Qualities Needed to Hold a Poition in Today's Working World

Initiative - the power or ability to begin or to follow through energetically with a plan or task. 

In the workplace, taking initiative is a key not only to keeping a job, but also to opening doors of opportunity for advancement.  Employees should try to seek priority projects that are either important to their superiors or that give additional skills.

Enhancing - effectiveness; augmentation, to make greater in value. 

If given an opportunity to learn something new, take the opportunity!  Asking to cross-train (learn skills for another position or department) is another way to “enhance” effectiveness for the organization.  Additional education to gain more credentials builds value.

 Positivity - the quality of being encouraging or promising a successful outcome. 

Harvard researcher and lecturer, Shawn Achor, states how a person thinks about his position is the key to strengthening it.  Achor’s research indicates that 75% of career success results from optimism, stress management and perseverance. 

It is important to have a positive attitude during working hours – stay away from the gossip or anything else that would appear negative.  A top performer who is engaged in inappropriate conversation could win a pink slip instead of the next promotion.  A winner is someone who solves problems, not one that creates problems.

 

Professionalism - a set of internalized character strengths and values directed toward high quality service to other's work. 

The word ‘set’ implies a group of things that belong together; therefore, professionalism consists of more than just one thing.  Professionalism in the workplace includes appearance, attitude and skill.   Professionals show self-respect in their work.  Professionals are resourceful especially with time.  A professional waits until work is done before taking time for leisure and personal activities. 

 

Remember learning in history about the division between church and state?  There should also be a line between personal life and work.   Talking at the vending machines is acceptable in SMALL doses.  Your superiors will notice if an employee spends more time chatting idly than working.  Professionals earn the respect of all who work with them.

  

Flexibility - the quality of being adaptable or variable. 

Remember the one thing that will always remain the same is change!  The willingness to adapt to change will determine success in a career.  Be willing to take on different tasks that are not your responsibility as it is an opportunity to learn something new. 

Employers do not want to hear “That’s not my job”.  If you care about keeping your job then watching the clock and running out of the building at 4:59pm is not a good plan. 

Professionalism in Appearance

How do you define professionalism?  It is a combination of attitudes, desires, and behaviors that represent a profession or a professional person.

An area of professionalism is appearance.  Yes, dress codes are very important.  You only have one opportunity to make a good first impression. 

Try to imagine a couple of scenario:  1.  You walk into a salon to get your hair styled and the Stylist is wearing cut of shorts and a dirty t-shirt, would you make an appointment?  2. You walk into a doctor’s office and immediately notice his hair is blue and he is wearing coveralls rather than a lab coat.  Would you trust your child to his care?   Does the dress give you confidence in their abilities?

Perception matters.  Credibility is important.   Businesses depend on their employees to represent the company in a way that will give the consumer confidence in its products and/or services.

Pay attention to your appearance, attitude and etiquette.  There are representatives with companies like Mary Kay and Premier Jewelry who can teach you on the styles and colors best for you and your work environment.

Positive Thinking Everyday: Octopus Steals Camera, Swims Away, Directs First Film

Positive Thinking Everyday: Octopus Steals Camera, Swims Away, Directs First Film

Showing Up without an Interview?

For some employers (Restaurants, Retail Stores, Hospitals) it is acceptable to apply in person.

What is the key to success in an 'Apply in Person' situation?  Show up ready for an interview - professionally dressed and resume in hand.  Chat with the Receptionist and attempt to learn who is in charge of hiring (i.e. HR Manager, Department Manager, etc.).  Build rapport with the gatekeeper (i.e. "the Receptionist") and learn how to "get noticed" for an interview.

A word of advice - don't wander around looking for an office.  Employers do not like unexpected visitors interrupting his or her day seeking employment.

Career Search Tool

Did you know about www.indeed.com?  That is a job search site that compiles all the jobs from newspapers, company websites, etc in one place?  I highly recommend getting starting in building a resume with them and monitor the opportunities daily!

Job vs. Career

A JOB does not include a CAREER but a CAREER usually includes many JOBS

Many think of a JOB as a means to an end

Many think of a CAREER as an occupation that can lead to a lifestyle that will bring more personal fulfillment, advancement, income, flexibility, respect, purpose, etc.

Some think of a JOB as a paid work experience you do “just to pay the bills”

Some believe a CAREER is something you want to invest time and energy into as well as go to college or enter a training program for

Some feel a JOB is something just about anybody can get or do

Others would say a CAREER is an occupation that requires special skills, knowledge and experience to perform

A JOB, according to many, does not lead to anything or give one a sense of accomplishment or life progress

A CAREER, on the other hand, is often thought of by many as an occupation that reflects who you are (personal temperaments; strengths & weaknesses; skills; attitudes, etc.) and what’s most important to you in life (life and work values, interests and goals)  

Laurie's Advice for Time Management

SPEND TIME PLANNING AND ORGANIZING.

Be smart and proactive, think and plan how you will spend your time.  Do you think anyone sets out to fail?  No, but if you fail to take time for planning, you are setting yourself up for failure!  Organize your time in a way that makes sense to you.  Some people like using colors to code levels of priority.  Some people like to keep papers in a filing system; some like to have paper piles.  Whatever works for you should be the system you use.  The most important thing is to use what does work and do it!

SET GOALS.

Goals provide your life with direction.  Decided what you want that is most important.  Set clear-cut goals that are measurable, down-to-earth and possible.  The best possible goals are the ones that cause you to grow instead of dwindle as you make efforts to reach success.  Goals provide direction.  Yogi Berra said it best “If you don't know where you are going, you'll end up someplace else.”

PRIORITIZE using the 80/20 rule.

The 80/20 rule, or Pareto Principle, simply states that 20 percent of your efforts produce 80 percent of your results.  Ask yourself, “What do I really want to do with my life and my time?  What 20 percent of my efforts should I be focusing on?”  Once you realize the answers, prioritize using a system that works best for you.  Flagging deadlines is a great way to help you see your priorities.

USE A TO DO LIST.

A to-do list can be essential for staying on top of your work.  The traditional strategy for staying on top of your work is to maintain both weekly and daily to-do lists.  For a weekly to-do list, you can spend a few minutes each Friday afternoon or Monday morning identifying objectives for the next week.  Using the same principle, take a few minutes late each afternoon or first thing in the morning to compile a daily to-do list.  Some people find a running to-do list most effective.  Remember, whatever works best for you is the one to use.  Be willing to try something new occasionally as you may find something that works better.  I have heard it said, keep doing the same thing the same way and continue to get the same thing.

BE FLEXIBLE.
Interruptions and distractions are part of life.  The time management gurus recommend to plan 50 % of your day to allow yourself the opportunity to be flexible.  Having flexibility in your schedule will allow you to manage your interruptions and distractions.  To help you stay on task, always ask yourself “what is the best use of my time right now?”

USE YOUR PRIME TIME EFFECTIVELY.

What time of the day do you perform at your best?  Are you a morning, afternoon or evening person?  Know when you perform at your best level and plan to use that time to handle your priorities.

ELIMINATE THE URGENT.
Tasks considered urgent create interruptions which only distract you for your real goals.  Urgent tends to focus on short term whereas important things should be related to the achievement of your goals.

EXERCISE CLEVER DISREGARD.

Disregard unimportant tasks, those that do not have long-term results.  Try to delegate or eliminate those unimportant tasks from your to-do list.  Work on the tasks that only you can do and those that will reap the most benefits for you.

 SHUN PERFECTIONISM.

Perfection can be a form of procrastination.  Be careful to know when to have attention to detail and when you are simply spending too long to get it done.

 OVERCOME PROCRASTINATION.

Break your tasks into quick, small manageable steps. 

LEARN TO SAY "NO."

“NO” is sometimes the hardest word to say.  Know what is important to complete in your life. Once you believe in the value of the completing your goals, saying “NO” will be a lot easier!

REWARD YOURSELF.

Even for small successes, celebrate achievement of goals. Promise yourself a reward for completing each task, or finishing the total job. Then keep your promise to yourself and indulge in your reward. Doing so will help you maintain the necessary balance in life between work and play

Resumes

Today I learned about a new website to help promote a person seeking employment.  It is www.visualcv.com.  I hope you will check it out.  It is very easy to build and appears to offer the job seeker a valuable tool in reaching employers.