libraries and ton’s of online resources all geared to help you drill down from a field or industry to specific jobs within those broad descriptors.

1. They don’t know where these jobs are. 

• Solution:  Not all jobs exist in all types of companies or company structures.  You have to be clear about how the jobs you’re going after fit into companies, organizational structures and industries. If you are unclear about where your job likely resides you waste time looking in the wrong place.

1. They don’t know how to focus the resume for the specific job.

•  Solution:  It’s vital to know what the job requirements are so that you can feature those elements in your resume. While it may be true that your background might be the same thing you’re pursuing, if you are going after more than one job, chances are high there are some differences.  Understanding what those are will allow you to expand or shrink information in your resume so you are telling your story as the best possible fit.

Clarity is a simple concept, but sometimes harder to achieve than you might think.  The value of clarity is immeasurable.  It will focus your efforts, making your search for that great job easier and faster.

Can you Count on your Resume?  Not sure? Here’s the help you need: http://nextchapternewlife.com/products/resume-product/    Dorothy Tannahill-Moran is a Career Coach and expert on helping her clients achieve their goals.  Her programs cover: Career growth and enhancement, Career Change, Retirement Alternatives and Job Search Strategy.  Want to discover specific career change strategies that get results?  Discover how by claiming your FREE gift, Career Makeover Toolkit at: http://CareerMakeoverToolKitShouldIstayorShouldIGo.com/