Can You Magically Attract Money, New Job, Whatever …?

There’s some discussion going on about this topic. Can you just “think and get rich”, “think and get new job”??

Exactly how does “thinking” affect our success? Does it? Isn’t all about connections? qualifications? experience – in the case of job hunting? Or are there advantages we’re missing by sidelining this whole “law of attraction” “The Secret” thing?

And is watching the depressing daily news (Zim, political infighting, inflation, oil price, crime, interest rates, etc) also having a negative effect on our own personal performance – after all if we can “attract” good stuff we then also have the power to “attract” bad stuff.

Here’s an extract from a discussion going on on the Career&Success members only forum/community website:

1) I don’t believe things magically appear - I think that angle is just great for marketers to sell their books/dvd’s. I don’t know, I just don’t buy the whole – it’s all just energy all around us and our thoughts can spark some godlike force to start working intelligently for us with little or no action on our part.

However …

2) I DO think we grossly underestimate our own God given brain. It has enormous power. But we don’t understand it’s power. And we don’t know how to use it. And in fact our lives are filled with things that deaden it – as opposed to stimulating it. So when we start stimulating it a little things happen that seem surprising. But actually it’s no big deal – our mind has sparked ideas, we’ve taken action, our approach has perhaps been different – perhaps very subtly different – in fact we may have done nothing (on paper) that’s different, but we’ve done it with a different spirit/attitude/mental disposition.

And that has affected the way people view us, and so have responded more positively. Maybe we used different words, maybe there was a sparkle in our eyes, maybe our body language was better, whatever – it was all so subtle and under the radar we don’t even know we’re doing it – but it changes the way people respond.

Like job interviews. Sometimes I get an e-mail from a client about an job hunting situation. I can sense frustration even anger. Does that come across in an interview? It’s almost impossible to stop it. What’s the solution? Mental attitude. It needs work.

What do you think? Join the discussion. Learn. If you join with others also striving to improve their situation – everyone has a better chance of achieving their goals. There’s more power in community. It’s R30 pm. Join now. Go to www.careerandsuccess.info, get the application form, complete it, fax it back. Simple.
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Job Hunting Success Formula: Part 2 – Developed Skills, Section II of II

So yesterday (Section I) we discussed the importance of developed skills in an employer’s decision to hire you. Skills make a difference, they get his/her company from “A” to “B” or “Z”.

But in your career I think there are two set’s of “developed skills” -

1. Those cultivated/learned in an academic/learning environment – like a learnership, apprenticeship or just by being guided by someone at work, or even just teaching oneself through trial and error. For example, I wrote a CV a few months ago for a Financial Manager of a major, high profile media organisation who has NO formal qualifications. Nothing. But he has been mentored, he’s been a good learner from more experienced people around him. So his “developed Accounting and Finance skills” are purely through experience and learning “on the job”. These are his ‘professional’ skills.
2. And then there are other “developed skills” – these skills are of a more natural nature – learned over time – growing up, life, experience and somewhat built into our personality/natural aptitudes/character – skills that are not specific to a particular industry/job function. Like our Financial Manager – he developed an excellent knowledge of and skill with Accounting. Fine. But another skill that was as important a factor in his success was his ability to lead his team. That’s an entirely different ‘animal’. That’s not something that can be taught as successfully as the more rule driven Accounting. Leadership has much to do with character, personality, focus, courage, communication, clarity of thinking, personal confidence and mastery (excuse all the buzzwords!).

And I know that these sort of skills are underrated in a big way. How you deal with people, how you manage yourself [they (them that knows) call it "personal mastery"], how you organise yourself, how you communicate, how you learn, your attitude toward life in general – these are critically important and are also called soft skills.

Think about this: you CAN be successful with only these underrated skills with no formal/professional skills (’cause they can be learned pretty easily really), but it’s unlikely you’ll be successful with only formal/professional/hard skills with none of those other softer skills in place (which are really tough to learn).

Tip: many employers look just for a great attitude with strong learning ability.

So how do you develop these? Tough question. You can take all sorts of courses on these soft skills BUT as Stephen Covey’s “7 Habits” will tell you, it’s more about attitude than “ok, do a, b and c and you’ve got them.” Some would say you’ve either got the right attitude or not. But I think they can be learned. Here’s what occurs to me – it’s a bit ‘out there’ but believe me when I say there’s more than you can imagine in it: start by cultivating the rare quality of humility.

What do I mean by “humility” – bear with me here. It means you should be aware that there’s a lot to learn; it’s a big wide world and although you’re great, you’re not the centre of it; be willing to learn; be willing to follow instructions; appreciate what others teach you; ask questions; be eager to please; be somewhat in awe of knowledge and experience; show respect; treat people in a way that shows you think they have great value; be interested in them.

In these things are the roots of greatness. Humility – not allowing everyone to just tramp all over you or being cowering – but having a plan to improve your situation and understanding that learning from others, communicating with others, showing appreciation and respect is a key to that.

It’s the key to those softer skills that underpin true success. By the way, our Financial Manager mentioned above – what a great, humble guy, full of praise to the people who’ve taught him what he knows. No wonder he’s done so well. And no wonder people have been willing to give him a chance and been willing to teach him.

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Job Hunting Success Formula: Part 2 – Developed Skills, Section I of II

In the search for an employee, obviously, an employer looks for skills. Not just skills in word. But skills in deed. Actual work you are able to do (preferably well). You can do something, something of some value. You can drive. You can operate a forklift. You can inspire and motivate a team. You can keep the company’s books of account. You can sell.

Whatever career skill it is – you can come in to their company and solve a problem or help the company to progress toward its targets in some way – or prevent it from going under in some way.

A Plumber will make sure that water runs to the factory to cool the machines. A Financial Manager will make sure debtors pay up, creditors are paid in time, money is wisely invested, finance is secured, profits are protected, costs are kept low, etc.

Some careers/positions focus more on expert knowledge – but in any case applying that knowledge is a skill on its own.

The ‘nub’ is this: your ‘skills’ must translate into benefits to your employer. Having said that, it is true that some employers look for potential – with prior learning/qualifications being a strong indicator that you have the needed potential – and then they train you in the actual doing of the job to meet their requirements. To be honest however, they usually look for some developed skills to already be present.

Okay, it all starts then, by having skills in the first place. So … do your utmost to learn some! You could take a course in your desired field, get some qualification. But as much as theory has its place, remember the employer is looking for skills – you coming in, doing a ‘job of work’, making a difference, taking some task from “A” to “B”.

Develop a career mindset of always learning. But don’t forget that knowledge isn’t skill. Developing skill takes practice. Field work. Getting your hands dirty. Trial and error. Being in the trenches. Making mistakes! Learning from mistakes! Correcting mistakes! Trying not to make the same mistake! It means being involved in something on a regular basis. And it also means having some successes to speak of.

So when you’re learning, ask: what skills am I developing?

Here are some examples:

• If you’re studying Accounting, are you doing the books for 2 or more small businesses in your neighbourhood part time?
• If you’re studying motor mechanics – are you busy ‘pimp my ride-ing’ a ’78 Chevvy, just for the experience?
• If you’re studying Financial Analysis – are you keeping track of your own JSE/NYSE/Nasdaq portfolio of shares?
• Are you studying HR Management? Are you working part time to assist 2 or more small companies with their HR issues?

Or … if you’re already in a job or career: what new skills are you developing? What skills look like they’re going to be needed in the future? What skills are in short supply? Are you adding to what you’ve got? Or are you looking for ways to do what you do better than ever?

By doing the above you’re developing skills. And because skills are valuable to employers – you’re making yourself more valuable to them. And if you’re more valuable, you’re more marketable – you’ll find it easier to find and keep work, and you’ll earn more.

But there’s another kind of skills you also need to develop. More on them tomorrow.

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Are You Asking the Tough Career Questions?

Here’s an item from the 3 Steps to a Great New Job e-course. The extract is taken from Module 8 and asks the question:

Why is it important to spend some time thinking about your job and career?

I mean, if you’re unhappy in your job, miserable, usually people just want to forget about it, they live for Fridays, they hate Mondays, they hate Sunday evenings (because tomorrow’s Monday!) and they hope one day something better will come along. So in the course I encourage people to face some tough questions about their life and career choices. WHY?

Most people find their ‘perfect’ job kind of by mistake – they stumble across it – instead of clinically, scientifically plotting their way there. So you may wonder, “what’s the use of all these questions?”. The answer is simple: there’s just not enough time to rely on “chance”. We need to shorten the odds as best we can. Getting one’s mind to think about these issues is good. The answers may not be immediately apparent or clear. But they will become so before long.

True, no? I actually think it’s difficult though to “clinically”, “scientifically” plot your way to a blissful career. People are complex. I know at least that I’m full of bull (my wife will tell you, so don’t contact her, she’ll shatter my image). And making my way to my job-that-I-love was an agonising ride. But there are things you can do to make your way there too, just more easily. And starting out with a determination that “life is too darn short” and “somethings gotta be done … now” about it – well that’s a great start.

Get the “3 Steps to a Great New Job” course free if you’re a member of the Career&Success community at R30 pm. Tough decision. Go to www.CareerAndSuccess.info for the R30 pm option or www.GreatNewJob.co.za for the R300 option.

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Have you enjoyed this article? If so please do 2 things: 1) Share it - click the ‘green thingy’ button below and you’ll easily be able to send it to friends via email or even Facebook; 2) And join the exclusive Career&Success community – the place for info, ideas, support and a network of friends to give you the spark you may be lacking right now. www.CareerAndSuccess.info

The Job Hunting Success Formula #1

So you may be wondering what different factors make up YOU landing a JOB and especially a job you really want.

Here’s my list of factors the make up the formula. Would you like to add any? I’ll be writing an article on each of these in the days ahead. In random order (each one’s importance changes situation by situation, so it’s impossible to weight each one):

Developed Skills + Knowledge + Common Sense + People Skills + Personal Marketing + Reasonable Price + Timing + Uncontrollable Factors In Your Favor (some call it luck) + Emotional State + Ability to Adapt + Ability to Translate Skills and Knowledge into Value + Persistence + Willingness to do What’s Necessary + Intellectual Capacity

= JOB

What have I left out? What shouldn’t be there? Add your comments below or e-mail them to me at gerard@jobsearching.co.za

What will a better understanding of these factors do for you? It may help identify what’s going wrong in your job hunt. Or it may make you a smarter job hunter. It may help you work on some weak areas. It may help you to stop banging your head against a wall and try a different approach. It may help you see that there’s more under your control than you think. It may make you feel more focussed and optimistic, like you “CAN” instead of “CAN’T”.

NEW! “Your CV – How to Remodel it for Hard Hitting Impact – in 60 Minutes or Less”

This is a special release e-guide – available free via the Career&Success Member’s Only Community. The guide contains before and after examples (never before seen) and step by step guidelines on exactly what to do to transform your CV fast.

To become a member of the Career&Success Community go here: www.CareerAndSuccess.info. You’ll not only receive this special release e-guide and the many more that will be added in the next months but benefit from all the information that’s already there. This includes: “Think and Grow Rich” by Napoleon Hill; “Awaken the Giant Within: Abridged” by Anthony Robbins; and the “3 Steps to a Great New Job” career guidance and job hunting course – and much more.

Radical CV and Career Strategies

Here’s a radical new idea (well it’s not a new idea really – even I have mentioned it before and it’s been the topic of at least 1 other job hunting book). It’s by Seth Godin – a marketing “Guru” who makes a living telling it like it is and looking ahead to see what’s next. In the article below he reveals 2 things.

1. The radical idea – you’ll see what I mean.
2. How it really works when you send out your ‘average’ CV (or resume as he calls it)

See what you think (I’ve included in brackets some clarifying comments):

[Warning!! This is NOT for you if you feel uncomfortable with anything new or unconventional. It’s not for everybody. To make it work WILL require a whole new way of thinking from most job hunters out there.

Why bother having a resume?

In the last few days, I’ve heard from top students at Cornell and other universities about my internship. (Mr Godin offers an internship – so people apply to him for the post.)

It must have been posted in some office or on a site, because each of the applications is just a resume (CV). No real cover letter, no attempt at self marketing. Sort of, “here are the facts about me, please put me in the pile.”

This is controversial, but here goes: I think if you’re remarkable, amazing or just plain spectacular, you probably shouldn’t have a resume (CV) at all.

Not just for my little internship, but in general. Great people shouldn’t have a resume (CV).

Here’s why: A resume is an excuse to reject you. Once you send me your resume, I can say, “oh, they’re missing this or they’re missing that,” and boom, you’re out.

Having a resume begs for you to go into that big machine that looks for relevant keywords, and begs for you to get a job as a cog in a giant machine. Just more fodder for the corporate behemoth. That might be fine for average folks looking for an average job, but is that what you deserve?

If you don’t have a resume, what do you have?

• How about three extraordinary letters of recommendation from people the employer knows or respects?
• Or a sophisticated project they can see or touch?
• Or a reputation that precedes you?
• Or a blog that is so compelling and insightful that they have no choice but to follow up?

Some say, “well, that’s fine, but I don’t have those.”

Yeah, that’s my point. If you don’t have those, why do you think you are remarkable, amazing or just plain spectacular? It sounds to me like if you don’t have those, you’ve been brainwashed into acting like you’re sort of ordinary.

Great jobs, world class jobs, jobs people kill for… those jobs don’t get filled by people emailing in resumes. Ever.

Some of what you’ve just read will have surprised you. You may doubt it. Dismiss it. And that’s fine. If you’re happy being ‘fodder’ for the ‘corporate behemoth’. Some people love it. They love the processes, policies, procedures. They love convention and order. Predictability. Organisation.

But the truth is … the world doesn’t care. The corporation doesn’t care. Maybe years ago it used to (debatable). But now … your company may have Employee Wellness programmes, in-house Gyms, psychologists, hair dressers, creches, etc – but actually you’re on your own.

So … never give up control of YOU. Keep a record of your good work. Measure yourself. Learn how to sell your value, skills, knowledge (even though for now it appears you’re ‘safe’). Develop skills that solve difficult, real problems. Be a provider of solutions.

Get or keep interested in many things. Keep alive in yourself the idea that one day you will work for yourself, on your own terms and make a good living doing so. Keep looking for opportunities. Keep learning. Get used to danger. Take risks. Get used to the feeling. Know that staying in the ‘safety’ of a large corporation is frequently AS risky as going it alone.

Sorry – I got a little off the point here on my favorite topic – but the essence is: be aware that you’re a business. And you’re in a competitive world. Don’t take a back seat in your own business. Build something that’ll last. Be smart about it. Everyone’s got a CV. At least make sure yours sends out a strong, confident, focussed message (that’ll instantly put you ahead, believe me) – not just some boring list of your past ‘duties’ and ‘responsibilities’.

How to Write a 2 Page CV

Have just updated the free e-book “High Impact Job Hunting Quick Fixes” – and discovered something I’d forgotten – in it is a chapter titled: “How to Write a 2 Page CV”. Maybe you’re struggling with just that right now.

Get it free by just sending an email to quickfixes@getresponse.com

It’ll be e-mailed directly to you – find the 2 Page article on page 20.

That’s it.