Archive for Soft Skills
Learn to leverage your maturity in your job search!
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I really liked this article from the Huffington Post about leveraging your “maturity”, or your age when you’re looking for a new job: Looking For a Job? Make Maturity Work for You!
We’re constantly reminded about the problems with age-ism and discrimination related to that and it doesn’t help. You can’t change your age, so focus on why it is a plus or positive thing, instead of worrying about it affecting your job search. Leverage it, tout it, and be proud of the experience you bring to the table! I promise you that it is worth a lot. You get to choose the perspective you take on your qualifications, and taking a negative one certainly won’t help. So ask yourself, “Why is my age, and my specific work experience, a positive thing? How does my unique set of skills and background set me apart from other job seekers in my industry?”
Focus on the positive aspects of your situation, such as these two mentioned in the article:
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You have market knowledge and a well-honed skill set gained over years of experience. You need less time on the job training and can hit the ground running…
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You have life skills gained over years of experience dealing with people. Remember those soft skills are ones that employers can’t teach you and can make the difference between you being hired over someone else. They can train you on their software, teach you how to be a better sales person, but they can’t teach you to have a strong work ethic or be a team player. Your life skills that come with age are invaluable.
If you’d like more help on your job search, please contact us today for a complimentary consultation.
Hallie Crawford
Dream Job Coach
P.S. Are you frustrated with your job search? Check out our FREE REPORT: ”Take Control of Your Career Transition: Uncover Hidden Opportunities”.
Immerse yourself in your industry
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It is important to consistently stay in touch with your peers in your industry, not just for networking purposes but to rejuvenate your interest in your field. I was excited to attend a CTI workshop recently, and this workshop really rejuvenated my interest in coaching. CTI is a coaching school that I attended years ago, and being back there with my fellow coaches for this workshop was like coming home for me. I felt like I was with “my people” again, and it renewed my energy and enthusiasm for being a coach. This is really something I think we all need to do. We can feel stale sometimes when we’ve been doing the same thing for a while!
I also wanted to mention to you a cool benefit I’m happy to give you. From that workshop, I have $200 off coupons for CTI’s core fundamentals course. If you would like one, I’m happy to mail it to you. They can be used anywhere in the US and would be useful for anyone wanting to improve their leadership skills, management skills, and relationship skills inside and outside the workplace. Just let me know! Here’s the CTI website to learn more: www.thecoaches.com
Hallie Crawford
Certified Career Coach
P.S. If you are looking for career fulfillment, check out this FREE REPORT: ”4 Keys to Career Fulfillment and Effectiveness”.
How to spice up your job search today!
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A key element to spicing up your job search is to ask for information. After working with many career coaching clients recently, I’m finding that people aren’t using the right networking strategy for their job search. Here are some key tips to spice up your job search:
- Informational interviews are resonating and helpful in your jobs search. Talk to the people in your network who work in an industry you want to be part of. Ask them for 15 minutes of their time to learn more about what they do. Don’t ask for a job, ask for information.
- Go places where people are, such as professional associations. Instead of going to job fairs and places where people are unemployed, this can be a great way to make connections and learn more about your preferred industry.
- A good networking strategy is critical and includes LinkedIn. Update your LinkedIn profile right away if you have not done so in the past 3 months. People still don’t get on LinkedIn and use it effectively. 80% of recruiters are searching here. We have a career coaching client who upgraded her account to paid and is reaping the rewards of seeing the actual traffic to her account. There are many ways to use this actively to run your search.
- Soft skills are important, and another area that job seekers often don’t fully understand. Soft skills are skills that an employer can’t teach you like work ethic, management skills, or your ability to work in a team.
I hope these tips are helpful to you. If you are motivated and want to spice up your job search more, contact us today to set up a complimentary consultation.
Hallie Crawford
Ideal Career Coach
P.S. A great way to receive free help regarding your career direction is to our Free Monthly Newsletter. Check it out today!
How do you stand out in this tough job market?
Posted by: | CommentsI was honored to be featured on TV in Macon recently where I discussed the importance of Soft Skills in a tough economy. There are so many people who are unemployed, that the employers can pick whoever they want. The way you can stand out is to focus on your soft skills. What do you have to offer in this tough job market?
You can watch the news segment here: http://www.41nbc.com/blogs/coreen/8813-career-coach-urges-you-to-promote-soft-skills
What are employers looking for?
Posted by: | CommentsCheck out my latest YouTube video where I discuss a study that was done several years ago of about 1,000 recruiters who were surveyed to find out what is important in a prospective candidate. What do Employers look for? Recruiters and employers said the top things they felt were important for prospective employees are the soft skills. The soft skills are things that employers can’t teach. Keep this in mind in your job search.
Soft skills are key to a successful career transition
Posted by: | CommentsWatch this video as I discuss a recent article about soft skills being the #1 thing employers are looking for. Your past work experience and your talents matter, but your ability to be a team leader or effectively communicate are just as important. Always remember in your job search and your job interviews that you have to focus on your soft skills just as much as your hard skills.
