Why You Should Consider Getting a Career Coach (Pt.3) Building Your Future Now

Why You Should Consider Getting a Career Coach (Pt.3) Building Your Future Now If you are a job seeker or someone simply trying to get a better sense of their career a career coach is a professional you should consider contacting. A career coach is a professional that has a strong cache of tools and experience that can aid you in either finding your dream job or aligning you on the right career path. Career coaches sometimes have interesting backgrounds from many different industries. And that is very useful! They can talk to you about their experiences and what they have gone through. However, ultimately the career coach can offer you a myriad of ways to build confidence, find what you are truly passionate about and even help you find some sense of control at a job you dont like. Also, in order for the career coach to be effective you must be honest and sincere about your efforts in your job search or career development. If however you feel that you need more from your career coach you must make it known. A good career coach will sometimes make the suggestion of getting another coach that suits their needs a little bit better if the consultations dont produce the required results. Getting a career coach may be a little strange or maybe daunting at first but with some research and by talking to some coaches it will be a possible game changer in your career and life. Just remember to keep an open mind and be open to change! Image: Geralt

Saving a Valued Employee With One Foot Out the Door Marla Gottschalk

Saving a Valued Employee With One Foot Out the Door Marla Gottschalk Photo by Tim Mossholder on Unsplash Its rarely good news when a valued team member expresses serious thoughts of leaving. In some cases there may have been signs of disconnect, yet those signs were not interpreted as evidence of a deeper problem. In other cases, weve recognized that an employees experience has not been ideal, but failed to address the fallout. Ultimately,   managers are caught completely off-guard â€" and a response in the moment is difficult to construct. Yet, timely decisive action is necessary to avoid a one-way pass into the departure lounge. One option to direct this response, is to apply the notion of core stability and the psychological constructs that contribute. This may help a manager understand where things fell apart and offer clues to a possible resolution. Consider the case of Michael, a research analyst who had been recently promoted. His new role focused on the development of a new insight survey, which would hopefully become a strong revenue center for the organization. Michael jumped into the development phase excited and good faith, preparing the necessary business plans with supporting numbers. But, the process inexplicably stalled in upper management with no direction toward a resolution. His manager failed to notice that while Michael appeared to persevere, repeated revisions of his plan had drained his psychological resources. With his former duties re-assigned, he felt he could no longer contribute in a meaningful way. After repeated attempts to right the ship, he gave notice. Unfortunately, becoming attuned to an employees level psychological capital (Hope, self-efficacy, resilience, optimism) is not as commonplace as it should be. Furthermore, breaches of the psychological contract are common and are often left undetected. What can a manager do in these situations? Assess the damage. Sit down with your employee for a candid heart to heart. Explore the situation and inquire about the events that have created the most stress or exhaustion. Apply the construct of the psychological contract, to determine if there has been a breach of the employer-employee exchange relationship. In the case of Michael, he felt that a promise had been made to invest in his expertise, yet he was repeatedly rebuffed. On some level, he felt the organization had misled him down a dead-end path with little support. Own up. If possible, intervene. Acknowledge that you should have been more aware. If you suspect that a breach has indeed occurred, inquire what you might do to rectify the situation. For Michael, offering to serve as an advocate and exploring the obstacles standing in the way of an accepted business plan would be in order. A timely, targeted resolution to restore faith is vital. It is possible that the individuals psychological resources can be bolstered. Ask for time. Ultimately, time is necessary to put a course of action into motion. Clarify that course and ask for time (breathing room) so they might reconsider their thoughts of leaving. In some cases, a breach of the psychological contract can be mended â€" but the associated emotions require time (and forward progress) to settle. In Michaels case, the project stall couldnt be rectified. That offered him the information needed to make an informed decision. Sadly, not all situations can be saved. However, acting once a problem is revealed may help your employee see his or her relationship with the organization in a better light. If not, lay the groundwork for a possible return in the future. Have you ever found yourself in a situation like this? Were you the manager or the employee? What happened? Dr. Marla Gottschalk is an Industrial/Organizational Psychologist who explores challenge and change in work life. A charter member of the LinkedIn Influencer Program since 2012 â€" her thoughts on work life have appeared in various outlets including Harvard Business Review, Forbes, Quartz and The Huffington Post.

Pathways Career Options for Doctoral Researchers University of Manchester Careers Blog

Pathways Career Options for Doctoral Researchers University of Manchester Careers Blog Youre always being told that networking is the key to exploring career options and strategies for getting into work, but where are you supposed to find the time and the contacts when youre concentrating on your research? Well, each year, we try to make it easier for you. Instead of you having to find a load of contacts, set up meetings, and take multiple days out of your diary to talk to them, we find over 60 PhD qualified professionals and bring them to you to Manchester, on campus, all on the same day. Our Pathways event has been running successfully for 5 years, attended by hundreds of researchers each year. When: Friday 7th June, 2013 Registration from 8.30am, 9.15 start, (free) lunch 1-2, 4pm finish (though you can come for part of the day if you have other commitments). Where: Renold Building, North Campus Were back at Renold, now its been refurbished. Its a nice venue for this event, with plenty of space for lunches and informal networking, and a wide range of flat rooms and lecture theatres (so less chance of running out of seats, as we did in some of our most popular sessions in University Place last year). If you dont normally go to North Campus, think of it as an away day! Want to attend? Online registration is now open Important: If you want to be sure this event goes ahead, and that we book enough lunches to go round and venues large enough to seat participants, please register! Weve just had to cancel a whole week of postgrad careers events for Arts, Languages and Cultures because registrations were so low, and Id hate to have to do that again. Who can attend? Doctoral researchers (current or past) Any University of Manchester doctoral researcher, in any year, including those who graduated up to 2 years ago from this university, are eligible for a free place. If you attend another institution, there is a charge to attend (as the event includes catering), though your own university training department may be prepared to fund or subsidise you ask them. It is also open to any current University of Manchester member of research or teaching staff. Over half of the panellists normally started as post-docs, so this is as much a post-doc career event as a PhD career event. Having said that, the focus is on careers for those with a PhD, so if youre a current member of research staff from an undergraduate or masters background, it wont cover careers without a PhD. This event isnt open to either undergraduates or Masters but if you decide to do a PhD at the University of Manchester, youll be welcome to attend from your first year onwards. Whos going to be there? We cant tell you yet (cos were still contacting panellists) But come with an open mind and youll find really valuable advice and tips from some unexpected places. There are always panellists working both inside academia and outside academia and those who started in academia but then moved on. Well upload a list of the profiles of most of the panellists the week before the event, but for information, here are some of last years panellists (pdf). Some panellists come back each year, others just come for one year there are always panellists who are attending for the first time, so you definitely wont have seen them all before. Will I find a job there? Frankly, no. This isnt a jobs fair (thats the following week more later). Its the chance to find out how other PhDs found jobs, decided on careers and what they wished someone had told them when they were in your position. As most of them arent representing employers, youll get a frank (sometimes brutally frank!) response from them about what they thought of jobs theyve done and how to avoid some of the mistakes theyve made something you really cant get at a recruitment event. So no employers then? Well maybe (we hope so) For the first time, following a suggestion from researchers, were hoping to add an employer panel in the afternoon, to give you direct feedback from people who recruit PhDs (and others), about what they look for and how PhDs can market themselves to employers. Ill update you on this blog if we manage to set this up fingers crossed. Where can I get more information? Pathways our official website, www.manchester.ac.uk/pathways, with online registration and further detailed info on panellists and sessions, closer to the event (normally a few days beforehand) Pathways blog page a page on this blog, manunicareersblog.com/pathways, with lots of informal detail on the event, including links to all Pathways blog posts leading up to the event (once Ive written them!) If you want any more info on the event, want to put in a plea for us to try and find someone for a panel (always a challenge but we try), or if you know anyone whos now in work after having completed a PhD who would be prepared to attend (we do pay reasonable travel expenses and feed you) just drop a comment here or email anna.lomas@manchester.ac.uk All Postgrad-highlighted Postgraduate academia employability Options

On the Job by Anita Bruzzese What are You Doing to Help Vets

On the Job by Anita Bruzzese What are You Doing to Help Vets Most of us on this Memorial Day today are enjoying time with family and friends, but we should also take time to remember those who have lost their lives defending this country -- and the military personnel and their families who sacrifice so much every day. One of the biggest problems for veterans these days is finding a job in the private sector once they retire from the military. For example, many vets find that it's difficult to translate their military training and experience into language that civilian employers can understand. Another issue is that uneducated civilian employers may believe that vets all have PTSD, and will be risky hires. Not true. Not everyone suffers from PTSD, and some have very mild forms that allow them to still be very productive. Recently I was sent a survey by WalletHub that showed the best and worst states for military vets, based on job opportunities to the number of VA health facilities. The best? Wyoming, Montana and South Dakota. The worst? Oregon, Illinois and Connecticut. The survey also found the the number of homeless vets per 100 inhabitants is two times higher in Alaska than in New York. But this isn't just a problem for those states. We all have to work harder to make sure those who have served this country so faithfully are recruited into the civilian workforce when they come home, that they receive the training they need and that they also get the support they deserve. Here's something I'd like you to think about today as you enjoy your time off: What is one thing you could do to help a military veteran get a job? Think about: Introducing a veteran to your hiring manager. Volunteering to help train a veteran in the latest skills needed at your company. Finding a veteran in your company and asking him/her to help educate others about the skills veterans can bring to any organization. Reaching out to a veteran's organization and offering to help write resumes, make contacts, etc. None of these is difficult, but you may simply believe that you don't have the time. Still, I'll bet if you gave up Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and even funny goat videos for few days -- you would find you have just the right amount of time to make a few phone calls or reach out to a vet. I would also bet that such an effort would be a lot more rewarding than watching another fainting goat.

How to talk to your university about your mental health problems

How to talk to your university about your mental health problems Talking about mental health problems can be difficult. It’s nerve wracking telling people about the thoughts, feelings and even voices inside your head when they can’t be seen. They are there and they are real even though you can’t see them, which makes things harder. More than a quarter of students have a mental health problem,  so you aren’t alone. Emotions University can evoke a see-saw of emotions but it’s important to talk about mental health problems to combat the stigma. Here’s how to talk to your university about your mental health problems. Approaching someone at university can be daunting. Thousands of questions run around your head What will they think? Will they think I’m mad/crazy/stupid? Will they kick me out? But take a step back. There are understanding people out there. Promise. A spokesperson from the University of Sunderland said: “If you are feeling in need of support while at University and if your mental wellbeing is low, you should remember that this is experienced by many people at all stages of their lives and students are no different. Slow and steady wins the race First of all take it slow. Think about what you want to say before you say it to someone. For some it could be unexpected and for others not, so you need to think about how youre going to approach the situation, whether it’s a new diagnosis or a condition you’ve had for a while. You need to be open and honest about how your mental health problem/s could affect you at university. You may not know exactly how, but having some idea means the university can give you the right support. Mental health problems don’t affect everyone the same way. If your mental health problem/s arent affecting you now then tell them but make sure theyre aware that they could do in the future. Choices, choices, choices Next you should choose who you want to tell first. This person could be your lecturer, someone from the student  union, your university’s disability support team or even a fellow student. It’s important you pick the right person for you. Everyone’s different, so choose who you feel comfortable talking to. This person can then share the information, with your consent. However, if you are at risk of harming yourself or other people, they are legally obliged have to tell others. If you don’t know what support services are available to you at your university you can find out on your university’s website or by speaking to the information desk who can point you in the right direction. A University of Sunderland spokesperson added: “At the University of Sunderland we have a range of wellbeing and counselling services, resources and tools to support students and help them to explore and overcome their challenges, developing new skills and strategies along the way.“ Crunch time Once you’ve got what you want to say and chosen the right person to tell, it’s about approaching the person. This can be the difficult part. It can seem like a big deal, but once you’ve done it, the weight will be lifted off your shoulders. If you get the ball rolling, youll be able to access the support you need, if any. Just making your university aware is the first step. Take a deep breath and go for it. A University of Sunderland spokesperson concluded: “We know that our services help students and can have a real and positive impact on their emotional wellbeing and on their experience while at University.”

100 years old and happy at work - The Chief Happiness Officer Blog

100 years old and happy at work - The Chief Happiness Officer Blog Rosa Finnegan is 100 years old and still works in a factory. In this hilarious video, she explains why she is some 30 or 40 years past retirement age but not retired: Rosa works at needle and tubing manufacturing firm Vita Needle in Needham, Mass. The company is known for its elderly workforce. The average worker is 74 years old. PBS did a report on them watch it here. There are a couple of great things here. First of all, I think its fantastic that some companies are figuring out that people past the age of 55 are also great workers. And secondly, I love the idea that you can be working (and happy about it) way past retirement age. When you think about it, retirement really only makes sense if you dont like your job. If your job gives you purpose, energy and happiness why would you just stop? Its part of an old mindset thats been called Slave, Save, Retire. You work really hard at a job you hate, struggling to save enough money that one day you wont have to work any more. I honestly dont see myself ever retiring at least not as long as I can still find work I enjoy. What do you think? And heres another hilarious clip with Rosa: Thanks for visiting my blog. If you're new here, you should check out this list of my 10 most popular articles. And if you want more great tips and ideas you should check out our newsletter about happiness at work. It's great and it's free :-)Share this:LinkedInFacebookTwitterRedditPinterest Related

6 Reasons an MBA Can Be Exactly What You Need for Your Dream Career and Future - CareerAlley

6 Reasons an MBA Can Be Exactly What You Need for Your Dream Career and Future - CareerAlley We may receive compensation when you click on links to products from our partners. With so many ways to achieve your dreams and goals, it can sometimes be overwhelming to decide which route is best for you. Typically, post-secondary education is an excellent option, with an MBA being one that many people are familiar with. But heres the thing according to statistics, MBA enrolment is down here in the United States, which has left plenty of people, in particular students, questioning whether this degree is still wise to obtain. Your MBA Game Plan, Third Edition: Proven Strategies for Getting Into the Top Business Schools Price: $17.99 Buy Now from Amazon We earn a commission if you click this link and make a purchase at no additional cost to you. Last Updated: March 2, 2020 Here well take a look at five reasons an MBA can still be well worth your time, money, and effort, and how exactly it can help solidify your future. If your career goals involve any sort of management or leadership position, then there are a fair few specific skills you will need to possess. An MBA program is designed to teach you all of these important skills that will prepare you for a senior management position. Tweet This Prepare Yourself for Management and Leadership Positions If your career goals involve any sort of management or leadership position, then there are a fair few specific skills you will need to possess. An MBA program is designed to teach you all of these important skills that will prepare you for a senior management position. Youll learn about all the newest management techniques and trends that can help you to be even more effective in your future career. The Potential to Earn More Money During Your Working Years While you may not base your future career on its salary, its important to be realistic and honest with yourself. There is likely an amount you have in mind that youd like to be able to make in order to afford a comfortable lifestyle. Most of the higher-paying jobs out there will require education and training of some sort, and an MBA can be just that. According to statistics from 2018, the average pay for MBA graduates is higher than those without, and it seems to be increasing each year. The percentage of increase alters based on the actual school that the student attends, and the field in which they are employed. All in all, those with an MBA were making more money. Start Networking Before You Even Enter into Your Program Another great reason to enroll in an MBA program is the networking opportunities. Its important not to downplay just how important it is to meet people in your chosen industry/field, make a name for yourself, and really get a head start on opening career doors for the future. Take for example the MBA tour which, among other things, is a great opportunity for networking. Why attend The MBA Tour, you may ask? This is a chance for people to chat face-to-face in a small group setting with admissions representatives from various schools, fellow applicants, and alumni. You can learn more about specific programs, and so much more. You will already start to form relationships before you even start your program, which means your networking skills will be in full effect. You never know which of those relationships could lead to a job offer once you graduate. An MBA is one way to learn management skills. Better yet, an MBA teaches you how to make rational, data-driven business decisions, how to mitigate risk and assess all of your options. This helps you avoid drifting along a comfortable path until youre shocked by the change. Depending on the MBA program and coursework you take, you could learn about hiring and motivating employees or general financial management. 5 Reasons Why the MBA Is Still Relevant Excellent for Those Wishing to Start Their Own Company If you have dreams of one day starting your own company, an MBA should be a given. This type of program is perfect for entrepreneurs who may have great ideas, but dont necessarily have the skills or knowledge when it comes to executing them. Just because you have a fabulous invention, doesnt mean you know how to build a business from scratch. Even the best ideas cant make money if you dont have a solid business plan in place. Set Your Sights on an Overseas Position Perhaps your career goals are ones that will take you overseas to distant countries. If thats the case, you can expect the competition to be fierce, which means you need to arm yourself with as much skill and knowledge as possible. Many of the top employers in Europe seek out those candidates who have an MBA. Often the MBA graduates are the ones that hold positions such as a board director or senior manager. Sure, that means more responsibility, but it also means a higher salary. ZipRecruiter Price: Never miss an opportunity. On ZipRecruiter, top companies reach out to you. Complete the required steps to get started. Get Recruited We earn a commission if you click this link and make a purchase at no additional cost to you. Perfect Your Collaboration and Communication Skills Two very important skills that people need in a variety of careers is the ability to collaborate and work with a team, as well as communicate effectively. While you may think these are skills a person needs to naturally possess, in reality, you can learn them and perfect them. Your MBA program will help you to do just that so that by the time you graduate youll be at the top of your game and ready to work with a team. Plenty of Great Reasons As discussed, there are plenty of great reasons for a person to give serious thought to pursuing an MBA degree. At the very least, it helps to open more doors for the future, which gives you more options moving forward. Learning Links Price: CareerAlley links to our learning resource partners. Learn New skills We earn a commission if you click this link and make a purchase at no additional cost to you. What's next? Ready to take action? Choose the right tools to help you build your career. Looking for related topics? Find out how to find the opportunities that help you grow your best career. Subscribe and make meaningful progress on your career. It’s about time you focused on your career. Get Educated Contact Us Advertise Copyright 2020 CareerAlley. All Rights Reserved. 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