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CAUTION, CAREER RISKS YOU MUST NOT AVOID

Sometimes people can be so worried about not taking risks that they take the wrong ones, but to learn, grow and advance in your career, you’re going to have to take some risks. You just need to be sure they’re the right ones, learning to take carefully measured risks on purpose and being OK with failure allows you to learn and grow. As you plan your next career move, consider these other risks you should never take.

Risk rejection: flout conformity

While no one wants to be disliked, criticized or rejected, only when you risk all of those can you add the unique value you have to bring and set yourself apart from the masses. When all you do is conform, then all you have to offer is conformity. As Margaret Thatcher once said, “You can’t lead from the crowd.” When all you do is try to fit in, you negate the difference our difference makes. So own what makes you unique, forge your own path, express your own opinion and make a stand for what’s true for you.

Risk disapproval: promote yourself

Too often, a misguided sense of humility keeps us from letting people who can help us advance know who we are, what we’ve done and what we want to do in the future. There’s a distinct difference between promoting yourself to stroke an insecure ego and sharing your value so that those who can help you add more of it know who you are and what you’re capable of doing. In today’s competitive workplace, unless you are willing to toot your own horn from time to time, you run the risk of being left behind as the opportunities you thought would be laid at your humble feet are given to the horn blowers around you. So get over yourself, put caution to the wind… toot toot!

Risk ignorance: challenge assumptions 

Being willing to ‘Learn, unlearn and relearn’ is crucial to adapting and seizing opportunity in today’s accelerated world and continually evolving workplace. Only when you have the courage say “I don’t know” and risk appearing ignorant, can you find more creative approaches, and create new and better maps that will allow you to navigate forward more efficiently and tackle your challenges more innovatively.

Risk imperfect decisions:  be decisive despite uncertainty

Sure, making a decision, despite the ambiguity and uncertainty opens the possibility of messing up or making a mistake. In an age where we have so much information available to us, waiting until you have all the information you want (and have analyzed it fully) can prove costly and inhibiting. But in a world where change is happening fast and the windows of opportunity are limited, choosing to do nothing can exact a far steeper toll on your career, your business, and your life

 

    

 

                                                                                         “Nothing Is Riskier than not Taking Risks” -lohiConsult

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Healthy Competition In The Office

Healthy competition pushes us to excel, to take chances and to better ourselves. Of course, competition has its toxic dark side: it can drain your morale, blind you to organizational goals, and exacerbate stress.

The key to winning lies in competing on your terms, taking advantage of your strengths and making the most of your opportunities.  some means of having a healthy competition in the office are;

 

 

BE YOU

Always remember that you were hired for a reason and that you possess abilities and skills that your employers value. The reality is that, no matter where you work, you’re going to encounter individuals who are more capable and successful. Yes, colleagues will be promoted ahead of you, maybe get larger bonuses. So, Instead of focusing on a colleague’s career path, work to understand your own unique strength and identify opportunities that will help showcase your talents. Be brave and identify the source of your insecurity feelings about your abilities. Undergo more training or professional and personal development to build your confidence and assuage lingering doubts about your skill set.

REACH OUT

Everyone needs help in the workplace. Competition can be brutal, but you don’t have to struggle alone. It’s important to build up a deep internal network of allies whom you can support and who can do the same for you. In meetings, use inclusive language. Instead of saying “I,” say “We” when you’re discussing projects, teamwork, and objectives. After all, everyone is committed to working towards success. Reach out to individuals in other departments and groups regularly to create opportunities for collaboration and mutual support.

WATCH OUT

When you’re forced to deal with colleagues who actively seek to undermine you. You know the type. They’re saboteurs. The one who “forgot” to invite you to a meeting or to copy you on an important email; who takes credit for your work and who neglects to acknowledge your contributions. With these individuals, you’d better watch your back. If you suspect your co-worker of snooping, deploy passwords to protect any electronic files you use at the office and keep your desk and any storage areas locked with a key. Update your manager regularly on the work you’ve been doing. In the highly likely event that your co-worker attempts to throw you under the bus to explain away their own mistakes or paint you in a less than flattering light, you’ll have documented and verifiable evidence to refute any claims.

ACCEPT COMPETITION

Truly, competitive individuals abound in workplaces, and dealing with them can be difficult. Send a “chill pill signal”. A signal to overly competitive colleagues that you are not a threat may motivate them to treat you nicely in return. Flattery goes a long way and who knows? They might just embrace you as someone they can trust. It can also help to ask them for insight and advice about the work they do; praise them too for work that’s done well.

Finally, the key to surviving workplace competition is to ensure that it stays healthy by balancing it with a deep sense of mutual respect for your colleagues and a recognition that you are all bound by a common desire: to perform well and succeed.

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Secrets To Hide From Your Boss!

Even if He or she is super friendly and feels like one of the ‘boys’ or ‘girls’, or even feels like an amazing friend, guess what?  He/She is still your boss, which means that you should treat them as one. From the most minor of things to the most serious, there are everyday life issues that bosses just don’t need to know about.  Not implying that all bosses are bad people, but common sense tells you that being completely open and honest with your boss, in most cases, is just a flat out bad idea. Some things to hide from your boss are:

Greener grass/more money syndrome

Every boss knows that their employees want better jobs, they probably do too.  Everyone wants a better job than they have. Yes, nobody wants to stay in a dead end job and even people with great jobs are always looking for better jobs. Who doesn’t want a new position that pays more, has more power and/or prestige or more perks? You don’t want to be passed over for a promotion that could be what you’re looking for, just because the boss thinks you are looking to advance with another company.  It’s a secret better kept inside though because it could very easily be used against you.

You crack under pressure

You need to keep that information to yourself and learn to deal with it like the grown-up that you supposedly are.  While some people are more hesitant when it comes  to taking on stressful and time bound projects, others are super proficient at working under pressure.  If the former describes you, guess what?  Your boss doesn’t want to know that you hide in the bathroom and cry when they ask you to speak to a client or put you in charge of a hugely important project. So devise a method that works for you and go for it.

You are in Debt

The last thing you want is for your boss to think you are not capable.  Thanks to the car you bought and that beautiful apartment you really could not afford but went out of your way to get all the same.  So, the children’s school fees are long due, so your wife’s car just decided to pack up and….. ummmm the list is unending, so you are in debt.  The last person that should hear anything about it is your boss.  He/She is just going to stop respecting you and start thinking that you don’t know what you’re doing at the office.

They are not FUNNY

A happy boss is a more pleasant boss to work for right?  Many of us have laughed at a joke told by a boss that wasn’t even remotely close to being funny. They like to think they are lightening the mood in the office when they are actually doing quite the opposite. They think they are funny, so what harm can it do to let them think so?  The best thing for you to do is just take it as that, a mood lightener, and give it a hearty chuckle before completely forgetting about it moments later.

Everyone wants to be seen in a good light in the eyes or their boss!!!!

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Writing A Compelling Cover Letter

The importance of a cover letter in a recruiter’s hiring decision is quickly dwindling. Do I really need to use a cover letter? It’s a question I hear from job-seekers every day. The role a cover letter plays in a hiring decision pales in comparison to job experience and culture fit.  However, when you throw out the “traditional” cover letter that so many recruiters are used to and instead, use a brief pointed e-note that touches on both experience and culture fit. it’s a winning combination.

However, let’s start by clarifying that the “traditional cover letter” as you may know it, has gone.  Here are five key cover letter writing strategies you need to know now—before you sit down to pen your next cover letter.

IT’S TIME FOR CHANGE…… GIVE UP THE OLD.

The cover letter as you’re probably visualizing it in your head is gone. Long-winded, life-storytelling, boring cover letters are doing your job search NO FAVORS.  Keep it really short and simple.  In fact, you need to aim for 150 words or less.  Recruiters are short on time and attention—and the chances are VERY high that they’re going to be reading those introductory words on their mobile devices.  It can be a challenge to write so lean, clean, and concise, but start writing and then as many times as you need to until you’ve cut it down to 150 words.

DITCH THE WORN-OUT OPENING LINE.

Get rid of “To Whom It May Concern” or “Dear Hiring Manager”. Guess what? If technology has advanced enough that I can look someone up on the Internet and find their home address and telephone number, you can spend a couple of minutes finding out the name of the person in charge of hiring, interviewing, or making the decisions about the position that you want to pursue.

LOOK FOR FIT

Make the connection on your cover letter between what you do (your personal brand) and how that fits into the organization, culture, and the position you want.  Research the company’s culture, the department you would like to work in, the company’s mission and more—to make sure it’s a good fit for you.

BE THE SOLUTION

What is its biggest need or pain point right now? Then tie their problem into how you are the solution.  Find out about a problem the company has or is trying to solve.  YOU are the solution.  Provide proof of how you’ve solved problems—and do so with quantifiable statements.

CLOSE WITH A COMPELLING CALL TO ACTION

End with a compelling call to action. Customize your call to action in any way you want. Get them to take action—whether that action is to call you, e-mail, view your LinkedIn profile, or visit your online resume. Don’t let them stop after reading your e-note; you want them to be compelled to contact you. Mine might say:

 

Ready for results like these? Let’s chat!

Or:

Want to learn more? Visit my website http://www.lohiconsulting.com

Or:

Interested? Let’s talk! Call me on 01-632210.

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Why Bother With A Resume Update???

Why bother with a resume update?

The truth of the matter is, most people shelve their CVs once they’re comfortably employed, letting them gather dust. If this is you, it’s safe to say you need an updated resume in order to be a top contender in your quest for a sweet new job. You have to use every possible advantage to compete in today’s job market. You should update your resume every six to 12 months to add new skills and experiences,” says career expert Vicki Salemi.

You don’t want to delay applying for the job because you need time to update your materials when the next awesome job opportunity will arise, you probably have some stuff on there that dates you or makes you look stale, and you want to be ready for it since recruiters spend about six seconds viewing a resume, you can’t afford to be anything less than sparkling plus you have the best chance of being considered for a job if you apply within the first 24 hours.

Check out the following tips

1.Erase that Objective: A 25-word wow statement highlighting who you are and what you have done is all you need. Sweep away that Objective and replace it with a new and improved summary. So, for starters, get rid of the “objective” field. That’s yesterday’s news and a potential red flag to hiring managers that you’re not on top of current standards and practices in the workplace.

2. Spray away boring Verbs: Employers want to recruit talent that is passionate about what they do and enthusiastic about their company. Use keywords that are key in your field. Cross-check job ads to ascertain the expected keywords. Replace sterile and overused verbs with action verbs such as launched, improved, influenced, developed and so on. Nothing kills mojo quicker than lifeless verbs floundering on your resume.

3.Replace obscure fonts: Playful, unprofessional fonts are an eyesore. For example, font like Comic sans with common easily-read font like Verdana, Calibri, Times new roman and so on. but in case you are not sure, take a look at some current sample resumes to see what is and is not in fashion.

4. Toss out outdated skills: Terminology changes from year to year, so be sure your resume reflects current trends. Old software programs or other examples of terminology from yesteryear that may make you seem out of the loop should be tossed out of your resume.

5. Boost Your Social profile: A recent study by the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) found that 84% of employers recruit via social media, and 43% of employers screen job candidates through social networks and search engines. An active online presence speaks volumes to your potential employers. Just make sure that people who are searching for you online will like what they find. You can add non-abrasive social network and embedded links.