By CAREEREALISM-Approved Expert, Deborah Shane
Coming from a mentoring, teaching and training background for 20 plus years has helped me to understand how certain qualities make champions!
There are 12 common qualities I believe underlie “peak performers” or champions in any field, industry, business, or just personally!
I love to study champions. We mostly identify with sports people and teams: Lance Armstrong, Pete Sampras, New York Yankees, Detroit Red Wings, New England Patriots, University of Florida, Babe Ruth. But, let’s not forget about other champions who champion causes: Mother Theresa, Martin Luther King, John F Kennedy, Rosa Parks and tireless other “silent heroes” that change people’s lives daily by what they do under the radar.
What is a champion?
By definition, a Remarkable Person - somebody who exemplifies excellence or achievement; Defender - somebody who defends, supports, or promotes a person or cause because they are “passionate” about it.
It can be anyone, it can be you.
Character is an attitude...
“Hard work spotlights the character of people: some turn up their sleeves , some turn up their noses and some don’t turn up at all.” (Sam Ewing)
The process it takes to become a champion includes solid fundamentals, a dedication to discipline, a willingness to practice, a lot of heart, a little luck and perseverance. All great teams and athletes commit to this process and because they are “in it” daily, they succeed and win. This same process is how anyone can become a champion, or champion a cause.
Enjoying this article? You could get the best career advice daily by subscribing to us via e-mail.
Here are 12 principles that can make you or anyone a champion. Are you ready?
1. Personal and Professional Integrity
2. Industry and Product Knowledge
3. Sincerity of Motive and Intent
4. Enthusiasm for Life
5. Passion for what you do and who you are
6. A dedication to Excellence
7. Commitment to Discipline
8. The Perseverance to keep growing and learning
9. Willingness to embrace new ideas
10. Openness to Change
11. A healthy and active Sense of Humor
12. Awesome Attitude
Opportunities to stand out, make a difference and truly impact people, the community and world you live and work in is boundless.
Become a champion and champion something today, NOW. Small things can make a BIG difference. They add up over time.
Are you ready to champion your life and business and become the champion you are destined to be?
Did you enjoy this article? Read more articles by this expert here.CAREEREALISM Expert, Deborah Shane delivers business education and professional skill development specializing in women in business, those in career transition, sales and personal and social brand strategy and integration. Follow her on Twitter and LinkedIn.The photo for this article is provided by Shutterstock.
Bigstock
The leaves are changing, the kids are back in school, and that familiar chill is in the air. You think it's the perfect time to look for a job, and it is! But are your job search fears preventing you from making that leap?
It's not uncommon to feel lost when embarking on your job search journey. After all, school teaches us everything except how to get a job. What should you put on your resume? What questions should you ask in an interview? How can you stand out in the hiring process when there's so much competition?
Are you feeling spooked yet?
Believe it or not, there's no need to be afraid of the job search process! You can land your dream job with the right tools and strategy. You can find a job that won't give you nightmares. Here are three spooky secrets every job seeker should know as they look for a job this fall.
1. An Effective Job Search Starts With An Interview Bucket List
Bigstock
Despite your fears, you've decided to take the plunge and look for a new job. You might be asking yourself, "Where do I start?" The answer is simple: start by creating an interview bucket list.
An interview bucket list is a list of 10-20 companies you'd love to work for. Are you passionate about a company's products or services? Do you feel connected to its mission? Can you relate to its values and beliefs as an organization? If you answer "yes" to any of these questions, that company probably belongs on your interview bucket list.
Once you create an interview bucket list, you'll be able to conduct a targeted job search, one with direction and a foundation upon which everything else will be built. An interview bucket list helps you focus your job search and networking strategies on the right opportunities, making it easier to get your foot in the door at one of your dream companies.
2. Your Job Application Needs To Disrupt Hiring Managers
Bigstock
In order to stand out in the hiring process, you need to disrupt recruiters and hiring managers. You accomplish this by doing two things: optimizing your resume and writing a disruptive cover letter.
A well-optimized resume includes keywords from the job description. This ensures your resume gets past the ATS and into the hands of the hiring manager. Once it's in front of the hiring manager, it needs to grab and keep their attention. Quantifying your work experience—adding numbers to your bullet points—will make you stand out from other applicants. Hiring managers will want to know more about you and your accomplishments, and that's how you land a phone interview.
Before that, though, a hiring manager will read your cover letter. To disrupt them, you need to write a disruptive cover letter (obviously!). A disruptive cover letter gives you the opportunity to tell a story about why you feel connected to the company you're applying for. It's that storytelling aspect that will stand out to hiring managers and compel them to pick up the phone and give you a call.
3. Employers Hire You Based On 3 Things
Bigstock
You can't get hired unless you know what employers are assessing you on in the interview process. While your skills and expertise matter, companies actually hire for three things: personality, aptitude, and experience (in that order).
Most job seekers don't realize how important it is to demonstrate their personality, aptitude, and experience in an interview. You could have the right experience for a job, but if the hiring manager doesn't think your personality is a good fit for the company culture, you probably won't get a job offer.
Make sure you demonstrate your soft skills and learn how to answer behavioral interview questions to prove you're the best candidate for the job you're applying for, not just the most qualified.
Want To Learn More Job Search Secrets?
As you look for a job this fall, it might be helpful to know some more spooky secrets so you can get over your job search fears and finally take control of your career.
We know the job search process can be scary. However, it's important to get clear on what you want to do next and focus on conducting a strategic job search, or what we refer to at Work It DAILY as job shopping. This is the only way to effectively market yourself to employers. If they can't see exactly where and how you add value, then that's going to decrease your chances of landing the job.
The competition is fierce, and there are a lot of factors that are out of your control. But the one factor you can control is your job search strategy, the tools and tactics you use to land a job.
If you want to learn the secrets to conducting a strategic job search, sign up for our Job Search Bootcamp, a two-hour, on-demand video workshop that comes with a free workbook.
In this video workshop, you'll learn:
- How to use backchanneling to get directly to hiring managers.
- The secret to using a connection story to stand out against the competition.
- How social media can be your secret weapon to get job interviews.
- The resume format that is getting job seekers more job interviews.
- And, a lot more hacks for job search success!
Let us show you the secrets to getting a new, better-paying job you actually love. Sign up for our Job Search Bootcamp today.
Are you ready to land the job of your dreams (and leave the job of your nightmares)?
Read moreShow less