wordless-wednesdays – Success Strategies

The Poet’s Plight…

I buried myself in my work
To forget my woes
Now I must fight to get back to me

Goals. Just Start…

Everything started as nothing. ~Ben Weinssenstein

Just start.

Travel. The Journey Changes You…

Travel isn’t always pretty. It isn’t always comfortable. Sometimes it hurts, it even breaks your heart. But that’s okay. The journey changes you; it should change you. It leaves marks on your memory, on your consciousness, on your heart, and on your body. You take something with you. Hopefully, you leave something good behind.” – Anthony Bourdain

Write That Resignation Letter…

Begin with the end in mind. Write that resignation letter. Then begin to plan your escape route.

What are you escaping from? A boring job? Restrictions that immensely tug at your creativity? Doing something that has been calling your name?

Writing your resignation letter is similar to stepping out. Stepping away from something. It’s final. As head of Human Resources, it was hard receiving this letter from a member of the organization. Some should go (e.g. problematic worker) and we smirk when they do. But in the main 95 percent of the team we mourn as in a loss. It means they’re onto the next chapter of their life and no matter what, they go. We too needed to move on.

Move On

That’s what companies do. They move on. That’s what YOU should do. If you are unhappy, longing for more…do yourself a favor and move on.

Write that letter. It will boost you to take the steps to move into your next phase. But remember don’t hand it in until your plans are finalized… Until you have been offered and accepted that new job; or that new opportunity. Because once you do, there’s no turning back (especially if you fall into that category of problematic employee …smile).

Need help? Lets connect

Cheers!

Career: My 3 Mistakes…

Reflecting

I have made many mistakes along my career. Mistakes that disappointed. Mistakes that caused hurt and pain. Here I share 3 with the hopes that they can help someone along the way. Someone who is just starting out. Or perhaps someone who needs a reality check (smile).

1. Don’t Tell All

Never tell all. When I got my very first job out of high school in an accounting firm, a week went by then the owner decided to have a talk. I was asked my goal to which I replied innocently, naively, stupidly (you decide which word best suits), that I wanted to be a nurse. By Monday I was no longer working there. What’s a nurse doing in an accounting firm? Using them to get to the next level?

Learning: Be wise. Don’t tell all.

2. Dress Appropriately

I wore a beautiful career top to an interview with a major insurance provider. The interview went well. Later after a few weeks went by, I was confused why no response. Digging deeper through a friend that works with the company, I was told that my blouse was too revealing–as in transparent. Beautiful career top with frills it was. But it was not appropriate without a jacket or blazer.

Learning: Be Professional. Dress For Success

3. Punctuality is Key

I am ALWAYS early. But for this interview, I wanted to look my absolute best! It was with a major airline. I went to get my hair re-styled. As ‘fate’ would have it, I arrived 5 minutes late. Never-the-less my interview went very well. However a couple of weeks later, I was confused about the lack of response and enquired the reason. The response…. I was late. Airlines need people who are always on time. Reliable. Punctual. I was all of these but my 5-minute tardiness cost me the job.

Learning: Arrive On Time. Punctuality is Key

Reflect: Connect The Dots

Often we go through disappointments. But when we look back and connect the dots, we learn in the process. Sometimes the disappointment is a path to the ideal career, or whatever goal we seek. I finally landed a job working with people (not nursing like I’d dreamed), but into managing the Human Resource portfolio for various countries for a major international pharmaceutical company. But I had to go through the disappointments to get to where I was supposed to be.

Today I implore you to hold on. Never give up. As I shared my mistakes along the way, I hope they serve to encourage someone who is waiting. Someone who needs it. I now spend my time coaching individuals making career decisions that I never knew I needed.

Share these learnings with someone who can benefit today. Prefer to go it alone? Get copy of book Success Strategies: Want To Succeed, Here’s How.

Cheers!

The Most Important Step You Can Take…

The most important step a man can take. It’s not the first one, is it? It’s the next one. Always the next step. ― Brandon Sanderson

Move. As Far As You Can. As Much As You Can…

If I am an advocate for anything, it’s to move. As far as you can, as much as you can. Across the ocean, or simply across the river. The extent to which you can walk in someone else’s shoes or at least eat their food, it’s a plus for everybody. Open your mind, get up off the couch, move. ~Anthony Bourdain