How Many Elephants Have You Eaten

How Many Elephants Have You Eaten I started JibberJobber almost twelve years ago to help people organize a job search and do follow-up better. Today I spent time working on the Log Entry redesign (for the umpteenth time) the process of redesigning this includes a written document, images, and in this case, a ten minute video.    Heres an image I put in my specs document: Does this make any sense to you? Without any context it might make some sense, but Id bet you dont know what I really want. My programmers could only assume what Id want, if I just sent them this image.   Hence, the written doc and video. As Im working on the specs for this relatively small project I feel a sense of being overwhelmed. This is one of dozens of high priority projects that Im making specs for. It takes a lot of time to create these specs, but Ive learned that I can either take the time on the front end (before I give it to my developers) or spend more than five times the amount it should take fixing, recommunicating, redefining, changing, etc. Like I said, overwhelming. But I do this, one project at a time, one detail at a time. And thats how you eat an elephant: one bite at a time. Imagine a 12,000 pound elephant in front of you. For perspective, thats about five times the weight of my car.   You have a fork, a pile of napkins, and a limitless supply of water (to wash it down, of course). Your task: eat the elephant. Overwhelming, for sure. One bite at a time. So here I am, working on my elephant. Down in the depths of details lots and lots of details. Lots of features, lots of specs, lots of projects. Overwhelming. Then I remembered: you eat an elephant one bite at a time, and I can spec this massive amount of work one feature at a time. This advice, one bite at a time, has been given to me many times throughout my life.   And I started to think: Ive done a lot of big projects. Indeed, Ive eaten a lot of elephants. I know that you, in your job search, feels like you are eating an elephant.   Its overwhelming. There are many things to do. Its foreign. Its confusing, humiliating, tiring, and an emotional roller coaster. You already know that you eat it, or do it, one bite at a time. What I want to remind you of is that this is not your first time. You have previously taken on huge, massive projects. You have successfully eaten other elephants, and you can successfully eat this one. Intimidating, I know. Overwhelming, I know. I also know that YOU CAN DO THIS. Go for it. Now. One bite at a time. How Many Elephants Have You Eaten I started JibberJobber almost twelve years ago to help people organize a job search and do follow-up better. Today I spent time working on the Log Entry redesign (for the umpteenth time) the process of redesigning this includes a written document, images, and in this case, a ten minute video.    Heres an image I put in my specs document: Does this make any sense to you? Without any context it might make some sense, but Id bet you dont know what I really want. My programmers could only assume what Id want, if I just sent them this image.   Hence, the written doc and video. As Im working on the specs for this relatively small project I feel a sense of being overwhelmed. This is one of dozens of high priority projects that Im making specs for. It takes a lot of time to create these specs, but Ive learned that I can either take the time on the front end (before I give it to my developers) or spend more than five times the amount it should take fixing, recommunicating, redefining, changing, etc. Like I said, overwhelming. But I do this, one project at a time, one detail at a time. And thats how you eat an elephant: one bite at a time. Imagine a 12,000 pound elephant in front of you. For perspective, thats about five times the weight of my car.   You have a fork, a pile of napkins, and a limitless supply of water (to wash it down, of course). Your task: eat the elephant. Overwhelming, for sure. One bite at a time. So here I am, working on my elephant. Down in the depths of details lots and lots of details. Lots of features, lots of specs, lots of projects. Overwhelming. Then I remembered: you eat an elephant one bite at a time, and I can spec this massive amount of work one feature at a time. This advice, one bite at a time, has been given to me many times throughout my life.   And I started to think: Ive done a lot of big projects. Indeed, Ive eaten a lot of elephants. I know that you, in your job search, feels like you are eating an elephant.   Its overwhelming. There are many things to do. Its foreign. Its confusing, humiliating, tiring, and an emotional roller coaster. You already know that you eat it, or do it, one bite at a time. What I want to remind you of is that this is not your first time. You have previously taken on huge, massive projects. You have successfully eaten other elephants, and you can successfully eat this one. Intimidating, I know. Overwhelming, I know. I also know that YOU CAN DO THIS. Go for it. Now. One bite at a time.

Senior Executive Service Resume Writing 101

Senior Executive Service Resume Writing 101If you are in the business of helping other business owners to produce their Senior Executive Service Resumes for the job that they will soon be pursuing, you are probably aware of the importance of these documents in the search process. Perhaps it's the fact that you're a professional who knows how the system works. Or maybe it's just the fact that you write resumes, and you know what you're talking about.The above possibilities may account for the fact that you may still be uncertain about how to write a Senior Executive Service Resume. If this is the case, rest assured that your time is valuable. In order to get things moving in the right direction, you must come to grips with some fundamental topics that impact this document, or any other document in your job search.In order to successfully launch your career in any endeavor, you must make certain that your Senior Executive Service Resume is compelling and succinct, and that it catches t he eye of your prospective employer. So the first step in writing this document is to work on developing a clear objective for yourself. Without a strong direction, you might as well have never written it. You should also write your resume with the best possible introduction, which provides the employer with a strong sense of who you are and why you're good for the job. No matter how it may appear at first glance, your introduction should encompass both the employment history and specific strengths and skills that your future employer will value.The resume itself must also be straightforward and honest, and not misrepresent you as anything less than the best choice for the job that you seek. Your potential employer knows what you've done in the past and what you can do in the future. You must be sure to present your full employment history as part of your Senior Executive Service Resume. He or she will most likely ask for specifics, so do not hesitate to supply them.Again, the resum e should be concise, and yet, it should have enough information to make the reader want to read on. In addition, the important details should be presented so that the employer will find this information very easy to read. Keep in mind that a well-written Senior Executive Service Resume will also attract some interest from others, so you should be sure to be as creative as possible when it comes to how you arrange your key details.If possible, you should try to maintain a professional appearance while presenting your information in the top-notch format that is reflected in this document. You want to present your presentation in such a way that your Senior Executive Service Resume will be noticed. Some of the things that you can include in this document include the following:There are various things that you can put into your document that will help it stand out. One of the things that you can include that will get people's attention is your photograph. It should be accompanied by a p roper introduction that contains the name of the individual as well as the name of the organization. If you've got the talent to illustrate your skills, make sure to include this.Be creative when it comes to the format of the document. After all, you've spent some time crafting your very own Senior Executive Service Resume. So why not make sure that it represents your best side? Consider these tips when you are trying to develop your Senior Executive Service Resume.

5 Emerging trends from the recession

5 Emerging trends from the recession As the recession persists, we can watch social shifts and cultural trends. Some are good, some are bad. But in either case, one way to control how the recession affects you is to watch the larger trends and decide where you want to fit. Here are five trends that are emerging in the face of the largest job-loss numbers in the last four decades. 1. Being cost-conscious is cool. These days, for the wives of the few investment bankers who still have jobs, shopping couture is something to do in secret. Hermes gives unmarked bags for customers who request it. The Obama girls showed up to the inauguration wearing J. Crew. And they looked adorable, which should inspire the reasonably-priced shopper in all of us. And cost-cutting isnt just about fashion. Michelle Obama has to overhaul the White House décor. (Great quote from Barack: Im not a plates-on-the-walls kind of guy.) And shes heading toward Pottery Barn. I love that! This trend is very freeing to me because my favorite dress for this winter is from Target. It is velvet but not really velvet sort of crap, cheap velvet. And when I bought it, in September, I worried that it was over-the-top-cheap. But now, I feel more uncomfortable wearing my $400 boots than I do wearing the $20 dress. 2. An increasing backlash against baby boomers. Newsflash: The baby boomers got us into this mess. They borrowed against future generations. They mishandled SEC regulations. They ignored the environment. They set up a social security system that is going to break as soon as theyre done taking from it. And they took the best education this country had to offer, and then depleted the education system for the next generation. Obama is the first Gen-X president. And, to the surprise of all the baby boomers who have been trash-talking Gen-X forever, its Gen-X that will bail this country out of the mess the baby boomers got us into. In the meantime, Generation X is the first generation in the US ever that will earn less than their parents. And Generation Y has an incredible amount of debt due to baby boomers pushing up college costs and housing costs while real wages went down. The under-45s are stunned by the selfishness of the baby boomer era. 3. More Sex. When I was a Boston Globe reporter, one of my best interviews was with David Blanchflower, professor of economics at Dartmouth, who has analyzed the relationship between money and sex. He says that more money does not get people more sex, it merely gets them more choices of people to have sex with. This makes sense. Ive never heard of someone abstaining from sex until they make enough money to date a model. And anyway, we know from Dan Airleys research that if someone has too many choices, they dont do anything. Sure, this research applies to jam samples in grocery stores, but maybe someone should investigate if people actually have less sex when they earn so much money that they can choose from anyone. Okay. But back to the recession. Amazingly, it turns out that less money equals more sex. I am not totally sure why this is, because the research comes from what is now one of my most favorite resources, Durex condoms, a site that does provide a lot of qualitative analysis for their statistics. Still, Durex reports that drugstore sales of their condoms were up 6% during the time Lehman went under. And sales in the New York City sex toy emporium Babeland increased 25% in that same time period. So the deeper the recession, the more sex people are having. 4. Women are earning all the money. We already knew that in big cities women earn more than men. The trend is probably going to spread to smaller cities because the men comprise the majority of people being laid off during this recession: finance, manufacturing, construction, all men. What will this mean for social fabric? If the pitches I receive from publicists are any indicator of whats coming, things will be very bad at home. More than one press release has instructed women to use the fact that they are earning the money to force the guy to do more around the house. Heres a pitch for the book, Breakdown, Breakthrough: The Professional Womans Guide to Claiming a Life of Passion, Power, and Purpose. She encourages women to use their earning power to commit to breaking the female pattern of overfunctioninig. Presumably this means getting the guy to do more cleaning even though we know that men absolutely do not think the toilet needs cleaning as soon as the woman does. So basically, women are being encouraged to use the fact that their husbands were laid off as a way to get the men to act like women at home. Bad. Very bad. 5. Companies are finding more cost-effective ways to recruit. Business Week reports that the recruiting models are broken, and in the downturn, companies arent spending money on stuff that doesnt work. Instead, companies are turning to online networks. And pundits are declaring that 2009 will be the year that corporations understand how cost-effective it is to leverage social media for corporate messaging. What this all adds up to is a shift in recruiting. Candidates have known for years that sending a resume to Monster is like sending it into a black hole. Online networks are finally giving recruiters an alternative to the old ways of doing business. And really, thats the silver lining of the whole recession, right? Its an opportunity for each of us to look at what weve been doing before that wasnt working anyway. Because in a bad economy the stuff that we could sort of get by ignoring will kill us if we dont take action. And taking action to do things better is what wed want for ourselves in any economy.

Personal Branding Interview Jeffrey Pfeffer - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career

Personal Branding Interview Jeffrey Pfeffer - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career Today, I spoke to Jeffrey Pfeffer, who is the Thomas D. Dee II Professor of Organizational Behavior at the Graduate School of Business, Stanford University, and the author of Power: Why Some People Have Itâ€"And Others. In this interview, Jeffrey talks about why he wrote a book on power, how to gain power and lose it, the best way to gain influence in an organization, and more. Why did you decide to write a book on power? For several reasons. First, people need to understand the game they are going to be playing if they work in an organization of virtually any size. Over the years I have seen people suffer career reversals and even lose their jobs because they are not aware of or skilled in organizational dynamics. Second, much of the leadership literature is unhelpful, as it mostly presents the world as it should be, not as it is. So people get a lot of misleading, albeit well-intentioned, advice. Third, as a teacher of this material for more than 30 years and an author of two previous books on the subject, I wanted to bring my social science knowledge and experience with guiding students and executives of all ages to a wider audience. And fourth, people need to learn how to take care of themselves. Instead of waiting for bosses to become better, they need to figure out how to survive and indeed prosper in the world they face. So, this is a book about how to get power for yourself. How do you gain power, and how can you lose it? You gain power first of all by continually building the personal qualities, including energy, persistence, ability to put yourself in the other’s place, and willingness to engage in conflict and not be liked, that provides you influence. This requires coaching and having a personal development plan. Then you build effective and efficient social networks, where you can occupy a central position and play a brokerage role in bridging otherwise unconnected groups or organizations. And you gain discretionary control over resources such as physical space, money and budgets, and agendas. People lose power because they get tired of being constantly on their toes, and also take the flattery that invariably accompanies being in a position of power too seriously. Believing their own press and that the rules don’t apply to them, they forget that everyoneâ€"and I mean everyoneâ€"has a boss or set of bosses who you need to placate in order to remain in power. What are some of the best way to move up in an organization and influence through power? Understand that, to use Keith Ferrazzi’s apt phrase to my class, “you are not responsible for your own success.” What he means is that your success depends on the interest of your boss(es) in making you successful. Therefore, the key to moving up is to build a positive relationship with your boss. This entails using flattery, something that is consistently underused and underestimated. It also entails helping your boss be and look successful, and certainly not telling your boss that s/he is wrong too directly or too often. It is putting the self-enhancement ideaâ€"people like to feel good about themselvesâ€"to work, by making those on whom you depend feel good about themselves and, therefore, about you. What are some of the best way to move up in an organization and influence through power? “Get over it.” If you won’t stand up for yourself, if you won’t advocate on your own behalf, if you won’t expend energy to advance your career, don’t rely on the generosity or kindness of others. The aphorism, slightly altered, that people help those who help themselves is certainly correct. That’s mostly because people enjoy basking in the reflected glory and success of others, so if you signal through your actions that you are going to do what it takes to be successful, others will join you. If you signal diffidence or even indifference to your power and success, you will have few allies. How does one sharpen their acting skills on the job? First of all, I am a big advocate of taking acting and speaking classes or at least finding places to develop such skillsâ€"in amateur theatre groups and in arenas where you can practice presenting to an audience. The more uncomfortable you are with such activities, the more you probably need them. Acting involves getting in touch with past emotions and bringing them to the present moment. It also entails recognizing that you are always “on stage” in the sense that others may be observing you. And it mostly involves thinking strategically about how you want to come across, and then setting the stage and behaving accordingly. - Jeffrey Pfeffer is the Thomas D. Dee II Professor of Organizational Behavior at the Graduate School of Business, Stanford University where he has taught since 1979. He is the author or co-author of thirteen books including The Human Equation, as well as more than 120 articles and book chapters. Pfeffer’s latest book, entitled Power: Why Some People Have Itâ€"And Others Don’t will be published in September, 2010 by HarperCollins. Pfeffer has been a visiting professor at the Harvard Business School, Singapore Management University, London Business School, and a frequent visitor at IESE in Barcelona. From 2003-2007, Pfeffer wrote a monthly column, “The Human Factor,” for Business 2.0. Pfeffer currently serves on the board of directors of the for-profit company Audible Magic as well as nonprofits Quantum Leap Healthcare and The San Francisco Playhouse.

Do Resume Writing And Changing Careers Really Change Direction?

Do Resume Writing And Changing Careers Really Change Direction?It is a well known fact that many of us hire job-hunters to write our resumes and promise to help them take a new direction for a career. These professionals know a lot about what they should include in a resume, how to use it to their advantage and how to change the way it looks and feels. The big question, however, is whether this type of work can really change the direction of a career or not.A large number of people out there have received a good job offer and are in search of a new opportunity that they can focus on in a good manner. While they remain highly qualified and trained individuals, they have a limited experience in the field and are looking for an option that can contribute to their career development. The fact is that this means that these people, in their desire to move on to a new career, would like to know that they have done the necessary research and have made a well thought out decision to change ca reers.The first step in this process is knowing the reason why you want to change jobs and ensuring that your original objective is fulfilled. This objective is different for each individual, but it usually consists of a change in the company and a change in the position that one has. In other words, one wants to move from being in a job that does not suit him or her to a job that is directly related to the skill set that he or she possesses. The better option would be to determine the skills and knowledge that you have that could be used in a new career and build on that.After you know the reasons for changing careers, the next step is to write your resume. This is the most important aspect of the entire process and you will need to take the time to make it work for you. The key here is to ensure that your resume comes off as professional, clean and convincing.A resume must provide a solid foundation and must contain all the relevant information required for employers to make a dec ision. This means that it should consist of your educational qualifications, previous experience and professional achievements.What you will want to avoid is making your resume look too much like a brochure or talking about your personal touches that may not be relevant to the role that you are applying for. The general rules that apply to brochures or catalogues do not apply to a resume, and this is why you should be careful in this area.The next step is to take time to edit the resume for grammatical errors and to eliminate anything that does not constitute a requirement. After all, this is a document that is meant to represent your career so it is important that it reflects your greatest strengths and present the relevant skills and experiences that could be useful in the current job position. A resume should not be all about your life story and the way you were raised.If you are serious about changing career and are willing to put in the extra effort to write a well-crafted resu me, then you should definitely consider hiring a professional resume writer to help you through the entire process. Your success lies in the hands of the right person.

Brush up your skills to re-enter the workforce

Brush up your skills to re-enter the workforce Maybe your firstborn child came into the world. Perhaps you had to care for an aging parent. Or, quite possibly, you just packed it all up one day and decided to travel the world. Whatever the case, people leave the workforce every day for extended periods of time. Some never come back, but others decide they want to return or quite simply, financially-speaking, they need to return. When someone hasn’t held down a full-time job for a number of years and then decides to come back to work, doing so is not always easy. Things change over time. Skills might be outdated. Technology has changed. Best practices 10 â€" or even five â€" years ago are long gone. Where do you start? Integrating back into the workforce can be challenging, but it is doable if you are properly prepared. Where do you start? Sharon Schweitzer, founder and CEO of Protocol Etiquette Worldwide, left a good job as an employment attorney and took a two-year sabbatical in the Czech Republic to research her genealogy and learn the language. When she was ready to re-enter the workforce, she realized bridging the cultural divide was much more fulfilling for her than litigating it in the courtroom. Schweitzer began educating herself with formal intercultural training, and today she advises Fortune 50 companies on intercultural and international etiquette. She says even though re-entering the workforce might feel like you’re starting over, you can leverage your past employment while focusing on the new opportunity you’re after. Sharon’s seven strategies to make a smooth transition back to the workforce: 1. Analyze your decision to return Ask yourself some very important questions: How enthusiastic are you about returning to employment right now? Intuitively, do you feel ready to return? What are your child care or parent/family responsibilities? Do you have back-up support from your significant other, family, and friends? 2. Easily explain gaps in employment When it comes to the past “chapter” of your life, many job candidates worry about the gap in employment. It can simply be stated as, “head of household,” “travel blogger,” etc. When you go in for the interview, you can explain in more detail the reason for the break and what you learned from it. 3. Brush up your skills Consider taking a course or doing a certificate program to update your skills, or check with your local community college or YWCA/YMCA for affordable courses. Research industry trends, leading employers, and key players. Join professional associations, review websites, and read trade journals. Be able to speak knowledgeably about what’s happening and who’s hiring. 4. Dress the part Confidence starts from within. Make sure the person staring back at you in the mirror is beaming with pride, confidence, and is ready to conquer the world. Assess your hair, wardrobe, and all that impacts a first impression. 5. Have your pitch down pat Confidence is more than just appearance. It’s a huge boost to draft and practice an updated career pitch and “elevator speech” with nonjudgmental friends and family. Know how you’re going to respond when someone asks you, “What do you do? 6. Focus on relationships If you’re having trouble re-entering the workforce, sometimes it really is about who you know, so start networking. While many people turn to online networking or social media these days, nothing beats good old-fashioned in-person networking. Schedule breakfast, coffee, and lunch to meet face-to-face with your network of personal and professional contacts, and share the news that you’re looking for a new position. The most crucial message to deliver when you’re re-entering the workforce is how you are chomping at the bit to return to work. Your high level of enthusiasm and eagerness to attack a new opportunity with vigor makes you stand out. 7. Don’t settle What if the dream job you finally get doesn’t turn out to be so dreamy after all? Like most things in life, it’s best to love what you do. If you find that the new job leaves you empty or dissatisfied â€" or it isn’t a good fit or not what you were hoping for â€" sometimes it’s better to move on. Not only are you going to be unhappy if you stay, but your lack of enthusiasm and negativity will impact others around you and show up in other areas of your life. Keep looking and find your way to a rewarding career in corporate America, another industry, or running your own business. When it’s time to get back into the workforce after a break, start preparing a few months ahead of time. Not only could it take you some time to find a good position, it’s also going to take you awhile to get your A-game back. But don’t be disheartened. Once you reclaim that forgotten knowledge and get back into the groove, it will feel like you never left. Join Dana Manciagli’s Job Search Master Class right now and immediately access the most comprehensive job search system currently available!

Motivation Monday Time for a Career Tune-Up

Motivation Monday Time for a Career Tune-Up Happy New Year! And isnt this a great time of year to begin anew! Summer vacations are behind us and now it is back to work. We are a bit more than half way through the calendar year and youve had some successes you need to take inventory of and document! Recording Your Achievements Go back through the year and take inventory of what youve achieved. While you are at it, this is a great time to set new goals for the remainder of the year too! You need to do this for many reasons: Performance reviews are largely driven by the information you provide to your manager These become content for your resume and stories to tell during interviews They help you see exactly how far youve come (or how you need to improve) Taking Credit Where Credit is Due is the new normal required of employees and job seekers today. Being too humble wont cut it! What Is Your Package? Whether you call it personal branding or something else, how you regularly present yourself and the impression others have about you is what matters. Sure, you can be the best worker ever, but if no one knows that, what good will it do? When everyone is pushed to their limits and managers have too much on their plates; taking care of you and your professional development tends to slip off their radars. YOU can influence this and should. Not just inside your company, but outside too! Here are some thoughts on how you can refine and re-tune your package! Your Career: New Year, New Focus from Hannah Morgan