The John Tesh Blog

It's the little things that count- especially when it comes to your next job interview!

If you're in the market for a desperately needed job, looking to advance in your current position, or simply looking to add a little more the the "family coffers" with some additional part time work, you still have to actually land the job in an interview, right?  Every job candidate wants, and needs, to stand out from the crowd, especially in today's competitive employment market.

According to a recent report from the U.S. Department of Labor's Bureau of Labor Statistics, there are about 6 unemployed workers competing, on average, for each job opening. That's the highest level since the bureau started tracking these figures nine years ago.

If you've been searching for a new position and haven't seen much success, you may be tempted to try more creative ways to get noticed. But beware: You can attract a prospective employer's attention in the wrong way.

When Robert Half International asked executives to describe the most unusual thing they had seen or heard an applicant do to distinguish him or herself in a job search, examples included a candidate who sang during the interview and another who brought a 10-page binder detailing his work history.

Wellllll....maybe not working to your strengths, shall we say? So instead of these types of over-the-top tactics, try following these ideas, which made very positive impressions on the executives Robert Half International's Clea Badion surveyed:

Ask Questions

Most job seekers research a firm before being interviewed there, but many stop digging once they show up for the meeting. When speaking with the hiring manager, ask questions to gain a deeper understanding of the position and company. One executive in the survey noted that a job seeker "turned the table and wanted to know all about me. The tactic worked."
 
Some questions will come up naturally, but you also can prepare some for the hiring manager beforehand, such as "How did you start with the company, and what has your career progression been?" Or you might ask about the firm itself: "I recently read about the company's new location in Europe. Does the firm have plans to continue expanding internationally?"

Dress Up

What you wear to the job interview can significantly influence an employer's impression of you. If you show up to the interview dressed sloppily, even if the firm is known for its laid-back atmosphere, the hiring manager may question your professionalism or interest in the opportunity.

It may seem old-school, but it's typically best to wear a clean, well-pressed suit whenever you meet with a potential employer. Keep accessories to a minimum and choose neutral colors so you're not remembered as the candidate who wore bright pink.

Say Thanks

Following up an interview with a well-thought-out thank-you note can distinguish you from other applicants because many job candidates forget this step. Reiterate your interest in the position and remind the hiring manager of one or two of your best selling points. Customize your note by referencing something from your conversation with the potential employer, such as your mutual love of Thai food. One way to truly stick out, according to an executive we polled: Send a handwritten thank-you note as opposed to email.

With fierce competition in the job market, you need to distinguish yourself from others who may seem similar to you on paper. By following the above advice, you can leave hiring managers with a lasting, positive impression, improving your chances of moving on in the interview process and ultimately securing the job.

John

Email John:  johnsblog@teshmedia.com

Check out the new John Tesh Social Network. You can connect with new friends, post your own blog, visit various forums, upload your favorite John Tesh music and share your photos.  To learn more about how to join, click here.

Do you have what it takes to change industries?

Finding a job, at one time in your life, might have seemed like a never ending smorgasboard, but in today’s business climate, it may look more like a strict diet of options! Consequently, many job seekers are finding themselves looking for work outside of their comfort zones in different cities, levels and industries.

While making a change across industries can be difficult and sometimes daunting, Rachel Zupek, a PrimeCB.com writer, reports that job seekers are forced to look for work elsewhere as more and more sectors lose jobs each month.

“Industries are going away; jobs are going away. I think people are looking at changing industries out of necessity, not choice,” says Deborah Brown-Volkman, president of Surpass Your Dreams, a career-coaching company.

The trick to changing industries successfully is finding what the marketplace is looking for. Once you know what employers want, then you can look at your own skills to see if they’re a match, Brown-Volkman says.

“It’s your job to tell people why you are a match for a position,” she says. “Show them that you not only understand the responsibilities of the position, but how your skills are transferable. In addition, your background has given you insight that will help you perform that role exceptionally well. They may or may not accept your background, but at least you tried.”

Want to know how you can identify your transferable skills and change industries successfully? Here are four easy steps to follow:

Step one: Do some research
Start with an online search for your current or most recent job title and see what comes up. It doesn’t matter where they are located (yet), you just want to see what the job market is looking for, Brown-Volkman says.

Step two: Make a list
Take out a sheet of paper and make a list: On the left side, list the requirements for the jobs you want. On the right side, Brown-Volkman suggests you do the following:

· If you have done the same tasks in a different industry, write down what you did.
If a new job requires project management or sales, for example, and you’ve managed a project or sold something in the past, write it down. The terminology might be different, but how you went about doing these assignments is the same, regardless of the industry, Brown-Volkman says.

· If you’ve done something similar, write down how it was similar or close to what the employer is looking for.
Let’s say a prospective employer wants you to run reports, which you’ve done before, but they want you to use a software program you’re unfamiliar with. Research the type of reports the software produces, Brown-Volkman suggests. The software might be different, but the output of the report is probably similar. Write down how.

· If you’ve never done a task, write down in detail how you’ve overcome not knowing how to do something in the past. This will be how you’ll show you can acquire new skills.
Maybe a potential job includes selling a product you’ve never sold before. Write down how you’ve sold something in the past that you didn’t how to initially, Brown-Volkman suggests. Detail how you got up to speed — it will show your initiative, drive and ability to learn new skills.

Step three: Work isn’t the only thing that counts
Many job seekers are under the impression that because they haven’t worked in a specific area, they don’t have experience. Brown-Volkman notes that experience comes from different places like work, hobbies and volunteer efforts. Make another list of your skills, talents and abilities; compare them to the job descriptions you’ve been looking at. Can something from your life outside of work help you get a job you want?

“Everything you have done up to this point in your life is relevant,” Brown-Volkman says. “I helped a woman who was in corporate communications get a job in the nonprofit art world because her hobby and passion was art.”

Step four: Rewrite your résumé
If you want a job outside of your industry and your résumé is filled with words and initials that only the people in your sector understand, take them off, Brown-Volkman says. Create a new version of your résumé that details what you did, rather than the industry you worked in.

Brown-Volkman gives these examples:

· “16 years experience in marketing financial services” becomes “16 years marketing experience”

· “Worked closely in team approach with department heads in programming, research, marketing, business development and finance,” becomes “worked closely in team approach with department heads”

· “Conducted market/competitive analysis for the financial analysts and prepared business plans for venture capitalists” becomes “conducted market/competitive analysis and prepared business plans”

Get the picture? Make it necessary for a potential interviewer to ask you what industry you worked for, rather than write you off quickly when they see in black and white that you've not worked in their industry or held the same title before.

Mark Buckingham writes for Oprah.com, and says in the midst of feeling uncertain about your current employment situation, there are important factors inside you to never let go; instead, now is the time to rally around your certainties. If you feel that changing your career path is the right thing to do, don't be discouraged. Keep moving. Keep looking for situations that play to your strengths and qualifications. Consider volunteering at nonprofits to build your skills and experience and to renew your sense of accomplishment. Finding people who you can help is often the best way to help yourself. Focus on the strong-moments that are possible in your life right now and celebrate them—not by simply patting yourself on the back or clapping and cheering, but by giving them your full attention. Find ways to build on them. It's not pleasant to find yourself on the outside looking in during a down economy, but times like these also throw our strengths into strong relief. If you feel low, but can still find those moments or activities that keep you going, make you feel a sense of accomplishment and give you energy, you will know that those strong-moments will serve you through your entire life. 

A final word about job searches: Emphasize your strengths on your résumé, in your cover letters and in your interviews. It may sound obvious, but you'd be surprised how many people simply list everything they've ever done. Convey your passion and link your strengths to measurable results- even when it's 'outside' an employer's industry- nothing like concrete data to take into an interview!

John

Email John:  johnsblog@teshmedia.com

Check out the new John Tesh Social Network. You can connect with new friends, post your own blog, visit various forums, upload your favorite John Tesh music and share your photos.  To learn more about how to join, click here.

If you're over 50 and interviewing, here's what you need to know.

"I was fully qualified and it makes no sense."

"They simply don't know how to hire."

"They told me that I was overqualified."

Randy Block, a seasoned career transition coach and consultant in the Bay area, hears these comments often. You may be feeling more than your share of frustration- who wouldn't? Unfortunately, that frustration could hold you back from getting on your professional feet again. It's a new job hunting world, and you can learn the ropes!

If you're an "older" job hunter, more than likely, you already know that the ultra competitive job search process in today's economy is especially hard on you. Part of the challenge you're facing is a major generation gap between Baby Boomer job hunters and the Gen-Xer hiring managers of today. As Block noted, "30-somethings don't want to hire their parents. Unfortunately, that's how we often come across - as their parents."

You can succeed during interviews with younger hiring managers, but you'll want to think and act differently. Here are five areas to start with from AOL & Careerbuilder's Joe Turner, The Job Search Guy:

1. Show passion for your work

Relationships are based on shared values, Block says. He believes that shared values make up most of what we call chemistry. Chemistry is enhanced when we meet others who have a shared or common interest. This extends to your work, profession or industry. If there is little passion or commitment from you for your work, how can you expect others to get excited during the interview? On the other hand, if you consider yourself driven or committed to what you do for a living, you'll most likely meet up with a hiring manager who has a shared interest in the same area. This in fact, may be a new area for you as you undergo a possible career change. It gives you the opportunity to take your transferable skills and put them to use in some new ways for a different industry. If you're genuinely excited about your possibilities, your excitement can be contagious, especially during your interview.

2. Sell your brand

The best way to prepare for an interview is to start with a focus and brand that actually sells you. Develop a personal brand statement for yourself, a simple sentence that offers three very important selling points about you. First, it should say who you are. Second, it should offer your biggest strength(s) and third, it should offer the biggest benefit that you bring to your next employer.

The purpose of your brand is to go beyond mere duties and job descriptions and get to the "what's in it for them" benefit that will make the employer sit up and take notice.

3. Being "led" versus being managed

Another disparity that needs to be addressed, according to Block, is the fact that Boomers want to be "led" and not managed. In his coaching practice, he found that most 30-something managers look for someone they can manage. In coaching sessions with young managers, he observed that their leadership skills typically lag behind their management skills.

If you're a Boomer, take note and realize that you might not get the visionary leader you hoped for in your next hiring manager. Block has discovered that most young managers need help and guidance. They actually appreciate being mentored, coached or advised. They recognize the need, but look at it as a temporary or project-based opportunity.

This is an opportunity to sell yourself as a consultant whose many years of expertise can be useful in the role of a temporary coach or mentor. This may be a great meld between the "management versus leadership" dichotomy. This also increases your opportunities since companies are hiring more consultants in this economic downturn. As the economy improves, that 1099 contract could well turn into a salaried position- a nice W-2 for your next tax year!

4. Think "tactical" versus "strategic"

According to Block and other employment analysts, many companies today view their short-term survival needs as having paramount importance. They're looking for players who can hit the ground now and help them grunt through the next six to nine months. That will require a change in your marketing approach as phrases like "long-term" and "strategic" won't have the sales impact of a year ago. Rather than emphasize the long haul in your résumé and interview marketing, look instead at selling yourself as an expert who can get in and fix the problems of today quickly and efficiently. Downplay any talk about long-range solutions and instead, focus on clear results-oriented achievements for short-range problems.

Talk money

Money talks and it talks loudly. Money can also trump age, so try to get as close to the money as you can when you describe who you are and what you bring to the table.

Keep in mind that all organizations have only two basic needs: revenue and productivity. This is what keeps any top manager up at night. If your brand can help them, they will seek your advice and counsel. Therefore, come to the interview armed with specific examples of how you can solve their money (or productivity) problem. Your past achievements are examples of how to tackle the similar problems they're faced with today. If you can show yourself to be the problem-solver they need, you'll quickly rise to the "short list" of candidates. Your goal is to become the "go-to" person for their short-term revenue or productivity problems.

The Gen-Xer's need your help. Your working relationship could very well begin as either part- time or a short-term contract but can extend into full-time once you've proven yourself. Focus on ways you can help their short term "survivability" through this recession and get as close as you can to their revenue or productivity concerns. Talk money and how you can help them produce immediate results. A younger manager would have to be very shortsighted not to explore a working relationship with someone more experienced. Capitalize on your wealth of experience to make a positive difference in the lives and careers of the Gen-Xer's.

Then get your own retirement plans back on track, too. We'll tackle that coming up later this week, which is- beginning! Happy Monday!

John

Email John:  johnsblog@teshmedia.com

Check out the new John Tesh Social Network. You can connect with new friends, post your own blog, visit various forums, upload your favorite John Tesh music and share your photos.  To learn more about how to join, click here.

What's the difference between getting further into debt, and living a life of wealth? Not as much as you might think.

Jean Chatzky is one woman who believes, even in the toughest economic times (as all of us are experiencing; some more than others) that anyone can prosper…if they possess key traits and abilities that will set them apart. She calls these traits, and her new book, The Difference, and describes how you can go from the person who lives paycheck to paycheck to the person who lives in comfort.

Do you have The Difference? And, if not—how can you get it? Jean shares the eight things that matter most to help you become financially free.

Happiness and Optimism

Some people believe money leads to happiness. Not true. Once you're living comfortably, more money doesn't buy more happiness. The reverse, however, is true: Happiness leads to money. And success. Likewise, so does optimism. Both empower you to solve problems, create new ideas, take long-range consequences into consideration and come back to try again if you miss the first time.

Resilience

People who have moved from a bad financial situation into comfort or wealth have resilience. They can overcome—on the job, in their personal lives, with their finances. They don't deny the bad things that happen, but they're able to turn their focus to things over which they have control with the belief that they have the ability to effect change. The good news is you don't have to be born with resilience—you can learn it by controlling the things you can control and letting go of the others.

Connectedness 

Ever heard of social capital? It's the asset created when relationships between people change in ways that lead to action, generally for good. It's an important component of The Difference, and the wealthy and financially comfortable not only have more of it than people living paycheck to paycheck, they know how to use it. They cast a wider net, socializing with neighbors, co-workers, people who can help them advance financially or in their careers. To get your share of social capital, you have to make time for people and put yourself forward as a leader.

Passion

This is a key element that moves people from a life of financial struggle to one of financial success. The wealthy, simply put, want it more than the rest of that. Some want it in the form of money, but most are quite passionate about the careers they choose to pursue. And, at a time where doing what you love may not seem possible, it's important to know you can learn to love what you're doing- right here, and right now.

Intuition

Over the years, your brain has scored up scads of patterns, information that tells you that if one thing happens, something else is likely to follow. We feel these signals in our gut—and we call them hunches. They are really our intuition, a sixth sense that is more developed in the wealthy than in anyone else. You can learn to bring yours forward by adopting strategies like giving your intuition a little room to breathe: Jean herself says she has the best moments of "enlightenment" when she's not searching for them.

Make savings your new, "got to" habit

The wealthy people in Chatzky's study certainly have the funds to be crazy spenders, but most aren't. Both wealthy and financially comfortable individuals say that saving more money has been an "absolutely essential" financial goal as an adult.

Invest in stocks

Jean did the research for The Difference when housing prices were cratering and the markets were falling out of the sky. Yet, one lesson emerged again and again: The wealthy understand the need to take risks in the market—in good times and in bad—in order to make their money work as hard as they do.

Gratitude

The Karma Kickback. The people who get rich—and stay rich—are not just grateful. They practice gratitude by giving back to their communities, to organizations they believe in and the people they care about. (Your place of worship may call it 'tithing.') Even if you are thinking of something you view as mundane—like your job—when you think about it as a gift, you focus on what life might be if you didn't have it.

Can you see The Difference in your life today? Tomorrow? As long as you see it, you'll live it.

John

Email John:  johnsblog@teshmedia.com

Check out the new John Tesh Social Network. You can connect with new friends, post your own blog, visit various forums, upload your favorite John Tesh music and share your photos.  To learn more about how to join, click here.

Worried? Many of us are. Tired of it? You bet. Here's how to cope.

Money worries...you're sick of it! We all are, to whatever degree: whether it's the stress of not enough of your own money, a family member's troubles, or simply feeling the heartache of sympathy for so many in our country today struggling to make ends meet- it's hard, and there is a name for it: money anxiety disorder- the latest American epidemic (the acronym, conveniently, would be MAD.)

According to a survey in October by the American Psychological Association, 80 percent of us find the recent financial crisis a significant cause of stress—up from 66 percent last April—and women are bearing the brunt of the worry, reporting greater concern over job stability and health problems affecting their families, for example, than men are. "Money is a safety net, as in, 'I may not be able to count on people, but I can count on my cash,'" says the APA's public education coordinator for Pennsylvania, David Palmiter, PhD. "Now the thinking's gone to: 'There's nothing between me and the abyss.'"

You can find plenty of advice from financial experts on how to cope. But what about the pervasive sense of panic, which can take a serious toll on health, putting you at higher risk for a host of ailments from high blood pressure to heart disease. Science has shown that exercise and meditation are two of the most effective ways to reduce stress—but you probably already know that, and likely feel too pressured to try either. Oprah.com asked a few experts for other strategies you might not have considered.

Try hypnosis:

For years people have turned to hypnosis for help quitting smoking and losing weight, but the technique is also becoming popular among business types desperate to overcome financial stress, according to a November report in The Wall Street Journal. Generally, in hypnosis, a therapist uses verbal cues to put clients into a deeply relaxed state, where they become absorbed in their inner thoughts, then offers suggestions to shift an attitude so they can better tackle a problem. In this case, the suggestions might be "Money is energy that comes and goes" or "Your net worth doesn't equal your personal worth," to deflect the paralysis and insecurity that financial panic can cause. Ideally, clients learn the process on their own.

"Hypnosis is very similar to meditation," explains Dwight Damon, president of the National Guild of Hypnotists, who recommends trying a professional session before using the method on yourself. "While it won't make you richer, it will help you handle, and feel better about, the money you do have."

Treat yourself- NOW??

Yes! To lower financial stress, set a budget for each day and reward yourself, suggests Alvin Hall, a financial commentator on BBC TV and radio and author of You and Your Money: Mastering the Emotions Behind the Numbers. "Ask yourself: 'What is the one thing I can do that will give me the longest-lasting uplift for the least amount of money?'" During the economic downturn of 1987, Hall's treat was blackberry pie. "I'd think about it all day, and if I came in under my budget," he says, "I'd go order a slice. When I couldn't afford that, I'd visit the museum and look at Van Gogh paintings."

Become a manicurist for a friend.

Or exchange massages with your partner. According to Robert Sapolsky, PhD, professor of neurology and neurological sciences at Stanford University, who has studied wild baboons for 30 years, primates groom each other to reduce stress—and the effect seems to be more powerful for the one who is doing the primping.

Take up knitting...and you might come up with a blanket!

According to research at the Harvard-affiliated Benson-Henry Institute for Mind Body Medicine, the repetitive motion and focus of needlework can elicit what's known as the relaxation response—a calming meditation-like state that slows heart rate and causes blood pressure to drop. In addition, a study published in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society suggests that knitting is associated with a lower risk of dementia for those 65 and older.

See a bigger picture, or that forest through the trees.

During the Great Depression, "stress took the form of personal shame," according to historian David M. Kennedy, Pulitzer Prize–winning author of Freedom from Fear: The American People in Depression and War, 1929–1945. His own father, he says, had "what we would call a nervous breakdown." Kennedy observes that a much healthier and more resilient attitude for our times is: "Taking some responsibility but seeing this downturn more as a systemic failure and not a personal one."

John

Email John:  johnsblog@teshmedia.com

Check out the new John Tesh Social Network. You can connect with new friends, post your own blog, visit various forums, upload your favorite John Tesh music and share your photos.  To learn more about how to join, click here.

7 steps to take this month in your job search

Maybe it's a little extra income for the holidays you're looking for, or maybe you fell prey to an economic driven layoff from your old job. It might be a case of kids well on their own way, and you feel ready, at last, to re-enter the workforce. No matter where your job  search falls right now, though- here is a new month, full of possibilities, and 7 specific things you can do this month to get yourself back on your feet, from Jean Chatsky, career and money expert for Oprah.com.

Ask anyone with a great job how they got where they are, and you'll probably hear that they got very lucky. But successful job hunters make their own luck with hard work and lots of preparation. You can use the strategies below to make sure you've got the essential ingredients for a fruitful job search—a killer résumé and sharp interviewing skills. Looking to help your kids find a good summer job? We've got some advice for that, too, and now's the time to prepare for the end of the school year.

Create a Killer Résumé
Your résumé is your chance to make a great first impression. That single piece of paper (or, these days, that one e-mail attachment) will determine whether or not you get an interview. Dust off an old copy and add any new experience or skills that you've acquired since you last looked for a job. If you've been out of the workforce, consider adding any volunteer work you've done or classes you've taken that have helped you hone in on an existing skill or learn a new one.

Share a copy of your updated résumé with your friends and family, and get their input on how you can make it sharper and more compelling. Pay special attention to the questions they members ask. If you find you need to explain or amplify a certain item, it may mean it isn't as clearly written as it could be.

Practice Interviewing
You may think that the best interviewees think quickly on their feet and come up with smart, insightful answers (and they do), but for most of us, interviewing is like playing a musical instrument—it takes plenty of practice. Setting up informational interviews with former colleagues, acquaintances and friends of friends in industries you're interested in is a great way to polish your interviewing skills. So is role playing with friends.

Before you head into an interview, tell your family who you'll be interviewing with and what you know about them and the company they works for. Have members take turns asking you questions they think your potential new boss will have on their list. After you answer, ask for feedback on what you could have done better. By the time you get through that exercise, the actual interview will be a piece of cake!

Susan Strayer, a career coach and author of The Right Job, Right Now, suggests job hunters create an inventory of stories that they can rely on during an interview. Think of several successful projects you've completed, times you've taken an important role in your employer's success and praises you've received from bosses or clients, and be ready to briefly retell those experiences at the appropriate moment.

Help Your Child Get a Summer Job
If you have a high school or college-age child who's looking for summer work, he or she will need a sharp résumé and good interviewing skills. To help them find leads for great summer jobs, don't forget your local network of family members, friends and teachers, says Randall Hansen, founder of Quintcareers.com, a website for young job seekers. In addition, have  your child check out websites such as CoolWorks.com, SummerJobs.com and  ResortJobs.com, all of which list lots of temporary positions at resorts and summer camps throughout the country.

Create a Network
Think of your friends as an instant job-hunting network that can provide ideas, advice and contacts you need. Then, branch out to family and former colleagues, says Robin Ryan. Tell everyone you know you're on the hunt and ask them for names of acquaintances that might be able to help you. Go on as many informational interviews as you can possibly manage. True, there may be no openings, but you'll have made an in for when a position is available. The person you're interviewing with may very well know others in their industry that you should also talk to. Plus, you'll brush up your interviewing skills.

Target Your Search
Although it's tempting to answer dozens of want ads and send your résumé to everyone you know, the quality of your applications, not the quantity, is what will get you results, says Robin Ryan. "You can spend 20 or 25 hours a week looking for a job—after that you're wasting your time," she adds.

Determine the industries and businesses you're most interested in (and best qualified for) ahead of time and concentrate on those contacts and openings first. Remember, targeting also means adding a personal touch. Always send a well-tailored cover letter with your résumé—no form letters or mass mailings.

Use the Internet Wisely
Sites like Monster.com and CareerBuilder.com can give you a great sense of what types of openings are available and what kind of salary range you can expect. And, it certainly can't hurt to answer ads that appeal to you. But answering blind ads shouldn't be the bulk of your search, says Susan Strayer. So often you hear nothing back. Posting your résumé on these sites can also be a waste of time. Better to look for openings on the websites of companies and industry associations that you're interested in.

Be Patient

It generally takes three to six months for people to find a job, says Robin Ryan. The wait can be frustrating, but the process gives you a chance to really evaluate what kind of job is right for you. Devote yourself to this process as though it is your full time job; find a way to network (which might mean finding a way to volunteer your way into networking, temporarily); rest, and treat yourself to some daily exercise (since you do have, for the time being- the time to give to it.

And- have a wonderful Monday; welcome to November!

John

Email John:  johnsblog@teshmedia.com

Check out the new John Tesh Social Network. You can connect with new friends, post your own blog, visit various forums, upload your favorite John Tesh music and share your photos.  To learn more about how to join, click here.

Is honesty the best policy- when it comes to making a mistake at work?

Uh-oh. Friday afternoon came, and you realized- too late- an important piece of information that should have been included in a report that your boss is giving today. Wow- what to do? Well, first, take a deep breath. And read on- this is just a terrific, look-you-straight-in-the-eye set of guidelines if you've...screwed up by Eve Tahmincioglu, who writes a weekly career column for MSNBC.com.

If the captain of the Titanic had not gone down with the ship, would he have blamed the iceberg for the disaster?

Probably not, because it would have been considered "dishonorable" for a longtime veteran of the sea like Capt. Edward John Smith to throw off the blame, says Carol Tavris, a social psychologist and co-author of "Mistakes Were Made (But Not by Me): Why We Justify Foolish Beliefs, Bad Decisions, and Hurtful Acts."

But today, she adds, accepting responsibility for our mistakes has become passé in politics, finance and the workplace in general.

Just look at the financial sector's collapse: too few have lined up to take the fall for Wall Street's fall.

Richard Fuld, a veteran of 158-year-old Lehman Bros., was CEO when the company collapsed in spectacular fashion in September 2008. He testified before Congress recently and blamed the implosion on everything from short selling to the government. He maintained that his decisions and actions as the leader of the firm "were both prudent and appropriate."

So what does a high-ranking CEO, or even a  rank-and-file employee gain by admitting a mistake and taking the blame? Depends.

Should you fess up or deny?
On the surface, it seems Fuld has little to lose, since he is walking away with nearly $500 million in compensation earned during his tenure at the company.

That said, there could be a hidden cost to admitting any error.

"What do we think of CEOs hiding from responsibility?" asks Angie Morgan, co-author of "Leading From the Front: No-Excuse Leadership Tactics for Women."

"Their personal integrity has gone away," she said. "Respect is the ultimate reward you can get as a leader."

In general, does it help or hinder a career to admit mistakes and take the blame? Should you fess up -- or deny, deny, deny?

There is no easy answer to these questions, experts say. It all depends on a number of factors:

·  The gravity of the mistake you made.

·  How you approach fixing or resolving the mistake.

·  And most importantly, how understanding your managers are when it comes to screw-ups.

When Morgan was an officer in the Marine Corps deployed in Australia, she made some mistakes.

On one occasion, she sent two Marines under her command into the Outback without radios or any communications tools. When they didn't return that evening, she realized their lives could be on the line.

She immediately told her commanding officer her mistake.

"He then relayed the news via radio to units in the Outback, trying to locate the last unit that came in contact with my Marines. He utilized his communication channels to get a sense of where they were last seen, which allowed him to send out Humvees in those areas to try and locate them," she recalls. "His actions were immediate."

After the Marines were found, she adds, she and her commanding officer "discussed my role in the situation and what I should have done to ensure that the situation never had occurred in the first place."

Morgan learned a valuable lesson.

"When you acknowledge mistakes, you can start looking for solutions," Morgan says.

Lin Grensing-Pophal, an HR management expert, recalls one of her past employees who made a big blunder.

The employee, a copywriter, worked on a major direct-mail initiative for Grensing-Pophal that involved more than 250,000 mailers to promote a bankruptcy book to lawyers.

"I was sitting in my office one day when she came in with a copy of the brochure and announced: 'I've made a very big mistake.' She then proceeded to tell me that instead of listing the book price as $265.00 it was printed as $26.50."

But the employee already had an action plan. "She had looked into a couple of alternatives for correcting the error. We could reprint at a cost of X, or she had found a service that would affix stickers over the price to correct at a cost of X. She offered to have the cost of correcting the error taken out of her salary," she explains, adding that the company did not dock her pay.

Three things that impressed Grensing-Pophal:

·  "She immediately came to me to admit her mistake."

·  "In reality, this mistake was owned by several people. She was the copywriter, but the proofing process we had in place involved the product manager as well as a proofreader. She didn't even bring them into the picture -- she took full responsibility."

·  "She came in with a solution in hand. She didn't just dump the problem on me."

Grensing-Pophal says that ever since, she's tried to use this same approach whenever she, herself, makes a mistake,and sees such times not as opportunities to criticize or place blame, but truly, to learn and improve."

Learning from a mistake
That's something children are supposedly taught from a young age -- how it's important to learn from your mistakes. But too many times, rather than hearing what they should do, children see a very different story when it comes to the adults in their lives screwing up, says "Mistakes" author Tavris. The message that becomes apparent to children is that making mistakes translates to stupidity or incompetence.

That is the wrong approach, she says. "People who are able to admit mistakes don't see those mistakes as a reflection on their own character and ability," she says.

The ability to admit a mistake may also depend on your own conscience, adds Paul Facella, CEO of consulting firm Inside Management.

"I think it depends on your own tolerance. If you can live with yourself and sleep at night knowing you made a mistake, more power to you," he says. "I would be waiting every day with bated breath wondering when the ax was going to fall."

Facella, who is also the author of "Everything I Know About Business I Learned at McDonald's," says he was lucky enough to work in an environment as an executive at the fast-food chain that made employees "comfortable" about admitting mistakes.

"In most situations, if people are honest and explain what they did, and it had no true malicious intent, then most organizations will acquiesce and like that," he says.

It's all about weighing the consequences. "You can't be stupid about this," he advises. "If it was an honest mistake and your appetite for holding something like that back is not strong, I would go with your gut, pick a time and place, and explain it to your managers."

Legal implications
Part of the issue today when it comes to accepting blame, he continues, is the legal implication of doing so, which could mean everything from a loss of bonuses or even jail time.

Tavris believes the fear that you'll be fired or derail your whole career for telling the truth, however, is overblown.

"If you are a good employee, hard-working and care about the quality of your work, and make a rare mistake, then I think admitting it is the best thing to do," she says, so long as you offer corrective measures when you disclose the fumble.

And accepting blame may actually help your career.

"People like working for someone they can trust," Simons says. "And if you have an employee who tells you they screwed up, then you know you can trust them."

There's a payoff on both sides, he says. But, he stresses, "It's naïve to say telling the truth will always serve you well. You have to be able to read if those around you, and the company you work for, are worthy of the truth."

And if there's a young person looking to you for lessons on how to handle mistakes, you'll find that you become worthy of the influence you have, and really, mean what you say. Welcome to a new- honest- week!

John

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Finding the right job for you

Are you telling yourself that a job just doesn't exist for you right now- you've been trying, for crying out loud, and nothing. Zip. But deep down inside, you know you have to keep  trying to find work, right? You, my employment seeking friend, may be suffering from many serious blows to your professional esteem. Jean Chatzky is a regular contributor to O Magazine, and introduces some pretty probing questions to ask yourself if you're struggling to land a job that's right for your life. Use the questions to get insights into your fears and anxieties about job hunting so you can help yourself get over them.

1. How do you feel about job hunting? Do you love the thrill of the hunt, or do you simply dread the whole idea?

2. How did you feel in the past when you didn't get a job you really wanted? How did you feel when you turned down a job offer? (Jean Chatzky's take: The rejection involved in a job hunt can be devastating. And sometimes getting a job offer that's not right for you and having the courage to turn it down can be just as excruciating. Try not to let past experiences cloud your outlook for the future. That was then and this is a whole new you.)

3. If you're not currently employed, how long have you been out of the workforce? What skills and talents can you bring to your search from the non-work activities you've been doing?

4. What's your definition of a dream job? (For Jean, she says it's a position that pushes her to stretch to be her best while still offering enough flexibility to spend time with her kids. She fully acknowledges that sounds impossible! But Chatzky challenges that you'll never know what you can get unless you ask. When she was hired for a staff position on a large personal finance magazine, her kids were young and there was no way she could stick around the office for late-night closes. But her bosses set her up with a computer at home so she could close pages after the kids went to bed- a deal Chatzky believes she never would have gotten if she hadn't asked.)

5. What skills do you have to offer? What weaknesses do you have to work on?

6. Have you ever been fired? How will that experience affect this job search?

7. What's your biggest fear/anxiety about re-entering the workforce/getting a new job? What strategies can you use to overcome these fears?

9. What type of new job will best help you achieve your financial goals?

10. Who might be able to help you with your search? What's the best way for you to expand your job-hunting network? 

Ask, answer, and be honest...if only with yourself. Coming to terms with some issues at work in your heart and mind could be the first big break you need...great job, next.

John

Email John:  johnsblog@teshmedia.com

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Keep your job search UP, in an economy that's DOWN.

Remember back when you were still in school? Your career? Well, easy enough- there's a job just about anywhere you looked! And if, for whatever reason, you didn't like the job; they didn't like you...whatever (say, that can be a really annoying word)- there's always another one around the corner, right? Hmm...not so much the case in the last couple of years, is it?

If you're searching for a job when the economy is down, understand that you need to boost your job-hunting skills, author Richard Bolles says. "Jobs do open up; jobs do fall vacant—maybe not in your former specialty, maybe not even in your geographical area, but nonetheless there are jobs out there, even during hard times," he says. "It just takes greater job-hunting skills to find them."

Richard, author of What Color Is Your Parachute? 2009: A Practical Manual for Job-Hunters and Career-Changers, shares advice on how to search for a job and have a good interview when economic times are tough.

To develop better job-hunting skills, start by assuming that the task of finding a new job is yours, Richard says. "You are in charge," he says. "Don't wait for the government—or anyone else—to come and save you."

Have the willingness to work hard at your job hunt. "Don't just give it 'a lick and a promise' and then give up," Richard says. "Working hard means putting in time—lots of time. This also means using more than one job-hunting method to find those jobs that are out there."

Take the time to do an inventory on yourself, Richard says. Make a list of what you have to offer to the marketplace. If you think you know yourself so well that you don't need to do this kind of homework on yourself, think again, he says.

Update your knowledge. "Go beyond what you learned about the job hunt back in high school or, worse, out 'on the street,'" Richard says. "The job hunt is one of the most studied human activities there is. You've just got to familiarize yourself with that research. The life you save will be your own."

Research the specific position. If you do this before you go on the interview, you'll be able to talk about why the job interests you, Richard says. Also, ask about what kinds of skills the job demands. Try to talk about how you have those skills and experience. "In the old days, it was sufficient for you just to claim certain skills; now, in what are called 'behavioral interviews,' employers want you to give evidence," Richard says. "You should do this in the form of a story, or stories, which have the framework: problem, action, results."

Gauge how well the interview is going. You can tell if an interview is going well by watching the time sequence of the employer's questions, Richard says. If the interviewer's questions stay rooted in the past, like "Tell me what you've done," then things have not gone well, he says. If the questions end up being mostly rooted in the present, for example, "What are your favorite hobbies," things are going better, Richard says. Only when they end up being firmly rooted in the future, like, "Where do you see yourself five years from now?" can you assume the interview is going very well, he says.

End the interview appropriately. If you decide you're definitely interested in the job and the interview has gone well, Richard says to end the interview by asking, "Based on all that we've talked about, can you offer me this job?" "The worst they can say is 'No' or 'Not yet,'" he says. "But it's amazing how often that closing question of yours turns the interviewer from 'I'll call you next week' to 'Yes, I do want to offer it to you—when could you start?'"

So when can you start...with a refreshed and positive look toward the job you want? Today? Absolutely. Enjoy your weekend-

John

Email John:  johnsblog@teshmedia.com

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Labor Day- facts to share

Today is Labor Day.  It's a day to commemorate an end of Summer, a beginning of another school year, and if you've got a parade, a picnic or a festival lined up today- Hooray!  It is, also, a national holiday to celebrate the American worker.  Today's celebration of Labor Day is, no doubt, ironic for some; frustrating for many.  For millions, it's a day just like any other, with no job from which to receive this paid holiday, and few opportunities looming on the horizon.  Indeed, countless workers today, while grateful for the job they have, still suffer stress and worry about the security of their employment.  No one is unaware of the challenging times our country is facing, from the burst of the housing bubble to an economic turndown that has seen a jobless rate nearing 10%.  Fifteen million Americans are without jobs, and employment forecasters don't see a quick return to previous employment levels for several years to come, though our economy is showing signs of a slow repair.  Wow.  What's to celebrate?  Plenty.  We are a country created and supported by visionary leaders and citizens, and a country populated today by people who still believe in, and work to maintain, those core principles.  This Labor Day may hold its share of irony, but I want to put my hope in a future where there is great reason for all to celebrate "the American worker" in years to come. 

So how, exactly, did we see the beginning of Labor Day?  The U.S. Department of Labor provides this history:

Labor Day: How it Came About; What it Means

Labor Day, the first Monday in September, is a creation of the labor movement and is dedicated to the social and economic achievements of American workers. It constitutes a yearly national tribute to the contributions workers have made to the strength, prosperity, and well-being of our country.

Founder of Labor Day

More than 100 years after the first Labor Day observance, there is still some doubt as to who first proposed the holiday for workers.

Some records show that Peter J. McGuire, general secretary of the Brotherhood of Carpenters and Joiners and a cofounder of the American Federation of Labor, was first in suggesting a day to honor those "who from rude nature have delved and carved all the grandeur we behold."

But Peter McGuire's place in Labor Day history has not gone unchallenged. Many believe that Matthew Maguire, a machinist, not Peter McGuire, founded the holiday. Recent research seems to support the contention that Matthew Maguire, later the secretary of Local 344 of the International Association of Machinists in Paterson, N.J., proposed the holiday in 1882 while serving as secretary of the Central Labor Union in New York. What is clear is that the Central Labor Union adopted a Labor Day proposal and appointed a committee to plan a demonstration and picnic.

The First Labor Day

The first Labor Day holiday was celebrated on Tuesday, September 5, 1882, in New York City, in accordance with the plans of the Central Labor Union. The Central Labor Union held its second Labor Day holiday just a year later, on September 5, 1883.

In 1884 the first Monday in September was selected as the holiday, as originally proposed, and the Central Labor Union urged similar organizations in other cities to follow the example of New York and celebrate a "workingmen's holiday" on that date. The idea spread with the growth of labor organizations, and in 1885 Labor Day was celebrated in many industrial centers of the country.

Labor Day Legislation

Through the years the nation gave increasing emphasis to Labor Day. The first governmental recognition came through municipal ordinances passed during 1885 and 1886. From them developed the movement to secure state legislation. The first state bill was introduced into the New York legislature, but the first to become law was passed by Oregon on February 21, 1887. During the year four more states — Colorado, Massachusetts, New Jersey, and New York — created the Labor Day holiday by legislative enactment. By the end of the decade Connecticut, Nebraska, and Pennsylvania had followed suit. By 1894, 23 other states had adopted the holiday in honor of workers, and on June 28 of that year, Congress passed an act making the first Monday in September of each year a legal holiday in the District of Columbia and the territories.

A Nationwide Holiday

The form that the observance and celebration of Labor Day should take were outlined in the first proposal of the holiday — a street parade to exhibit to the public "the strength and esprit de corps of the trade and labor organizations" of the community, followed by a festival for the recreation and amusement of the workers and their families. This became the pattern for the celebrations of Labor Day. Speeches by prominent men and women were introduced later, as more emphasis was placed upon the economic and civic significance of the holiday. Still later, by a resolution of the American Federation of Labor convention of 1909, the Sunday preceding Labor Day was adopted as Labor Sunday and dedicated to the spiritual and educational aspects of the labor movement.

The character of the Labor Day celebration has undergone a change in recent years, especially in large industrial centers where mass displays and huge parades have proved a problem. This change, however, is more a shift in emphasis and medium of expression. Labor Day addresses by leading union officials, industrialists, educators, clerics and government officials are given wide coverage in newspapers, radio, and television.

The vital force of labor added materially to the highest standard of living and the greatest production the world has ever known and has brought us closer to the realization of our traditional ideals of economic and political democracy. It is appropriate, therefore, that the nation pay tribute on Labor Day to the creator of so much of the nation's strength, freedom, and leadership — the American worker.

And it is appropriate to hold out hope that if you are searching for a job this Labor Day, that you'll be celebrating your status as an American worker long before our next Labor Day.

Happy Monday to you-

John

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