================================================ "Achieve Your Dreams" - Volume 1, September 2003 ================================================ Greetings! Welcome to the first edition of "Achieve Your Dreams", a bi- monthly newsletter for people with a dream - - whether it's securing a new job, changing careers, building a business, accelerating a career, or discovering a new life vision and direction. Each newsletter will offer 1-2 noteworthy articles, a section on "Office Happenings" and "Helpful Resources", and some favorite quotes and sayings to motivate and inspire you. In this issue: 1. "10 Tips For Successful Networking" 2. "Harness the Power of Questions" 3. Office Happenings (Business has expanded!) 4. Helpful Resources (2 great book recommendations) 5. Favorite Quotes Feel free to forward this to those you believe would find it useful. Feedback is encouraged and appreciated. If there is a specific topic you'd like covered, please send the suggestion to me via the e-mail address below. Enjoy ... ================================= 10 Tips for Successful Networking ================================= Conventional wisdom tells us that networking is an essential ingredient in any job search campaign. But what exactly do we mean by networking and how do you know if you're doing it effectively? Networking is about making connections, building relationships, and developing advocates who we can also help. It's as simple as that. Yet deciding who to talk to, when and how to contact them, what to say, and how to come away from your discussions with helpful information... that's the hard part. Let me share with you 10 tips that will help ensure your success as you venture into the world of networking. Many thanks to my colleague, Louise Kursmark, for her contributions to these tips: 1) Decide who to talk to -- Make a list of everyone you know whom you might possibly contact - friends, relatives, neighbors, acquaintances, former coworkers, old college roommates - the list goes on. Even if you haven't talked to the person in years, put them on the list. You're ultimate objective is to talk to a HIRING MANAGER - someone with the authority to hire for the position you want. Since you never know who knows who in this world, whether you've talked to someone yesterday or 5 years ago, put them on the list. 2) Decide how to approach your network -- In general, a brief phone call or e-mail is a good way to make an initial connection. Many people feel most comfortable calling someone they've been in touch with recently and e-mailing someone they haven't talked to in years. That's fine... the idea is to CONNECT, regardless of how you do it. Some people take the list above and divide it into 3 categories... easiest to contact, a little more difficult, really challenging (haven't talked to in years!). Start with the first group to gain confidence, and slowly move to the more challenging group. 3) Know what to say -- Prepare a 15-second to one-minute introduction that you can use in "formal" networking situations (such as a professional association meeting or when asked the "tell me about yourself" question during an interview). Also prepare a brief introduction you can use in "informal" situations, such as when you're talking to a neighbor or calling an old college friend. 4) Ask for something your networking contact can give you -- In most cases, what your contacts can give are suggestions, advice, leads, and referrals. They cannot give you a job... or even, in many cases, a direct contact to a hiring manager. If you ask for general "help" or "assistance," they may not know what to say or do. They will feel bad if they can't help you! So give them specific opportunities where you know they can help... and where simply saying "no" is not an option. For instance: - "Who do you know at XYZ Corp?" (Not, "Do you know anyone at XYZ Corp?") - "Would you give me feedback on my targeted industry/company list?" - "If you were in my shoes, who would you recommend I talk to?" - "Which headhunters would you recommend I contact and who do you know at those firms?" - "What professional associations do you suggest I investigate?" - "What do you see happening in the ________________ industry?" 5) Keep control of the interaction -- Don't leave a networking meeting or phone call with only your contact's vague promise to "keep you in mind." Be proactive, and be sure you know when and how you should follow up. 6) Be courteous and professional at all times - - Don't EXPECT your contacts to help you, and don't assume that your job search is their number-one priority. (It's not.) But don't let them off the hook if they have offered to help... be sure to follow up, call when you've promised to, and use all the assistance your contacts can provide. 7) Broaden your horizons - - If you're unemployed, broaden your attendance beyond networking events exclusively for job seekers. These are great venues for making contacts who can surely help, but strive also to become meaningfully involved in a few professional organizations where you can meet people in your field who may have more insight into the companies you're targeting. 8) Use networking to complement other job-search activities - - For instance, research companies in your target area to find those that are a good fit, then use networking contacts to find an "in" to those companies. 9) Look for networking opportunities everywhere you go - - Your neighbor's cookout. Your son's soccer game. A church committee meeting. Your annual visit to the dentist. In conversation with the stranger sitting next to you on an airplane. At a seminar or convention. Be prepared with your 15-second introduction and give people everywhere the opportunity to help you. Most are truly glad to do so. 10) Be ready, willing - even eager - to return the favor to any networking contact who approaches you for help. ====================== THE POWER OF QUESTIONS ====================== We've all heard time and again how important it is to communicate effectively with other people. No secret here. Whether it's speaking with your boss, your spouse, or a colleague, the way you communicate can have a huge impact on your life and success. Unfortunately, most people fail to realize that what's even more important is the way you communicate with yourself. You most likely know about positive attitudes and expanding your range of possibility thinking. But what you may not have considered is how the specific questions you ask yourself on a daily basis can impact the quality of your life. I credit motivational speaker Tony Robbins for bringing the concept of "empowering questions" to my attention through his terrific books and tapes. Basically, Tony maintains that the questions you ask yourself on a daily basis determine the quality of your life. He states that your brain works like a giant computer, and in that computer is the answer to every question you could ever have. Your brain takes in and stores information, retrieves data when asked, and operates effectively to the degree in which it was programmed. So whenever you ask a question, your brain assumes the question is valid and goes off in search of an answer, even if the question doesn't have any basis in reality. And when the answer is given, it profoundly affects how you view yourself and the world around you. The sad truth, however, is that too many people ask failure-inducing questions. How many times have you asked yourself, "Why does this always happen to me?" or "How can I be so stupid?" or "Why can't I get this right?" Ask yourself questions like these, and your brain will search all its databases, sift through everything that people have ever said to you, what you've ever said to yourself, what you've ever read or seen on TV, and make up an answer. And most likely those answers will come screaming at you: "Because you're a loser! Because you're an idiot! Because you can't do ANYTHING right!" Sound familiar? Needless to say, this isn't a particularly effective way to communicate with yourself. A better approach would be to ask higher-quality, more empowering questions, like, "What can I learn from this experience?" or "How will I do things more effectively next time?" or "What can I do TODAY that will increase the quality of my life and bring me closer to achieving my goals?" By asking high-quality questions, your computer-like brain will give you answers that are far more valuable to your success and well-being and more positively affect the way you feel about yourself and the world around you. So the next time you're tempted to ponder a defeating thought, try turning the question around. Here's a short list of weak questions and their more powerful alternatives: Weak -- "How come I can't find a job?" Powerful -- "What can I do RIGHT NOW that will bring me closer to my goal of finding a job?" "How can I meet my goal of finding a new job AND enjoy the process? Weak -- "Why does this always happen to me?" Powerful -- "What can I learn from this so I will NEVER have to experience it again?" "What can I take from this experience that will empower me?" "What is actually funny about this that I hadn't noticed?" Weak -- "Why did this person do this to me?" Powerful -- "What about this person do I actually respect?" "What will I commit to doing different next time in this situation?" Weak -- "Why can't I do this?" Powerful -- "How can I make this thing happen right now more powerfully than I ever dreamed of AND have fun doing it?" And my favorite -- "What's really GREAT in my life right now?" Monitor the quality of the questions you ask yourself on a daily basis and you'll change the quality of your life forever. Start asking habitual questions that empower and energize you and you'll quickly find yourself on the road to success AND having fun along the way. ================= OFFICE HAPPENINGS ================= I'm excited to announce that I've recently expanded my business to include Personal and Professional Success Coaching. As a Success Coach, I work with super motivated professionals, business owners and entrepreneurs who want to make something extraordinary happen -- in their lives, their careers or their businesses -- and want to work with a coach and partner to help get them laser focused on their goals and then quickly build momentum so they achieve those goals. If you or a colleague think you would benefit from a coaching relationship, I invite you to contact me for a free coaching consultation. I'm thrilled to share with you that several of my resumes have been chosen for inclusion in two upcoming publications, "Expert Resumes for Healthcare Professionals" and "Gallery of Best Resumes, 3rd Edition". Look for these books at your local bookstore or library this September and early winter. Recently, I attended an excellent resume writing workshop, "Advanced Resume Writing Techniques," taught by Wendy Enelow, President and Founder of Career Masters Institute. Wendy is recognized as the premier expert on resume writing, having run a successful resume writing business for over 20 years and published numerous books in the "Expert Resumes For..." series. It was an outstanding workshop and I feel privileged that my expertise has been augmented by one of the best. ================= HELPFUL RESOURCES ================= For those of you considering a career change and looking for a resource beyond "What Color Is Your Parachute?" I encourage you to pick up "Zen And The Art Of Making A Living" by Laurence G. Boldt. This book transcends the traditional "how to make a living" and urges you to focus on "designing a life". A must-have for anyone tired of the rat-race and looking to find their true purpose in life. If your dream is to start a consulting business, I highly recommend "The Consultant's Quick Start Guide - An Action Plan For Your First Year In Business" by Elaine Biech. It's a wonderful book designed to help you think through the challenges and opportunities of building a consulting practice It offers practical advice on creating a business plan, identifying your market, reaching your market, and future expansion. A valuable resource for the new, and even experienced, consultant. =============== FAVORITE QUOTES =============== "As long as you are trying to be something other than what you actually are, the mind wears itself out." - J. Krishnamurti "We could all use a little coaching. When you're playing the game, it's hard to think of everything." - Jim Rohn, Motivational Coach "Nothing splendid has ever been achieved except by those who dared believe that something inside them was superior to circumstances." - Bruce Barton "What I need is someone who will make me do what I can." - Ralph Waldo Emerson "If your ship doesn't come in, swim out to it." - Jonathan Winters Enjoy the upcoming fall season! Best wishes and much success to you, Jeanne ** If you would like someone added to this newsletter distribu- tion list, please forward their name and e-mail address to me. They will be added promptly. ** If you would like to be removed from this list, please reply to me via this e-mail address. I will remove your name promptly.