Get Your Groove On

Get Your Groove On If you are anything like me, you love to be active.   Whether its going to the gym to work up a sweat and tone up, or hiking through the mountains, or playing a game of softball.   Ive found the perfect complement to my active lifestyle Groove rings. If you wear any jewelry, you know how awkward it is when you are trying to be active.   I cant even tell you how many times my ring has fallen off because my finger was sweaty, and I had to search the ground for it.   If you are wearing a big diamond ring, you cant easily wear gloves underneath, and the last thing you want to do is damage your ring or lose the diamond!   Up to now, the only choice was to wear no ring at all. These silicone rings are great for anyone who is active.   I dont have to worry about my ring falling off anymore!   They come in all sorts of colors, so there is a fit or style for whatever you like.   Ive been wearing mine for over a month now and I absolutely love it.   They are flexible so you wont catch your finger on something and injure it, but they are snug and dont slide off when you are sweaty.   Groove rings dont glitter like a diamond ring.     But they do style and complement your gym or athletic outfit. I have discovered that its best not to wear overnight to give my fingers room to breathe.   Otherwise, they can get a little stinky from the lack of air where the ring sits.   I also wash mine each night after wearing it to keep it fresh. Ladies, if you are looking for a way to wear a ring and stay active, this is it.   Dont let your active lifestyle conflict with your rings get your groove on and do both!

Career Phasmophobia What in the World is That

Career Phasmophobia â€" What in the World is That I love taking walks in autumn to breathe in the crisp air, marvel at the brilliant colors around me and prepare myself for the winter.   The fact that I really don’t care for winter is a topic for another post! One evening as I walked with a friend, we freely commented on the Halloween decorations in our neighborhood and she told me she was phasmophobic.  Are you wondering about this word?   I did and when I asked her what it meant, she said, “the fear of ghosts.” Now that you have enjoyed the Halloween candy, it is a perfect time for me to ask you about the career ghosts, goblins and gremlins that haunt you.   A career ghost might be the feeling of unease that you could do “more” in your current work.   It might be a feeling that you should be the one heading that awesome project.  Or else feeling blindsided when a project is thrust on you.  Maybe it is a feeling of regret for not trying something new at work.   Is it a tiny voice whispering that it is time to move on?   I can’t obviously speak for your ghosts.   However, I can say with confidence that these ghosts are present in our lives in a deep, personal and meaningful way.   I also know that you can manage these ghosts, become a Ghostbuster if necessary, rather than be phasmophobic.   Which ghosts would you slay first? The following ideas might help you decide: Take out your role description, if you have one, and analyze it minutely.   If you don’t have a formal description, it is time to write one.   How closely do the deliverables stated on paper match up with your expectations? How about the alignment with employer expectations? What daily tasks are truly productive?   Of the skills you use and have in your toolbox, which ones do you still enjoy using?   If you could send a set of skills into a year of sabbatical, which would be “busted” and why? As you look at how your industry and organization is changing to meet business demands, how have you kept pace with that on a professional level?   Do you wonder at what could be done differently and does that energize you? If so, what gremlin stops you from pursuing that idea? If you were to move pieces of your job description around, what would you keep and why? What would you like to give away? Think about the people who support your work and those who make you miserable.  Is it time to reach out and expand your circle to include some friendly ghosts like Casper? If so, who are the first three people who come to your mind? Alternatively, is it time to let go of a grudge or two? Even if it doesn’t result in a common ground, letting go of a grudge can be empowering. Sprinkle “magic dust” to conjure up your career history.   Which career story immediately brings a smile to your face, tugs your heart and gives you a sense of peace?   Open your eyes and look around â€" how much of the joy, enthusiasm and creativity that you remember so vividly is around you today? Complete the sentence, “I wish..” I wish I could be a Ghostbuster with you.   Id sit with you and listen as you take a question or two and wrestle with it.   I know that within each one of you is a deep resiliency and remarkable talent-talent that sometimes is distracted by ghosts, gremlins and goblins.   Isn’t it wonderful that we can give ourselves permission during Halloween (or any season) to turn into swashbuckling Ghostbusters and lay to rest at least one career ghost, goblin or gremlin?   What do you think? Related: 10 Scariest Job Seeker Mistakes

How To Get Your Resume Ignored

How To Get Your Resume Ignored Yes, you read that right.  Were going to look at how to create a resume that will get ignored.  Or at least put on the bottom of the pile.   The objective, of course, is for you to see what doesnt work.  And then, use that to be your own resume editor and eliminate the mistakes that might otherwise slip by.  By working in reverse, youll learn how to write a good resume instead of a bad one.   The end results should get your resume noticed. Having been a manager for a major national corporation, I had the opportunity to see a lot of resumes.  Some were obvious standouts.  Others made me wince in disbelief that anyone who actually wanted a job would submit something so terrible.  Can you guess which ones got interviews? What Makes A Horrible Resume You can get a ton of resume advice today, both free and ridiculously over-priced.  Contrary to what you may have read, there is no magic recipe to create a resume that will guarantee that it will get you noticed and an interview.  Most sources will tell you what you should do to create a good resume.  But stop and think for a moment about how the human mind works, and how weve been culturized to process information. When new information is presented (like your resume), especially when theres lots of competing additional information (all the other resumes), we find ways to narrow the field.  Were not looking for reasons, at least at this point, to accept, were looking for reasons to reject.  So it makes perfect sense to be aware of those things that will make the person screening the resume reject it.  Then, avoid those at all costs! With that in mind, here are the Resume Horribles: Ugly Format The first order of business is to thin the pile of resume.  Go ahead, create your resume with an ugly, unappealing format.  One that isnt balanced, that doesnt invite the eyes of the reader to explore further.  Wont it be great to know that your resume didnt even get read?  Or, take a look at any of  the many sites online that offer little or no cost resume templates.  You can fine-tune and edit them to create something no less than awesome. Meaningless or Ineffective Summary. Beyond the fact that you may not even require a summary, itll certainly work well to create one that doesnt add to the resume content, doesnt sell you or your skills, and isnt customized to this particular reader and position.  If you want to skip the whole messy interview process, that is.  Or, learn when you need one and how to write an effective one. General Sloppiness Yes, the devil is in the details.   And this little devil is just waiting for your first grammar or spelling blunder.  Because thats when youve effectively ran your long fingernails across the chalkboard of your readers brain.  He or she doesnt like that noise, or your resume.   Dont assume that a good spell checker is all you need.  There is no substitute for  proofreading it yourself, more than once, one sentence at a time. Using Words That Backfire All those cliches, buzzwords, and even pieces of jargon that you put in your resume that you thought were either clever or impressive?  Theyre neither.  The reader has seen them hundreds if not thousands of times.   If youre really careful, you might even find one to toss in that initiates the readers gag reflex.  Or, if you think its a good idea to not upset your resumes reader, be mindful of the best and worst words to use on your resume. Lack of Proper Focus.   Knowing that whoever is reading your resume wants to know about your skills and accomplishments,  you can be sure that instead telling them about your job responsibilities will avoid giving them what they want.  Itll also avoid getting your resume in the pile to be further reviewed or set for interview.  Or, you could actually try selling yourself based on those skills and accomplishments. Now that you know what doesnt work, and what a resume looks like that falls into that category, you can put a highly critical eye on yours.  And with a little work, make it the one that DOES get noticed and gets you an interview. Images: Main   poor resume  

Job Search Tips - How To Find The Best Resume Writing Services

Job Search Tips - How To Find The Best Resume Writing ServicesWhen it comes to hiring resume writers, Seattle has something for everyone. If you are looking for quality writers, you need to check out the Seattle resume writing services, which are helping thousands of people every year. Below are some of the top reasons why you should hire Seattle based resume writers.Professionals: The best resumes in the world are nothing without the professional touch. Having a written resume is all well and good, but it would be even better if it is convincing. It would be even better if it came from a professional resume writer. An experienced writer would be able to identify your skills and talents and write an effective resume that would ensure a successful job search.Professional reviews: For as long as there have been professionals in the business, there have been people who write about them. With hundreds of resumes posted on job boards every day, it's not surprising that people want to know how effective they are. They would visit websites and check out the websites that offer writers to them. Reviews by individuals who have experienced writing a resume are always helpful as they can share their experiences.Skills and experience: This is perhaps the most important part of the entire process. Even when you try to hire resume writers, remember that they are just people. They might have the best of intentions, but you still need to know what they can do, not just what they can say.Seattle skills: People coming from Seattle are naturally talented. Experience and proficiency in the area are equally important. The best writers come from this area and are likely to write very well and professionally. As they say, 'You don't get to Seattle to become a resume writer.'Client testimonials: You could go on a search and try and find clients who have had great experiences with a particular company. Reading testimonials by other people who have hired the company would help immensely . By reading the testimonials, you would get a feel of the professionalism of the writers. Not many resume writers have the kind of success you can achieve when hiring someone who has been doing it for a while.Unique service: There are a lot of resume writers available, so it's important to find a service that gives you a distinct edge. Some companies will only hire professionals with experience. Some can provide links to hundreds of completed resumes to select from. Try and find one that offers you a resume writing package, and be sure to let them know how much time you are willing to spend on the task.Prices: Companies who work on specific requirements are more affordable than those who work on general applications. The writers who do not specialize in a specific area may charge you more. This is why it's a good idea to find a company who works on a portfolio of samples and gets it delivered right to your doorsteps.

Bouncing Back After a Lay-Off

Bouncing Back After a Lay-Off Bouncing Back After a Lay-Off Bouncing Back After a Lay-Off April 15, 2011 by Career Coach Sherri Thomas Leave a Comment Three of my clients were hired last week(!) including Cindy, a financial analyst in the mortgage industry who had been laid off 3 months earlier. In fact, Cindy received two (2) job offers in the same week! After being in the banking  industry for 20 years, and with the same company for 10, she found herself abruptly out of a job just before the Christmas holidays. She first contacted me six weeks ago,  saying that she  needed help finding a new job fast! Specifically, her challenge was How do you get a new job, when you were laid off in your last position? As Cindys  Career Coach, our first step was to go through the grieving process.   Cindy had been so focused on  finding her next job, that  she hadnt been able to let go of all the pain,  dissappointment and embarrassment that comes with being laid off.   Its natural to have those feelings, and its important to  work through those emotions  so that you can  let them go and move on to your interviews feeling confident and assured. Many, many professionals have been laid off in this economy, so there is no shame in being laid off.   Where it gets tricky though, is knowing how to answer questions  to showcase yourself in the best light.   By learning more about Cindys talents, strengths and accomplishments I helped her map out her network, and prepare a 3-step strategy to help her promote herself in a tactful way!  ??     So, how do you speak about your strengths and successes in a tactful way without making it sound like youre bragging?   Below are 3 key strategies to help you tactfully toot your own horn without sounding cheeeeeesy… 1.       Talk about your projects, teams, and the value they delivered to the organization.   It may feel uncomfortable talking about your achievements, but the fact is you wont get noticed (yet alone hired!) if you dont talk about them. Heres a tip focus on the projects and teams you contributed to, and the value they delivered to the organization.   Talk about goals, or stretch goals, that were met and how they benefited the organization to help increase revenue, save costs, or gain more market share. 2.       Focus on results.   On your resume, in your interviews, and in your networking opportunities instead of talking about your previous responsibilities, talk about tangible results you helped to achieve. When you quantify your achievements with a number, dollar, or percentage, you add credibility to your successes and rise above the competition. For example, instead of saying that you managed a sales team for a specific product, instead, say that you led a sales team that generated $250,000 a year for the past 3 years!   Quantifying your successes says that you are a driver, high achiever, and that you get results. 3.       Attitude is the key ingredient!   Ive found that getting a new job really boils down to two things: confidence and passion.   To get the job offer at the NBC-TV station in Monterey and beat out the other 100 job candidates, I was passionate about the company AND the position.   Even though I didnt have the kind of experience that was required, I told the hiring manager that I absolutely knew that I could do the job. Theres a kind of quiet confidence that we all have down deep inside.   A confidence that comes from knowing what were capable of doing.   When you transition into a new job role or a new company, you need to show the hiring manager that you have confidence in yourself and know that youll be successful in the job.   And finally Great companies are ALWAYS looking to hire great talent and that means you!   So, if youre serious about getting into a new career, then

The story so far - The Chief Happiness Officer Blog

The story so far - The Chief Happiness Officer Blog Roosevelt Finlayson (of the Festival in the Workplace) called me from the Bahamas yesterday to catch up. During our talk we discussed my future plans (among many other things) and he challenged me to document the process Im currently going through. Thats a great idea and what better place to do it than right here on the blog. And what better way to start than by telling the story so far. So here it is, the story of the geek who: Co-Founded a very different kind of IT-company Went from trying to grok tech to trying to grok people Left IT and found his calling Founded possibly the worlds strangest company/organisation/movement Gave 3 years of his life to make people happy at work Worked for free for 3 years, and calls at i huge success :o) Is now leaving this project and has no idea whats next I used to be a geek. A serious geek. Were talking bad hair, ugly metal-frame glasses and rudimentary social skills. After graduating with a masters in IT back in 1994, I worked as a developer and consultant and then co-founded an IT consultancy called Enterprise Systems together with some fellow geeks in 1997. When we started the company we had one huge advantage: We didnt know how. The three founders (myself, Patrik Helenius and Martin Broch Pedersen) were all happy geeks with absolutely no idea of how to run a business. We did have some pretty good notions of how NOT to do it from previous jobs, but mostly we had a passion for doing it RIGHT whatever that means. This mostly kept us from doing business as usual, and freed us to try untraditional approaches. And we succeeded. In Enterprise Systems: We had no managers People did excellent work We made major decisions together, democratically We made good money (not obscene, just good :o) We had fun All employees became co-owners People didnt work too much 40 hrs a week or less Leadership changed hands dynamically When we created ES, my focus was mainly on the technical, nerdy side of the business, but that began to change. I took some courses and read some books and discovered that I had a deep passion and even some talent for the human side of the business. For facilitating processes and decisions. For creating fun. For doing things differently. In late 2002 we sold our company to Tieto Enator (a huge Scandinavian IT company). I decided at that time to leave the IT business to do something else though I had absolutely no idea what that something else would be. I gave myself some time off, where I purposely did NOT think about what was next. I did not read any job ads or send out any applications, I just gave myself some time. And suddenly the answer came to me. I can still remember the very moment: I was lying on the grass by the Copenhagen harbour swimming pool, when the idea struck me, that what I would work with was Happiness at work. My next thought was, of course, Yeah, great. Happiness at work. So what, what am I going to about that?. The answer to that question was a little longer in the making :o) I spent some months fleshing out the concepts and ideas, and arrived at some basic guidelines: Happiness at work is the next crucial challenge for business This would not be MY company, it would be a cross between a consultancy and a grassroots movement We would not seek public funding we would make our own money The work would be Open Souce, sharing all results openly Would it work? I had no idea. Basically, this was an experiment on every level. Untried products, new company, totally untested way of organizing people, etc Working with this level of uncertainty, what drove me and allowed me to do it anyway was my commitment to the basic concept of happiness at work. I basically decided, that I would rather do this and fail, than not do it. Obviously, I would prefer to do it and succeed, but I totally accepted the idea, that this whole creation might crash and burn. It didnt. Far from it. Now, 3 years later we can look back on: 2 excellent conferences on happiness at work A customer list that most consultancies can only dream of. Lego, PriceWaterhouseCoopers, DaimlerChrysler, Novo, Danisco and many, many others, big and small, private and public. An impressive list of products: Speaches, workshops, games. All co-created by many people. Many people have given of their time and creativity Constant, steady growth I believe that we have helped put happiness at work on the agenda in Denmark. 3 years ago, very few people took the concept seriously, and if they did they talked more about employee satisfaction which is quite different. And heres a funny thing: I havent gotten a single solitary cent out off it. The project has made a lot of money, but I decided to work for free. Other people in the project are getting paid for their work (and some also choose to work for free), but I consider this my gift to the world. This is something I had just the right combination of talent and passion to do. Two things made this possible: First of all I made some money when we sold ES. It didnt make me a millionaire, but it did give me some economic freedom. Secondly, my girlfriend Patricia and I live cheaply in a small appartment and have very few fixed expenses. If that hadnt been the case the money would have run out long ago. As it is, I have enough for maybe 6-9 months before I need to get a steady income. And its been totally worth it. I wish every worker could try what Ive tried: A couple of years where your not controlled by the need to bring home a salary, but can let yourself be guided by: Whats fun Whats interesting Whatll let you meet cool people Whats new I have given my time (working full time on this for the last 3 years) and I have gotten so much out of it, particularly: Knowledge Growth Friends The pleasure of giving Not to mention frustration. I dont know about you, but when I work on something like this, where I have no idea if itll work, I get doubt-attacks. Suddenly the thought comes into my head that thisll never work, what the hell am I doing? This is all an illusion, Im just bluffing people, and what were doing doesnt really work. The first time this happened, just a few months into the project, it was crippling. For a couple of days I was just ready to throw in the towel and go look for a real job. And then it passed, and started believing again. The doubt-attacks return regularly, but now I know that: They are part of the process They pass The only way to avoid them is to work on something that I know in advance will suceed. And that would be booooooring :o) So its not all fun and games making people happy at work. But its totally worth it. And then last summer, I got this feeling in my stomach: Its time to move on. Theres something else I could be creating. Some new project is waiting for me. I mulled it over, and then made the decision to honor this intuitive feeling. Ive had them before and ignored them, only to regret not having listened. I announced my decision to the rest of the project, and set a deadline: January 1st 2006, Id be outta here. Since then weve been working to pass on everything I know to Mette and Mette who will be running the show after I quit. And whats next? I truly do not know. First I want to create the same kind of empty space that I had after I left Enterprise Systems, so I have not been seeking out new ventures. Something will come to me. I have about a million ideas, I just havent committed myself to any of them. One idea (or several) will come out of the void Im creating for myself. If you have any cool ideas, Id love to hear them send me a mail or comment below. Thanks for visiting my blog. If you're new here, you should check out this list of my 10 most popular articles. And if you want more great tips and ideas you should check out our newsletter about happiness at work. It's great and it's free :-)Share this:LinkedInFacebookTwitterRedditPinterest Related

The Dreaded Question

The Dreaded Question Do any of these exchanges sound familiar, fellow creative? Them: Sowhat do you do? You: Im an Executive Assistant.  (leaves out that youre a certified life coach kicks ass at it wont be an Executive Assistant for much longer) or Them: Sowhat are you up to? You: Uh.Well, I just opened my own shop on Etsy. Them: Whats Etsy? You: Oh, its just this online store thing.People can by my artwork. Them: And you make a living from that? You: Uh, well, Im trying! Ive sold some art and, uh, got featured on a blog and Them: Didnt you used to be a project manager? You: Uh.yeah. Them: Yknow, I know someone whos a project manager. Ill ask if they know of any openings. You: Uhthanks..  (leaves out that you will never (ever!) go back to being a project manager actually just sold you first piece of art in your shop) or Them: Are you still performing? You always loved that! You: No. I pounded the pavement for a few years, but now I perform in my husbands show. He writes new episodes of old sitcoms its neat! But yeah, other than that (leaves out that you miss performing in musicals are planning on auditioning at a theater youve found thats close to your new apartment) Today, were slaying the vampire that comes out to play when someone asks you the question, Sowhat do you do? For a creative person who might be stuck in a dead-end job (dead-end in their heart, at least) or embarking on a new risky career, that question can be a cause for panic or neck sucking. In my case, there are times that I dont pimp myself out as a coach because Im afraid people wont understand what it is, or theyll think Im a hippy or theyll question how I can possibly earn a living coaching. Ive heard similar things from my clients, especially ones that leave stable, lucrative careers to pursue their creative passions. They feel dumb admitting they gave up a sure thing for the nomadic life of an artist. They fear that theyll be judged unfairly, or not be taken seriously about their new endeavor. And above all that, they cant see how to put this weird choice (to the rest of the world) in a flattering light. Well, lets start here: Write an elevator speech. You have 30 seconds or less to describe what youre doing the length of an elevator ride. Imagine youre applying for a job, and have to sell yourself to the potential employer. What do you say to make yourself feel proud, while grabbing em pulling em in? Well, you talk up your strengths your accomplishments, youre not afraid to boast! So, instead of the Etsy exchange above, the answer that artist can give to The Dreaded Question could be, Ive decided to leave project management to pursue a lifelong dream of being a full-time artist. I opened up an online shop so that people can buy my paintings, just secured a booth to sell my stuff at the Brooklyn Flea, which is consistently winning Best Of awards. Im just starting out, but I already got my first sale have incorporated myself, so Im on my way! Im so happy to work for myself pursue a career Im really passionate about. Write out the answer above read it out loud to make sure that youre comfortable with it. Then, when you know it sounds feels natural, practice it a few times so that the key points stick in your head. You dont have to memorize it recite it like a robot, but I bet the Girl Scouts slayed some vampires by sticking to their motto: Be Prepared! Find the Why of it all. Why are you uncomfortable with this question? Why are you afraid to reveal this piece of information? Why are you making excuses? How does it make you feel? (Yes, theres a How in there, so sue me). Journal the answers to those questions, then start slaying by writing possible solutions. Ill start: Im afraid to reveal this because I dont want someone to ask if Im making a living, because Im not yet! I dont want to have to prove myself to anyone or have them see me as flighty or idiotic by leaving a stable job in a bad economy. So, Im going to let them know that I know its scary risky, but that its a risk Im secure taking. Maybe theyll even see me as brave, or say that they always wanted to do something like that! I can tell them that Im certified have been coaching for two years already, so Ill be ready when I go out on my own. If anyone digs any further than: (1) theyre rude! (2) its obviously a problem they have with themselves has less to do with me! Keep a Good Stuff / Warm Fuzzies folder. When someone gives you a kind word or a compliment, print it out put it in a folder or a scrapbook. If someone says it audibly, write it down when you get home or keep a notebook in your purse or pocket to write in. I have a Good Stuff folder in Evernote that I use, it makes it as easy as highlighting the text I want to include, clicking the Evernote button, choosing Good Stuff in the dropdown. If I get down on myself think, What have I done lately? Nothing, thats what! I go to the Good Stuff folder see how Im oh-so-wrong. Keep an Accomplishment Journal. Every day, write down at least 1 thing that you accomplished that related to your goal. Whether you purchased the domain name to your new site, or wrote a new blog post, or asked a friend about the class youre interested in that they teach, thats progress! You might not even think of it as a step forward during your hectic day, but thats some great ammunition right there. Celebrate! but make sure you know that youre celebrating because of a recent accomplishment. That way, youll condition yourself to feel good about a win, no matter how big or small, it might be something that automatically comes to your head when asked The Dreaded Question. Just remember what you celebrated lately you know what youve been doing right! Are you starting to look at The Dreaded Question as a way to reaffirm for yourself why youre doing what youre doing? A way to let just one more person know about your exciting new journey? A way to let that one person tell other people that might be looking to buy what youre selling? A way to celebrate your accomplishments be proud of the steps youre taking to live your passion? Then get out there shout it from the rooftops! Sing from the mountains! Or just stand a little straighter when someone asks you The No Longer Dreaded Question!