Purposeful

Purposeful A few years ago I found myself jet-setting around the U.S., speaking at job clubs, universities, non-profits, etc.  I thought my message was sharing (a) strategies and (b) tactics to help you take control of your career. Dick Bolles (author of What Color is Your Parachute) set me straight and told me that my message was really, and simply, a message of hope. Susan Joyce (brilliant owner of Job-Hunt.org) was at a a presentation in Massachusetts and said your next book should be titled On Purpose Branding (or perhaps Purposeful Branding), since that was a big part of my presentation. I love hearing what others think my message is, because it helps me clarify what I want my message to be.  After Susan gave me this feedback I found myself using on purpose and purposeful a lot more.  I find myself thinking about doing things on purpose, instead of letting them happen to me. Going to college, without any idea why, and choosing an easy major, might be a good example of letting things just happen to you. Getting a job that is comfortable, but doesnt provide you with a career path, or even a good income, is an example of letting things just happen to you. Doing a job search without a smart strategy for 2015, but spending more time on job boards and reading blogs and playing online sudoku, is an example of not being purposeful. Fake networking, the kind that is painful and doesnt get you anywhere, just to turn in metrics at the end of the day or week (I talked to three people today!), is an example of letting things happen to you. Purposeful, on the other hand, is knowing what you are after, and doing what it takes to OWN the results. Instead of there are too many things out of my control, so theres really nothing I can do, you say to yourself Today Im going to do A, B, and C, and that will help me get what I need to get! I can do this! Purposeful actions show that you still hope. You hope there is a better future, you hope that what you do will have an impact, and you hope that you can make a difference in the world, or at least get back to paying all of your bills and having some fun money at the end of the month. If your job search lacks hope, or is not purposeful, you better talk to someone.  Mine lacked both, and all I did was spun my wheels and got deeper and deeper into a bad place. Purposeful A few years ago I found myself jet-setting around the U.S., speaking at job clubs, universities, non-profits, etc.  I thought my message was sharing (a) strategies and (b) tactics to help you take control of your career. Dick Bolles (author of What Color is Your Parachute) set me straight and told me that my message was really, and simply, a message of hope. Susan Joyce (brilliant owner of Job-Hunt.org) was at a a presentation in Massachusetts and said your next book should be titled On Purpose Branding (or perhaps Purposeful Branding), since that was a big part of my presentation. I love hearing what others think my message is, because it helps me clarify what I want my message to be.  After Susan gave me this feedback I found myself using on purpose and purposeful a lot more.  I find myself thinking about doing things on purpose, instead of letting them happen to me. Going to college, without any idea why, and choosing an easy major, might be a good example of letting things just happen to you. Getting a job that is comfortable, but doesnt provide you with a career path, or even a good income, is an example of letting things just happen to you. Doing a job search without a smart strategy for 2015, but spending more time on job boards and reading blogs and playing online sudoku, is an example of not being purposeful. Fake networking, the kind that is painful and doesnt get you anywhere, just to turn in metrics at the end of the day or week (I talked to three people today!), is an example of letting things happen to you. Purposeful, on the other hand, is knowing what you are after, and doing what it takes to OWN the results. Instead of there are too many things out of my control, so theres really nothing I can do, you say to yourself Today Im going to do A, B, and C, and that will help me get what I need to get! I can do this! Purposeful actions show that you still hope. You hope there is a better future, you hope that what you do will have an impact, and you hope that you can make a difference in the world, or at least get back to paying all of your bills and having some fun money at the end of the month. If your job search lacks hope, or is not purposeful, you better talk to someone.  Mine lacked both, and all I did was spun my wheels and got deeper and deeper into a bad place.

Introduction to Twitter a recommendation University of Manchester Careers Blog

Introduction to Twitter a recommendation University of Manchester Careers Blog If youre starting to wonder if all this Twitter stuff might be worth investigating, Ive just picked up a recommendation of an excellent blog post explaining it all. Its from the point of view someone more interested in keeping up with academic research and others working in their field, than celebs or blow-by-blow accounts of someones eating habits. Although its over a year old, Id still recommend reading this post from Dorothy Bishop, Professor of Developmental Neuropsychology at Oxford (Twitter account: @deevybee) before dismissing Twitter out of hand: BishopBlog: A gentle introduction to Twitter for the apprehensive academic How did I find this blog post? On Twitter, of course via @AtheneDonald (Professor of Physics at Cambridge), who I follow, who re-tweeted an update by @JennyAKoenig (Science education and communication consultant) A gentle introduction to Twitter for the apprehensive academic by Dorothy Bishop http://t.co/NX6Uq1Ob mentioned at @camawise last night Jenny Koenig (@JennyAKoenig) October 24, 2012 . UPDATE, 29/10/12: Another example from @AtheneDonald how she was invited to contribute a news article to Nature, through her Twitter interactions: 140 character witness. Twitters value in spreading the word. Fantastic: http://t.co/ysIQBHWX #scicomm #socialmedia by @AtheneDonald Malcolm M. Campbell (@m_m_campbell) October 28, 2012 All Postgraduate

4 Tricks Executive Search Consultants Dont Want You to Know

4 Tricks Executive Search Consultants Don’t Want You to Know Executive search, in general, is a much higher level of service than your average recruitment  process. Its focus, thoroughness and complexity is aligned to the significant level of  investment involved in recruiting high calibre, senior and executive roles. Here are  some tricks of the trade that top executive search consultants follow for success. 1) Research: Research is fundamental and the key to a successful executive search project. Market  insights enable consultants to find the best candidates for their  clients, focusing  research to really understand their client, the role, the industry sector and the pool of target  candidates. For best results, its important to implement a process that includes thorough industry intelligence and research to not only  discover who your  client is and what they are all about but also their industry competitors. 2) Consultative approach: To really excel within executive search, a consultative process is paramount. This  means becoming fully immersed in your clients’ company cultures, becoming their trusted  advisor, being passionate about their challenges and dreams and striving to achieve success  together. Your  approach should be all about proposing data backed solutions, working together to understand  obstacles and working creatively to remove them. Become an extension of your clients,  carrying out employee benchmarking to ensure you really understand their superstars. This is  invaluable when assessing potential new employees. 3) Body language: Understanding body language is one trick of the trade that can’t be missed out of this blog  post. By investing time to meet with potential candidates face to face, you can gain  a better understanding of them. Seeing the whites of someone’s eyes and “pressing the  flesh” cannot be substituted if you really want to get under an individual’s skin. By reading  body language, you  can assess how suitable a candidate is for a role, whether they will  integrate well to your client’s culture as well as understanding their confidence in their own  abilities. 4) Building relationships: Building strong relationships with your clients is crucial, as success comes from the journey you provide your candidates. Appointing a senior executive is a significant investment for both parties; for the  client because the success of their business relies on getting the recruitment right and for  the candidate because the move has to align with their career goals. Being a successful executive search consultant means going above and beyond what’s  expected. These ‘tricks of the trade’ aren’t really tricks at all, but proven, thought out  processes driven by a passion for our work. Author: With over 17 years’ experience in headhunting, Doug is the founder of Collingwood Executive Search, a business that is reshaping the perceptions of senior level recruitment.   Doug and his team know that finding talented individuals who fit an employer’s vision, culture and aspirations means more than simply filling a job role.