by K B , updated on March 17, 2020
Photo by Chris-Barbalis on Unsplash
One of the things I have reflected on lately is listening and how much of a gift to the other person, is your complete and utter undivided attention.
And how the lack of this severely limits the connection and understanding we all crave.
I am prompted to write this post as the other day I had a wine with an old friend, and I thought sharing my experience could help others (OK me 😉 )
We’ve been friends for years but to be honest I wasn’t exactly looking forward to it.
That’s because I knew exactly how this event would start and end.
We actually hadn’t seen each other face to face for about 3 years. When I sat down he asked me how I was and as soon as I started to answer he started to twitch. He then turned his back on me and looked around for the waiter.
So I stopped talking. [click to continue…]
by K B , updated on October 26, 2020
Photo by Bryce Koch on Unsplash
Have you ever wondered why some people get headhunted from LinkedIn and you do not?
If this is you, I suggest you read on.
From the many years I have spent helping clients construct their LinkedIn profiles I know how much people want the pain taken away from their job search.
They want their LinkedIn profile to attract opportunities for them. However they do not know what to actually put in their profiles so they simply leave big chunks of their LinkedIn profile blank.
They also let the reader second guess what they’ve done by only listing their job titles.
There’s a big problem with this. [click to continue…]
by K B , updated on March 17, 2020
Photo by Hans-Peter Gauster on Unsplash
Most of my clients don’t know where to start when it comes to writing a LinkedIn summary.
I don’t blame them.
It can feel like there are a million things that you could present to the world. So it becomes a struggle to know which is the best picture to present.
Although the summary section is only 2000 characters, it is the place (along with the headline) that you give meaning to your career or experience, you pull it all together – like your cover letter or introduction to the world.
The summary is important as it frames up the way people read your profile.
When I help clients construct a summary section, I focus on getting them to answer some questions. But not just to provide flip answers, but to actually deeply reflect on who they are and what these mean.
The answers to these questions actually form the basis of what you can put in the profile summary. The more genuine you are in answering them, the more your voice comes across in the profile – which is what LinkedIn is all about – people connecting with people.
In most cases your answers will help you draw the attention to your profile that you want to draw – without being all things to all people. It focuses your search around what matters to you, and what defines you.
The thing to remember is that if you are in a role that you enjoy or heading towards that kind of role, you already have the innate strengths you need to be successful in that role. So the reflection and answers to these questions will mainly hold true as you transition and progress through your career.
That’s why I like these questions.
Here goes.
You can send me flowers to thank me later!
[click to continue…]
by K B , updated on March 17, 2020
Photo by Austin Chan on Unsplash
When you’re looking for a new job or stuck in a job you don’t like, sometimes it can feel like your world is closing in.
By this I mean you can feel like you’ve run out of ideas about what you want to do, what you can do, the type of organisations where you can add value, and or people whom you can talk to about your next move.
I am about to give you inspiration about where you can tease out the next opportunity for yourself, and no I am not about to tell you to think about and pursue what you’re passionate about.
[click to continue…]
by K B , updated on March 17, 2020
Image by JE Shoots
Applying for a job today has never been easier.
Log onto LinkedIn and they’ll suggests jobs for you, tell you how many views the job has had, and whether you’re an early applicant or not.
And that’s just the free version.
A premium account lets you see how your skills and experience compare against others who have applied.
For some applications you can just hit a button and apply through LinkedIn.
Voila – job done!
You can simply hit snooze and wait for the call back.
It’s the same every time you submit your resume to a job board or career site.
Or not? [click to continue…]
by K B , updated on March 17, 2020
Photo by Oliver Cole on Unsplash
Last weekend I was at my brother’s house and saw a flyer advertising a course on building resilience in children and I was struck by how much of that kind of help was missing when I was growing up.
The course included open discussion and sharing experiences on what failure felt like, along with some sessions on mindfulness and meditation.
For me growing up, if you ever shared what you were weak at, you got bullied.
There was a deep shame attached to not doing well.
So, like everyone else, I learned coping mechanisms.
Mine was to generally pretend I was invisible so I did not get picked on. Other kids ran with the pack and tried to fit in. I assume trying to be the same as other kids so there was safety in numbers.The really “tough” kids picked on other kids first, so they did not pick on them.
It all seems such a sad waste of energy when I think about it. [click to continue…]
