Learn How To Let Go Of Harmful Stress In The Workplace

“Adopting the right attitude can convert a negative stress into a positive one.” Hans Selye

Many things can trigger stress at work, however, because it can cause harmful health conditions it’s essential to get a handle on your lousy pressure before it becomes a serious health condition.

I’ve experienced stress-related symptoms at work, for instance, high blood pressure, lack of sleep and constant brain chatter with worry. However, I know that lack of preparation has been the leading cause of my stress at work. When I found myself stressed out, I would take a step back and retrace what caused it. And what I saw was my lack of being on top of something important, like a follow-up call, or lack of research or anything that resembled an unfinished project of some sort, knowing how to manage my time and adequately prepare, has helped me throughout my career.

The good news is that if you take the time to understand what is causing your stress, you have time to correct it.

Possible Causes of Stress At Work:

• High Workloads
• Job Insecurity
• Long Commute
• Unclear performance expectations
• Conflict at work
• Lack of Work-Life Balance
• Rumors About The State of the Company

Taking Some Positive Actions To Prevent The Stress:

Prepare And Plan
Lift a heavy load off your back. Take the time to prepare the day before for tomorrow's tasks. Plan on how you are going to do each job and make reasonable deadline expectations. If it’s out of your control, speak with the proper person and recommend an adequate deadline and state your reasons why.

Create Habits For Each Task
Challenge yourself and view each work that needs to be done, and create habits that will lead you to complete each task. For instance, if you need to write your weekly report by Friday afternoon, establish a daily routine to calculate the required information, and at the end of the week, it will practically be done. Or, if you need to hand in a monthly expense report, make it a habit that on a daily basis you will update your expense report. At the end of the month guess what? It’s complete.

Learn To Relax
If you consider yourself an uptight person this might be a section for you to read and reread. Make it your goal to learn the basics of relaxation, for instance, simple breathing exercises. I wouldn’t go overboard in the beginning, take the time to go outside and sit quietly without a phone and sit and listen to your breathing. Count all of your breaths silently and when you feel calm, go back to your office and start grinding again. But, learning how to take control of your relaxation will have positive health benefits. Do you have 10 minutes to spare?

Recharge
Do you have a favorite movie? Or a great book you want to read? Then it’s time to think of recharging. On the weekend, besides spending time with family and friends take time for yourself. Besides a refreshed you, it’s a better you. Don’t you agree? Relax, Recharge and Release! Try it.

Separate Work With Personal Time
Make it a habit not to check your business email or social media while on personal time. Make sure that you have a healthy home life-work balance. Separating the two can be beneficial if done correctly, even if it’s just on Sundays.

In summary, by taking control of the things you can control will help you take the necessary steps to reduce the stress that you are experiencing. If you are looking for career coaching, contact me today. Have a fantastic week.


To Your Success,
Coach Barb
Certified Career Coach

How do you manage your stress at work?

The Resume Black Hole And How To Avoid It

"I believe that people make their own luck by great preparation and good strategy." Jack Canfield

What is the Resume Black Hole? According to my research, it is a term used since the great depression of 2008.  However, many candidates today are experiencing the same effect of not getting a proper response after applying for a position.  And, on the other side of the coin, employers are missing out on qualified candidates with a lengthy Applicant Tracking System process.  Today I will share with you tips on how to avoid the Resume Black Hole trap.

Coming from the staffing industry, it is my experience to see countless resumes coming in on a daily basis. I was fortunate to work for companies that managed the interviewing process with experienced recruiters.  Having the right ATS and a strong recruiting team made the hiring process manageable.

However, now looking from the outside I can analyze how frustrating it must be to send countless resumes to different companies including staffing agencies and not getting any calls.  That is why I decided to do some research and help both the companies and the candidates have a different outlook on handling the hiring process.

Below I will share with you my recommendations for both the employers and candidates.

Employers:

How to avoid losing qualified candidates that apply:

• Take a look at your process, is it too lengthy? Consider trimming your application questions to gather the necessary information upfront. 

• Engaging in today’s era is critical.  Instead of an automated, we received your resume, consider sending the next steps in the hiring process. Let the candidate know what to expect. 

• Technology is the best tool we have, and to maximize the interaction with your interested candidates, activate the social media features in your ATS.  The social media feature goes hand in hand with engagement; it is a tool that many are not using.

Candidates:

How to maximize your callback ratio when applying online:

• The obvious sometimes is overlooked, proofread your resume. Something as simple as a typo can get your resume set aside or tossed out.  

• Simplicity is vital, do not add logos, graphics or artistic fonts.  It might seem like the best way to stand out. However, the ATS might not recognize the format and not put you through the system.

• Keywords are essential; the tracking systems function is to match different keywords to the job description.  Use keywords that are relevant to your skills.

In summary, there is no reason to feel overwhelmed when relying on the applicant tracking systems.  The resume black hole is a term that many today are using, but with proper preparation from both the employer and candidates perspective, the experience can improve.  Contact me today for a Career Coaching Session. Have a fantastic day.

To Your Success,

Coach Barb

Certified Career Coach

Are you currently struggling with the resume black hole?

Valuable Tips On How To Prepare For The Interview

“One important key to success is self-confidence. An important key to self-confidence is preparation.” –Arthur Ashe

Are you convinced that you have the skills, knowledge, and experience for the job? Then the next step is to start preparing for the interview.  Interviews can be taxing, but if you take the time to prepare you will feel confident and ready.

Coming from the staffing industry, I know first hand that a well-prepared candidate will go further along the hiring process than an individual that doesn’t prepare.  In addition to the staffing industry, I had the opportunity to prep, advise and teach recent graduates with their interviews.

Below I will share with you some tips to help you with your preparation.

Research The Organization

Helpful Sites: Vault, Careersearch , The Riley Guide

• Visit their website
• Read their mission statement
• Assess their products/services and client base
• Recent press release
• Review trade or business publications

*Based on your research develop questions about the organization and the position.

Compare Your Skills And Qualifications To The Job Requirements

• Prepare responses/ types of questions to expect
• Resume based
• Behavioral
• Case questions

Plan What To Wear

• Go neutral
• Business casual - use good judgment
• Neat, wrinkle-free and clean

Plan What To Bring

• Extra copies of your resume
• A notepad or professional binder and pen
• A list of references
• Information to complete an application
• If relevant, your portfolio with examples of your work

Pay Attention To Nonverbal Communication

• Your behavior in the waiting room/ lobby
• Be confident and project it by smiling, good eye contact and a firm handshake
• Posture, be comfortable but sit up straight
• Respect their space - do not place anything on their desk
• Manage your reactions - facial expressions provide clues to your feelings

Ask Questions

Be prepared to ask questions when asked, “Do you have any additional questions?”

Below you will find a couple of example questions you might want to use.

• In your opinion, what makes this organization a great place to work?
• What do you consider the most important criteria for success in this job?
• Tell me about the organization’s culture.
• How will my performance be evaluated?
• What are the opportunities for advancement?
• What are the next steps in the hiring process?

In summary, keep in mind when you prepare you to alleviate unnecessary stress.  Allow yourself to feel the excitement of the interview and go in with confidence that you are the right person for the job.  Do you need extra preparation? Contact me today and let’s chat. Have a fantastic day.

To Your Success,

Coach Barb

Certified Career Coach

Do you find value in preparing for an interview?

How To Make Positive Things Happen By Volunteering

“There are big problems that change the world. If we are working together, that will make us understand each other, appreciate each other, help each other.” Jack Ma

Struggling to find your next opportunity? Are you in between jobs and are not getting any calls? Volunteer, think of giving back; you have excellent skills, and the best way to allow someone to know is by showing them. Don’t be afraid to offer your time, even if it’s on a part-time basis. It’s a great way to get your name out there.

In my career, my form of volunteering was by always asking someone if they needed help. It didn’t matter to me if it wasn’t my job or role. I saw it as an opportunity to learn and grow. It’s all about your attitude. Do you have a winning attitude? Remember, you have a choice.

Are you ready to get to the next level? Below I will share with you the top skills you can gain by volunteering.

Besides helping you advance in your career, volunteering is a form of giving, and it has enormous positive benefits for you and those you serve.

Skills you can acquire:

• Learn how to work in a team environment
• Leadership skills
• Problem solving and adaptability
• Communication Skills
• Plan and Prioritize
• Time management
• Improve interpersonal skills 

1. Explore Your Passions
Know what you like to do and find an industry that allows you to work in that type of environment. For instance, if you are into makeup see if you can be a makeup artists assistant and learn by working together with him or her.

2. Build Networks
Find trade shows in the industry of your choice and start networking. Build contact lists and if you find the opportunity to volunteer for your dream career then do it. But start by building a secure network of people that you can help.

3. Being Valued By Employers
Let’s say you are working at a company as an assistant. But, you have always wanted to earn more money and wanted to learn sales. Then ask to work during your lunch hour, after hours and spend some extra time helping the sales department. You will learn new skills that can help you grow in the future.

4. Sharpen Existing Skills
You already know how to edit videos, but there are a lot more than you can learn. Approach someone that you know might need some help editing videos and do extra work with their projects. That will sharpen your existing skills giving you the opportunity to do more in the future.

5. Analyze Your Next Career Step
What are you doing now? See where you can take your career and find the opportunity by talking to different people. Learn new skills and if you’re in the corporate environment then see what is your next step and start volunteering in that particular department.

In summary, make it count it’s not easy to work for free, but if you have the right intention, things will soon turn around for you. Don’t be afraid to take risks. Have the service mentality in everything you do. Contact me today for a Career Coaching Session.

Until next week,
Coach Barb
Certified Career Coach



What valuable skills have you acquired by volunteering?