Note:  check out the category ‘Positive Outlook’, great posts to keep you sane.

In my past life, when I use to hire employees, on rare occasions, a candidate followed up with me–and I loved it! A strategic follow up effort can ‘ensnare’ a hiring manager, especially if you are qualified.

Note: please check out the blog on keppiecareers there is a massive amount of information and resources.

No doubt, you’ve seen and heard stories about how software, not people, reads your application when you apply for a job. Known as the “applicant tracking system,” or ATS, this software is programmed to look for keywords and phrases in…

Note: please explore the personalbrandingblog it is a great resource for positioning yourself for success.

Great for making new contacts, meeting potential clients, partners and more, all in person. But how to find offline networking events? Keep in mind Industry events are great, but not only for your industry.

Haven’t been able to find a job in any of the areas you’re interested in? Learn how changing your perspective can make your work more enjoyable.

Come and get some help:

When: Thursday 28th June 6.30 – 9.30 (and beyond)

Where: Mercure Hotel, Princes Street, Edinburgh (formerly the Mount Royal)

What: 3 hour workshop with space for networking afterwards

When you detest what you get paid for, it doesn’t just affect you, it hits your home life, your relationships, your family, even your weekends are ruined because of the thought of returning back to the role you hate on the Monday (I know, I’ve been there!)

Just thinking about a career change is one thing, taking the plunge and actually doing it is a completely different story.

Most people have an ‘idea’ of what they would like their career to look like, some believe that anything is better than what they are doing now: they make a change of location, but not necessarily a career change.

Not many even consider that it’s possible for them to make a move into a career they love. For the most part many grin and suffer it, they talk a good talk but never manage to make it happen.

How to make brilliant career move isn’t something that you’re taught at school, and certainly not in the workplace!

The foundation to a successful career change isn’t an outside job, it’s an internal one. It’s figuring out what’s important to you, what’s non-negotiable and negotiable, what skills you have to use, what are your core values and what must be in place so that you are happy at work.

Some people go about this all the wrong way: they start by writing a CV (when it should be the last task), searching for roles they would like to do and get frustrated that they don’t have the experience or skills that are being asked for. They never really pause to consider ‘what do I really want?’

“What I learned from Dawn I will carry with me for the rest of my working days, she made it easy to learn, things that you never realised were inside your head, and she just brought it out”

Make The Right Moves

A successful career change isn’t ‘guess work’, nor is it ‘anything is better than this’, people spin their wheels and never get anywhere. They jump from one thing to the next, hoping that ‘this time’ they will have made the right decision.

What if there was a better way?

What if you took a little time and then became very clear on:

• What career paths are the right ones for you, taking into account your strengths and uniqueness.
• What roles, tasks, jobs, inspires, motivates and fits your personal values.

This is easy to work out, will take a little time, but it will serve you not just to day, but in every role you ever pick for yourself in the future.

I have managed to get my life and career back on track due to the confidence and self belief which was instilled back into me, by the content, the interaction, fellow trainees and the trainers.

In this workshop you’ll discover:

• What must be included in your future career move.

• How to identify your core purpose and mission in life and how it is translated onto your career.

• What’s important to you (and what isn’t), and how it’s unique to your career.

• How to plan a career move the right way, not the ‘try and see’ approach.

• Your core values, your negotiable and non-negotiable and what must be used in your future career.

• Motivators and drivers for your career: knowing what makes you tick, where your passion lie and how to harness them in the next stage of your journey.

How to Book

The cost of the workshop is £15, to book your place please click on the link below. We use paypal to process payments, however you don’t need a paypal account.

1. Complete your personal details (name, address etc)

2. Click on the ‘check out with paypal’ button – you will be directed to paypal, we don’t receive your payment information, only confirmation you have booked.

3. Any problems, just get in touch.

Typical Questions

Do you need to bring anything? No, just yourself.

Can you bring a friend or book as a gift? Yes, just complete the steps above and in the message area let us know it’s for a gift, so we can contact you for the persons details.

Your self employed, will this workshop suit you? Yes, if you are struggling to differentiate yourself, no if you think it’s a marketing workshop.

Can you come straight from work? Sure, the Mercure is a hotel and serves food and drink, please do we’ll be there early as well.

How long is the networking part? As long as people are there. This is a really valuable part of the careers cafe, don’t worry if you can’t stay as you have other commitments. However, if you can you’ll find that the connection is really useful.

Is this one of those workshops where there is a lot of selling? No, this is a stand alone workshop: full of content and information, the premise is affordable help. If you want more please visit dawnbarclay.com after the workshop.

How will the workshop be run? Engaging, motivating, fun, all learning styles catered for. It isn’t a ‘death by PowerPoint’ affair!

What type of people book? People like you and me.

Will you have to speak? No, not if you don’t want to. We have little ‘group chats’ however as part of the learning, 3-4 people.

What if you can’t make it? If you cancel up to 3 days before the event, a full refund will be given. No refunds can be made after this time. Be there. And if you can’t make it, you are more than welcome to pass your place to someone else, just let us know their name.

Are places limited? Yes, only because of the room size, so book early.

If you have any questions, just get in touch.

Coming? Click the button below and I’ll see you on the 28th!

Venue Map

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Anytime before 1995, the chances are you do remember the Internet in it’s infancy, back in the days of screeching Internet connections and downloads that took days, not to mention wires everywhere. I still have one lurking underneath a wooden floor.

At the same time, you’ve probably heard of blogs and blogging.

In fact, you’ve probably been on thousands over your Internet life.

In the not so distant past, blogging was assumed to be for just for writers, ‘experts’ and individuals sharing personal life stories. And more recently business owners (although many are still digging their heels refusing to see the benefits.)

Many people, no, the majority of people changing career or looking for a new gig to hang out in, will only do the basics. How many will blog? Hardly any. Why? Because not many people have even considered writing a blog to change career, or they don’t know how.

So, on the 15th March, we’re going to talk blogging for a career change. 

Sorry, you missed it. Why not come to the next career cafe?

Why should you consider a blog?

• You can display your talents, expertise and knowledge in the form of blog posts.
• It can help you change careers.
• You can share your information with meaningful networks.
• You can connect and build relationships with employers and key stakeholders.
• You can (if you target wisely) your wares in front of employers who are using blogs and social media.
• You can get yourself noticed far quicker than a CV
• You can mention some great posts you have written in your CV and cover letters.
• You can create business cards with your blog listed.
• You can prove much more of your abilities, soft skills (including literacy, problem solving, critical thinking, personality) far easier, quicker and focused than just a CV or resume will ever do.

Want to Come?

Click on the link below – check the amounts (£15) and then click on checkout.

Event is over.

Who doesn’t love writing, updating and putting together a CV! Hands up?

Hands down.

We can’t ignore them or leave them aside.

CV’s are (we know) a nightmare for most. Why? Because we aren’t ‘taught’ how to write them, and we certainly aren’t that great at selling ourselves.

Come along on the 19th February for some CV love. It’s a 3 hour session, so we’ll get through the basics and really go to town on the personal profile.

Who’s the career cafe for?

• Work returners, changers and shifters
• Solopreneurs wishing to start their own business
• People no longer wishing to just settle in their career
• Professionals in search for a complete career change
• Creative and multi-passionate people wishing to get focused
• New solo business owners struggling to differentiate themselves

Do You Need to Bring Anything?

Nope, just yourself. We have the coffee, pens, paper all covered.

You might this time want to bring your CV if you have one.

What Time Does It End?

We start at noon and the official workshop/cafe ends at 3pm, however you are more than welcome to stay longer. That’s the premise behind the cafe, to get help and advice and network.

Coming?

Click on the link below – check the amounts (£15) and then click on checkout.

We use paypal however you don’t need a paypal account to book. Any problems just get in touch and we’ll help you out.

See you on the 19th!

Take care for now

Dawn

In the meantime:

Remember to nip to the main site and sign up for the goodies, there is a CV workbook in there called ‘Why Your CV is Going In The Bin and What You Can Do About It’

And here’s a few other articles on the main site to get stuck into until the 19th.

Here’s What Some Employers Are Really Thinking

7 Ways You Can Improve Your CV Now

Can’t make it? Sign up for updates and news below and keep informed of the next dates.

and the topic is…

“Social Media for Career Success”

Come along if you’re stuck, stopped, fed up, dreading Mondays and are genuinely in a pickle working out what you should be getting paid for and how to go about it, if you’re a:

• Work returners, changers and shifters
• Solopreneurs wishing to start their own business
• People no longer wishing to just settle in their career
• Professionals in search for a complete career change
• Creative and multi-passionate people wishing to get focused
• New solo business owners struggling to differentiate themselves

You’re very welcome.

No, we won’t be playing ‘Angry Birds’ or Farmville.

We’ll utilise the time and explore why using Linkedin, Facebook, Twitter are crucial for the new world of work.

Why?

• Over 80% of companies now use social media in their recruiting, and another 9% plan to start this year, and usage has increased over 12% over the past two years
• Nearly two-thirds of recruiters have successfully hired talent using social networks, up 5% from the year prior
• As expected, LinkedIn is by far the most used social site for recruiting. Facebook is a distant second
• 55% of companies are actively increasing their investment in social media recruiting
• More than 2 million companies have LinkedIn Company Pages
• Recruiters admit that the best outside talent comes from referrals, not social networks

Source: businessinsider.com

That’s why!

In the past two years employers, recruiters, companies have finally accepted that social media is here to stay (well, most of them!)

Does it not make sense to hang out where they all ready are?

Social media is full of excellent tools (linkedin, facebook, twitter) but like all tools, they have to be used in the right way.

Come along to the cafe and let’s explore how you can make social media an integral part of your search, change, shift.

Can’t make it? Sign up for updates and news below and keep informed of the next dates.

Yes?

No?

Well done if you said yes! 

If you said no, let me ‘help’ you feel better for a minute, did you 49% of small businesses don’t even have a plan of any shape or form!  Not even notes on a napkin! For some, it’s all ad hoc: sometimes a little marketing, sorry, advertising is undertaken (usually out of panic when there is no custom).

In my experience (working with local business owners), they say things like ‘I’ve put out few flyers and heard nothing’ or ‘I’ve advertised on a free ad site (Gumtree etc) and no calls’ or ‘we ran an advert in the paper, so far zilch’.  And sadly the approach many small biz owners take when putting out their ‘message’ has nothing to do with their potential customer, no, they make it all about them.

Okay, that’s business but what about you…

Sadly many job searchers apply the same tactics.  The difference is in language they say ‘I’ve sent my CV and heard nothing back’ or ‘I applied for 50 jobs online, not one has replied’ or ‘I called a number to an advert and nothing’.

Their search can also be ad hoc: applications and CV’s are sent out of panic (when the current job is painful enough to apply elsewhere), they apply the same method and information to numerous job adverts, and like in business they make their search all about them and not what problem they solve for an employer: they not have thought through their ultimate value of their offer.

I don’t think it would surprise you that many people ‘struggle’ selling themselves when it comes to job searching and applying.  (I’m not going to ignore the fact that ‘job roles’ are disappearing, more people are applying for the same position, which why it makes even more sense to learn how to sell you!)

Selling is not a dirty, rude swear word, honest.  The art of selling is ‘to persuade (another) to recognise the worth or desirability of something’ – in the case of the job searcher it’s your sole (only) task to persuade a hiring employer that you are worthy of being hired.  That’s it!

When it comes to marketing a business, brand, service or YOU, you’re ultimate goal is to make the strongest persuasive pitch of why ‘you’ are the best choice for an employer to ‘buy’.

1. Know Your Product, You!

No business owner in their right mind would market a product, service or business unless they knew everything that it does for a customer PLUS it’s weaknesses and flaws.

In order to sell yourself you have to know and be able to describe your ‘product’: who you are, what you do, your mission, your uniqueness, your skills, your attributes, your weaknesses,  the benefits of choosing you above others.

If you need help to figure this out, get it!  Even a friend who won’t put words in your mouth can help.

2. Know Why You’re Unique

• What is it you do better than anyone else?
• Where in life have been your successes?
• What’s your unique selling point?
• What is it you need people to know about you?
• How can you get that message across in everything you do?
• What are you worth?
• Where do you add most value?

In my experience many people miss this crucial step, it’s not a 20-minute ‘job’ when a form arrives or when you are sitting in front of monitor.

What happens is this, if you are vague about what your product does, you leave gaps or holes in the message you’re trying to convey, leaving the space for a hiring employer to fill in the details in their own head.  What a waste of an opportunity if they are ‘making up information’ that isn’t accurate (another reason why you should never leave gaps, questioning heads fill in the information.)

3. Know Your Customer (Employer) – Do Your Research

In business some companies waste time trying to market what they offer to everyone, the truth is not everyone is going to be interested in what they have to sell.

Do your homework for each and every position you apply for and work out if what you’re selling will appeal to an employer; in other words do you actually want to ‘sell’ to them?   Look online at a company, follow them on social media, speak to people already in the organisation.  Does the culture ‘fit’ your brand?

Will your product (you) actually be a match?  Many apply for ‘anything’ without even considering if they are the best match.  Seriously, you’re product may have flaws such as how far it can travel to work, caring responsibilities, times that can be worked etc.  I’ve seen many people take the ‘apply for anything’ approach and they get anything! A few months down the line they are incredible unhappy with what they got!  Do your research.

The ‘Sell’ is NOT About You

You may think because you are the one applying, it;s about you, which actually makes the ‘sell’ hard.

In all the steps you take, take ‘you’ out of it and focus on the needs, headaches, problems and nightmares of the employer.  They DO have one, otherwise they wouldn’t be asking for help!

When marketing yourself (online, off, via forms, CV’s) state how you solve the problems, be specific, and make yourself a ‘magic pill’ or formula to the headaches.

We careersy-coachy-helpery-trainery-people types talk a lot about being or sitting in alignment with your values: knowing who you are, and living authentically.

A lot, lotta lotta lot.

But there’s good reason. Yes, it may be a tricky one to answer. This post will explain why your core values can’t be ignored and how to identify your own.

See, they play a part in every area of your life, career, business, family, relationships — everything!

Ready?

Let’s do this thang…

Lots of people can state what’s of importance to them, what they value but not always know their core values.

There’s a difference?

Yes.

How? Well, some people weigh up all their values as being of equal value, with no priority. My childrens happiness being given the same value or weight  as being able to eat my favourite cake when I want, is not the same.

Got time for a value game? All you need to do is agree or disagree with the following statements, think about them for a few seconds first. Can you sit on the fence? Nope. Ready?

• It’s okay to go to bed without having brushed your teeth.
• Same sex marriages should be legal in every country worldwide.
• It’s totally acceptable to pick your nose in a public place.
• Life should mean life in a prison sentence.
• An eye for an eye. A tooth for a tooth.
• Eye contact must be made at all times.
• Money doesn’t buy happiness.
• All politicians are liars.
• All religions cause wars.
• It’s survival of the fittest.

Whether you agreed or disagreed will depend entirely on your value system. And although it may feel like you made the choice, that may not be the whole truth.

Our values are a little bit like an internal navigation system. Guiding and leading.

A system in perfect working order (I didn’t say effective, because sometimes they aren’t), working even now as you read this, they’re the central HQ of how you choose and what you decide. How you behave, how you act. The are underpin your life.

They’re who you are, they assist you to answer who am I.

The unspoken rules and regulations, terms and conditions by which you have agreed to and ultimately live by.

Whether or not you consciously consult or are aware of them isn’t important, they are the captain of what you do, what you believe as the truth  and they are the result of what your life looks like.

Some will serve you, others will hinder you.

Some will be glued and fixed rigid, unmoveable, others more fluid.

Some were handed down to you, others you learned along the way.

Some will have changed over time, others will have grown stronger.

You may find when they are being challenged by others, you’ll defend them. You’ll stick by them. Why? Because they are part of your identity, they are you.

Sometimes, you’ll be swayed by the values held by others and amend your own, or refuse and deepen yours even further.

You’ll look around (sometimes unconsciously) to seek evidence that your values are the right ones.

Where Do They Come From?

Oh, we could be here for a-g-e-s.  A start…you’ll have been shaped by your upbringing: where you were raised, how you were raised, what you experienced.  Some are social, some are political, others are cultural. You may hold values that are swamped in history: values held by your ancestors, that have been handed to you down through generations.

Seriously? Yep.

They will have been gathered via your beliefs and norms, you will have learned your values from what was acceptable and non-acceptable in your schools, playground, work places.  You have been conforming and norming your values for years.

You will have placed a value base on almost every area of your life.

Try these questions:

• How do you feel about your name?
• Where were you born? How has that shaped you?
• Where did you grow up? How do you feel about it today?
• What did your parents (main carers) teach you?
• What sex are you? How do you feel about that?
• What behaviour do not you tolerate in others?
• And do you tolerate it with your closest family?
• What did your peers teach you about life at age 10?

See, you could be here forever.

You’ll have values I’ll find unacceptable, and vice versa, and of course we may share a few.

And what if your core values, well, em, for want of a more effective word, just plain old stink. Of course they won’t to you, how could they? They are yours, nobody can tell you what to place value on.

But what if your life is not working the way you want it? Pay a long overdue visit to your values.

Or, more accurately your core values.

What’s the Difference Between Core Values and Values?

They are deeper.

Much deeper.

Use this worksheet to get started.

Finding them, or identifying them isn’t too hard. Look for what triggers a very strong emotion in you (anger, love, hate, jealousy) there will probably be a link to a core value wrapped up there.

An Example of Core Values at Work

For the best part of ten years, I wrote and delivered a 6 week program for individuals wishing to enter the role of Support Worker (supporting other people who required support). For this role the person had to have strong core values surrounding equality, inclusion, person centred working, respect, dignity, diversity, empathy…just for starters.

Asked at interview ‘why do you want to work as a Support Worker?’

80% of the time the answer was to help people.

80% of the time that usually wasn’t enough.

Why?

Core Values

Having answered that question I would then ask questions around the actual role such as:

How would you support someone with high support needs, who uses a wheelchair and wants to go rock climbing?

How would you support someone taking a bath?

Value laden questions.

When an individual would reply to the wheelchair question something along the lines of ’well, they wouldn’t be able to’ or ‘I’d try and find something else for them to do’ or ‘tell them they couldn’t maybe take them to a local park instead‘.

Those answers gave so much away about their core values: about freedom, choice, opportunities, and equality. They just weren’t there.

The bath question, if someone replied ‘test the water’ or ‘would I have to do that?‘ again, a clear indication of the persons core values. No mention of dignity, respect, the right to privacy.

Can you see the difference?

See, you can pretend for a while, but ultimately your core values will be exposed.

What about your life, career, business?

I believe knowing your core values helps you make better decisions, better choices.

They are your guide, your map and compass. And when you are aware of them, can question why they exist you can take back the helm.

• If one of your core values is authenticity, how would you feel working in an environment where everyone wears masks, back stabs, gossips and comments?
• If another was family time, how would you feel if you worked in environment where it was expected you would work late, put in extra hours, work overtime?
• How about if one of your core values was to be treated with respect and dignity, and yet your boss was a tyrant a belittler, an aggressive monster, or your partner ignored you on a regular basis?

They do matter.

To live a life 24/7 where you aren’t ‘in alignment’ with your core values is challenging.

• Perhaps one of your values is independence and freedom, how do you feel when someone makes decisions (even when it’s well meant) about your life without your consent?
• Maybe one of your core values is honesty and integrity, what happens when you find someone has been lying to you?

Coach Yourself

Discover your core values. Know them, learn from them, embrace the ones that serve you, move away from the ones that do not serve. They will show you why you behave and act in certain ways. They will have you manage conflict, and see other people more clearly. They will shine light on what really matters to you. They will explain to you why you feel what you feel.

Your Turn

Download the worksheet, what three values made your list? Surprised?

Reprinted from dawnbarclay.com