Hallie Crawford

Career Corner: Career Advice for the College Grad and Boomerang Generation

Are you a member of the Boomerang Generation? You are if you were born between 1977 and 1989. It's called the "boomerang" because many young people of this generation went off to college, graduated, and ended up back home with Mom and Dad. If you are among this group, know that it's okay to lean on your parents for at least a little while as you get your career bearings.

Of course, the reason for many Boomerangs' return home is the job market. It's tougher today than it was in the 1990s to land a good-paying job right out of school. You might be feeling anxious about beginning life on your own, but it’s time to figure out what you want to do and start putting that college education to work for you. As a certified career coach, I'm here to help you kick-start the process.

Some tips to get you on the right career track:

1) Get out there

The ideal job doesn't land in your lap. You've got to get out of the house and pound the pavement (or the virtual pavement as the case may be). Did you know that many first jobs are obtained through referrals (people you know, friends of friends)? Learn to be a career networker. Connect with professionals in your chosen field... friends, relatives, teachers, online acquaintances, and so forth. Let them know you're here and serious about your future.

Finding a job is a process. So you sent in your resume and you didn't hear anything back… Call them, follow up. Remember, job hunting takes time and effort. So what if you didn't land the first job you interviewed for? Shake it off and keep going. Above all, don't get depressed - and don't let your parents bring you down with worrying, if that's how they are. Rarely is the first job you apply or interview for the right fit. If you need extra support, maybe talk to Mom or Dad about finding a career coach or joining a few career networks to keep you motivated and connected with what's happening in your field of interest.

2) Get experience

You may think that a college degree is enough to land a job. But since everyone has a degree these days, employers are looking for more. They want to see experience. The best way to get it is with an internship in your field. The next best thing is to get some office or business experience, in any field. Why? Because you'll learn how to work with other people and function as part of a team. You'll also learn your strengths and weaknesses, and get a sense of what you like and dislike in a job. This will help you build confidence as well as learn what type of job is the ideal fit for you. When the right job does come along, you'll feel prepared and ready to face the music.

A temp job can be the stepping stone to your ideal career. Sure it's not a long term position, but if it brings in income, gets you out of the house and helps you gain experience and confidence, then that's good. Temping is certainly worth it - particularly if you want to "test the waters" of a certain field before committing. You know the old saying, "it's easier to get a job when you already have one," right? It's true. You will feel better about yourself because you're making your own money (instead of just living off your parents) and gaining work experience that will last a lifetime, whatever your chosen field.

3) Be positive and persistent

Don't let obstacles hold you back. Work on maintaining a positive attitude, about yourself and what you can accomplish. Everyone fails sometimes - but that's okay, because failure is only temporary. The key is how you handle failure, by getting back up and trying again. Think about this: Walt Disney was fired by a newspaper editor for lack of ideas. He also went bankrupt several times before he built Disneyland. Did he let these setbacks stop him? No, he kept trying. When Donald Trump failed, do you think he sat around and moped? No, he kept going and tried again, finally gaining back what he'd lost and more.So maintain a positive attitude and have faith in yourself. You have to believe in yourself first before others will.

4) Learn to overcome obstacles

If you don't land the first job you go for, don't let it get you down. Disappointment is part of life. Everyone goes through it, and gets past it on their way to bigger and better things. For whatever reason it just wasn't meant to be. So accept that, pick your head up and keep going. Learn from the experience and turn the disappointment into motivation or determination to find another job.

Let those obstacles become challenges to conquer and overcome. Suppose something is getting in the way of you landing that job you want. Maybe the employer whom you want to work for isn't hiring right now. Maybe they're telling you that you don't have experience. Don't sit and mope. Instead, figure out your next move. For instance, you could ask for more benefits to make up for a lower salary. Or, you could begin temping to get the experience you need for the position you really want. And as always, you can contact the employer and ask them to keep your resume on file. By looking at a situation from the long-term or big-picture perspective, you'll begin to recognize solutions that help you to move forward in your quest for the perfect career.

5) Be pro-active and take charge of your own life

Make a plan of action for your job search, complete with goals, deadlines and action steps. You've lived off your parents for some time, however long it has been, and that's okay if it helps you get where you need to be. But now it's time to step out and start making it on your own. Although that may be a scary prospect in many ways, it's also incredibly empowering. Know that you can and will take care of yourself. You'll figure out how to do it, just get started.

Here's to having a career you love!

Hallie Crawford

Certified Career Coach Hallie Crawford specializes in helping recent college grads and boomerangs identify their ideal career path and make it happen. To schedule a complimentary consultation and find out more about Hallie visit http://www.halliecrawford.com or contact her at 404-228-6434.

Career Corner: Dress for Success: First Impressions Count

I was recently interviewed for an article about how to dress for success for Media Job Market.

The article titled Dress for Success: First Impressions Count is by Hayli Morrison

Dress for Success: First Impressions Count

Bronte Hasty cried the first time she applied Dermablend.

 

The 32-year-old information technology specialist applied the concealment makeup not to cover scars, acne or skin discoloration. She used it to cover something she considered beautiful, but society considered taboo – her facial tattoos. She’s had them for nearly five years, the courageous result of a longtime obsession with the art form.

 

“I’m not comfortable in the makeup,” Hasty said. “The first time, it felt like I was not only covering the tattoos, but I was covering myself.” 

Now, Hasty spends 25 minutes every weekday morning blending the makeup just right to cover the swirls above her eyebrows and the small dots lining the center of her face. At the end of it all, she looks like your average, glasses-wearing, young office professional. “It’s a big commitment, considering the average time it would take for normal makeup would be 5 minutes,” she said.

 

It’s a dilemma facing the up-and-coming generation of professionals. How much of your personal identity must you give up to blend in and succeed? Apparently, a lot. According to a July 2007 survey by online career site Vault.com, 85 percent of employees believe that tattoos and body piercings will hurt a person’s chances of finding a job. Two-thirds of poll respondents felt that tattoos and piercings affect the perception of co-workers and employers.

 

Hasty agrees wholeheartedly. She has never entered a job interview without wearing Dermablend, and adheres very strictly to corporate dress code. She often goes a step above to dress a bit more formal than her colleagues, though after a while she might introduce into her work wardrobe some capri pants or shirts with three-quarter length sleeves.

 

“I break people in slowly so that when I walk up to their desk, they’re not staring at me, but they’re listening to what I’m saying that’s work-related,” said Hasty, who also has a neck tattoo and an earlobe stretched with a large-gauge earring that remains mostly hidden by her long hair. “I might get some weird looks and some comments from upper management, but once they get to know me, they like me and they just ignore it.”

 

Like most young professionals, Hasty quickly understood that she had to look a certain way to be taken seriously in the professional world – especially in the conservative Texas region where she resides. But dress code can vary so greatly by industry, company, and geographical area, it can be a very fine line to walk for up-and-coming professionals. After all, there are plenty of stories of people being turned away for being overdressed.

 

It is all about balancing your outward appearance with your inward feelings, said career coach Hallie Crawford, MA, CPCC, and author of the upcoming Flying Solo: Career Transition Tips for Singles. Attire that is comfortable, yet professional, can help you project confidence and better your job performance, which in turn can lead to a raise or promotion.

 

“Take a look at yourself in the mirror and ask yourself, ‘What impression would I make?’ If it’s not the image you want, maybe you need to work on it,” Crawford said. “Maybe it’s just a higher-quality suit, because you can tell a difference sometimes. Maybe something a little bit easier could be a wallet upgrade for guys, or a purse for girls.

 

“Keeping your office organized is another thing,” she added. “If you have a disorganized office, people might get the impression that you’re a mess.”

 

When it comes to job interviews, appearance is everything. A little pre-interview research can go a long way toward determining appropriate dress. If anything, it would be better to err on the side of dressing too formal, but that doesn’t even necessarily entail a traditional dress suit, Crawford said.

 

“Time have changed, but make sure you’ve got a haircut, look clean-cut and professional, and look like you’ve thought about it,” she said. “That’s the first impression somebody has of you, even though people would like to say, ‘We’re not going to judge you on your appearance, but on your skills and experience.’ But that’s human nature.”

 

Hasty foresees a day when corporate expectations might slacken up a bit as older managers retire and are replaced by younger managers. However, she fully understands the staid mindset of the current, older, upper management set.

 

“I think they are different generations. They have certain ideas in their head as to what type of person (a tattooed) person must be,” she said. “The younger generation, even if they don’t like it, they’re more open-minded.”

 

But then, Hasty is quick to admit that her current situation could be a lot worse. She is able to excel in her chosen profession while maintaining the appearance she loves – granted, underneath layers of Dermablend. With a knowing tone of voice, she says, “I think I’m getting to have my cake and eat it, too.”
___________________

Hallie Crawford
Atlanta Career Coach

Inspirational Quote: Are you selling yourself short?

Happy Monday!

I love this excerpt from Marianne Williamson. When I first read it many years ago, it struck a chord in me.

Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate.
Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure.
It is our light, not our darkness, that most frightens us.
We ask ourselves, who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous,
talented, fabulous?
Actually, who are you NOT to be?
You are a child of God.
Your playing small does not serve the world. There is
nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people
won’t feel insecure around we.
We are born to make manifest the glory of God that is
within us.
It is not just in some of us; it is in everyone.
And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give
other people permission to do the same. As we are
liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically
liberates others.
Nelson Mandela’s Inaugural Speech – 1994
From Marianne Williamson's The Gift of Change: Spiritual Guidance for Living Your Best Life

I often ask my clients where do you hide out in your life? Where do you sell yourself short?

Think about these questions this week and consider how you can change that. Come up with a plan. Remember that when you show your light, you bring out the light in others.

Have a great week!

Hallie Crawford
Career Planning Coach

Hallie Recommends: Grow Your Business Grow Your Life

Check out this inspiring video:
http://www.growyourbusinessgrowyourlife.com/movie.php

You can use it to amp up your motivation each week.

Enjoy and have a great weekend!

Hallie Crawford
Career Expert

Career Corner: Using Law of Attraction

Nothing is possible without taking action

While my friend Maggie was here last week, she asked me how to create a Vision Board. It was like she was reading my mind!! (And last month's newsletter :) where I talked about creating a Vision Board.)

Here's a picture of my board in my office. We discussed how to create her board and the two parts to using Law of Attraction to achieve your goals.

Here's the deal:

Visioning is a fabulous way to help you achieve your goals. But some people think that the movie The Secret and other mediums that promote the Law of Attraction don’t tell the full story. So let’s de-bunk the myth. Developing a vision for your life and career path, and imagining your goals is a key component to enable you to achieve them. But you can’t just sit on your couch and expect things to happen because you’re picturing them.

My coaching teleclass leader Michael put it perfectly, "action is part of the word 'attraction.'" Nothing's possible without taking action. You have to get off the couch to make things happen, they aren’t going to just appear. The key is to take inspired action, meaning action that feels good to you and just seems like the right thing to do in the moment. The way I can tell if I'm taking inspired action is if I feel like I’m in the flow and things are just clicking.

So try this technique this month. Create your vision for what you want, and write down the actions to achieve it that feel inspired to you.

Good luck! Let me know what happens.

And if you need help creating the vision for your ideal career, you know where to find me. That’s my specialty. ;)

Hallie Crawford
Career Coach

Career Corner: Snap Out of Your Summer Slump!

Get on the Fast Track to Finding Your Ideal Career Path

Have you just recently graduated college? Did it feel like your only option was to move back home with your parents? Perhaps you're asking yourself “How did this happen?".

You want to be independent but you don’t know where to start. You have no idea what career you really want to do and money is tight.

Here’s the deal: In school, students aren’t asked to think about who they are or what they want out of life. You learn about subjects, not about yourself. So many college graduates often face a crisis later on when it’s time to decide what they want to be when they grow up. And when they don’t know the answer, they can become paralyzed and end up back at home. This can create stress for you and for your whole family.
You need to tackle the issues right away, and head on. Here are some tips to get you started:

• Realize that college doesn’t provide all the answers. Few schools completely address helping a graduate find a job they love to do, write a solid resume, or develop networking skills. Go to your parents for help in finding an ideal career, or discuss with your parents the option of hiring someone who can help (for example a career coach that works with young professionals and recent college graduates).
• Make a plan with your parents. Plan how long you are going to be at home, what your responsibilities are, and how you can make these goals your reality.
• Remember unemployment is not an option. If you don't have the answer immediately that's OK. But you may need to go out and sling burgers to pay for your cell phone, transportation, and other things. That's fine for the moment.

Hallie Crawford
Career Search for College Graduates

Resources-Career: New additional coaching focus

I have exciting news that I shared last week with subscribers of my newsletter.

I have expanded the focus of my coaching practice to include working with young professionals and recent college grads, to help them identify their ideal career path. I am passionate about working with this age group since I was in their shoes when I was 25.

This means that I will be posting specific articles for young professionals and recent college grads on this blog and I will have a special section in the Career Corner section of my newsletter for this age group.

Let me know what you think.

Also new: Become a Fan on my Facebook Page

I am getting a better hang of Facebook and have recently added a fabulous page where you can go to ask me your career search questions, find out about events going on, and more.
Check it out here: http://www.on2url.com/app/adtrack.asp?MerchantID=83291&AdID=396861
Please note: you have to request to be a "fan" to view the entire page.

Here's to having a career you love!
Hallie Crawford
Career Transition Coach

Career Corner: 6 Steps to Make Your Interview Stand Out

The best way to ace your next job interview is to prepare for it. This may sound obvious, but it's not. Too many applicants walk into an interview without knowing as much as they should about the industry, the company and its problems. Remember, you are there to solve a problem. Otherwise, the company wouldn't be hiring. Follow these steps:

1. Know the company. Find out as much as you can about the position, the company and its needs, so you can show how your background meets those needs.
2. Know yourself. Mentally review the skills and character traits you have that will help the company's bottom line. Think in terms of the value you can add to the position and the company.
   
   I recommend creating an interview cheat sheet which includes 1) the questions you want to ask the interviewer, and 2) the key points about yourself that you want to make sure you get across during the interview. Bring it with you! It shows you're prepared, organized, and care about landing the job.
3. Know your job history. Mentally review your past achievements and be prepared to describe your work experience in detail. Gather letters of reference and samples of your work to present to the interviewer as proof of your past accomplishments.
   
   
4. Know the questions. You can almost bet on being asked: "Tell me about yourself." Approach this from the employer's point of view. Think of the worst questions you could be asked about your experience and abilities, then prepare positive responses.
5. Prepare questions of your own. Employers are as interested in your questions as they are in your answers. And they'll react favorably if you ask intelligent questions about the position, the company and the industry.
6. Get the big picture. Visualize the entire interview, from start to finish. See yourself as performing with style and confidence. How will the interview end? Will you get a job offer or be called back for a second interview? How much salary do you want? What kind of benefits? The research you did in step 1 will give you an idea of what to expect.

Need help with more interview tips? Check out more articles here.

Here's to having a career you love!

Hallie Crawford
Career Coaching

Hallie Recommends: Get out of your summer slump!

Unbeatable offer! Receive 50% off Your First Month of Individual Career Coaching with Hallie Crawford

Kick your search for an ideal career into high gear by August 15, 2008 with 50% off your first month of private/individual coaching or 50% off my Jumpstart Career Coaching Session.

My one on one coaching will quickly get you motivated and headed in a productive direction.

Don’t delay. Space is limited and this special offer ends August 15, 2008.

To take advantage of this offer: Choose which coaching option you are interested in and on the check out page enter SLUMP08 to receive 50% off your first month of career coaching or 50% off a Jumpstart Career Coaching Session

Jump Start Career Coaching Session

This is a one-hour session in which you get to ask as many questions about your career goals as time permits. If you feel stuck where you are and just need a little boost to get you moving forward, this is the ideal solution.

Click to activate one jump start career coaching session.

One Lightning Round Session
$175 for 60 minutes - With the discount only $87.50!

*Remember to enter SLUMP08 in the coupon code box to receive your discount*

Creating Your Own Path Career Coaching Package

Unlimited access to me and three sessions per month in which you will identify your ideal career, create your transition plan, and learn how to make it happen. Also includes tools, forms and workbooks as needed. SPECIAL BONUS: These packages include a copy of the Career Seekers Workbook (a $40 value).

Click below to activate your first month of Creating Your Own Path Career Coaching.

Creating Your Own Path
Career Coaching
$550/month - With the discount only $275 for your first month!

*Remember to enter SLUMP08 in the coupon code box to receive your discount*

Here's to having a career you love,

Hallie Crawford
Career Path Coach

Career Corner: Helping Prepare College Graduates for Life, Not Just a Career

It’s a tricky period, the time frame between college graduation and making it in the ‘real world.’ Young adults aren’t quite sure what exactly to do for their career, much less their life.

Well, guess what?! They are just like the rest of the working public. It is estimated that most adults change careers, not just jobs, at least five times in their working life. Knowing that, it is a shame that so many young adults go through the pitfalls and tribulations of start-and-stop employment. But they don’t have to.

It takes more than education to put a college graduate on the right career path

While college has likely armed your son or daughter with some specific skills and training, it may not have properly educated them on how to zoom in on a career that they both love and that pays the bills. Now may be the time to throw tradition aside and encourage your young adult to create his or her own path!

Here are a few pointers to help prepare your young adult in finding their right career path.

• Begin right off the bat by helping your son or daughter figure out what it is they truly want to spend their valuable time doing – and then help them find a career that falls in line!
  
• Have your child spend some time investigating and uncovering areas that are important in their life and to their career.
  
  
• Also have them explore what they want to be when they grow up. Brainstorm about their oldest, as well as most recent dreams; now is the time to act on those!
  
  
• Empower your adult child to make choices and decisions for themselves that they feel good about and work with them to develop a plan of action to find a career that suits their traits, personality, interests and talents.

Don’t let your adult child settle for less than a career they truly enjoy! With supportive guidance, you can help your adult child create their own rewarding path today for a fulfilling tomorrow.

Contact me today to schedule a complimentary consultation and find out how I can help your son/daughter identify their ideal career path.

Hallie Crawford
College Grad Career Coaching