Wednesday, July 10, 2013

Agenda Item for 7/12/2013

Topic: It's your life what are you gonna do with it

"What Color Is Your Parachute" by Richard Bolles. (amazon link) is the most widely cited job search book you're probably ever going to read. If you've read it you understand that if you're working today luck played a very important and unappreciated role in you finding your position.

But what is is luck? And how do you get yourself some?

Luck is that happy spot where preparation meets opportunity. Everyone's current state of luck is different. So our first step is to map out what you have and where it's located. You may be very good at some elements of preparation and not so good at creating opportunity. Or visa versa.

This week's topic: From potential to purpose a model for becoming you. (Handouts only available to those that come to the meeting)

NEW: Refer to "DF Form 1" (link here) to help you organize your thoughts for checkin. (I use this form for one-on-one coaching)

PLEASE READ: On the 12th we DON'T have the meeting room reserved so if we can't find a table big enough to meet at we may end up heading up the street to Kakao (http://www.kakaoseattle.com/) or if the group prefers, go next door to "the Wurst Place" or "Blue Moon Burger" and gathering over a beer. (Text Duane if you get there and don't see us)

Something Interesting: Time to change the road you're on


Monday, July 8, 2013

Post meeting insights: How to approach interviews

Four ideas to help you have better interviews.

1. Come prepared.
Before any meeting do the advance work of understanding yourself and what you offer this particular opportunity. This is of course in addition to understanding everything you can about them and their wants and needs. If luck is where preparation meets opportunity, the better you prepare the better your odds of getting lucky.

2. Be Present.
The past and the future only matter as they relate to the present. The opportunity at hand, the problems at hand, the people in front of you (and their wants and needs) are the only things that matter. Listen and be.

3. Accept self.
Your Mom probably told you this: It's better to be rejected as who you are then be accepted as who you aren't.  The "perfect" candidate/job match doesn't exist. Each of us offers tradeoffs to an employer. (Every value proposition is a mix of what you will and won't do and how it compares to the next best alternative.) Those that reject you are just helping you understand your offer or evidence better. Learn from it, thank them, and move on.

4. Detach from outcome.
Finding the right alignment between your personality, skills, and experience and a particular organizations culture, position, and problems takes more than a massive about of effort. It takes time. Let go of any particular interview outcome and keep your attention focused on improving your process or your offer.