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Tips for Work and Life with Andrew LaCivita

Career coach and award-winning author Andrew LaCivita shares insights on leading a rewarding career and fulfilled life.
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Now displaying: 2017
Aug 16, 2017
Have you ever wondered how to dazzle job interviewers when they ask, "Can you walk me through your resume?" Join career expert and award-winning author Andrew LaCivita as he discusses walk me through your resume: best way to respond!

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SEE FULL WEBISODE ON MY BLOG
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Check out Walk Me Through Your Resume: Best Way to Respond on my Tips for Work and Life Blog with the video, podcast, full transcript, and more!: http://milewalk.com/mwblog/walk-me-through-your-resume-best-way-to-respond

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CONNECT WITH ANDREW
--------------------

Join Andrew’s email list: http://milewalk.com/mwblog

Get Andrew’s books and training: https://www.milewalkacademy.com

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/andylacivita
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/andrewlacivita
Twitter: https://twitter.com/arlacivita
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/andrewlacivita
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/alacivita
iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/tips-for-work-life-andrew/id1120387046

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SUMMARY
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Sad for them, but you should be doing back flips!

It is probably one of the dumbest ways for a job interviewer to open up the interview, but it is one of the best things that could possibly happen to you.

You might be puzzled. I know there are a lot of you out there puzzled because I get the emails and I get the questions on my YouTube channel and blog.

You're wondering how to answer this. You say, “Ugh, I'm not sure where to start. I'm not sure what to say. I'm not sure what to share. I don't want to share the wrong things.”

What you should be thinking is, “Yes. Thank you Mr. Unskilled Job Interviewer for lobbing me that sweet softball question so I can now totally control the interview and dazzle you with my professional highlight reel. So buckle up and prepare to be amazed.”

That's what should be going through your head because you now get to offer up whatever it is you want to share.

Do’s, Don’ts, Always, and Never-Evers…

Before we get into the “here's how,” I want to talk a little bit about the do’s and don'ts to get you positioned in the right spot before you walk them through.

First thing I want you to do is [it's actually before the interview ever starts, day before, week before, whenever it is, I want you to] look at your resume!

1] Look at the job description and determine what areas or activities or accomplishments in your resume most closely align and best suit you to do that role effectively. Think about those.

Grab this tool to help you: Career Achievements Journal: 14 Points That make You Marketable, Get You Promoted, and Accelerate Your Career.

It's got 14 great areas to investigate about any major project you do in your professional career.

It'll provide questions to ask yourself and information to gather that will be wonderful to share [whether with your current employer or a perspective employer].

I want you to think through the resume and how it aligns to what it is they need in an employee. That's the first do.

2] The second “do” is make sure you bring a copy of your resume to the job interview.

It's something a lot of people forget to do, but here's why you need it.

You cannot be sure the job interviewer's actually going to have a copy. Even if he or she does have a copy, it's highly likely they have not read it. I know it's sad, but it's true.

They're that lazy, which is why they asked you to walk them through it. They want you to read it to them. Extra sad face.

3] You also want to make sure before you start you know what direction to go. Ask them.

There are basically three directions you can go through this exercise.

  1. You can start at the beginning of your professional life and walk them through your resume up to today. Ask them, “Do you want me to start at the beginning and bring you current?”
  2. You can start with today and go in reverse chronological order and work backwards to the beginning of your professional career.
  3. You can cherry pick those areas for them to determine whether you’re a good fit for the job and have best prepared you for the role?

They'll probably want you to go from the beginning of time to today, but regardless of which direction, you'll know.

4] Don’t read them what's on the resume. Don't look at your resume and start reading. You'll be very dry.

5] Don't [just] talk about the activities you have on the resume. You'll lose them. You'll lose their attention. It's not that exciting what you were responsible for.

Here’s how to roll…

Once you know what direction they want you to go (most of them are going to want you to go from the beginning of time till today), start going through your resume.

When you start at the beginning (now for many of you I know that was 10, 20, or 30 years ago) remember not all the information on your resume is created equal in helping you get that job. It's not all as relevant.

For those areas, especially the ones at the beginning of your career, I want you to walk through those very, very quickly.

If I was interviewing and someone wanted to interview me for a practice leadership position and asked me to walk them through my resume, I might say, “I got out of college and started working as a programmer and then I became a designer and then I started managing projects that implemented software solutions."

That took me [less than] 10 seconds to go through five years of my career because it's not very relevant!

But, they asked you to start there so that's what you want to do. You want to go through the less critical areas very quickly.

Then, when you get to a spot in your career where you think you have a home run accomplishment or achievement, take your opportunity to shine.

Give them context on what was happening in that project. What did you do? What was the business benefit? Who were you doing it for? Who were you doing it with? How much money did you save them? How much revenue did you generate them?

Get the career achievements journal I mentioned earlier to help you tell that story. It’ll help bring context and color.

Then move onto the next one and so on and so forth.

Oh. I know what you’re thinking…

You might be thinking, “Andy, I could go on for an hour talking about myself, my resume.”

GOOD!

Good, go do that. You get to script exactly what it is that you want to say.

You might be thinking, “I'm not really sure. Maybe I'm running off at the mouth. I might bore them.”

There's ways after you hit each major area in your resume, just take a pause, look over to the interviewer and just say, "Is that enough there? Did you have anymore questions about that? Did you want to discuss that any further? How am I doing? Should I go onto the next point?" Just do what you need to do to give yourself a quick break.

The fact of the matter is they turned control of the interview over to you so you now get to blueprint the dialogue that occurs.

You get to tell them what you want to tell them, not what they want to ask you. That's the wonderful thing about getting asked that question early in the interview.

If you want to learn more about how to respond to their questions or how to tell stories in a job interview, check out my free webinar called 3 Keys to Ace Any Job Interview. It's free.

If you liked the video, give me a LIKE, a COMMENT, and a SHARE!

Like this episode? Please share it via social media and review it on iTunes! I can keep this blog and all future podcasts and videos ad-free and sponsor-free ONLY because you share my work! Please share or subscribe to my podcast and YouTube channel too!

Want more advanced material? Join the milewalk Academy and grab some of the free offerings that support the instruction in this post!

Aug 10, 2017
Do you feel you need to raise your confidence in your job interviews? Join career expert and award-winning author Andrew LaCivita as he discusses job interview confidence: boost yours with these protips!

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SEE FULL WEBISODE ON MY BLOG
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Check out job interview confidence: boost yours with these protips on my Tips for Work and Life Blog with the video, podcast, full transcript, and more!: http://milewalk.com/mwblog/job-interview-confidence-boost-yours-with-these-protips/


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CONNECT WITH ANDREW
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Join Andrew’s email list: http://milewalk.com/mwblog
Get Andrew’s books and training: https://www.milewalkacademy.com

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/andylacivita
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/andrewlacivita
Twitter: https://twitter.com/arlacivita
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/andrewlacivita
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/alacivita
iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/tips-for-work-life-andrew/id1120387046

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SUMMARY
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Confidence and the way you exude it is one of the most important ingredients to a successful job interview!

Let’s level-set here. I know you all have varying degrees of confidence. Whoever you are, however confident or non-confident you are, think about when you were most confident.

You probably felt super-knowledgeable about what you were doing or discussing. Knowledge breeds confidence.

You also probably felt very prepared. Preparation breeds confidence.

So, the first thing I want you to do is just take a deep breath. Remember, if you are in a job interview, you are likely qualified for that job and you can do it effectively. That’s why the employer invited you in for an interview. So take some comfort in that.

Now, the preparation part is something I can really help you with.  That’s what we’re going to focus on in this video.

Before we dive into that, I want you to think about the context of three biggest aspects of what’s happening in a job interview:

  • You’ve got you, and your story, and what you’re all about.
  • You’ve got the employer, the questions they’re going to ask you, and the responses you give them for them to determine whether you’re a good fit.
  • You’ve got the questions you’re going to ask the employer to determine if they’re a good fit for you.
  1. Know your story.

I’m sure some of you are out there thinking, Andy, I live with myself all the time! Of course I know my story.

I won’t argue with that, but there’s a huge difference between knowing what you’ve done, being able to recall it in detail under duress, bringing real life into it with the color and details you give your story when you share it with somebody.

Let’s paint the scene. You start the interview. It’s all about your story in the beginning.

Somebody just asked you, “Tell me about yourself.” Or how about this one, “Walk me through your resume.” That’s the best because now you can waltz right through it, you’ve got your resume to use as a crutch.

Like I said, remembering what it is you did isn’t so difficult. But, being able to share your story with some real life, that’s where the confidence comes in.

So, before you go into a job interview, I want you to think back. Sit down with your resume, pour your favorite cup of coffee, and sit at the coffee table. You’ve got no distractions. You’re not under any duress.

Go through your resume and think through the highlights on your resume and all the bullets you’ve got laid out there. What was actually happening at the time you were doing that?

Remember, some of these activities you performed might be ten years old, but they could still be very, very relevant to what the employer wants to know. Who was on the project?

What were you doing? Think about what the air smelled like. Think about the business problem.

I have a great aid you can download I call my career achievements journal. It’s got 14 points you should address for every major project in your career.

Use those questions to stimulate your thinking so you could start to recall what was happening throughout the last 10 or 20 years of your career. So, when somebody says as you’re walking through your resume, “Hey, hold it right there, that’s really interesting to me. Let’s talk a little bit more about that part of your career.”

Now, you’re ready to say, “You know what, oh man, that was such a wonderful time in my life. I was on this 30-person project team, we were implementing this software system for our customer. I was managing a five-person SWAT team that was focusing on the architectural design and development blah blah blah.”

That is much different when you have it at your fingertips, even though it was 10 or 15 years ago, and you’re able to articulate it with details. Details about what’s going on at any moment in your story is what brings life to it. It helps the person paint a picture of what is happening, and it makes them feel as though you know your stuff, and you will come off as confident!

  1. Know your responses.

When they start asking more detailed questions about your experience and your skill sets, knowing your responses and the details you want to share will be extremely important.

For this point, I’ll offer your a great e-book called Ace Your Job Interview, Master the Best Responses to the 14 Most Effective Job Interview Questions.

If you look at the questions, you will see a pattern. There are a lot of very, very good interview questions the employer disguises, but they’re all looking for the same 15-20 aspects about you.

Use the eBook to get the questions and career journal to help with your responses.

The preparation, your understanding of the most common and most critical job interview questions, and knowing your responses are somethings you can do in advance.

You can use that career achievements journal to stimulate your thoughts and the details that go along with those responses. Knowing those responses cold will help you come off as more confident. And, you’ll be ready for any question that comes along.

  1. Know your questions. And follow up questions.

If you are well researched and have very well thought-out questions, these can be scripted based on your requirements and what’s important to you.

You get to do all of this in advance, so script out those questions. If you’re looking for a bunch of questions, here’s another giveaway for you. I have a free webinar called 3 Keys to Ace Any Job Interview.

Attendees get a great e-book called How to Interview the Employer: 75 Great Questions to Ask Before You Take Any Job.

Use those questions, take the ones you want, you’ll never run out. There are plenty of them there for you to choose from.

Here’s your protip: it’s not just good enough to ask well-designed questions, and be thorough, and show that you’re researched. Confidence comes from able to quickly respond to what the employer says in his or her response to your question.

So step number one is nailing the question you want to ask. Step number two is you spending some time, in advance, anticipating the employer’s possible responses and being ready with your follow-up questions.

That shows them you’re confident. That shows them you know what you’re looking for. That shows them you know how to investigate. Confidence comes from that, and if you are able to anticipate what the likely outcomes will be, you’re going to be way ahead of the game.

I hope you like those points. If you enjoyed this, give me a like, a comment, and a share!

Like this episode? Please share it via social media and review it on iTunes! I can keep this blog and all future podcasts and videos ad-free and sponsor-free ONLY because you share my work! Please share or subscribe to my podcast and YouTube channel too!

Want more advanced material? Join the milewalk Academy and grab some of the free offerings that support the instruction in this post!

Aug 2, 2017
Been invited back for a second job interview and want to make sure to ace it? Join career expert and award-winning author Andrew LaCivita as he discusses the second job interview: 3 tips to get hired!

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SEE FULL WEBISODE ON MY BLOG
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Check out Second Job Interview: 3 Tips to Get Hired on my Tips for Work and Life Blog with the video, podcast, full transcript, and more!: http://milewalk.com/mwblog/http://milewalk.com/mwblog/second-job-interview-3-tips-get-hired/


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CONNECT WITH ANDREW
--------------------

Join Andrew’s email list: http://milewalk.com/mwblog
Get Andrew’s books and training: https://www.milewalkacademy.com

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/andylacivita
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/andrewlacivita
Twitter: https://twitter.com/arlacivita
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/andrewlacivita
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/alacivita
iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/tips-for-work-life-andrew/id1120387046

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SUMMARY
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Read more at http://andrewlacivita.libsyn.com/#u5yqdolJ2MApIXlq.99

Let’s talk about the second job interview. You know the one. They loved you so much the first time, they invited you back!

I’m going to give you three great tips. These are the exact same three tips I gave one of my Interview Intervention Course students, Hannah. She used them to get the job on her second interview. [Hannah, if you’re watching, shout out to you. Hope you’re enjoying the new job!

For the rest of you, I want you to know the second interviews are not much different—tactically—than the first interviews.

All those videos I’ve created on job interview tactics and my FREE webinar 3 Keys to Ace Any Job Interviewwill teach you how to answer and ask questions in a job interview. Use all that as foundational stuff.

The second interview is about building deeper connections…

The second job interview is about building a deeper connection, a deeper relationship, and more chemistry with the entire company.

It is about getting them to imagine you as part of the team. You want them to feel as though you’re part of the team.

So, how do you do that?

Sometimes when you’re invited back, you are speaking with the same people you spoke with the first time, sometimes they’re new people, and sometimes it’s a mixture.

Use these tactics across the board and adjust appropriately based on who you’re speaking with…

  1. Ask Again.

The first technique I would use is when you are speaking with somebody you have previously spoken with (whether on the phone or in an interview).

Ask about something you’ve already spoken about. I call this the “ask again” technique.

Say, “Last time I was here you mentioned [insert whatever here]. It really stuck with me. I thought more about it and I wanted to get more insight into that as it relates to [insert whatever here.] Could you elaborate…”

This starts a deeper discussion on something you’ve already spoken about. Going deeper into the conversation on something both of you consider very important builds a deeper relationship.

  1. Ask More.

The second tactic is to ask additional (new) questions. If you are speaking with somebody who you’ve previously spoken with previously, you want to make sure you’re asking him or her a new batch of questions.

If you’re speaking with someone you haven’t spoken with, make sure you have lots and lots of great questions.

If you’re not sure where to get these great questions, go to my FREE webinar 3 Keys to Ace Any Job Interview because all attendees receive a FREE eBook called How to Interview the Employer: 75 Great Questions to Ask Before You Take Any Job.

You will never run out of questions. Plus, this shows you are well-researched and you are very, very interested in investigating this company further. And, you’re doing it in a smart way.

  1. Be Inclusive.

The third tip is to be inclusive of other people. By that I mean, reference conversations you’ve had with others in the organization. [You can even use this in the first round of interviews.]

Whether you’re speaking with somebody you previously spoken with or you’re speaking with new people, one the best tactics you can use is to refer to what you and someone spoke about and then ask for their opinion.

For example, “I talked with Susie the other day and she mentioned [insert whatever here]. I loved that and I’d like to get your insight on that. Could you elaborate on that as it relates to [insert whatever here]?”

Consider the person you’re interviewing. Whether he or she is a subordinate of Susie’s, a peer, or a superior, you can adjust the angle of trajectory of your questioning and take it in the direction of that particular individual.

You’re showing them you enjoyed speaking with Susie, you found what she said delightful, and also want their opinion.

You value their opinion and they with naturally see you as a team player. [You certainly sound like one!]

As you start to reference others in the organization in a sincere way, the interviewer will start to feel like you are part of the team.

As a bonus, this gives you an opportunity to make sure there is a level of consistency across their responses. Are they all on the same page?

If you like this video, give me a LIKE, COMMENT, and SHARE!

Like this episode? Please share it via social media and review it on iTunes! I can keep this blog and all future podcasts and videos ad-free and sponsor-free ONLY because you share my work! Please share or subscribe to my podcast and YouTube channel too!

Want more advanced material? Join the milewalk Academy and grab some of the free offerings that support the instruction in this post!

Jul 26, 2017
Want to join a company, but can’t find a job opening? Join career expert and award-winning author Andrew LaCivita as he covers how to apply when there is no opening: 7 sentence cover letter!

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SEE FULL WEBISODE ON MY BLOG + GET FREE DOWNLOAD
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Check out Business Networking: How to Build Professional Relationships on my Tips for Work and Life Blog with the video, podcast, full transcript, and more!: http://milewalk.com/mwblog/http://milewalk.com/mwblog/how-to-apply-when-there-is-no-opening-7-sentence-cover-letter/

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CONNECT WITH ANDREW
--------------------

Join Andrew’s email list: http://milewalk.com/mwblog
Get Andrew’s books and training: https://www.milewalkacademy.com

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/andylacivita
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/andrewlacivita
Twitter: https://twitter.com/arlacivita
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/andrewlacivita
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/alacivita
iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/tips-for-work-life-andrew/id1120387046

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SUMMARY
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You want to work for an organization, but you can’t seem to find a public job posting. You’re not sure if there’s an opening.

You’re not sure if they’ll welcome you. You’re wondering should I applyIf I apply, how should I apply?

First things first…

Should you apply or reach out to an organization when they don’t have a job posting? Heck Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes. Three reasons:

  1. Great organizations are always, always combing the world for the greatest talent. They’re always in hiring mode, whether they have a budget for a new position or don’t have a budget for a new position.

They are constantly looking for the greatest resources because they know the greatest resources don’t always come along or are available when they need them.

  1. They’ll trade up. If there are ten people in an organization, there’s at least one or two of them the company would be willing to trade out for a better performer. It’s just simple math.

Now start adding a zero to those numbers. If there are 100 people in the company, that’s ten to 20 people they’d likely trade out.

What about a 1,000 people in the company? That’s 200 openings, even if they don’t have extra budget to hire additional resources. There is still 10-20% of their organization they feel they can improve with better resources.

  1. Less competition. There’ll be a lot less competition. If there’s no job posting, it’s a deterrent for well more than 90% of the people. So most of them won’t even try it.

The ones who do, unless they’re sitting next to you watching this video, they’re not going to know exactly how to do that.

This is going to give the recruiters and the HR people and the hiring officials more time to give your submittal more care and consideration.

Now, how should I do it?

There are seven areas to address in your introduction or your cover letter.

When you want to target a company and don’t see a job positing, reach out with this cover letter (introduction, email, etc.):

  1. Why you’re writing to them.

The reason I’m writing to you is because I want to join your company. But, you can’t leave them there. You need to give them some context and some rationale as to why you want to work at that organization.

  1. Your rationale for wanting to work there.

The reasons I want to work here are…based on my research…and then insert your rationale.

  1. What you offer and why you’re a great fit.

I offer X years of experience in this particular industry, doing these particular jobs which makes me a great fit to support your organization and the products and services it delivers. But you can’t leave them there. You’ve got to drive a little nail into this one. That’s number four…

  1. Home run accomplishment.

Tell them about a significant accomplishment you know is going to be enticing and a great match for that company.

A particular accomplishment I’m proud of or a significant accomplishment or a major accomplishment is…and then tell them specifically what it is.

  1. Pointing them in the direction of more evidence of why you’re a great fit.

For most of you, this is your resume. But, I don’t want you to just point them to your [attached] resume.

I want you to tell them exactly where in the resume you want them to look for more evidence that greatly aligns you with what they need for their organization.

  1. Welcome the opportunity to speak with them.

I’d welcome the opportunity to speak with you…

  1. Thank them for their consideration.

I want to thank you for your consideration…

To see the exact language for my No-Job-Opening Cover Letter (AKA The 7-Sentence Cover Letter), head to the milewalk blog to get the download!

If you enjoyed this video, give me a LIKE, COMMENT, and, of course SHARE with your friends. Expanding is what it’s all about!

Like this episode? Please share it via social media and review it on iTunes! I can keep this blog and all future podcasts and videos ad-free and sponsor-free ONLY because you share my work! Please share or subscribe to my podcast and YouTube channel too!

Want more advanced material? Join the milewalk Academy and grab some of the free offerings that support the instruction in this post!

Jun 26, 2017
Are you in a situation where you could use a helping hand from your friends? Colleagues? Acquaintances? Join career expert and award-winning author Andrew LaCivita as he discusses business networking: how to build professional relationships!

--------------------
SEE FULL WEBISODE ON MY BLOG
--------------------

Check out Business Networking: How to Build Professional Relationships on my Tips for Work and Life Blog with the video, podcast, full transcript, and more!: http://milewalk.com/mwblog/business-networking-build-professional-relationships

--------------------
CONNECT WITH ANDREW
--------------------

Join Andrew’s email list: http://milewalk.com/mwblog
Get Andrew’s books and training: https://www.milewalkacademy.com

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/andylacivita
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/andrewlacivita
Twitter: https://twitter.com/arlacivita
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/andrewlacivita
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/alacivita
iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/tips-for-work-life-andrew/id1120387046

--------------------
SUMMARY
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No matter what your job is, over the length of your career, your network and it's health and strength is going to be your single greatest advantage in succeeding in your career.

Sure, a lot of you starting now have some smarts, a good job, and are willing to work hard. All that sets you in the right direction, but over the long-term, over a multi-decade career that simply will not be enough to be truly successful.

My 7 Key Success Factors for Business Networking

There are two areas I want to review about networking: what makes it successful and how to actually do it! So, let’s review my seven key principles for how to do it successfully and then a five step plan of attack to execute those principles.

  1. It’s an all-the-time thing.

You need to do it all the time. If you only do it when you need it, you're not going to be successful. If you need to network, it's already too late if you don't already have a healthy one. Be very, very consistent.

  1. Give value first. Take second.

Give value first to others before you ask for something. It could be anything. But whatever value you provide—your time, energy, education, favors—give it first.

  1. Give more than you take.

Put more into the networking bank. Keep making deposits before you make withdrawals.

  1. Do it live.

This is not an email thing. This is human interaction. This is building deeper relationships. This is spending time with people.

  1. Do what you say you’re going to do—build trust.

Always follow through. Whether you’re providing information, making a referral, etc. You want to be known for having a good “word,” being trustworthy, and being dependable.

  1. Move it forward and expand their network.

If the interaction between you and me dies with you, you haven't helped me build my network. So, you want to make sure you're thinking how can I help expand this person's network? Who might be good for him or her to know? You want to pay it forward, you want to move it forward, and you want to expand their network. The point is for both of you to grow your networks.

  1. Build a systematic plan that allows you to execute.

You need to build a plan that makes you consistent, organized, and working toward building a healthy network that meets your goal and the goals of others.

My 5-Step Plan to Build a Healthy Professional Network

This plan has served me well for multiple decades. It’s also helped me build and keep and extremely healthy network. This process works

A. Set your networking goals.

The first place to start is to set your goals. Don’t just start dialing up people and emailing them. That isn't going to get you where you need to be. You have to have a goal. And what do I mean by goals?

There are many, but let’s talk about four:

  • Educations and advancement of your knowledge
  • Camaraderie
  • Job hunting
  • Grow customers, partnerships, etc.

B. Build your relationship map by doing your research.

Who do you know who can move you toward your goals? Who do they know? Who do you want to know? Who might know them?

Build a relationship map. Literally build one. It could be a list of people, could be a diagram, or whatever it is that you want to do.

C. Identify 60 to 100 people you can connect with who can help you meet your goals.

Build a nice list of individuals. Spend an hour or so each month identifying the right people for you to connect with and contact. Do your homework. Be aggressive.

D. Prepare standard messages you can modify.

Draft 3-4 templates you can use to contact people and they tailor each one (in the next step) based on your relationship with them.

E. “E” is for execute.

Execute a consistent reach out program. For me, I contact five people at the beginning of each month.

I go through my list of people and my relationship map. I identify 5-6 people I’d like to contact. I either call them or email them to see if they want to get together (phone, coffee, lunch, dinner, etc.).

Give them a week to get back to you. If some don’t, start contacting others and so on and so forth.

Five people might not sound like a lot, but keep in mind you want to actually get together or speak with them. This is about spending time!

Adjust your plan according.

The point isn’t to do it exactly as I’ve laid it out. The point is to tailor this or some plan to accommodate your needs.

Feel free to adjust accordingly based on your goals. Most importantly, have fun and be generous!

If you enjoyed this video, give me a LIKE, COMMENT, and, of course SHARE with your friends. Expanding is what it’s all about!

Like this episode? Please share it via social media and review it on iTunes! I can keep this blog and all future podcasts and videos ad-free and sponsor-free ONLY because you share my work! Please share or subscribe to my podcast and YouTube channel too!

Want more advanced material? Join the milewalk Academy and grab some of the free offerings that support the instruction in this post!

Jun 17, 2017
Have you wanted to change careers, but don’t know how? Want that job, but don’t have the work experience? Join career expert and award-winning author Andrew LaCivita as he discusses career change success: the first 7 steps!

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SEE FULL WEBISODE
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Career Change Success: The First 7 Steps on my Tips for Work and Life Blog with the video, podcast, full transcript, and more!: http://milewalk.com/mwblog/career-change-success-first-7-steps

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SUMMARY
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Be encouraged!

For all you out there watching (listening or reading this), I want to offer some words of encouragement. I know you can do this! I've done it three times. If I could do it three times, you can do it.

The great news is you have the ability. It’s also never in the history of the world been easier to make a career change with all the resources we have now to help educate you and get you going in the right direction.

Have a plan…

The problem is most people don't have a plan, which I'm going to give you today—the first seven steps of that plan.

But first, a little perspective and motivation…

I want to just give you a moment of perspective and I want you to tuck this away in the back of your mind as you watch this video or any of my videos for that matter.

If I wasn't brave enough thirteen or so years ago to make a career change and then again two years ago to make another change, you'd never be benefiting from this video or any video I've ever created, or any training course, or anything I've ever done to help facilitate your career and your life.

I want you think about as you're hesitating to make that change. Think of all those people in this world who would benefit from you doing so.

So whether you are an old pro (like I am) wanting to make a drastic career change, or whether you're a college student looking for that first job, or anybody who wants a job where they don't feel like they have the requisite experience, this video is for you. I'm going to give you the first seven steps I would take.

Let's roll…

1. Make sure you want it and make a list.

It sounds silly, but there's a huge difference between a passing fancy and a burning desire. Most people fail not because of their ability, but because they don't have a good plan in place.

They haven't thought it through about whether or not that career or that change is going to align to what makes them happy.

So, the first step that I would take is I would list out all of my requirements I need in place to be happy. Make a list. It sounds simple, but very few people do it.

BONUS: I have a three-part video series you can watch. It's called The First 5 Steps to Career Success: Get Your Career Focused, Organized, and On Track. Watch this to make sure you make the right list.

2. What are you willing to sacrifice?

You have the ability to achieve your goals. You have the ability to make this career change or get that job. The reason a lot of people fail is not only because they don't have a plan, but also because they're unwilling to give up certain things in their life. You have to put in extra effort to compensate for the areas you’re deficient. You need to “catch up.”

Think…nights, weekends, compensation, and so forth. You might have to take a little pay cut if you want to make a change. What are you willing to give up and not give up? Get clear on that and be committed to sacrificing those things that will prevent you from being successful in making this change.

3. Learn the capabilities and qualities.

You need to discover the capabilities important for success in that particular career or job. What do I mean by capabilities?

Here’s an example. When a sales person is sells a product or service, knowing exactly how to sell that particular product is a trade skill learned through experience selling that specific product.

That skill is usually something easily taught or learned. But, great sales people transcend product and services. They have foundational abilities like good leadership skills, good organizational skills, and good communication skills.

They're good listeners. They know how to connect the dots for their customers or prospects to show them how their products and services will benefit them. They're good at psychology.

These are foundational abilities that can be developed that make a great sales person a great sales person.

If you want to be a chef, then you need to figure out what capabilities make awesome chefs.

There are many ways to do that, but there are two easy ways. You could literally Google “what qualities make a great chef.” A whole bunch of blog posts will come up and a whole bunch of books will come up. Read. Learn. See if those are qualities you think you already have or can develop.

The other thing is you can do a little research with individuals who are currently doing that role or have done that role. There are lots of ways to get this insight, but you want to make sure identify the capabilities.

We're going to use these in a later step in the process. This is a huge deal.

4. Do your reconnaissance with people currently doing that career or job.

Talk to people currently doing that job—and I want to stress the word currently.

Why do I make such a big deal about this? It's okay to talk to somebody who was a chef or a sales person. But, human nature is we tend to forget what it was like, what some of the struggles were, what it was like not to know what we know. Also, their techniques or their interactions with the world might be a little outdated.

You want to talk to people who are currently going through it. It's fresh in their minds. They know what they're dealing with. It's front, it's center, and they can share it with you.

You can start making a longer list of things you're going to have to evaluate and consider to know whether you're going to want to make this change.

It might sound exciting when you're thinking about making that change, but if you don't have some realistic real-time data you're not going to be successful.

5. Build your Franken-Mentor.

It's never been easier to get help and get educated on a career you want. I call this one “building a Franken-Mentor.”

When I became a trainer a few years ago, I didn't know how to work a camera. I didn't really have a great (social) platform. I didn't know what it was like to build a membership site or a training course or a number of other things I had to learn. I have seven different people it takes to help me shoot this video! LOL.

I had to learn from many different people, who were experts at what they do. I took an entire army to deliver this video to you!

Google them. Find their books. Find their blogs. Follow those people.

Figure out and align those capabilities with individuals who speak on this or write on that or talk on that and start to learn.

Over time, you'll find some experts are a little bit more effective than others. Continue to follow them. That’s how you’ll really start educating yourself.

Go build that Franken-Mentor!

6. Anticipate and plan for the struggles.

It’s amazingly stupid to me people want you to envision success. (Yes. I just said that.)

You hear a lot of people talk about, "Well, just imagine yourself successful." That's BUNK. (Yes. All capitals bunk.)

You can't just imagine yourself into success!

The better way to imagine yourself towards success is to envision the struggles you will encounter and anticipate them. Then, envision yourself working through them!

Talking to the people currently in the job, researching the change you want to make, and then putting a plan together as to how you're going to overcome those challenges is what get’s you through them and on to success.

How will you react when you encounter that obstacle? I’ll tell you how you’ll react. You’re gonna kill it because you were prepared for that encounter. When you hit it, you had already envisioned the struggle, anticipated it could surface, and were ready for it emotionally and with your plan!

If you just envision yourself on the beach having cocktails, it isn't going to work.

You probably have a dozen or so problems you have to overcome. All of us do. There's a bunch you’ll prepare for through your research. There’s some that will be unanticipated.

But, everybody has three problems. You have a:

  • Learning problem
  • Marketing problem
  • Job-interviewing problem (if you stay in the corporate world)

7. Execute your plan to overcome the struggles and advance toward success!

Now it’s time to execute!

The learning issue we discussed a bit. Build your Franken-Mentor, get the books, follow the blogs, do the research, do your reconnaissance, talk to the people, start getting educated, start becoming more and more familiar. This issue is pretty straightforward. It just takes a little elbow grease.

Most people are concerned about the “marketing issue.” People always want to know, "What do I put on my resume? What if I don’t have the right experience?”

If you did step number three (Capabilities and Qualities) and identified those foundational traits you will be in great shape.

The best employers know the capabilities they need to evaluate in a potential employee and they are hiring for the long term. They will notice that match in your resume.

Here’s what to do. Take whatever experience you have…

If you're a college student, it’s your internships, part-time jobs, school projects, classes, and whatever else you have at your disposal.

If you're professional, it’s whatever work experience you have.

Use your list of capabilities, go through your work history, and start identifying the projects, the efforts, and work you did that built skills, which align to those capabilities.

Put that information into your career profile, your highlights, and bullets in the professional experience on your resume. See How to Build the Ultimate Professional Resume for more on this.

You also want to add this information in your cover letter and LinkedIn profile. Of course, prepare for some of the popular job interview questions in the same matter. That is, develop your responses using “stories” of developing those capabilities and how they match to the new job or career.

You must focus on the capabilities. That’s the biggest key to success to get over the marketing and job interviewing hurdles.

Like this episode? Please share it via social media and review it on iTunes! I can keep this blog and all future podcasts and videos ad-free and sponsor-free ONLY because you share my work! Please share or subscribe to my podcast and YouTube channel too!

Want more advanced material? Join the milewalk Academy and grab some of the free offerings that support the instruction in this post!

Have you seen my FREE Job Interviewing Webinar titled 3 Keys to Ace Any Job Interview? There are several available times this week. Attendees receive an awesome eBook titled How to Interview the Employer: 75 Questions to Ask Before You Take Any Job. Check it out!

Jun 5, 2017
Confused about how to answer the dreaded "Tell me about yourself" question in a job interview? Join career expert and award-winning author Andrew LaCivita as he discusses tell me about yourself: best way to respond!

This one goes out to all the people on my Tips for Work and Life Blog Subscription and my YouTube subscribers who’ve pelleted me with emails and comments asking to please shoot this video. This one’s for you!

Why the “question” is terrible…

This question is terrible for a couple of reasons.

The first reason is related to the employer. First off, it's lazy, it's ineffective and it doesn't guarantee the employer it will actually get the information they need to make a good determination about whether you're a good fit for the company.

Great interviewers design well thought out questions that elicit specific information that allows them to make those determinations.

The second terrible is it's even worse for you because it puts you in jeopardy of falling over one of the greatest tripwires in the job interview.

The number one reason you do not get hired (see this video Job Interview Tip: The Number 1 Reason Why You Do Not Get Hired) is your inability to map your fit, value, qualifications, and skills to what the employer needs at the moment.

Think about what's happening when you're in a job interview. You know you're fabulous. I know you're fabulous. The employer has even said you're fabulous by inviting you in for the interview. They think you’re qualified on paper.

They've also think the same thing about all the other qualified candidates who are interviewing for the job. But, only one or maybe a couple of you are going to get hired.

He or she who best maps their skills and qualifications to what the employer needs is going to be the person they hire!

Three techniques to nail this…

How do you know what they need to make that determination?

  1. Ask

The first technique is my favorite. When the interviewer asks, “Please tell me about yourself,” just respond…

“Hey, Mr. Lazy Interviewer Man, my background is lengthy and diverse. Is there any particular part of my background you'd like me to discuss so you can make a determination about whether I'm a good fit for your company?”

Oh. I know there are a whole bunch of you out there saying, “Oh no, Andy I can't answer a question with a question! That’s just bad form. I was told never to do that!”

That's ridiculous. It's fine to answer a question with a question if you need clarification.

They've likely asked you this question at the very beginning of the process or the very beginning of the interview. They dumped you into a wide-open field. It's okay for you to ask for some guidance. It only took you ten seconds to do that.

Want to know what’s worse than you answering a question with a question? That’s you spending ten minutes talking about something that's fabulous about yourself that they don't care about or has nothing to do with helping them determine whether you're a good fit for what they need! Ouch.

The more important thing we should focus on when you ask your questions is being able to anticipate the possible responses or outcomes. What could their replies be?

The beautiful thing about your particular question is there are likely only two responses. When you ask, “Is there a particular part of my background," their response is going to be either yes there is or no there isn't.

If they say, "Yes, there is a particular part of your background. Here it is…," you're golden. Just respond to what they cited. That's the best scenario.

If they say, “No, there isn’t any particular area…,” here’s your pro tip.

Always bring a copy of the job description with you to the interview. If you ask that question and they say, "No, there's nothing in particular," then pick up the job description and say…

"Okay, Mr. Lazy Interviewer Man, it looks like based on your job description you're looking for these skills and qualifications and the role has these responsibilities, so I'm going to share my background as it relates to the job description so you can get the insight to determine whether I'm a good fit for your company."

  1. Use the pro tip I cited with the job description…

For those of you who simply refuse to ask the clarifying questions, go directly to the pro tip I just mentioned using the job description.

  1. Don’t want to ask for clarification and don’t have a job description…

Sometimes you don’t have a job description or it’s so thin you don’t have much to go on. No problem!

Let’s make the assumption if you are in a job interview you have some inkling of what the job entails and what background best suits it.

When the interview says, "Please tell me about yourself," simply respond…

“Okay, I'd love to tell you about myself. I assume the job entails [this and that] and these would be the skills you’d be interested in knowing I have so you can make a good determination about whether I'm a good fit for your company so I'll share my background as it relates to that."

Now, you've given them your assumption about what the job entails and what you think are the important skills you need to have.

If you are incorrect, there's not an interviewer out there who wouldn't stop you and say, "Actually, Mr. Smart Job Candidate, that's not entirely true. Let me clarify that for you. Here's what the job really entails and here are the skills we really need to assess."

Now, you've got the information you need, you just got it a different way.

If they don't interrupt you, take some comfort in knowing you're on the right track and off you go.

Want more help getting hired?

FREE EBOOK DOWNLOAD: Ace Your Job Interview: Master the Best Answers to the 14 Most Effective Job Interview Questions. Get it here: http://bit.ly/aceyourjobinterviewebook

This eBook contains:

  • 14 best job interview questions
  • 43 variations of those same questions
  • Why the employer asks them
  • What the employer is looking for
  • The very best responses

FREE—VERY POPULAR—WEBINAR: 3 Keys to Ace Any Job Interview. Learn everything you want to know about answering and asking job interview questions. Sign up here: http://bit.ly/aceanyjobinterviewwebinar.

Attendees get a sweet, FREE eBook How to Interview the Employer: 75 Great Questions to Ask Before You Take Any Job. Don’t miss it!

Like this episode? Please share it via social media and review it on iTunes! I can keep this blog and all future podcasts and videos ad-free and sponsor-free ONLY because you share my work! Please share or subscribe to my podcast and YouTube channel too!

Want more advanced material? Join the milewalk Academy and grab some of the free offerings that support the instruction in this post!

May 26, 2017
Worried about age discrimination? Job career expert and award-winning author Andrew LaCivita as he discusses age discrimination: how to overcome it in a job interview!

40's, 50's, 60's…

For all you folks in your 40's, 50's, 60's who email me and call me every day frantic you're part of the over the hill crowd…Don't worry!

As someone who does this every day of my life and has consulted to more than 200 companies during my career, I want to share ageism or age discrimination is more rare than you think.

Don’t get me wrong. When you’re in that job interview, you need to be able to justify your higher wages. But, in the job interview, compensation is really not the issue.

There are three mental hurdles, barriers, biases, or whatever you want to call them that are typically present in those interviewers. Let’s review those and I’ll teach you how to overcome them.

The biases…

The interviewer is more likely thinking your skills are stale or you're set in your ways or you don't want to learn anything new. These biases are much more prevalent obstacles for you.

The 3 tactics because all good things come in 3s…

You can overcome those biases with your energy, currency, and attitude.

  1. Your vibrancy: Emit a thousand watts.

When you walk in the (interview) room, you need to be emitting positive, good energy. You are a light bulb! Emit those thousand watts.

Anyone sitting in that room, when you’re done with them, should want to race out and go conquer the world.

For some of you more low key types, you might need to do some jumping jacks before you get in the room. Do whatever you need to do to get that energy going. Smile. Smile for real. Just make sure you're bringing it.

  1. Your responses to their job interview questions: Be current.

When responding to their questions, your examples and experience needs to be current—as in the techniques and tools you use. Use examples that are current.

If your processes or techniques or tactics are outdated or stale, you’re in trouble. If you’re not current, get current. Start researching and studying up on the latest and greatest.

  1. Your awesome attitude: Be overt and share your interest in learning new techniques.

Make sure you outwardly express your interest and excitement for learning new stuff. You crave new tactics, new methods, and want to be on the current edge.

Want more help getting hired?

FREE EBOOK DOWNLOAD: Ace Your Job Interview: Master the Best Answers to the 14 Most Effective Job Interview Questions. Get it here: http://bit.ly/aceyourjobinterviewebook

This eBook contains:

  • 14 best job interview questions
  • 43 variations of those same questions
  • Why the employer asks them
  • What the employer is looking for
  • The very best responses

FREE—VERY POPULAR—WEBINAR: 3 Keys to Ace Any Job Interview. Learn everything you want to know about answering and asking job interview questions. Sign up here: http://bit.ly/aceanyjobinterviewwebinar.

Attendees get a sweet, FREE eBook How to Interview the Employer: 75 Great Questions to Ask Before You Take Any Job. Don’t miss it!

Like this episode? Please share it via social media and review it on iTunes! I can keep this blog and all future podcasts and videos ad-free and sponsor-free ONLY because you share my work! Please share or subscribe to my podcast and YouTube channel too!

Want more advanced material? Join the milewalk Academy and grab some of the free offerings that support the instruction in this post.

May 22, 2017
Do you have fabulous senior-level credentials, but you're not getting the job offer? Join career expert and award-winning author Andrew LaCivita as he discusses executive job interview tips: 3 keys to getting a senior role!

This puts you at zero…

What's happening when you're job interviewing? You exchange information. You need to have the right responses to the employer’s questions. You need to ask good questions. You need the right background. You need to impress.

When you're a junior- or mid-level resource, that’s typically good enough to get hired. When you're at the senior level, it’s not.

The 3 big keys…

  1. It’s about their future, not your past.

You need to get the interviewers, the most senior interviewers, thinking into the future. If you can't get them to imagine what their life will be like and what their company will look like with you there, you'll never get hired.

You can have a great background. You could have been there, done that. That's great. But, if you can't shift their mindset from thinking you’re serviceable to thinking how you’ll catapult them forward, you’re not going to get hired.

How?

One of the easiest ways to shift their thinking is to shift the discussion from your background and your credentials to their goals. Boom.

Where do they see the company going? What exactly do they want to accomplish?

Once you know this, articulate exactly how you will take them there—step by step. Here’s what I would do first. Here’s what I would do second.

  1. Leaders are inclusive and inspiring.

You need to be the high tide that lifts all the boats. Leaders build more leaders. They don't build more followers.

You need to show them you're great at inspiring and inclusive. You're great at building teams.

They're probably going to ask you how you’ll build your team. That’s fine. But, I'm talking about giving them that deep, great feeling that having you there will inspire everyone and you're a great person to work with.

How?

First, think about your job interviewing process. Most of these senior-level interviewing processes start with senior people up front (because they don't want to waste anybody's time).

Then you have a middle part, which includes several other people. You’ll interview with colleagues, internal customers, some staff, and so on.

Toward the end, you’ll revisit (or visit for the first time) with a number of the senior folks.

Along the way, you'll be gathering a lot of information as you speak to lots of people.

One of the easiest and most effective ways to show you’re inclusive is to make several references to the other people and the insight they shared!

For example, “Hey, Mary Jane said something about this... It really struck me. I love that idea. Mr. Executive Man, I'd love to get your perspective on that especially as it relates to [insert something else here which better be a more grand something else for a deeper level of insight].”

If you can include a number of references to other people in the organization and the great conversations you've had with them, the senior interviewers will start to see you as part of the team (already). It’s like you’re already working there!

This also reinforces key number one and gets them to look into the future regarding how you’ll be to work with.

  1. Stay away from one-and-done questions because then you’ll be done.

You’ll obviously be given a chance throughout the process to ask lots of questions. In addition to asking great questions, you need to avoid asking questions—however awesome they are—that lead to dead ends. If you ask dead end questions, you’ll be a dead end.

Specifically, I mean asking a great question, then receiving their response, and then moving on to the next question. That's the big mistake!

The message you're sending to them is that you are a puddle skipper. You are not somebody who's digging deep to get information and collecting it all. You're not well researched. You’re not digging deep enough to get the information you need to make a good decision. Ouch.

Now, they're starting to imagine how you would be as a leader there. Working with the people in your group or other units and not digging deep enough.

How?

If you have follow-up questions and drill down in your line of questioning, you send the message you are well researched, thoughtful, and making sure you're getting all the information you need to make a good decision.

It sends them the message when you're working with your staff, you will make sure you're getting all the information to make good decisions.

That is something they’ll want so when they give you the autonomy to run your unit or run your division they have confidence you'll be a great researcher, you’ll get all the information, and make well-educated decisions.

If you don’t do this, they’ll think you’re someone who skims the surface and oftentimes makes great mistakes or bad choices because you didn't have all the information.

Want more help getting hired?

FREE EBOOK DOWNLOAD: Ace Your Job Interview: Master the Best Answers to the 14 Most Effective Job Interview Questions. Get it here: http://bit.ly/aceyourjobinterviewebookThis eBook contains:

  • 14 best job interview questions
  • 43 variations of those same questions
  • Why the employer asks them
  • What the employer is looking for
  • The very best responses

FREE—VERY POPULAR—WEBINAR: 3 Keys to Ace Any Job Interview. Learn everything you want to know about answering and asking job interview questions. Sign up here: http://bit.ly/aceanyjobinterviewwebinar.

Attendees get a sweet, FREE eBook How to Interview the Employer: 75 Great Questions to Ask Before You Take Any Job. Don’t miss it!Like this episode? Please share it via social media and review it on iTunes! I can keep this blog and all future podcasts and videos ad-free and sponsor-free ONLY because you share my work! Please share or subscribe to my podcast and YouTube channel too!

Want more advanced material? Join the milewalk Academy and grab some of the free offerings that support the instruction in this post

May 5, 2017
Not sure how to answer the most ridiculous job interview question ever? Join career expert and award-winning author Andrew LaCivita as he shares the do's and don'ts in how to answer the greatest weakness question!

It’s a winner…not.

Sure. It wins the dumbest question ever. This question is probably the absolute worst job interview question an employer can ask.

The problem is, for some unknown reason, employers keep asking it. I don't know why. It does nothing to help them predict whether you’ll be a good employee.

I have more than a decade's worth of statistical and predictive models that confirm your cultural fit, achievements, capabilities, skillsets, and strengths are what matters. (See my gold-award-winning book The Hiring Prophecies: Psychology behind Recruiting Successful Employees.)

Do Not as in never…

I can't control what the employers ask you. You can't control them either. But, I can help you prepare the best to answers to this ludicrous question and you can control your response.

  1. Do not—I repeat—DO NOT under any circumstance actually provide them a with a weakness. Never cite something you’re actually bad at. As in N-E-V-E-R.

If they're going to ask you this silly question, you don't need to justify it with an actual weakness.

  1. Do not, and this might be contrary to what you’ve heard from other so-called experts, trainers, columnists or whoever, never provide them with a “strength!”

It's insulting enough they've asked you this question. Don’t compound the problem by insulting them back with, oh I don’t know, something like you’re too detail-oriented, too conscientious, work too much, work too hard, or do everything yourself because you don't know how to delegate.

How idiotic do you think these people are? Oh. Wait. They asked this question in the first place. Well, be above that.

  1. Do not use negative words such as “I’m bad at this” or “I’m not good at that” and so on.

Do this instead…

The best way to handle this question, so that you're actually answering it and they view you as giving it the college try, is to cite something you’ve yet to have the opportunity to do.

Say something such as, “One of my areas for improvement is [insert whatever here]. I’ve yet to have the opportunity to perform this function, work in this industry, study these things., etc.”

They likely won’t penalize you for not having this experience, especially if it’s not germane to the job function.

Then make sure to…

At the end of your statement, make sure to add what you’ve done and are doing to gain experience in that area.

…Even though I don’t have practical experience in that area, I’ve read [these] books, watched [these] videos, taken [these] training classed, and so on.”

Want more help answering job interview questions?

FREE EBOOK DOWNLOAD: Ace Any Job Interview: Master the Best Answers to the 14 Most Effective Job Interview Questions. Get it here: http://bit.ly/aceyourjobinterviewebook

This eBook contains:

  • 14 best job interview questions
  • 43 variations of those same questions
  • Why the employer asks them
  • What the employer is looking for
  • The very best responses

FREE—VERY POPULAR—WEBINAR: 3 Keys to Ace Any Job Interview. Learn everything you want to know about answering and asking job interview questions. Sign up here: http://bit.ly/aceanyjobinterviewwebinar.

Attendees get a sweet, FREE eBook How to Interview the Employer: 75 Great Questions to Ask Before You Take Any Job. Don’t miss it!

Like this episode? Please share it via social media and review it on iTunes! I can keep this blog and all future podcasts and videos ad-free and sponsor-free ONLY because you share my work! Please share or subscribe to my podcast and YouTube channel too!

Want more advanced material? Join the milewalk Academy and grab some of the free offerings that support the instruction in this post!

May 1, 2017
Struggling with what to ask the employer during a job interview? Not sure of the best way to get the information you need to make a great career decision and sell yourself in the process? Join career expert and award-winning author Andrew LaCivita as he shares his top 5 questions to ask in a job interview!

I get it…

It's difficult. You don't job interview very often. You're not (likely) a trained interrogator. That’s why you have me!

I’ll give you 5 home runs…

In the video, I’m going to share my five home runs, what to ask, why it's a great question, and how to use the information. Let’s roll…

A company-based one first…

  1. Based on the direction of the company, what do you think will be your greatest accomplishments in the next three years?

Organizations need to be able to think at least three to five years into the future. But, you don't want to join an organization that only thinks about the future. Thinking is nice, but companies that act and build things and have clarity around specifically what they're going to do are worthy of you. Join them.

It's a great question because it helps you understand whether they have a vision and if they have clarity regarding specifically what they want to build.

If they don’t have that clarity, they’re basically saying to you, “I don't know if you'll have a job in three years because I don't know where the company's going.” Nice. Huh?

Make sure to ask this question early in the process.

Questions two, three, and four are about you and your role…

  1. What are the qualities of people who are most successful in this position?

You're looking for the traits the employer wants. The reason it’s a great question is you’ll get the actual traits they’re evaluating and you can use that insight immediately to highlight how you and your background and experience match those traits! Plus, it’s a great setup question for the next one.

  1. If you were to give me an offer and I was to accept it, one year from now, what will I have done specifically that you would consider this hire to be a raging success?

Now you’re really accelerating! The reason this question is pure gold is it gets the interviewer to provide specifics about the expectations and what the company considers valuable.

It gives you clarity to make sure you could actually achieve those objectives. And, it gives you ammunition to use within that interview or subsequent interviews to talk about exactly how you’ll accomplish what they consider a success.

You now know their (year-end) goal is. Get them to envision you completing it for them.

Boom. This one wins the interview even though you’re not done yet. Let’s pile on a bit…

  1. If you were to give me an offer and I was to accept it, within one week of starting this job, what will be my biggest surprise?

This is a little safety net for you. You want to make sure you're uncovering information you might not have uncovered with the questions you've designed.

It gets the interviewer thinking hmmm, what might this person not ask in the job interview I could share or what surprised me when I first started with the company?

Naturally, the interviewer’s inclination will be to provide you a negative surprise. That’s just (unfortunately) the way most people think.

It puts the interviewer on the spot. Ka. Boom. Bonus.

Don’t forget your boss…

  1. What's your management style and what are your expectations of the position you might not have already mentioned?

Four out of five people quit their jobs because of their boss. This is great question to make sure you’re in sync with his or her style, expectations, and so forth.

If you love this, hit it with a like, share, and comment. I always want to know what you’re thinking!

Make sure to check out my free LIVE webcast called 3 Keys to Ace Any Job Interview. It’ll teach you everything you need to know about how to answer and ask questions in a job interview plus attendees get a sweet, FREE eBook How to Interview the Employer: 75 Great Questions to Ask Before You Take Any Job. Don’t miss it!

https://www.milewalkacademy.com/p/webcast-3-keys-to-ace-any-job-interview-registration

Like this episode? Please share it via social media and review it on iTunes! I can keep this blog and all future podcasts and videos ad-free and sponsor-free ONLY because you share my work! Please share or subscribe to my podcast and YouTube channel too!

Want more advanced material? Join the milewalk Academy and grab some of the free offerings that support the instruction in this post!

Apr 24, 2017
Having a tough time explaining your fabulousness to your employer? Having difficulty getting promoted? Feeling unappreciated? Join career expert and award-winning author Andrew LaCivita as he discusses the best way to get promoted quickly.

This issue is the same whether you’re not getting ahead in your organization or not hearing back from employers when you send out your resume!

You need some oomph behind the story of your career. It’s there! You’re just not telling it!

Yawner…

When it comes to career advancement and promotions, you already know to work hard, work smart, show up to work on time, smile and display that great attitude. Yawn. I won’t bore you with that…

You deserve the advanced course…

I’ll teach you something that will:

  • Give you perspective on what you've accomplished, show you how far you’ve advanced, and highlight how you’ve helped your teams, your companies, and the rest of the world. Aye. You did all that. Yes. You.
  • Provide a solid basis and data for you to conduct effective discussions with your current employer during your performance reviews, annual reviews, and promotion opportunities.
  • Show you what to populate on your resume (because Heaven knows how most of us struggle with this).

Who doesn’t love a journal?

Call it whatever you want—an employee journal, an employee diary, and so on. I’ve called it a Career Achievements Journal and you can grab the FREE DOWNLOAD here:

Career Achievements Journal: 14 Points that Make You Marketable, Get You Promoted, and Accelerate Your Career

For every project or major initiative you undertake, capture the following fourteen points. Do this for every major undertaking however and whenever it arises.

You might have a project last a day, a month, or a year. The length is unimportant as is whether you do your projects serially or simultaneously. Each project has it’s own list.

  1. Project Name: List all major projects and initiatives. They can be a daylong, monthlong, or yearlong initiative.
  2. Statistics: Identify anything quantifiable. This includes budget, timeframe, number of resources, number of customers, etc. Capture anything that shows magnitude and impact.
  3. Business Problem: Identify the high-level business problem you and your company are trying to overcome, improve, and so on.
  4. The Players: List everyone involved from stakeholders, contributors, key team members, units within your organization, partners, and vendors to customers or companies who are benefiting from your project.
  5. Solution: Identify how, at a high-level, you and your company solved the problem.
  6. Result/Outcome: Capture what happened as a result of the project implementation.
  7. Benefits: Capture the entities that benefited (employees, customers, partners, other units in the organization) as well as specifically how they benefited.
  8. Challenges: List the high-level challenges that surfaced during the project. There are the issues that arose as you were building your solution (as opposed to the high-level business problem you were addressing overall).
  9. Overcame Challenges: Identify how you overcame the challenges throughout the project.
  10. Hindsight: Identify what you would have done differently if you started the project knowing what you know now.
  11. Lessons Learned: Capture the high-level lessons you and your organization learned as a result of implementing the project.
  12. Your Development: Identify how you grew specifically. What can you do now that you couldn’t at the beginning of the project? What new skills do you have?
  13. Company Development: Identify how your company grew and improved. What can your company do now that it couldn’t at the beginning of the project?
  14. Victories: Reflect on the high-level victories you achieved over the course the project. Even if the project wasn’t implemented fully, still consider all the accomplishments along the way!!

You might be successful but…

You will never feel successful or happy if you don’t take the time to reflect on all you’ve accomplished.

It’s also extremely important for your personal and professional growth to take time to evaluate the lessons, benefits, and so on of your experiences. If you don’t, you’ll be prone to stagnation not to mention susceptible to repeating your mistakes!

Also, check out 8 Great Tips to Prove Your Value on Your Resume. It goes hand in hand with this lesson.

Make sure to grab the FREE DOWNLOAD. Get it here: Career Achievements Journal: 14 Points that Make You Marketable, Get You Promoted, and Accelerate Your Career

Now, go out and set the world on fire with all you’ve accomplished!

Like this episode? Please share it via social media and review it on iTunes! I can keep this blog and all future podcasts and videos ad-free and sponsor-free ONLY because you share my work! Please share or subscribe to my podcast and YouTube channel too!

Want more advanced material? Join the milewalk Academy and grab some of the free offerings that support the instruction in this post!

Have you seen my FREE Job Interviewing Webinar titled 3 Keys to Ace Any Job Interview? There are several available times this week. Attendees receive an awesome eBook titled How to Interview the Employer: 75 Questions to Ask Before You Take Any Job. Check it out!

 

Apr 7, 2017
Not getting callbacks from the employers when you send out your resume? Join career expert and award-winning author Andrew LaCivita as he discusses 8 great tips to prove your value on your resume!

I could have titled this post 8 Great Tips to Prove Your Value to Your Employer

Before you non-job-seekers cut out me, this post very accurately could have been titled 8 Great Tips to Prove Your Value to Your Employer. So, stay tuned.

Let’s be honest. How many times do we need to remind our own employers of our awesomeness? I don't know about you, but I seem to need to remind my guy every day because he can't remember a thing.

What’s the problem?

Think about the problem. You're sending out your resume and employers aren’t calling you back. Ouch. [I’ve already explained why that is in How to Get Your Resume Noticed in 5 Seconds Guaranteed.]

Although recruiters are a funky bunch and review those resumes quickly, they do notice an impact player when they see one. So, how do we get you to SHOW you’re that impact player?

First, you need a great layout…

I’ve shot other videos on showing your fabulousness on your resume. (C’mon people. I can’t show you everything in one 10-minute video!)

It’ll be extremely helpful if you check out these little beauties so you know the best layout and so forth. Of course, there are FREE Templates and other things that will make you love me forever:

How to Build the Ultimate Professional Resume (Video, Instruction, and Template)

Immediately DOWNLOAD the FREE Ultimate Professional Resume Template here

This One Trick Will Make Your College Resume Stand Out (Video, Instruction, and Template)

Immediately DOWNLOAD the FREE Ultimate Collegiate Resume Template here

Second, I’ll give you TWO FREE courses if you can stump me…

I’m really confident I can improve your resume if you follow this video and spend a few moments considering these tips. Want to know how confident?

I will give you my Build Your Ultimate Professional Resume Course & Workshop plus any additional online training course you find on the milewalk Academy site—FOR FREE—if you can stump me. Details later.

C’mon buddy. Where are my 8 Tips?

Think about what employers care about. Who makes an impact in their organization? People who these things…

  1. Generate revenue. Employers love people who generate revenue. Do you generate revenue, profits, and acquire new customers? (Check the video for more commentary on this. I won’t say this again for everyone because I hate repeating myself. You get it.)
  1. Improve market and brand awareness. Hey marketing-type folks! Are you creating a better-known brand? Measure it any way you can. Is your company getting more inquiries or email addresses? Is your website traffic increasing due to content marketing? Google Analytics anyone?
  1. Customer attraction and leads. Inside sellers or anyone on the front end of sales can be opening doors. You might not be closing the deal for your company, but you’re filling your sales pipeline. Any lead generation works. Managing a booth at an industry fair? Are you collecting business cards or starting a customer or partnership relationship?
  1. Customer happiness. Service people can rejoice! Maybe you’re a call center operator and helping people who call in because your product or service is broken. You fix it. Voila! What are your customer satisfaction scores? What is your customer retention rate? What about renewals and renewal rate?
  1. Corporate growth and security. Let’s not forget the executives. Have you done anything related to supporting an Initial Public Offering, acquisition, divestiture, etc. Is your corporate and online security safer?
  1. Employee happiness. Human resources, recruiters, and all who manage employees can focus on happiness. What are those employee satisfaction scores? Are your employees staying? Is your attrition bad or is your tenure really, really great? Are your recruitment numbers good? Are they healthy? Are your people progressing through their careers and going through the ranks and staying with you because you offer such great opportunities?
  1. Cost reduction. Yeah baby!! Let’s save some money! Did you do anything to save your company money? That could be anything. It could be optimizing a system that makes you run more efficiently. It could be reducing expenses. Processes you do faster save money.
  1. Process efficiency. Optimize anything lately? I mean anything?!? Did you optimize a process that lets the rest of the employees do their job easier or faster? Maybe you're an accountant who figured out a way to reduce your company's month-end closing cycle from fifteen days to seven days. That saves money. It probably reduces mistakes too. All of that stuff is gold on a resume.

But, Andy, I don’t do those activities at work…

Sure you don’t. If you’re thinking there’s no way I can come up with something like this…

Are you a hostess? How many people do you care for and seat and service each night? Over the course of the year?

Are you a mail carrier? How many houses do you deliver the mail to? How many pounds of mail? How many square miles do you cover every single day, year in and year out?

Are you a mechanic? How many cars have you fixed within the last year?

Are you a project manager? What's the size of the project budget? Did you complete it on time? How many people did you manage? How many people did you coach? How many people did you mentor?

We could go all day, but I have a time limit and word count limit and your attention span limit.

Hey, you mentioned a contest or something…

Think about what I said. If you can’t figure out a way to improve your resume, head to the comments section (wherever you’re seeing this) and say…

“Hey, Andy, I’m a [insert title here/perhaps type of company too] and I do [insert what you do] and I can’t figure out how to quantity or show impact. What should I do?”

I’ll respond with advice. If I can’t figure out something for you to add, you can have my resume course & workshop for FREE and any other online training course in the milewalk Academy.

Tell me I don’t love you.

Want more resume help? For a ridiculously low investment and huge value, check out my resume course & workshop!

Like this episode? Please share it via social media and review it on iTunes! I can keep this blog and all future podcasts and videos ad-free and sponsor-free ONLY because you share my work! Please share or subscribe to my podcast and YouTube channel too!

Want more advanced material? Join the milewalk Academy and grab some of the free offerings that support the instruction in this post!

Have you seen my FREE Job Interviewing Webinar titled 3 Keys to Ace Any Job Interview? There are several available times this week. Attendees receive an awesome eBook titled How to Interview the Employer: 75 Questions to Ask Before You Take Any Job. Check it out!

Mar 14, 2017
Struggling to come up with a creative idea? Not sure how to improve your product, service, book, blog post, speech, or anything you’re working? Join career expert, motivator, and award-winning author Andrew LaCivita as he discusses 3 easy ways to create something original!

But, it’s all been done before…NOT!

It’s getting harder and harder to create something original because there is more and more stuff being distributed, searched for, and copied on the Internet.

More people than ever are introducing their ideas to the world. How do you create something new and fresh especially when you think you don’t have a creative bone in your body?

Good news is you don’t need to be creative!

You just have to have an opinion. I know you have one of those even if you don’t express it.

Awareness and research are the keys…

Whenever I’m looking for new, fresh ways to create good content for you, there are three questions or thoughts I use.

I review a lot of material and read many books, online magazines, and so on. I do a lot of research. These are stimulants and give me ideas.

So, when I’m looking for new, fresh ways to create good content for you, there are three questions or thoughts I use.

Doesn’t everything great come in threes?

When I’m looking for new, fresh ways to create good content for you, there are three questions or thoughts I use.

  1. That is not true because…
  2. That is true, but…
  3. That is true, and…

Use these statements to add your own thoughts, ideas, and additions. Bam! It’s original because there’s only one you and you’ve just altered something.

The minute you add your own flavor to something, it’s an original. You are an original and therefore the transitive property lives on.

I don’t care if someone else thinks the same thing or said the same thing. Put your personality and twist on it. Besides, people need to hear stuff a billion times before they get it. Repetition breeds impression and all that.

Tell me something original. Go ahead! I dare ya!

Like this episode? Please share it via social media and review it on iTunes! I can keep this blog and all future podcasts and videos ad-free and sponsor-free ONLY because you share my work! Please share or subscribe to my podcast and YouTube channel too!

Want more advanced material? Join the milewalk Academy and grab some of the free offerings that support the instruction in this post!

Mar 7, 2017
Confused about how to use your few minutes with an employer at a job fair? Not sure how to make that unforgettable impression? Join career expert, motivator, and award-winning author Andrew LaCivita as he discusses how to spend your 5 minutes at a job fair!

First, what not to do…

Before I dive into how I would spend my five minutes, let’s cover what not to do. It's the biggest mistake people make when they go to job fairs.

It’s the same issue I covered in The Number 1 Reason Why You Do Not Get Hired. It’s the same reason you don't get called back after a job fair.

It’s spending your time trying to get out everything there is to know about you, what you think are the highlights of your career (or studies), what you think are your best attributes, and what you think are your most desired skills.

Big mistake.

You spend too much time sharing and don’t know whether that’s what the employer needs to know!

How do you know what the employer seeks?

Try this…

Waltz up to the booth (or person or whoever looks like someone who knows what they’re doing), and say…

“Hi. My name’s Frankie Fabulous. I'd love to share a little bit about myself and learn about your company. Before I do that, could you tell me what you're looking for in an entry-level candidate?”

If you’re a professional…

“Hi. My name’s Susie Sensational. Could you tell me what the most important skills are in [insert whatever position it is you’re looking to attain]?”

Give them a minute or two to share that insight with you. They’ll go on with…

“Well, we're looking for somebody with this kind of background or these kind of skills or these kind of traits.”

You’ll hear a bunch of different stuff like detail-oriented, great communication skills, engineering students, so on and so forth.

Now, you’re a salesperson…

Collect the insight. Then, dive into your remaining 2-3 minutes with exactly how you match exactly what they’re looking for!

As soon as you leave, they’ll be thinking boy, that John Smith…he seemed to match exactly what we needed. We need to call him back.

A gold star…

Most booth people need to jot notes on your resume because they can’t possibly remember everyone.

As soon as you walk away, they scratch on your resume numbers or stars or whatever.

He’s a 2. She’s a 5. Give him a silver star. Give her a gold star. You get the picture.

And, you get a star from me for watching. Thanks!

Like this episode? Please share it via social media and review it on iTunes! I can keep this blog and all future podcasts and videos ad-free and sponsor-free ONLY because you share my work! Please share or subscribe to my podcast and YouTube channel too!

Want more advanced material? Join the milewalk Academy and grab some of the free offerings that support the instruction in this post!

Mar 2, 2017
Are you struggling to prepare your questions to ask an employer in a job interview? Not sure what to ask or how to ask it? Join career expert, motivator, and award-winning author Andrew LaCivita as he discusses the most valuable question to ask in a job interview!

Before we get rolling, I want to express I understand many of you struggle with what questions to ask an employer as well as how to ask them.

This part of the interview—when you get to ask your questions—offers a great chance to sell yourself. It’s also the most important part of getting the information you need to make a great decision about whether the employer is a good for you.

Good vs. good for you!

There are a lot of questions you need to ask and several areas you need to investigate. Is the company a good company? Is it solid in general? Is it a good company for you?

Even though the company is a good company doesn’t mean it’s a good company for you! There are a lot of questions that go along with trying to figure this out.

All good things come in 3’s

When you ask your questions, you should keep these three goals in mind. Every question should be designed to:

  1. Sell yourself
  2. Get the information you need
  3. Get the information as quickly as possible

The faster you get the information the more time you have to get more information. The more information you have the more informed the decision. The more informed the decision, the better the decision. (Whew! That’s a lot of mores!)

A question is never just a question

There is a whole lot that goes into asking your questions, how to organize them, when to use the information and so on. I have an entire free webcast that covers these called 3 Keys to Ace Any Job Interview. See below for details. Go ahead and sign up. I dare ya.

You can protect yourself with your questions

One other aspect I’d like to add regarding why I think this is such a valuable question is it helps you overcome one of the biggest reasons you don’t get hired.

A month or so ago, I shot a video and made a blog post titled The Number 1 Reason Why You Do Not Get Hired. The number one reason you don't get hired is not because you lack qualifications. Chances are very good if you're interviewing you’re qualified.

It's the job candidates’ inability to map how their qualifications align to what the employer needs. Keep that in mind because there is a great chance you can made that misstep in the interview.

What is the question already?

The reason I think this question is a valuable one is because it helps you sell yourself, gets you great information quickly, AND helps you overcome that great obstacle in getting hired.

So, here it is…

“If you were to give me a job offer and I was to accept it, after one year on the job, what would you consider a success? What would success look like to you? Specifically, what will I have accomplished you would consider to be a success?"

Why is this an uber cool question?

This question gives you clarity regarding what the interviewer thinks success looks like.

Now, you can use that insight to reply how you would accomplish that or how your skills or capabilities align to accomplish that success!

You're speaking to exactly how you would to work toward that success and it’s what the interview wants and needs to know. Ultimately, interviewers need to answer, “Will this job candidate be successful in the role?”

Wait! There’s more!

Here's what else it does. If you ask that question to every single interviewer you might get a slightly different answer. At least now you know what that interviewer thinks success is.

Maybe you're interviewing with various people within the organization and they each have different goals or requirements. Now you can align your answers to how it affects that person and his or her interests. (Let's not worry just yet whether or not all their answers are consistent. That's something you can sort out later. The most important thing while you're in that particular interview is to get that interviewer to like you.)

The reason this question is so powerful is because it surfaces for you what each interviewer thinks success looks like. They make their decisions on what they think, not necessarily reality. This helps you overcome the disparity and makes sure they all want hire you—for whatever their reasons might be. :)

Free Live Job Interviewing Webcast: I’m offering a FREE LIVE WEBCAST titled 3 Keys to Ace Any Job Interview. It comes with great instruction and a nice workbook for note taking. Even more, I have an awesome giveaway when you attend. It’s an eBook titled How to Interview the Employer: 75 Great Questions to Ask Before You Take Any Job. There are several times available.

You can sign up here.

Like this episode? Please share it via social media and review it on iTunes! I can keep this blog and all future podcasts and videos ad-free and sponsor-free ONLY because you share my work! Please share or subscribe to my podcast and YouTube channel too!

Want more advanced material? Join the milewalk Academy!

Feb 20, 2017
Are you achieving all you can every day? Feeling like your days just get away from you? Do you look back and wonder where did the time go? Join career expert, motivator, and award-winning author Andrew LaCivita as he discusses 7 simple habits to make every day productive!

Make sure to grab my handy booklet the Guide to Leading Fulfilled Days: 7 Simple Habits to Make Every Day Productive so you can easily record, reflect, plan, and make every day wildly successful!

Get it here:

https://milewalk.leadpages.co/leadbox/1433d9dc3f72a2%3A17fd80be1346dc/5761512987688960/

No skills or much time required…

I’ve got some great tips today. They’re an orderly set of tips and habits you can implement. The greatest part about these habits is they require no skills and very little time to put in place.

What happens between the time you wake up and the end of the year?

I want to bring you back about a year and a half ago. I wrote a blog post about my two morning tricks to eating the frog. That was about how you get your morning going. You can get off to a great start regardless of your morning routine. It’s all about your mindset.

Toward the end of last year, I did a video and a post about how to reflect your way to success. It was really designed help you look back at the end of each year, reflect on what you learned and what you accomplished. But, the special part about this process is—no matter you did during the year—you will feel great about yourself and all you have accomplished. Yes. It’s that bulletproof a technique. Check it out. (There’s even a great planner download.)

What happens in between your mornings and when you wake up toward the end of the year? You live each day!

How do you ensure you can look back at the end of each year and say, “Wow, what a great year (or great day or great week or great month)?” That’s what today’s session is all about!

The 7 Habits…

Here are seven simple habits to make every day productive.

The first two, in fact, start the night before.

1. Identify three goals you want to accomplish the next day?

Think in advance about what you want to accomplish. The most important aspect when identifying these goals is to make sure there’s an element of completeness.

You don’t want your goals to be goals such as “make progress on my project.” It’s too loose. Focus more on what you need to complete in step one of the project. If step one is too big to complete in one day, then identify the portion of step one.

Whatever it is, just make sure there is some conclusion you can draw and that there is an element of completeness to it.

Also, don’t have too many goals. If you have too many goals, you’ll be chasing too many rabbits and won’t catch any. You get the gist.

2. Schedule your entire calendar for the next day (the night before).

Schedule your day. I stress the word your day.

You will be far less likely to get interrupted by other people’s issues or other people’s requests if you’ve made your plan.

Never ever—I repeat never—check your morning email before your day is scheduled.

If you do that, you’re likely going to run amok and other people’s issues will interrupt your intentions. You won’t be able to work on the key projects or goals you identified.

Also, I recommend scheduling every single minute of your day. If you don’t know what you’re doing between 1:00 PM and 2:00 PM, schedule “open time” or “buffer time” or “recovery time.”

That will give you a chance to catch up or handle unexpected issues that arise during the day.

3. Identify three things you’re grateful for as early in the morning as possible.

However you start your day, whatever morning routine is, be grateful. Be deliberately grateful.

I get up. Take care of my dogs. Go to the gym to exercise. I come home and meditate. I eat. That’s my routine.

Whether you just get up and take a shower or stretch and have a cup of coffee or dance or whatever, spend a moment to be grateful. It takes a mere minute to write down three things for which you are grateful.

It is physiologically impossible to be stressed and grateful at the same time. You’re giving yourself a chance to be stress-free even if it’s for mere seconds.

Put yourself in the right mindset.

There is another aspect to gratitude. You can be assured gratitude is a wonderful place where there is a force greater than you and greater than I that is always available to you in a positive way.

You will feel better and better things will happen to you and for you. It’s just a wonderful way to start your day.

4. Identify what you accomplished during the day.

After you work your day, write down what you actually achieved related to those three big goals.

Note how that positions you for tomorrow. This will help you plan tomorrow.

5. Consider your lessons of the day.

Write down a couple or three lessons you actually learned for that day.

It’s really, really important to take a few minutes to think about what transpired over the course of the day and what you actually learned.

What did you learn about yourself or your projects or the people you work or what to do or not to do?

If you don’t identify these lessons, you’re not going to feel accomplished and you’ll make the same mistakes.

6. Celebrate your victories.

Write down your three wins for the day.

Give yourself a little brag zone. It’s okay to say, “Wahoo, I accomplished goals one, two, and three!” or “I sold my first project!” or “Our marketing project is complete!”

It could be anything you feel great about accomplishing that day. Just make sure your celebrate something.

7. Identify three things you’re grateful for as late in the day as possible.

Repeat habit three. As late in the day as possible, and I stress as late in the day as reasonably possible, identify three more things you’re grateful for. Preferably, these will be three items from that day (but they don’t have to be).

Later in the day is best because if these are your last thoughts of the day you’ll have a better night’s sleep. You’ll go to sleep, wake up a lot more refreshed, and go into your next day in a much better frame of mind.

MORE GOODIES!

Grab my FREE download of the Guide to Leading Fulfilled Days: 7 Simple Habits to Make Every Day Productive and you’ll have a handy checklist of what to record, reflect on, and plan your day!

Like this episode? Please share it via social media and review it on iTunes! I can keep this blog and all future podcasts and videos ad-free and sponsor-free ONLY because you share my work! Please share or subscribe to my podcast and YouTube channel too!

Want more advanced material? Join the milewalk Academy and grab some of the free offerings that support the instruction in this post!

Thanks!

Andy

Feb 16, 2017
Are you frustrated when an employer asks you, "Why have you had so many job during your career?" or "Why can't you seem to stay at one job for any lengthy period of time?" Do you have difficulty coming up with a great response? Join career expert, motivator, and award-winning author Andrew LaCivita as he discusses the best answer to the job hopper question!

Help is here!

I’ll tell you exactly how to answer those questions, but let’s first address what’s happening when an interviewer asks you these questions.

Realize no one is smart enough to take your responses from those particular questions and determine whether you’ll be a great employee in their company. It's just too great a leap to connect those dots.

Decisions you made years ago simply won’t help them understand how you're going to fit into their organization.

What’s the question you’re really being asked?

If you are interviewing, whether on the phone or in person, the employer has essentially granted on paper you are qualified for the job and deserving of their time!

The question they are truly asking is, “Why will it be different this time?”

The interviewer wants to know why are you going to make a good decision that sticks…so when you join their company you’ll be a good longstanding, successful employee.

That’s what they really want to know. That’s what they want to be assured of.

That’s the question you need to answer!

Turn multiple job hops into one issue you’ve resolved!

First, take responsibility and own your previous actions.

Second, turn “several” problems into one problem you can address quickly. That is, if you’ve had a handful of job hops, respond to all of them at once. Make it a universal issue you’ve now fixed. You can diffuse it all in one fell swoop.

Third, give your response with a smile and lots of positivity regarding why this will work going forward.

The answer…

“Ya know, you’re right. I do have a few (or a number of) job hops in my history.

I discovered very recently the reason I was having some trouble was due to a common issue. I wasn’t clear upfront regarding all the criteria I needed to be fulfilled in my job.

I did some self-reflection and thought deeply about everything I needed to make me happy in my work life. I hadn’t done that previously. But, now, I took the time. Performed the exercises and reflected.

This has put me in a much better position to evaluate whether any future job opportunity and company will be a great fit for me because I now have a much more complete list of the criteria I need. I have that clarity.

Previously, I wasn’t as skilled at getting the information I need from the employer, but I’m in a much better position now because I’ve gone through this reflection.

I understand specifically what I need to evaluate and how to evaluate it. Now, I’m more confident I can determine whether your company is a good one for me.”

Why this works…

First, you avoid the risk of dragging the conversation on by trying to take one job hop at a time.

When you do this, the interviewer thinks goodness. It's always something with her. It seems like a different issue every time or he's just like Pig Pen. He's got that cloud of rain over himself wherever he goes.

You’ve also shifted a negative question into a positive action you’ve taken!

There are exceptions, but the pattern is what’s important…

I realize people leave jobs for countless reasons. You could have an illness in the family. Your husband or wife could be getting transferred.

But, if you're getting asked the job hopper question, the interviewer is looking for the common pattern.

Take responsibility. Defuse it all at once. Speak positively about the action you've taken to overcome it and why it won't be an issue this time!

Need help with your resume to market yourself effectively. Check out my FREE Ultimate Professional Resume Template.

You can download it here and also check out my post How to Build the Ultimate Professional Resume.

If you want even more training, I have a phenomenal resume-writing workshop that comes with all kinds of goodies related to preparing a killer resume, cover letters, and LinkedIn Profile. You also get additional ongoing coaching and so much more. It's really better if you check out the overview page!

Like this episode? Please share it via social media and review it on iTunes! I can keep this blog and all future podcasts and videos ad-free and sponsor-free ONLY because you share my work! Please share or subscribe to my podcast and YouTube channel too!

Want more advanced material? Join the milewalk Academy and grab some of the free offerings that support the instruction in this post!

Thanks!

Andy

Jan 29, 2017
Have you wondered why your resume doesn’t get noticed? Are you curious regarding how a recruiter “examines” your resume? Interested in the job resume killers? Join career expert, motivator, and award-winning author Andrew LaCivita as he discusses how to get your resume noticed in 5 seconds guaranteed!

How can you review 500,000 resumes? Honestly?

I’ve reviewed more than a half million resumes during my career. I bet you’re wondering how this is possible.

Combine decades of interviewing and hiring at a high velocity, coupled with a whopping no-thank-you to a great recession (where I reviewed an average of 1,500-2000 resumes per week for four years), and strong relationships with prominent outplacement companies who send me resumes by the thousands when they handle a large reduction in workforce for one of their clients, and, hey presto, there it is.

How long? 6 Seconds!?

Recruiters worth their salt can glance through your entire resume within six seconds, which means you’ve got five seconds to interrupt their mind-numbing, eye-glazing, white-noise-like key-stroking through an electronic pile that will make you start talking slowly no matter how much caffeine you’ve had.

Don’t believe me? I’m sharing my personal experience (more on this in a minute), but a number of job sites such as The Ladders (check out their eye-tracking story on how recruiters review resumes) indicate their survey says employers review your resume in six seconds. Ouch.

Why? Everyone’s busy and they have too many resumes to review.

How do you review the resume?

Click. Open. Big Thunderbolt Mac Screen!

Eye-Glance 1: Name please! My eyes go right for the top center. I want to see your name. Just your name. I don’t need 18 other credentials and letters (unless you’re a medical doctor, lawyer, or whatever). An address is nice too. I want to know your geography.

Eye-Glance 2: Then I look at the entire top half of the first of page of your resume—all at once. I’m looking for something specific (more later). I do not start reading the top half of the page. I’m filing away whether I want to come back to it later. If it has what I want, I’ll come back. If it doesn’t have what I want, I never go back to it.

Eye-Glance 3: Then I scramble down the left column of the first page. I’m looking for the companies you worked for. I’m much more interested in which companies you worked for than the positions you held. I want people who’ve played for Super Bowl-winning teams.

Eye-Glance 4: Then I look at the entire second page all at once. Yes. The entire page. If you have a third page, I’m upset because you didn’t respect my time.

Side note: If I can sum up my entire 28-year career in 26 words, you can summarize a 50-year career in two pages. If you think you can’t, you are mistaken.’

This entire eye-glancing escapade takes me no longer than six seconds.

How do you decide to keep reviewing the resume?

Now, I need to decide whether to delete the resume or whether to review it. I stress the word review because anyone who has time to read your entire resume has too much time on his or her hands.

Want to know what I’m looking for?

What’s the 5-second magic pill!

Why did you open this post? It was one of two reasons.

You either know and love me and thought omigawd, Andy has another amazing post and I just have to watch (listen or read). Otherwise, you had no clue who I was, but saw the headline telling you some dude promises you resume glory in five seconds.

I’m guessing the latter. Regardless of your reason, you need to interrupt the recruiter’s mind-numbing review process by giving her something she’ll love—right away. It’ll be your analogous “headline.”

She wants to know you’ll bring value to her organization.

The easiest way to do this is by encapsulating who you are professionally—in aggregate—and also highlighting your (likely three most) valuable contributions.

I suggest doing this in a Career Profile section at the very top followed immediately by a Career Highlights section immediately underneath.

I’ve already given you the exact formula and language in How to Build the Ultimate Professional Resume. I’ve also given you the templates whether you need a professional or collegiate resume.

Get your ultimate professional resume template with instruction here.

Get your ultimate collegiate resume template with instruction here.

The absolute DO NOTS as in NEVER EVER!

Don’t waste your most prime real estate at the top of your resume with…

An objective statement. Yuck. Double yuck. You are advertising what your objective, needs, or wants are. The employer wants to know what you can contribute. Tell them what you offer not what you want.

A bunch of skills: Ugh. Please, whatever you do, don’t list skills in a table or any other format that tells the employer you are a leader, project manager, hard-working, detail-oriented, energetic, so on and so forth and so boring. This takes up space sharing generic skills, which are technically your opinion of yourself. The employer wants facts. Give them facts. Caveat: you can identify skills in your career profile sparingly and according to the instruction I provided in How to Build the Ultimate Professional Resume.

An education section: Education is nice and should be toward the bottom of your resume if you’ve been working professionally for more than 24 hours. That’s right. You’re a pro now. Drop it down. Caveat: You are in a CV-type world where the studies, doctorates, and so forth are key. Caveat Part Deux: You’re a college student.

Coming soon! I’ll be running a webinar completely dedicated to writing the perfect resume. If you’re on my Tips for Work and Life® blog subscription, you’ll be notified!

FREE Live Job Interviewing Webcast: I’m offering a FREE LIVE WEBCAST titled 3 Keys to Ace Any Job Interview. It comes with great instruction and a nice workbook for note taking. Even more, I have an awesome giveaway when you attend. It’s an eBook titled How to Interview the Employer: 75 Great Questions to Ask Before You Take Any Job. There are several times available.

You can sign up here.

Like this episode? Please share it via social media and review it on iTunes! I can keep this blog and all future podcasts and videos ad-free and sponsor-free ONLY because you share my work! Please share or subscribe to my podcast and YouTube channel too!

Want more advanced material? Join the milewalk Academy!

Thanks!

Andy 

Jan 10, 2017
Have you wondered why you didn’t get hired even though you were perfect for the job? Join career expert, motivator, and award-winning author Andrew LaCivita as he discusses the number 1 reason you did not get hired!

Mistake Alert

Most people think they get hired because of their qualifications. In doing so, they expend so much energy in the interview focusing on their experience before they know which parts of their experience and qualifications the employer is most interested in. At this point, you must be thinking whaaaaaa?

The Obvious

You are in a job interview of some kind. The employer, through its action of spending time to speak with you, thinks you’re qualified—on paper.

The Not-So-Obvious 

You actually get a job interview because of your qualifications. You get the job for three reasons, none of which are your qualifications.

Why Do You Get the Job?

Based on my observation from thousands of interviews between my clients (the hiring companies) and job candidates (prospective employees), I've concluded a candidate's attainment of the job is largely contingent on three often-undetectable success factors:

  • The candidate's ability to effectively articulate his or her qualifications and potential contributions (encoding)
  • The interviewer's ability to accurately interpret the candidate's qualifications (decoding)
  • The interviewer's capacity to remember the candidate (memory)

It all comes down to your ability to communicate how your qualifications match what the employer needs.

The Unfortunate Reality

The reality is you have a greater chance of failing the interview because of a misrepresentation or misinterpretation than you do a lack of qualification.

The 3-Step Fix 

  1. Keep the three reasons why you get hired in mind. Awareness and consciousness (of these issues) is key to success. Of course, general consciousness is too. J
  1. When asked an interview question, don’t rush to share your awesomeness unless you know which part of your awesomeness the interviewer and employer needs to know. (That is, it doesn’t matter if you’re fantastic. You need to connect the dots for the employer how your fabulousness matches what it needs!) Sometimes the job interviewer’s question is specific and he or she identifies clearly what’s needed. Other times, the interviewer is vague. Make sure to look before you leap.
  1. Ask a clarifying question (if need be) to zone in on exactly what information the interviewer needs to know to determine whether you are a great fit. This is especially helpful in the wake of the dreaded and horribly ineffective, “Please tell me about yourself,” question. (See Bonus Section for more.)

Bonus Section 

For junior and mid-level folks who often face the dreaded, “Please tell me about yourself,” question, your immediate response to ensure clarification should be: 

I’d love to tell you about myself. Can you let me know what part of my background would be most helpful for you to know so you can make a good determination regarding whether I’m a great fit for your company?

For senior-level folks, make sure to clarify what the employer considers the most important growth areas (units) within the company as well as what attributes, traits, capabilities, and skills are most important for its leaders.

Free eBook and Video Series: Sign up for my Tips for Work and Life Blog® to receive a 3-Part video series that includes more information regarding this issue and how to overcome it through your storytelling and question asking. When you sign up for the blog, you also immediately receive a great eBook titled Ace Your Job Interview: Master the Best Answers to the 14 Most Effective Job Interview Questions

Free Live Webcast: I’m offering a FREE LIVE WEBCAST titled 3 Keys to Ace Any Job Interview. It comes with great instruction and a nice workbook for note taking. Even more, I have an awesome giveaway when you attend. It’s an eBook titled How to Interview the Employer: 75 Great Questions to Ask Before You Take Any Job. There are several times available.

You can sign up here:

https://www.milewalkacademy.com/p/webcast-3-keys-to-ace-any-job-interview-registration

Like this episode? Please share it via social media and review it on iTunes! I can keep this blog and all future podcasts and videos ad-free and sponsor-free ONLY because you share my work! Please share or subscribe to my podcast and YouTube channel too!

Want more advanced material? Join the milewalk Academy!

Thanks,

Andy

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