Tag Archives: Attitude

Interviewing Mistakes

June 10, 2009 by Joyce Richman
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Sam was a candidate for the job but was flabbergasted at being removed from consideration before even getting his interview.  This is Sam’s version of what happened: Sam had a busy morning and as a result, was late getting to his interview. When he arrived, the receptionist asked him to wait for an escort to Human Resources. Several minutes passed before he was accompanied to the interviewer’s office where again he was asked to wait. Continue reading →

Asking Questions: The Key to Successful Communication

June 9, 2009 by Joyce Richman
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Words, particularly value-laden words, mean different things to different people. Some interpret language figuratively and others, literally. If we were to think before we speak, clarifying our intentions to maximize the value and appropriateness of our impact, we’d have fewer misunderstandings. We may not realize the influence our body language or facial expressions have upon the communication of the words we choose to use. Some of us are highly animated and transfer more energy than Continue reading →

Never Settle for Less

June 8, 2009 by Joyce Richman
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I’m at the beach. It’s raining. Not sprinkling. Showering. Misting. Or any of the displays that suggest wait-a-minute and the sun’s bound to come out.  This is a rain that’s going to stay for a while. I better get used to it. It came advertised. I saw it on the weather channel, read it in the paper, I heard it from forecasters who added their personal and chipper “don’t bother going to the beach this Continue reading →

Surviving the Lay-off

June 5, 2009 by Joyce Richman
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You’re in the job market and you’ve got lots of company. Some of you burned out in your last job and you chose to leave because you couldn’t continue in a position or at a place that buried the best in you and brought out the worst. You need a job. You may be lay- off casualties, caught in the convergence of economic conditions, world events, and outsourcing realities. No matter the cause the outcome’s Continue reading →

Finding Balance

June 4, 2009 by Joyce Richman
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Balance. Who cares and what does it have to do with your job search? Several clients have called, wanting to figure it out. The call for balance used to be the province of women in the workplace.  “I’m expected to do it all,” some whispered. “I expect to do it all,” others proclaimed. And it still falls to many a woman with spouse, child, or children, to be the point person in charge of cleaning Continue reading →

Nailing the First 20 Seconds

June 3, 2009 by Joyce Richman
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Many interviewers will tell you they can spot a winner within twenty seconds of meeting the candidate. Whether that’s a race worth winning is the subject of another column. Today’s column is about the belief that it’s possible.  With that in mind, how can you make your case in less than half a minute? Smile. Smile from the inside out. Smile nice and easy. “I’m pleased to be here”, your smile says, “and I’m pleased Continue reading →

Attitude: The Difference Maker

June 1, 2009 by Joyce Richman
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Everyone has an attitude. How you project that attitude has enormous influence on how you are perceived. Those perceptions and interpretations by prospective employers make the difference between a winning interview, and one that doesn’t quite get it. Attitudes are influenced by events and your reactions to them. You may be a great communicator, a motivating team builder, and an all around wonderful catch, but if you’re stuck in a bad place, all those attributes Continue reading →

American Idol vs. Your Career

May 30, 2009 by Joyce Richman
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American Idol, Fear Factor, The Swan. Whoever says that today’s popular television programming isn’t educational, hasn’t been watching reality TV. Job seekers can learn plenty from watching these shows and noting the striking similarity between the would-be star’s chase for fame, fortune, and success and their own job search. Case in point: American Idol. Job seekers and Idol hunters begin the chase competing against legions of applicants, all varying in age, background, appearance, talent, discipline, Continue reading →

Costly Coaching Mistakes at Work

May 29, 2009 by Joyce Richman
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“Two months ago I had a superior performance review. Today I don’t have a job. If you asked me what happened between then and now, I’d have to tell you I don’t have a clue. All I know is that last Friday I received a voice mail telling me to meet my boss at 5 pm. I may not know much, but I do know it’s never good to have a meeting with your boss Continue reading →

Finding Your Niche

May 27, 2009 by Joyce Richman
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Got a few hundred minutes? I hope so, because it’s going to take time to follow today’s advice.  Instead of focusing on job search tactics, like interviewing and networking, let’s hone in on the bigger issues, like What do I want to do when I grow up?           If you are a grownup and are still asking this question, whatever job you’ve been doing hasn’t been very satisfying.           Hmmm. Not satisfying. Some folks say Continue reading →

In Tough Times, Stick to your Strengths

May 24, 2009 by Joyce Richman
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“Joyce, I feel like I’ve been drop-kicked and hoodwinked. I was hired and fired and never paid a dime in between. I can’t ever afford it, but right now, a month after the holidays, well, this is as bad a time as it can get.”           I asked the caller to describe what happened, and here’s what he said:           “I’d been out of work for a long time, laid off from a company that Continue reading →

The Power of Attitude

May 23, 2009 by Joyce Richman
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There’s a lot in life you can’t control and plenty that you can. You can worry yourself into a frenzy about the former and over-do the latter. You can change your perspective about both and live a little longer and be a little nicer, to yourself and those with whom you live and work.           That’s easy to say, and hard to do, if you’re stuck in a mindset of “this is who I am Continue reading →

Feedback: The Key to Success

May 22, 2009 by Joyce Richman
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How open are you to receiving feedback about your work and workplace behavior from a perspective different from your own? How aware are you of other outlooks, viewpoints that collide, values that contradict, and standards that differ from those you envision to be right and just? If you want to lead the team or just stay on the team, ask for input and listen to what you hear. Employers and co-workers are paying attention. And Continue reading →

Resolutions for your Career

May 21, 2009 by Joyce Richman
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Up and at ’em! It’s a few weeks past the honkin’ and hollerin’ dawn of the new year and I bet you haven’t made out your list of New Year’s Resolutions. Surely there are countless things you resolve to do differently this year; dozens of ways you want to be, think, and do that are new and improved over the not-so-hot ways you did them last year. So, get in gear, pencils sharp, paper ready. Continue reading →

Tips for Job Hunters

May 20, 2009 by Joyce Richman
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I’ve received so many requests for more of the “most common mistakes made by job seekers”, I thought I’d better throw a few more your way.  Here goes: You commit the granddaddy of all job hunting errors when you take yourself out of the running by time wasting, over-thinking, and under-selling. You waste time when you spend all your time planning your search and expend no time implementing it.  (These are the folks who spend Continue reading →

Fearing the Lay-off

May 19, 2009 by Joyce Richman
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I know it’s tough to be laid off, and scary to be without a paycheck. The market’s tight and the competition’s stiff. It’s hard on the person getting the news and the family that has to deal with the aftermath. I’m a layoff “survivor”. That means I’ve lived through several organizational cut backs, deep and shallow, and I’m still here, working, until they cut me loose. Before you tell me how lucky I am, and Continue reading →

Getting Back on Your Feet

May 18, 2009 by Joyce Richman
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Are you feeling a little unglued? If you’ve been looking for a job and you can’t find your car keys, you may have a few gremlins messing with your mind. Let’s take a look at what they’re up to and what you can do about them. The Fear gremlin can keep you stuck to the place you’re standing, particularly if you haven’t had much experience job hunting. The Anger gremlin can fight your desire to Continue reading →

Re-invent Yourself

May 17, 2009 by Joyce Richman
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At the insistence of well meaning friends I attended the revival of a well regarded, albeit mighty dusty Broadway musical. I expected to see a warmed over version of what I had seen in the past and was as delighted as I was surprised to find that the show was as fresh as if it had just been washed and fluff dried. The actors’ exuberant performance rang with enthusiasm and invited the audience to be Continue reading →

Overcoming Obstacles in the Workplace

May 16, 2009 by Joyce Richman
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Do you work with these people? “He wears me out. No matter what I position I take, he takes the opposite. Don’t get me wrong, I like honest disagreement, but he takes it too far” “She blocks, obstructs, you name it, she’s in the way of progress. Ten of us agree and she’s the lone dissenter. I’d fire her, but she’s right more times than she’s wrong. ” “She nods agreeably whatever the subject. I Continue reading →

Keys to Customer Service

May 14, 2009 by Joyce Richman
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Don’t you love it when you receive great customer service? You feel good about the company and want to continue doing business with them. Conversely, few things can be as frustrating as a bad shopping experience. You feel angry about how you’ve been treated and are sure to take your future business elsewhere. Sales and service providers say the public is getting harder to please, and customers say good service is getting harder to find. Continue reading →