The big secret to a more simple life

The big secret to a more simple life Ive been an amazingly consistent blogger lately. My secret is that I’ve been calling Carmen a lot and dictating my posts to her. In the middle of my blogging flurry, I read this book to my son, Flat Broke by Gary Paulsen. Its about this kid who can see businesses everywhere in all kinds of talents that other people have, and he ends up making money from all his friends. Throughout the book I was thinking, “Oh my God, I have to do this with Carmen. I have to start selling her services because everyone can be a great blogger if they could dictate posts while theyre driving. Now all the people who are driving to and from work can now be big bloggers and love their commute too! Stay-at-home moms can do a blog post every time they drive to ballet lessons! So I pitched the idea to Carmen, except I didnt tell Carmen about how the boy in the book pissed everyone off because he was making money from all the things they do, and he ended up with no friends and no money. Instead, I just told her that I thought I could sell her services as a court reporter. My plan was just to publish her phone number on my site and everyone can pay me money to call Carmen. And I pay Carmen. And I know that Carmen totally does not charge enough on her own, because I want to jump for joy and high-five myself every time I dictate a blog post to her. So I know that you would want to do that too, and I know that I could easily charge double her rate. So at first Carmen got really excited, but then she got to thinking how this idea would complicate her life, which of course it would, because I would ask all the time, “Carmen, did you get that call?” and “Carmen, that guy is calling,” and “Carmen, youve got two people waiting for you.” It would be crazy. So Carmen said no because she wants a life thats more simple. Which made me think Im like Carmen: I want a simple life too. I realize no one would believe that, not even Carmen. But you know what? Its true that I want a simple life. And wanting that life is how I ended up doing both homeschooling and my new company, which Im still too scared to announce to you because youre all going to be really critical, and I cant deal with criticism right nowIm just trying to make my company look like a company that youre not going to criticize. You probably didnt even know that I care about your criticism. So, you cant see my company now, but Im still talking about it. And the reason that I homeschool and have a company is because it simplifies my life. Heres how: if you send your kids to school, you have to do everything according to the school schedule. Youve got to be there to pick up your kid,  and you have to get them to school on time. I never did that but at least I hired someone to do that. Plus you have to do homeworkwhich we never did. And that was the problem because then the kids realized that we were sending them to a place we didnt respect. But really, my kids were doing coloring projects in second grade. Coloring. In second grade. Theres no way Im going to manage my kid doing coloring projects at that age. And then there was family reading night. School interrupts my familys reading time to drag us to family reading night at school. Insane. All the things that you have to do for school are insane. They totally interrupt your flow, interrupt your ability to manage your family, and interrupt your ability to manage your career.   So once I took my kids out of school, we could all just do what I want, which means we go to Las Vegas for my speaking engagements, or we take a trip to New York with no set ending, because my son can read in the members lounge at the National History Museum while I do a coaching call. So this is why taking my kids out of school allowed me to have a more simple life, because then its just me making the schedule and doing whats best for us. The other reason that having a company makes a more simple life for me is because Im most comfortable leading an army, and Im least comfortable when I have no army to lead. So if I dont have a company, its me doing everything. This means that I have to manage my own calendar, which is largely impossible for me, because Im dyslexic. And it means that I need to manage the back end of my web site which makes me want to kill myself. So what I really need to do is have a group of people where were all doing my vision together.   Thats really fun for me. The problem was I didnt have a vision or a group of people. All I had was me at home managing every single little detail of my life. So I worked really hard to develop an idea that was bigger than my blog so that I could get funding and have everybody marching to my grand idea. Its actually a way to simplify my life because its so easy for me to manage a team of people, and so easy for me to think of my big idea and go pitch it to people. So, really, simplifying your life is arranging everything so that youre doing only what youre great at. Everybody can make money and have a life that feels simple to them if they focus on doing what theyre great at. We get into trouble when we get distracted by opportunities for us to do things were not great at. And we benefit from surrounding ourselves with people like Carmen who are great at turning down opportunities outside of their sweet spot.

Repurposing Your Industry Knowledge or Skills [Updated] - Career Pivot

Repurposing Your Industry Knowledge or Skills [Updated] - Career Pivot Repurposing Your Industry Knowledge or Skills Copyright: buchachon / 123RF Stock Photo When you want to make a career pivot you will either be repurposing your industry knowledge or job skills. We make career pivots rather than career changes because for those of us in the 2nd half of life, we have financial obligations…mortgage, putting kids through college, retirement, savings… Note: This post was originally published in April of 2017 and was updated in February of 2020. Components of a Career Pivot I recently did a podcast that I would encourage you to listen to on the components of a Career Pivot. You can listen to the podcast called The Components of Making a Career Pivot [Podcast] and read the show noteshere. I want to cover two good but different examples of clients who have made career pivots. When we make a career pivot we will be repurposing either our existing skills set OR our industry knowledge. I often refer to this as a half-step career change. In all of my many career pivots, I have had one foot in the old world, one foot in the new world, and there was always a relationship that took me across. You have to bring something to the table for the new employer to want to take the risk on you gaining either new skills or industry knowledge. Industry Knowledge I interviewed Elizabeth Rabaey last month on the Repurpose Your Career podcast. Please take a moment to listen to the podcast calledA New Career Change, Years in the Making with Elizabeth Rabaey [Podcast]. Elizabeth actually has made two pivots that have gotten her to a much better place in both career and life. Elizabeth spent much of her 20+ year career in the world of environmental engineering. She is not an engineer but a very detailed oriented individual who can communicate with leaders, customers, and engineers. You might say she could translate messages between very different constituents. Elizabeth discovered she was a closet creative. You might want to read my post calledAre You a Closet Creative?. To make a long story short she transitioned within the company she worked for 20+ years into a marketing and business development role. Listen to the most recent episode She had the industry knowledge and was allowed to learn new skills. There is much more to the story. To learn more, listen to the podcastA New Career Change, Years in the Making with Elizabeth Rabaey [Podcast]. She has since made a 2nd pivot to an international mining equipment manufacturer in a full-time marketing role, where she coordinates trade shows, writes social media content and much more. This is a long way from working on air and water permits. She was hired because she had enoughmarketing experience AND had a working knowledge of mining equipment. It was all about having industry knowledge. Skills Mike Martin has transitioned from industrial sales â€" to driving trains for the Houston Metro line â€" to being a drone pilot instructor. Yes, you read that correctly, a drone pilot instructor. You are probably thinking, “What skills would carry over from selling industrial equipment to driving trains or being a drone pilot instructor?” Not many â€" but Mike has been a pilot since he was a teenager. Mike had also graduated from an alternative teaching program but never used it. By the way, Mike is well into the 2nd half of life. I interviewed Mike on the Repurpose Your Career podcast. Please take a moment to listen to Mike’s story on the podcast called A Career Change, From Sales to Propellers with Mike Martin. I previously wrote about Mike’s pivot to driving trains in the postChildhood Dream of Driving Trains Comes True â€" Case Study. What Mike did was repurpose his pilot and training skills which he had acquired over a very long time, but never really used in his career. Mike currently teaches for Dart Droneswhich you may recognize from anepisode on Shark Tank. He is a drone pilot instructor and has several more side gigs in the works. Listen to the podcast interview to get the full story â€" I will almost guarantee you that you will be inspired. Hit with a Double Whammy This last example is someone who was hit with the double whammy; his industry was in decline and his profession was shifting. Russ Eanes was the CEO of MennoMedia, which is the publishing arm of the Mennonite Church. Like all of the major religious denominations in the United States, the Mennonite Church has been losing members and revenue. The publishing industry has gone through a major disruption. In January of 2018, Russ decided he had gotten too good at downsizing his organization. He downsized himself out of his job and took a year-long sabbatical. During that time he walked the entire length of the Camino Santiago trail in Portugal and Spain. Russ discussed his journey on the Repurpose Your Career Podcast episode Russ Eanes Turns the Walk of a Lifetime into a Writing and Consulting Career #143. Russ had to admit that he had to get lost before he could find a new direction. This lead Russ in the direction of repurposing his publishing skills to help others self-publish their books. His first step was to write and self-publish his own book based on his experiences hiking the Camino Santiago trail. His book The Walk of a Lifetime: 500 Miles on the Camino de Santiago was published in August of 2019 using his own imprint ‘The Walker Press’. Russ wrote and self-published his own book and formed a publishing company. He recently was interviewed on a local Virginia NPR station. Russ appeared with me on the RetirementRevised Podcast in the episode Late-career burnout: How to adjust your mindset about work. He has picked up several editing gigs and is building a pipeline of possible clients. What Do You Want to Repurpose? Are you going to be like Elizabeth in repurposing her industry knowledge that allowed her to pivot into marketing? Are you going to be like Mike in repurposing his training and pilot skills to become a drone pilot instructor? Lastly, are you in a declining industry and need to repurpose your skills like Russ Eanes before it is too late? If you are interested in pursuing a similar path to Elizabeth, Mike, or Russ please check out the Career Pivot Community. Marc Miller Like what you just read? Share it with your friends using the buttons above. Like What You Read? Get Career Pivot Insights! Check out the Repurpose Your Career Podcast Do You Need Help With ...

Ask Dana How to do a ?successful job search during a career switch

Ask Dana How to do a ?successful job search during a career switch Question: What are your top three suggestions for a successful job search during a career switch? Most recently I was a sales rep/account manager selling wholesale merchandise to a major department store, and I would like to use my sales, relationship, and project management skills at a non-profit organization. Career Changing Bottom line, Im looking for a more meaningful career that helps improve lives. Answer from Dana: First, bravo to you and thousands of others who want to change careers. I have many clients doing the same thing, and they all have some things in common: They’re terrified and excited at the same time. They don’t know how to begin. They want to keep their current salary level. Here are my top three suggestions, as you requested: 1. Be clear about your target position It’s great that you know what skills you want to leverage, but that’s not a goal. Instead, window shop: Get a copy of your localBusiness Journal’s Book of Lists (bizjournals.com) and read about the top 100+ non-profit organizations in your city. Next, go to each company’s websites and read job descriptions with the goal of finding 10 you would apply for. But don’t apply yet: Spread the 10 descriptions out on your desk and identify what they have in common. Now rewrite your goal based on those similarities so you can describe it to your network. 2. Change as few career variables as you can There are three main variables for career-changers: Changing functions (e.g. from sales to fund-raising) Changing industries (e.g. from telecommunications to consumer goods) Changing cities To secure your new role quickly while maintaining your salary goals, I recommend changing only one variable at a time, if possible. That way, you have some relevant knowledge you can leverage. Our question-writer wants to move from sales to fund-raising while also changing industries â€" two big variable changes at the same time. So he or she needs to find a fund-raising position that really calls out the need for a sales background, or maybe target a non-profit that has a different role that really needs a project manager with sales skills. Use this as a foot in the door, and move up as you go. 3. Network with your target industry before applying Talk to people in roles you aspire to, and be sure you clearly understand the role you think you want. This lets you better position yourself to the future role while learning the industry lingo. Remember, this career change isn’t about you: it’s about filling the company’s needs. Check your ego at the door and, with confidence, articulate why you will deliver results for them. I can’t resist adding a fourth piece of advice: 4. Be realistic about making a lateral move financially With a career change, salary often takes a step backward then moves forward, especially when the move is from commissioned sales to the non-profit sector. Check salaries on Glassdoor.com and ask your network before making any assumptions. Remember, you can’t set a price on happiness, and some belt-tightening may be worth it.

Resume Writing Help For Seattle Job Seekers

Resume Writing Help For Seattle Job SeekersIf you need to make some improvements in your resume, there are a lot of things that you can do to get help from resume writing help Seattle. This is a city that has a great many employment agencies that are able to help with the process. You just have to know where to look for the help that you need.Many people start looking for professional resume writers because they do not understand how to write a good one. Although there are some general rules that will apply to all types of resumes, the most important thing is to make sure that you do not try to give the impression that you have the written skills of a third grader. You want to be able to express your thoughts and ideas clearly without making a hasty decision.The best way to approach the process of creating a resume is to come up with a topic that you already know something about. Once you have this information, look at it a few times until you can get an idea of what type of informat ion is necessary for the resume. You will also want to look at the different people that have created resumes before you. This is a good way to get some help because the fact that the writer knows someone who is willing to write for them.If you do not have an idea of what you want your resume to say, it is possible to find a career guide or go online and search for some suggestions. There are many websites that will take you through the basics of creating a resume. You may not need to go this route if you have been having trouble finding some help on the subject.Many people believe that they are capable of writing their own resume. This can be true for some people, but it is not the right idea to be just randomly writing out information without even knowing if what you are saying is real. This can be a big mistake because you do not want to sound like a fake job seeker.When you are trying to make your resume as unique as possible, you are going to have to be sure that the people who are looking at it know that you are a real job seeker. You should give them examples of jobs that you have worked on before and show them where you were in a company when it was the current employer that hired you. You can even show them your letter of application so that they will get a feel for what your accomplishments are.If you are the type of person that is creative, you may want to create a resume that has some of your skills combined with the skills of others. Even though this may be difficult, if you want to make the most of your resume writing help, it is a way to show what you can do. You can also see where other job seekers have gone wrong and how to avoid those mistakes.There are a lot of resources that are available to help make your resume stand out from the rest. Take some time to find some good experts that can help you create the resume that you are looking for. They will be able to work with you to make sure that you have an effective document that will help you get a great job.

How To Choose The Right Professional Resume Writing Service

How To Choose The Right Professional Resume Writing ServiceThe world of online resume writing is more popular than ever because of the many benefits that it brings, such as being able to find the jobs you are looking for, saving time and money, and even better for employers, as they get to see more resumes in their inbox in a shorter period of time. This is why you need professional resume writing services in Minneapolis, one of the most popular cities in the state.Anyone who has some experience in this area of work is going to know that there are thousands of online resume writing sites to choose from, and that it can be difficult to sift through all of them to find a few good ones. For this reason, professional resume writing services will ensure that you get the best results.In order to find the best quality online resume service, you first need to find a local service to write your resume for you. Since so many people out there have their own resumes online, there are going to be many listings out there. However, since the vast majority of these sites are going to end up with poor job applicants, it's in your best interest to be sure that you choose an experienced Minnesota resume writer.The type of professional resume writing service you choose is going to depend on your needs. For example, if you just need to submit one or two resume to the employer of your choice, you should try a local one. If you are looking for a larger number of resumes, you may want to consider the other services that are offered.If you are doing business on the internet, then the web site that you are using to advertise your services is going to be an important tool for getting your resume noticed. This is why you need to make sure that the services that you choose to use effective search engine optimization techniques and spam blocking software to ensure that your potential employer doesn't encounter your resume.In addition to using search engine optimization techniques, which are becoming increasingly popular, you can also try one of the other simple solutions like enlisting the help of a professional website designer to design your website to make it look appealing to your prospective employers. This will ensure that you get the best results from your online advertising.Finally, when choosing the most appropriate professional resume writing service, remember that your personal requirements should be taken into account. It's important that you take the time to find the best service for your needs, so be sure to do a little research and you should find a qualified Minneapolis resume writer that is able to work for you.

The Fight Against Writing Tutor on a Resume

The Fight Against Writing Tutor on a Resume As it's been said before, a resume cover letter ought to be short. The continue cover letter is your personal sale duplicate, and it's a considerable document employed in the job-hunting strategy. Make sure that your resumes and cover words have the same kind of quality papers and branded using precisely the same type of printer or ink. Resume cover words are very critical as that they permit you to interact with the prospective employer. The most important function of the internet tutor is to supply partial supervision and guidance. Consider the duration of time you've worked as a tutor and the number of papers you've workshopped in that moment. Only then are you going to know for certain that the student has fully grasped your content. There are also a number of opportunities open for internet tutoring. The Basics of Writing Tutor on a Resume As you are applying to be a tutor, it is necessary that you write your resume with c onfidence to demonstrate that you can take charge and lead others. Establish the company and profession you would like to find work in. So far as experience and relevant on-line qualifications is concerned, institutions or clients could possibly be on the lookout for a seasoned teacher. You're asking for an extremely specific job, so make sure any skills you include are laser-focused that job. The Bizarre Secret of Writing Tutor on a Resume Key to building and keeping an excellent reputation for a tutor is writing a flawless resume. French tutors are in demand for a wide array of ages. To learn more on what it requires to be a Tutor, take a look at our complete Tutor Job Description. Tutoring is a huge freelance company, and can be an extremely lucrative one. Resumes should be updated frequently. You will need a Tutor Resume that will stick out from the remainder of the applicants.

Career Assessments and Career Happiness - Work It Daily

Career Assessments and Career Happiness - Work It Daily When I first began my career as a career counselor, I remember attending a conference for our profession held in Sacramento close to 20 years ago. One of the workshops was a debate on both sides of the effectiveness of career assessments versus self-assessment and introspection. While I have taken and given many assessments, I have never felt the warm fuzzies when using them in any capacity, with the exception of the Self-Directed Search by John Holland, which I use in a very limited capacity, and in combination with one on one or small group counseling. Utilizing assessments without interaction with a professional or as a small piece of the equation for identifying one’s ideal career direction, in my opinion, can cause even more confusion. My concern is with the large career-oriented companies that tend to over use these tools. Assessments should be just that â€" a tool. Although I realize I may be offending career professionals who use assessments almost exclusively, my feelings backed by experienced in the field have never changed. We must be encouraged to ask and answer questions in an environment of complete openness and willingness to explore anything and everything that our minds can conjure. We must also be allowed to explore the feelings we have while exploring many possibilities â€" good and bad. Our feelings are ALWAYS the key indicator of our best choice for long term career happiness. If we feel anxious, impatient, frustrated, bored, or even sick to our stomach when we read a job description, this is a huge indicator we should not apply for the position. On the other hand, if we feel excitement, enthusiasm, and even exhilaration about a career opportunity â€" this is also a sign. If I’m looking at a job description that includes an inordinate amount of record-keeping, I realize this is probably not going to be a good fit, even though I am perfectly capable of doing the work. On the other hand, if I feel exhilarated and excited about using a skill or doing a task, this is a huge clue that we need to look a lot closer. Assessments can provide us with good information, but not from a place of true introspection. Have you ever gotten the results of an assessment that seemed to be very much on target? Yet, when you asked yourself, What did I do with that information?, it is more likely that you did little or nothing. Many people do not follow up with the written recommendations even though they may spend thousands of dollars on taking these types of assessments. Why? Because there is, often, very little personal involvement in the process or coaching to move you through the challenges and ways that you can sabotage yourself before you get to the place of understanding what will truly bring you career happiness without the outside influences. What the assessments don’t take into consideration is the fine tuning involved where you get to feel or experience the parts of the job or career that truly resonate with who you are. I always have and always will advocate for a personal process that is structured enough to allow the individual to come to his/her own conclusions. All it takes is one assessment that provides inconsistent job or career goals, and we can shut down to other career opportunities or possibilities that will fit like a glove. Please freely leave comments if you have taken career assessments and may have been turned off to the idea of exploring career opportunities that have the potential to create career happiness. Image Credit: Bigstock Have you joined our career growth club?Join Us Today!