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Sunday 22 December 2013

Do you need a personal vision statement?

I pose this question to you in my final blog for 2013.DO YOU NEED A PERSONAL VISION STATEMENT? It is the time of year when we tend to consider our New Year Resolutions!In the majority of case these resolutions do not last more than a week, if that.The most common being "I want to lose weight" or "I want to stop smoking". I would suggest that the reason for failure is that none of these or in very rare cases are they written down. In other words are these resolutions committed to paper. It is like creating a contract with yourself , signed and sealed.The fact remains though why don't we do it.It is not a bad idea to share your personal vision statement with someone who cares about you,someone who can support your quest for success. Your statement can guide your life and help you achieve. It can be equated to you using a personal navigation instrument. A document you can refer to when you feel lost and directionless. These are some questions you can ask yourself to help you formulate your personal vision. What are the 3 or 4 things you need to do everyday to feel content? What are the 4 or 5 life values that are most important to you? People comment on your strengths.Develop them further. Work on your weaknesses.Convert them to strengths. Consider what 5 of your friends would say about you if asked. Think about these questions and answers and combine them in to your personal vision statement.Remember this will always be a work in progress and will require re-visiting regularly.And of course don't forget to write it down.I cannot stress enough the fact that getting started is the most important positive action you can undertake. Picking up that pen and paper is your commitment to change and personal development.Only you can change your path to success, no one else, just you. Look forward to 2014.Make it your year! Till next time Solutioncoach

Saturday 30 November 2013

How to overcome procrastination

I have no doubt that most people tend to put something off that really needs resolving , yet tend to put it off, and then put it off again.Psychologist Professor Cally Lay says procrastination occurs when there is "a temporal gap between intended behaviour and enacted behaviour".Therefore a significant time between intention to do it and when the task is really done. The essential fact about this problem is to recognise when you are in the procrastination mode.Most of us tend to fall into this trap and then realise with a startle that the job has not been done.It causes unnecessary avoidable stress which is really self-inflicted. The crux of the matter is how to deal with this universal problem and take effective steps to combat this demon that many people tend to experience. I believe to prioritise tasks is an effective way to deal with procrastination.This, however,can pose a problem if you tend to only focus on the things that you enjoy most and find easiest to do.It's about being honest with yourself and making sure that you can indentify which task need urgent attention.Take a pen and paper and write them down , then rank them in order of importance and urgency.However, here's the crux of the issue. You need to know and be honest with yourself as to which task is urgent and which is important....... “...the best possible way to prepare for tomorrow is to concentrate with all your intelligence, all your enthusiasm, on doing today's work superbly today. That is the only possible way you can prepare for the future.” ― Dale Carnegie, How to Stop Worrying and Start Living. Till next time .... Solutioncoach

Sunday 24 November 2013

Interview question fascination!

I am always fascinated by the two interview questions that seem to be used very often ." What is your biggest weakness or what is your biggest strength"?I think it is often thought of as a trick to try and catch interviewees off guard or to really observe their reaction to these nebulous questions.Having experienced the usage of these ad nauseam ad infinitum, I am beginning to think that they are frivilous and certainly no value to either party.I think asking the weakness question is a trap to extrapilate useless and intimidating information from the interviewee.It forces the situation into sharing personal information in the process which is not required at this stage of the interview. I know that sharing a weakness can be extremely detrimental to the outcome of the interview and the possibilty of not being appointed to the role certainly increases.Therefore if you are prepared and think the question might be asked, try not to bring in any emotional viewpoint at all.An example would be " I get cross very easily if the work doesn't get completed" or "I get bored when people speak too much". It is always best to keep it simple . The strengths question could give you a chance to re-iterate your capiblity , however it is boring for the interviewer to hear " I have the experience" or " I am a quick learner". Try and think of something unique and exciting about yourself. The main issue is always be prepared because you just never know when these questions might arise. Till next time.... Solutioncoach

Sunday 17 November 2013

I am not getting responses to my applications.

I frequently get asked why don't I get a response to my job applications.If this is happening on a regular basis, then there has to be something wrong with the CV match to the actual job specifications. In other words does your CV have those all encompassing KEY Words. I am aware that this issue gets bandied around on a regular basis ,however it is up to you to make sure everytime that you submit your CV that you check, cross-match and cross-reference them. I know it is painful and laborious however it will make a huge difference to your success rate.It becomes a fruitless excercise to submit the same CV to every job that you apply for.That extra attention to detail will make a significant difference and no doubt attain a positive result. So here are some useful tips to increase your chances of finding suitable employment: 1)Select keywords from job application/adverts and mimic on your CV each and every time 2)Write a short and punchy cover letter 3)Make sure your headline summary/personal profile is convincing and accurate 4)Search in the right places 5)Apply for the right job suited to you-read the advert carefully Make your jobsearch and responses more frequent by following some basic rules. Till next time Solutioncoach

Saturday 26 October 2013

Jobsearch Power-How to create a winning formula

How can you energize yourself everyday to find the job role that you have been searching for over the last few months?Doing focused research is a balance between daily preparation and personal time management. Dedication to the task will produce the result that you want sooner than you think.So lets look at a few practical tips to make it happen: 1)Get out of bed at a time same as if you were going to work 2)Dress smart and in the same way as if you were going for an interview or off to your employment.Poodling around in your night apparel is a definite No No ! 3)Take the regulation breaks during the day such as tea and lunch breaks.This will help you keep in a routine mode 4)Keep a spreadsheet or record of your applications so that you can refer back to them for follow up I know this takes strict discipline however the turn around time will be quicker.Your confidence and self-worth will treble in value and with it your road to success will be attained. Till next time... Solutioncoach

Saturday 20 April 2013

Every second counts

So you sit in front of the telly and ponder what to do next.Your mind is in in a total quandary as how to box yourself out of this rut.You start feeling pressure build within and feel in a complete state of limbo.Your legs are heavy and just will not move.Come on.Speak to yourself.Feed your mind with focused thoughts. You are doing yourself a total misjustice. it just isn't fair to the people around you. The ones that love and care for you. Make a move now as every second counts. Pick yourself up and GO GO GO!! So now you are on the path to personal success and happiness. Keep that chin up and keep going and going !!! You will get there ... no doubt.Create your own SOLUTIONBOX to future success. Till next time... Solutioncoach

Saturday 23 February 2013

Did you create BRAND YOU?

So you have had some time to think about creating BRAND YOU over the last few weeks?Well it's now focus time so that you can move forward with your life changes and work to achieve the changes that you desire . It's a positive direction if you deeply consider your desired success and where you aim to find that achievement.Create a belief in your unlimited potential to build a huge desire within to get to where you want to be in the future. Move your attitude into a new level of self-awareness and work hard from that point to create a new BRAND YOU. Till next time..Solutioncoach

Saturday 19 January 2013

Creating Brand You!

We all have our personality carved and moulded over many years of parental input, school environment, maybe tertiary education and eventually the workplace.I suppose your partner also has a fair share in that process. However having said all of that, then I pose the question why when we are in the process of job hunting and subsequent interviews that we refrain and actually refuse to create BRAND YOU. What is it that prevents you from stepping out of the box and changing the way you look, feel and act. It's time for a makeover in your mindset so begin to create the new BRAND YOU. After all if you keep doing the same thing over and over ... well as you know you will just get the same result. Take that first step to success even if you cannot see the top flight of steps at this stage . Keep working on it until you achieve the new BRAND YOU. Till next time...