For a couple of months I’ve dreamed of getting my book to the right person at CNN. Someone like Kyra Phillips whose show features 30 second job pitch segments linking job seekers with potential employers. I imagined how incredible it would be to have her announce that a copy of my book is being sent to every person who does a job search pitch.

But I’ve hesitated and didn’t do anything about it…

…until today when CNN anchor TJ Holmes rolled into Charlotte on the Election Bus. We’re a banking city with high unemployment and he was here to interview people about the economy.

With this opportunity right in front of me, there was only one choice: play big and go for it!

Like you do for a job interview, I envisioned the best case scenario and set my intention. I wanted to ace my elevator speech and get my book and PR packet in the hands of the CNN team.

As soon I got to their location I met the photographer who seemed interested in my story and suggested I stay until they finished a live feed with TJ.

Standing in the shadows of sky scrapers and the Panther’s stadium, I kept thinking, “I’m following my dream. Please let this go really well.” 

After  the shoot I hit the jackpot and got to talk with the producer (they decide what gets air time). I enthusiastically talked about encouraging job seekers, teaching effective job search strategies, reinventing my career, an idea for a promotion with CNN, and then I got interviewed! It was like hitting the bonus round on a game show!

It was an incredible day! As the CNN bus heads south to Florida a copy of Surviving The Unemployment Roller Coaster: From Stress To Success is on board.  Hopefully, this innovative marketing idea will open new doors and you’ll see me on TV if you look really fast!

What’s most important isn’t how this turns out but that I chose to go big and bold and given the chance, you can too!  Opportunities constantly present themselves so be gutsy and seize the moment. Trust your gut. Even if your dream seems impossible, believe it’s yours and be passionate about getting what you want! 

When the opportunity to seize your dreams comes cruising into view, don’t hesitate one second. Go big and go bold! There’s nothing worse than regret over missing the time of your life because you played too small or didn’t play at all!

Now is the time to Let Your Best Self Shine!

Hugs and prayers,
Elizabeth

You are, after all, the CEO—Chief Exploration Officer of your own job search organization. You’ve climbed to the top of the ladder, and your hard work deserves recognition and celebration like all the other bosses out there.

You’re the talented boss who wears multiple hats as the chief financial officer, human resources director, receptionist, marketing guru, administrative assistant, trainer and housekeeper. Research and development, information technology and strategic planning are all yours.

Being your own boss is tougher than most of us realize. All the responsibility sits squarely on your shoulders. For lots of folks that means learning new skills and technologies to effectively search for and land a new job.

Since I can’t send you the typical Boss’s Day gift like a coffee mug, pen set, or box of chocolates, I’m giving something you can use! Practical, easy to implement tips that will help you be your own best boss and outstanding Chief Exploration Officer.

Believe in yourself and trust your instincts., write it down and let it continue to evolve.

Take action! Implement ideas knowing some will work great and others will flop. Either way you will learn something and be moving forward. Move away from the computer screen and into the flow of life.

Get clear on communicating what you job you are looking for and your unique skills to do that job.

Show appreciation for everyone who helps in your job search. Update people regularly on your progress. And how about a big ol’ shout out to your family thanking them for their love and support?

Keep your sense of humor. As Jimmy Buffett says, if we couldn’t laugh we’d all go insane. And job loss is its own brand of insanity.

Be a generous giver. Give compliments, offer your assistance, share your expertise, and do whatever is in your power to make the world a little better today.

Make a plan to find your ideal job

And last but not least, celebrate yourself as one great boss on National Boss’s Day (officially October 16). Give yourself a pat on the back, take yourself and another job seeker out for a cup of coffee, or send yourself a free Boss’s Day e-card. Just do it! Do something to recognize and appreciate your self for all the energy and focus you put into finding your next job! You deserve it! 

Happy Boss’s Day To You!

Invite a group of job seekers to “roast” each other’s business cards. You may need to be a little thick skinned but it’s better to hear constructive comments than continue giving out business cards that make interviewers say, “Whoa! What’s up with this business card?”

It goes back to the notion that you only have one chance to make a positive first impression.  You want to clearly advertise your skills, make a strong statement, and be positively memorable.  Too extreme in any way, and it’s likely to hit the trash can.

Here are a few tips I heard at a networking group that hosted a business card roast.

• Make sure your contact information is correct. Proof read and then proof read again.   
• Provide multiple ways to contact you
• Go for clean, crisp, and clearly legible
• Use bullet points on back to highlight credentials & skills
• Include your unique selling point and what position you’re looking for
• Vertically formatted cards grab attention, but larger cards get mixed reception 
• Use your photo or not? It’s a toss up. It makes you memorable in large group meetings
• Does the content accurately reflect you? 
• Engineers and techies might add a single bold line of color like black, navy, maroon, or chocolate for a touch of interest
• Leave space for people to write a quick note to jog their memory for how/where they met you.
• Glossy cards are hard to write notes on
• One of the best deals for business cards comes from VistaPrinting.com

If you’re not sure what kind of first impression your business card makes, gather some job seekers, meet for coffee and roast those business cards!

Giving out a professional business card that reflects who you are is important but in the end, it’s about making personal connections. Be proactive about asking for business cards and take the initiative to follow up in a personal way. That’s how you become truly memorable.

All of the contestants are unemployed. They’ve been fired once and unless they become the new golden employee for Mr. Trump, they’re going to get fired again. Ouch!  

I don’t have any favorites, yet. There the usual nerve-graters and those who quickly fade into the background. The big personality is the guy who is still way pissed off about losing his job and feels entitled to a new, plush one because he’s been in sales! Talk about your unresolved baggage and overgrown egos keeping you from getting hired!

Personalities aside, Mr. Trump slipped in some real life, applicable advice for job seekers. So, in case you found something better to do with your time on Friday evenings, here are the tips from the first few episodes.

Dress for the job you want. One good ol’ boy type showed up in the boardroom dressed for casual Friday. Oooppsss! The Donald was not impressed! Dress for the job you want. Project a successful image. Pay attention to details. If the job you apply for is more casual, still look your best. Money is tight but with some ingenuity and a little dose of humility you can dress well. Check out consignment shops, Good Will stores, borrow from a friend…do what ever it takes to look sharp.

Stand out from the crowd.  Donald Trump is bigger than life persona who gets noticed every where he goes. You need to stand out in the herd and let your best self shine. The bottom line is you have to sell yourself to employers just like a product. As this week’s fired candidate drove away, Donald said unless you’re a salesperson, you won’t get a job! So, market, market, market yourself!

Be a leader. Everyone who works in an organization can be a leader. It’s not only managers and supervisors who lead. Every one can be a leader regardless of what job you have. It’s all about honesty, integrity, quality, intelligence, innovation and inspiring others to be and do their very best. So step up and let your best self shine!

If you want to hear you’re hired, use these great pieces of practical advice from Donald Trump in your job search: You stand out from the crowd by when you dress for success and believe in and display your leadership skills!

Now is the time to Let Your Best Self Shine!

Elizabeth

It’s just not that hard to do…until it comes to taking action.

Our best intentions evaporate without action. There are tons of reasons we chose to remain immobilized.  I imagine you have your favorites. They’re like a default setting, and when we’re honest with ourselves, most don’t reflect who we truly are or want to be.

Last week I chose to be pro active. Rather than dig into my baggage about why I procrastinate, I reached out to a couple of friends who subscribe to the same theory of “do it later”. We enthusiastically agreed to be accountability partners.

Following the KISS rule of keeping it simple, we agreed to the following:
• How and when to monitor our progress
• Keep the goals  short and manageable
• For unmet goals, you will be confronted with “Why didn’t you do this task?”
• There will be no shaming or ridicule
• Any undone tasks roll over into next week’s list
• If a task goes undone for 2 weeks, we will talk about why we’re stuck

Thankfully, it’s working! With my healthy living accountability partner, I found it’s much easier to walk for 30 minutes four times a week than admit I was just too flippin’ lazy to do it! Geezz, who wants to admit to laziness, especially if you say it aloud?

The other partner is for work projects. Last week there was major movement on a couple of things that were so mired in the procrastination muck I needed the big bulldozers to get them unstuck! Whew! I stayed super focused and got it done. 

If you’re feeling stuck and unmotivated, an accountability partner might be your answer. It’s amazing how easy tasks become when the choices are “do it” or explain why you let yourself down again! Checking off even one small task empowers you to tackle others.

How about it? Don’t put it off another day. Call a friend and say, “Would you, could you be my accountability partner?” 

And with that you can check off one thing you’ve accomplished today!

Now is the time to Let Your Best Self Shine!

Hugs and prayers,
Elizabeth

Her show is on every Monday evening at 6 PM and she has fascinating guests who offer tips for living a fully integrated life: body, mind and spirit. They talk about a variety of topics and simply listening to her show is healing!

We not only talked about the stress of job loss, but lots of practical tips for coping with any life transitions. For so many people, it feels like you’re running in place all the time and just can’t get a break. I hope you’ll listen to the interview and find new ways to say “yes” to living your very best!

Thanks Sharon for having me as a guest! Check out her whimsical site at www.LivingAtYes.com

This got me thinking about how to get colleagues and friends to write an A+ letter of recommendation. After all, this is a huge part of your “hire me” campaign.

The key to an A+ recommendation letter is to make it easy for the writer by providing them relevant, quality information about you. By following these basic guidelines, you can have recommendation letters that shine the spotlight on your best skills and qualities.

While the format of the letter is important, the content is crucial. It’s possible to pack a lot of punch in one page if it’s concise and focused on your top qualities. The basic format includes:

• 1st paragraph establishes the purpose of the letter, states how and how long you’ve known one another, and the writer’s qualifications to recommend you.
• 2-4 paragraphs give details for why you are the ideal candidate for the position.  
• The closing paragraph is the wrap up. The time to finally convince this hiring manager that your are the only candidate for the job.

 Here’s the heart of what you need to know and do to get an A+ recommendation every time!

A-listers – Can your references speak with authority about your abilities, skills and character? Make sure they know you well and have the status for their opinion to be taken seriously. Beside a former boss or supervisor, you might ask friends, former customers/ clients, vendors, or professors.

Ask – Be direct and ask if this person is willing to whole heartedly recommend you.  If they are reluctant or have reservations, politely thank them and ask someone else.

Advance information -  What  made it easy for me to write a letter for my friend/client is he gave me all of the information in advance of writing the letter. You want to provide the following:

• The name, title and complete contact information of the person receiving the recommendation.
• The final date recommendation letters will be accepted
• The job position you are applying for and buzz words posted in the job ad
• Relevant dates of employment and your job titles
• Any thing you particularly want included in the letter. For example, what can you do for this organization?

 Abilities – What specific skills and talents make you uniquely qualified for this position? These are the skills you showcase on your resume and back up your job title.

Attributes – Employers today look for character and soft skills. The intangible qualities that make you who you are! For example, being resilient, empathetic, loyal, compassionate, responsible.

Accomplishments –  What have you accomplished and how can these accomplishments translate into a new position? These need to be tangible. For example: you created and implemented systems that reduced overhead by $25,000.

Action – Use clear, powerful, action verbs such as created, organized, designed.  

Associations & Awards  - Were you in any associations together? Can they speak to your leadership roles in an association? Do they know of awards you received for outstanding work or service?

Academics – If you’re a new graduate or recently completed a training program, your grades or class ranking may be important. Often professors and instructors notice a quality or trait that sets you apart from others. Promote these!

Assets – How will you be an asset to this new organization? How can you make a positive difference? If you have specialized skills or training, here’s where to focus on it. This is an excellent way to close the letter by clearly endorsing you for the job and recapping why you are the best candidate.

If the person you ask to vouch for you isn’t confident about writing a letter, here are a couple of sites that may offer some help. Check out emurse.com for lots of templates and suggestions for formatting and writing recommendation letters.

Box Free Concepts will generate a recommendation letter after you enter some information. You definitely need to read the letter and make a few adjustments, but it’s a great place to start. Don’t use this trick for all of your reference letters for the same job… or ooppsss…you’ll end up looking really dumb rather than brilliant!

And there you have it! Follow these A-list tips and you’ll have A+ recommendation letters that make your best qualities shine every time. If you have sites that have helped your colleagues write recommendation letters for you, I hope you’ll share them so we can pass them along to others.

Now is the time to Let Your Best Self Shine!

PS – Remember to thank the people who took time write on your behalf.

Less than 7 days after the hurricane, I was volunteering as the only chaplain at Biloxi Regional Medical Center. The resilient, spirited folks I met stayed in my heart partly because I came away with some powerful life lessons. They taught me what it means to have the courage to believe. This phrase became a touchstone in my life, especially while I was unemployed.

So, in tribute to the people who call Biloxi home as well as all the Katrina survivors along the Gulf Coast, here’s the story from my book about finding the courage to believe.  

The Courage To Believe

From my own experience and conversations I have had with other job seekers, one trait we all seem to share is courage. It takes tremendous courage to face the reality of job loss, to stay positive in the face of overwhelming odds, and to be honest with yourself, family, and friends. The phrase “have the courage to believe” is a touchstone in my life. I’ll share the story of why these words are so special to me, in the hope that you will be inspired to continue in your job search with renewed hope and faith.

Following Hurricane Katrina in 2005, I served as a chaplain at a hospital in Biloxi, Mississippi. With little warning, people lost their homes, possessions, vehicles, livelihoods, places of worship, and entire communities. They were left to mourn the deaths of family, friends, and beloved pets. Their sense of security and way of life was cruelly washed away under the cover of darkness.

Biloxi Lighthouse after Hurricane Katrina

Some had nothing but the clothes they wore and a plastic bag holding what remained of their personal possessions. As I listened to their stories, one
common theme was clear. They were thankful to be alive; and despite all of the loss, they continued to look forward to a new day. Their faith, hope, and
can-do attitude touched my heart.

I had several in-depth conversations with a man named Leopold. Reflecting on his losses, he said, “I have no idea who I am today; and I don’t know how
to figure out who I will become tomorrow.”

We talked about finding the courage to keep the faith and continue to believe. We stumbled upon the phrase “have the courage to believe.” It summed up the inner fortitude needed even to imagine rebuilding one’s life and community. Those words profoundly influenced me, and became the guiding force in my life.

Courage comes from the French word Coeur, which means heart. It takes a big heart and bold faith to believe in invisible possibilities when there is nothing solid to hold on to. The Sufi philosopher, Rumi, said it best: “Where there is ruin, there is hope for treasure.”

Having the courage to believe became more meaningful to me during my unemployment. When I hit my worst, felt sorry for myself, or wondered how to fix my unraveling life, I remembered the inner strength of those hurricane survivors. Life as they knew it was washed away, and still, they had the courage to believe life would be good again.

Unemployment continues to sweep across the United States and the world. Like a natural disaster, it can leave a wide path of destruction in its wake, affecting lives and communities. Some people survive job loss and grow into their best lives; some learn a powerful life lesson, some struggle, yet manage to keep it together; some barely hang on, and for some, life is now tragic beyond words.

I pray these words and this story will shine light into your current darkness and give you hope. May you be filled with the courage to believe. Take these words into your heart and know that when everything around you is changing or appears lost, a new day is coming. Be open, and believe in endless possibilities.

I Let My Best Self Shine Through when I live my life with courage and conviction. I have the courage to believe I can overcome any obstacles in my life. I am inspired by the way folks on the Gulf Coast continue to have hope and faith as they rebuild their lives.

thumbs-down

Wouldn’t it be great get the inside scoop from hiring managers about their pet peeves? Know makes them shake their heads and say, “No way…we’re hiring this person.”  

Kudos to Kaitlin Madden, blogger and writer for CareerBuilder.com, who has  the answers to this question. She’s interviewed 10 top hiring managers for the scoop on what definitely disqualifies a candidate. Most are common sense, but you’ll want to check out the article so you’ll be a candidate of positive distinction.  

Use your common sense:

• Dress appropriately for the company’s culture and in most cases, conservative is better.
• Have accurate directions to the interview ahead of time. If you call the interviewer at the last minute for directions, you might as well stay home.
• Whether lies are of the “big fish tale” or “itty bitty” variety, they will catch up with you.
• If you’re young and speak “social media” lingo, save it for your friends; not to the hiring manager. Good communication skills are always a big plus.
• Go Google yourself! What’s on your social media pages and voice message is like a bill board for the entire world to see. You want your ad to sell you at your best.

Follow mama’s advice about good manners

• Saying hello, please and thank you coupled with a good hand shake and smile will take you a long way in life.
• Speak politely to everyone you encounter at an interview including security guards, people you pass in the hallway, receptionists, and any one else you encounter.
• Being rude is never in style and definitely won’t get you a job.

And from the “just don’t say it” category

• If you don’t get along well with people, don’t say it.
• You need customer service and team playing skills for every job.

So, what are the deal makers?  

• Be professional
• Be polite and authentic
• Be confident
• Be detail oriented
• Believe in yourself

Or as I like to say, do the things that Let Your Best Self Shine Through!

Read Kaitlin Madden’s whole article

http://msn.careerbuilder.com/Article/MSN-2320-Job-Search-10-Hiring-Manager-Deal-Breakers/?sc_extcmp=JS_2320_home1&SiteId=cbmsnhp42320&ArticleID=2320&gt1=23000&cbRecursionCnt=1&cbsid=c2697ff2d1b0476ea125d75154116bd1-334852103-RS-4

http://alturl.com/2ushj

If you want some to hear some bold, empowering music to make you feel successful, you’ll want to listen to It’s My Time. It’s by Paul Hoffman and on his new CD Step Into Your Power. If nothing else, you gotta like the title!

It's My Time CD

It’s My Time is about stepping up to claim who you are and shouting it out to the world. Starting today you’ll try anything because you believe in yourself. Skillfully using your gifts and talents combined with passion leads to success. This song will resonate with your spirit and have you believing it is your time to find that new job, to follow your dreams, to live with joy and to be the best of who you are!

Paul’s story is incredibly inspiring, too. He was a sought after, highly paid composer in the field of branded music. He was making fantastic money and yet, something was missing in his life. The pain-filled road of addiction led from the top of the mountain to the valley of failure.

During his recovery he discovered a whole new world of enlightenment teachings which changed the direction of his life. Today he writes unique songs with powerful messages about hope, inspiration, new beginnings, finding your way and being your best. He has the incredibly fun job of composing and producing motivational songs for some top level speakers like Jack Canfield, Mark Victor Hansen and Wayne Dyer. 

Paul believes we fail because we don’t have an action plan or the support to follow through. His success music will empower you to stay the course in your job search, and if need be, make changes so you can move forward effectively and powerfully.

Now, get your successful self in gear and listen to It’s Your Time at the link below. Enjoy and soak up every successful note and word! If you want to use this song to keep you inspiried and moving forward, visit and get a free download of It’s My Time.

Now is your time! Time to ramp up your job search plan and to Let Your Best Self Shine!

Listen to It’s My Time