Stevie Puckett

Category: Uncategorized

  • Before the Job Hunt

    Often people get it backward. They arrive at a time when they need a new job, then the first thing they do is look for job openings. It may seem logical, but it is not the most beneficial way to go about it. Many of those jobs are not a good match for one reason or another. If they are not a match, then they are just distractions.

    Instead, flip the process around and begin with yourself. Engage in some pre-job hunt career research. Career research is a process of getting in-depth knowledge of yourself and how your skills and interests best fit the career landscape. The purpose of career research is to develop a career strategy and job hunt plan. So the process looks like this instead:

    1. Begin with self-awareness
    2. Study occupations
    3. Then industry trends
    4. Then company culture and job openings.

    There are substantial advantages to working a job hunt from this angle. The first is that you will get a better understanding of your personal brand along the way. You will be able to strategically network with others, knowing what you want them to remember about you. You also gain a deep understanding of what makes your heart sing and will be able to zoom in on opportunities that are more likely to work optimally for you. Lastly, you will come from a position of passion in job interviews and be more convincing and more likely to win the offer.

    An excellent place to start is with this career aptitude test based on the Holland Codes. It’s good, it’s quick, and it’s free. The results are useful and insightful. The same website also has some excellent career research resources. I love the way the information on each job title is presented. It’s easy to read, short and sweet, and particularly relevant. Of course, O*Net is a very good resource for career research as well.

  • How to Capture Ideas

    Once captured, an idea is available to you for future reference and further reflection and to combine with other appealing ideas.

    You capture an idea by bookmarking it, putting it in your social media streams, journaling it, sending yourself an email or voicemail, or using your digital recorder. No matter which way you decide to capture ideas, establish your system and use it religiously. Then be sure to review and revise them regularly.

    My favorite way to capture ideas is Evernote.com. With it, you can mingle audio recording, web page links, photos, and your written words together in an organized and searchable way that is fully digital. I keep a pen and notebook handy for quick notes when I’m not at my computer, then transfer my handwritten notes to Evernote later. I also have the Evernote App on my phone so that I can get to my notes anytime. I love the new Moleskine notebook made for Evernote. It is called the Moleskine Evernote Smart Notebook.

    You will not believe the increased effectiveness of your self-development endeavors due to getting clear on how to capture your ideas.

  • Advance Your Image

    I received a complimentary copy of Advance Your Image: Putting your best foot forward never goes out of style. 2nd Edition by Lori Bumgarner for review and wanted to share it with you because it is a good find and a timely topic. I received no other compensation for this review.

    Lori is on a mission to help people by building poise and self-confidence. She strives to bring the beauty within each person out in the best possible light. As a career advisor to college students turned image consultant to musicians, Lori has an excellent take on the big picture for how personal image plays into career development planning.

    In this book, she points out the nuances of why and how to strategically manage your image for the desired result of connecting with the audience, be it a potential employer or your network of supporters. Lori has advice for what you can do to improve your image. She sees image improvement as a fast-track to healthy self-confidence, which then leads to making better first impressions and being received better by others…a win-win!

    Lori also weaves together your in-person appearance with your job search marketing materials and online presence in a practical and easy to understand way. She outlines a helpful rule that I had never heard before called the Rule of 12 within her powerful strategies for making an excellent first impression.

    Learn more about Lori on her website, paNASHstyle.com.

  • On Interviewing, Part 5

    One step that people miss when they do interview preparation is to do a preparatory visualization. Think about and feel how you’ll have confidence at interview time. Feel how you know that the answers are going to come to you. When you need a response, it will be there. You can be relaxed and know that the interview is going to flow well. You’ll be well prepared. You’ll have everything you need right on time.

    When the interview is coming up, stop what you’re doing each time you think of it and let yourself feel that you’re going to do an excellent job at the interview. It’s all going to work out. Let your confidence grow, and keep your thinking positive.

    This is Law of Attraction action here. The idea is that you understand that things are unfolding as they should. You can calm and release any anxiety about any judgment that is going to happen in this process. 

    Yes, they’re going to compare you to other people. That is part of the interview process. It’s to be expected. It’s going to go well. You’re going to have a good experience. You’ll be able to be yourself. If it’s a good fit, you’ll get an offer and will consider it.

    Continue to focus on how it’s going to go well, how you’re happy to have the interview, and how it’s going well. Reflect on that any chance you get. Make it a part of your interview preparation.

    On Interviewing: Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4

  • On Interviewing, Part 4

    Of course, you will have done your research when you go into an interview for a position. You looked into what’s going on with the company. You checked out their website. You prepared for potential questions. You have questions of your own. You reviewed your power stories.

    Now realize that the people who are hiring have a problem. And they need to find someone who can solve that problem. So be sure you are aware of why they are hiring right now. Make that a part of your research. Begin to think in terms of how you can be a solution to that problem. That’s what they want to hear, and that’s what will make you stand out. They’re looking for a solution, and you can be that solution. Position yourself to show that you’re aware of what they intend to accomplish by hiring someone. 

    Check-in with them. When you go into your interview, say, “I imagine that blah blah blah is a problem, and I think that I could contribute by blah.” Doing so will help you demonstrate how you want to be a solution to their problem. They’ll like that.

    Much of what goes on in an interview is the interviewer seeking to understand your personal brand. It’s often an awkward situation because each question is basically, “What makes you the best choice for us?” And, that is such a mind trick of a question. You can get into this idea of, “Oh my gosh, is it okay to say that I’m special…that I’m the best one?” You know what, it’s okay. You have a personal brand, and they want to know about that to determine if you will fit into the company culture. Be okay with saying, “This is who I am. This is what I do especially well. This is how I contribute.” Take pride in that.

    Prepare yourself by losing that awkwardness about how they’re going to ask you what makes you unique. What makes you better than the other applicants? Understand that it is your invitation to tell them about your brand what you embody. Go ahead and be yourself and stand for something. Know in advance who you are and what you are looking for, and say it with calmness and pride. Question them too. It’s the only way to find out if the match is a good fit for you both.

    On Interviewing: Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 5