How to Interview Well and Get That Job

Obviously the marketplace is tight, which is why it's even more important to say and do the right things in an interview. Companies are more selective now and less likely to overlook a stumble.

If you're taking the time to interview, make a good impression. Even if this may not be the job for you, a connection can be made during the interview that will serve you at some point in the future.

Here's how to have a great interview:




Tell the Story Well - People love a good story. When discussing your accomplishments make sure your story has a beginning, middle and end. What was the business problem, how did you solve it and what were the results? For example, if you're explaining how you grew a business, start with the situation. Describe the market conditions at the time, what your competitors were doing and what resources you had. Then talk about the epiphany that led to the solution and how you executed on that. Finally, discuss the results. A cautionary note: watch the "I's" when telling the story. No one succeeds alone. Most companies are looking for people who are successful in a collaborative environment.

Focus On Results, Results, Results - Companies are interested in results. Candidates sometimes shoot themselves in the foot by discussing their philosophy of growing a business, rather than focusing on the far more powerful examples of how they have successfully done it in the past. Results should be quantified. Rather than saying the business grew, give specifics around sales volume, market share, distribution gains, etc. Don't give an example unless you were still at the company when the results came in. It's a mistake to launch into a story only to say at the end, "I wasn't there when the product hit the marketplace."

Make Your Personal Story Interesting - Interviewers often want to know who you are as a person, rather than just your professional experience. We're always amazed that people get tongued tied when we asked them about themselves. This should be a fairly easy question to handle. The best way to frame this answer is to start with where you're from, why you chose to go to a particular school and what got you interested in your field. In addition you can always mention your interests. If you say you like to read, be prepared to discuss what you enjoy reading and why.

Get Your Top Three In - There are probably three things you do very well. Make it a point to weave these skills in during the course of your answers. Rather than just listing them, have a sentence or two that demonstrates your expertise.

Know the Company - Know the company you are interviewing with and what issues they are facing. Make the connection between your experience and their business problems. The more relevant your experience is, the better. If you are changing industries, you will have to demonstrate how your skills are transferable. Also discuss how this opportunity aligns with your future career goals.

Be Enthusiastic - Don't hold back your enthusiasm for round two because there may not be one. This is one of the most common mistakes that candidates make, believing that they are "buying" as well as "selling" and forgetting that their focus should be on "selling". Interviewing is a lot like dating. You want to feel like that person is interested in you. The more you can convey your enthusiasm (leaning forward, smiling, nodding) for the company and the opportunity, the greater the likelihood you'll be asked back.

Be a Good Listener - Listening is crucial to a good interview. Another common mistake candidates make is to go into an interview determined to make a point. Answering what is being asked is the best way to be relevant. Don't give a preamble to the answer, "Before I answer that let me tell you this." Importantly, when the interviewer has finished and thanks you for coming in, recognize that the interview is over. Don't prolong the interview by giving your final thoughts or continuing to sell.


Think of an interview as a focused conversation in which you have one hour to build rapport. Use your time wisely and leave them with a good impression. Interviewing is a lot like dating. If things don't click, you won't be asked on a second date.

Fred & Gladys
Whelan Stone
Executive Search and Coaching
Authors of GOAL! Your 30 Day Career Plan for Business & Career Success

Employer vs. Employee Mentality. Which Do You Have?

We were coaching a woman (we'll call her Donna) who is an associate partner in a law firm. Donna has been with the firm for 10 years and was promoted to limited partner 18 months ago. The managing director of the firm expected to see a change in how Donna approached the business - after all, she was now a limited partner. Her next career step would be a full fledged equity partner, assuming she was invited to join at that level. The managing director was starting to have doubts about her future with the firm. He had spoken to Donna about the expectations he had of partners and explained he wanted her to act more like an employer than an employee. It had been a year and a half, and Donna wasn't getting it.

When we sat down with Donna she had a very definite goal - to be an equity partner. Since she was highly motivated we asked her what was preventing her from making that transition to more of an employer mentality. She said "I'm not sure how to do that". She said she knew that it meant thinking more like a boss but what did that really entail?

It might seem fairly straightforward but there are thing that are indicative of an employer mentality.


Here's what companies are looking for:


What do we need to do to grow the business? This is the type of thinking that senior management is looking for, and you don't necessarily have to have all the answers. Just by raising the questions, "How do we increase our business in this vertical?" or "How do we penetrate new markets?" will demonstrate that you are thinking about the big picture. Once that's on the table, a plan can be put in place to address it.

Problems then Solutions - Every company has their share of problems. Whether it's growing their brand, training their people or streamlining processes, there are usually some areas that need to be strengthened. What employees typically do is complain about things without offering potential solutions. Thinking more like an employer means having some idea of how you would approach the problem. Even if your solution isn't the one that's embraced, it's important to have some ideas of how to solve it.

Mentoring - Help people grow in their careers, even those who aren't your direct reports. If someone has a skill deficiency, help them turn that around. Let them know you care. You can send them to training or put them on a project that will developed that skill, or work with them side by side until they've improved. Beyond helping them with a specific skill, position them for advancement. Delegate to them or have them sit in on important meetings. Investing in your company's talent will benefit everyone and elevate you in senior management's eyes.

Bigger Presence - Developing your own brand and having a bigger presence will benefit you and your organization. You can raise the profile of the firm and attract new clients by joining a board, writing articles (traditional or blogs), speaking on panels or attending and hosting networking events. To be pegged as someone who is always looking for ways to strengthen the business by increasing the company's reputation as well as your own, will mark you as someone ticketed for bigger things.

Having a POV in Management Meetings - The management meeting exist to highlight and solve problems and explore opportunities. Bringing managers together and having all that brain power in the same room doesn't do any good if no one contributes. You're in the room because they want to know your point of view. It doesn't mean that they'll agree with it, but as a manager, they certainly expect you to have something substantive to say. Most meetings have agendas that are circulated beforehand. Take a close look at all the items on the agenda and come up with one or two key points about each one.


Importantly, you don't need to be in management to have an employer mentality. In fact, that's how most people rise to senior management. They take ownership in the business and look for ways to help strengthen the company. This thinking can be done at all levels and is appreciated even at the most basic levels. Whether you are already part of senior management, transitioning to senior management or just starting your career, it's important to start thinking more like your employer. Having an employer mentality will shift you to the major leagues.

Fred & Gladys
Whelan Stone
Executive Search and Coaching
Authors of GOAL! Your 30 Day Career Plan for Business & Career Success

5 Ways to Boost Your Career

Ever notice how some people just seem to always get the timely promotions and the plum assignments, while others don't? People who succeed in their careers typically focus on a few areas that get noticed by senior management and these pave the way for frequent raises and promotions.

So what are the "career boosters"?


Delivering Consistent Results: Always strive for significant results in every position you are in. The more you are able to demonstrate measurable results, the more you will enhance your ability to be noticed and in line for a promotion. As recruiters, we are always looking for people who have been able to generate results in whatever position they have been assigned. And the sooner they make the impact, the better. An SVP of Marketing at a Fortune 500 company figured out a way to get an early "win" when she started out at the company. That made her their golden girl because she started in the position so strongly.

Making Smart Decisions: Business people who know how to make smart, well thought out decisions are valued in any organization. Senior management loves to see someone who can walk into their office or a major meeting and present a solid rationale for doing something. Doing the right thing at the right time is what makes for leaders.

Providing Strong Leadership: Every organization values a leader who can set a vision, a strategy and rally people around wanting to accomplish that goal. A COO at a leading company attributes his rapid rise through the ranks to his ability to lead people. His career skyrocketed at Universal Studios not just because he was an expert is certain areas, but because he knew how to motivate people to deliver results. Because of that, even though he was a marketer, he was put in charge of operations, sales and IT. He later left Universal to become a COO.

Working Collaboratively: This is the yin and the yang. Take a stand on your position while also considering other people's points of view. It's important for people to feel heard and usually collaboration results in the best decision. So much of what you do is done through other people that you want to keep them motivated to work on your projects.

Prudent risk-taking: Organizations move ahead by taking prudent risks. Any new product introduction or change in corporate strategy involves some risk. To advance your career, you need to be seen as someone who knows what needs to be done to take the organization to the next level and can assess the risks involved to all stakeholders affected by the decision. Careful analysis of the probability of gain and the severity of loss - including real attention to the human cost - is key.


If you can consistently incorporate these elements into how you approach each position, you will distinguish yourself from the competition and provide a boost to your career.

Fred & Gladys
Whelan Stone
Executive Search and Coaching
Authors of GOAL! Your 30 Day Career Plan for Business & Career Success

Anderson Cooper - Innovating All the Way to Success

Being determined, creative and thinking outside-the-box are all ways to get ahead, especially in the face of adversity. There isn't a successful person out there who hasn't come up against seemingly insurmountable odds. It's not the obstacle but how we approach it that matters.

Anderson Cooper is a perfect example of how someone went from being stymied in his career to the top of his field.


After graduating from college, Anderson knew he wanted to be a news correspondent and tried to get a job - any job- in a news station. After being turned down by a number of stations, he was finally offered an entry level job as a fact-checker at Channel One, a station broadcasting news to high schools. After several months on the job, Anderson became bored and realized the only way he was going to get to report on the front lines was to take charge of his future. He quit the station, borrowed a friend's video camera and, armed with a fake press pass, left for Thailand. He shot footage at the Thai-Burmese border of the Burmese refugees who were planning a government coup. Anderson's gamble paid off when he was able to sell the video to Channel One. Eighteen months later his career was launched when Channel One, where he had recently been a junior fact checker, now hired him as a correspondent.

After two years of compelling coverage in political hot spots like Bosnia, Croatia and Rwanda, Anderson got an offer to join ABC News, which just three years earlier had turned him down for a job as a receptionist! His initiative was paying off in a big way.

In December 2001, after the 9/11 attacks, Anderson accepted a position on CNN's program, "American Morning". In March 2003, after the start of the war in Iraq, Anderson moved to prime time, hosting his own program Anderson Cooper 360.

While Anderson had reached a certain level of success, first in broadcasting and then anchoring, he really made his mark during his compelling coverage of Hurricane Katrina.

Because of the weather conditions, there was no TelePrompTer, no script to support his on-camera reporting. "I had to be quick on my feet, ready for anything." Anderson's interview with Louisiana State Senator Landrieu got national attention because of his emotionally charged questions. While Senator Landrieu went on and on thanking President Bush and senior ranking senators, Anderson grew impatient. "Excuse me Senator, sorry for interrupting. For the last four days I've been seeing dead bodies in the streets. And to listen to politicians thanking each other and complimenting each other .... There's a woman's body that's been on the street for 48 hours and there's not enough facilities to take her up. Do you get the anger that is out here?"

It was that kind of impassioned reporting that put Anderson on the map. Whether he was on the front lines of a war zone or a natural disaster, Anderson got emotionally involved in the stories he was covering and would occasionally get choked up during a broadcast. This ability to freely show his emotions while reporting the facts became a trademark of Anderson and clearly differentiated him from his broadcasting colleagues.

Broadcasting & Cable magazine wrote: "In its aftermath, Hurricane Katrina served to usher in a new breed of emo-journalism, skyrocketing CNN's Anderson Cooper to superstardom as CNN's golden boy and a darling of the media circles because of his impassioned coverage of the storm."

Anderson Cooper's success can be traced back to his unconventional approach and to trusting his instincts. The same could be said for his reporting style. He asked the questions his viewers wanted answered and wasn't afraid to show his emotions.

"I think you have to be yourself, and you have to be real and you have to admit what you don't know."
If you're feeling "boxed-in" and stuck, think of an innovative way to move your career forward. Importantly, learn from what Anderson did when it came to his viewers - he focused on what was most important to them. Think of your constituents and how you can address their most critical needs.

Fred & Gladys
Whelan Stone
Executive Search and Coaching
Authors of GOAL! Your 30 Day Career Plan for Business & Career Success

Delegation the Right Way

It's no secret that people who rise within organizations do so by effectively delegating. If you don't know how to effectively delegate your career will hit a wall. Delegation not only gives your team the opportunity to grow, it also frees you up to work on more strategic things.

Managers are often reluctant to delegate because they believe they're the only ones who can do it right. This attitude becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy, because team members never get the opportunity to work on "stretch" assignments and therefore aren't able to grow.

"Your performance bar is set as high as your weakest link," says Donna Genett, Ph.D., organization development consultant and author of "If You Want it Done Right, You Don't Have to Do It Yourself!" According to Genett, delegation applies to many more situations than most people recognize. Whenever anyone asks anyone to do or change anything, that is delegation.



Here are a couple of Genett's keys to successful delegation:



Don't Over-delegate to Your Best People. Most managers delegate too much to their "go-to" people, which leads to burnout. Conversely, the "non-go-to" people are under-utilized and not adding value. It is critical to work with these lower performers in order to raise expectation levels or, if this isn't possible, to make other decisions about their future employment. If we don't manage people to our expectations, they will manage us to theirs.

Delegate, Don't Dump! Too often, managers delegate without being completely clear on the desired outcome. If managers would take more time on the front end of a project, being crystal clear on what a successful outcome would look like, they would end up spending less time on the backend trying to fix what went wrong. Managers need to communicate what determines success. Then they can focus on the outcome rather than how to do it. Ask the person to paraphrase what they understand the outcome to be to make sure you're both on the same page.


The ability to successfully delegate is critical to increasing productivity in an organization, but you have to do it right. Our advice to managers: Make sure to let others who are involved in the project know who you have delegated it to and be clear about this person's level of authority.

Managers should also be hands off. Many make the mistake of delegating but not letting go. They get sucked in by their own desire to be involved. As long as things are heading in the right direction in an acceptable manner, don't interfere.

Learning to effectively delegate will yield short and long term benefits for you, your team and the company. Those managers who understand how to delegate will raise their group's performance level and be on the fast track for promotion. Just as you grew when your boss gave you opportunities, do the same for those reporting to you.

Fred & Gladys
Whelan Stone
Executive Search and Coaching
Authors of GOAL! Your 30 Day Career Plan for Business & Career Success

The Real Career Killers

We all hear talk about things that can kill your career. A missed opportunity? Bad presentation in an important meeting? Lost customer? While these things won't help your career, they certainly don't define your overall career path. So, what are the things that can deal a devastating blow to your career?



Here are the real career killers:

Mixed Results - A track record of hits and misses when delivering on goals will hurt your career. Companies are looking for consistent performers - individuals who they can count on to repeatedly meet expectations. Some people make the mistake of thinking once they've met a few goals they're not under the gun to continue contributing at that level. In order to advance your career you have to constantly prove yourself. Consistent performers get promoted; others are perceived as a risk. This applies to positions throughout the organization, entry level to CEO.

Not Developing Your Team - If you really want to be selfish about your career take care of the people who work for you. The only way you can move up is by training and developing the people who report to you and, importantly, identifying and grooming your successor. Don't get so wrapped up in the day-to-day tactical issues that you fail to spend time training your team. By developing your team you are strengthening the organization and its competitive advantage.

Not Accepting Responsibility for Failures - The mark of a true leader is being able to stand up and hold yourself accountable when something doesn't go according to plan. The buck has to stop with the person in charge and if you're that person step up to the plate. No one gets to the top without their share of failures. Taking responsibility demonstrates integrity which is highly valued. You'll be viewed as someone the organization can trust because you're honest enough to own-up.

Taking Too Much Credit - Some people think that giving others credit reduces the impact of their contributions. The opposite is true. The more you credit others the more it positively reflects on you. Real leaders know how to motivate their teams. The best way to motivate someone on your team is to give them recognition for what they have done.

Failure to Learn from Mistakes - A CEO once told us that his management style was to create an environment that eliminated fear. He wanted people to feel free to take risks, but said, "You had better learn from your mistakes". We all make mistakes. The key questions to ask yourself are "What did I learn? What could I have done differently? How can I prevent it from happening again?" This learning will serve you in the future and give your boss confidence that you have the self-awareness and insight to grow from the experience.


It's critical, especially in these times, to avoid doing things can derail your career. Keep tracking how well you're measuring up in these important areas, otherwise your career will stall.

Fred & Gladys
Whelan Stone
Executive Search and Coaching
Authors of GOAL! Your 30 Day Career Plan for Business & Career Success

What Recruiters Look For

In this time of restructuring, downsizing and double-digit unemployment, it's more important than ever to be ready when a recruiter calls. Being ready means telling a concise and compelling story that demonstrates how your background matches to what the company needs.

Stories should have a beginning, middle and end. Don't highlight something that you started but couldn't finish because you left the company or the project was halted. The most effective stories set up the business problem, discuss the solution and detail the results.



Aside from how you communicate your accomplishments, you have to have the goods. Here's what recruiters are looking for:

Results - We are always drilling down to find out what a candidate has accomplished in each role. Did you move the needle and deliver results? Just as importantly, how did you deliver those results, because the process of how you get things done is just as critical as the results themselves. We come across people who have accomplished great things but have alienated people in the process. Very few organizations want those types. When we interview candidates, we're looking for the specifics about the results they delivered: What was your goal? What were the market conditions? What plan did you put in place and what obstacles did you overcome to get there? And why are those results noteworthy?

Leadership - Companies hire for a specific position, but they are always looking for people who have the potential to advance within the company. Every search assignment we have requires leadership and management skills. Leadership is about creating a vision and management is about how you implement that vision and utilize the people and resources you have. Successful leaders know how to articulate a vision that is both meaningful and inspiring to the people they work with. If you don't demonstrate effective leadership, your career is going to stall.

Career Progression - We ask candidates to explain how each role demonstrates growth in responsibilities. Are you managing a bigger piece of the business than before? If you moved from one international assignment to another, does the new position reflect more responsibility or greater challenges? It's important to always be monitoring your career path to see if you are increasing your responsibilities and tracking towards your ultimate goal.

Broad Experience - The more assignments you have and the more diverse those assignments are, the more valuable you are to a potential employer. You never know when the experience you gained in a particular role can be used to help you solve a problem in a future position. Companies want to know if you have the ability to do more for the organization, beyond your functional area. We had a VP of Marketing interviewing at a Fortune 500 company and the CEO asked him, "Can I move you into supply chain, if I need to?".

International - Companies are more and more focused on growing their international business. There are valuable skills you pick up from an international assignment. One is how you deal with varying resources from country to country? How do you work within various cultures? Companies are always looking for "plug - and - play". If they want international and you have it - it's easier to sell your candidacy.


You never know when that call from a recruiter will come in. Start developing and practicing stories around your experience now. The more details you can provide and the more excited you are about what you accomplished, the more likely you'll get to that all important meeting with the hiring manager.


Fred & Gladys
Whelan Stone
Executive Search and Coaching
Authors of GOAL! Your 30 Day Career Plan for Business & Career Success

Don't Fall Asleep on the Job When You're Working from Home

Working from home has many benefits: you don't have to commute, you don't have to "suit up" and you don't have co-worker "Joe" chewing the fat about things you couldn't care less about.

There are many distractions at the office which is why people say they get more done working from home. At least that's what they tell their bosses. The truth is that working from home has its own set of distractions.




Here are things you can do to be more productive working from home:

Have Your Own Work Space - This should be separate from the main living area of the house and exclusively for your work use. If family are home have a "closed door policy", otherwise it may be tempting for them to want to talk with you - after all you're just on the other side of that door. Help them understand that you're on the clock. If at all possible, work from the quietest space in the house.

Get in a "Work Mindset" - Yes, physically you're at home, but mentally you're at work. Resist the temptation to step over the threshold from your work life to your home life. No watching your TiVo programs at lunchtime. TV during work hours can take you out of a work mindset. Also, steer clear of the 200 pound gorilla in the kitchen commonly known as the refrigerator. For some reason, being home causes people to snack throughout the day (you just finished a report and celebrate with leftover pizza). Mirror at home how you eat at work. And don't go through your personal mail until the end of the day. There could be a major distraction in the pile, especially if "O" Magazine has arrived.

Take Minimum Breaks - At work, you're more conscious of the passage of time because you get the visual cues of people going off to lunch and coming out of meetings. At home you don't get those, which can throw off your internal clock. There's less happening around you which may trick your brain into thinking that it's time for another break. So, keep the breaks to an absolute minimum.

Plan Your Day - This is especially important when you're working from home. It's key to plan your activities and assign specific times around them. That will keep you focused and on track. This goes for lunch too. Give yourself 30 minutes for lunch, after all, the food is close by and you shouldn't have to stand in line to get your sandwich.

No Housework, No Errands - Don't throw a load of laundry in thinking that you are multi-tasking. You're really not - you're doing laundry. When the buzzer goes off, it will pull you away from your project and the same thing will happen an hour later when the buzzer for the dryer goes off. As far as errands go, you may be very efficient doing errands when working from the office, but that doesn't usually apply when you're working from home. At the office, you have to be efficient because people notice if you're gone for an extended period of time - that's why you get so much done. Without that pressure at home, you're apt to take a 15 minute errand and turn it into a mini shopping spree.


Working from home is a great benefit. Leverage it for all the good it can bring you while avoiding those time killing pitfalls that can affect your productivity.

Fred & Gladys
Whelan Stone
Executive Search and Coaching
Authors of GOAL! Your 30 Day Career Plan for Business & Career Success

The Beauty of a Well Run Meeting

It’s a typical day and someone’s called another meeting you have to attend. That racks up 10 so far this week. How are you supposed to do your work if you’re constantly in meetings? The most common complaints about meetings are that they are too long, not always productive and often a complete waste of time.

While you can’t control how others run their meetings, you certainly can do something about yours!




Here are some ways to make your meetings run better:

Have An Agenda – Your meeting should have a clear goal. What’s the purpose of the meeting and what outcome do you want? Organize the meeting with the various topics to be discussed and what the desired outcome is. It should be clear when a decision is expected, as opposed to providing a status on the project. Each topic should have an allotted time (e.g., 10 minutes) and you should lead with the most important things, like what decisions need to be made. People are freshest at the start of the meeting and you’ll want to take advantage of this.

Invite The Right People – More things tend to get done at smaller meetings. Only have the people necessary to achieve your desired outcome. Make sure the people included have the knowledge to discuss the issues and the appropriate authority to make agreements. You might want to structure the meetings so that decision makers can leave when they’re done. There’s no need to invite an entire department when one person can represent the group.

Discuss Issues Beforehand – Share the agenda and the issues with the key people beforehand. The more they know about what will be discussed and what decisions need to be made, the more productive the meeting will be. Make sure everyone knows what information they need to bring. By having a brief conversation with them prior to the meeting you’ll know what issues might be raised. The more you know in advance, the better prepared you’ll be.

Decide How You’ll Manage – Will you make an opening statement that reiterates the purpose and objective of the meeting? Will you summarize along the way (recommended) or at the end? Who will take the notes? How will you keep people on track and draw the meeting to an end? All these should be decided beforehand so that you are managing the meeting and its not managing you.

Keep Them Engaged – We’ve all sat through seemingly endless meetings, where someone droned on and on. To the extent that you can, engage people so they are actively participating. After all this is not a lecture, it’s a meeting. If you notice someone is particularly quiet, ask for their input. Every voice should count or why else would they be in the room? In the spirit of being inclusive, you’ll want to create an atmosphere in which people feel free to express their views. Not only will this keep the energy level high, there will be more solutions offered.

Meetings are a necessary part of business and the most effective ones are those in which the best planning was done prior to the meeting. The planning that you do upfront is a compliment to the people in the meeting, because it shows you care about their time. Just like you, they have lots on their plate, so help them get back to their work soon.

Fred & Gladys
Whelan Stone
Executive Search and Coaching
Authors of GOAL! Your 30 Day Career Plan for Business & Career Success

Outplacement is Like an Orange: Squeeze It for All it's Worth

Thousands of people got laid off last year and were offered outplacement. In case you don’t know what outplacement is, it's a firm that specializes in assisting recently laid off people with their job search. Outplacement is a great resource and unfortunately not everybody takes advantage of it. We come across people all the time who were given the opportunity to work with an outplacement firm like DBM, Lee Hecht Harrison or Right Management and never utilized it. It’s mind boggling to think that people had access to terrific resources for FREE (since their former employer paid for it) and then never used them.

Some of the reasons we’ve heard from people who didn’t avail themselves of this valuable service were, “I didn’t think I’d need it”, or “I knew someone who had a bad experience with it”. If it was the latter, it could be that person didn’t go into it with a good attitude.

Outplacement is a great benefit, and if you’re lucky enough to be offered it, by all means use it.

Here are some of the goodies you’ll get:





Access to Coaches – Outplacement firms will usually assign you an individual consultant to help you work through the issues you’ll face in your job search. These coaches have industry experience and are well credentialed so they are in a great position to offer guidance. They can also help you with mock interviews, clarifying goals and help you with your career transition. Coaches become coaches because they enjoy helping people and get genuine satisfaction out of seeing people succeed in their job search. They have a vested interest in seeing you land your next great job, and are a great partner to have in your corner.

Tools & Research – The bigger firms usually have cutting edge resources like: databases that have extensive company and executive information; analyst and market research reports that provide industry trends; training programs to elevate your skills and personal assessment tests to give you further insights. In addition, you’ll get help with resume development and a marketing plan. All of this is at your disposal. Use it!

Job & Resume Postings – These firms have access to a multitude of job openings in a variety of industries and can notify you of jobs appropriate for you. In addition, they have their own job sites that allow you to post your resume. As recruiters, we can attest to the fact that these sites help people find jobs!

A Place to Work– Some people find it really valuable to have a place outside the house to work on their job search. Outplacement firms have office space, computers, printers and telephones to help you stay focused and efficient. They also bring in speakers to help you with networking and shed light on current industry trends.

If you do find yourself laid off and offered outplacement, squeeze every ounce of value out of it. As wonderful as outplacement is, it does not go on in perpetuity. It can range anywhere from three months to a year and we all know how quickly that time flies by.


Fred & Gladys
Whelan Stone
Executive Search and Coaching
Authors of GOAL! Your 30 Day Career Plan for Business & Career Success

Learn a New Language! Find the Time for That Or Any Other Goal.

People often assume they don't have the time to accomplish a goal without even knowing how long that goal might take. For example, how long do you think it takes to learn a language? People often say they don't have time for that, but how long does that really take?

According to Rosetta Stone, the language software company, it takes 180 hours to learn a new language. The people at Rosetta Stone say the most effective way to learn is to practice 3-4 hours each week (or 30 minutes a day) and in about a year you'll be speaking that new language.



Finding out how much time a goal really takes and then breaking it down into doable sessions makes it more attainable.

Time is a precious resource and sometimes we forget that we are in charge of how we spend our time each day. How do you think successful people get so much done? They plan every day. That's different from having a to-do list. When they assign a time for something it's not arbitrary - they look at what has to be done and figure out how long it should take. Then they schedule it. Planning your days is more efficient and frees up more time.

Another way to find time to do more of the things you want is to combine goals. You might be surprised at the goals that can be combined. For example, its commonplace now, but do you remember the first time you saw a parent jogging while pushing a stroller? Someone had the bright idea of combining those two - getting a workout while your child gets fresh air. We tend to put things in columns or categories and sometimes don't realize they can overlap. We all know how much business is done on the golf course. Those two categories were combined long ago and continue to thrive together. You can combine exercise, volunteering your time and spending time with your family if you all signed up for Habitat for Humanity. You could coach little league, that would combine your desire to be a mentor with spending time with your kids. There's almost always a way to combine at least two goals.

David Allen, the efficiency guru and author of "Getting things done" says
the best way to save time is to group like activities. If you have calls to make, do them all in a row. They don't have to be related because the calls are related by virtue of the fact that they are a like activity. That will save you time. Do the same for emails. Have certain times of the day when you're going to catch up on your emails. Put all of your filing together and do that, all the reading together and do that. And for your reading, if you have a backlog of stuff, like magazine and trade pubs, if you can't read the whole issue, just read the cover story. That's usually the most relevant article in the publication and it generally takes about 10 minutes. You'd be surprised at how many 10 minute windows you might have in a day.

It's important to find the time to work on the goals that matter to you. Research has shown that most people regret actions not taken rather than actions taken, regardless of outcome. Which is why it's so important to go after what you want. Start working on your goal today!

Fred & Gladys
Whelan Stone
Executive Search and Coaching
Authors of GOAL! Your 30 Day Career Plan for Business & Career Success

Finding Your Dream Job - You Had Me at Hello

It’s no secret that a lot of people are unhappy in their jobs. Given all the hours spent at work, wouldn’t it be better to do something you enjoy rather than stay in a job where you’re bored or unhappy? “Yes, BUT I need to pay my mortgage and this is no time to change jobs.” You’ll always have financial obligations and there’s no guarantee your current job will be there tomorrow.

Here's how do you go about finding that new exciting career that brings you back to life:

Use Your Current Job As a Starting Point – Even if you hate your current job, there might be aspects of it that can lead to your dream job. Let’s say you’re a brand manager and know you want to make a change. What part of the job do you like best? Is it the packaging, advertising, promotion, or market research? Maybe you decide it’s the market research. Do you like the qualitative side or the quantitative side? If you prefer the qualitative side, your new career could be a focus group moderator or someone who runs ideation sessions (this sounds like fun), or generates creative for a naming company, just to list a few. If you like the quantitative more, maybe you should go into risk management, become a go-to-market strategist, or a business consultant. There are many potential paths you can take that will enable you to do the aspect of the job you love most.

Listen to What People Say You’re Good At - Your co-workers, family and friends sometimes see you differently than you see yourself. If you hear people saying “oh, you’re great at staying in touch” consider opportunities that involve sales and networking. People might say “you’re good at giving advice.” Then ask yourself is there a teacher, trainer or coach lurking in you? Make a List of What You Like Doing – Don’t filter your responses. Make a laundry list of what gives you joy including things you used to do as a child. As a child, did you like to build things, write stories or perform? In addition to what you like to do in your current job, how do you like to spend your off hours? Next to each item on your laundry list, ask yourself what about the activity gave/gives you joy. See what epiphanies might occur and how you can translate these into your next job.

What’s Your Personality Telling You? – Some personalities are suited for certain positions. For example, if you handle rejection well and enjoy constantly meeting new people, sales might be right for you. Knowing who you are is a big part of finding the right career. Would you like to be a big fish in a small pond? If so, you may be cut out to be an entrepreneur (if you’re okay taking risks) or take a bigger role in a smaller company. Conversely, you may want the resources and cache of working at a large company and are willing to deal with multiple layers of management. Do you like being in a leadership role or a support position? Do you like working independently or in a team? Do you like project work or positions that require on-going building? It’s so important to find something that meshes with your personality. Otherwise, you’re a square peg in a round hole.

Be Open – Be open to ideas which can come from anywhere: when you’re reading books, newspapers and magazines; watching TV; talking to your family friends and co-workers. What ideas do you spark to? Being open means being inclusive – every idea is worth considering.

If there are a few career options that you have identified and need to know more about, go on informational interviews. If you’re still unclear as to what career suits you best, there are many great books like, “What Color is Your Parachute?” or career coaches (like us ) who can help.

It may be scary at first to think about changing careers, especially if you’ve been at it for a long time. But isn’t it better to face the fears than to stay in a job that’s not focused on what you enjoy doing most?

Yes!

Fred & Gladys

Whelan Stone

Executive Recruiters and Coaches

authors of GOAL! Your 30 Day Game Plan for Business & Career Success