Feb 9

How are you spending your time?!

Make the Right Choices!

Are you spending your spare time watching the Kardashians? Watching someone else live their successful life while you should be out there living your life’s purpose?

It is easy to blame your circumstances or outside sources as the reason for not finding a career. However, it’s the choices you make that have the greatest impact on your search.

Do you choose to only utilize job boards? Do you choose to wait until the perfect opportunity becomes available? Do you choose to only communicate by email? Do you choose to use the same methods that are not working? Do you choose to justify you lack of results?

There are many situations throughout your job search that are uncomfortable and somewhat defeating. It is important for you to realize that you have 100% control over the choices you make each day.

Choose to add people to your network daily. Choose to use many different techniques to find a job. Choose to only spend 10% of your time on job boards. Choose to market yourself directly to hiring authorities. Choose to spend 35-40 hours on your job search weekly. Choose to schedule informational interviews. Choose to set minimum result standards daily.

The choices you make not only impact your job search, they define the person you become! Starting today, only make choices that move your job search forward.

Success is in Your DNA,
Ruth Dorsainville
CEO of The DNA Staffing Corporation Companies
www.dnastaffingcorp.com

Feb 9

ruth dorsainville

Career Development

Unleash the superman in you when searching for your career!

Unleash the superman in you when searching for your career!

Who Has The Most Difficult Time Finding a Job?
More mature job seekers think it’s harder to find a job after 50, recent grads think it’s harder to find a job with no experience, people returning to the workforce think it’s hardest for them to find a job and individuals changing careers often feel it’s impossible to make the change.

The truth of the matter is there are jobs for all four groups just described. Many employers prefer to hire more mature candidates because of the wealth of expertise, maturity and dependability. There are companies who prefer to mold and train their own and look to hire recent grads. Individuals returning to the workforce often have lower salary requirements and there are transferrable skills when someone is changing their job target.

If you believe it is harder for you to find a job for these or any other reasons, you could be sabotaging your own Job Search. If you think you CAN find a job or if you think you CAN’T find a job – YOU’RE RIGHT! Your expectations have a great impact on how you conduct your search.

To gain momentum in your search, you need to CHANGE the way you conduct your search. You can’t keep doing things the same way and expect different results. Remember, currently over 50% of job seekers are finding their job through networking. The next best way to find a job is to market yourself directly to hiring authorities. Spend the majority of your time doing these two things and you will begin to enjoy results.

If you are not sure how to network or directly market yourself to hiring authorities, complete the steps in our Career Portal under PREPARE, SEARCH & CONNECT and INTERVIEW. Our Career Portal shares inside secrets only utilized by recruiters throughout the sixteen step process for finding a job. Follow the advice offered throughout the steps and you will be celebrating your new job sooner rather than later!

Success is in Your DNA,
Ruth Dorsainville
CEO of The DNA Staffing Corporation Companies
www.dnastaffingcorp.com

Feb 9

Nigyar Mamedova

Career Development

How to survive a job loss

How to survive a job loss

The year of 2012 will always stay in my memory as one of the roller-coaster years of my life. After losing my mother to cancer in January 2012, I have also lost my dream job in London due to financial difficulties of my company resulting in restructuring just eight months after my mother’s death. I had to return to North America and was faced with a tough reality – finding a job is about who you know. Thus, in order to find a job which fits my level of experience, I had to learn how to network. Little did I know how restructuring will change my life. Not only did I develop networking and public speaking skills during those three years, I also met a number of talented people who gave me valuable advice. Today I will share with you some tips on how to get through the job loss.

Tip #1. Let go of the past.
Job loss could be very stressful. With job loss you not only lose stability and consistent income, but you can also start losing a sense of yourself. Job search could result in depression and sadness and it’s OK to give yourself some time to grief. Once you have an opportunity to grief, realize that your life has changed and the earlier you accept it, the quicker you will move forward Important step in moving forward is to let go of any bad feelings towards your employer. Realize that restructuring is not personal, it’s a business decision which leaders need to take when the company is not doing well. Although it does not feel that way when you are going through the job search, in reality, life puts in the position where you will develop survival and other skills which will benefit you for years to come. Three years after restructuring were the toughest years of my life, however, looking back at the experience; I realize that exactly during those years I mastered networking and social skills which I use in my current position.

Tip #2. Develop your elevator pitch.
Before you start any networking, you need to develop an elevator pitch. An elevator pitch is a short summary which defines what you have to offer and how it is different from everyone else. The idea of the elevator pitch is not only say what you do but to make it impactful and memorable for your listener. Realize that you are selling a product which needs to be marketed.

The product is unique and the product in this case is you. Know your product and learn how to sell it. Develop a 30- and 90- second elevator pitch and practice your pitches among your friends, people in transition and other people in your social circle until you master your pitch.

Tip #3. Get business cards.
Design your personal business cards which should describe your expertise and include your address, email and phone details. There is a number of websites such as vistaprint which you can use to develop and print your business cards. When you go to networking meetings, make sure to take enough business cards with you

Tip #4. Join networking groups in your field.
After returning to New York I started to attend as many events and happy hours as I could. However, as I became more experienced in networking, I started to focus on organizations most relevant to my field such as Financial Executive International (FEI), Association of Chartered Accountants in the US (ACAUS) and Financial Executives Networking Group (FENG). Not only I have landed a job through my professional network, I have also met many smart people who I would not have otherwise met

Tip #5. Get out of your comfort zone.
When you are looking for a job, it’s not a time to be shy. Reach out to your network, tell them that you are looking for a job and ask them for advice and whether they know of someone in your field who can be a good networking source for you. Remember that if you don’t ask, your network won’t know you need help.

Tip #6. Don’t ask for a job but build connection.
When I attend networking events, I can immediately spot job seekers. Most of inexperienced networkers ask for what they want before establishing connection with their networking target. The right approach is to build connection with a person you have just met and to find something in common. Make your connection like you. People like to help people they like

Tip #7. Read articles and books about networking.
When I was looking for a job, I read a lot of articles by other job seekers who were successful in their networking efforts. I learned from each of them. For those who just start networking, I would highly recommend “Never Eat Alone” by Keith Ferrazzi. The book changed my life and helped me to land my dream job.

Tip #8. Practice, practice, practice.
Some people have a natural ability to connect with others, however, for those who are a not social butterflies, don’t worry. Networking skill can be developed like any other skill and requires a lot of practice. I would recommend going to as many networking events and parties as possible. With time and practice, you will master an art of networking.

Tip #9. Hang on in there.

Looking for a job is a full-time job which can be draining at times. Interviews with no results could start impacting your self-confidence. No matter how tough your life might be, employers expect you to appear upbeat and positive. Realize that you are not alone – there are a lot of people out there who went through the job search and survived it. You can do a few things to build your positive energy. Go to the gym, read a book, spend time with your family, attend free events – this will help to stay positive. Believe in yourself and your abilities and keep going.

Never give up!

Written by:
Nigyar Mamedova
Nigyar is a seasoned accounting, analytics and audit leader with over 15 years of international experience obtained in Big 4 public accounting firms (including PricewaterhouseCoopers, Deloitte, Ernst&Young) and Fortune 500 companies in United States, Canada, United Kingdom and the Caribbean. With extensive expertise in SEC reporting, external/internal audit, technical
accounting, Sarbanes-Oxley, US GAAP, and IFRS, she has been instrumental in implementing financial re-engineering and reporting controls for a number of public companies including: AIG, Prudential, British Petroleum, Coca-Cola, McDermott, Nortel, Exxon-Mobil, Shell, Aviva, Jefferies, Citibank, and Deutsche Bank, among others. She serves as Treasurer for the New York chapter of the non-profit, Toastmasters International, and as a mentor in Morgan Stanley’s affiliated club. Nigyar holds a Masters in Economics from Kansas State University, and is a Certified Public Accountant in the US, and Chartered Professional Accountant in Canada. She is fluent in English and Russian and currently resides in New York.

Feb 9

ruth dorsainville

Career Development

Networking 101 – How to

HOW TO I APPROACH PEOPLE?
It is best to approach people who are standing alone or in a smaller group. Smile and ask if you can join them and comment on something you have in common.

HOW DO I BECOME MEMORABLE?
It’s important to be lighthearted, fun and share interesting stories. You should be energetic, a great listener and engaging.

HOW CAN I BE MORE SELF-CONFIDENT?
Your self-confidence will increase if you feel you have prepared. Read the paper, magazines, trade publications and have three to five stories, news comments or questions you will ask prepared in advance. The more you practice having casual conversations, the more confident you will become.

HOW CAN I OVERCOME MY SHYNESS?
It is comforting to know that over 90% of people describe themselves as shy, especially in a networking situation. Observe the behavior and conversations of outgoing people you admire. Consider joining a book club or toastmasters to overcome your shyness.

HOW DO I MOVE FROM SMALL TALK?
Small talk is how you begin to develop rapport and is most important in networking. Let the other person talk about themselves and they will like you more and be more apt to add you to their network when the conversation turns to more serious topics.

WHAT IS THE BEST WAY TO GET A BUSINESS CARD?
Offer your business card and then ask “Do you have a card?” If you are a full time job seeker your card should list your contact information on the front and list facts on the back about your experience and accomplishments.

Networking is not different than any skills. You will learn how to work a room and become a great networker with practice.

Success is in Your DNA,
Ruth Dorsainville
CEO of the DNA Staffing Corporation Companies
www.yourdnacareer.com

Feb 9

Joseph Varghese

Career Development / Personal Development

Course Correct Your Way to Your Dream Career

Course Correct Your Way to Your Dream Career

The path to being successful in your career is never a straight line. It takes hundreds of course-corrections on a regular basis or as the peak performance coach Tony Robbins says “2mm shifts” to get to where you want to be. Although money is important, it’s really the passion pulling you forward that will bring sustainability in your career and overall happiness.
For many of you who don’t know me personally, here is bit of my story. I went to a top engineering college in the Tri-State area. When I entered school in the early 1990s, I didn’t know what I wanted to do. Up until that point, I was decent at a lot of things but not exceptional at any one. I chose the career path of Chemical Engineering because that’s what the highest paid field was at the time. Hence, I chose it for the wrong reasons.
Fast forward 3 years later. I’m driving to my full time co-op assignment working as a Junior Process Engineer at a chemical plant near the southern tip of NJ. On one of many lengthy drives to work, while driving close to 80 miles an hour, my 1993 Honda Civic skidded and hit the side of a bridge on a fast moving highway. The car caught fire and was completely totaled. Thanks to the safety air bags, I walked away with just a minor case of whiplash. A friendly police officer drove me back to my dormitory room. I laid in a fetal position for the next few hours both grateful to be alive and a feeling of sense of numbness. There was a gnawing feeling of a lack of purpose and I knew something had to shift.

It’s Time to Course-Correct

I realized that I would need to “course correct” in my career. It took that moment of dancing with death for me to realize that I didn’t want to die doing something that I wasn’t passionate about. What I was beginning to be passionate about was technology and I had seen an early stage of the Internet which to me was so much more exciting. In each of my co-op jobs during college, it was those technical skills that stood out.

Create a Roadmap

I created a roadmap for the next two years using an Excel spreadsheet where I saw that by doubling on credits and taking summer classes, I could follow my new passion in technology and graduate with a degree in Computer Engineering in addition to the first degree I had set after.
That life changing accident taught me is that we each have an internal GPS system. Just as a driver with a GPS system needs to make adjustments due to the hundreds of different variables in the way, we each need to continually course correct to arrive at our dreams. Success is never a straight line.
Seven Careers in a Lifetime?
It’s often said that the average person makes 7 career changes over a lifetime. I’ve already made 6 major career shifts over the past twenty years. It’s never too late to follow your passions and sometimes those passions change and that’s Ok.
We often need to be reminded of our own greatness. Having the right peer support team also makes a world of difference. What allowed me to make that career shift in college was my encouraging peer group. It so happened that my dorm roommate was studying to be a computer engineer, as was my neighbor and many of my close friends. It didn’t hurt that the dot com boom was underway and many of us could predict that it would be big and exciting.

Your Peer Group and Environment is Stronger than Willpower

When I graduated from Engineering School, my new peer group became my 2 new roommates and some college friends who we would spend time with on weekends. One of my roommates Victor, got incorporated and began to flourish in his 1099 technology consulting work. He mentored me and I followed suit, leaving my first full time job to do the same. I in turn mentored our other roommate and several months later he followed our footsteps and eventually would go on to work his dream job for Cisco Systems, where he still is to this day.
As my peer group evolved over the years, I found my career choices shifted as well. I’ve often needed to course correct based on failures or “breakdowns ” as I prefer to call them. What I’ve learned is that behind every breakdown, there is a breakthrough or opportunity if you’re ready to see it. After 9/11 I realized that I no longer wanted to work in a cubicle and I wanted to use the skills I had learned to build communities and make a difference in the world. That lead me to start a nonprofit called Metrofly whose mission, for the two years we ran it, was to adopt a different charity organization each month and throw a “party with a purpose.” The skill of marketing I learned through running that nonprofit, I use regularly today.
I’ve learned over the years how to get better at reframing challenges and see what’s possible on the other side. In fact this is one of the core daily coaching questions used in Peer Success Circles, a peer-to-peer support and accountability community I started ten years ago that has helped hundreds of entrepreneurs and job seekers around the world reach their dreams.
Here is a summary of the 10 lessons I’ve learned over the years that may help you on your journey:

10 Lessons I’ve Learned

1. It’s helpful to have a goal and a roadmap of where you want to be. At the same time be flexible on your journey to get there. We naturally steer toward what we have our focus on. The road itself will have different obstacles and curves but it’s up to you to look forward on the prize you are after. Plot your roadmap in a way that you can review it often. You can download one for free here.

2. Remember that all the dashes and dots connect. With each step on your career path, there will be some skills you can translate into a future career. When you show up to work, be your very best no matter what. Some of the best skills I’ve developed in life have come from my earliest high school jobs working in catering, volunteering and customer relations.

3. Create a belief that there is always something to learn from every setback and that failure doesn’t exist unless you believe it does. Behind every failure or breakdown, there is an opportunity if you’re willing to see it. Simply keep asking the question, “What have I learned from this challenge and what new opportunities have now shown up.” Take personal responsibility for those breakdowns/failures or anything you feel “happened” to you. The moment you own the journey, the fog in front of you will begin to clear.

4.Develop the mindset of perpetual pursuit. Imagine that each spoke of the bicycle wheel in the picture above represents an area of life: Career, Money, Leisure and Fun, Family, Health, Personal Growth. If any one of these spokes is out of whack, it can affect the other areas and it’s likely that the bike won’t get too far. It’s therefore important to lead a balanced life as best as you can.

5. Personal reflection is a great thing but don’t spend too much time looking at the rear-view mirror. Journal your growth and victories on a daily basis. Remember that each big victory becomes a reference point that you can do it again. These cumulative wins will give you a new found confidence that you can do anything.

6. Be willing to track and measure your progress. If something is repeatedly not working, change your course. As Pearson’s law states, “That which is measured improves. That which is measured and reported improves exponentially.”

7. Gamify your approach and make it fun. Every game has rules of engagement and begins with a huddle to strategize the plays, a score board to keep track of results and a team of people working with you. For over ten years, I have began almost ever single workday with a 20 to 30 minute huddle call with a member from Peer Success Circles.

8. The best way to realign your GPS system is with the support of the right peer group, and it takes accountability. This can be the the ultimate reminder system if you let people support you and cheer your on. Getting feedback or another unique perspective on a problem may also provide you paradigm shifts in your own advancement toward your goals and dreams. It’s often said that you are the average of the 5 closest people around you. It takes having the right mentor and team to propel you forward to your dreams.

9. Learn to be courageous and practice the art of asking for support. People want to help you. You never have to go at it alone.

10. Once you learn a skill or a trade, “Pay it forward” and mentor another person. Humility is the pathway to abundance.
Remember to never give up and always move forward. There are quite a few support networks if you are willing to search your local area or think virtually.

Written by:
Joseph Varghese aka “The Breakthrough Engineer” is a Peak Performance Coach. He is passionate about empowering others to stay focused, driven and living their highest potential. For over 12 years, he’s been immersed in the science of peak performance, productivity and gamification.
Since 2005, Joseph has been facilitating Peer Success Circles a Peer-to-Peer Mastermind and accountability community. He’s since become a thought leader in the area of peer accountability. Peer Success Circles is the ultimate blend of productivity and relationships, delivering the highest impact. Each member is a success story.

Click here to learn more about the Course Correct your way to your Dream Career

Feb 9

ruth dorsainville

Career Development

Don’t waste time when negotiating!

Don’t waste time when negotiating!

You don’t want to waste your time or the time of the hiring authorities, if their company is not going to pay you what you’re worth. You need to understand how employers set their salary levels and then adjust your job search.

If a higher salary is not within a company’s budget, they are not in a position to offer you more money. Companies normally don’t bring in a new employee who had a higher level than the person leaving the job, unless they are enhancing the level of responsibilities.

It is wise to understand:
Average compensation being paid by similar companies in their industry Average pay for someone with your experience How strong your credentials and experience match the criteria of the position

Conducting this research will stop you from wasting time pursuing companies that can’t provide the compensation you require.

Success is in Your DNA,
Ruth Dorsainville
CEO of the DNA Staffing Corporation Companies
www.yourdnacareer.com

Feb 9

ruth dorsainville

Career Development

THE IMPACT OF POSITIVE ATTITUDE

THE IMPACT OF POSITIVE ATTITUDE

THE IMPACT OF POSITIVE ATTITUDE

Most individuals involved in a career search are not sales professionals, which is why the process is usually “uncomfortable.” A career search requires you to “sell” your experience and skills to a future employer.

If you are NOT currently employed, your FULL-TIME job is your career search. You need to spend 40 hours a week working on your search. If you ARE currently employed, but seeking a career change, you need to dedicate at least 10 hours every week to your search. You need to become PROACTIVE and make things happen versus being REACTIVE and waiting for things to happen for you.

Whether you think you WILL succeed or whether you think you WON’T succeed – you’re RIGHT! What you think actually becomes your reality. What your mind can conceive and believe your body will achieve. There is a Law of Attraction that is extremely FAIR. It’s not enough to WANT a new career; you have to EXPECT it to happen! It’s not an easy or even pleasant process at times, but you can never have doubts about your ability to become the person you were put on this earth to become. You need to maintain a very positive attitude throughout the entire process.

Envision yourself already working IN a job that would make you happy. Write down the following:

● What type of job are you doing?

● What are the functions of your job?

● What salary are you earning?

● What is your environment?

● What type of boss do you have?

● What are your advancement possibilities?

Now write down a Positive Affirmation you will read daily. Start this

affirmation with the words “I’m so happy because…” Write down the type of opportunity that would make you happy and read it several times each day,picturing yourself actually doing the career you are passionate about Start adapting a positive attitude today and expect the best out of your search efforts. Don’t dwell on what you have experienced to date. You can’t change what has happened in the past, you can’t change what you’ve done so far today, but you CAN CHANGE what you do from this moment forward. You attitude will have a tremendous impact on the results you achieve during your career search!

Remember ACTION is key! Strategic Actions Steps that is!

The Four Steps to Strategic Actions includes:

Step #1 – Feed your mind daily with positive information, whether reading a book, audio or attending a seminar. Your mind determines your life, feed the positive monster inside of you. Emotional Strength is Key.

Step # 2 – Health is Wealth. Take the time to eat well and workout every day. Your energy level will increase and you will feel better about yourself. Your Body and Mind are connected.

Step # 3 – Get a support system. Find a Role Model and Get a Plan. A coach is one of the most successful and beneficial investment you can make as they can provide you with the blueprint to success since they have already walk your path. You can also find a like-minded group, however keep in mind that if you are seeking to be where you never been most likely your peer group will not get you there. Remember that the 5 people you surround yourself are a direct reflection of your life.

Step #4 – Pay it Forward. Find someone in worse situation than you and offer to help. This will fill your soul as the Secret of Living is Giving.

The 80 / 20 Rule: 80% is Psychology, 20% is mechanics.

Networking 101
If you want to improve your networking efforts, it is important to learn how to “work a room or event.” Each time you find yourself in a group setting, there are endless networking opportunities. I’d like to address some common questions.

HOW TO I APPROACH PEOPLE?
It is best to approach people who are standing alone or in a smaller group. Smile and ask if you can join them and comment on something you have in common.

HOW DO I BECOME MEMORABLE?
It’s important to be lighthearted, fun and share interesting stories. You should be energetic, a great listener and engaging.

Networking is not different than any skills. You will learn how to work a room and become a great networker with practice.

Success is in Your DNA,
Ruth Dorsainville
CEO of the DNA Staffing Corporation Companies
www.yourdnacareer.com