One of my new favorite blogs is called Productivity Flourishing. This article (click here) is about a phenomenon known as “emotional contagion,” a.k.a. the invisible conversation.
The concept is simple: There are conversations that go on between us and others that are non-verbal. They are driven by the emotions of the people we surround ourselves with. The article describes it as this:
An interconnected network of brain cells known as mirror neurons respond to the emotional state of those around us by mirroring that same state. This immensely powerful conversation happens without intention, and much of it can be nonverbal. Though it’s as powerful as any deliberate, verbal conversation, if not more so.
It goes on to discuss how these invisible conversations affect us in various situations.
Sometimes You Need a Ghost Writer
As I read this article, I couldn’t help but think how many job seekers need a “ghost writer” to help keep their invisible conversations on-track and positive. What’s a ghost writer? It’s a person who helps you maintain the proper talk-track in your head so you get the results you are looking for. Let me give you an example:
When we are struggling to find work or advance our careers, we can become very down on ourselves. This projects a negativity that impacts the invisible conversations we have with friends, family, our job search network, and even hiring managers. I often find much of the career coaching I do by phone or Skype are focused on helping people work through this negativity so they can feel better and have more productive invisible conversations with those they are interacting with.
Invisible Conversation Killing the Job Interview
Recently, I did a coaching call by Skype with a CareerHMO.com member who has been between jobs for 18 months. He wanted to do some work on his interviewing skills because he was convinced his answers were hurting him on job interviews. As we started to discuss how he answered basic behavioral questions, I felt a strong negative invisible conversation going on. I stopped him and asked point blank what happened in his professional past that had hurt him so deeply. He was shocked, and said, “How did you know I’ve been hurt?” I told him it was the non-verbal cues. His voice tone, body language and hand gestures were making it clear he was upset. Even the way he was articulating his answers gave away the deep anger, sadness and insecurity he was feeling.
We spent the rest of the call talking about the situation and helping him to come to terms with it. As his ghost writer, I helped him look at the situation more objectively so he could remove the emotion from the invisible conversation. A few exchanges by email and a follow-up Skype call shortly after led to some encouraging results. You could feel the difference when we interacted! It won’t surprise you to learn he has found it much easier to increase his networking activities too. His confidence is up and it shows! And in my experience, this will eventually lead to a new job.
Do YOUR Invisible Conversations Need a Ghost Writer?
This recent experience with a CareerHMO.com client made me realize it was time we expanded our offerings and give members a way to regularly work with a career coach to ensure the invisible conversations they are having are productive and positive. So, let me introduce you to two new subscription plans: Our Professional subscription offers you a coaching call with an expert by phone or Skype every other week, while our Executive subscription offers you a coaching call every week. Check them out and let me know what you think. Depending on the subscription you buy, you save $5-10/coaching session.
Click for New Subscription Plans »
P.S. Any existing member (Premium or Freemium) who upgrades their subscription by October 31, 2011 will get two extra coaching calls [$90 VALUE] for one month.
How to Upgrade
In order to upgrade, you must e-mail and inform me which level you'd like to purchase. I will take care of everything else. You can reach me at info@careerhmo.com.
Don’t let the invisible conversations you are having with others hurt your career. Let us help keep your emotions in check so you can send the right message every time!
J.T. O’Donnell is the founder of CAREEREALISM.com and CEO of CareerHMO.com, a web-based career development company.Image from Martin Fischer/Shutterstock
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
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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
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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
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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.
One of my new favorite blogs is called Productivity Flourishing. This article (click here) is about a phenomenon known as “emotional contagion,” a.k.a. the invisible conversation.
The concept is simple: There are conversations that go on between us and others that are non-verbal. They are driven by the emotions of the people we surround ourselves with. The article describes it as this:
An interconnected network of brain cells known as mirror neurons respond to the emotional state of those around us by mirroring that same state. This immensely powerful conversation happens without intention, and much of it can be nonverbal. Though it’s as powerful as any deliberate, verbal conversation, if not more so.
It goes on to discuss how these invisible conversations affect us in various situations.
Sometimes You Need a Ghost Writer
As I read this article, I couldn’t help but think how many job seekers need a “ghost writer” to help keep their invisible conversations on-track and positive. What’s a ghost writer? It’s a person who helps you maintain the proper talk-track in your head so you get the results you are looking for. Let me give you an example:
When we are struggling to find work or advance our careers, we can become very down on ourselves. This projects a negativity that impacts the invisible conversations we have with friends, family, our job search network, and even hiring managers. I often find much of the career coaching I do by phone or Skype are focused on helping people work through this negativity so they can feel better and have more productive invisible conversations with those they are interacting with.
Invisible Conversation Killing the Job Interview
Recently, I did a coaching call by Skype with a CareerHMO.com member who has been between jobs for 18 months. He wanted to do some work on his interviewing skills because he was convinced his answers were hurting him on job interviews. As we started to discuss how he answered basic behavioral questions, I felt a strong negative invisible conversation going on. I stopped him and asked point blank what happened in his professional past that had hurt him so deeply. He was shocked, and said, “How did you know I’ve been hurt?” I told him it was the non-verbal cues. His voice tone, body language and hand gestures were making it clear he was upset. Even the way he was articulating his answers gave away the deep anger, sadness and insecurity he was feeling.
We spent the rest of the call talking about the situation and helping him to come to terms with it. As his ghost writer, I helped him look at the situation more objectively so he could remove the emotion from the invisible conversation. A few exchanges by email and a follow-up Skype call shortly after led to some encouraging results. You could feel the difference when we interacted! It won’t surprise you to learn he has found it much easier to increase his networking activities too. His confidence is up and it shows! And in my experience, this will eventually lead to a new job.
Do YOUR Invisible Conversations Need a Ghost Writer?
This recent experience with a CareerHMO.com client made me realize it was time we expanded our offerings and give members a way to regularly work with a career coach to ensure the invisible conversations they are having are productive and positive. So, let me introduce you to two new subscription plans: Our Professional subscription offers you a coaching call with an expert by phone or Skype every other week, while our Executive subscription offers you a coaching call every week. Check them out and let me know what you think. Depending on the subscription you buy, you save $5-10/coaching session.
Click for New Subscription Plans »
P.S. Any existing member (Premium or Freemium) who upgrades their subscription by October 31, 2011 will get two extra coaching calls [$90 VALUE] for one month.
How to Upgrade
In order to upgrade, you must e-mail and inform me which level you'd like to purchase. I will take care of everything else. You can reach me at info@careerhmo.com.
Don’t let the invisible conversations you are having with others hurt your career. Let us help keep your emotions in check so you can send the right message every time!
J.T. O’Donnell is the founder of CAREEREALISM.com and CEO of CareerHMO.com, a web-based career development company.Image from Martin Fischer/Shutterstock
