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Proper Planning Prevents Poor Performance at Interviewing

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Interviewing “Flat Kate” for a job.

Have you ever felt a little nervous when helping clients when they are finally given the chance to interview? All the work you have done is now at the doorstep of paying off. 

You’ve done assessments, had the discussions, helped with LinkedIn profiles, explored options, created a strong cover letter & resume, and now the day has come for an interview. The pressure is on.

Here are my five tips regarding proper planning prevents poor performance at the interview.

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The Future of Work: Attract New Talent, Build Better Leaders, and Create a Competitive Organization. By Jacob Morgan

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This is a book about the future of work written by a millennial. After listening to our keynote speaker, Gio Twigge at the Maine Career Development Association conference (June 2016) talk about how IDEXX is embracing the future employee and workspace, I picked up this book. (Gio referred to it in his talk).

I wanted to read this book in one setting as I was captivated from the start. I get tired of hearing how businesses have to adapt to millennial’s. That’s crap. Businesses need to adapt to the modern world of work! I want what they want. The future of work requires offering flexibility in the work schedule, location, and devices. The future of work wants recognition and ability to work as a team, collaborating on exciting creative projects using problem solving skills. I want that too.

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Coloring Books and Career Development

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Can we as career counselors and coaches help our clients in their career development by being more fully present in the moment? Appreciating the value of turning off our technology and taking time to just ‘think’? Embracing these basics of ‘mindfulness’ as a useful approach to help our clients when job searching and for life in general?

You don’t have to spend hours meditating to be totally in the moment. Often the path to mindfulness is brief, simple, and even unexpected.

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My wife asked for an adult coloring book for Christmas this year. I had no idea what that was, but she has one now…and she loves it! Why? I believe it has to do with mindfulness. Being present in the moment. No technology. Tactile. She has to focus which clears her mind. It can be challenging.

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Enchantment. The Art of Changing Hearts, Minds, and Actions. By Guy Kawasaki

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I highlighted so many passages in this book to help me think about my business. Many things, I am doing right, but Guy confirmed my direction. He also gave me so much ‘food for thought’ about what else I can do to continually improve.

“The outcome of enchantment is voluntary and long-lasting support that is mutually beneficial.”

“…your goal is not to make money from them or to get them to do what you want, but to fill them with great delight.”

These quotes area great reminders that what I do helps others and helps me. I love that philosophy and have always tried hard to live by this. It confirms my belief that everyone should walk away from a transaction and feel good about it.

His advice on how to manage a company and deal with people is positive and upbeat with equal parts of simplicity mixed in. This is not difficult but you do have to believe in people and realize that getting people to change their hearts, minds, and actions is a process that you never complete. You must believe in it and stay the course.

If you are looking for good sound advice to start or business or to “tweak” one that is already started, read this book.

Jim Peacock is the Principal at Peak-Careers Consulting and writes a monthly newsletter for career practitioners. Peak-Careers offers discussion-based online seminars for career practitioners focused on meeting continuing education needs for GCDF and BCC certified professionals as well as workshops for career practitioners and individual career coaching.

Sign up for our monthly newsletter at www.Peak-Careers.com 

The Bully Pulpit. By Doris Kearns Goodwin

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Whew! A 910 page hardcover book with 160 of those pages for notes, thank you’s, and the index. I learned quite a bit about ole’ Teddy Roosevelt and his, on again, off again, buddy William Taft that I did not know. I love Team of Rivals so much that I thought this was going to ‘rival’ it. Not so much. She spent too much time on details that were related to Teddy and the times that helped understand what was going on, but I found myself skimming…lots of page about McClures Magazine and others.

If you are a history buff, you’ll like this. Lots of details, lots of people, politics, and more. Me, personally, I’m ready to move on to something I can get into. Sorry Doris.