career

Hope is not a strategy

November 8, 2014 By // by DigitalJenIPC

The world of work is changing fast. Are you ready for it?

Here are 6 trends from a digest of a MPF trends seminar I attended recently by Rohit Talwar of Fast Future. @fastfuture

• Old style businesses could become extinct: There is a big ‘clash’ between the old and new worlds. This is magnified for traditional businesses and where technology is changing fast/creating disruption

• Change and uncertainty is certain: Accelerated speed of change with uncertainty the new ‘normal’

• Quality thinking a must: To succeed, firms and businesses need to create time and a structure for thinking

• Danger of stress inhibiting clarity of thought: Stress of downturn pressures has created fatigue – can affect clarity of thought/decision making when quality thinking is becoming more vital

• Plans with 3 timeframes: Three different timeframes need to be considered for businesses to stay ahead; longer term ‘radar’ (4-10 years), medium term vision (3 years), short term – clear goals for 12 months

• Diverse minds needed in tandem: Different individuals and mind/skill sets are needed to be responsible for these 3 different timeframes and issues

How will these trends affect you?

What’s your first step to reflect on this?

To follow Fast Future on Twitter:
https://twitter.com/fastfuture

For more insights and tips to help you liberate ALL of your talent, follow us on Twitter:
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10 inspiring quotes about change

June 23, 2014 By // by DigitalJenIPC

I love inspiring quotes – selective ones. It is like a well-chosen image, anything more is not necessary.

Here are 10 inspiring quotes about change and attitudes to change.

“Often people live their lives backwards; they try to have more things, or more money, in order to do more of what they want so that they will be happier. The way it actually works is the opposite. You must first be who you really are, then do what you need to do, in order to have what you want.“ Margaret Young.

“The best way to predict the future is to invent it.” Alan Kay.

“Control your destiny or someone else will.” Jack Welsh.

“But is a fence over which few leap.” German Proverb.

“If you have to support yourself, you might as well do it in a way that is interesting.“ Katharine Hepburn.

“You must be the change you wish to see in the world.“ Gandhi.

“Your work is to discover your work and then, with all your heart, give yourself to it.” Buddha.

“Do not let what you can’t do interfere with what you can do.“ John Wooden.

“If hard work was such a wonderful thing, surely the rich would have kept it to themselves.” Lane Kirkland.

“If you think you can, you can, if you think you can’t, you are right.” Henry Ford.

Which one is your favourite? We would love to hear any inspiring quotes that you especially like.

Ready for change? Get in touch if you would like to discuss how career coaching support would help you achieve your change faster and with less pain.

Does a portfolio career appeal to you?

June 8, 2014 By // by DigitalJenIPC

Our last blog looked at what a portfolio career is, the components and why they are growing.

http://liberateyourtalent.wordpress.com/2014/05/25/could-a-portfolio-career-make-you-dance/

This blog shares the pros and cons of a portfolio career and some examples.

Pros of a portfolio career

• Variety & stimulation
• New experiences
• ‘Weather’ economic storms/market shifts
• Honour your different needs and wants
• Balance financial security & dreams
• Time for hobbies and travel
• Time to invest in new skills

Cons of a portfolio career

• Need to market yourself
• Need to be good at managing priorities
• Multi-tasking ability ‘a must’
• Uncertainty can be uncomfortable for some
• Can be ‘full-on’
• Have to explain to others what it means

Examples of a portfolio career

My portfolio career comprises; career coaching, executive coaching, content creation, content curation, events, writing, facilitation and consultancy.

Below are some other examples of a portfolio career.

• Lesley combines associate freelance work, a part time job and volunteers for a charity
• Ben works long hours earning for 6 months of the year to fund his travelling the world for 6 months
• John is a non-exec director and also does paid project/contract work
• Claire has 2 paid retainers, volunteers and is studying to increase her skills and marketability
• Charles Handy and his wife Elizabeth split their year 50:50. Half the year his career is the priority and the other half she calls the shots

One of the great things about a portfolio career is that you can design it to suit you and the mix of the components changes over time, so you don’t feel stale.

Last week for example, my portfolio career comprised; a 2 hour session on personal branding for women in advertising, executive coaching/business development mentoring, career coaching with current and new clients, editing some content, writing on diversity and inclusion and attending an industry awards on best practice in learning and development.

What next?

Are you at a career crossroads?

Now is a great time to take action. Career coaching helps you focus, create change and achieve more faster. Starting now, 6 weeks on a fast track programme would enable you to move forward before the summer holidays. Get in touch for more details.

What do our clients say?
http://liberateyourtalent.wordpress.com/energise-client-testimonials/

Follow us on Twitter:
https://twitter.com/talentliberator

Career cul de sac?

November 18, 2013 By // by DigitalJenIPC

This is a guest blog from one of our clients, Rick Cotgreave. We helped Rick discover his second career at 40.

“Nobody can go back and start a new beginning, but anyone can start today and make a new ending.” Maria Robinson

These are Rick’s words below:

“What can I do? I’m 40 years old, I’ve lost the enthusiasm I once had for my work, there must be more to life. How can I use my skills more productively? What opportunities are out there?

These are just some of the questions I had when I met Rachel in 2010. I was taking a sabbatical from work and was feeling lost. The future looked uncertain, staying in the same job and ticking down the time until retirement was terrifying. Surely there was a more productive, a more exciting, and a more rewarding way to make a living.

I had been given a gift voucher to see Rachel as a Christmas present. We arranged to meet and spend some time exploring how to combine my skills, experience, and passions to create a meaningful career. At the time I had no idea that just a two hour meeting would create such a significant shift in direction for me.

With skill Rachel coached and advised me to examine the things that really mattered to me to take a fresh perspective on my experiences and to bring them together in a way that was both relevant and of real value in the wider market place.

My background was predominantly in sport, I’d played lacrosse internationally and used that build my first career doing sports coaching and teaching Physical Education. Sport provided a great foundation for a mind-set keen to constantly look for ‘better’ and ways to develop and improve. I’d also studied yoga and meditation for many years which gave a balance to the competition of sport and helped provide an insight into the mind-set of contentment and fulfilment. Teaching had been a great way of sharing my passions with other people, but I sensed that there were more opportunities beyond the world of education.

Rachel broadened my perspective and allowed me to see how my skills could be applied in the corporate world. I began to see that a keen understanding of performance excellence learned in sport was a transferable skills that could help businesses improve individual and team effectiveness. An understanding of mindfulness could help raise awareness, manage stress and improve performance under pressure. It was this knowledge combined with the passion for sharing, teaching and coaching that would provide the building blocks for my second career.

In just two hours with Rachel, my eyes were opened to new possibilities. I subsequently resigned from my role, gained extra training and qualifications in coaching and began to build my business, Mobius Performance. I chose the name Mobius to represent the fusing of the inner and outer worlds – bringing together the performance excellence seen in sport and the personal excellence discovered in meditation.

Since meeting with Rachel I have been able to create a career that is much more rewarding. I learn something new every day and develop my skills further than I ever had the opportunity to do before. I have had the privilege to work with some brilliant people and share my passion for human development in businesses all over the world.

It might have only been two hours, but the meeting with Rachel was the start of something that continues to grow. It’s a constant reminder to me of the power of coaching – the right person, at the right time can make a massive difference to someone’s life. We all have something inside of us, it sometimes takes someone else to give us a gentle nudge so that we can grow and blossom. “

For more information about Rick, click on this link:

http://www.mobiusperformance.com/about-us/rick-cotgreave/

Imagine what an Energise gift voucher could do for you or someone you care about? Click on this link to find out more about our services/enquire about Energise gift vouchers:

http://careerstrategies.co.uk/careercoaching/what-next/

For more insights, tips and inspiring client examples, follow Rachel on Twitter:

https://twitter.com/talentliberator

“The best way to predict the future is to invent it.” Alan Kay.

What could your second career be? Download our free Skills report as a first step:

www.careerstrategies.co.uk/changingcareersreport

My inspiring clients. Part 2 of 4.

November 2, 2013 By // by DigitalJenIPC

Most people don’t realize how amazing and talented they are, and hide their light under a bushel.

My job is to help them to see their talent & uniqueness, work with them to define a career vision, strategy and plan and support them to market themselves and get to where they want to be, overcoming actual and perceived hurdles.

My clients inspire me so much and I learn a lot from them, getting new ideas that help myself and I can share with others. This is a 4 part blog series each sharing 5 current client scenarios and 5 success stories to inspire you.

5 current client scenarios

• A quality assurance manager in her 30s who wants to become an events/project manager

• A management consultant in her 30s frustrated with full time employment in the NHS who wants to do contracting work more in line with her values

• A former manager in her 40s in a corporate who has been a full time carer for her family for many years and who now wants to create a new career & life for herself

• A female in her 30s who has just returned back to the UK after living in Australia and wants to get a job and build a network

• A successful management consultant in his 50s who wants to define their brand and market their business to get more clients in the UK rather than abroad so they can spend more time with their family

5 inspiring client examples:

Evolving business focus (Lorna)
http://archive.constantcontact.com/fs042/1102862873131/archive/1106770475879.html

Family friendly business (Francesca)
http://archive.constantcontact.com/fs042/1102862873131/archive/1106769308248.html

Hobby into a business and child friendly (Martin)
http://archive.constantcontact.com/fs042/1102862873131/archive/1106786138295.html

Leaving corporate life – portfolio career (Pippa)
http://archive.constantcontact.com/fs042/1102862873131/archive/1106787631164.html

Life work balance – (Jon)
http://archive.constantcontact.com/fs042/1102862873131/archive/1106769307989.html

Are you ready to create your own success story? Get in touch.

For more useful insights, follow us on Twitter:
Tweets by talentliberator

How career resilient are you?

October 22, 2013 By // by DigitalJenIPC

How career resilient are you and how important is it?

I went to an interesting seminar last week about career resilience. I came away feeling confident that I am, which is good to know doing the work I do!

So what creates career resilience? Does it depend on having a laid back disposition, high levels of the ‘happy hormone’ serotonin or something else?

The quick answer is resilience is learnt. What creates career resilience is keeping an eye on trends that may/will affect your job/career, being aware of your strengths, skills and character and what you have to offer – the value of your ‘currency’, making useful connections, both insights and people, listening to and taking note of the needs of your customers/target audience and aligning yourself with what is needed/will be needed.

A lot of this is about marketing – where I started my career in the 1980’s. The definition of marketing can be adapted to your career – “anticipating and satisfying customer needs profitably.” A ‘win win’ for employee and employer or customer/client and supplier.

What also increases resilience is having a clear sense of purpose and support to achieve your potential. ‘Super resilience’ is achieved my managing your thoughts, what some call ‘the monkey mind’, hence the growth in mindfulness plus reframing knockbacks into constructive learnings.

Future blogs will focus on each of these factors.

For now, give yourself a quick career resilience audit:

Resilience audit:

Ask yourself these questions:

How well do I know my skills and strengths and where they are useful?
Who champions me in my career?
What is my purpose?
What would increase my sense of resilience in my career?
How do emerging trends affect my career prospects?
What’s my contingency plan?
What are the positive learnings from my knockbacks at work?
If you had a personal Board, who would you appoint?

Tips

Have a career strategy
Define your purpose
Get a coach or mentor to support you
Invest 10% of your salary/revenue in improving your marketability – up-skill/qualification
Spend 1 hour a week keeping up to date with general and specific trends unique to your role
Spend 1 hour a week supporting and developing your network
Develop your self-awareness

For more useful insights, follow us on Twitter:
https://twitter.com/talentliberator

Is a new career like a marathon?

July 29, 2013 By // by DigitalJenIPC

I was chatting to a potential client last week who runs marathons. How they approached the 26 mile race reminded me of people who want a new career.

Many people want a new career, but it feels so huge and overwhelming that they never start.

If a marathon runner dwelled on the fact that they had to run for 26 miles, they would probably be put off doing marathons, whereas if they focus on 1 mile at a time, the race is far less daunting.

The same is true with a new career – it is a big decision and best tackled one step at a time.

The world is changing so fast, taking this approach with a new career is wise because you can review your strategy as you go along, just as a marathon runner would depending on the weather conditions, speed of the other runners, terrain etc.

How do you perceive a new career? What would be your first step?

August is a great time to start so you are prepared and ready in September.

To follow us on Twitter, click on this link:
https://twitter.com/talentliberator

Free Skills download:
http://careerstrategies.co.uk/changingcareersreport/

Read about two of our clients who created a new career:

Persistence to realise a career vision (Anna)
http://archive.constantcontact.com/fs042/1102862873131/archive/1106812347557.html

Starting a charity (Mary)
http://archive.constantcontact.com/fs042/1102862873131/archive/1106770362344.html

Does your job ever make you weep?

July 24, 2013 By // by DigitalJenIPC

I had an e mail this week from a potential client. I bet some of you can relate to what they said in their e mail or know someone it reminds you of:

“I am not happy in my current role and have for a while been thinking about what to do next. I know I do not want to stay in my current profession but in truth do not know what I want to do. This has been brought to the fore last week as I was put at risk of redundancy by my employer although there are a number of new posts that I could apply for and I think the expectation is that I will take one of these. This would be the easy option but I think will still leave me wondering ‘what if?’

‘What if?’ is a hard one isn’t it? It is in the future and an unknown quantity, so you don’t know if you will wish you had done something differently and have regrets or not.

This week I have worked with a number of new clients who hate their job/career. It is not uncommon for them to feel depressed and sometimes they cry in the session because they are so fed up of feeling fed up.

It is not surprising is it? As a metaphor, it is a bit like a plant trying to grow without any sunshine and in the wrong environment for it to thrive.

When we first start working together, we do a session in two hours which helps them to identify what motivates them and what is important to them (their values). They quickly see that their job or career is not giving them these things. You can see the light bulb go on. Sometimes moving department or company can make all the difference, but for many changing career is what they choose to do.

Career change is a big decision so we tackle it thoroughly, strategically and practically.

Who do you know who is wondering ‘What if?’ It is never too late to change track, get on the right path and have more career fulfillment. Summer is a great time to do the career change programme when the pace of life and work is a little less frenetic.

Here are a couple of examples of career change:

Anne

http://archive.constantcontact.com/fs042/1102862873131/archive/1108092201346.html

Duncan

http://archive.constantcontact.com/fs042/1102862873131/archive/1106786590378.html

For more insights and tips, follow us on Twitter:
https://twitter.com/talentliberator

Fancy being a content curator?

July 6, 2013 By // by DigitalJenIPC

Content curation is one of two phrases I heard this week for the first time.

The other one was ‘Digital shadow’. I love new things. It can be a bit tiring but it makes me happy!

“Content curation is the gathering, organizing and on-line presentation of content related to a particular theme or topic”.

Content curation is a skill and an art – what to include, what to leave out and how to express/present it.

Portfolio careers used to be new – the perfect second career for people like me who love variety and who would rather have work like tapas or dim sum than just 1 main dish.

Apparently 90% of the information on the web has appeared in the last 2 years. That is enough to make your head explode, hence the need for content curators to manage and make sense of it.

A museum like the V&A, for example, only has a small proportion of items on display. They have been careful selected and displayed. The rest are archived.

The world needs content curators with people becoming information grazers and a shorter attention span. I am even worrying about this blog being too long. … Bear with me though.

A common worry for people who come to me wanting a second career is that they don’t like what they are doing, but they don’t know what else they could do instead. They can go round and round in circles feeling stuck and frustrated. Another block to career change is that people cannot see how their skills are transferable to do something else, as they have been doing one thing all their lives, sometimes for the same employer.

Luckily I am the mistress of reinvention and have a broad network and constantly connecting mind – (wish it had an ‘off’ button), so am good at helping people to see their skills, how they are transferable and new careers where they can be applied.

New careers like content curation are appearing all the time and sometimes, a bit like with new product development, needs can be created when people did not know that they had them. Imagine creating your own career playing to a strength, hobby or passion!

Many moons ago, I worked as an account planner in the advertising and communication industry for JWT, little did I know it, but I ‘content curated’ all the time, synthesising research into a creative brief, a white paper, useful insights & ideas or a brand positioning. I remember to this day, my first freelance project for what became a regular client. This gruff Yorkshireman (I love Northerners) dumped a huge stack of research reports on my desk and said: “Right then, let’s see what you can do with that little lot by 5pm today.” It felt like an exam! I delivered. Phew!

It was the beginning of my content curator career, although I did not know it at the time.

Good content curation is a bit like an iceberg – there is only a small bit visible compared to the amount of work that was put into it.
So if you are at career crossroads, don’t worry. Your perfect second career might be emerging as we speak.

What new careers have you heard about recently?

PS By the way, if anyone knows what ‘digital shadow’ is, do let me know, as I haven’t discovered the answer yet.

To read our bulletin about Portfolio careers, click on this link:
http://archive.constantcontact.com/fs042/1102862873131/archive/1103260139794.html
To read about Anne’s career change from market research to facial workouts, click on this link:
http://archive.constantcontact.com/fs042/1102862873131/archive/1108092201346.html

For more useful insights and tips, follow us on Twitter:
https://twitter.com/talentliberator

What’s your career strategy and plan? Part 4 of 5.

April 27, 2013 By // by DigitalJenIPC

This blog post is part 4 of 5 and looks at the opportunity cost for you of NOT having a career strategy and plan.

“Control your destiny or someone else will.” Jack Welsh.

Opportunity cost of not having a career vision and plan

What are the implications of NOT creating a vision and plan for your career?

You dislike your job
You feel frustrated
You get left behind with your peers succeeding
You leave yourself vulnerable in the world of work
You don’t feel resilient
You experience frustration and anger from being unfulfilled which has a negative impact on your relationships and health
You feel anxious and disempowered
Your talent is unliberated – what a waste!
Your career options and choices are restricted
You are on the back foot (reactive), rather than the front foot (proactive)
You don’t realise the potential you are capable of
You provide a poor role model for your children that you can have meaningful and fulfilling work that plays to your strengths, not just ‘a job’

What would you add?

In case you missed them, here are the other blogs in this series, parts 1, 2 and 3:

Part 1:

http://liberateyourtalent.wordpress.com/2013/04/07/whats-your-career-strategy-and-plan-part-1-of-5/

Part 2:

http://liberateyourtalent.wordpress.com/2013/04/13/whats-your-career-strategy-part-2-of-5/

Part 3:

http://liberateyourtalent.wordpress.com/2013/04/19/whats-your-career-strategy-and-plan-part-3-of-5/

The next and final blog post in this series will share tips to help you create your career strategy and plan.

To receive free Energise bulletins on Career strategies, smart living and working and self-promotion topics, visit this web page to view previous topics and opt in:

http://www.liberateyourtalent.com/cms/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=79&Itemid=106

For more useful tips & insights, follow us on Twitter:

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