3D Juggling 528: Rocket Science
Claire writes: "It's when someone gets slightly irritated when describing their skills and says 'Of course I do that - doesn't everyone?' that we know we are getting to the heart of what's unique about them. Because not everyone does things like you do - and probably your most important skills are the ones that you don't think are rocket science.
I can remember speaking at a conference about career change and finding your purpose. Having invited all the delegates to talk with their neighbour to try and extract their core skills, a man in the front row stood up. He told me that he had taken early retirement at 50, had a great CV and wouldn't be doing the exercise. I offered to look at his CV instead. The first page spoke of communication skills. 'Imagine that a lady from customer services in a supermarket is sat next to you. She also has communication skills', I said. 'What are different about yours?'
You could tell that he understood things in a different way when he smiled and replied: 'I'm a trained hostage negotiator. I get it!' Then he rewrote his CV!!
Clarity about skills is important when you are looking for a different kind of job and are unclear what that might be. It's also important when you are being interviewed and all the candidates fit the person profile. The job is likely to be appointed on that extra piece of uniqueness. And you need to be able to describe it.
What is different about your skills? Think about it..."
© 2011 3D Coaching Ltd
May be distributed freely. Please retain contact details: www.3dcoaching.com and send a copy/ link to info@3dcoaching.com
Showing posts with label career choice. Show all posts
Showing posts with label career choice. Show all posts
Monday, May 23, 2011
Monday, April 04, 2011
3D Juggling 522: No Place at Uni?
Jane writes: "Simon Dolan is worth £70m. He was a bright child, but couldn’t see the point of most of the subjects he had to study and was asked to leave school at 15. He says that there’s a big lie going round, the one that says you stand a better chance of getting a good job if you have a degree. Of course there are some professions that absolutely require years at university, but there are many that do not, and many ways to gain professional qualifications and credibility whilst working.
Our experience of working with people who don’t know what they want to do next fits well with some of Simon’s tips:
1. Think niche (for Simon doing VAT returns wasn’t niche, doing it just for IT contractors was)
2. Talk to interesting people who are doing interesting stuff
3. Don’t spend weeks on a detailed business plan
4. Don’t borrow lots of money
5. If you’re the parent of a young person with an idea for a business – get behind it
Think about it..."
We work with young people seeking their way in life, people who have got ‘stuck’ in roles or organisations that just don’t suit them anymore, people who find themselves without work, and others who just don’t know what they want to do. All our ideas are available free on the website or come to one of our workshops.
© 2011 3D Coaching Ltd
May be distributed freely. Please retain contact details: www.3dcoaching.com and send a copy/ link to info@3dcoaching.com
Jane writes: "Simon Dolan is worth £70m. He was a bright child, but couldn’t see the point of most of the subjects he had to study and was asked to leave school at 15. He says that there’s a big lie going round, the one that says you stand a better chance of getting a good job if you have a degree. Of course there are some professions that absolutely require years at university, but there are many that do not, and many ways to gain professional qualifications and credibility whilst working.
Our experience of working with people who don’t know what they want to do next fits well with some of Simon’s tips:
1. Think niche (for Simon doing VAT returns wasn’t niche, doing it just for IT contractors was)
2. Talk to interesting people who are doing interesting stuff
3. Don’t spend weeks on a detailed business plan
4. Don’t borrow lots of money
5. If you’re the parent of a young person with an idea for a business – get behind it
Think about it..."
We work with young people seeking their way in life, people who have got ‘stuck’ in roles or organisations that just don’t suit them anymore, people who find themselves without work, and others who just don’t know what they want to do. All our ideas are available free on the website or come to one of our workshops.
© 2011 3D Coaching Ltd
May be distributed freely. Please retain contact details: www.3dcoaching.com and send a copy/ link to info@3dcoaching.com
Thursday, April 01, 2010
3D Juggling 474: Right Side Up
We often get emails and calls from people years after they have been in contact with us. Here's one story:
"New Years’ day and we woke to the worst possible news. My husband’s job was made redundant! In December I lost my job due to company relocation. Then my husband’s mother died. Great start to 2009!
Both in our early 60’s, deep recession and no job prospects, we were on our own. Friends suggested we offer our services as landscape gardeners which helped with the finances. Our first job won an award for Best Pub Garden. We knew this wouldn’t be enough to live on full time so we had to cash in a small pension and cancel EVERYTHING that wasn’t a necessity.
It was when we were in France restoring a friend’s garden - free lodging in exchange for our labour, I just happened to say out loud “If only someone could see us and what we are doing, maybe we could work abroad”. Ten days later a friend rang to say she knew of someone looking for house-sitters, animal guardians and groundsmen, were we interested? So we thought (not for long I might add) and went for it. Of course, playing it safe we could have stayed home, looked for jobs offering a meagre wage but very little satisfaction. What’s the dilemma? No income here or No income there? Besides, who gets to live in a Chateau every day of their lives??
We’ve been living in the Bordeaux region since January and will return to the UK in July, with the possibility of another house sit in the area for next year.
Having gone from fairly exotic careers, travelling the world on good money with all the trimmings, we now live hand to mouth in France. Our world revolves around getting up early to walk two large dogs, feed a donkey and chickens, plus gardening duties in a totally rural existence. Had we known what that involved would we have taken the chance? Sometimes you have to step outside the box and take the positives from such an experience.
We are having the adventure of a lifetime, have gained a whole new circle of friends, marginally improved my French and are VERY happy living a French way of life.
Sometimes when your world seems as though it’s been tipped upside down, you can land the right side up. Next stop Italy???"
Try it!
Love this? Do us a favour and send it to five people. Who thinks like you? You could send it to someone who needs some hope.
Discuss this week's juggling at http://www.3dcoaching.blogspot.com/
© 2010 3D Coaching Ltd
May be distributed freely. Please retain contact details: www.3dcoaching.com and send a copy/ link to info@3dcoaching.com
3D Juggling 471: Seven Years On
Claire writes: "I had coffee last week with John who I had met for a ten minute conversation in 2003 after his job had been made redundant. He wanted to talk then about career change and finding the right fit... or at that stage, any fit. We've exchanged occasional emails and this was an opportunity to talk more.
He was hardly recognisable. The diminished and downtrodden man has transfomed into someone who, two jobs on, is confident and has begun to use skills he didn't know he had. It was a privilege to catch up on some of the missing parts of the story. Seven years ago he had no idea this kind of job existed and he has found something which is for him, truly vocational, working in a public sector organisation and having influence internationally.
For John, what had been important was being clear about skills that would make money and being willing to take a job which used them and provided for his family. And he held the vision. It was the second job which has harnessed his talents and passions.
Are you clear about what your skills are - and what are strengths and what are passions? Is your job harnessing these?'
If you want to explore these more, we are running a one day Masterclass on 5th June in Bletchley for anyone looking at beginning their career, or changing career. It will be a chance to gain clarity around what your vocational job might look like and how to begin to look for it. We've run similar events at One Life and Spring Harvest and this is a chance to invest in yourself for a whole day."
Love this? Do us a favour and send it to five people. Who thinks like you? You could send it to someone who is feeling diminished and downtrodden.
Discuss this week's juggling at http://www.3dcoaching.blogspot.com/
© 2010 3D Coaching Ltd
May be distributed freely. Please retain contact details: www.3dcoaching.com and send a copy/ link to info@3dcoaching.com
Follow us on Twitter 3dclaire
Facebook 3D Coaching
Claire writes: "I had coffee last week with John who I had met for a ten minute conversation in 2003 after his job had been made redundant. He wanted to talk then about career change and finding the right fit... or at that stage, any fit. We've exchanged occasional emails and this was an opportunity to talk more.
He was hardly recognisable. The diminished and downtrodden man has transfomed into someone who, two jobs on, is confident and has begun to use skills he didn't know he had. It was a privilege to catch up on some of the missing parts of the story. Seven years ago he had no idea this kind of job existed and he has found something which is for him, truly vocational, working in a public sector organisation and having influence internationally.
For John, what had been important was being clear about skills that would make money and being willing to take a job which used them and provided for his family. And he held the vision. It was the second job which has harnessed his talents and passions.
Are you clear about what your skills are - and what are strengths and what are passions? Is your job harnessing these?'
If you want to explore these more, we are running a one day Masterclass on 5th June in Bletchley for anyone looking at beginning their career, or changing career. It will be a chance to gain clarity around what your vocational job might look like and how to begin to look for it. We've run similar events at One Life and Spring Harvest and this is a chance to invest in yourself for a whole day."
Love this? Do us a favour and send it to five people. Who thinks like you? You could send it to someone who is feeling diminished and downtrodden.
Discuss this week's juggling at http://www.3dcoaching.blogspot.com/
© 2010 3D Coaching Ltd
May be distributed freely. Please retain contact details: www.3dcoaching.com and send a copy/ link to info@3dcoaching.com
Follow us on Twitter 3dclaire
Facebook 3D Coaching
Monday, February 22, 2010
3D Juggling 466: How many ducks are there in your row?
Claire writes: "When you buy a house, although you make many different choices, on the morning of the move, you can't get through the new front door unless all the money is in the right place, the right paperwork has been signed and the right people have the keys. By then there have been surveys and mortgage applications, estimates and guesstimates. In house moving all your ducks need to be lined up in a row or the sale falls through.
If only life was like that in the world of career development. Our experience is that people are reluctant to make a move because all their ducks aren't lined up. And that causes inertia. Suddenly: 'I'd like to retrain' becomes 'I'd like to retrain but then will I get a job and will I have to move and...?' Whereas with a house move, it's all or nothing, with a career move you will always have to take a risk.
Think about variables eg location, time, financial security, employability, plan B:
What things REALLY need to be fixed?
What are flexible/ mobile/transferable?
You will never get all your ducks lined up in a row! How many is enough? Probably more than one... and less than all!
So if you're in inertia, how many ducks are there in your row?
PS Where does this come from? Some people say the ducks in a row comes from funfair games.
Love this? Do us a favour and send it to five people. Who thinks like you? You could send it to someone who needs to take a risk
Discuss this week's juggling at http://www.3dcoaching.blogspot.com/
© 2010 3D Coaching Ltd
May be distributed freely. Please retain contact details: www.3dcoaching.com and send a copy/ link to info@3dcoaching.com
Claire writes: "When you buy a house, although you make many different choices, on the morning of the move, you can't get through the new front door unless all the money is in the right place, the right paperwork has been signed and the right people have the keys. By then there have been surveys and mortgage applications, estimates and guesstimates. In house moving all your ducks need to be lined up in a row or the sale falls through.
If only life was like that in the world of career development. Our experience is that people are reluctant to make a move because all their ducks aren't lined up. And that causes inertia. Suddenly: 'I'd like to retrain' becomes 'I'd like to retrain but then will I get a job and will I have to move and...?' Whereas with a house move, it's all or nothing, with a career move you will always have to take a risk.
Think about variables eg location, time, financial security, employability, plan B:
What things REALLY need to be fixed?
What are flexible/ mobile/transferable?
You will never get all your ducks lined up in a row! How many is enough? Probably more than one... and less than all!
So if you're in inertia, how many ducks are there in your row?
PS Where does this come from? Some people say the ducks in a row comes from funfair games.
Love this? Do us a favour and send it to five people. Who thinks like you? You could send it to someone who needs to take a risk
Discuss this week's juggling at http://www.3dcoaching.blogspot.com/
© 2010 3D Coaching Ltd
May be distributed freely. Please retain contact details: www.3dcoaching.com and send a copy/ link to info@3dcoaching.com
Thursday, December 10, 2009
3D Juggling 459: TK Maxx
Claire writes: 'I have resorted to internet shopping this year, simply as a time saver. I knew half of what I was going to buy for Mike but it was an interesting experience when I was looking for his other present. In the end I resorted to coming up with a half good idea and then searching on Amazon. Undoubtedly a better fitting and more exciting gift would have resulted from a day milling round the shops.
The internet may be the saviour of Christmas shopping, but it can severely hamper our job search. Unless you are looking for exactly the same job in a similar sector, be careful of job search sites which try and box you. If I had gone to TK Maxx for Mike I would have had no idea what I was looking for. But I would have found something great by searching through every rail. And I'd have known what it was when I found it. So if you're looking for a new job, start by going window shopping with a department store mentality. Wander round and look everywhere. Make a list of ideas as you go. Because even Sock Shop or Wine Rack would constrain you.
And if you're interested in doing that with one of us, call us about a Career Makeover.
Love this? Do us a favour and send it to five people. Who thinks like you? You could send it to someone who is being restricted by internet searching.
Discuss this week's juggling at http://www.3dcoaching.blogspot.com/
© 2009 3D Coaching Ltd
May be distributed freely. Please retain contact details: www.3dcoaching.com and send a copy/ link to info@3dcoaching.com
Follow us on Twitter 3dclaire
Facebook 3D Coaching
Coming Soon:
21st January Action Learning Set Facilitator Training - London
http://www.3dcoaching.com/3d_training/train_to_facilitate_action_learning_sets.phtml
Claire writes: 'I have resorted to internet shopping this year, simply as a time saver. I knew half of what I was going to buy for Mike but it was an interesting experience when I was looking for his other present. In the end I resorted to coming up with a half good idea and then searching on Amazon. Undoubtedly a better fitting and more exciting gift would have resulted from a day milling round the shops.
The internet may be the saviour of Christmas shopping, but it can severely hamper our job search. Unless you are looking for exactly the same job in a similar sector, be careful of job search sites which try and box you. If I had gone to TK Maxx for Mike I would have had no idea what I was looking for. But I would have found something great by searching through every rail. And I'd have known what it was when I found it. So if you're looking for a new job, start by going window shopping with a department store mentality. Wander round and look everywhere. Make a list of ideas as you go. Because even Sock Shop or Wine Rack would constrain you.
And if you're interested in doing that with one of us, call us about a Career Makeover.
Love this? Do us a favour and send it to five people. Who thinks like you? You could send it to someone who is being restricted by internet searching.
Discuss this week's juggling at http://www.3dcoaching.blogspot.com/
© 2009 3D Coaching Ltd
May be distributed freely. Please retain contact details: www.3dcoaching.com and send a copy/ link to info@3dcoaching.com
Follow us on Twitter 3dclaire
Facebook 3D Coaching
Coming Soon:
21st January Action Learning Set Facilitator Training - London
http://www.3dcoaching.com/3d_training/train_to_facilitate_action_learning_sets.phtml
Sunday, August 09, 2009
3D Juggling 440: Destinations
Claire writes: 'On our holiday last week with only 20m visibility in the Dorset fog, we had to hold on to the hope that we would end up in Dorchester. And we did! I had been reading 'Woman on the Edge of a Nervous Breakdown' a hysterical novel by Guardian journalist Lorna Martin. The lead character says "If you don't have a destination, you can never fail to get there, but you will end up drifting along forever."
Look around, and those who know what they are working for tend to be much happier and more fulfilled at work than those who don't. Purpose is really important. In his book 'Path to Purpose', academic Patrick Damon's research supports this. He expands to say that purpose also needs to include other people. Which is what Aristotle said all along: where your talents and the needs of the world collide, there lies your vocation.
Where is yours? Or are you still in the fog?
If you would like to talk to someone to help explore what your purpose might be, do email us info@3dcoaching.com
Love this? Do us a favour and send it to five people. Who thinks like you? You could send it to someone who is looking for a purpose.
Discuss this week's juggling at http://www.3dcoaching.blogspot.com/
© 2009 3D Coaching Ltd May be distributed freely. Please retain contact details: www.3dcoaching.com and send a copy/ link to info@3dcoaching.com
Claire writes: 'On our holiday last week with only 20m visibility in the Dorset fog, we had to hold on to the hope that we would end up in Dorchester. And we did! I had been reading 'Woman on the Edge of a Nervous Breakdown' a hysterical novel by Guardian journalist Lorna Martin. The lead character says "If you don't have a destination, you can never fail to get there, but you will end up drifting along forever."
Look around, and those who know what they are working for tend to be much happier and more fulfilled at work than those who don't. Purpose is really important. In his book 'Path to Purpose', academic Patrick Damon's research supports this. He expands to say that purpose also needs to include other people. Which is what Aristotle said all along: where your talents and the needs of the world collide, there lies your vocation.
Where is yours? Or are you still in the fog?
If you would like to talk to someone to help explore what your purpose might be, do email us info@3dcoaching.com
Love this? Do us a favour and send it to five people. Who thinks like you? You could send it to someone who is looking for a purpose.
Discuss this week's juggling at http://www.3dcoaching.blogspot.com/
© 2009 3D Coaching Ltd May be distributed freely. Please retain contact details: www.3dcoaching.com and send a copy/ link to info@3dcoaching.com
Friday, June 12, 2009
3D Juggling 433: Extravagant Ideas
There are still 2 spaces on the Action Learning Set Facilitator training on 30th June in London. Make us a reasonable offer...
Claire writes: 'Many years ago, Barbara Sher wrote a book called: I could do anything if only I knew what it was. When people come for a Career Makeover, that phrase is mirrored in many conversations. So how on earth do you get inspiration? Ask for advice, and those close to you receive your anxiety and add it to their own feelings about your career and how it affects them - which can rather stifle creativity!
Try this: Find 5 people who know you well and ask them each to write down 20 jobs they could imagine you doing. You'll have thought of the first five and the last five will probably be crazy. But in that list will be clues about potential which others see in you and some great creative thinking. Embalmer was on one lady's list - not something she had thought of before! This can also make a fun evening with friends - just get the list down before you open the second bottle of wine!'
Love this? Do us a favour and send it to five people. Who thinks like you? You could send it to someone who is looking for ideas.
Discuss this week's juggling at http://www.3dcoaching.blogspot.com/
© 2009 3D Coaching Ltd May be distributed freely. Please retain contact details: www.3dcoaching.com and send a copy/ link to info@3dcoaching.com
There are still 2 spaces on the Action Learning Set Facilitator training on 30th June in London. Make us a reasonable offer...
Claire writes: 'Many years ago, Barbara Sher wrote a book called: I could do anything if only I knew what it was. When people come for a Career Makeover, that phrase is mirrored in many conversations. So how on earth do you get inspiration? Ask for advice, and those close to you receive your anxiety and add it to their own feelings about your career and how it affects them - which can rather stifle creativity!
Try this: Find 5 people who know you well and ask them each to write down 20 jobs they could imagine you doing. You'll have thought of the first five and the last five will probably be crazy. But in that list will be clues about potential which others see in you and some great creative thinking. Embalmer was on one lady's list - not something she had thought of before! This can also make a fun evening with friends - just get the list down before you open the second bottle of wine!'
Love this? Do us a favour and send it to five people. Who thinks like you? You could send it to someone who is looking for ideas.
Discuss this week's juggling at http://www.3dcoaching.blogspot.com/
© 2009 3D Coaching Ltd May be distributed freely. Please retain contact details: www.3dcoaching.com and send a copy/ link to info@3dcoaching.com
Monday, October 06, 2008
Juggling in 3D 399: Bookshops
We're mid way through the first open programme to train people to use coaching skills at work. There are two more already booked - starting in January and March. It's very simple and very effective. Have a look at http://www.3dcoaching.com/training/coaching_for_excellence.phtml
Claire writes: 'I missed a train last week and ended up at Kings Cross with 40 minutes to spare. There are no cafes at Kings Cross so I wandered over to St Pancras and found myself window shopping and then browsing in Foyles.
It's amazing what you find when you wander round a bookshop. Did you know that you can now buy a notebook that looks like the Ladybird books you may have had as a child? And Penguin have re-released classics for only £2 each in old fashioned covers. I was actually looking for the ideal diary. This is such a different experience from buying online. I managed to come out without spending any money, but I know that some of my favourite authors have new books out in hardback, and my wishlist is growing! When I buy from Amazon, there is a lot I miss.
If it's time to rethink your career and look for something new and different, window shopping can be hugely helpful. If I asked you to write down 50 different jobs (not employers) you thought you could do, you'd probably struggle. And there are thousands of different job titles - over 12000 if you take the research seriously!
If you only window shop for jobs online or in your own professional journal, you'll miss out. Think of the interesting books you've read. Some will have come by personal recommendation, finding a good cover in the library, picking them up on a train, as well as surfing on the internet. So when it's time to window shop for jobs, try asking friends: what 20 jobs could you see me doing? Get the Guardian and your local paper every day for 2 weeks and browse. Browse for the interesting parts of the job adverts which inspire you. They are all clues which will help you find the elusive next step.'
Love this? Do us a favour and send it to five people. Who thinks like you? You could send it to someone who needs to go window shopping!
Discuss this week's juggling at http://www.3dcoaching.blogspot.com/
(c) 2008 3D Coaching Ltd
We're mid way through the first open programme to train people to use coaching skills at work. There are two more already booked - starting in January and March. It's very simple and very effective. Have a look at http://www.3dcoaching.com/training/coaching_for_excellence.phtml
Claire writes: 'I missed a train last week and ended up at Kings Cross with 40 minutes to spare. There are no cafes at Kings Cross so I wandered over to St Pancras and found myself window shopping and then browsing in Foyles.
It's amazing what you find when you wander round a bookshop. Did you know that you can now buy a notebook that looks like the Ladybird books you may have had as a child? And Penguin have re-released classics for only £2 each in old fashioned covers. I was actually looking for the ideal diary. This is such a different experience from buying online. I managed to come out without spending any money, but I know that some of my favourite authors have new books out in hardback, and my wishlist is growing! When I buy from Amazon, there is a lot I miss.
If it's time to rethink your career and look for something new and different, window shopping can be hugely helpful. If I asked you to write down 50 different jobs (not employers) you thought you could do, you'd probably struggle. And there are thousands of different job titles - over 12000 if you take the research seriously!
If you only window shop for jobs online or in your own professional journal, you'll miss out. Think of the interesting books you've read. Some will have come by personal recommendation, finding a good cover in the library, picking them up on a train, as well as surfing on the internet. So when it's time to window shop for jobs, try asking friends: what 20 jobs could you see me doing? Get the Guardian and your local paper every day for 2 weeks and browse. Browse for the interesting parts of the job adverts which inspire you. They are all clues which will help you find the elusive next step.'
Love this? Do us a favour and send it to five people. Who thinks like you? You could send it to someone who needs to go window shopping!
Discuss this week's juggling at http://www.3dcoaching.blogspot.com/
(c) 2008 3D Coaching Ltd
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